Chapter 49. Sinful Thoughts

Liam

I bent down gently, reaching for the bedside lamp on our nightstand, and as I turned it on, I gazed at Cecilia more clearly. A sigh of frustration escaped me. Cecilia's lack of skill in the art of pretense was regrettable. If she were truly asleep, I wouldn't disturb her, and the night ahead would be less complicated.

"You're a terrible actress," I remarked, letting a smile slip. "You were lightly moving your foot."

I noticed the blush creeping over Cecilia's face as she absorbed the revelation. Her inability to control the nervous movements of her feet was a clear sign of her agitation. It wouldn't be fair to lie beside her while she remained in this state, and the last few hours, I had surprisingly felt empathetic, I thought, allowing a grimace to escape involuntarily.

"You don't have to make that face, Liam," she complained, visibly embarrassed.

"Sorry."

I wouldn't explain why my grimace had nothing to do with our situation. It was, in ess