‘I know.’ Chloe forced her shaky limbs to move to the edge of the bed. And then a thought struck her as she could no longer hear the sounds of the party going on outside. God, she had completely forgotten about the party. ‘Where is everyone?’
‘I got rid of them just after you fell asleep.’
Chloe swallowed. Nice. Had he watched her as well? Feeling awkward she glanced around for her dress.
She heard Liam move again and instinctively dodged his touch. If she didn’t she knew exactly where she’d end up. And it wasn’t back at her little flat.
‘Chloe?’
‘I really need to get home.’ She grabbed the first garment she found off the floor – his shirt – and held it in front of her body.
Liam sat up. ‘You can’t just give me your virginity and leave.’
‘Why not?’ Chloe marshalled her courage. ‘I’m sure it’s happened to you before. Well, maybe not the leaving part. And I was sick of always being the only virgin in a crowd anyway.’
‘So you were still using me, is that it?’
‘No.’ She looked pained. ‘I just don’t see any point to this.’
‘The point is in what we just shared. It was special.’ He leaned up on one muscled arm. ‘Did I hurt you? I would have been more careful if you had told me.’
‘Are you looking for a score out of ten?’
Liam’s jaw hardened. ‘No.’
‘Well it was great. Sensational, in fact.’ Chloe tossed her mussed hair back over her shoulder. ‘But don’t try and flatter me that it was special when it wasn’t.’
‘I wasn’t trying to flatter you. It was special and you damned well know it.’ He blew out a breath and climbed off the bed.
Chloe’s eyes drank him in before he pulled on his jeans, leaving them undone as he faced her. ‘There’s something between us, Chloe. There always has been and while I might not have been ready for you back in high school, I’m ready now.’
The determined set of his jaw had her shaking her head. None of this made any sense. One minute she was hating Liam Hunter and the next… dammit, the next she was falling for him all over again. But Chloe knew better than to let herself get carried away by a nice moment and pretty words. ‘How can you explore anything with me from LA?’
His face softened. ‘I already thought of that while you slept. My agent is always wanting me to do theatre. So I will. In the West End.’
‘You’d move here?’
He shrugged. ‘Why not?’
‘Why not?’ Chloe swallowed, her mind spinning at the suggestion. Already she could feel herself wanting that way too much. And she couldn’t start dreaming about him again. It would crush her if he wasn’t serious.
She heard him sigh and it brought her eyes back to his. ‘I can see I’m going too fast for you. Fair enough. To be honest this whole thing has thrown me as well but I trust my instincts, Chloe, and they’re telling me not to let you go this time.’
It was the words this time that sealed if for Chloe. This time brought all the painful memories that had been laying beneath a fog of lust to the forefront of her mind and she shook her head, fear at once again being the girl left out riding her hard. ‘I don’t trust mine, Liam. I can’t go with you tomorrow night.’ I can’t explore anything more between us.
Before he could stop her she dropped his shirt, scooped up her dress and sprinted for the bathroom.
When she was dressed and her heart wasn’t beating quite so fast she came out and found that he had also dressed and was palming a set of keys. ‘I’m sorry, I know I pushed you too hard. Let me drive you home.’
‘That’s okay, I’ll make my own way home.’
‘No you won’t.’
Chloe pressed her lips together. ‘If you’re truly set on seeing me again you’ll have to start by taking my wishes into account.’
He glowered at her. ‘That’s what you call playing dirty. I only want to make sure you get home safely.’
‘I can take a taxi.’