I pick up his empty plate and tell him, “I’ll need to go to the hotel to get changed—”
It hits me out of nowhere. The pain in my head is so severe that I can’t see. My vision blurs. The plate slips from my hand. It hits the floor and smashes. I can’t do anything but clutch my head and cry out in agony.
This is bad. The headaches are getting worse.
“Jesus, Taylor. Are you okay?” Liam’s voice sounds like he’s underwater.
Everything starts to fade to black.
I register my legs giving out right at the time he lifts me into his arms. He carries me over to the sofa in his living room.
“What’s wrong, babe?”
I can hear the worry clear in his voice.
“Head…ache,” I manage to get out.
“What can I do?”
“Tablets. My bag.”
I hear Liam leave me. I turn onto my side, curling into a ball. My hands clutch my head, my eyes squeezing tightly shut, as I will the pain to stop.
Not now. Not in front of Liam. Please.
“I got them.” He’s back. He sounds out of breath. “This was the only pill bottle I could find in your bag. I got water, too. How many do you take?”
“Two,” I whisper, everything sounding loud.
I hear him shake out two pills.
“Open up, sweetheart.”
I feel the pills pressing against my lips. I part my lips, and Liam drops the tablets into my mouth. Then, I feel a water bottle at my lips.
“Drink,” Liam tells me.
I let the water in my mouth and swallow down the tablets.
“Better?” he asks.
I murmur a sound, waiting for the pills to do their job.
Liam sits on the floor beside me, his hand gently stroking my hair.
The headache begins to subside after what feels like forever, but in reality, it’s probably only been five minutes.
“Hey,” Liam murmurs when I blink open my eyes. “You doing okay?”
“I’m better. Thanks.” I touch his hand still stroking my hair.
“Do you always get headaches that bad?”
I press my lips together. “Sometimes.”
“Is it because of the tumor you had when you were younger?”
I press my lips together and slowly nod my head.
I’m lying to him. It doesn’t make me feel good. But the alternative is telling him the truth, and I won’t do that.
“The tablets make it better?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“I broke your plate,” I say regretfully.
“Forget the plate, so long as you’re okay. That’s all that matters.”
I swallow past my lies and touch a hand to his face. “I’m okay.”
He turns his face into my hand, kissing my palm. “Did I…” He meets my eyes. “Did I overdo things with you last night?”
I give him a questioning look.
“The sex. You didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“It wasn’t that. I just…I get headaches sometimes. Nothing to worry about.”
He’s staring at me.
“The sex is amazing. I love the way you fuck me, Liam.”
His eyes darken with lust, and I know I’ve gotten him back to where he should be.
“I can’t believe I let you finger me in the back of a taxi.” I grin.
A smile teases the corner of his lips.
“Do you think we scarred the driver?” I ask.
“I think the guy probably went straight home and had a wank. I know I would have.” He leans in and brushes his lips over mine. “You, in the back of that taxi last night…riding my fingers—hottest fucking moment of my life.”
I let out a nervous giggle. “Surely not. I bet you’ve done way hotter things than that.”
Holding my gaze, he slowly shakes his head. “Nope. What we did last night was the hottest thing I’ve ever done.” He kisses me again, sucking on my lower lip. “You, Boston, are the most sexually adventurous woman I’ve ever known.”
I can’t tell him that I’m only that way because I have nothing left to lose, so I have nothing to fear. And I want to experience as much of everything that I can, even the things that scare me, before I go to my family.
So, I just smile and slide a hand down his bare chest, heading south, as a distraction for myself, but Liam catches my hand.
“But no fucking today, my Boston temptress, and I’m going to cancel our plans for this afternoon. You need to rest.”
“No.” I push myself up to sit. I hide the wince I feel at the ache that remains in my head. The ache no pills will ever take away.
“Yes,” he says in a firm voice.
“But I’m better, I promise.”
“You just flinched in pain from sitting up.”
Shit, I thought I hid that. Apparently not.
“You’re not better.”
“I am. That was just a little vertigo after lying down for so long.”
“Bullshit.” He gives me a disbelieving look.
“Hey…I’m not bullshitting. I want to go out. I want my surprise.”
He continues to stare at me.
“I’m fine now, Hunter. I promise. It was just a headache, and it’s gone. I’m all better.” I give him my best smile.
“I don’t know, Boston. That headache knocked you off your feet…”
“I’m fine.”