Alone with Liam (2 page)

Liam laughed. “I was up this way for work, visiting a job site. The same weather that put the kibosh on your weekend would have made for a treacherous drive home. Ryan and I were supposed to do some work on his house tomorrow, so I called to let him know I was stuck. He told me to stay here instead of a hotel.” He shrugged. “And that’s why I’m here.”

“Well, I wish I’d have gotten Penny’s messages. This sucks.”

He lifted a dark brow, and the corner of his mouth quirked upward.

“God, I can’t say anything right, can I?” she groaned. “I meant the drive sucked, and having no power sucks. Not being here with you.”

“Good to know.” He rose to his feet. “I’m going to go see if I can find us something to drink. Be right back.”

Well, shit, she kept putting her foot in it, didn’t she? Erin let her head drop to the back of the couch. Damn it all, how was she going to get through this weekend alone with Liam?

Chapter Two

Liam strolled back into the living room, a bottle of water in each hand. Erin had her head back and her eyes closed. He stood a moment and just looked at her in the glow of the fire. Her golden hair fell to her chin, framing her delicate face. Behind the lowered lids, her eyes were the clearest green he’d ever seen. Even though she was dressed for the weather in jeans and a sweater but he knew the gentle curves that hid beneath the layers. Remembered how they’d felt against his palms in those brief moments before he’d gently pushed her away.

Her chest rose and fell slowly, and he wondered if she’d dozed off. Quietly, he moved around the coffee table and sat in the chair. When he looked back at Erin, her eyes were open and on him. He leaned forward and held out a water bottle.

“All I could find to drink,” he said apologetically.

She smiled and reached for the bottle. Twisting off the cap, she brought the water to her lips and drank deeply. He watched the column of her throat as she swallowed and settled back in the chair to relieve the growing pressure of his erection. Christ, just watching her drink… What the hell was wrong with him? She stopped with a little gasp and licked her full lips. Liam lowered his gaze and immediately regretted it. Her fingers danced up and down the clear bottle, twisting around the plastic, almost caressing it.

It was seriously fucked up to be jealous of an inanimate object.

“So, how’s the new book coming along?” he asked, forcing his eyes back up to her face.

“All right, I suppose. My hero is still trying to figure out who the killer is, and it’ll still be a while before he realizes just how close he is to said killer. Very heartbreaking,” she mused.

An awkward silence fell between them. For a few minutes, the only sounds were the crackling of the fire and the howling wind. Erin kept her eyes downcast and worried her bottom lip with her teeth. Liam wondered if she realized how so simple a gesture could affect a man. He shifted slightly, and his length pressed again his zipper. No, he wagered she had no clue how she affected men, period.

“Uh, could I borrow the flashlight a minute?” She unfolded herself and stood. “I’d love to get out of these jeans.”

And I’d love for you to get out of them, and everything else you have on.

“Sure.” He handed her the light with a smile.

She disappeared into the bedroom, and Liam rose. He made quick work of moving the coffee table against the wall and opening the sofa sleeper. It wasn’t his first night in this cabin without power. The bedrooms were going to be frigid, and Erin would be more comfortable sleeping out here. He opened the chest near the window and pulled out the bedding and pillows. He’d just finished making the bed when he heard Erin come back.

When he turned, he couldn’t help but smile. She stood in socks and flannel pajamas a few sizes too big for her…and still managed to look sexy as hell. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and she shivered.

“I can’t believe how cold the bedroom is already,” she chattered and shuffled over to stand in front of the fire. Holding her palms toward the flames, she looked over her shoulder at him. “Were you planning on going to bed now?”

“Just getting the bed ready for you,” he informed. “No reason for you to sleep in a freezing room.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks.” She stifled a yawn then laughed. “Not far from sleep, I guess. Driving always kicks my ass.”

“Well, I won’t keep you up.” He moved in the direction of the bedroom, and she spun around.

