Escaping Reality

going to make him
    ask questions.
    I slide the card forward face down and hold my breath in hopes that
    Scott is discreet. He lifts it and sets it on a keyboard beneath the counter,
    out of sight, and I let out a breath. He keys in my information. “What phone
    number do you have a question about, Ms. Bensen?”
    The way he says it, like I have another one on file, is curious. I barely
    stop myself from asking. “I don’t have it memorized.”
    “303-222-1018,” Liam supplies by memory.
    “You remembered it that quickly?”
    “I’m a numbers guy.”
    The mental image of all those numbers trailing from his belly button
    down to some delicious destination I’ve yet to explore and never will
    thickens my throat. “Yes. I suppose you are.”
    “Got it,” Scott informs us. “What do you need to know, Ms. Bensen?”
    “She needs to know if anyone else is on the account,” Liam answers.
    Scott looks at me for confirmation and I’m not sure where Liam is
    going with this but I’d like to get there with him sooner than later. “Is
    there?”
    “Nope,” Scott answers. “Just you.”
    “And the bills go to her directly?” Liam asks.
    Scott glances at me. “You can speak freely. Please tell him whatever
    he wants to know.”
    “The account is paid for a year in advance. Statements do go to you
    directly, Ms. Bensen, and any extra charges would therefore be payable by
    you.”
    “Does the account have a password of any type?” Liam asks.
    Scott punches a key on his computer. “No password set up.”
    Liam opens the box and takes the phone out. “Throw that away.”
    “What about the paperwork?” Scott asks.
    “That’s why we have the internet.” Liam’s attention shifts to me but
    he speaks to Scott.
    “Walk her through setting it up.”
    Scott starts speaking, but I tune him out, focused solely on Liam. His
    eyes hold mine and I feel the connection between us. He never intended to
    return the phone. This was never about things getting too complicated. He
    held onto my hand to hold onto me. I should have seen that, but let my
    state of mind and inexperience with a man like Liam make me a little crazy.
    He steps closer to me, sweeping a strand of hair behind my ear, his
    fingers brushing my skin and sending a shiver down my spine. “You need
    the phone,” he says softly. “Set up the password. You can change it at any
    time.” He glances at Scott. “And she can change her number if she needs to
    as well, correct?”
    “Yes,” Scott agrees. “If there is a reason she needs to change it she
    just needs to call in and provide account validation.”
    Liam leans down, his hand settling possessively on my waist,
    branding me. I want to be branded by this man. “If you ever really want to
    get rid of me,” he whispers, “you can always change your number.”
    If I ever really want to get rid of him. He didn’t believe my lie. I didn’t
    either.

    ***
    A few minutes later, I’ve tucked my cell phone into my pocket and let
    Liam hold the door for me to exit the store. Pausing, I wait for him to join
    me, instinctively scanning the still-busy sidewalk illuminated by a
    combination of moonlight and street lanterns.
    “How about that dinner?” Liam asks, stepping beside me, and just
    that easily I’ve forgotten my surroundings and there is only him.
    “Earlier,” I start, “back at the hotel. Liam, when I said what I said. I…”
    Still need to say goodbye, but I can’t seem to get the words out.
    He steps closer to me, sliding his hand to my face. “If you tell me you
    don’t want to be with me. I will listen. I won’t like it, but I’ll listen. I need
    you to know that. But when you say you ‘can’t’ be with me, like some
    obstacle out of your control is stopping you from seeing me, I’m not going
    to listen.”
    I am stunned and happy and confused and freaked out all at once. It
    is as if he has reached inside my head and ticked off every possible thing I
    could need him to say but it also means he sees too much. And yet…not
    enough. I have never wanted to bare my soul to anyone and I do now to a
    man I barely know.
    “Liam—”
    He brushes his lips over mine, and while I have no idea what was
    going to come out of my mouth, I think this is another case of him saving
    me from saying something we both might regret. “Let’s go eat, baby.”
    Let’s go eat, baby. I like how familiar this sounds. How not alone it
    makes me feel. “Yes,”
    I whisper, willing accepting