Chapter 13
The door flew open.
I didn’t have time to process what was happening before Liam strode in. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and his chest, sculptured to perfection, was covered in a gleam of sweat.
“Do you mind?” I tried to sound angry, but my words were as breathless as he made me feel.
“Not at all.” One corner of his sinful mouth curved into a grin while he stalked closer to where I was lying on my bed. “Now let me see you.”
With one yank, the bedspread covering me was gone.
I tried to scoot farther up the bed, but Liam was faster. Curling his long fingers around my ankles, he pulled me down to the edge.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
My breaths came out in short bursts.
Liam’s grin widened. “Taking what’s mine.”
It happened so fast; one moment, I was still wearing my sleepshirt, and in the next breath, I was naked. Horrified, I immediately covered my breasts with my arms, but yet again, Liam was there. He straddled me and gripped my wrists, pinning my arms next to my head.
“Don’t do that. Don’t hide from me.”
Then he stole what little sanity I had when he crushed his mouth to mine. The man kissed me like he’d been thirsty for years and I was the drop of water keeping him alive. He kissed me until I didn’t care that I was vulnerable and exposed.
And when I thought it couldn’t possibly get any better, he slipped his hand between my legs. I should have been embarrassed at how wet I already was, but I didn’t care. Not when he ran small circles over my skin, teasing me into delirium.
“Liam.” I bucked my hips, silently begging him to give me more. He obliged and pushed a finger inside me. I couldn’t keep a moan from escaping. Nor could I stop my hips from shamelessly rocking against his hand.
He must have liked it because a low groan rumbled through his chest. He abandoned my mouth and dragged his lips along my jaw, licking and nipping at my skin. Another finger joined the first one, effortlessly taking me closer and closer to the edge.
“You like that?” His words were low and throaty, sending a delicious shiver down my spine. “You’d like it even more if it were my dick fucking you instead of my fingers. Wouldn’t you?”
I threw my head back and moaned low in my throat. Because holy hell, yes, I would have very much liked that. Since I’d accidentally felt him up, all I could think about was how it would feel to have him sliding between my legs.
“Words,” he growled. “I need your words.”
Meeting his fiery gaze, I licked my lips. “Yes. Yes, I want you inside me.”
His grin was wicked. “Then be a good girl and come all over my hand, and you might just get your wish.”
Liam curled his fingers, and in an instant, I saw stars. It was a freaking good thing I was already flat on my back because the force of that orgasm would have taken me down.
“So beautiful,” he murmured against my skin.
His fingers were still buried inside me, and instead of removing them, he just slowed his pace. It was torture, a delicious torture. And if I were capable of having more than one orgasm, I probably would have toppled over the edge again.
But since I didn’t want to admit that to him, I gently shoved his shoulder until those brilliant blue eyes locked on to mine.
“I want to touch you, too.”
The words had barely left my mouth when he shook his head.
“Why not?”
Half-cocked smile on his lips, he leaned in and whispered next to my ear, “Because you have to wake up.”
My eyes immediately flew open. Clutching my beating heart, I glared at the ceiling and desperately tried to calm my erratic breathing.
It was nothing more than a dream—a damn nightmare even—and yet it had felt so real. My core even ached and throbbed like it did after I’d had an orgasm for real. It was frustrating and annoying…and had been happening for seven nights.
Oh yeah, sex dreams about Liam became a nightly thing since he’d cornered me in the kitchen, shirtless and glistening with sweat. There’d been no way for him to know, but my body had reacted to his presence the moment he’d set foot in the room.
One look from him, and I reverted to a hormonal teenager experiencing her first crush. For the rest of that day, all I could think about was how he’d practically pinned me against the counter with his half-naked body mere inches from mine.
I’d replayed the moment so many times, it was downright embarrassing. And later that night, when I did it again for probably the hundredth time, I imagined myself touching him like I’d wanted to.
Of course, that didn’t do shit about my state of neediness. Exactly why I turned on my Estaban playlist and slipped my purple friend between my legs. It didn’t even take that long for me to come apart, my orgasm so fierce it freaked me the hell out.
I didn’t want toe-curling, spine-tingling orgasms with Liam on my mind.
So I vowed to never do that while I thought of him.
Which was likely why the man kept showing up in my dreams, doing sinfully, delicious things to me I’d only read about in books. Things I had an inkling would feel so much better in real life.
Things I could never have.
And it wasn’t even just about a man like him not looking twice at a girl like me with her clothes still on. Even though it was a cold, hard fact. This was self-preservation. I wouldn’t allow anyone close enough to use my body against me again.
I’d let my guard down with Anthony, a mistake I never intended to repeat.
With a groan, I threw the covers off me and made my way to the bathroom. Under the warm spray of water, it was hard to ignore my achy and needy body. Hard but not impossible. It took superhuman strength, but I washed—yes, just washed—myself and got dressed for the day in record time.
With any luck, Liam would still be working out, and I could have my morning tea and apple slices in peace. Peace I’d most definitely not get if he strutted around half-naked and delectably sweaty.
The thought alone had my feet moving faster until I reached the gym room.