A frown kissed her lips. “You’re not sleeping out here?”

Liam laughed. “There’s one bed,” he pointed out. “I’ll be fine in the bedroom.”

“But you just said…” She sighed. “Liam, you don’t have to sleep in a cold ass room. There’s plenty of room out here.”

Says Miss Avoidance.

“I think it’d be better if—”

“Oh for crying out loud! I know I’m the last person you want to share a bed with, but I think I can manage to control myself enough for you to sleep undisturbed,” she snapped sarcastically. “You made it very clear you’re not interested. I won’t make the same mistake twice. Your virtue is quite safe.”

“What?” Liam blinked several times, confused.

“We’re both adults, Liam,” she said with a stilted laugh. “There’s no need for either of us to freeze when there’s more than enough room here.”

“Whoa.” He held his hand up. “Back up a minute.
I’m not interested?
”

She opened her mouth then snapped it shut. Shifting her feet, she crossed her arms under her breasts and said nothing.

“Is that really what you think?” He took a step forward.

“Well, yeah,” she scoffed.

“Why?”

“Why?” she repeated. “That’s the general assumption one makes when they’re totally shot down.”

Shot down? Was she serious? That’s why she’d been avoiding him—because she thought he’d rejected her? For fuck’s sake.

“I didn’t shoot you down,” he said quietly.

Erin snorted. “I was there, remember? I kissed you. You stopped it, said we shouldn’t be doing this and walked away. That, my friend, is shot down.”

“The hell it is. You were drunk, and I wasn’t going to take advantage of you,” he explained.

“I wasn’t drunk,” she protested. “You thought I was drunk? I’d had one damned beer!”

Liam shook his head. “No way. I was standing outside, you came out, and without a word threw your arms around me and laid one me. I think I’ve known you long enough to know that’s not normal behavior for you.”

“Yeah, I uncharacteristically threw myself at you, but it wasn’t because I was drunk.” She turned away, facing the fire again. When she spoke again, he had to strain to hear her soft voice. “It was because I’d finally mustered enough courage to act on my feelings.”

Erin stared into the fire, face warm. God, he thought she’d been drunk that night. Somehow, that made it even worse. Though he seemed surprised that she thought he didn’t want her. Did that mean he did? She fought against the tiny kernel of hope in her gut. She couldn’t take it if he rejected her again, if he—

A hand gripped her elbow, and she was spun around quickly. Before she could get her bearings, she was pulled tightly against Liam and his mouth was on hers, hot and demanding. He gripped her hips painfully and tilted his forward. The hard length of his cock pressed against her belly. Closing her eyes, she fell into the kiss, into the myriad sensations rioting inside her.

Holding her fast, he turned and backed her up until her knees hit the mattress. He nipped gently on her lower lip then slowly lowered her onto the bed. He cupped her intimately and pressed the heel of his hand against her clit. A spear of heat sliced through her, immediately moistening the soft folds of her sex.

“I want you.” His words, whispered against her mouth, made her stomach flip. “I’ve wanted you for a long, long time.”

She whimpered as he released her and stood. He grinned, pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it to the side. She allowed her gaze to take him in fully as he undid the button and zipper of his jeans. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him illuminated in the glow of the fire. Her imagination hadn’t done him justice—and she’d been very thorough in her fantasies. She realized that in all the years she’d known him, she’d never seen him bare-chested. And she’d been missing out. She imagined running her tongue over the well-defined torso—all the sweet dents and divots deserved thorough attention.

Erin bit her lip, hard, as Liam pushed his pants and boxers down over his hips. His cock sprang forward, and her pussy spasmed, as if bemoaning its empty state

He kicked his garments aside and covered her body with his once again. Erin ran her palms over his broad shoulders, enjoying the sinuous motion of muscles under skin as he slid his hands down to cup her hips, fingers digging deliciously into her flesh. He slipped his tongue between her lips and seduced a moan from deep within her. The slick, moist dance of his kiss, the weight of his hard body cradled between her thighs sent shards of heated desire rushing through her.

