Chapter 26
twenty-six
I do it for you
Liam
“Holy shit, that was a long movie.” I stretched my aching muscles, loosening the tension that had built up over the last two hours spent forcing myself to stay on my end of the couch with sheer grit and determination.
“I admit, Alan Rickman was incredible, but what the hell was up with that Robin Hood? He didn’t even have a British accent. ”
Maya burst out laughing. “Honestly? Alan Rickman is the best part of that movie. I usually skip through scenes he’s not in, but the rest of it? Mediocre at best. And don’t get me started on the soundtrack. Ugh, talk about an earworm.”
I chuckled. “And that’s the one you started with? You’re trying to torture me, aren’t you? Admit it.”
“Death by early nineties romance?” She grinned, all mischief. “Sounds diabolical. I love it.”
I clutched my chest. “You wound me.”
She snorted—then froze, her eyes widening in horror as she flushed red.
I blinked slowly as I struggled to contain my laughter. Her reaction was typical Maya, and I loved it. “Was that a snort?”
She scrunched up her face and glanced away. “Would you believe me if I said no?”
“Hmm.” Tapping my chin, I pretended to consider her question. “Nope.”
“Then yes. Yes, I did snort.” She peered down her nose at me as if daring me to mock her.
“I think it’s cute.” I smiled. “Especially when it’s you doing it.”
A strand of hair fell into her eyes, and before I could stop myself, I brushed it back. She gasped softly. Her eyes darkened, flicking down to my lips as the air between us shifted. The arousal swirling in the air between us was so thick it was practically palpable.
“Maya…” My voice was low, roughened with growing tension. I wanted nothing more than to kiss this woman, to make her mine.
She swallowed roughly before dragging her eyes up to meet my gaze. “Yes?” she asked in a breathy whisper.
I cupped her cheek, watching her skin flush that gorgeous shade of pink that I was starting to crave. My heart pounded as she leaned into my touch, her skin smooth against my palm. Heat coiled deep in my stomach, my pants growing tighter with each shaky breath. What was Maya doing to me?
Her eyes drifted closed as she swayed the tiniest bit closer, and I knew with absolute certainty that if I didn’t kiss her, I’d regret it for the rest of my life.
I took her face in both hands and pulled her close.
She licked her lips. I needed to kiss her, but I held back, hovering just out of reach.
Savouring the sound of her unsteady breaths and the soft tremble of her fingers against my arms, I let the anticipation build until finally, when I wasn’t sure I could hold back any longer, she surged forward and pressed her lips to mine.
Her lips were even softer than I’d imagined.
She sighed into my mouth, her body melting against mine and fitting perfectly in my arms like no one ever had before.
Soft breaths mingled with the tickle of her tongue flicking along my lower lip, teasing me in the most delicious way.
I shoved my hand into her hair, gave a gentle tug, and she moaned.
That sweet, breathy sound sent a surge of heat through me.
I kissed the line of her jaw, her skin fever-hot beneath my lips as I made my way to the hollow behind her ear.
She gasped when I sucked her skin between my lips, arched into me when I flicked my tongue against the soft flesh.
Her fingers dug into my arms, her nails biting through my shirt; the slight sting of pain served only to stoke the frenzied desire coursing through my veins.
I groaned, my lips brushing her ear. “God, why is kissing you so good?” I pressed my tongue to the fluttering pulse at her throat, relishing the way it jumped beneath my kiss.
“I don’t know, but don’t stop,” she breathed before crushing her lips to mine once more.
Before her movement even registered, she swung her leg over my lap to straddle me on the tiny couch. Her hair tumbled around us, trapping us in a lust-filled bubble as her tongue tangled with mine; her kiss was desperate, demanding, feral.
She rocked her hips and … fuck. The friction was torture. I ached for more, for her.
“You have no idea how much I want you.”
“I think I have some idea,” she murmured, rolling her hips over my erection, ripping another moan from my throat. “I shouldn’t want you, but I do.”
“Maya … shit…that feels amazing…oh, shit…but…” I groaned, clenching my jaw as she ground against me. “Slow down for a second. Hold on. Wait.” I gritted my teeth as she rolled her hips again. “I don’t want you to think this is why I came here.”
“It doesn’t matter.” She pressed closer, her hands threading through my hair, her breath hitching against my lips as she rubbed against me. “I-I can’t slow down.”
She rolled her hips in a steady rhythm, killing me with every pass of her heated centre. The sweet pressure had me straining behind my zipper. My entire body tensed as she whimpered into my mouth, driving me to the edge. Blindly, I tightened my grip on her hips, pulling her down as I thrust up.
Fuck, she felt good. Too good. A desperate friction built between us, heat and need coiling tight.
“I can’t … it’s not enough,” she whimpered, her voice frustrated and throaty. She rocked furiously in my lap, chasing her release. “I’m so close.”
“Easy, sweetheart,” I murmured, hands sliding down to cup her ass, squeezing. “Let me take care of you.”
