The days after their evening at the private gallery lingered like a slow-burning ember in Jenna's mind. The moment Liam had shown her a side of himself she hadn't anticipated, the barrier she'd built between them seemed to crack just slightly. But she didn't let herself fully acknowledge it. Not yet. Not when she still had control of the situation. Or at least, that's what she told herself.
She kept busy with her jewelry line, the designs flowing freely as her hands worked, but her thoughts kept drifting back to him — to that quiet, vulnerable moment at the piano. He'd pulled back the curtain, revealing something that no one else had seen. And the weight of that revelation pressed heavily on her heart.
It wasn't long before Liam reached out again, as if sensing the space she was creating between them.
Liam: Dinner tonight. You in?
Jenna stared at the message, her finger hovering over the reply button. She could easily say no, keep her distance. But the truth was, she wasn't ready to let go either. Not entirely.
Jenna: I'm free at 7. Where?
Liam: I'll pick you up. Be ready.
She didn't respond. It wasn't necessary. She was already bracing herself for whatever this was. What she wasn't prepared for, however, was how natural it felt to anticipate his presence. How her stomach fluttered when she thought about the possibility of what they might share.
---
Later that evening, Liam arrived promptly at her door. He was dressed casually in a sharp leather jacket, his dark jeans fitting perfectly, and as always, his presence was magnetic. But there was something different tonight — an intensity in his gaze that made her feel both seen and exposed.
"Ready?" he asked, offering his hand, his voice low and confident.
She hesitated for a brief moment, then placed her hand in his. "I suppose so."
As they walked out to his car, the tension between them was palpable, like the air before a storm. The drive was quiet, the kind of silence that allowed the weight of their unspoken words to fill the space. Jenna kept her gaze out the window, the city lights flashing past, her mind working overtime.
Finally, they arrived at their destination — a sleek rooftop restaurant overlooking the city. The view was breathtaking, the lights of the skyline shimmering like stars. But it wasn't the view that held her attention. It was him. The way he moved, the way he seemed so comfortable in his own skin, as if the world was his and everyone else was just living in it.
"You know," Jenna said after a few moments, breaking the silence, "I never expected you to be this... low-key. You're always so... intense."
Liam's lips twitched into a smile. "It's a side of me most people don't see. I'm not always on."
"And I'm supposed to believe that?" Jenna raised an eyebrow, her challenge clear.
He leaned back in his chair, studying her with that trademark sharpness. "I think you've already seen it. Maybe not all of it, but a glimpse."
She wasn't sure if he was referring to their last meeting or if he meant something deeper. Either way, it sent a shiver down her spine. There was something undeniable between them, an unspoken connection she wasn't ready to confront.
The waiter came by to take their order, but neither of them spoke while the menu was being presented. Jenna's mind was too caught up in the quiet tension between them. After the waiter left, Liam leaned forward, his tone serious but calm.
"You know, Jenna," he began, his voice like a low hum, "I think you're afraid. You're afraid of what this could be, of what it could mean."
Jenna didn't reply immediately. Instead, she picked up her glass of wine, taking a slow sip as she steadied her breath. "And what exactly is this, Liam? What do you think this is?"
Liam didn't hesitate. "I think it's something real. Something worth pursuing, even if we don't know where it will lead."
For the first time, Jenna allowed herself to really look at him — to see the sincerity in his eyes. But the more she looked, the more she realized just how much she didn't want to let her guard down. She couldn't afford to get lost in something uncertain, not when she had so much at stake.
But even as she told herself that, something deep within her rebelled. Maybe she did want this. Maybe, just maybe, she was starting to feel the pull toward him. The pull she had been running from.
"I'm not easy to pin down," she said quietly, her gaze never leaving his.
Liam's lips curled into a knowing smile. "I don't need you to be easy. I just need you to be honest. With me. With yourself."
The words hung in the air, heavy and potent. Jenna felt the vulnerability creeping in, a crack in her carefully constructed armor. But she wasn't ready to let go just yet. Not completely.