must be going through, Liam ; I really can’t.’
‘I know . ’ His dark eyebrows dr ew into a straight line. ‘ Especially if it ’ s something so unexpected and scary, right? That’s why I think it was really great of you to take care of her for the last few days , Jade. Thank you.’
It could have been a very moving moment if her stubborn stomach hadn’t decided to let her know that it ha d been way t o o long since her last meal. It growled loud enough to be heard by Liam. He grinned in response, his eyes going to the counter still full of people.
‘ Why don’t I go and get us something to eat?’ His lips twitch ed suspiciously as he saw her eyeing him with indignation. ‘ And no, you can’t use the excuse that you aren’t hungry . ’
S he nodded and watched him line up behind some awe - struck nurses. She tried to see him objectively, forgetting the past they shared and the feelings she ’d had for him for as long as she could remember. If only she were able to treat him like a distant acquaintance , she mused unhappily, aware of the sheer impossibility of th at ever happening. It wasn’t even his good looks and the smile that could make her knees buckle in an instant, she thought wretchedly. It was much more than that . I t was the unnerving feeling that he was the only person in the world who could complete her.
Suddenly he looked up and their eyes met, her whole body tens ing as she found herself unable to look away from his dark, thoughtful gaze. It was crazy to stare at him like that, she told herself, especially when he seemed to read her as eas ily as an open book. His dark eyes, somber and watchful , held her gaze for a few seconds, and during that moment, she forgot how to breathe. It was only when he finally smiled and looked towards the display of food that she dared to exhale, her lungs burning with the realization that she had been holding her breath the entire time.
She looked down at her hands folded together on the table and noticed they were shaking, a reaction as surprising as it was inappropriate . Maybe it was normal to have strong feelings for the first man who made her realize that she longed for love. It was n othing more than nostalgic reminiscence of better days , when life was simple and dreams for the future were pure and full of hope. Maybe all women remembered their first crush with the same intensity .
‘Hey .’ S he looked up in surprise to see Liam standing at the table , carefully lowering a tray laden with food and drinks. ‘I picked a few things that I remember you used to like . ’ He sat down and hand ed her a veggie wrap , a fruit salad , and a cup of coffee.
‘ What about you?’ She was eager to distract him from watching her with his observant gaze that made her feel totally exposed. ‘ Aren’t you going to have anything?’
‘I ate on the plane . ’ H e smiled slightly and sipped his coffee, his long fingers wrapped around the paper cup. ‘ It was a long flight back home.’
‘ You worked in Hong Kong, right?’ She was desperate to keep the conversation as impersonal as possible.
If he noticed her unease , he did an excellent job of hiding it. Instead, he nodded briefly and played along . ‘ Yeah , I was hired to supervise preparation s for a modern art exhibit they ’ re opening next week. It ’ s fantastic , and it was a lot of fun to work with all kind s of artists from all over the world. I met tons of fascinating people there.’
For a second his eyes had the faraway look she remembered from the past ; he was lost in a private universe that no one but he could see. She imagined the beauty of the land that he had visited, the ja gged, mist - covered mountains guarding a forest of skyscrapers and modern buildings that coexisted peacefully with old fashioned oriental architecture. She could almost see the curved, tiled roofs and low stone buildings protected by walls with round openings that allowed one a glimpse into the secret life of
‘I know . ’ His dark eyebrows dr ew into a straight line. ‘ Especially if it ’ s something so unexpected and scary, right? That’s why I think it was really great of you to take care of her for the last few days , Jade. Thank you.’
It could have been a very moving moment if her stubborn stomach hadn’t decided to let her know that it ha d been way t o o long since her last meal. It growled loud enough to be heard by Liam. He grinned in response, his eyes going to the counter still full of people.
‘ Why don’t I go and get us something to eat?’ His lips twitch ed suspiciously as he saw her eyeing him with indignation. ‘ And no, you can’t use the excuse that you aren’t hungry . ’
S he nodded and watched him line up behind some awe - struck nurses. She tried to see him objectively, forgetting the past they shared and the feelings she ’d had for him for as long as she could remember. If only she were able to treat him like a distant acquaintance , she mused unhappily, aware of the sheer impossibility of th at ever happening. It wasn’t even his good looks and the smile that could make her knees buckle in an instant, she thought wretchedly. It was much more than that . I t was the unnerving feeling that he was the only person in the world who could complete her.
Suddenly he looked up and their eyes met, her whole body tens ing as she found herself unable to look away from his dark, thoughtful gaze. It was crazy to stare at him like that, she told herself, especially when he seemed to read her as eas ily as an open book. His dark eyes, somber and watchful , held her gaze for a few seconds, and during that moment, she forgot how to breathe. It was only when he finally smiled and looked towards the display of food that she dared to exhale, her lungs burning with the realization that she had been holding her breath the entire time.
She looked down at her hands folded together on the table and noticed they were shaking, a reaction as surprising as it was inappropriate . Maybe it was normal to have strong feelings for the first man who made her realize that she longed for love. It was n othing more than nostalgic reminiscence of better days , when life was simple and dreams for the future were pure and full of hope. Maybe all women remembered their first crush with the same intensity .
‘Hey .’ S he looked up in surprise to see Liam standing at the table , carefully lowering a tray laden with food and drinks. ‘I picked a few things that I remember you used to like . ’ He sat down and hand ed her a veggie wrap , a fruit salad , and a cup of coffee.
‘ What about you?’ She was eager to distract him from watching her with his observant gaze that made her feel totally exposed. ‘ Aren’t you going to have anything?’
‘I ate on the plane . ’ H e smiled slightly and sipped his coffee, his long fingers wrapped around the paper cup. ‘ It was a long flight back home.’
‘ You worked in Hong Kong, right?’ She was desperate to keep the conversation as impersonal as possible.
If he noticed her unease , he did an excellent job of hiding it. Instead, he nodded briefly and played along . ‘ Yeah , I was hired to supervise preparation s for a modern art exhibit they ’ re opening next week. It ’ s fantastic , and it was a lot of fun to work with all kind s of artists from all over the world. I met tons of fascinating people there.’
For a second his eyes had the faraway look she remembered from the past ; he was lost in a private universe that no one but he could see. She imagined the beauty of the land that he had visited, the ja gged, mist - covered mountains guarding a forest of skyscrapers and modern buildings that coexisted peacefully with old fashioned oriental architecture. She could almost see the curved, tiled roofs and low stone buildings protected by walls with round openings that allowed one a glimpse into the secret life of
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