She gasped as I stood, lifting her with me. Her thighs tightened around my waist, her arms clinging to me as though she couldn’t get close enough.
The best thing about Maya’s apartment was how tiny it was. In three steps, we were at the bedroom door. Two more, and we were at the bed.
Maya gazed up at me, panting, pupils blown wide with desire. I hovered over her, my hand slipping under her shirt to explore the soft skin of her stomach. She shivered, her breath catching. The anticipation hung heavy between us.
“Is this okay?” I murmured, my fingers skimming higher as I traced teasing circles on her flesh. “Maya … can I touch you here?”
“Yes,” she whispered, her eyes nearly black with need. “Please, yes. Touch me.”
“Thank god…” I whispered, sliding my palm higher still, loving how she shivered at my touch.
Crushing my mouth to hers, I swallowed her needy whimper, injecting my kiss with the promise to soothe her ache.
Heat surged through me again, rough and unrelenting, pooling low and tight.
A burning need, like I’d never felt before, threatened to slice through the last tenuous threads of my control. She was so soft. So perfect.
Like she could tell exactly what she was doing to me, Maya rolled us to the side, pressing closer and wrapping her leg around my hip. Her fingers slipped beneath my shirt, nails dragging over my abs, making me throb almost painfully.
I groaned, threading my fingers through her hair as I dragged my lips down her neck, inhaling the warm scent of her skin.
When I sucked the sensitive spot below her ear, she bucked against me, rolling her hips, making me see stars.
Screw it. I don’t care if I come in my pants.
I gripped her ass, fitted my leg between hers, and ground against her thigh like a desperate, sex-starved teenager.
Wait. No. Stop, Liam. You’re better than this.
She comes first. She. Comes. First. I gritted my teeth, imagining anything I could think of to slow down: Nana’s lesson on roses and rabbits, the Patterson’s annotating habits, Harold’s mouse tower—ack!
No. Not that. Before that train of thought led me to another embarrassing fainting episode, Maya shoved me onto my back and pinned me beneath her.
She ground her heated centre against my cock, and I choked on a low, guttural groan, all attempts at control engulfed by a blinding lust. I couldn’t stop myself.
I clutched her hips and ground her against me, urging her to keep going.
In a blur of feverish movement and flying fabric, Maya yanked her shirt over her head, tugged off her bra, and—fuck—she was perfect.
She grabbed my hands, pressing them over her breasts, and took my lips in a crushing kiss.
Flexing my fingers, I kneaded, squeezed, and studied every inch of her, noticing what made her moan, what made her gasp.
I rolled her tight, pebbled nipples under my thumbs, basking in the way she gasped into my mouth.
She arched into me, and I’m not sure which of us moaned louder. I needed more. She needed more.
“Let me see you.” She panted against my lips, her voice husky. Her fingers tugged clumsily at the hem of my shirt. “Get this off. Right now.”
I chuckled at her command but sat up, letting her rip my shirt off before hauling her against me.
Her tight nipples pressed into my bare chest, sending a jolt of excitement straight to my cock.
I slid my hands under her ass, squeezing as I lifted her.
Sucking a nipple into my mouth, I flicked it with my tongue before grazing it with my teeth.
The salty-sweet taste of her skin threatened to overwhelm me.
She gasped, her fingers twisting in my hair, yanking, pulling, demanding more, the sharp sting of pain driving me wilder, higher, closer.
“Shit, Maya. Slow down.” I rasped, the heat unfurling in my spine unwelcome at this moment. I needed to slow this down and make it good for her. My voice roughened with the effort of holding back.
Wrestling for control, of her and of myself, I flipped us over and sat back, panting as I took in the sight of her spread out before me.
Her hair fanned across the pillows, her chest heaving, her body flushed with need.
Perfect. She licked lips swollen from my kisses, and I fought the urge to strip the rest of our clothes off and bury myself inside her.
Not yet, Liam. Take your time.
“What’s wrong?” she whispered, her voice ragged, her features laced with worry as she raised herself on her elbows. “You don’t … you don’t want to?”
What? I gaped at her. “You think I don’t want to?” Dropping my head back, I groaned and exhaled a stuttering breath. “Maya, I want you so badly I’m about to come in my pants like a horny teenager.”
I froze as she shot up and reached for me, her eyes locking onto mine, heated and hungry. “Well, we can’t have you making a mess of your pants, now can we?”
She unbuckled my belt, flipped open a button, and yanked my jeans and boxers down to my knees in one rough, impatient motion.
My cock sprang free, impossibly hard, straining toward the heat of her soft, waiting hand.
She slicked her thumb across the tip, swirling the bead of moisture collected there before wrapping her fingers around me and giving a tentative stroke.
I nearly came on the spot. Jesus, it’s so fucking good.
I grabbed her wrist, panting, forcing a whimper of protest from her lips. “Not yet, sweetheart.” I stood at the edge of the bed, holding her gaze, my voice so rough I barely recognized it. “First, I want to make you feel good.”