Liam stared at the bottle in his hand.
It was half-empty.
For a brief moment, he hesitated, his fingers tightening slightly around the plastic as if weighing something far heavier than water. Then, without another thought, he lifted it to his lips and drained the remaining contents in two quick gulps.
No pause. No second guessing.
The water tasted… sweet.
Liam stilled.
It wasn't just refreshing—it lingered, almost unfamiliar on his tongue. His grip on the bottle tightened slightly as an unbidden thought crossed his mind.
Was it because she drank from it first?
The idea was absurd.
And yet—
His gaze shifted, almost against his will.
Amelia was already looking at him.
For a fleeting second, neither of them looked away.
Something softened in Liam's expression, the usual coldness in his features easing as the corners of his lips lifted into a faint, unguarded smile—one that rarely surfaced, and never without reason.
Amelia's breath caught.
