Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
"What should we do now?" Liam asks, closing up the box of crackers. He's still hungry, but the snack helped take the edge off. "Do you still want to go swimming?"
Tori shakes her head. "Maybe tomorrow. I mean, we just took a shower." She gazes out at the lake. The sun's getting low in the sky. "How about we relax and watch a movie upstairs? I saw a bunch of DVDs in the living room bookcase."
"Sounds good."
Tori goes to pick out a movie. He puts the snack away and cleans some grapes.
They head up the spiral staircase, both of them still wearing towels.
"Watch your head."
He ducks just in time.
It's hot in the loft, but he opens the skylight window, which brings in a nice breeze. Tori picks a movie called My Big Fat Greek Wedding . She seems surprised when he admits he's never seen it.
"Oh, you're so lucky," she says, stripping her towel away and settling under the sheets naked. "This movie is the best."
He gets in beside her and takes his towel off too, both of them propped up against some pillows. They could put clothes on, but since she's not suggesting it, he's certainly not going to.
"You eat kind of healthy for a guy, don't you?" She pulls off some grapes. "I hardly ever see you eating junk food."
"I suppose." He pops a grape in his mouth. "It comes from being an athlete all those years. Occasionally I indulge, but I never really developed a taste for it."
"My being vegan doesn't seem to bother you either."
He shrugs. "Why would it?"
"I don't know. I've dated guys who were definitely bothered by it."
"Really? That's weird. Come here." He pulls her closer so they're cozied up together. He kisses her hair, inhaling her clean scent. "By now it should be obvious that I like everything about you." But then he reconsiders. "Everything except your taste in music, of course."
She lightly smacks his leg, and he laughs.
They settle in to watch the film. He's enjoying it, though his mind keeps wandering back to the way Tori looked after she poured that iced tea on him. Her mischievous grin. She does something to him, moves him in ways he can't even explain. It was incredible between them in the shower too. He's glad she stopped putting on an act.
But then he reflects over the conversation they had about his family. Despite what he said, he knows she's concerned. Not to mention there's her family to contend with .
The movie is still playing, and Tori laughs at something on-screen. Ironically, the plot has some similarities to their own situation.
Reaching for her hand, he laces their fingers together. "Hey."
She turns and looks at him. Her cheeks are pink, slightly sunburned from today. She's so pretty. He can't resist leaning in to kiss her.
"I really want this," he whispers. "You and me."
Her blue eyes soften, and she reaches up to stroke his jaw. "I know you do."
"Do you want it too? Be honest. I can take it."
She grabs the remote control to pause the film and then smiles at him. "So far my weekend test drive has been amazing."
"Yeah?"
"The best ever. In fact, I've decided I'd like to buy this car."
He chuckles with happy relief. "I'm glad to hear that. You'll be pleased to learn it comes with a special offer."
"It does?"
"We want your satisfaction, so we're offering a money-back guarantee."
She giggles, scoots closer, and slides her leg over his. "I like the sound of that. Where do I sign?"
He points at his lips. "Right here."
She kisses him, and then her voice turns husky. "Is there anyplace else that needs my signature?"
His eyes drop to her mouth and his pulse quickens. Her lips are small and have a pretty shape to them. He tries not to get excited, but blood is already rushing between his thighs. "There might be. That depends on you."
She slides her hands across his shoulders and then bends over to kiss his chest. She continues kissing him, leaving a trail of electricity across his skin as she works her way down.
Pushing the sheet back, she takes in the sight of his hard-on. "This is an impressive cock."
"Thank you. "
She glances up. "I guess I'd better sign on the dotted line now, huh?"
He's enjoying her playfulness, but his grin fades as soon as she takes him in her mouth. "Damn," he murmurs. He slips his hand into her soft hair. The sensation is off the charts, way off. He watches her work him over. Reaching out to stroke her body, he caresses her silky skin, enjoying the sight and feel of her.
Eventually his breathing turns rough and uneven. "I'm so close, rubia. Maybe you should pull back." But she doesn't and instead keeps going until he has no other choice but to give in to ecstasy with a long groan.
Afterward, she sits up and smiles at him. Sweet and sexy. He reaches over and hands her his towel from earlier.
"You're amazing." He pulls her close. "Let me go down on you too. I want to make you feel this good."
"Oh, that's okay. But I have to use the bathroom."
She starts to get up, but he puts his hand on her arm. "Wait, don't go." He tries to get a handle on the situation. "I just want to be clear—are you masturbating in the bathroom downstairs?"
"Oh my God." She freezes. Her sunburned cheeks turn an even brighter shade of pink. "I can't believe you just asked me that.”
"Please be honest with me. I swear, I'm not trying to embarrass you."
She closes her eyes and lets her breath out. "Okay, I admit it. You caught me."
"Why not let me make you come? I'm more than happy to do whatever you want."
"I know."
"Talk to me, then. Tell me the truth." He lowers his voice. "Is it me? Am I doing something wrong?"
