Chapter 118
I try again, weaker this time. “It might be important…”
“I’m busy,” he growls against my skin, and the way his hand slides up my thigh makes me
forget what I was even saying in the first place.
The phone keeps ringing. A second time. Then a third.
I grip the back of his shirt, nails digging in, and finally manage to breathe out, “Liam—”
He pulls away, but just barely. His forehead rests against mine, both of us breathing like
we’ve run miles.
The ringing finally stops.
When he looks at me, there’s fire in his eyes and a devilish tilt to his lips. “It’s really not
that important, I promise.”
I let out a shaky laugh, dazed and flushed, and he kisses me again, quick and tender this
time.
“Give me a second,” he says, voice still low and wrecked, brushing his thumb over my kiss-
swollen bottom lip like he’s trying to commit it to memory. “Don’t move.”
As he turns away to grab his phone, I sit there on the counter, pulse racing, skin tingling, lips still burning.
“What is it?” he says into the phone, sounding a lot less wrecked than he looks.
I can still see the back of his neck, flushed, his hand raking through his messy hair.
He freezes. “Julie- wait, why are you video calling-?”
Too late. Her face fills the screen.
“Oh, finally!” Julie practically yells, her tone dramatic and annoyed and way too loud for this moment. “You don’t answer texts, you don’t call back, and now I have to FaceTime like
some desperate ex!”
Liam groans, dragging a hand down his face. Julie-
“No, don’t ‘Julie‘ me! I swear to God, Liam, if I have to hear from Mum that you’re still alive
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Chapter 118
one more time, I’m going to put your number on a missing person’s flyer.”
I cover my mouth to hide my laugh, but her voice is too clear not to carry.
Julie squints. “Was that a laugh? Is someone there with you?”
Liam stiffens.
He turns just slightly, eyes flicking to me like he’s debating whether to lie or not.
“Julie,” he says with the slow caution of someone trying not to step on a landmine, “this is Emilia.”
Then Julie gasps – gasps – like she’s just been handed a baby goat and a diamond ring at once. “Wait. Is this the Emilia? Oh, my God. Why am I so nervous? Why are you so pretty?”
Her face fills the screen, she looks just like Liam and for some reason that makes me
nervous.
He groans again, shoulders slumping in defeat. “Julie, seriously-”
“Nope. Shut up. I’m living for this. Hi, Emilia!” she waves, grinning so wide I’m almost afraid her face will split.
I give a sheepish little wave from the counter, still half breathless and wildly underdressed
for this moment. “Hi…?”
“I’m your biggest fan, just ask Liam. When he first told me you were his girlfriend I had your pictures printed and pasted all over my bedroom-”
“She’s joking,” Liam hurriedly cuts in and I laugh.
“Did Liam tell you I’m gay? Like, very, very gay? Yeah, so if you get tired of him just know there’s a prettier version of him lying around waiting for you. My boobs are perky too.”
Now I’m full on cackling. Liam makes a strangled sound. “I’m ending this call.”
Rude,” Julie says, rolling her eyes. “Also- Liam? Be good to her. Or I’ll fly over there and make things real awkward.”
And just before he hangs up, I hear her mutter, “About damn time, though.”
Fake Dating My Ex’s Favourite Hockey Player.
Ch
