Chapter 5 – Liam
“I’ve gotta be honest, this movie sucks,” Molly said, grabbing the remote and turning down the volume.
“We haven’t gotten to the good parts yet,” I said, trying to bargain with her.
“I’ve seen enough.”
“Come on, Molls. I promise it gets better.”
“First of all, no one ever calls me that anymore. Second of all, I’m about to pass out from boredom.”
“Isn’t that what everyone used to call you?”
“Yeah, when I was like ten.” She laughed.
“Well, I like it. It suits you.”
After eating pizza, Molly and I had decided to sit and watch a movie. I’d somehow convinced her the vampire movie that had recently come out was our best option. We were only ten minutes in, and she was already sick of it.
“I don’t know why you’re even still here. I’m fine, I promise,” she said.
“You don’t want me here? Wow. No, I can take a hint,” I teased.
“I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just… you know, I’m sure you have better things to do than spend your evening babysitting your best friend’s little sister.”
“You know spending time with you never bothered me, right? I always liked hanging out with you when we were kids. It was Jace who didn’t want you sticking around.”
“Really?”
“You remember that time Sabrina Collins started putting sticky notes with the word bitch in your locker?”
“Ugh, yes, I remember. She was relentless.”
“One day, Jace and I were sitting at the lunch table with a few of our friends. Sabrina had recently started sitting with us. I found out later it was because she was trying to get my attention. Before I realized what she was up to, I asked Jace if I could invite you to a party we were going to that weekend. I thought you’d have fun. ”
I shook my head, smiling as I thought back to that day. “Jace lost his shit. Got pissed. Told me to never talk about you again. Not to even think about you in that way. I think he could tell I was into you, and he made it very clear you were off-limits.”
“Wait,” she said slowly. “You like… liked me?”
I laughed. Molly was oblivious. “Yes, Molls. I like, liked you.”
“You’re lying,” she said, eyeing me closely.
“Let’s put it this way, when you first opened Molly’s, I used to think, how is Molly going to make my wedding cake if she’s the bride too?” I admitted.
Holy shit, she mouthed.
“Do you still like me?” she asked, shrinking back like a turtle retreating into its shell.
I turned my head so I was looking her directly in the eyes.
“I still have my old ruck sack somewhere in my house. Pretty sure it’s in my closet.
There’s a pocket inside where I kept a picture of you sitting on the dock from when you were a freshman in high school.
I saw it on your notebook once in class and took it.
That was back when we had algebra together, after I’d already failed it once and it was my last chance to pass.
You got an A of course, and I barely passed with a D.
I don’t know why I kept it all that time, but I liked to look at it on the hard days when I was overseas.
It was the one thing I could take with me that tied me back to Silver Creek when I was so far away.
The guys in my unit used to ask if you were my girlfriend.
I said the same thing every time—not my girlfriend, just someone I really care about. ”
“You’re high.”
“High or not,” I said, “it’s still true.”
Her cheeks turned red as she tried to hide them behind her hands.
“So you felt that way all this time and never once thought it was a good idea to let me know? Not a text? Not a letter? Nothing?”
“Your brother made me swear to stay away from you. I couldn’t break bro code.”
“Screw bro code, Liam. We’re adults now,” she said, laughing, like she couldn’t believe I’d let such a silly promise control me for so long.
I leaned my head back against the couch, studying Molly’s face as she spoke. “Even as adults, Jace would kill me.”
“Jace is not my keeper, you know,” she said. “I’m a grown woman, and who I have sex with is none of my brother’s business.”
I laughed—a real, deep laugh. “Who said anything about having sex?”
She lifted a brow. “If I’m your wife slash wedding cake baker, isn’t it implied we have sex?”
“Molly McKinley, I am genuinely begging you to stop talking about sex.”
She laughed, shifting onto her knees. “Sex is a natural thing, Liam. Everyone does it.”
I dragged my hands down my face. “Yes, Molls, I’m aware sex is a natural thing. But talking about sex… with you? That’s treading dangerous water.”
“How so?”
Dammit. Was she really going to make me spell it out?
She leaned closer, and my eyes dropped briefly to the glimpse of cleavage visible above her pajama top.
Someone dump a bucket of ice-cold water over me before I catch on fire.
I shifted, turning my body to face her. “Molly…”
“Liam…” she said, leaning closer.
“Talking about sex around you makes me think about the things I’d want to do if I ever had sex with you,” I admitted.
Damn. Maybe I was high. Usually I ignored Molly’s ridiculous comments, but here I was, diving into the deep end with her on every single one.
“What would you do?” she asked casually, like me answering her question wouldn’t change everything between us.
“Do you really want to know?”
“One thousand percent, yes,” she said, urging me on.
I lifted my hand to her cheek, rubbing it gently with my thumb.
“First, I’d pull you close,” I murmured, letting my words linger. “So your body would press against mine, and you’d feel the way I react when I’m near you.”