Her eyes grow wide with concern. "Oh, that's not it at all! Please don't think that. It's not you. I'm the one with the problem."
"What do you mean?"
She leans back on the pillow, groaning. "All right, fine. I'll tell you." She stares up at the ceiling, her cheeks blazing pink. "I can't come unless I'm alone."
He takes in her words. He's not sure if he's understanding her. "So you've never had an orgasm during sex?"
"Never. I can't, no matter how much I want to."
"Well, maybe no one's doing it right. Just tell me what you need."
She shakes her head. "No, you're not getting it. Everything you're doing feels great, but I just can't… I can't let go with someone else." She turns to him. "Do you see now? That's why I keep going in the bathroom."
He nods. "Okay, I think I do get it. But maybe I can still help."
"How?"
He thinks it over. "What if instead of going into the bathroom, you stay here in bed and do it?"
Her mouth drops open. "With you watching me? Are you crazy? I could never do that!"
"Just pretend I'm not here."
"But you are here."
"I'll turn my head the other way."
She's still looking at him like he's nuts.
"I'll turn my whole body. We could put the movie back on too. There'd be no pressure."
Tori glances up at the television and seems to consider his idea. "I don't know."
"I'll blast the television. And I promise I won't look at you at all."
She bites her lip. "I suppose we could try that. Maybe if the television is loud enough, I could pretend you're not here."
"It would be a start."
"You wouldn't mind doing all that?"
"Of course not. Let's give it a shot."
They switch sides on the bed so he's better angled to face the television. Tori slips under the sheets. When he glances over, she's completely covered.
"Can you breathe all right under there? "
"You're not supposed to be looking at me!"
"I'm not." He chuckles. "My eyes accidentally strayed in your direction."
There's movement beneath the sheets and then her voice again. "Well, don't let them stray anymore."
He starts the film and turns the volume up loud, tries to concentrate on watching it. Although he just came, the idea that Tori's masturbating beside him is kind of turning him on.
After a few minutes, he senses her pull the sheet off. She takes some pillows and stacks a row between them.
"Everything all right?" he asks.
"I think so."
"Do you want me to go down on you? Get you worked up?"
"That's nice of you to offer, but I'm good."
She disappears under the sheets, and he goes back to watching the movie. Not that he can concentrate worth a damn. All he can think about is Tori next to him playing with herself.
What a situation . If he had to analyze it, he's guessing it's a trust thing. She's probably never been with anyone she's trusted enough to let go.
Another ten minutes pass, and she emerges from beneath the sheet. Her hair's mussed and her skin glows with sweat. Her cheeks still pink.
"How did it go?" he asks, stirred up at the sight of her.
She sighs. "I couldn't do it."
"That's too bad. Are you sure you don't want me to help?"
"I came close a couple times, but I just couldn't." She turns to him, her blue eyes shining bright. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to go downstairs."
"Don't be sorry. We'll figure this out. It'll probably take some time."
She sits up and puts her hand out to touch his face, kisses him. "Thank you for being so nice and not treating me like a freak."
"I would never do that. "
"Just look at all this." She laughs, gesturing to the loud television, the pillows stacked between them, and the sheet she was hiding under. "And you thought I wasn't one of the crazy ones."
Tori finishes up in the bathroom and then tries to detangle her hair with her fingers. She still can't believe she told Liam about her issue.
At the beginning of this weekend, she already knew he wanted a relationship with her, but she was still unsure. Not anymore. Now there's no doubt.
She studies herself in the mirror and smiles.
That car passed its test drive with flying colors.
She heads back upstairs and slips beneath the covers, letting her eyes adjust to the dark. She notices he put the blanket back on the bed, since the skylight window is open and it's cooling things down.
"I was getting a chubby thinking about you in that bathroom downstairs," he tells her with a grin as she scoots closer.
"A chubby?" She laughs.
He waggles his brows. "I'm thinking next time you're in there playing with yourself, I could do the same thing up here. It's sort of like we're doing it together, then."
"Together, but separate?"
"Yeah, whatever works."
She rolls all the way toward him and caresses his face. He slips his arm around her. "You keep telling me I'm amazing," she whispers. "But you're the amazing one. I honestly couldn't have imagined sharing this with anyone before tonight."
His fingers lightly caress her back. "I'm glad you did."
"I am too. You're so accepting of me."
"It's because I like you, Tori. A lot."
"I like you too."
They contemplate each other. Moonlight shines through the skylight, illuminating the loft. The lake outside is peaceful and quiet .
But there’s something changing inside her. Like plate tectonics. Whole continents are slowly shifting and dividing, creating brand new landscapes.
"I can't remember the last time I've felt this way with anyone," he says, still contemplating her. "I don't know if I ever have."
"Me either."
"Let's not let anything get in our way. After this weekend, let's tell everyone we're together. I don't want to keep it a secret anymore."
"Okay." She licks her lips. "We're going to get a lot of grief from people though."
"I know, but eventually they'll come around. And even if they don't, we have to live our best lives."