He shifted slightly and began working her shirt up her torso. She raised her arms above her head and lifted off the bed, allowing him to remove it completely. He groaned at the sight of her bare breasts.

“Perfect. Absolutely, fucking perfect.” He leaned forward and drew a tight nipple into the wet heat of his mouth. He suckled the tip wickedly. Tight pulls of desire between her thighs answered each tug of his mouth on her breast.

Erin used her grip on his shoulders and her knees on his hips to urge him to the side. He allowed her to guide him until he lay on his back with her straddling him. Sliding his hands around her, he pushed inside her pajama pants and cupped her ass. He kneaded the flesh and rocked his hips to nestle his cock snugly against her softness. Heat seeped through the material and branded her. Too much. The few layers separating them were too much. She wanted to feel him, skin on skin. But first, she wanted to taste him.

Liam’s hands skimmed her body as she shimmied down his legs. She pressed a kiss just above the nest of curls at the base of his erection and inhaled his scent. He buried his fingers in her hair, massaged her scalp as her breath washed over him.

She wrapped her hand around his cock and stroked up, slowly. His body shook with each shuddering breath he drew in, and she smiled secretly. Moving even lower, she wrapped her lips around the swollen tip, catching the beads of moisture clinging there. She darted out her tongue, tasting him. His hips jerked upwards at the slight contact.

“Fuck.”

The roughness of his voice skated along her spine and pushed her to continue. She opened wider and eased forward, swirling her tongue around the head. His groan echoed through the room, and he fisted his hands. The slight pull of pain emboldened her. Closing her eyes, she took more of him inside. She savored the steely length, the ridges pressing against her tongue. She reached under and cupped his balls, massaging the heavy sac in her palm as she fucked him with her mouth.

Suddenly, Liam used the grip he had on her hair to force her off him. “C’mere, baby.”

He pulled her up, sliding her over his body. He lifted his head until his lips tickled her ear and whispered, “I can’t wait to be balls deep inside. To feel your tight pussy squeezing me until I can’t stand it.”

Unbearably aroused by his words, she ran her hands over her hips, pushing the pajamas and panties down. She fumbled a bit as she removed them, but she kept her gaze locked with his. When she moved to straddle his hips, he stopped her.

“Nuh uh. On your back,” he demanded.

Her thighs—hell, her entire body—trembled as she lay across the bed. Her breath quickened, and she squeezed her eyes shut.

“Open your eyes. Watch me when I touch you, Erin.” His voice, though harsh, shook a bit, and she realized he really was as affected as she was.

Her hips lifted in welcome when he slid a long finger inside her, and her muscles tightened, clamped around the digit. He stroked in and out, slowly, gently at first, then picked up speed.

“Liam,” she cried when he circled her swollen clit with his thumb.

“Fuck, you’re so hot, so damned tight,” he murmured.

He moved over her, covering her body with his, and claimed her mouth, still stroking her heat. His tongue speared past her lips as he slid another long finger in her channel. She couldn’t hold back the moans as he assailed her mouth and slowly stretched her. He broke the kiss and bent his head to her chest. Pulling a sensitive nipple between his lips, he flicked it with his tongue. She pressed herself against his mouth, lifted her hips to meet his hand. Fire raced through her veins and burst deep within her, obliterating every thought but him from her mind.

When he pulled his hand from between her thighs, she cried out, tried to push it back. She was desperate for release. Just a few more strokes… He wouldn’t be deterred though and settled his hands on her breasts, rolling her nipples between his fingers, as he kissed his way down her quivering stomach. There was no hesitation when he reached her aching pussy. His tongue darted out and swept over her clit. Erin clutched the comforter and arched into him. It was almost too much, but she didn’t want it to stop. She needed this, needed him. Everything in her cried out for more.