The tension that had built up between them since their conversation lingered in the air like an unspoken promise. Sophia had always been in control, her emotions locked away behind walls she had carefully constructed. But with Liam's touch still lingering on her skin, she felt like those walls were slowly starting to crumble, piece by piece. It was terrifying, but oddly thrilling.
The next few days were a blur of moments that didn't quite fit together—small gestures that felt too intimate, too personal for a marriage that was supposed to be purely transactional. Liam held doors open for her in a way that was far too familiar, his eyes lingering on hers with a softness that was both comforting and disconcerting. Every time they were in the same room, the distance between them seemed to shrink, and yet, neither of them dared to cross that line.
One evening, after a particularly long day of work, they found themselves alone in the living room, the soft hum of the city outside the window the only sound filling the space. Sophia sat on the couch, flipping through a magazine, her mind miles away. Liam, however, was watching her with that same intensity, the kind that made her heart race even when she tried to ignore it.
She finally couldn't take it any longer. "What's on your mind, Liam?" she asked, not looking up from the page she pretended to read.
He didn't respond immediately, as though weighing how to approach whatever was running through his mind. When he spoke, his voice was low, almost hesitant. "I don't think I've ever been this confused in my life."
Sophia's eyes flickered up to meet his. "What do you mean?"
"This," he said, gesturing between them. "Us. I never thought I'd be in a position where I'd be questioning everything I've ever known about relationships. But with you... it feels different."
Her pulse quickened at his words. She wanted to argue, to tell him that he was reading too much into things, but instead, she found herself nodding, though she wasn't sure why.
"I don't know what to do with that either," she admitted softly, her voice almost a whisper. "I've spent so long keeping my guard up. I don't know how to... let it down."
Liam's gaze softened, and for a moment, she saw something in his eyes that made her chest tighten—vulnerability. He took a step closer, his presence both comforting and overwhelming.
"I'm not asking you to let your guard down completely," he said gently, "but maybe we could take it one step at a time. Whatever this is between us... we don't have to define it right away."
Sophia's breath caught in her throat. Every part of her told her to run, to pull away, to protect herself from whatever this might turn into. But in that moment, something inside her hesitated. Maybe it was time to stop running.
And for the first time, she wasn't sure if that was a mistake.