Chapter Two
Coffee and Chess
A lthough Liam wouldn’t say he slept perfectly, he wouldn’t say he slept badly either. As he’d claimed, he’d slept on planes before, and the chairs on this jet were far more comfortable than those in business class, which he was accustomed to. He’d known it’d still be dark when he woke up, but that wasn’t something you could really get used to. Excluding Anna, everyone else had settled in to sleep at around two in the morning. So, there was naturally a bit of work to wrap the mind around the fact that it was still around two in the morning.
Actually, it was a bit past three, but Liam’s groggy mind barely saw any difference. Nor did their surroundings. Someone had brought up the jet’s window covers while he’d still been asleep, but all he saw out of his was the dark shape of wispy clouds. Maybe from a rear-facing window, he could have seen something of the sun chasing after them, dawn nipping at their heels, but Liam didn’t have the angle to confirm or deny it.
As he knuckled sleep out of his eyes, yawned, and stretched, he looked around the cabin. He’d chosen to sleep out here, not in the private suite, allowing Victoria to enjoy her prize on her lonesome. Tess and Avril had joined him, and they’d all made sure to be as quiet as possible as they chose their respective sleeping chairs so as not to disturb Anna. She had managed to fall asleep, or at least that was how it’d looked when he’d crept by her still form about seven hours ago.
She wasn’t there anymore. That was what he noticed first. Next, he noticed the overwhelming aroma of coffee. Chasing after that scent with his eyes, he spotted a pair of women at the cabin’s table. It seemed Tess had finally found her chance to pull Victora into a chess match.
Yawning again, Liam finally stirred enough for Tess, the one facing his direction, to notice he’d finally come awake. She helped him continue doing so with a radiant smile. Liam gave her a sleepy one back.
It was just the three of them in the suite, or so he initially assumed. His back faced the jet’s kitchen, but he soon heard soft footsteps approaching from behind.
“Hey, good looking,” Avril said, croissant in hand. “Want a bite?”
Without thinking about it too much, Liam opened his mouth. Arching an eyebrow, Avril delivered her breakfast to his mouth and let him rip off a healthy piece. Only after chewing on the tasty, warm morsel of bread did he realize his gaffe. He wasn’t really doing a good job of keeping Victoria unaware of how close his relationship with Avril had become. If she’d been in Tess’s place, she’d have seen what he’d just done.
Then again, he had shown up at her house with a hickey on his neck a weekend ago. Right after Avril had taken him on a tour at the Bandits’ stadium and revealed who she was. That hadn’t stopped her from sending him that deliriously sexy picture of her on that very same day, even if she had waited until the last possible minute to do so.
A tense vacation wasn’t what Liam had in mind. He wanted to relax and enjoy a tropical paradise with four stunning women. He did not want to fret over taking a bite of a croissant. He wouldn’t.
“It’s good,” Liam said, smiling.
“There’s more back the way I came: coffee, breakfast, juice boxes.” She winked. “Go wild. Oh, and you can get the cabin lights when you do. You’re the last one up.”
“I will,” he said.
After taking her first bite of breakfast, Avril continued ahead. She glanced at Tess and Victoria’s current match, waved with a mouth still full, and then headed toward the private suite. For a moment, Liam wondered why he didn’t see Anna around, only to hear the subtle sound of running water once Avril opened one of the two doors between him and the plane’s shower. In fact, he soon noticed that Tess’s hair looked damp. How much longer than everyone else had he slept?
Getting up, Liam saw Victoria glance over her shoulder. Smiling at her, he earned a nod. It was short-lived attention, however, as Tess’s next move pulled the busty professor’s attention back to the chess board.
Before he wandered over to two of the most beautiful women alive, Liam chose to head for the kitchen. For all his plans to not worry about showing affection to the women on the plane, he imagined it’d be a bridge too far if he shamelessly walked into the lavatory and started brushing his teeth and washing his face while Anna was showering on the other side of a see-through pane of glass.
So, he opted to see what kind of stock a billionaire kept in his private jet’s kitchen.
One of his private jets, Liam reminded himself, stifling another yawn as he fiddled with the touchscreen that controlled the cabin’s lights. He brought them up to a reasonable level, then began his rummaging.
He found a varied but overall healthy selection to choose from, briefly paralyzing him in indecision. After a moment’s consideration, he decided to build himself a yogurt bowl. After filling a bowl found in the cupboard with a healthy amount of the named ingredient, he rifled through the mini-fridge. Raspberries, blueberries, some berries that he didn’t even recognize—the fridge was stocked to the nines. He went with the classic red-blue berry pairing and then added some granola. He bowed out then, deciding he didn’t want to cut up a banana or work in any other slightly time-consuming ingredients.
