Love on the Forbidden Side

by Mariah Ankenman

  Rough fingertips gently brushed over the scar on her arm. She started, eyes flying open, body tensing.

  “Shhhhhh.” His mouth hovered over her, lips replacing his fingers for a soft kiss. “You’re beautiful. Nothing could ever change that.”

  He then proceeded to caress and kiss each of her scars, loving them with such gentleness her heart threatened to burst in her chest. When his tongue came out to lap at her sensitive skin another sensation took over her. A hot, needy tug low and deep inside made her squirm on the bed, shifting restlessly for something to quell the ache inside.

  He must have sensed her dilemma, because his hand suddenly stroked her hips, inching closer and closer until he was petting the very part of her that needed him most.

  “Liam,” she cried out as one strong finger pushed inside.

  “That’s right. Say my name, honey. Tell me who you want.”

  “You, Liam. I want you.”

  He pumped inside her as his tongue worked magic on her breasts.

  Pressure coiled like a snake in her belly, ready to strike. Blinding white light flashed behind her closed lid, forcing her to open her eyes and focus on the amazing man above her. “All of you, Liam. Now!”

  She wasn’t going to last much longer, and she wanted him to be inside her when she fell.

  “I don’t have any—”

  “Bedside drawer.” Was it classy to keep condoms at her brother’s house? No. Did she care at the moment? Hell, freaking no!

  Pulling away, he reached over to the nightstand, yanking open the drawer and grabbing a condom. Ripping open the foil package, he quickly divested himself of his boxers. She sucked in a deep breath at the full sight of him. Big and hard and oh, so beautiful. She reached out a hand to touch him, but he grabbed her wrist in a gentle hold.

  “Not a good idea, honey. One touch from you, and I’m liable to explode.”

  Licking her lips, she shook her head. “Well, we can’t have that.” She watched as he rolled the condom on his erect length. “Not yet.”

  Heart racing, she wrapped her legs around him. The blunt head of his erection nudged at her opening. The first push had her gasping for air. “Liam!”

  His hips thrust, seating himself fully inside. Had she ever felt this full? This complete?

  “Damn,” he swore. “You feel amazing.”

  She felt amazing? He was the one currently blowing her mind.

  Julie shifted, tilting her hips to take him farther. His lips slammed onto hers, hips pistoning at a frantic speed.

  Yes!

  This was what she wanted, what she needed. Liam, out of control, for her.

  A rush of euphoria crashed over her, spiraling through her body until it hit her center and crashed outward. She screamed her release, eyes going blind, ears blocking all sound.

  As she fell back to earth, she heard Liam roar out her name as he, too, found completion.

  “That,” she panted. “Was the best surprise of my life.”

  Chapter 17

  Warmth surrounded every bit of her as Julie slowly woke. She’d been having the most delicious dream, involving a very sexy FBI agent doing very naughty things to her. Pinpricks of pleasure tingled along every nerve ending.

  The soft sound of snoring reached her ears. Turning her head, she drank in the sight of the subject of her dream sleeping soundly, tucked up against her.

  Good morning to me!

  That’s right, last night had not been a dream. Oh sure, she’d gone to sleep at the beginning of the night with Liam on her mind, but nothing in her imagination compared to the real thing. The man was insatiable. Her cheeks heated as she remembered how he woke her twice to make love, once hard and fast, the other slow and sweet. He was going to ruin her for other men at this rate.

  Truthfully, she didn’t want any other man, but she was wary of putting too much pressure on Liam at this point. The guy had just agreed to move their friendship to the next level. The last thing she wanted to do was get all clingy and scare him off.

  As wonderfully tempting as it was to stay wrapped in his strong arms, the sun was up, and she had things to do. With a pinch of regret, she lifted the large arm draped over her stomach, trying to ease her way out of his hold.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” His voice was rough with morning sleep as he tightened his hold.

  “I have to tend to Wind Chaser.”

