The rain softened, tapping lightly now against the windshield like a lullaby. But inside the car, the air had changed. It wasn't heavy anymore ,it pulsed, slow and warm and dangerous in the best way.
Grace pulled back just slightly, her face still close to Liam's , her breath brushing his cheek. He didn't move. He watched her like she was something fragile and fierce all at once , like one wrong move would shatter the moment, and yet he couldn't look away
"You really meant it," she whispered.
He nodded once. "Every word."
She searched his face, not just for lies but because she didn't think he was lying but for safety. And there it was, etched in the quiet way he held her hand, the way he hadn't tried to kiss her yet, even though the tension between them was electric
Her fingers slid up his chest, tentative but unshaking "I don't know what this is going to look like," she admitted "But I don't want to keep pretending I don't want you."
That was all he needed.
Liam's lips met hers in a kiss that started soft, tentative, asking and when she kissed him back, the hunger simmering just beneath his composure surged to the surface.
He moved slowly, like she was something to savor. His hand slid along her jaw, then tangled into her rain-damp hair, tilting her head just enough for him to deepen the kiss. She let out a quiet gasp against his mouth, and he stilled
"Grace …" he murmured, forehead pressed to hers. "You set the pace. Tell me if you want to stop."
She didn't speak. She leaned in and kissed him again, answer enough.
Their lips moved in rhythm, the kind that spoke more than words could. Each brush, each breath, stripped them down not just physically, but emotionally. The anger, the doubts, the pressure from the outside world all faded until it was just the two of them, cocooned in the storm's aftermath.
His hand skimmed down her waist, anchoring her gently as she shifted closer in the seat, half in his lap now. The kiss turned deeper, but he never rushed, never forced. His restraint was maddening and merciful all at once.
When his mouth left hers and found the delicate line of her throat, her fingers curled into his shirt, pulling him closer. "Liam you are the one I want …" she whispered, and her voice caught.
Liam froze. He leaned back just enough to see her eyes.
"Grace ," he said softly, brushing his thumb over her cheek. "We don't have to… not tonight. Not ever, unless you want it. I'm here either way."
Her lips trembled, but she smiled. "I want this. I just… want it to be with you. Only you."
His heart broke a little in the best way.
With a deep breath, he kissed her again slower now, sweeter and every touch after that was layered with reverence. He worshipped her like he'd been waiting a lifetime, and she held onto him like he might disappear if she didn't.
Outside, the world stayed still. The storm passed.
And inside that car, something real took roots