Sophia was sitting so close to Liam now that he could feel the warmth of her bare thigh against his. Her thin tank top clung to her body, and her hard n*****s were clearly visible through the fabric. Liam tried not to stare, but it was impossible.
“You know,” Sophia said softly, “Jake has been gone for less than a day and the house already feels too big and so quiet.”
Liam nodded, keeping his hands on his knees. “He’ll be back before you know it. Three months isn’t that long.”
Sophia gave a small, sad smile. “It feels long when you’re sleeping alone every night.” She looked at him. “Have you ever felt that way? Like something is missing even when everything looks fine?”
Liam swallowed hard. “Yeah. Sometimes.” His voice was low. He could smell her shampoo, something sweet and floral. It was driving him crazy.
They sat in silence for a moment. Sophia shifted closer until her shoulder pressed lightly against his arm.
“Do you remember that trip we all took to the lake two summers ago?” she asked suddenly.
Liam smiled despite the guilt twisting in his chest. “How could I forget? You beat all of us at swimming.”
Sophia laughed softly. “Jake was so mad. He kept saying I cheated.” She turned to face him fully. “You were staring at me a lot that weekend. I noticed.”
Liam’s heart skipped. “I wasn’t…”
“You were,” she said gently, not accusing, just stating a fact. “It’s okay. I… I kinda liked it.”
The air between them grew thicker. Liam could hear his own heartbeat. “Sophia, we shouldn’t…”
“I know,” she whispered. “But we’re just talking, right?”
Another flash of lightning lit up the room. Which made Sophia jumped and grabbed his hand without thinking. Her fingers were soft and warm. She didn’t let go.
“I’m sorry,” she said, but she still held on. “I hate storms.”
Liam looked down at their joined hands. His thumb brushed her skin gently, almost on its own. “It’s okay. I’m here.”
Sophia stared at him. Her breathing had become a little faster. “You always are. Jake trusts you completely. Sometimes I wonder if he should.”
Liam felt a sharp pang of guilt. “He’s my best friend. I would never hurt him.”
Sophia’s eyes dropped to his lips for a second. “I know. But sometimes… feelings don’t listen to what we should do.”
She leaned in slightly. Liam could feel her breath on his neck. The tension was unbearable. Every part of him wanted to pull her closer, but the image of Jake’s face kept flashing in his mind.
“Sophia…” he said, his voice rough.
She looked up at him. Her lips were slightly parted. “Tell me to move away, Liam. Tell me to stop.”
He didn’t say anything. He couldn’t.
Sophia slowly brought her hand up and touched his cheek. Her fingers were trembling. “I’ve always felt something when I’m around you. Even before Jake and I got serious. I tried to ignore it. But when he’s gone… it’s harder to pretend.”
Liam’s hand moved on its own. He cupped the side of her face, his thumb brushing her lower lip. “This is dangerous.”
“I know,” she whispered. “But right now, in this storm, with just us… I don’t want to be alone. I don’t want you to leave.”
Liam’s control finally snapped. He leaned in and kissed her.
The moment their lips met, it felt like electricity. Sophia moaned softly into his mouth and kissed him back. Her lips were soft and warm. The kiss started slow, almost hesitant, but quickly grew deeper. Sophia’s hand slid into his hair as she pressed her body against him.
“Mmmmmmh…” she moaned quietly.
Liam’s hand moved to her waist, pulling her closer. Their tongues met, and the kiss became hungry. All the years of hidden tension poured out between them. Sophia climbed onto his lap, straddling him without breaking the kiss.
“You feel so good,” she whispered against his lips. “I’ve wanted this for so long.”
Liam groaned. His hands roamed up her back, feeling the heat of her skin through the thin top. He could feel her hard n*****s pressing against his chest. His c**k was rock hard underneath her.
“Sophia… we can’t,” he said, even as he kissed her again.
She ground slowly against his erection. “Then tell me to stop,” she breathed. “Tell me you don’t want me.”
Liam couldn’t say it. Instead, he kissed her harder, his hands sliding under her top to feel the soft skin of her back. Sophia moaned louder and rocked her hips against him.