  He groaned, but refused to let her go. “See, this is why I don’t own a horse. You have to get up at the butt crack of dawn to feed them or whatever.”

  Using one long finger, she poked him in the chest until his eyes opened, gaze focusing on her. “You don’t have a horse because you live in an apartment and are terrified of them.”

  “I’m not terrified of horses.”

  She patted his chest, affecting a sympathetic pout. “Of course you aren’t, sweetie.”

  One blond eyebrow rose. “I got on Wind Chaser the other day, didn’t I?”

  “You had to. You lost the bet.”

  He gave her a look that said he wouldn’t have taken the ride if he hadn’t wanted to, bet or no bet. Intending to wipe the disgruntled expression off his face—and because she was finally able to—she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. She’d intended it to be a soft, good morning kiss, but Liam pulled her closer, deepening the contact.

  She moaned when his tongue pressed against her lips, demanding entrance. All too happy to oblige, she opened to him, welcoming the rush of pleasure coursing through her body at his touch. He loomed over her, pressing her into the soft mattress. She felt his body tense and he grunted, the position—no doubt—hurting his injured shoulder. He shifted, putting all his weight on his left arm as he continued to devour her. The bed was only a full, so they were snuggled up tight, but she wasn’t complaining.

  The hard length of his morning erection pressed against her. As much as she would’ve liked a repeat of last night’s performances, she did have a responsibility to tend to.

  Dredging up all the self-control she had, she broke the kiss. Hands to his chest, she pushed slightly, being extra careful of his wounded shoulder, until she had breathing room. Not that she could breathe after being kissed like that. All the oxygen in her lungs had rushed to her head, making her dizzy, like floating on a cloud.

  “Seriously, I have to go.” She giggled, a strange thing she’d never done much before finding herself in bed with Liam.

  “Fine, go tend to the beast.”

  “Horse.”

  “Potato, po-tah-toe.”

  “I’ll be back in a few minutes and we can…” She trailed off, because in the light of day, she wasn’t sure what they would do.

  Were they a thing now, or was last night a one-time deal?

  She knew what she wanted, but beyond his obvious desire to get her in bed, she had no idea what Liam wanted. They lived hours from each other. Not as bad as some long distance relationships, but still a distance to consider.

  If they continued their relationship, would he want her to move to Denver? Did he even want that…or was this a one-time deal? So many questions she wasn’t sure she wanted the answers to.

  Why did the magic always disappear in the harsh light of day?

  “You gonna finish that thought?”

  “Maybe.”

  His gaze narrowed. “Maybe, huh?”

  Biting her lip, she shrugged, acting much more nonchalant then she felt. “I could finish it, or I could just surprise you.”

  He chuckled, head dropping forward. “I think I proved last night I enjoy surprises.”

  She shoved one hand up, covering his mouth when he went in for another kiss. If she let him put those mind-blowing lips on her again she’d forget everything. A hungry horse was an angry horse, she knew that well.

  “You get your surprise after I tend to Wind Chaser.”

  Finally relenting, he rolled off her to his side. She noticed he gave his bad shoulder a small roll and grimaced. “Okay, I guess I can wait a
few more minutes.”

  “You never had a problem with patience before.”

  “I never had you naked in my bed before.”

  His gaze smoldered as he glanced up and down the length of her body still covered by the sheet. Heartbeat racing, she tried very hard to remember why she had to leave the bed with the sexy, naked man who sang her praises.

  “Technically, it’s my bed. Now, turn around.”

  Brows rising, he scoffed. “Seriously.”

  Yes. He may have seen and touched every inch of her last night, but nudity during the act of lovemaking was one thing, having someone watch her dress was another. By the light of day, he’d see her scars in sharp contrast. Emotionally, she was still coming to grips with the new look of her body.

  “Seriously.” She shooed him with a wave of her hand. “No peeking.”

  “I’ve already seen everything, and it’s all spectacular.”

  Heat scorching her cheeks, she didn’t back down. “Thank you, but it was dark last night.”

