Sky sat on a chair, watching me take some vegetables for a stir-fry. She assured me she wasn't feeling queasy. It was sheer luck. Had Sky drunk anything of poor quality, we wouldn't be spending the evening this way, chatting while making dinner.

Chatting was one way to name it. The revelations of the beautiful girl who was fidgeting with the hem of her too-thin cotton top while she followed my every movement with her blue eyes left me perplexed.

It was clear that she used to date an asshole who didn't give a damn about her or her needs. Tons of seemingly insignificant things and details started to assemble themselves into a bigger picture in my head.

Sky was insecure. The way she blamed herself for the guy's job poorly done was proof of it.  She might have been used to putting up with shit. How else would I explain the fact that she stayed with the worst of guys for almost a year? I didn't want to be judgemental. I simply didn't get it.

"What are you going to make?" Sky asked, getting up from her chair and approaching me.

"A stir-fry, if that's okay with you."

"Sure. Give me a knife; I want to help."

"I told you I would do it."

Sky rolled her eyes. "Don't be stubborn."

Chuckling, I grabbed a knife from one of the drawers and handed it to her. "Look who's talking."

Sky nudged my bicep with her shoulder and stood next to me, taking a cutting board and starting to chop some vegetables.

We worked side by side in silence. I found it oddly enjoyable. It was the first time we'd done something like that together. I was busy at work, and Sky had enough on her plate with her university classes. Our schedules were different.

"Now let me do the rest," I said, taking the knife from Sky's hand. "I wanted to cook for you, not the other way around."

Sky smiled. "Okay. Surprise me."

I laughed, shaking my head as I grabbed a wok and poured some olive oil into it. "I'm not a pro. I had to learn to cook because—"

The unwelcome memories made me squeeze my eyes shut for a moment as I tried to regain composure.

"Because of what?" Sky asked, her voice quiet.

"When my mom got sick, I had to feed the three of us. My dad spent every moment he could with her, but I had to carry on with my studies and take care of Tim. She didn't live long after they diagnosed her. I think my dad blamed himself for not realizing something was wrong sooner."

"He couldn't have known."

"True." I tossed the vegetables into the wok and grabbed a wooden spoon to stir them. "My mom had always been thin because of ballet dancing. Besides, when Tim was little, my parents had financial troubles, and my mom was stressed out."

"You told me she worked."

"She did, but less after my brother was born. Tim was a miracle. I knew my parents wanted a second child and couldn't conceive for years. When they gave up on the idea, mom got pregnant. She was still very young, in her thirties. I was so happy when she told me I'd have a little brother. I just never thought I'd basically be his mom and dad."

"It must've been very hard."

I'd never talked to anyone about that first year — the most complicated one in my life. I did want to share it with Sky. If I wanted her to be honest, I needed to give her something as well.

"It was hell, Sky. After my dad's funeral, Tim and I went home. My brother fell asleep fast, and I sat on the kitchen floor and sobbed like a baby. I was barely eighteen and had no idea what to do with my life, let alone with Tim. I couldn't go to college, and I didn't have any money. I sold everything I could to keep us afloat for the first month."

"And then you started to work in construction?"

"Yes. When I could move to Paris, I was excited to leave that town behind. I made my best and my worst memories there, after all."

"I also wanted to live somewhere different," said Sky.

"Why?"

"My hometown felt suffocating. It's quite small, and everyone knows everyone. If I stayed, I would've attended the same college as most of my classmates, and I wanted to experience other things and travel the way my aunt Sam did. She was the one who talked to my dad about France. I think he wouldn't have allowed me to go hadn't it been for her."

"The dinner is ready." I turned off the stove and grabbed two plates from the cabinet. "We also have some wine, but I don't know if you're feeling well enough to drink."

Sky shrugged. "I can have a glass. It's already evening. I think I'll survive."

Nodding, I loaded our plates with food. Sky took the rest of the things, and we made ourselves comfortable on the carpet in the living room.

I poured the wine in two glasses and gave one to Sky. "Confession time. I'm afraid it's your turn to speak."

Sky traced the rim of her glass with her fingertip, frowning.  I knew she would be uncomfortable, but hoped it wouldn't stop her from telling me things.

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything. For starters, how you met that piece of shit."

Sky chuckled. "Not a fan, huh?"