Mixing things a bit with a spoon, he took his first bite, then headed over to Tess and Victoria. Having closed the door after disappearing into the private suite, he imagined Avril had kept going and that she now either chatted with or possibly shared the shower with her roommate. She’d openly said they’d done it before on a video call just a few days back. However, Liam doubted he’d see them topless this morning, as he had then.
He found Victoria mired in indecision. Studying her pieces, she looked for the best way to get out of Tess’s current vise. She’d ended up pressed by Tess’s opening, and Liam couldn’t spot any good ways out as he joined them.
“Good morning,” said the woman who didn’t currently need to mull over her next decision. “Did you sleep alright?”
Mouth full of yogurt and granola, Liam nodded.
“Lucky you,” Tess said, rubbing her left shoulder. “I woke up with some terrible tension in my neck and shoulders. I guess I’m not made for sleeping while sitting up.”
“I’m not apologizing for winning the couch last night,” Victoria said without looking up.
Tess’s dark eyes swept back to her opponent. “If you promise to let me have it on the return trip, I’ll let you move your knight away without snapping up your hanging pawn.”
“No.”
“Suit yourself.”
Victoria lost a pawn, then lost more space on the board, and ultimately lost enough material for Tess to begin trading aggressively. As the mid-game transitioned into an endgame scenario that seemed almost impossible for Tess to lose from, Liam kept working at finishing his breakfast. He’d had an idea. But he wanted to wait and see if the women decided to have a rematch before he put it into action.
After examining the board for a little longer, Victoria sighed. It was imbued with more emotion than he was used to hearing from her. It was possible this wasn’t their first game and that those he hadn’t seen had also ended up escaping the younger professor’s grasp.
“I resign,” she said.
“Another?” Tess asked.
“Of course.”
Smiling, Tess began rebuilding her side of the board, and Victoria did the same. It was the danger of being too competitive; you ended up stuck in an inescapable spiral when you lost too many matches in a row. Just one more. End on a win. Don’t leave with a loss streak.
Perhaps what Liam was about to offer would help Victoria out. It should also help Tess.
“You mentioned sleeping poorly,” Liam commented.
“I did,” Tess said.
“Do you want me to give you a massage while you play?”
Both women stopped working on resetting their pieces. Mostly empty bowl in hand, he became the absolute focus of their world. Tess’s eyes were alight with surprise. Contrarily, Victoria’s piercing stare remained as impenetrable as ever.
Waiting patiently for the lighter brunette's response, Liam felt he had a good position to make his offer. It took out two birds with one stone too. He could help alleviate some of Tess’s aches, and Victoria would find out that he was pretty good—thanks to Tess and her lessons—at giving massages. Right before they landed on a chain of islands where sunscreen would need to be regularly applied.
After a moment, Tess’s surprise gave way to… approval, perhaps? She was the only person who knew about his deals—the outdated one and the current one—with Victoria. She’d even supported him when he’d told her about it, which was equally shocking and thrilling. He’d feared she’d ask him to snip it in the bud. Instead, she was willing to let things between her lover and colleague potentially flourish.
Here was another chance for her to pick up her watering can and help keep the sprouting bud well hydrated.
“I’ll take you up on that offer,” Tess said, smiling. “My neck had the worst of it, if you don’t mind putting the bulk of your efforts there.”
“Sure thing,” he said, setting down his bowl on the table’s edge. Acutely aware that Victoria’s gaze followed him, Liam kept a neutral expression as he moved behind Tess. He could smell the faint scent of her shampoo and conditioner as he put himself into position. Without looking up, he could tell that Victoria was still keeping an eye on him.
For something that really wasn’t anywhere near as sensual as some of the other things he’d done with the women on this plane, it still sped up his heartbeat. Looking at the crown of Tess’s head, her narrow shoulders, and the glimpse of the full shape of her breasts, he waited for her to finish resetting her pieces. At the same time, he started rubbing his hands together, chasing away the coolness that had settled in them while holding a porcelain bowl full of yogurt and refrigerated fruits. Once Tess drew her final pawn back into rank, he sent his hands forward, fingers brushing against damp strands of light brown hair, and set his thumbs on the base of Tess’s neck.
