16. Hannah
CHAPTER 16
hannah
Liam gives me a look that is heated and foreboding, his eyes darkening right before me, eyelids heavy, his bottom lip pulled between his teeth in a sexy move that has my panties dampening with arousal. He grabs my wrist without saying a word, gently pulling me behind him through his house and into the master bedroom. After the events of last night and this morning—for fuck’s sake was it only just this morning I was getting myself off as he watched while in the shower together—being in his bedroom feels a whole helluva lot different. But my heart is the same, flipping over in my chest, butterflies taking flight in my stomach.
He doesn’t stop though, pulling me into his dream of an en suite. His hand releases mine, moving to my lower back as he leads me inside the massive, serene space that is every bit my perfect sanctuary before spinning me to face him again.
“Strip for me, beauty.” His voice is a warm caress over my entire body, just four little words striking the match that will ignite the inferno that I’ve felt every other time I’ve been on the receiving end of his desire.
Liam walks over to the clawfoot tub and turns on the hot water, letting it heat up before adjusting it with a tiny bit of cold and putting the stopper in the drain. I watch as he meticulously dries his hands off with a towel and then pulls out a fancy glass jar with green soaking salts. I immediately know what they are, and my heart does that damn flip and flutter behind my ribcage. After unscrewing the top, he shakes out a hearty amount into the bathwater, the smell of eucalyptus, lavender, and dried rose petals slowly engulfing the room.
My chest starts to rise and fall rapidly as he finally turns to look at me, his head cocking to the side, eyes squinted into slits.
“You’re still dressed,” he tsks.
It’s now that I realize what a grave mistake I made by not heading in his direction the first time. Liam prowls over to me, his eyes roaming all over my face as his hands reach out to grasp the hem of my T-shirt, slowly lifting it over my head. I feel every centimeter of his knuckles brushing up against the skin of my sides as he does it. Once the shirt has been discarded onto the heated floor, he kneels in front of me, his deft fingers expertly flicking open the button of my jeans, slowly sliding down the zipper. His fingers hook into the side of the waistband, and at a torturously slow pace, start to drag them down my hips and legs. I keep my eyes focused on him the entire time, still struggling to believe that this is Liam with me right now.
“We shouldn’t do this . . .” I whisper, my words coming out on a shaky exhale. He looks up at me from under his eyelashes, his heated expression causing my breathing to hitch and a flood of arousal at my aching core.
“Then tell me to stop.”
Goosebumps scatter across my hypersensitive skin as he works the material down my body. After my pants are removed, he takes his time repeating the motion, sliding my panties down until they’re added to the heap of clothes. I’m suddenly extremely aware that my thin baby pink satin panties will give away just how turned on I am by this man right now.
But Liam doesn’t comment, instead, he bunches them in his hand and brings the damp material to his nose, breathing in heavily, eyes shuttering closed as he inhales my scent. Holy fucking shit. I thought I knew everything there was about this man, but any assumptions I may have made about what this side of him was like were nothing close to the real thing. Liam is an unhinged, primal alpha male right now and my brain isn’t catching up to my body—which is screaming at me to climb him like a fucking tree and bury him deep inside me. My stubborn-ass brain, however, is flashing a neon sign that says “warning!”
Rising to his full height, he takes a single step into my space, our bodies nearly flush with each other but not touching. If my breaths come any harder, my nipples will graze his lower chest . . . something I find myself wanting to happen.
Instead, his hands reach behind me, head tilting to the side as he watches my expression. An expression that I’m sure is conveying what a desperate hussy I am. I’m scared to move an inch, I’ll be rubbing myself all over him like a cat in heat if I do.
Within a split second, I feel the release of my bra, my breasts suddenly hanging much heavier, fuller at my chest. And as Liam pulls the bra off of my arms, the air brushes against me, my nipples pebbling, reaching out, begging for touch.
“God, Hannah, you’re so sexy, I wish you could see yourself right now.”