In an instant, my legs refused to work, coming to a dead stop right in front of the room. The very open room where I had an unobstructed view of the man who seemed to plague my every thought.
There he was, running on the treadmill as if the demons of Hell were giving chase. Giant beads of sweat slid down his back, staining the waistband of his already soaked shorts.
How long had he been going like this?
And why?
Why was he always working his body harder than most people? Was it just to keep in shape, or was it possible that demons really were chasing him?
A fire stirred inside my belly. I wanted—no, needed—to find out.
Desperately.
But what good would that do?
Licking my lips, I kept my gaze on him for a few more seconds before finally making my way to the kitchen.
But I couldn’t shake the feeling he was running from something. I drove myself mad trying to figure out what it could be while I sliced an apple and made my tea. By the time I was done, I finally had to concede that whatever it was, was none of my business.
“Oh well.” I sighed.
Teacup and plate in hand, I spun around. And screamed. Like a freaking banshee. Liam stood in the doorway, all broody and sweaty, watching me with an amused expression.
His eyebrow slowly rose, and that minuscule action wreaked havoc on my nervous system and limbs.
My legs wobbled, and my stupid fingers forgot how to hold on to things. The cup and plate tumbled from my hands, hitting the floor simultaneously. The glass shattered with an earsplitting crunch.
Apple slices slid across the tiles while the hot tea splashed and pooled around my feet. I should’ve been happy I was wearing shoes, but these were my favorite heels, and now they were likely ruined.
Suede and tea didn’t make for a good match.
I had another two seconds to silently mourn the loss of my stilettos before my brain switched gears. The kitchen floor was a mess, and it was totally my fault.
“Oh my gosh,” I muttered as I dropped to my knees. “What a freaking disaster.” Shaking my head, I tried to gather the scattered fragments of glass. I’d collected four pieces and was going to grab the fifth when strong hands gripped me under my arms and yanked me up.
Another yelp left my throat, and then a louder and more pitched one when I realized what was happening.
Liam had picked me up, and I was moments away from smashing into his big, hard body. I didn’t want that. Nope. No, thank you.
In desperate need to get out of his space, I took a huge step backward. But since the tiles were slippery and my balance not the best, I ended up sliding around on the wet floor like a baby animal taking their first step.
Felt like one, too.
Arms flailing, legs wobbling, I knew it was just a matter of time before I went down, hard. I’d prepared myself for it, too.
Only, my butt never hit the floor.
Liam was right there. Banding a thick arm around my waist, he pulled my body flush against his. My hands instinctively slipped over his shoulders, fingers digging into his skin to keep myself from falling.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured.
And boy, did he ever. With every part of me pressed up against him, there wasn’t even an inch separating us. He was wet and warm. So was I. It was ridiculous and embarrassing. He’d barely touched me, and my lady bits were awake and ready for action.
“You can let go now.” Shit, I even sounded breathless.
Liam’s blue eyes collided with mine, sending the butterflies in my stomach into a frenzy. “Not a chance.”
I tried to swallow, but my mouth and throat had suddenly gone dryer than a freaking desert. In stark contrast with the damn waterfall below the waist. Made ten times worse when I could feel his palm and splayed fingers burning my skin through three layers of fabric.
And when his gaze slowly roamed over my face like he was trying to commit my features to memory, I knew I had to get away.
Pressing my hands against the front of his shoulder, I tried to wiggle out of his embrace. Well, that’d been the idea, but all I ended up doing was rubbing my breasts against Liam’s bare chest. And since my hormones were totally out of control, that little bit of friction hardened my nipples.
I was completely mortified.
Even more so when Liam let out a low grumble and tightened his hold around my waist, attempting to stop my movements. Well, I had news for him. If he didn’t like me rubbing up against him, he had to take the damn hint and let me go.
I curled my fingers into his skin and wiggled with more determination this time. His body was hot and hard, and every slide of mine against it had my mind drifting back to my dream. I saw him loom over me, could practically feel his fingers inside me.
A moan lodged in my throat. Thankfully, I pressed my lips together to keep it from escaping.
Then I felt it.
A very distinctive twitch against my middle.
Was he…?
Before I could process the thought, Liam lifted and carried me to a dry spot like I weighed freaking nothing. My mind was still reeling with a myriad of things when he set me on my feet, spun around, and took three huge steps away from me.
My eyes were fixed on the ripped muscles on his back, bunching and flexing. He cursed low under his breath. He was upset. Maybe he was afraid I’d get the wrong impression. I almost laughed. He didn’t need to worry about that. I knew it was nothing more than his body reacting to the friction I’d created.
“I’m sor—”
“Could you just not fucking speak right now?” he snapped.
His voice was so loud and booming it sent a jolt through my body. It took me a moment to recover, but when I did, a mixture of hurt and anger burned through my veins.
“You’re a damn asshole.”
My words came out hard, dripping with venom, despite the emotion lodged in my throat. I was thankful for that. When I spun around and retreated to the safety of my room, I was thankful for the rude awakening, too.
Liam Maxwell would never see me as anything more than a means to an end.