Hold on to Her (Only Her Series Book 2)

by Olivia Stephen

  “Babe, you look beautiful with cotton candy in your hair,” I say, smiling. “And before you say a word, I mean that. You are beautiful.” I pick the sticky little pieces of blue and pink out of her hair, dropping them to the ground.

  “Baby colors,” she whispers in a voice so low, it barely registers.

  “What?”

  “Pink and blue. Baby colors. The hospital had these little pink and blue blankets that the babies were wrapped up in. All the moms were holding their babies in pink and blue blankets. I didn’t get to hold a pink and blue blanket, Liam.”

  “Oh God, sweetheart, I’m so sorry.” With my hand around the back of her head, I draw her to me. She grabs my shirt and holds on, sobbing, hiccups and tears like I’ve never seen. My heart has never felt so broken for another human being in my life. “I love you, sweetheart. No matter what, I love you. Whatever you need for me to do to help you, I’ll do it. I promise.” That’s all I can say. I just hold on to her, and let her break, knowing it will be me who puts her back together.

  Her eyes, rimmed red, find mine, and through the sadness, there’s something else there I can’t quite place.

  “Liam, I...” she hesitates.

  “Yeah, baby?”

  She raises up on her toes, her lips nearly touching mine. When her head tilts downward, I take the opportunity to rest my lips on her forehead. Damn, if she doesn’t taste like cotton candy, all sugary and sweet.

  “I love you too,” she all but whispers into my shirt, clinging to me like a life raft.

  Finally.

  Because of the position we’re in right now, I’ll let it go this time, but next time she says those words to me, we’ll be face-to-face, eye to eye, so I can finally see what Sarah looks like when she’s in love.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Sarah

  I said it. I told Liam I loved him. Do I regret that? Absolutely not.

  I can’t imagine how it’s possible there is a man out there like Liam. He’s different than any other man I’ve ever met. He’s a rare breed, he and Zane. Raina caught herself a good man, and it appears I’ve done the same. Instead of running from me when I told him about being pregnant as a teenager, he pulled me closer and said he understood. He consoled and listened to me more so than my mom ever did.

  She was in such a hurry to sweep it all under the rug, so we could all just go back to being the big happy family we were before. That didn’t happen. Didn’t even come close. Appearances mean a lot to her, so the less drama with the whole Daniel and Sydnee affair, the better. The entire mess couldn’t be over fast enough in her eyes.

  With Liam, I found comfort and understanding. I found him willing to listen. Not just hear my words, but take them in, process them, and use what I was feeling to support me in every way possible, physically and emotionally.

  So, yep, I do love him. Am I nervous? Damn straight, I am. I locked my heart down tight after Daniel. Cemented the hell out of it so no one would get in. Swore I’d never fall in love again.

  But Liam is different. He came along with a damn chisel and took it upon himself to pick apart the wall bit by bit, chunk by chunk, until he finally had access to my heart, and when he had it, he took full advantage, so much so that nothing I could do would keep me from falling for him.

  It’s been a week since the parking lot incident, as I refer to it, where I pretty much lost it when I found out Raina was pregnant. I wasn’t disillusioned enough to think it would never happen, it just caught me completely off guard. My mind immediately went back to the night at the hospital, the doctors and nurses, everyone around consoling me after I’d learned I’d miscarried. The sterile, cold smell, the hustling and bustling of the ER staff, the crying of a child and his mother trying to comfort those cries. All of it became real to me again, and put me right back to that moment in time. Liam wasn’t there with me when I went through that nightmare the first time around, but he was there for me when the memories of that night resurfaced. And once again, his presence had a calming effect on me. I don’t know how he does it.

  Right now, we’re at Liam’s, working to get things packed for his trip to Nashville with Cole, and to say that also makes me nervous is an understatement. He’s leaving for a few days, but I keep reminding myself he’s not leaving me. He is not Daniel.

  What does concern me most is what may happen if he and Cole are offered some kind of recording contract, where that puts us. Because Nashville is a big no. I love living in a small town and I’ve grown to feel comfortable here, with the people, the community, and the parents and kids here.