  “Night, day, doesn’t matter. You’re beautiful in any light.”

  When did Liam become such a romantic?

  Her heart swelled, filling more and more with deeper feelings for this man. Still, embarrassment over the markings on her skin made her want to hide from his full gaze. She knew he wouldn’t say anything hurtful, but they were ugly reminders of a very dark moment in her life.

  At her hesitance, he placed a finger under her chin, forcing her to gaze directly in his eyes. “Julie, what is it?”

  Shame filling her, she glanced down, softly revealing her insecurity. “I still have some scarring from…”

  She didn’t finish. Didn’t need to; he knew what had happened to her. He was there as she healed, making her laugh, comforting her by letting her win at cards. Did he even realize how much he’d done for her over the years? How much he meant to her?

  “Aw, honey.” His lips pressed against her temple in a soft kiss. “There’s no inch of your body that’s not pure perfection. Wounds don’t take away from us, they show the world how strong we are. You’re so strong, Julie. You’re a fighter, a survivor. That’s what your scars show. The beauty of your resilience and strength.”

  Wow. He certainly had a way to put it all in perspective.

  “Is that what your scars say about you?” She placed her hand over the red pucker on his shoulder.

  Placing his hand over hers, he squeezed. “What do you think they say?”

  “That you’re brave and heroic.” Heart fluttering, her breath hitched. “And you take risks with your own life for the greater good.” And it terrified her. His bravery and selflessness made her proud, but it scared her, too. The thought of Liam being killed in the line of duty was always a worry in the back of her mind.

  “I’m just doing my job, sweetheart. Like everyone else.”

  Not true. Liam went above and beyond all the time. Just like her brother, the two men had a thing for helping underdogs.

  “I’ll go hop in the shower. Let you take care of the beast.”

  “Horse,” she corrected with a chuckle.

  He bopped her on the nose, giving her a soft kiss before rising naked from the bed and strolling, unashamed, to the bedroom door.

  “Liam,” she called out before he left.

  He turned his upper body so he could see her, and she still had a view of his scrumptious naked backside.

  “Yeah?”

  “I, um, had a good time last night.”

  Full, sexy lips curved into a devilish grin. “Honey, I had an amazing time last night.”

  “Then, maybe, while we’re both enjoying this time off work, we could continue to have an amazing time?”

  She didn’t want to cling, but heaven knew she wanted more naked time with him. Who knew what would happen when they both had to return to their separate lives. For now, she wanted to take life by the saddle horn and ride.

  “No promises,” she rushed to say, not wanting to put any pressure on him. “Just enjoy each other and take it one day at a time.”

  A strange expression crossed his face, but before she could decipher it, he smiled. Not the happy smile he gave earlier; this one seemed stilted and forced. Had she come on too strong?

  “Sure, I’d like that. We’ll take it one day at a time.”

  He turned back and left the room, leaving her alone in the bed, which had grown cold with the loss of him. Her body thrummed with eagerness of what was to come, but her mind whirled with unanswered question and doubts.

  Deciding to push the hesitant thoughts away, she threw back the sheet. The day was wasting, and she had things to do. First, take care of Wind Chaser. But when that was done—a giddy rush of anticipation rose within her, heating her from the inside out—take care of Liam.

  Chapter 18

  I’ve made a huge mistake.

  Liam looked around at the mess he created.

  What was I thinking?

  He’d been thinking Julie deserved a nice, hot breakfast after waking up at an ungodly hour to tend to a giant animal. There had been no hiding the tired lines around her eyes. He was an ass. Poor woman had a nightmare, disrupting her sleep, and what did he do—spent all night making love to her.

  Last night had been the most amazing experience of his life, but he should have left her alone, let her sleep. Sure, she had seemed satisfied this morning, but the dark circles under her eyes denoted exhaustion as well.

  A small part of his caveman brain took pride in her well-worn look when she woke. He knew her fatigue came from being thoroughly loved, and he couldn’t help but take some male pride in that.

