Dating

Chapter 12

I don’t know how it was possible, but Liam deepened his kiss as he placed his other hand on my lower back. I’d thought that the feelings that were coursing through me were from Liam and 1 mate bonding. But… what if I was wrong.

Maybe what I was feeling was normal. Well, not normal, I knew what a normal kiss felt like. But maybe it was just a normal, intense kiss. That didn’t necessarily mean that Liam and I were now mates. That didn’t mean that we were bonded.

If we really had bonded, wouldn’t I have felt something more? And even as I thought this, I couldn’t imagine feeling more than what I was already feeling. Surely, that would take me out completely.

Still, it must have just been an illusion. Because from what I knew, humans couldn’t form a mate bond with a werewolf. That’s what Noah had told me every time I tried to push for something more official and public between us. He was so sure of it.

I swear, the way Liam was kissing me, I could live in his arms like this, forever. But Liam pulled back then and looked down at me, hunger in his eyes. I took in air as fast as I could. It was almost like I hadn’t breathed in all the time Liam had been kissing me.

And really, I’m not sure that I had. All I’d wanted to do was to continue to take him in, to feel him breathe into me and supply me with all the oxygen that I needed.

“I swear, you have to stop looking at me like that, Ella. It makes me want to take you straight home and do very very naughty things to you,” Liam whispered in my ear.

I blushed and glanced away from him, catching Noah’s expression. Hurt was written all over his face. I couldn’t believe it Noah was the one who had cheated on me. He was the one who had refused to allow us to be together in public.

And here he was getting jealous now that Liam had come and claimed me as his own. I shook my head. I needed to stop thinking about Noah. He was jealous because he was arrogant and possessive. He didn’t like the idea of me being with him. But he also didn’t like the idea of me being with anybody else. Well, screw him.

“Let’s dance,” Liam said, as he stared between Noah and I. He held onto my hand and pulled me towards the dance floor. When we got there, there were other couples, other people dancing. They didn’t look self–conscious at all.

But I knew that wasn’t going to be me. I didn’t really dance. Every time I tried, it always felt like I was making a fool of myself.

Liam held me close and started swaying, “It’s okay, Ella, you know you can loosen up.”

1 felt so out of place. It felt like everybody was watching me. This time, not because I was a human girl. Not because I’d shown up

in a hot outfit that rivaled some of the hottest she–wolves. It felt as if everybody was staring at me because I was silly enough to think that I could dance.

The party was loud, the fast passed song blaring all around us. Maybe I should just get off the dance floor? This was just–100 much. Why had I come? Why did I think I could handle being a human girl amongst all these wolves?

Because we had to keep up the act that Liam and I were mates. That’s why I was here, I reminded myself.

Liam grabbed my face and turned me towards him. “Just focus on me.”

And so, I did. I focused on feeling Liam’s hand around my body Somehow, this was incredibly grounding. When Liam turned me, I noticed then that Noah had followed us to the dance floor and was now dancing with Ava

Of course. He was trying to get back at me. I looked away. I wouldn’t pay him any attention,

Chapter 12

We stayed on the dance floor for a few more songs. Liam noticed then that I was getting tired. “Let’s take a break.”

We headed to the couches where a whole group of hockey players were already taking up almost all the space. One of Liam’s teammates scooched over on the chair and made just enough room for Liam to sit down.

I guess I can go grab a chair,” I said, turning to leave.

Liam grabbed my arm. “No need.” He pulled me right onto his lap.

“That’s very kind of you to be Ella’s own personal seat,” one of his teammates said.

Another one snorted and added, “Yeah. How very neighborly of you.”

Liam smacked his teammate on the arm. “Shut it, Carter,” he said

Carter put up his hands innocently, “What? I was only speaking the truth. You guys are neighbors, aren’t you? So, did you every get into other neighborly activities growing up?”

Liam pulled me closer, his arms wrapped around my waist. I could feel his chest rise and fall against my back.

“Actually, our bedroom windows were right across from each other,” Liam said. His teammates ooed and ahed like he’d just said sometiring steamy. “I used to watch her through our windows for years. He had on a bold grin, his lip lifted crookedly To one side.

I raised my eyebrow, I couldn’t believe it. I thought I was the only one who used to try to see through Liam’s window when we were growing up. Little did I know that he was doing the same to me.

“Wow, you were a very bad boy.” I said, teasing Liam. He laughed out loud, the sound hot and deep. I glanced back to the dance floor then. Noah and Ava were still on there, dancing all over each other. Noah caught me staring. He pulled Ava’s face to his and stuck his tongue down her throat.

God, I couldn’t stand Noah. I knew he was only trying to make me jealous. As if. I grabbed Liam’s drink off the coffee table and took a huge sip.

“Woah, what’s gotten into you, baby?” Liam said with a grin.

“Nothing, I just felt like being a bad girl. You’re not the only one who can be bad, you know?” I downed the rest of Liam’s drink. Immediately the alcohol went straight to my head. And immediately, I gained a huge dose of courage.

“Well, that’s definitely fine by me. You can be as bad as you want to,” Liam said.

I turned around and placed one knee on each side of Liam’s lap and straddled him. “You want me to ride you like this, Liam?” I said.

Liam’s eyes got

dark and intense. I felt him stiffen beneath me. “Yeah, I want you to ride me just like that.”

I leaned in and placed my lips right against his ears, brushing softly against them, “Then how much longer are you going to wait?” I ran my hand all the way down Liam’s chest and placed them firmly on his thigh. “I want you to take me….home.

Now.”