When she had landed in his lap and started playing around, he had a hard time finding his sense of control. She was so beautiful and alluring, and with her staring into his eyes when she was so close, all he wanted to do was kiss her. He still wanted to kiss her, to recapture the intensity of that moment that he had let slip away.

”You don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” Liam managed to murmur, trying to get his bearings. She kept getting so close to him, and he kept letting her slip away from him. It was torturous locking up his feelings for her when it would be so easy to just give in and spill everything on his mind.

Ying Sheng slowly took a few steps closer to him, a confused look filling her face as she gazed at him.

”Are you okay?” Ying Sheng asked him, seeming tense.

Liam was okay and also far from okay at the same time. He was with her, which was great, but he was also burdened with a head full of chaotic thoughts that he couldn’t properly sift through. He felt like he was about to explode. He wanted to be honest with her, but he was also scared. It came down to what feeling was stronger in that moment.

”I like you,” he blurted out before pressing his hand against his mouth in shock. It seemed like he had no filter today.

Ying Sheng stared at him with an equal amount of shock written all over her face. She parted her lips to say something, but no words came out. Instead, silence filled the room. Even though he had told her how he felt about her before, Ying Sheng didn’t really believed him at first. She thought he was confused and scared about her committing suicide at that time but something felt differently today.

Liam slowly stood from his gaming chair, not knowing what to make of her speechlessness. It was either a good thing or a bad thing. However, he did have a lot more to say on the matter, and he decided to take advantage of the silence.

”I’m sorry if that makes you uncomfortable. I just… can’t help how I feel anymore. I know I already told you and I never mentioned it again because I thought you needed time to heal but I’d love the chance to just take you out on a date,” Liam spilled to her, merely wanting one opportunity to show her how much she meant to him. However, if she didn’t want to give him that chance, that was her decision that he would respect. All he wanted was for her to be happy.

Ying Sheng’s face gradually softened, a look of interest appearing on her face instead.

”You want to take me out on a date?” Ying Sheng asked him as she tilted her head at him.

Liam nodded, figuring that would be a good place to start. They could see if there was any romantic chemistry between them before they chose to move forward or not.

”Just like to dinner or something fun,” he told her, hoping that she would be interested in a night out with him. He knew that she probably wouldn’t care for a traditional dinner with wine and stale conversation. He would have to think of something a little outside of the box if she agreed.

Ying Sheng hummed softly, seeming intrigued. She didn’t say anything for a few more moments, the tension in the room increasing.

”I think I’d like that,” Ying Sheng told him as a playful smile crossed her lips.

Liam realized she had made him sit there and stew on purpose. A relieved sigh broke from him as he shook his head at her. He hadn’t been able to even breathe during those few seconds when she hadn’t said anything. At least he had his answer now, and he had a chance to show her that maybe they would be a good match together.

”I know it’s kind of risky for us to date, but I’d like to see if we can make it work,” he told her, watching her closely as she moved closer to him.

Ying Sheng stopped right in front of him, a bold look adorning her face.

”Me too. I do like you, but I don’t want to mess up what we have,” she explained to him as she reached up to lightly trail her fingertips through his hair.

Liam nearly shuddered at the soft touch. It was crazy how much of an impact she had on him, but he didn’t mind the trance. He also understood her concerns because he shared them. As much as he liked her, he would rather have her as a friend than not have her in his life at all. He just hoped that this first date worked out for the best.

”Me either. If things get weird or tense, we’ll stop. I just want to see where this goes,” he promised her as he tentatively reached out to take her hand. He could feel his own threatening to shake, but he gathered what control he had left to steady himself.

As much as he fantasized about this moment, he didn’t actually think that it would happen. This felt like a dream that he could wake up from at any moment, which he hoped he never did. He had a chance to woo the girl of his dreams, and he wasn’t about to drop the ball now.

”It’ll be fun. I’m interested to see your romantic side,” Ying Sheng giggled into her free hand as she let him pull her closer.

Her laughter was like music to his ears, even if she was teasing at him. He knew that was her form of affection. As much as he wanted to draw her even closer and kiss her, he wanted to save that for the right moment. His kissing rule still applied to her, and he didn’t want to rush anything anyway. He wanted things to play out perfectly, which meant setting the pace right.