  “I can’t imagine the energy it takes to do that much thinking.”

  “Liam, inside my head is a place that no one but me belongs. It gets scary in there, trust me.”

  Liam chuckles, taking my hand, and pulls me in close.

  “You remember everything I told you about this trip? It’s nothing more than a conversation. That’s all.”

  “I know. Believe me, I’ve told myself that very thing over and over again. It’s on replay in my mind. It’s what comes after the conversation that I’m having a hard time with.”

  “Well, since we don’t know exactly what will happen after the conversation, let’s just put that aside for now until we know for sure, yeah?”

  “I can try. I just want you to know something before you go.”

  “And what’s that?” Liam asks, running his hand up under my shirt, grazing the hook of my bra then tugging it free.

  “You’re not listening,” I whisper, smiling when his lips land on the sensitive skin behind my ear.

  “Mmm...you smell so good, baby. Taste so good. Can we have this conversation in about an hour or so?” My shirt is yanked up over my head, and upon seeing the desire filling Liam’s eyes, immediately I decide that, yes, we can table this conversation for later.

  “Oh, God,” I moan, feeling his hands gliding down my back-side, into my leggings and panties, guiding them down so I can quickly step out of them. He kisses his way back up my legs, stopping when he hits the juncture of my thighs, kissing me there so intimately, while his fingertips lightly caress my lower back and ass.

  Liam stands at the same time I pull my bra the rest of the way off which leaves me there in front of Liam, completely naked and exposed. All the while, he’s fully-clothed in his worn jeans that hang low on his hips and his casual black Henley.

  “This will never do,” I say, moving to rid him of his shirt. He reaches up over his head, pulling it off as my hands skate along his sexy, toned abs, and down along the elastic of his boxer briefs that peek just above the waistband of his jeans.

  “When you run those fingertips of yours along my skin, it’s like fire, Sarah. Jesus, I can’t get enough of you.”

  Liam makes short work of his jeans and boxer briefs then lifts me up, walks into his bedroom and gracefully lays me across his neatly made, king-size bed. He hovers over me, propped up on one arm while his other hand caresses my skin, from my fingertips to my shoulders and the back of my neck. I lean up, silently asking him to kiss me and he does. Kissing Liam is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. It’s sensual and passionate, as if he’s pouring out his feelings for me.

  Soon, Liam’s fingers are right at my center, softly moving circles. He’s teasing me, causing me to rotate my hips around and back and forth, trying to find what I need.

  “You are quite needy tonight, Miss Witten. Something you want?”

  “Liam, you know exactly what I w–want,” I stutter, as he rubs right over the spot where I need him most. “Oh, God. Stay there. Right there. If you move, so help me, I’m getting my vibrator and I’ll finish it myself.”

  “Shit, Sarah. You got toys, baby?” Liam chuckles. “Damn. How did I not know this?”

  “Liam, please don’t stop.”

  “Not on your life,” he responds seriously. “Come, Sarah. Come for me.”

  Only seconds pass, and I’m in the throes of an orgasm, my back arching, my legs shaking. I groan a
t the loss of his fingers, but soon feel his cock at my entrance, hard and ready.

  “Eyes, Sarah. Let me see your eyes when I take you.”

  My eyes open at his command, and when he is finally and completely inside, he nearly collapses on top of me, his hands running through my hair, his lips covering mine in a wild, frenzied kiss. I allow my hands to run up and down along his smooth, muscular back, gripping his shoulders with every thrust, feeling his strength as he all but consumes me, making me ache in the sweetest of ways. Making me needy as he whispers dirty words in my ear.

  I can’t tell you how long we make love. When I’m with Liam, there’s no counting seconds or minutes or hours. We’re not racing to the end because we’re far too engaged in pleasuring each other. Time means nothing to either of us when we’re this connected.