"Can you blame me?"

Shaking her head, Sky swallowed thickly and spoke without looking at me, "We met at a party. Gia's boyfriend knew Paul. Gia was one of my roommates," she clarified. "We started dating almost immediately. He was my first boyfriend. You know how I ended up in Paris, so it's nothing new."

"I see."

We ate in silence until the only thing left was the wine in our glasses. I didn't want to have the second part of our conversation while we were eating.

"Would you mind if we went to my room? I want us to be more comfortable. We can go to yours if—"

"Yours is fine."

I picked up the bottle of wine and my glass and led the way to my bedroom.
Thankfully, it was tidy, and I didn't have any clothes on the floor.

Sky sat on the edge of the bed and glanced around shyly as if she didn't know what to say or do.

I left the bottle and the glass on the nightstand and crouched down next to her.

"It's not about making you uncomfortable, sweetheart, okay? I won't push and won't insist. If you don't want to do it, it's okay."

Sky let out a shaky breath. "No, I want to."

Placing my hands on her forearms, I noticed they were cold. The temperatures plummeted last night, and the air in the apartment was chilly.

"I'm going to turn on the heating. Get in bed; you'll be warmer."

Nodding, Sky opened the comforter and got under it.

I took care of the heating and grabbed one of the candles from the coffee table, lighting it and turning off the lights once I was back in my room.

Sky watched me the entire time. Giving her a small smile, I got in bed and turned to face her.

"So, you told me you've never felt things."

Sky shook her head. "I think I just can't."

She took a sip of her wine, probably to hide the nerves.

"Okay, you don't have to answer this, but when did you realize it?"

Sighing, Sky stared at her hands, clasped in her lap. "My first time. I regret doing it with him. I was in a rush because all my friends except one girl were dating someone and had sex. I didn't want to be different. It was stupid, and I know it. It was awful, Liam. Really bad."

Sky's voice trembled. My insides churned with unease because how  she said it made my mind go in a very dark, twisted direction. I didn't know how I would handle things if I were right.

"Tell me about it," I whispered.

"Liam..."

"Please. I want to understand, and right now, I'm thinking all kinds of things, sweetheart."

Nodding, Sky cleared her throat before saying, "I went to Paul's because we agreed to do it. His friends were there, and I felt uncomfortable, but he didn't ask them to leave. We went to his room. He took off my clothes, but I couldn't relax. Honestly, I didn't even want to do it anymore, but it was too late."

Sky's words made me freeze. "What do you mean, it was too late?"

"He went through with it, too fast, and I didn't have time to say I changed my mind," Sky whispered, her blue eyes downcast.

I bit down on my bottom lip, fighting the urge to cuss. "What about other times?"

A frown flitted over Sky's beautiful face. "It was just as bad. I tried to do it better, but I couldn't bring myself to like it."

"So, he basically took what he needed against your will," I stated. All of it was much worse than I imagined.

"Liam, we dated, and I was his girlfriend."

"So fucking what?" I placed my hands on Sky's arms, making her look at me. "Are you listening to yourself? He did things when you didn't want them. Do you know what it's called, or do I have to spell it for you?"

My heart clutched in my chest when Sky sniffled and faced away from me. I didn't want to make her feel this way. I sure as hell didn't want her to cry.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, pulling her into my arms. "Please, don't cry. I didn't mean to be a dick about it, Sky. I just don't get it; I don't get how you let him get away with something like that."

"I don't, either," said Sky, running her shaky hand over her wet cheeks. "I regret telling you this. You're so nice to me all the time, and I know it's because you feel pity."

"What the hell do you mean?"

Sky hugged herself and put some distance between us. "You give me kisses, and you cuddle me and sleep in my bed because you feel sorry for me. I saw how you looked at me when you told me about the conversation you'd overheard."

I was trying to grapple with this situation and failed miserably. She had no idea about anything, and once again, there was a wall built of misunderstandings and assumptions between us.

"Fucking pity, Sky? Well, let me tell you, dicks don't get hard from pity."

The unfiltered words tumbled out of my stupid mouth, but I was too riled up to back down.

Sky turned her stunned eyes on me. "What?"

"I kiss you and cuddle you and sleep with you in your bed because I like you. I'm attracted to you. And fuck, do you want the truth? Of course, I feel pity. Nobody should go through the shit you did. No girl deserves being treated like that. I'm not heartless. Yes, I feel sorry for you, Sky, but it doesn't make me want you any less."

