Unplugged (20 page)

At the word
‘date’, I concentrate on tipping sugar into my coffee and allowing my hair to sweep forward. Liam dips his head to look beneath my hair.

“
Why are you blushing?”

“
Because you make me feel like a teenager,” I say.

Liam pushes my hair away from my eyes.
“That’s cute.”

His fingertips against my skin jolts like a static shock
; and as he rubs my cheek, the sensation spreads to my scalp, down my neck, pretty much everywhere. I shiver. The intensity in Liam’s eyes shifts downward and I startle as his hand brushes the top of my chest. “You’re wearing the necklace,” he says, holding the chain in his fingers.

I close my hand around the gold heart and stare back at him, locked back in the strange place I see in his eyes. Mine and Liam
’s place. “I always wear it.”

“
Do you?” he asks in surprise, moving to touch my hand.

I let go of the heart and pull my fingers away, taking hold of my cup instead. Sipping the coffee, my dry mouth moistens and I focus on bringing myself back to reality.

“When I bought you that, I didn’t realise I’d be giving a piece of my heart to you with it,” he says quietly.

The black-haired girl returns with two slices of chocolate cake but my insides are too full of
butterflies to attempt to eat. I smile and thank her; glad she’s interrupted the intensity of the moment.

Liam
sighs. “I’m not interested in playing games with you. We’re not teenagers.”

“
I know, but remember the Liam I knew before Christmas was the one from my teenage years. Of course you’ll make me feel like that still.”

“
I want you in my life,” he says. “I have five months to make up for, Cerys, and I’m not leaving this any longer.”

“
Wow, straight to the point.”

“
Why bother with all the dancing around each other bullshit? We know each other already; I now want to get to know you better.”

“
So do I.”

Liam leans toward me.
“I feel as if I should be with you, that it’s the place I need to be. Does that sound crazy?”

“
A little.” Or it would if he wasn’t reflecting how I feel. “A rock star feels he needs to be with a single mum?”

“
No, Liam feels he needs to be around Cerys as much as he can. I understand your life’s complicated and that I’m sharing you with Ella, but I’m prepared to do that. I won’t come in and take over; I have commitments to work so I’m not around all the time. Is that okay with you?”

I laugh at him.
“It’s like you’re making a business proposition, Liam.”

“
I’m being straight with you; I thought you’d appreciate that.”

“
I appreciate you making your intentions clear, Mr Oliver,” I say with a smirk.

Liam leans across and whispers.
“I haven’t even begun to tell you about my intentions yet, Miss Edwards.”

The pink I
’d managed to settle flares across my cheeks again, the darkened look in his emerald eyes is one I imagine he’s given a lot of girls over the last few years and I’m willing to bet few, if any, of them said no.

Attempting and failing to hide the effect this is having on me, I delve into my bag for my phone and check the time.
“Sorry, you’ll have to tell me later. I need to collect Ella.” The attempt at nonchalance is spoilt by the crack in my voice.

Please
, can somebody turn on the air-conditioning because I’m a sweaty mess after less than an hour alone with this man, and the oxygen levels definitely need adjusting in this room? The only solution is to disengage. I focus hard on fastening my handbag.

“
Cerys, look at me.” I tip my head, hair covering some of my face and look to one of amusement on his. “Bottom line, I like you a hell of a lot and I want to get to know you better. Every part of you.”

“
Good idea,” I say, clearing my throat. “I’d like to get to know you better, too.”

He cocks a brow.
“Every part of me?”

I stand.
“Stop teasing me, Liam.”
Yes, a thousand times
.

He stands, looking at me curiously and I
’d kill to know what his exact thoughts are at this moment. “I’ll drop you at school and we can continue this conversation later. I mean every word though.”

Only time will tell if he
’s serious, or whether this is his fantasy brought on by the disasters in his other world recently. In my heart, I’m sure the connection to Liam runs deeper, otherwise why would fate keep bringing us back together?

CHAPTER 19

CERYS

I apply lipstick wit
h a shaking hand and end up with a pink smear halfway across my face. This is followed by stabbing myself in the eye with a mascara wand.

Yes, I want to see Liam but his idea of a date terrifies me. We had one coffee date the morning he surprised me by returning from LA early, but since then our relationship has continued by text while he works in London
. I teased him, saying he was scared of Ella and that’s why he wouldn’t come back, even though behind the teasing, is genuine concern she might be the deal-breaker.

Because Liam knows my babysitting options are limited, he has the bright idea that a big night out would suit me. A big night out which includes Jem, Bryn
, and an up and coming band. The band, Ruby Riot, has been adopted by Jem who has taken on a quasi-manager role, arranging gigs up and down the country for them, and tonight they’re in Cardiff. I wanted to suggest a quiet meal would be a good start but he insists. Liam isn’t lacking in powers of persuasion. I guess rock stars don’t often take no for an answer.

Ella was over the moon when I told her she was spending the night at Jordan
’s house. After all, his garden is bigger and he has a dog. The ease with which Ella agreed scared me because that was my one ‘get out of going’ excuse gone.

I guess when going to
Plan B
, a local club with a mostly student population, what to wear isn’t a huge concern. From memory, black is good for students. I settle on dark skinny jeans and a sheer black top that floats just below my hips, and short-heeled boots. I want to look as far removed from Honey as possible. The mistake of the sheer top is apparent when Liam arrives and his look zones straight to my chest, before he catches himself and switches his attention to my face.

