Twenty-Nine
TWENTY-NINE
SOPHIE
I s this crazy?
Yes. Yes, it totally is. But sometimes you’ve got to do the crazy thing. You’ve got to follow that reckless voice inside your head, the one that tells you to leap even when you know the landing might hurt. It’s human nature, isn’t it? To want something so badly you ignore the consequences, even when they’re staring you right in the face. And, like I said, it’s time for me to take what I want. What I need.
What I crave.
In this moment, all I want is Liam Ayoub.
My fingers fumble over the buttons of his shirt, my breath coming faster, every second filled with need. “Take it off,” I demand, my voice thick with desire, “before I rip it”.
The sexiest sound leaves his lips, in a deep chuckle. Oh lord, I’m in big trouble.
“Let me help you,” he whispers against my lips as he unbuttons his shirt. As soon as it’s open I shove it down his shoulder and throw it out of my sight.
Tanned, tattooed skin stretches over his muscled chest, and the urge to lick it nearly overpowers me. But I won't, yet.
I kiss him again, fiercely, while pushing him back toward the desk, eager to push him onto it and climb on top of him. But Liam has other plans. Before his ass even touches the edge of the desk, he spins us around effortlessly, lifting me onto the desk instead, still towering over me.
His hands are everywhere–my waist, my thighs, sliding under my dress. His hands slide up, up until they find the top of my pantyhose, sliding them down my legs at a slow, agonizing pace.
“Liam,” his name leaves my lips in a plea, as his fingers travel up higher, slipping between my legs. My thighs part automatically, welcoming the touch I’ve been craving. His mouth is steaming hot against my neck, his lips brushing, nipping and just driving me crazy with every single kiss.
“You are so fucking beautiful,” he breathes, his voice rough. “Let’s see how much this pussy missed me.” His voice is thick with hunger as his hand moves my underwear aside. A shiver runs through me when his fingers find the answer to his questions.
I feel his smile against my neck, the curve of his lips brushing over my skin like a promise. His fingers find the heat pooling between my thighs, and he lets out a low, guttural groan that sends a shiver straight through me. “Perfection,” he murmurs, his voice rough and sinful, dripping with need. “Always perfection.”
Heat invades my cheeks at his words, and I bite my bottom lip, trying to steady the wild pulse coursing through me.
His teeth nip at my bottom lip, and I release it into his mouth as he sucks it in. A moan escapes me, muffled against his lips as his tongue finds mine, deepening the kiss with a hunger that leaves me breathless.
His hand moves exactly where I need him, his fingers finding me with skilled precision. My back arches against the desk, my body surrendering completely to his touch. His fingers slide inside me, each movement sending waves of pleasure crashing through me. Small moans spill from my lips, uncontrollable, as he pumps into me, his mouth latched onto the sweet spot at the base of my neck, sucking just enough to leave a mark.
His thumb finds the spot that aches for him, and he moves in a slow, teasing circle. My hand clutches at his shoulders, needing to hold on to something, anything, as the intensity of his touch builds, pure pleasure radiating through me.
“Don’t stop,” I gasp, my legs starting to tremble. His lips find mine again, and he swallows the loud moan I let out as he quickens his pace. “Never,” he whispers against my lips.
The world is narrowing down to just him—his mouth, his hands, his body pressed against mine. I’m so close, so close to falling off the edge so close to–
There’s a sharp knocking sound on the door, and both of us freeze.
“Liam?” Is that Jared? “Lilly said you had some free time. Ehm, we need to talk.”
For a split second, Liam doesn’t move, his breath hot against my neck, his fingers still inside me, still keeping the pressure on my clit. Oh my God, I’m dying. “Liam,” I whisper-moan against his lips, wiggling against his hand. He swears under his breath, moving his forehead to rest against mine.
“Ignore it, please,” I whisper desperately, but the knock comes again, more insistent this time. ”I need to speak with you, Liam.”
With a frustrated groan, Liam pulls away, his body still close enough that I can feel the heat radiating from him.
“Yeah?” Liam calls, his voice tight with irritation.
Jared’s voice filters through the door. “I need to talk to you about the concepts.”
