Because of His Past by Kelly Favor

those
blue eyes, as everyone passed by them on the sidewalk.   Streams of people walked by on either
side.
    “I won’t ever let another person hurt
you,” he said, his voice calm now.   “Ever.”
    She smiled.   “I appreciate it, Liam.   But I also need to be able to stand up
for myself.”
    He sighed.   “I just know the man too well,” he
said.   “Easton Rather was the
skeeviest perv of all time, and he has no right to judge you or me.   Or anything we did in his office.   That dude was the king of fucking chicks
in every public place he could manage for years on end.”
    Grace made a face.   “That’s just gross.”
    “No, he’s just gross.   Arrogant fuck.   Now that he’s married he’s suddenly the
fucking pope of office professionalism.   Give me a break.”  
    They started walking again, slower now.  
    “It’s over,” she said.   “It’s fine.”
    “You hungry?” Liam asked.   “Arguing with douchebags always works up
my appetite.”
    She had to laugh.   “I’m starving.   I haven’t eaten all day.”
    “There’s a good burger place on the
corner.”   He took her by the hand
and walked her to the restaurant, and they went inside.
    Once they were seated, Liam had calmed
down enough, and after ordering, asked her to tell him exactly what had
happened that day.
    As she told the story, they both ended up
laughing about it more than anything.   Yes, it was embarrassing and slightly humiliating, but it was over and
she hadn’t been fired.   The whole
thing was starting to fade away, to feel more and more okay.
    Regardless
of what happens with Easton and my job, I’m just happy being here, in this
place, in this city, with the man I love.
    And
I do love him.
    She smiled at Liam and he smiled back.
    The waitress brought their burgers and
Liam immediately took a huge bite of his, chewing, and even with his mouth full
of food, he was gorgeous and sexy.
    His brown hair was mussed just the way
Grace liked it.   He looked at her
with those piercing blue eyes and swallowed.   “What are you thinking right now?” he
said, curious, as he picked up a fry.
    She laughed and shook her head.   “I know this is crazy with everything
that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours.   But I’m just so happy right now, being
with you.”
    “That doesn’t sound crazy at all,” Liam
replied, grabbing her hand across the table.   “It sounds like the sanest thing I’ve
ever heard.   And I feel the same
way.”
    They looked at one another, falling
silent, and Grace just wished there was a way to freeze this moment in time, to
always feel this way, this good, this happy, this right.
    She told herself that if they could be
happy with all of the madness going on around them, then that meant they truly
did belong together.
    This
is real.   This is something worth
fighting for.
    And then Liam’s phone started buzzing,
and later, Grace wouldn’t be able to recall whether the awful feeling had
overtaken her before he’d even answered it, or if she was just confusing things
later on.
    “Hello?” Liam answered, a confused look
on his face, as he put his free hand over his other ear to block out the
restaurant noise.   “Speaking,” he
said.   “What’s going---what?   Could you repeat that please?”
    Liam’s face was growing paler, and paler
still, and his eyes had taken on a strained, far away quality.
    Grace stood up, everything turning unreal,
almost transparent.   “Liam?” she
said, so softly that nobody could even hear her.   She hardly heard herself speaking.
    Liam listened intently and then closed
his eyes.   “Are you…are you
certain?   Please tell me…” his voice
faded out.   Something in his face
seemed to crumble, some light in his eyes was
extinguished. “Okay,” he said, a crushed sound.   “Okay.”
    He hung up the phone and looked up at
Grace, and then he stood up as well.
    “What is it?” she asked, hands clenching
into tight fists, bracing