His words finally break the silence between us, caressing over my body and finding their home at my aching, desperate pussy. Hell, what would it be like to be filled by him?
Liam steps back and I sway slightly on my feet, lust-drunk without even being touched. Instead of feeling self-conscious, instead of covering myself up, I watch him as he runs his hand through his shaggy dirty blond hair, and then drags it over the coarse stubble at his jaw. For the second time in the last twenty-four hours, I find myself naked in front of him while he’s clothed, as his eyes bathe me in a thick coat of desire.
I don’t dare ask him what he’s thinking right now, I just let him eat his fill, his gaze lingering on my breasts, his tongue slipping out and sliding through the seam of his lips before pulling the bottom one between his teeth again. It’s such a sexy move that I nearly moan just from watching him look at me.
After a moment, he leans down and turns the water off, holding out his hand for me to take.
“You know, when I bought this thing, I definitely thought it would get more use.”
Accepting his hand, he helps me step into the large tub where I sink into the deep water, resting back and laying my head on the folded towel he set there for me. I close my eyes and settle into the warmth and the aromatherapy of the bath salts.
“You’re telling me you bought this gorgeous tub and you don’t use it regularly? I’m so disappointed in you. I would use this every single day.”
Liam is silent for so long that I’m forced to open my eyes, finding him sitting next to me, his arm resting on the rim of the bathtub, looking at my face and lost in his thoughts.
“So, why don’t you then?”
“Mmm. I wish,” I dream as I close my eyes and sink into the hot water, loving being submerged and relaxed like this. I love baths. There’s something so simple about relaxing in a body of hot water that has the ability to melt away every ounce of tension or ache your body is holding on to.
“You and Charlie should move in here with me, Han. ”
My eyes fly open, all that tension quickly finding its way right back into my body.
“Liam . . . this will end, and it will only confuse Charlie if we do that.”
He nods in agreement.
“Right.” He says the words, but I know this man better than to think this is the end of the conversation. “But we’ll be married, and we need your parents to not have any reason to think that this could be anything less than real. Plus, beauty, we’re not going to be able to suddenly walk away from this as soon as your parents agree to leave you Bean Haven. You’re stuck with me for a bit, we need to sell it.”
“I just don’t want to do anything to confuse her.”
“How do you feel about telling her a little fib then?”
“Terrible.”
“Han, just last week you told her that if she didn’t drink her milk her bones would turn to jelly. We just tell her that you guys have to stay with me for a while because the dog needs her to take care of him. Something little, skirting the truth.”
I think about his words, and while Liam lives on the other side of town and it would give me a little commute, it would also make this look more legit to my parents, which is the whole point of this arrangement anyway. To have the added perk of using this gift of a bathtub every night isn’t a bad sell.
“Alright, maybe you’re right. But ask me again when I’m not being manipulated by you and your elite bathroom.”
“That’s fair. But I’m not letting this go. Especially if you’re my wife.”
My breath catches in my throat, my eyelids fluttering closed from the rush of emotions flowing through my veins. My heart begins to race, quick and erratic, as I work to steady my reaction to his words. Liam’s hand reaches out, brushing his fingertips over my forehead, my temple, and settling with his open palm cradling my face. I tilt my head slightly, savoring the feeling of his touch. But, in typical Liam fashion, he doesn’t miss a thing when it comes to me.
“You like that. Don’t you? It turns you on.”
“What does?”
“When I call you my wife .”
The little gasp that leaves my lips is uncontrolled and gives me away. Why the hell does that sound so good? “It’s clear you need to get used to me touching you the way a husband touches his wife.” I’m fucked. Because right now, everything else be damned.
“Yeah, you like it, beauty. No use in trying to hide it from me because I notice everything when it comes to you.”
Feeling confident and irresponsible, I lift my hand above the water, sweeping my fingers across my collarbone before dragging them between my breasts, pausing there to grab both in each of my palms, squeezing and massaging before gently tugging at the piercings through each of my nipples. The little sting of pain goes straight to my clit.
