I think this is now going to be my last chapter on this story as I've kind of now completed the story arc I initially intended - but thanks everyone for reading, your comments have flattered me enormously!

Chapter Twenty Five

Carla tiptoed to the kitchen, her throw draped over her shoulders to cover her modesty as she grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. She settled herself back down on the floor next to her naked lover, sharing her throw with him, their backs leaning against the sofa.

He watched her as she took a large gulp from the water, her cheeks were flushed with red, her hair so messy and a thin layer of perspiration had broken out over her skin but this was when she looked the most beautiful to him.

"What?" she asked blushing. "What are you grinning at?"

"Nothing, nothing-" he broke his eye contact and snatched the water bottle from her. Taking a swig from the bottle as he felt her eyes now fall piercingly onto him.

"I know a couple of things have sunk a little south since we last did this," she shifted the throw again to cover herself self consciously.

But Liam lifted it again with a casual finger and took an admiring peak underneath. "False modesty isn't your thing," he concluded as she batted his hand away and firmly covered herself up again.

He chuckled to himself and let his head fall back and rest gently on the sofa.

She reached out and ran a hand through his hair smiling to herself, "Liam I've been doing a lot of thinking-"

"About me?"

"No, about the Chinese economy," she retorted sarcastically. "Yes about you you muppet."

Liam smiled, "See, you always make me feel so special."

"I thought I was supposed to be the one that deflected the serious conversations?"

"Okay okay," he threw the water bottle onto the sofa and turned pointedly to give her his full attention.

From the coffee table in front of them she picked up Liam's battered notebook and fondled it gently. "You do realise this is the most romantic thing anyone has ever given me."

"I did not, no."

"By far."

Liam smiled to himself, he had assumed at the time the gesture had seemed insignificant, that she wouldn't see the importance he had placed in the remembering of her name.

She put the book back, and drew her knees up, resting them against his chest as he instinctively wrapped an arm around her. It occurred to her she had no idea how to get her words out in some sort of order that explained her feelings.

"I've been holding you at arms length since you came back," she couldn't look him in the eye as she remembered his heartbroken face in the Rovers the other night. "I know the person you knew wasn't scared of anything, but I'm not that person anymore, as much as I want to be-"

"You're still the same to me," his fingers found her chin as he attempted to lift her face to meet his own.

"No I'm not," she resisted. "I don't know where my strength went. I don't remember losing it. I think over time it got chipped away by life, just by living it."

"You don't have to be strong with me," he whispered earnestly.

"But I've been so petrified of you Liam," her eyes finally rose to meet his.

Liam frowned, "So what changed tonight?"

"Tonight I was reminded that the things we regret the most in life are the things we don't do," she paused again, gathering her thoughts. "And there are so many things I've done that I regret-"

"Like me?"

"No," she laughed. "Like getting engaged to a rapist, like thinking it was a good idea to get involved with an alcoholic bigamist, or like marrying the bloke that killed you, that was pretty stupid-"

"So you've got a few to choose from then?"

"To say the least," she smiled. "But do you know what my biggest regret has been?"

Liam shook his head.

"It was actually none of those things, it was something I didn't do," she composed herself for a moment before she elaborated. "The night you supposedly died, my last words to you were that I didn't love you. And I said over and over if I could only have that chance back I would say everything different. I would grab your hand and run off to wherever and never let go."

He reached out his spare hand and placed it around hers as she absentmindedly opened his hand out and gently stroked his palm. Transfixed by the movement both of them watched as their hands intertwined on her knees. Liam didn't say anything, imploring her to continue.

"I never told you how much I loved you that night, and that has haunted me ever since."

Liam's mind had begun to race now as he gazed over at her, aware of how palpable the word loved had been in her voice. That little word that she had so far been able to say to anyone but him.

"The fact of the matter is, if I don't act on this, on how I feel now, I won't have learnt my lesson at all."

Liam still remained silent, but he lifted his head so his eyes met hers and he saw for the first time tears gathered in the corner of her eyes. He smiled and wiped her eye with the pad of his thumb.

"What I'm trying to say, in a round about way is…" she took a breath. "That messy and mundane life you were on about the other night, I want that with you. I always have."

A grin spread across Liam's face as wide as the Grand Canyon, "And what exactly is this?"

She laughed in a bid to hold back the tears. "You're going to make me say it aren't you?"

Liam nodded his head slowly, his grin widening further in anticipation of a sentence he had waited a lifetime to hear.

"I love you you great lummox," she smacked him playfully on the chest. "I really, deeply, actually, crazily, stupidly love you."

The words were barely out of her mouth before his lips came crashing against hers, bowling her over as they fell back onto the floor and her heart soared with a happiness she hadn't felt in a long time.

She prized her lips away from his as he lay on top of her and gently tipped her forehead against his, letting their breath mingle as she smiled to herself. "And you love me too right?"

"I don't think either of us ever doubted that did we," he laughed and kissed her again.

5