Fingers resting on her shoulders, thumb against the back of her neck, Liam went through every step with as much methodical focus as he could muster. He started with light, circular motions, focusing on providing warmth and a little relief. Nothing he did was rushed; he was determined to avoid that misstep as much as any other. Tess was going to get his absolute best. Victoria was going to see him give Tess his absolute best.
The women began their next match. Liam paid attention to it, mainly to ensure he wasn’t in the way whenever Tess wanted to make her move. Because, like the pieces on the board, he also moved around a bit. After a little while, he shifted to Tess’s right, her left soon to follow, and began massaging the rear of her neck with three fingers, careful not to let them meet her spinal cord. Applying light but firm pressure, he searched for the knots he’d work to exterminate in short order.
He needed Tess to look down slightly during this step, which slightly interrupted the game. Fortunately, Tess could just call out her moves after glancing back at the board, and Victoria moved her pieces for her.
Once he was certain he’d warmed her skin up, he returned to his position behind her. When his thumbs next met the rear of her neck, their scouting mission was over. They were now there to obliterate the tension knots in Tess’s neck. Stabilizing his hands on her shoulders, Liam began kneading his thumbs in firmer circular motions along Tess’s neck.
Just about in every instance, at least based on the techniques he’d been taught, that was pretty much the gist of giving a good massage. Warm up the hands, warm up where your hands would be going, locate the tension, apply appropriate pressure, usually in a circular motion. Rinse, repeat, and earn the adoration of your partner.
And potentially from another woman across the table, who seemed uncharacteristically distracted from her match. Matches, as it would turn out. Even in the throes of his skillful hands, which Tess complimented quite a few times during the match, the older professor couldn’t be beaten. With them seemingly having agreed to make their moves quickly, she bested Victoria in just under fifteen minutes of play, before Liam was even ready to begin working on her shoulders.
“Another?” Tess asked, sounding deliciously content as Liam worked the sides of the gorgeous woman’s neck.
“At least one more,” Victoria said. “I haven’t won yet.”
She sounds like I do when I play her, Liam thought mirthfully.
“You seem fairly practiced and knowledgeable, Liam,” Victoria commented as the players reset the board.
“He is,” Tess announced, which caused Liam to fail to withhold a smile. Only Victoria could see it, and her piercing stare seemed extra intense as she continued.
“When did you pick up this skill? Don’t tell me you have another uncle, this one being a talented masseuse.”
She was referencing the uncle who’d taught him every trick in the books when it came to cards. Tricks he’d used back in December, only revealing his skills after marionetting an entire game of Blackjack.
“It’s a pretty recent one, I suppose,” Liam said, skirting the truth. “I figured it’d come in handy.”
Those eyes—geez. Meeting Victoria’s stare was like staring into a blizzard. Right now, it felt as if she intended to stare so deeply into his soul that she lacerated his skin, muscles, and sinew in her journey to locate the truth beneath. Thankfully, as he was in the middle of something that required a fair degree of focus, he didn’t need to keep meeting it. Nevertheless, he could feel its chilling intensity on his face.
“Ah, ahhh, right there,” Tess whispered frantically, shockingly candid with her near-moan of bliss. He’d shifted his attention to the last remaining bastion of tension in her neck, and now he challenged its supremacy.
“And just what’s going on out here?!” someone cried, acting like they’d just stumbled onto something scandalous.
Intentionally, no one looked in Avril’s direction, even though they all knew it was her. From outside his peripherals, Liam heard a huff, then footsteps. The sight of a voluptuous redhead with beads of water clinging to her skin and nothing but a towel around her body—now that was enough to distract him momentarily.
So, she had hopped into the shower with Anna. Well, that didn’t conjure up an eternally distracting image.
“Chess and a massage,” Avril said, stopping at the place he’d been standing when he’d been eating breakfast. “ And an almost empty bowl of yogurt and granola! You can apparently have it all aboard Knight Number Two.”
“Is that really the name of this plane?” Tess asked, sucking in a quick breath as Liam resumed his focus on the final knot in her neck.
“Oh, I have no idea. I probably should, but I’ve never asked.” Avril’s brilliant green eyes swiveled from recipient to provider. “If you’re giving out free massages, it’s only fair that you make sure you have enough hand stamina to share. One for me, one for Anna, even one for Victoria, assuming she doesn’t crystalize ice spikes out of her shoulders whenever a man tries to touch her.”
Avril received a dry look for her comments.
“I don’t mind,” Liam said. “I’m more than happy to use my hands for good. Anyone who wants a massage, well, I’ll be here all week.”