“Hannah . . .” The way my name sounds rolling off of his tongue should be a sin. His voice has dropped to that husky, rich tone that holds so much depth.
I flatten my palms and slide them farther down until I reach my hips, letting my eyes fall closed as I let go. My fingers brush through the trimmed landing strip of hair at my center, anticipation and the strong craving to feel good overcoming me.
A deep masculine groan rumbles from his chest through his throat as my fingers spread open my pussy lips, my other hand slipping between and finding my clit.
“That’s my girl. Play with that pretty pussy. Tell me how it feels.”
Mother above and all things good, I had no idea Liam would have such a dirty mouth and that it would do such filthy things to me.
“It feels so good.”
“Good, baby. Shit, you don’t know how badly I want to touch you. Feel how silky your skin is, how wet your pussy is. Spread your legs farther for me, Hannah. Let me watch.”
I do as he says, opening my legs as wide as the tub allows. I hear him shuffling around, and when I open my eyes, he’s changed his seating, now positioned closer to where my legs are currently spread wide enough to give him another full view between them.
“That’s my good girl. Dip your fingers inside, fuck yourself with them.”
Following his directions, I slide my fingers down, pressing my middle finger inside, pumping twice before adding a second, rubbing my palm along my clit as I do.
“Just like that. Fuck, you look so good spread out like this for me. Bring those fingers back up to your clit.” I eagerly pull out, dragging them to circle around my throbbing clit, chasing my orgasm that seems just out of reach. “Yeah, baby. Make yourself come for me.”
“Oh, yessss.”
“I love watching you come, Hannah. So fucking pretty.”
“Aah. Liam. I need . . . Fuck.”
“Anything, baby. Tell me what you need.” Fuck, his voice sounds so desperate, like he’s on the cusp of snapping, the restraint too taut to be stretched any farther. But we can’t cross that line. No matter how badly I want to right now. Fuck.
“I don’t know,” I tell him, my voice needy and nearly a whine.
“Fuck, Hannah. If I could touch you right now, I’d sit your ass on the edge, spread your legs, and lick your pussy.”
“Oh, fuck, yes, Liam. ”
“I’d take my time, letting my tongue trail over every inch of you, fucking you with it before sucking on your little swollen clit.”
“Don’t stop, please, Liam, yes.” I had no idea I would have a voice kink, but here we are. Liam talking to me with his dirty mouth is edging me closer and closer to orgasm.
“Fuck, baby. I’d make you come with my mouth, and as soon as you came down from it, I’d start all over again. I’d spend all night feasting on this pretty pussy, letting you come all over my tongue, swallowing you down over and over again.”
“Holy. Shit. Liam! I’m gonna come. Fuck. Fuck!”
“That’s my girl, come for me. Let me see you fall apart. Picture my face buried in your pussy, my tongue flicking your sensitive little clit, baby. Fuck, Hannah. Come, right now.”
It starts deep in my belly, a fire rising like an inferno before it combusts, spreading rapidly through my entire body. My legs shake, and just as I’m about to scream, my moans are muffled by Liam’s mouth on mine. Wave after wave of pleasure burns through me as he fucks my mouth with his tongue. I moan into him, his lips moving against mine as our tongues tangle and caress, licking into each other in a desperate attempt to be closer. It prolongs my orgasm, the waves of pleasure continuing to pulse through me until it becomes too much.
He breaks the kiss, eyes heavily lidded, and rests his forehead against mine as I struggle to pull air into my lungs. So much longing is etched into the strong features of his face, but it’s the dark mischievous challenge that has me sobering, anticipating what he’s thinking.
“Again, beauty. Give me another one.”
My internal clock never letting me down, I wake up before the sun, knowing that I need to get moving so that I can get started at Bean Haven. But, instead of jumping out of bed, eager to get to the bakery, I’m enveloped in a heavy warmth that I don’t want to leave the safety and comfort of.