"You don't mean it, Liam. You don't have to say things to make me feel better."

I was losing it — my patience, my composure, my common sense. I wanted Sky to see she was worthy of good things. She'd been terribly wrong about all of it — that dickhead, herself, and even me.

"You need to stop doing it, Sky. Stop blaming yourself and justifying shit. You tell me you didn't feel things? How could you feel them if he treated you like shit? He has no idea about them, not you."

"It cannot be only his fault, Liam."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, whatever. You can give someone the best photography equipment, and the photos will be shitty if that person has no idea how to use it. Am I wrong?"

"No, but—"

"And you can wear the best patent leather dance shoes, but you won't be able to dance if you don't know the steps."

Sky sighed. "I'm pathetic, right?"

I pulled her onto my lap, making her straddle my legs. "I'm going to show you you can feel it all, sweetheart. And you will be honest with me and tell me if you feel nothing."

Sky's breathing quickened when I inched my face toward hers. My lips grazed her slightly flushed cheek, but this time, they didn't stop there.

Opening my mouth, I dragged it down the column of Sky's neck. My tongue darted out, licking the soft skin.

The undercurrent of tension between us and the need thrumming through my veins made me light-headed.

Sky gasped for air, and a soft whimper left her throat when I kissed her faster, sucking on her tender flesh, careful not to leave marks.

I'd kept my desire on a leash for too long. Now, I feared I wouldn't be able to do it.

"Liam..."

That one word— my fucking name on her lips made me graze my hand over her back and then press her to me. We were touching everywhere, but not enough, never enough.

"Did he kiss you like I kiss you, sweetheart?" I rasped out, breathless while my lips kissed a path down, stopping at the base of Sky's neck.
"Did he want you like I want you?" Another question without an answer, and a soft thrust of my hips, and Sky's head falling back, her chest moving forward, touching mine, but not enough, never enough.

I kissed her with more passion now, licking, sucking, and biting. My lips moved to her shoulder.  Taking the fabric of her top with my teeth, I moved it away to expose more of her skin to me. More, but not enough, never enough.

Another movement of my hips, my hardness hitting her center, me wetting my lips, wanting to kiss her everywhere.

Sky's hands clutched my shoulders. Tentatively, she moved forward just an inch, but enough to create more friction between us. More, but not enough. Never enough.

"Your skin tastes so good," I whispered between kisses, moving my lips down, toward the top of her breasts, dying to show her how good it would feel when I kissed her there as well. Sliding my hand under the cotton of her top, I stroked the bare skin on her back.

Sky whimpered, leaning into me.

Gently, I inched back and gripped the hem of her shirt, waiting for a sign of approval.

Sky placed her hands on mine. "Liam, no. Please, don't. I can't."

I breathed out and dropped my hands to the mattress. Sky climbed off my lap way too fast. Avoiding my gaze, she jumped off the bed as well.

I knew what would happen from a single look at her— she would go to her room. Run, rush, dash away from me.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," I whispered. "If you don't want to take it any further, we won't. We can still talk and be in the same bed, Sky."

"Liam, I-"

"It's okay. I'm not that asshole, Sky. I would never make you do things you didn't want to do. I thought you knew it."

Sighing, I grabbed our empty glasses and took them to the kitchen. Then, I busied myself with the dirty dishes.

It didn't matter, anyway. I thought she wanted me, but she didn't. What happened in my room was a wake-up call.

Another call, the real one, broke the stillness of our semi-dark apartment.

My heart rate sped up when Amelia's name flashed on the screen.

"Amelia-"

"Liam, I didn't want to worry you, but I needed to give you a heads up. We are on our way back now. Both Tim and Antoine have a lot of fever. It must be a virus. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Is Tim alright?"

"Yes, don't worry. I gave him some meds; he should be okay."

"Good. I'm waiting for you."

I hung up and banged my head against the cold door of the fridge.

It was my life. Viruses, sleepless nights, and problems. Making spreadsheets to track down my expenses to make sure I would not run out of money and taking care of the little person who depended on me.

What the fuck was I thinking? I couldn't have it. I shouldn't want things, and Sky's rejection made the decision easier to make.

Thoughts?