Chapter Ten
S altwater dripped off the ends of his shaggy dark hair. Normally, I would have jumped up to protect my laptop, but I sat rooted to the spot, unable to speak under the intensity of Liam’s gaze. His jaw was clenched, his nostrils flared, and his fingers flexed. I briefly wondered if he was trying to keep from wrapping them around my throat and strangling me.
Without saying a word, he picked up my laptop, tucked it under his arm, and turned away from the table. What? Huh? Crap! Nothing like taking a girl’s livelihood to make her snap out of her stupor.
“Hey! Wait,” I protested to his back.
He didn’t slow down but continued across the coffee shop toward a narrow wooden door tucked into the wall. Given no choice, I snatched up my empty laptop bag and hurried after him.
I pushed through the small door into an office—his, I assumed. It had a large desk with a bookcase behind it, surf art on the walls, and a window with a view of the narrow alley between his building and the one next door.
He stood by his desk with his hands on his hips.
“Liam, please, don’t—”
That was all I got out before he grabbed my laptop case from my hands and dumped it on his desk where my laptop sat. He herded me toward the wall until it was at my back, and he was at my front. Then, Liam’s mouth was on mine, and I completely lost any sense of myself.
Aggressive and hungry, his lips were slightly parted encouraging me to do the same. As his tongue slid across mine, coaxing my acquiescence, I tasted the salty tang of the sea on him and the memory of all the saltwater kisses we had shared in our youth hit me with a deluge of homecoming and nostalgia that almost took me out at the knees. I grabbed his shoulders and pressed closer, reveling in the feel of his bare skin beneath my hands. I couldn’t get close enough.
As if he felt the same longing, he placed one hand on my lower back, anchoring me to him while the other fisted in my hair, angling my head to receive the world’s most perfect kiss. He held my body still as he used his lips, teeth, and tongue to plunder my mouth until I was left shaking in his arms, unable to stand on my own and willing to give him anything...just like I’d given him my virginity all those years ago.
Forced to come up for air, Liam wrenched his mouth from mine. He was winded as if he’d just been rolled by an ocean wave. His chest was heaving and I noticed mine was, too. How could nine years have passed, and we still had this combustible reaction to each other?
“At least I didn’t have to play dead to get you to notice me this time,” Liam said.
I laughed, the sound a breathy growl that heated the air between us.
“You’re driving me crazy.” Liam pressed his forehead to mine while plunging both of his hands into my hair, holding me in place. His gaze smoldered.
“Same,” I gasped.
Then he was kissing me again. His lips moved over my mouth, my jaw, the sensitive spot just beneath my ear that made my insides liquefy. I caressed his sides and felt him shudder. I was pleased to feel his reaction and I smiled against his lips.
“Good,” Liam murmured throatily. “It’s just so damn good.”
His next searing kiss seemed to be without end. Still, it wasn’t enough and he lifted me up by the waist, pressing my back to the wall. He reached down and grabbed my leg by the knee and lifted until I got the idea and I wrapped both legs about his waist, pulling him in close and tight.
Liam groaned as he ran his hands down my sides until he found the hem of my shirt. He tugged it up until my skin was exposed and then we were skin to skin. I pressed into him, trying to ease the clawing need I felt for his touch.
As if he understood, Liam moved his hands between us to flick his thumbs over the hardened peaks of my breasts. A gasp and a moan left my lips. I arched my back, pushing my pelvis into his crotch, cupping his hard boy parts with my soft girl ones.
“Sweet Jesus!” He inhaled deeply and yanked my bra aside to suck one of my nipples between his teeth. Instinct took over and I ground against him unleashing a frenzy of need between us as he turned his attention to my other nipple. I grabbed him by the hair, holding him in place.
With a grunt, Liam lurched upright taking me with him. He turned and strode toward the desk. He plopped me down on the edge and then bent over me, tugging at my clothes as I pushed at the wetsuit at his hips.
Bang. Bang. Bang. A fist rapped on his office door, startling us both.
“Liam, the coffee distributor is here and she’s got some paperwork for you,” a girl’s voice, I recognized it as one of the baristas, called through the door. “She says it’s important.”
“I’ll be right out.” He gritted the words out. His jaw tight.
Liam pressed his forehead to mine, cupped my face, and kissed me once firmly on the mouth. “I’m coming to see you tonight,” he said. He held my gaze and added, “Not for a conversation.”