Liam looks at me, eyes dark, filled with frustration and a heat that hasn’t disappeared.
“I’m busy now.”
“It’s important.”
His thumb brushes lightly against my inner thigh, sending a shiver racing through me as he pulls away. He points at me, his gaze sharp and unrelenting, like he’s branding me with the promise of his words. “This isn’t over,” he says, his voice low, dangerous, and laced with dark intent.
I nod, biting my lip to suppress the desire still pulsing through me as he straightens, steps back, and reluctantly pulls me off the desk.
“I’ll be right there,” he calls out to Jared.
His eyes never leave mine as he lifts his fingers to his mouth, sucking them as he tastes the need I have for him. My mouth drops open, my breath catches in my throat and I almost come on the spot. “Just as I remember—delicious,” he murmurs, his voice thick with satisfaction, like he knows exactly what he’s doing to me.
I can’t even find the words to respond. All I know is that the sight of his lips, those fingers in his mouth, makes my stomach twist in a way that has me imagining them somewhere else—back between my thighs.
Meanwhile, Liam is already slipping his shirt back on, his movement controlled. In one smooth motion, he picks up my pantyhose from the floor and casually tosses them behind his desk with a smirk.
“Sophie. Hide,” his voice is sharp enough to slice through my heated daydream.
I blink, startled, still struggling to pull myself back to reality. “Wh-what?”
Before I can process, he steps close, his hand gripping my face firmly, tilting it up so I can’t escape the intensity in his eyes. He presses a slow, deliberate kiss to my lips, leaving me breathless.
“Under the desk, Sunshine. Now.”
My skin feels like it’s on fire, my body still thrumming with the need he’s ignited. On shaky legs, I move, sinking to my knees and slipping beneath the desk. The moment I’m tucked away, his presence looms above me, commanding and inescapable.
Unable to stop myself, my hand drifts down, desperate to alleviate the unbearable ache building between my thighs. But before I can even brush against it, Liam’s hand is there, gripping my wrist firmly, his touch possessive and unyielding. His eyes burn with a dangerous warning as he crouches slightly.
“No,” he growls, his voice a dark, possessive command that sends a shiver straight through me. His grip on my wrist tightens, his gaze locking on mine, burning with an intensity that steals my breath. “That’s mine.”
The sheer dominance in his words sends a jolt of electricity through me, my pulse racing as my body betrays me in ways I can’t control. My breath hitches, and I lock eyes with him from under the desk, his hand still gripping mine, firm and unyielding, as if claiming me without a single word more.
There’s something in his possessiveness—something dark, demanding, and undeniably more. It pulls at a part of me I didn’t even know was there, igniting a fire that’s equal parts thrilling and terrifying.
“I’ll decide when and how you get to come,” he continues, his voice even lower, dripping with authority and barely contained hunger. “Understood?”
I nod, stunned into silence, my breath catching in my throat. He rises slowly, the scrape of his chair against the floor slicing through the thick tension. The sound of his steady footsteps fills the room as he circles the desk, and my pulse pounds harder with every step.
The door opens with a soft click.
“What do you want Jared?” Liam opens the door and his voice sounds irritated, just as I feel. I hate Jared.
“Can we sit down?” Jared asks. The door shuts behind them, and I immediately hear footsteps tapping against the wood floor.
I hold my breath, nerves tingling under my skin as the tension coils tighter, both from the anticipation of being discovered by Jared and the frustration of being interrupted.
Liam sinks into his chair behind the desk, his movements slow, deliberate. His gaze locks onto mine, and then, with maddening arrogance, he licks his lips. The sight sends a fresh wave of heat coursing through me. It feels so filthy, knowing my juices are still on his tongue.
“Are you going to speak?” Liam's voice is harsh, the impatience practically dripping from his tone.
“Yes, uh… I, um…” Jared stutters, clearly thrown off by Liam’s sudden intensity.
“Stop stuttering and speak, Jared,” Liam snaps, his tone cold. “I don’t have time for this.”
I smack my hand over my mouth, stifling the laughter bubbling up inside me. He deserves this.