  You’re an ass, Liam.

  The woman had been under stress last night; he should have comforted her and left her alone. But had he? No. He’d selfishly taken the thing he’d been craving for years. Julie might argue she wanted it, too—and based on her enthusiastic participation last night, it’d be hard to disagree with her—but guilt still burned in his gut.

  Hence the horrible mess in front of him.

  Two plates full of bacon, burned beyond recognition, the runniest eggs ever, and toast he’d somehow managed to blacken into hard, square tiles. He hadn’t even known it was possible to char toast so bad. Beyond his mother’s jerk steak recipe, he was a disaster in the kitchen. His normal breakfast consisted of cereal and a protein shake, but he’d wanted to make something special for Julie.

  Big time fail.

  “What’s all this?”

  He spun at the sound of her melodic voice. With a grimace, he motioned to the two pathetic plates of food. “I made you breakfast?”

  One dark brow quirked. “You don’t sound too sure about that.”

  “I’m not entirely sure it’s edible.”

  A dazzling smile turned up the corner of her lips. Walking over to him, she placed a hand on his chest, going up on her toes to brush a soft kiss over his lips. “You are so sweet. I’m sure it’s delicious.”

  He couldn’t stop the bark of laughter from escaping. “Why don’t you say that after you’ve had some?”

  “I will.” With a defiant tilt to her chin, she grabbed both plates, setting them down at the table.

  He sighed, joining her. Once seated in front of his own monstrosity of a meal, reluctance set in. “You really don’t have to eat this.” I don’t want to eat this. “We can just grab a bowl of cereal or go out or something.”

  “Don’t be silly.” She waved away his protest with a hand. “You spent time to make us a lovely meal, and we are going to enjoy it.”

  Lovely meal? Now he knew she was just being nice. Julie would never insult someone on purpose. She didn’t have a mean bone in her body.

  His mind made an adolescent joke about his bone being in her body, and he shoved it aside before chuckling. When did he turn back into a randy teenager? Oh right, the second he touched all that amazing soft skin.

  A blush stained her cheeks. Self-conscious smile on her face, she shifted in her seat. “Why are
you looking at me like that?”

  “Like what?”

  “Like you want to rip my clothes off and have your wicked way with me?”

  So many tempting images entered his mind at her words. “Hmmm, probably because I do.”

  The cat was already out of the bag; no sense in putting it back in now. He could argue with himself, tell himself what an ass he was being, how he was taking advantage of a woman younger and softer than himself. But he knew it was all crap. The bottom line was they both participated last night and enjoyed it. She had been right, he’d made excuses for not acting on his feelings for her, baseless excuses tossed away last night with their clothing and inhibitions.

  “Hold onto that thought, Agent. I’m going to need some fuel for this fire.”

  He watched as she brought a bite of the congealed eggs to her mouth. Yolk ran off her fork as she placed a few lumps on her tongue.

  “It’s…really good.”

  Laughter boomed out of him at the horrified grimace she tried to hide. Judging by the fact she hadn’t swallowed yet, he’d say she was lying through her pretty little teeth. “Oh really?”

  “Mmm.” Her head nodded up and down, eggs still in her mouth.

  “Have another bite then.” Julie was sweet, but she was also stubborn. He was curious to see how long she’d keep up this charade. “Try the bacon.”

  Her gaze darted to the charred strips of meat. Long, thin fingers hesitantly picked one up. Eggs still in her mouth, she gave him a closed lipped smile, tipping the bacon up in a salute before bringing it to her lips. She bit off the end with a loud snap, making a small grunting sound as her jaw worked the hard protein.

  “Good?” His hand covered his mouth to hide a smile when she nodded. Did this woman ever admit defeat?

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  “How about the toast.”

  When he motioned to the blackened bread, her gaze widened in horror. He doubled over with laughter when she reached for the charred carb like it was a bomb about to explode. Placing a hand over hers he shook his head. “Honey, please. You really don’t have to eat anymore. I won’t be offended.”