  And now, both of us lay sated on Liam’s bed, cuddled together, covered only by a sheet. His fingers twirl through the soft curls on my head as he lays there, humming a tune I know all too well...Eric Clapton. It’s one of my favorites and I’m overcome with emotion as he sings. He continues humming the song, and soon my eyes are blinking slower and slower.

  “Sleep, baby. I’ll wake you before I leave.”

  “Good night, Liam.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Liam

  Watching Sarah sleep while I’m getting ready to head out is giving me time to do a tremendous amount of thinking. Just looking at her, how at peace she is, how content, gives me pause. That gorgeous, silky hair fanned across my pillow, her breasts barely covered by the sheet, and arms spread out wide to each side, she looks like every boy’s wet dream come to life. There isn’t a picture in a single nudie magazine that could even come close to this beauty.

  The bed dips when I sit next to her and I laugh as she rolls to the side, the sheet pulled away, revealing those gorgeous tits.

  Damn. Why do I have to leave right now?

  “Baby?” I lean in and whisper, then kiss her softly on her forehead.

  “Hmmm, yes...”

  “That’s what you said last night. About three times, as a matter of fact.”

  Her vivid green eyes open to find mine, and when she focuses her vision completely, she smiles. I know right then I want to wake up to this beauty, this amazing woman, every single day for the rest of my life.

  “At least three. I’m thinking probably four, if I remember correctly.”

  “Or was it six?”

  “Don’t flatter yourself, Liam. You pulled four amazing orgasms out of me last night but, if I’m able to walk today, then you didn’t do your job, stud.”

  I throw back my head in laughter, swatting her on the ass.

  “Oh, I did my job. And thoroughly, I might add. I’ve gotta go, babe. I’m picking up Cole in fifteen. He’s texted me three times already. Seven and a half hours in the car with him might just put me over the edge,” I say, jokingly.

  Sarah smiles hesitantly. She sits up in bed as I reach out to tuck a few strands of hair behind her ear, hoping my touch provides a sense of comfort for her. My fingers trail down her cheeks.

  “I’ll call every night. I promise. And just so you know, when I get back in town, you better not have made any plans at all for...I’m thinking, a minimum of three days straight. That’s how much time I’m gonna need with you all to myself.”

  “Three days it is then. I miss you already.”

  “I love you, sweetheart. So much more than I think you even realize.”

  “I love you too, Liam. And I’ll be okay. Don’t worry about me.”

  “Not possible. There’s a key on the stand by the door. It’s yours...and I don’t want it back.”

  “Liam...”

  “Ever. I don’t ever want it back.”

  Leaning in, I kiss my girl, brushing one lone tear from her cheek. “You make me so happy. See you soon, baby.”

  Turning to walk out the door, I stop for a brief moment. Something doesn’t feel right. I’m not sure what to call it...there’s just a gut feeling I have right now. I shake it off, figuring it’s just the thought of being away from Sarah for these next few days. That has to be it.

  I close the front door gently, hoping Sarah’s gone back to sleep for a while, then hop in the car, ready to pick up Cole and head to Nashville, the place I used to think held all my hopes and dreams. Now I believe all my hopes and dreams are right here in Hillsborough, and she’s sleeping in my bed right now.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Sarah

  True to his word, Liam has called me every night. He and Cole met with Roman’s dad and with someone named Chrissie, which, to me, is a name that sounds way too juvenile and perky to be an important woman in the music business. But whatever. That’s just me being a tad jealous that she’s got his attention right now and not me.

  He and Cole are thrilled that two of Nashville’s hottest country stars want to record two of their original songs. The same two Roman had sent to his father and he passed along to this Chrissie. I have to admit, this option is the best I could have hoped for because that means Liam will hopefully be able to stay here, with me, and write his music for other artists. So, the dilemma of a long-distance relationship is likely solved. Being a songwriter was always the end goal for him anyway. Now Cole? That’s another matter altogether. Liam said he was disappointed at first, as he was hoping for a recording contract, so he and Liam could release their own album, but he really began to come around to the idea of songwriting once they met with the two artists who wanted to record their music. And who knows, if Cole wants a record deal bad enough, he’s stubborn enough to make it happen.