He tugged my clothes into place and stepped back from me. The scorching look in his eyes made it perfectly clear what he meant. Us. Sex. Tonight. Yes, please!
“Okay.” I nodded with an enthusiasm that might have been embarrassing if I wasn’t so hard up. He gave me a wicked grin and then left me alone in his office to get my act together. What an optimist that boy was. I was a hot mess and likely to remain so.
The ride uphill was not nearly as arduous as I’d expected, mostly because knowing Liam was coming over later was a great motivator. I pedaled right into the open garage and parked my bike against the wall. Em’s car wasn’t there so I assumed she was still out. That gave me pause.
I’d assumed she’d be home by now. I hoped she’d met up with some friends, mostly to take her mind off of Babs but also, selfishly, because it would be great if she wasn’t here when Liam dropped by. Even though we weren’t going to be talking, I suspected we were going to be loud.
My insides started to hum in anticipation. I couldn’t believe we were going to do this, more accurately, do it , but then I supposed I should have seen where my voyeuristic tendencies were leading. Obviously, I had given Liam the signal that I was his for the taking. The thought made my heart pound even while my brain paused and asked if this was what I really wanted. I told my brain to shut the hell up.
Before jumping into the shower, I decided to call my friend and cat sitter, Jessie Lopez, and check in. Yes, the same Jessie Lopez I had left Gull’s Harbor with all those years ago.
Jessie answered on the third ring.
“Jules, sweetie, how are you?” Jessie asked. “And how is our seaside little hamlet nestled in the heartland of fruits and nuts?”
“It hasn’t changed a bit,” I said. “Even Mr. Mancusi is still here fixing shoes.”
“How does that guy stay in business?”
“I know,” I said. “It boggles. How are my kitties?”
“They miss their mama,” Jessie said. “No, that’s a lie. They love having me dote on them, they hardly even remember your name.”
“You’re funny, but really, I can’t thank you enough,” I said.
“Don’t mention it. And I mean that. Don’t mention it. I don’t want anyone else taking advantage of me like this.”
I laughed and was hit with a pang of longing to see Jessie. Having moved to New York City together, we were bonded by that adventure which started with us being two surfboard-riding, beach-bum-So-Cal kids three thousand miles away from home transplanted in a fast-paced frenetic city that never slept and had ended in serious best friends forevership.
“How are you doing really?” Jessie asked. “I know you and Babs had a complicated relationship but it’s still got to be tough, especially now that you know—”
“Understatement,” I interrupted. I had told Jessie about the bombshell of my birth mother, but I wasn’t up for talking it over right now.
“Yeah.” Jessie got it. Having a similar complicated sort of thing in the parental department, Jessie understood more than anyone the mix of emotions I’d been churning through since I’d arrived in Gull’s Harbor. “So, have you seen him again?”
Jessie sounded casual, too casual, and I knew Jess, too, had a million unresolved feelings for Liam who was a former best friend. They had been the best of the best, right up until the night Jessie fled town with said best friend’s girlfriend—i.e., me.
I wasn’t going to lie to Jessie. Lies, I had discovered over the years, forced a new identity onto the liar, like wearing one of those hideous latex Halloween masks that makes it hard to breathe, only you can never take the lie off and it slowly suffocates the person you once were. Yeah, sure, wearing the mask seems like a good idea at the time but after a few hours in it, you realize it’s killing you and there’s nothing you can do about it. So, no lies.
“Actually, he’s coming over tonight,” I said.
Silence greeted this news.
In my mind, I could see Jessie mulling this over, probably pacing in a bathrobe with an espresso or a martini, or an espresso martini in hand.
“How did that come about?” Jessie asked. “I thought you were just enjoying the view of the man candy from your bedroom window.”
I had already confessed my voyeuristic tendencies a few days ago when I’d called to tell Jessie about Babs’s passing.
“Yeah, well, I was in his coffee shop earlier.” I winced at Jessie’s loud shout of disbelief and lowered the volume on my headset.
“You were in his shop?” Jessie sounded stunned. “Exactly when did you level up to out-and-out stalking?”
“I wasn’t looking for him,” I fibbed. Technically, a fib is not a lie. “I can’t help it if this tiny town only has one coffee shop.”