The first thing I register is the heat emanating from his large body, his front flush against my back, the slow rise and fall of his chest a soothing rhythm. His heavy arm wraps across my middle, palm splayed over my belly in a way that is both cherishing and possessive. His scent is all around me, clean linen, but also his signature woodsy oak and sweet sugar. He cocoons me like there’s no place in the world he’d rather be, and at this moment, I agree. Right now, the world outside doesn’t exist—our problems out of sight and mind, the weight of our decisions lifted—right now, nothing else matters except the feeling of being tucked up into him. I want to stay hidden away from all the demands of everything but this.
For a brief moment, I let my brain rest and enjoy what my heart wants. The world outside might be calling, but in this moment, I don’t care. His fingers tighten around me, pulling me in just a little closer, my heart flipping over again my chest. His thick thigh is threaded through mine, lifted high so that I’m practically sitting on it. The warm pressure at my core feels so damn good. My mind drifts to last night, as Liam coached me through multiple orgasms until my body was mush. His restraint didn’t snap, but it was close. He was unhinged for me, and somehow, without even touching me, Liam has managed to erase every experience that came before him .
I’ve never felt so desired, so desperately wanted, and it’s a feeling that all of me wants to continue to chase. Liam nuzzles his face into the back of my neck, his breath warm and sending goosebumps across my body. I know I’ll have to get up and face the day, but for now, I rock back slightly on his thigh, just to scoot as close as I possibly can when I feel the unmistaken hard rod against my ass. Fuck, that definitely feels good.
I allow myself to tentatively move backward again, rubbing against the stiff cock wedged against me, when he doesn’t seem to stir away, I do it again, loving the feeling, and wondering if he’s just always hard when he wakes up or if my ass firmly planted in his crotch has something to do with it. I know I shouldn’t, but my body is on fire, his body surrounds me, all firm and practically naked except his boxer briefs. Only the thin fabric of our underwear separates us now.
It’s been so long since I’ve been touched, and everything Liam and I have been doing, with him watching me, has only stoked the fire. I need more. I need to be consumed by someone other than my own hand. And whether I want to admit it or not, I want Liam. I’ve never felt this way before and it’s so confusing. But the way I feel when he’s with me, that’s real. Whether I’m desperate for the attention and affection or not, I’ve never felt so wanted physically, and it gives an added layer of bewilderment. I want him, but I know I shouldn’t.
Liam’s arms tighten around me, and I close my eyes, completely content, and let myself wonder what it would be like to wake up like this every day, with Liam holding me close. Everything in me screams yes , to lean into this bizarre arrangement, but the smart, realist part, is giving me a hard bitch slap to wake up and not jeopardize this relationship for all of our sakes.
But I’ve always trusted Liam, and he wouldn’t lie to me or do anything to hurt Charlie. If he says something, he means it. So maybe I need to just go with the flow, knowing he’ll protect all of us from burning to the ground. My brain just won’t fully commit yet, the fear of hurting our loved ones and Charlotte, or even us, too great to be one hundred percent in.
I sigh louder than I realize, Liam stirring behind me again.
“Mmm. It’s Sunday, do you have to leave?”
“Yes, dummy. I run the only coffee shop in Aspen Ridge, I think people would riot if it was closed again. Owen threatened to arrest me if it happened again.
“I’ll kill him.”
I smack his arm. “Don’t joke about killing people. I love being there and you know it. What do you have going on today?”
“I’m going to wait for Charlie to wake up, take her ice skating this morning at the high school, and then come help you the rest of the day.”
I sit upright, his arm falling from my stomach to my thighs, his hand not missing a beat and flexing around one of them.
“You don’t want me to take her with me?”
“And have her be grumpy later? No, thank you. We’ll have fun, and we’ll see you before lunch.”
“I don’t deserve you, Liam Hayes.”
“You’ve got it all wrong, beauty. You deserve everything.”