She nods. "You're right." She doesn't even want to think how much her mom is going to freak out. Not to mention Blair and Road. But then she thinks about how they dislike Liam over a misunderstanding.
Sitting up partway, she looks out the window toward the lake. "Do you want to do something crazy?"
"What do you have in mind?"
She turns back to him. "Let's go skinny-dipping."
He chuckles. "There's my wild girl."
She laughs. "I've never done anything like that before, have you?"
"Nope. Never."
They make their way down the spiral staircase. Tori's excited, still feeling that glow.
"Wait, should we grab some towels?" she asks when they get to the back deck. "Maybe we should cover up walking outside."
Liam disappears into the house, and when he comes back, he's carrying the blanket from the couch. "Here, let's use this."
He throws it around both of them, and they head down the steps and onto the sandy beach. The night air has cooled from earlier but is still warm.
"I'm glad it's so private," Tori says. "Do you think anyone can see us out here? "
He looks around toward the other homes. "I doubt it."
Once they're closer to the water, they drop the blanket on the sand and head into the lake together.
"That's cold," she squeals, splashing in with her feet. "It's colder than I thought it would be."
"It'll feel warmer once we get used to it."
They go in until they're both up to their waists. She glances over at him and discovers he's already looking at her. "I feel like Adam and Eve."
"So do I." He grins. "It's like we're in the Garden of Eden."
"All right, I'm going to take the plunge," she announces.
He tugs her hand. "Wait, we'll do it together. Let's go out a little farther though."
She follows his lead, and soon they're out in the deeper part of the lake. They take a breath, then dip under all the way. A cold plunge.
"Oh, wow," she says, coming up sputtering and slicking her hair back. "That's refreshing."
"Yeah, it is." He wipes water from his face.
They both look around. It's dark out, but with the moonlight they can still see part of the landscape. The lake is inky black though and smells mossy. Since Liam's still able to touch bottom, she wraps an arm over his shoulder and treads water in front of him.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," she says, breathless. "Have you really never gone skinny-dipping before? It's okay to admit it if you have."
"I really haven't."
"What about when you were a big baseball player? You must have done it then."
He gives her a funny look. "I'm confused. How does playing baseball equate with skinny-dipping?"
"Oh, you know. All the orgies and stuff. Everybody running around naked."
"Orgies?" He nearly chokes with laughter. "What are you talking about? There are no orgies in baseball. "
She rolls her eyes. "I'm talking about sports groupies. You didn't go skinny-dipping with any of them?"
"No," he says decisively, looking out at the landscape. "Definitely not."
"Did you sleep with any of them?"
Liam gives her a wry look. "Are you still kicking the tires? I thought you bought this car."
She shrugs and smiles. "I'm just getting the feel of it. I want to know what kind of history it's had."
"Ah, I see."
"So, tell me. Did you ever sleep with any of the groupies?"
He sighs. "All right, occasionally when we were on the road, I may have slept with a groupie or two."
She doesn't like the idea of him sleeping with sports groupies, then realizes she doesn't like the idea of him sleeping with anyone.
"You realize that was a decade ago, right? I was much younger." He eyes her curiously. "How do you know about any of this? I thought you weren't into sports."
"I looked up stuff online last week. I'm not in the dark about baseball anymore. I did some reading."
"Is that so?" He skims his hand down over her ass. His voice softens as he pulls her in close and nuzzles her neck. "All right, then, tell me what you learned."
"Lots of things." She remembers some of the articles she came across. "I learned sometimes catchers wear nail polish. Is that true?"
"Yes, it is," he murmurs. "I used to wear it during games."
She slips one of her legs around his hip as they drift farther out into the water. "Really? What color?"
"White or yellow. It made it easier for pitchers to see my hand signals." He chuckles then. "Is that what you got out of all your reading? Sports groupies and fingernail polish?"
"That's what caught my attention."
He shakes his head with a grin.
She props her forearms on his shoulders, still treading water. "I learned other things too. I learned catchers don't squat, they crouch. I also learned they control the rhythm and direction of the game. That they're the most important position on the team but get none of the glory."
His brows go up. "Well, I take it back. You did do your homework."
"See? I told you."
She quiets as she gazes out at the sprinkling of house lights across the lake. There were other articles she read too. Ones specifically about Liam. By all accounts, he was forced to give up a very promising career.
"Do you miss it at all?"
"Sometimes," he acknowledges. "But I have no regrets. I wouldn't change anything."
"Because you love what you do now?"
"Yes." His eyes linger on hers. "That, and because I wouldn't be here skinny-dipping with you."
She smiles and moves closer, pressing her breasts right against his chest so their faces are only inches apart. "We're a couple of skinny-dipping virgins."
"That we are." And then he kisses her. His mouth tastes hot in contrast to the cool water. His arms pull her in tight.
Eventually they draw back, gazing at each other. The sound of the lake gently laps around them. The sky filled with stars shines above.
"I think this is the best weekend I've ever had," she whispers. "I wish it would never end."
His eyes soften, inky deep like the water. "Me too. Let's stay here forever."