“
Admiring my necklace again, are you?” I ask him.

“
You look beautiful,” he says and leans in to kiss my cheek.

I smile at his compliment.
“You’ve been reading that ‘How to Romance’ book again haven’t you?”

Liam frowns at me.
“Don’t put yourself down. I’m telling the truth.”

The club is squashed between some boutique shops in the centre of town,
Plan B
painted in big blue letters on an illuminated sign above the door and the retro look extends to the interior. Tattered posters from the 80s and 90s line the black painted breeze block walls; and circular wooden tables are pushed into corners, surrounded by stools or facing bench seats. The space between the small stage and bar is cleared, leaving little room for tables. This is one of those places where if you’re not early, you’re standing all night. At 7 p.m., we’re early.

Following
a trip to the bar, Liam leads us to a quiet corner with a beer and my diet coke. The last couple of times I’ve been out, I drank like I’m still a teen and suffered, so I’m starting with a soft drink. Although, I did sneak a glass of wine before we left, for Dutch courage.

Liam sits back against the leather bench with his arm across the back. I sit on the stool opposite so he shifts around to get closer.
Liam’s leg settles against mine and triggers the annoying shortness of breath I get when he touches, the sensation of the muscled thigh arousing me more than a simple touch should.

“
Your natural environment?” I ask him.

“
Yeah. Sometimes.”

“
Aren’t you bothered about Blue Phoenix fans coming here, too?”

He shrugs.
“If they do, it’ll be Jem they’re interested in although the press has backed off a bit lately; they’re following some shitty boy band around at the moment. I expect there’ll be other people hanging round ready to take pictures.”

I tense.
“And of me?”

He rubs thumb across my cheek.
“Only if they see us doing something intimate.”

I shift my leg away.
“Are Bryn and Jem bringing girls?”

“
No idea.”

The idea of seeing Jem and Bryn again is strange. My recollections of the guys are stronger from when I was fifteen than the drunken night out a few years ago. How will they react to me and Liam together?

I’m interrupted by a girl arriving in the bar. ‘Arriving’ is a mild way of putting the entrance of the tall, skinny girl. She crashes through a side door and stomps in motorcycle boots across the room. Dressed in a short black dress barely covering any of her long legs, her hair shines scarlet red as it catches the light of the bar. The girl leans across and shouts at the barman. He hands her four beer bottles, which she picks up, two in each hand. As she turns around, the girl spots me and Liam in the corner.

“
Are you Liam?” she asks.

“
Why?”

“
I’m only asking! Wow…” She stomps off.

Liam turns his surprised look to mine.
“Did I say something wrong?”

“
She must have missed the memo about your beautiful nature,” I reply.

Liam huffs and digs me in the ribs with his elbow.
“Don’t start…”

I fight against the desire to s
hift closer to him, knowing he’ll put his arm around me. I’m behaving like a silly teen again, and I doubt that’s what Liam’s used to. Or maybe he is.

Shortly after the girl
’s abrupt entrance and exit, the sound of people setting up the band equipment on the nearby stage crashes over the low music playing. Other new arrivals trickle into the bar area. They’re dressed down as if they threw on any clothes they found on their bedroom floor, but everyone appears more alike than the individual look they want. Nobody pays attention to us, Liam blends into the scene around him. When he pulls out his phone and sends a text, I use the moment surreptitiously to check my phone for texts from Phoebe.

is displayed on my screen.

Typical Phoebe.

“They’re running late,” says Liam, interrupting my considered response to Phoebe.

When
an awkward silence joins us at the table, I decide alcohol is a good idea after all. Even though I’m comfortable around the St Davids Liam, he’s still Liam Oliver from Blue Phoenix and I’m a fish out of water in this venue. Liam returns to the bar and while he’s there a girl with long black hair and a too tight, short skirt approaches and chats to him. Behind my bristling jealousy is curiosity at how Liam handles his fame. I know he’s not at the forefront as Dylan and Jem are, but there’ll be others like me who prefer the quieter bass player to the egotistical pair.

When Liam returns with my vodka and tonic
, he’s laughing to himself.

“
What’s wrong?” I ask as he sets my drink on the table.

“
That girl wanted to know if the rest of the band would be here tonight.”

“
Isn’t Liam Oliver enough for her?”

“
I told her Jem would be here and that seemed to brighten her evening.”

I giggle as he sits.
“Oh well, you’ll have to make do with me then if the groupies are rejecting you.”

Liam catches me unaware by taking my chin in his hand and tugging my face
toward his. “Make do?” He brushes his lips against mine. “I want everyone to know I’m with you.”

Liam
’s hand remains under my chin, lips hovering close to mine. The slight taste of his kiss and the rough scrape from his skin takes over and flares my body to life. I can’t start kissing Liam, not here. He pushes my hair from my face, fingers grazing heat before he hesitantly places his mouth on mine again. I duck my head.

“
Hey, Cherry Pie!” calls a voice.

I groan inwardly. There
’s only one person who ever calls me that. I fail to see how Bryn can turn Cerys, which is pronounced Ker-iss, into ‘cherry’ or ‘pie’ but he somehow managed. One night around eight years ago, when he and the others were high in Liam’s room, he formulated the name and it stuck. Should I be flattered that he remembers?

Bryn stands at the edge of the table, arms open in greeting.
“Long time, no see. I hear you’ve got a kid now!”