The Awakening: Liam (Entangled Covet) (17 page)

With him holed up inside her garage, not visible to the madman, the man might think she’d chosen Liam

over her sister’s safety. She had to get him back out on the front porch.

She silently opened the door.

Liam was bent over using a paint brush to smooth lacquer onto a wooden chest. The muscles of his

back flexed under the tight, white, thermal shirt he’d put on. His biceps bulged under the fabric with each

swipe of his arm. He’d also changed into a pair of jeans that stretched tight across his ass.

Hot lava flowed through her veins, and she swallowed, wanting to go up behind him and run her hands

up his back like she used to do.

“Enjoying the view, Ava? I can take my shirt off, if you want,” he said, voice rumbling with sweet

promise, as he continued applying the lacquer without glancing up.

Damn his ass. “Actually, I was going to suggest that you leave.”

He straightened and turned to face her, an inquisitive, almost relaxed expression on his face, which

made no sense considering what she’d just said. “Were you, now? And where would you suggest I go?”

“Home.”

“I am home, Ava.”

At his declaration, her heart skipped a beat, and it took everything in her to force the next sentence past

her tight throat. “This isn’t your home, Liam. Not anymore.”

“I beg to differ.” He shrugged, again, relaxed as if her denial had no affect on him. “Either way, I’m not

going anywhere.”

She gingerly moved the crutches forward so she could step farther into the room, and noticed the

project behind him. Red cedar wood had been crafted into a breathtaking hope chest with raised panel

sides. The clear lacquer made the contrast between the beige and red grain pop.

A tinge of envy went through her for whoever this was meant for. She’d always wanted a hope chest.

“It’s beautiful, Liam.” She couldn’t stop the words, even if she’d wanted to.

“You think so? I’m almost done. Just need to finish the gloss and attach the latch.”

“Your customer is going to be thrilled.”

Sawdust clung to his shirt, and the tiny particles dusted his hair. How many times had she brushed away

the little pieces of wood?

How she wanted to right now... But she turned away, walking around the chest.

“Who’s it for?” she asked.

He shrugged again. “Some guy wanted it for his fiancée.”

“That’s so sweet.”

“Yeah, I guess it is.”

His tone had become tense and she realized what they were talking about—a couple who were planning

a future together. She quickly changed the subject. “How’s business?”

His gaze followed every one of her movements, studying her, dissecting her. Could he feel her heart

racing, feel how his scent was driving her absolutely crazy? How she wanted to throw herself into his arms

right now?

“Why’d you come in here, Ava?”

The change in subject startled her. “I told you. I want you to leave.”

“And I’ve already told you I’m not going anywhere.” His eyes slowly heated. “So if you’re going to run

back inside and hide, you’d better do it now…while you still can.”

At the verbal challenge, she stiffened. No matter how mean or nasty she got, she wasn’t fooling him.

That knowledge should’ve made her do exactly what he suggested and run back in the house to hide, but

she stood immobile as he held her gaze and stepped toward her, pulling his shirt over his head as he closed

the distance. Her breath caught tight in her lungs as her traitorous eyes betrayed her and took in the perfect

muscles of his chest. The bruises were gone, which was so unfair, since some of hers had started to turn a

hideous shade of green.

“This is why you really came out here, isn’t it? You heard me working. You imagined it, didn’t you? Me

out here in the summer, shirtless.”

She swallowed, knowing she should call him a liar, but unable to deny his words.

“Do you remember how I’d pretend I didn’t know you were in the room until your hands ran up my

back?”

“I didn’t know you were pretending.”

“But I was. Every. Time.” He took her hands and, God help her, she couldn’t yank them away. “Touch

me now, Ava.”

As he pressed her palms to his chest, heat seeped through her body. Enticing. Hypnotic. She stared at

his large hands holding hers prisoner against his flesh, but she didn’t want to escape, she wanted to

surrender. She gulped. How many times had she run her hands over the hard muscles, listened to the sound

of pleasure he’d make simply from her touching him?

Unable to resist, she eased her hands out from under his and slid them over his shoulders. The crutches

released from under her arms and clattered to the ground. He closed his eyes, and there it was. That sound.

Almost like a deep, rattling hum. The sound vibrated against her hands. Was it the lion?

She’d never heard a noise like that before, only with Liam, and it always had the same effect. She felt

loved.

Before she had time to think, his arm slid around her and tugged her to him as his lips latched on to

hers. Any remaining sense of self-preservation left her as everything she’d held back exploded. She clung

to him, crawled up his body, couldn’t get close enough. He answered her frustration by lifting her off her

feet. The movement so familiar, she automatically wrapped her legs around his waist.

As he perched her on the hood of her car, their tongues continued to war. Hands fumbled. Frustration

mounted. Teeth clashed. They weren’t close enough. It wasn’t fast enough.

Liam grabbed two handfuls of her T-shirt and yanked, ripping it down the middle. Cool air hit her skin,

but was immediately warmed when his hand engulfed her breast. Tearing her mouth from his, she arched

back, gasping. “Liam.”

He nuzzled her neck with his lips, gently kissing the bruised skin as he lowered her backward, his

weight pinning her to the cold metal of the hood. She didn’t care. All she cared about was the very

masculine body that was Liam holding her down, his rigid cock grinding between her legs.

God, she missed the electric sexual fire that had always sparked between them, even from a single look.

He lifted his head, breathing hard, his irises glowing with their gorgeous caramel essence. “What do you

want, baby?”

“I want—”

The phone rang from inside the house.

Horror washed away every delicious morsel of lust that flowed through her body.
What was she doing?

She pushed at him until he stepped back, then scrambled off the hood, hopping on one foot to get her

balance.