I hear how Jared shifts awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable under the weight of Liam's glare. “I-I was just thinking about the presentation. What I said and–”
Liam leans forward, a hard expression painted on his face. “I should fire you, you know that.”
Jared freezes. The tension in the room skyrockets, and I can practically feel the satisfaction rolling off Liam.
I don’t want him to fire Jared. I don’t want to be the reason someone loses their job, even though Jared is an absolute asshole and would be his own downfall. Still, that guilt would weigh on me, and I don’t want it. The best thing to do is finish this job and then never see each other again. Ever.
“When I say it out loud, it makes a lot of sense,” Liam continues, ignoring the tension building in the room. My hand instinctively grabs his leg under the desk, a silent plea. But he doesn’t seem to feel it—or maybe he does and just doesn’t care.
“Why would I keep a sleazy person who leeches off others and takes credit for their ideas? I don’t want you?—”
My nails dig into his thigh, desperate for him to stop. He tenses, his jaw clenching as a sharp ‘ fuck’ escapes his lips. He looks down at me with hard, unapologetic eyes, and I shake my head, mouthing, don’t fire him . His eyes widen slightly as the air shifts between us. The vast storm behind his eyes calms slightly before he takes a deep breath, struggling to reel in his anger.
“You know what, Jared? I’m going to give you one more chance. Just one.” Liam's voice is cold, measured. “But hear me clearly—if you mess up again, you’re gone. If you put a pencil in the wrong spot, you’re gone. If you speak when not spoken to, you’re gone. And when I say gone, I mean I will ruin your reputation. I will make sure no one in this industry will touch you with a ten-foot pole. That’s the power I have. Do you understand me?”
Jared stammers out a quick, “Y-yes, of course. I’m sorry.”
“Good. Now get out and change your shirt. You look like a joke.” Liam leans back in his chair, his voice smooth but laced with impatience. “I was in the middle of my lunch, and you interrupted it.”
His lunch.
Heat rushes up my neck as the implication slams into me like a freight train. My thighs clench instinctively at the memory of his hands gripping them.
Jared hesitates for a split second but says nothing and quickly scurries out of the office.
The door clicks shut, and Liam’s eyes immediately darken as they lock onto mine, the room filling with the unspoken sexual tension that had been simmering before Jared’s rude interruption.
“Your lunch?” I ask, my voice barely steady, though I try to keep my expression neutral.
A lazy smirk spreads across his lips, dangerous and wicked. “Yeah,” he murmurs, his gaze dragging down my body like a slow, deliberate caress. “If Jared hadn’t interrupted me, I’d be enjoying my meal.”
My mouth opens, but no words come out. It’s the way his eyes darken, the way his voice dips to that dangerous, velvety tone that makes my stomach flip instead.
He doesn’t miss it. Of course, he doesn’t. He never misses a thing when it comes to me.
A dark chuckle rumbles from his chest as he stands, smooth and predatory, his movements calculated like he’s stalking prey. He reaches for me, his fingers curling around my wrist, pulling me up.
“Now,” he drawls, his voice like molten sin, pulling me closer until I’m perched on his lap, straddling him, “where were we?” His hands settle firmly on my hips, holding me in place, making it impossible to escape—not that I’d even try.
His head dips, his breath hot against my neck as his lips brush the shell of my ear. “I’m still hungry, Sunshine,” he whispers, his voice so low it sends a shiver straight down my spine.
My hands find his shoulders for balance, though they feel anything but steady. He shifts beneath me, deliberately slow, a teasing pressure that makes me bite my lip to keep from making a sound.
“Liam,” I manage, though it comes out breathier than I intended, betraying the way he’s already unraveling me.
“Hmm?” His lips trail down the column of my neck, his stubble grazing my skin and leaving a delicious burn in its wake. “You were saying?”
I don’t have a chance to answer before his mouth finds the sensitive spot just below my jaw, his tongue flicking out to taste. My head tips back instinctively, a soft gasp escaping before I can stop it.
“That’s what I thought,” he murmurs, his smirk evident in the way his lips curve against my skin. “Now, be a good girl and let me enjoy my lunch in peace this time.”