  Sitting at home, I’m indulging in a glass of wine while I work on plans for school. I’ve talked to Liam already this evening, so I decide to pack up my teacher bags and use this time to relax and unwind after a long week with the kids.

  A knock sounds at the door and I’m confused at first as to who that might be. Raina and Zane are home, I just talked to her. I’ve already visited Mom and Dad today. And Lord knows, I’d never step foot in Sydnee’s house anymore.

  I put my wine glass on the table and walk to the door. Looking out the side window, I see Daniel. My heart skips a beat and most definitely not in a good way. I open the door and start to ask him why he’s here and what he wants; however, he decides to barge right into my house, along with the coolness of the night air, nearly knocking over the small stand where I keep my keys and umbrellas.

  “What in the hell are you doing here?”

  Daniel turns to face me and suddenly I’m afraid because this is not a look I’ve ever seen on his face before. He’s clearly been drinking...the stench of alcohol is overpowering. His clothes are disheveled and his hair looks as though he hasn’t combed it in weeks.

  “What in the hell am I doing here? I’ll tell you what I’m doing here. I wanna know why you didn’t tell me about the baby. I had a right to know.”

  “Like hell you did. I came home from shopping that day, six years ago, wanting to see you and tell you I was pregnant. But what did I find? You and Sydnee, screwing around on my bed. I don’t owe you a thing, Daniel. Not a damn thing.”

  “Oh, you most certainly do, sweetheart.”

  “I’m not your sweetheart, Daniel. Save that title for Sydnee. Remember her? Your wife? She’s the one you chose.”

  “Do you have any idea what this has done to Sydnee and me? Jesus, she is so upset and mad.” He’s pacing back and forth, massaging his neck with his hand, obviously very irritated. “And it’s your fucking fault!” he screams, picking up my wine glass and throwing it across the room. “She’s worse than you.”

  His steps are subtle, but I can see him moving toward me, inch by inch. And when I look into those eyes, the ones I used to love, all I see is resentment and hate. They’re black and they’re angry. For the first time in my life, I’m afraid of him.

  “You fucking ruined it all, you know. Hell, you probably got pregnant on purpose. Tried to trap me. Is that it? You kn
ew you’d never be able to hold on to me, so you got pregnant? And you’re so pathetic, you couldn’t even hold on to the baby, now could you. You lost it. You lost my baby.”

  My fault.

  I lost my baby.

  I pull in a deep breath, fighting off the memories. My trembling voice cracks in fear as I try to warn him away from me. What did I ever see in this man? And how did he turn into this?

  “Get out, Daniel. Just go home and I won’t tell Sydnee you even came here.”

  “Fuck her. She drives me crazy, always so needy, always whining. She deserves the shit she gets.” I hate the fact that little Londyn has to live in the same house with this monster. I’m afraid for her, and afraid for Sydnee now as well.

  At a quick glance, I see my phone still on the counter, so I push Daniel in the center of his chest, knocking him off balance, then move quickly to grab it and take off down the hall, slamming and locking my bedroom door. Dialing as fast as I can, I connect to Raina.

  “Raina, hurry. Please get Zane and hurry. Daniel is here.” I scream when I hear him banging on the door to my room. “Shit!”

  “Open this fucking door now! Now, Sarah!”

  “Sarah, oh my God. Okay. Stay put, babe. We’re on our way. I’m calling nine-one-one.”

  “Please hurry, Raina. Oh, God. Please hur–”

  The phone drops out of my hands at the sound of Daniel’s boots slamming into the door, causing me to panic. I try as best as I can to push the dresser in front of the door, but it’s no use. It’s too heavy. With one final blow, the door is busted open.

  Oh my God. I’ve never seen evil until now.

  “Daniel, don’t do this. Daniel, please. You’re drunk. You don’t want to do this. Think of Londyn. She needs you, right? She needs her daddy.” There’s only so far I can back away before I hit the mattress on my bed.

  “Where’s your man tonight, Sarah? He leave you too? Huh?”