Pulling together the pieces of her torn shirt, she said, “I want you—” she closed her eyes and inhaled a

shaky breath “—to leave me alone.”

Then she limped back into the house as fast as her ankle would allow her…to hide, just as he said she

should.

She stopped in front of the phone as it rang again. Fear made her hesitate. Had
he
somehow seen her?

Knowing she had no choice, she slowly lifted the receiver. “Hello.”

“Hey, honey. I just wanted to see how you were doing.”

“Mom.” She collapsed against the wall and slid to the floor. She hadn’t blown it as she’d feared. But she

could have.

So very easily.

And that was scariest thought of all.

Chapter 9

Liam slung his hand out and sent a puff of sawdust scattering through the air. “Fuck!”

He’d had her! And then that damn phone rang and shattered the moment he’d created. His beast seethed

inside, amplifying his anger, pushing him to go after her.

He agreed, refusing to lose the ground he’d just gained.

The door slammed against the wall as he barged in. Ava jumped from where she sat on the floor, her

knees drawn to her chest, with the phone pressed to her ear. He snatched the phone out of her hand and

hung it up.

“That was my mom, Liam! What the hell?”

“I want answers, Ava, and I want them now.”

She staggered to her feet, clutching her shirt closed around her. “I think I’ve demanded the same thing

repeatedly, and have been denied.”

“What is this? Some kind of tit-for-tat? I won’t give you answers so you’re going to hold out on me in

return?”

“So you’re telling me there are answers?”

Liam shoved his hands through his hair. Would she
ever
drop it?

Seeing he wasn’t going to get the answer
he
wanted from her mouth, he decided to make her body

answer him instead. He grabbed her around the waist and tugged her to him. Her hand released her torn T-

shirt to brace against his chest. The warmth of her palm seared his skin. The scent of her arousal hit his

nose and he inhaled deep. “I’ve missed that smell, Ava. The one created whenever I touch you. You can

hide behind your words all you want, but you can’t hide
that
from me.”

When he pushed her up against the wall, her eyes widened and she swallowed. Feverish skin pressed

against his, making him groan.

“I want to fuck you, Ava,” he said, remembering how turned on she got when he talked dirty. The

telltale shifting of her body and stifled groan let him know that hadn’t changed. He pounced on the

advantage. “Do you remember how I like to use your apron to tie you down? To the bed? The chair? How I

tease every inch of your body until you beg? How I caress that sweet spot between your legs until you come

against my mouth?”

“Liam!” An agonized moan filled the air as she pushed weakly at his chest. “Emma.”

“Save your lame excuses. I see through them. She’s at school. Won’t be back for hours. Which gives us

plenty of time to play.”

He slid one hand over her stomach and down the front of her jeans to cup her. The heat of her body

warmed his palm as he rubbed against her. She jerked, her breath coming out in short spurts.

“Spread them,” he demanded.

She looked up into his eyes through heavy lids, her lips parted, beckoning him, and he wanted so badly

to take them, but he wanted to see every reaction, make sure his assumptions were right.

When she spread her legs, a flash of anger darkened her amber eyes, and he fought a smirk of

satisfaction. She could be as furious as she wanted at him for making her admit this, but he’d just gotten the

answer he needed.

Ava wanted him, and was powerless to refuse him.

A possessive growl vibrated in his chest, pushing him to continue, to make her defenseless against him

so she could never again look him in the eyes and claim not to want him.

Keeping his gaze locked with hers, he popped open the button of her jeans and lowered the zipper.

Slowly, deliberately, he slipped his hand underneath the waistband of her panties and almost closed his

eyes in ecstasy at the wetness that greeted him. As much as he’d loved playing with the marks on the inside

of her thighs,
nothing
compared to the feeling of her arousal coating his fingers.

He circled her clit, loving the way her body shivered in delight. He slid one finger inside her and he lost

eye contact as hers closed, a moan coming from her parted lips.

His cock hardened, throbbed, demanded to take her. And he could. Easily. But as he moved his hand

back and forth, he settled for watching her instead. Watched the pleasure that washed away the harsh lines

of anger, the way her breath caught with each swipe of his hand, the way her body started to shake from the

tension of impending release.

When she moved her pelvis helplessly against his hand, whimpers spilling from that lush mouth, he

leaned forward, and against her ear, whispered, “Imagine it’s my cock.” He pushed two fingers inside her,

then slowly withdrew. “I’m standing at the edge of the bed, you’re laid out before me, legs spread, arms

tied above your head. I’m gripping your hips, pounding into you.” He mimicked the motion with his hand,

pressing his palm against her as his fingers thrust deep inside. “Feels so fucking good, doesn’t it Ava?”

“Oh God!” Her head dropped back against the wall. “Yes! Liam! Yes!”

The eager response made his dick pulse and strain against the zipper of his jeans, but he continued,

ignoring his own needs. “Do you want it harder, Ava? Do want to hear the headboard slamming against the

wall as I take you, over and over again?”

She bucked up against him, a long moan ripping from her mouth. Oh, she was imagining it all right.

She was completely in the throes of the picture he’d painted of them fucking. He captured her wrists in his

free hand and pinned them to the wall above her head. “You want to touch me. But you can’t. Try, Ava.”

She tugged, another whimper coming from her when she met the resistance of his grip. He wanted to

bury himself deep inside her so badly right now. Could easily do so without any hesitation from her…and

knowing that gave him the ability to resist.

“Yank harder, Ava.”

Her tugs became more persistent as her whimpers increased.
Any second now
. He thrust once more,

pressing the heel of his palm against her. And then she exploded, her body convulsing around his fingers as

the sound of her orgasm wrapped around him.