“Puleeze, you can buy coffee at the gas station or, you know, make your own.”
“Whatever,” I said, feeling defensive. Tension filled the airwaves.
“What are you going to tell him about me?” I detected a tiny hint of worry in Jessie’s tone.
“Nothing,” I said. “He very specifically said he wasn’t coming over to talk.”
“Oh...oh! Well, that escalated quickly.” Jessie’s voice had a bit of bite to it. “Good old, Liam, always gets the girl , doesn’t he?”
“Jessie, don’t...” I said.
“It’s all right. I’m in a better place now, a great place, really. I’m so over it.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. “You’re my best friend. I don’t want to do anything that would hurt you, but I...I need this. I need him .”
“No, it’s cool.” There was a pause and then Jessie’s voice was filled with mischief. “I forgive you so long as you call me tomorrow with all the juicy details.”
“You’re a pervert,” I said with a laugh.
“This is news?”
And just like that, things were okay between us. The relief I felt was huge.
“So, what are you wearing?”
“And now we’re done.” I opened the refrigerator and debated pouring myself a glass of white wine to help my nerves.
“No, no, you can’t leave me hanging. Just give me a hint! Are you going for casual or slutty? I vote for slutty by the way.”
Panic surged through me. I hadn’t even thought that far ahead. I glanced down at my jean capris and bohemian blouse. Liam had already had his way in this outfit, probably, I should mix it up, but in what? I really was a blue jeans and T-shirt sort of gal, raising my game was going to require, oh, damn, I probably needed to shave my legs.
“I have to go,” I said.
Jessie laughed. “You’re freaking out now.”
“No, I’m not,” I fibbed, again. “Do you think a dress is too much?”
Jessie’s voice was soft. “No, I think that’s perfect.”
“Thanks, Jessie,” I said. “Love you.”
“Love you more.”
I ended the call. My palms grew sweaty, my heart raced, and for a minute I couldn’t remember my name. It took three laps of pacing around the house, a half glass of wine, and a long hot shower to get my nerves if not steady at least marginally under control. Since I didn’t own a dress, I borrowed Soph’s blue one, again, along with a pair of strappy silver sandals that would put me eye-to-nose level with Liam. I felt it might balance the power in the room.
Ha! Who was I kidding? He had all of the power. I had none. I was weak-willed and pathetic when it came to Liam Mahony, as this afternoon at his coffee shop had proven. The only thing that allowed me any dignity at all was that Liam seemed just as powerless against the pull between us.
Since Liam hadn’t given me a specific time to expect him, I assumed he’d arrive sometime around six o’clock which, according to my hyper focus on all things Liam, was when he usually arrived home to work out.
Soph wouldn’t arrive until late, as she planned on staying with her family until they went to bed to get all her time in with the twins before their epic adventure. There was still no sign of Em, however. I texted her to let her know Liam was coming over but didn’t really expect a reply since she was most likely still angry with me and Soph, and the news that Liam was dropping by wasn’t going to win her over; if anything, she’d probably be even more peeved with me.
I was in my room, checking my reflection for the fiftieth time, not an exaggeration, when the doorbell chimed. With a quick glance around for anything out of place I spied a sock under the bed and tossed it in the closet, which was a total time warp. Seriously, it was exactly like when we’d stolen moments together in high school when Babs was out of the house.
I raced down the stairs with my dress billowing around my knees. I felt very feminine and for a second, I considered wearing more dresses and then I was at the door. I yanked it open without checking to see who was on the other side. I didn’t need to—even through three inches of solid oak I could feel the tension, the awareness, the longing inside of me that only Liam could conjure. It spiked to a fever that flared as I took in the sight of Liam Mahony standing on my front stoop.
His dark brown hair was in its usual disarray, as if he hadn’t combed it since I’d had my fingers burrowed in it that afternoon. He wore a fitted short-sleeve, pale-blue button-up shirt that made him seem even more muscled than when he was shirtless, dark jeans, and brown leather Vans. He smelled like aftershave. I wasn’t the only one who’d put in some effort for this evening.
His arms were crossed over his chest and his sexy gaze took in my loose curls, pausing for several heartbeats at my lips, then slowly slid down my curves, all the way to my delicate sandals and then back up until his eyes met and held mine.
“I like the dress,” Liam said. “Take it off.”