Eventually, Avril returned to the private suite or lavatory to get dressed. A short time later, Anna appeared for the first time this morning, already dried, dressed, and smelling incredible. A strong, enticing aroma of vanilla rolled off her skin as she was invited to sit next to Tess. She’d made it just in time to see him in the end game of Tess’s massage, and her in the end game of defeating Victoria yet again. Anna looked at both things with interest, the former especially.
He understood Victoria’s frustration; he’d felt it himself several dozen times. Against both women currently playing in this game.
One win and how many losses? he wondered as plans for one final match were made. They had a good hour or so before they needed to start preparing for their arrival at Nadi International Airport, but Victoria also had plans to shower. And he ought to follow in her wake once she was out, clean himself up a bit.
He wasn’t entirely sure how they’d spend their first day—or any of their days—in Fiji. He wasn’t even sure what island they’d be staying on or which resort Avril had gotten them rooms in. Nadi International Airport was on Viti Levu, Fiji’s largest island. But there were hundreds of smaller islands in the archipelago, including famous groups like the Mamanucas and Yasawas. He’d ended up slightly overwhelmed by the options during his personal search, and Avril was staying tight-lipped about everything—the benefit of being the trip’s benefactor. Everyone else, even Anna and Victoria, let her have her secrets. Since they’d probably been on trips like this with her before, Liam supposed their calm should set him at ease.
“Thank you so much, Liam,” Tess said once he finished massaging her shoulders. “I feel so much better.”
Her compliment caused his heart to soar, and he happily offered his services if she needed them again. Even though she already knew she had a lifelong free pass to his hands, no matter where she wanted them to go.
Anna and Victoria glanced at him as he moved around to pick up his empty bowl and return it to the kitchen. He was happy for the attention, hopeful they were also considering inquiring about a massage or two. It was an oddly fulfilling talent, being good at massages, one he wouldn’t have thought he’d be proud to possess. But, based on the attention it had received, he’d say the seed he’d planted had a good chance of sprouting in multiple locations.
By the time Liam returned, Victoria knocked over her king—she liked to do that, which was curiously dramatic for such a composed person—and accepted the fact that she wouldn’t be breaking her losing streak on this flight. Avril had also returned, dressed in loose, breezy clothing—all the women who’d showered wore similar outfits. While it might still be a little cool when they arrived, the weather forecast promised a warm afternoon in the lower eighties for their first day in Fiji.
After she and Tess stowed their pieces away in the compartments on their respective sides of the chess board, Victoria headed off to shower. Once that happened, Avril took her seat. Stretching her arms above her head, she nodded toward the nearest window. Liam’s eyes followed the gesture. Glimmers of sunlight were just beginning to become visible now, flecks of gold and orange as the sun chased after them on the eastern horizon.
“Just an hour or so away,” Avril said, lips curling into a lazy, catlike smile. “Paradise awaits.”
“Yes, but which paradise?” Liam asked.
“At this point, an itinerary would be appreciated,” Tess agreed. He was glad to have the support, expecting Avril to try even harder to clutch her secrets if he’d been the only one to bring up the topic.
“At least for the first day,” Anna said, forming their alliance against Avril’s tyranny in full. That was how you had to do it.
“Alright, fine, fine,” Avril said, bowing, for once, to the group’s pressure. “After we land, we’ll obviously be in Nadi. There’s a seaplane flight from there to the paradise resort we’ll be using as a home base, but there’s also some stuff to do in Nadi before we fly over—assuming you all don’t veto doing that sort of stuff.”
“A home base?” Liam asked.
“I’ve got us pre-booked for activities all over the place, spread all over,” Avril said nonchalantly, as if that were the expected situation. For a billionaire’s granddaughter, it probably was. “We’ll have options; don’t you worry your pretty head about that. As a loose opening pitch, I figured we’d hang about a little on the main island for some of the first day, absorb some culture, try some cuisine, and then go see our lavish resort accommodations. Afterward, we can decide whether to be beachgoers on the second day or get active and start seeing the sights. I’ve got us passes for flights, boat rides, just about anything that acts as a mode of transport. And we’ve got free availability at two dozen resorts for the entire week, though I think you’ll all want to keep coming back to the main one I’ve selected.”
Well, that was at least something. She’d confirmed that they wouldn’t be staying on Viti Levu, though he’d always assumed she’d take them to a more private location. One of the island groups it was. Which one, they’d apparently find out in half a day.