She didn’t flinch or look away—she just kept staring into my eyes.
“Then, I’d kiss you,” I continued, my voice low. “Soft and slow. I’d memorize the way you taste on my lips.”
Her breathing quickened, chest rising and falling faster. The heat between us was undeniable, like someone had lit a fire between us.
“After that, I’d pull this ridiculously thin top off you, and instead of imagining what’s underneath, I’d kiss every inch of your body before…” I swallowed hard, my voice dropping. “Before I’d make you scream my name in ecstasy.”
Molly’s entire body flushed—cheeks, chest, every inch of her. Everything I said, she wanted it too. Maybe I was high like she said, because why the hell I was I sitting here admitting all of this to her?
Without warning, she sat up and straddled my lap, catching me off guard.
Fuck. I was done for.
“You can talk the talk, Liam Carson, but can you walk the walk?” she teased, egging me on.
“We can’t, Molls. It’ll change everything.”
“No, it won’t. One night. No strings attached. We give in to temptation for one night—that’s it. We’re both consenting adults. What my brother doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
Knowing Molly wanted me just as badly as I wanted her made this moment more dangerous. I’d always promised Jace I wouldn’t do anything with his sister. But Molly was right. What Jace didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. We were adults now. One night of leaning into our desires wouldn’t change anything.
I grabbed Molly’s hips, pulling her body flush against mine. “Tell me this is what you really want, Molly.”
“It’s everything I want,” she said in a sultry tone.
“One night. Then we never speak of it again?”
“Never,” she said.
Before I gave myself time to overthink it, I pulled her in, Molly’s lips crashing against mine.
Her lip gloss tasted like vanilla and mint.
Our kiss quickened, her arms wrapping around my neck.
I slid my hands underneath her top, gliding my calloused hands against her buttery soft skin, making my way to her breasts.
I slid my thumbs over her nipples, each one already taut, begging to be tended to.
I grabbed her shirt, sliding it over her head and tossing it to the floor. Then I leaned back, taking in the beautiful work of art before me—every curve, every freckle, every inch pure perfection.
Molly mirrored me, sliding my shirt off and tossing it aside. She pressed kisses along my neck, then down my collarbone, making my pulse spike.
I grabbed her thighs as she wrapped her legs around my waist.
“Bedroom. Now,” I growled, marching down the hallway with her clinging to me until we reached our destination.
I laid her on the bed, my mind racing with the countless ways I was going to pleasure her tonight—deciding which one I would try first.
I ripped her pajama bottoms off, a gasp leaving her mouth as she watched them land on the floor across the room.
“Molly…” I groaned, admiring how soft and golden her skin was. Her thighs, her stomach—everything.
I knelt down, spreading her thighs, and licked the inside of each one before finding her center with my tongue. Molly’s back arched in pleasure.
“Liam…”
Hearing my name on her lips was going to send me over the edge before I was ready. I gripped her thighs, biting down gently on her clit. She tangled her fingers in my hair, letting me know she was enjoying this as much as I was.
I stood, undoing my belt and pulling it free in one swift motion. She smiled up at me, biting her bottom lip. Too bad I couldn’t freeze that look forever. I’d have to engrave it on my brain instead.
I pulled a condom from my wallet before sliding my pants down, my cock pressing insistently against my boxers, not shy at all about how much I wanted her.
Molly sat up, hooked her fingers into the waistband of my boxers, and shoved them down, letting me spring free. She licked her lips before dragging her tongue along the underside of my length, taking the tip into her mouth, sucking hard—somehow making it the best sensation I had ever experienced.
“Molls…” I groaned, my knees going weak. She only sucked harder. Dammit, I was going to finish if she didn’t stop soon. I grabbed her gently by the back of the neck, pulling away and leaning her back against the bed.
I spread her thighs open with mine as I knelt on the bed, rolling the condom over my cock. I positioned myself at her entrance, leaning my forehead against hers.
“You’re going to take me so good, aren’t you?”
“Yes, Liam,” she moaned, trying to lift her hips, silently begging me to push inside her.
“I’m no small man, Molly,” I warned quietly. “If you need me to stop, just tell me. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Instead of fear, my words only made her want this more. She pressed her lips to my neck, biting down where she’d kissed me. “Show me just how big of a man you really are, Liam Carson,” she said, daring me.
Without another word, I slid into her—deep and hard. She gasped into my ear, her legs falling open even wider as her body welcomed me.
“No matter what happens between us after tonight,” I rasped against her skin, “you will never forget the way I felt, stretching you out beyond no return, Molly McKinley. I can promise you that.”
I continued to thrust until Molly screamed my name so loud it echoed off the walls. I sent her over the edge again and again and again, until the sky began to lighten with morning.
As the sun peeked over the horizon, I snuck out before she woke up.
It was better this way.
Easier to let go of what was hands down the best night of my life.