“Li,” I said in a voice that sounded strangely like a moan.
“I’ve missed the hell out of you, CeCe.”
“Don’t call me that.”
This asshole had the nerve to chuckle. A serious curse out was on the tip of my tongue, but before I could get the first word out, he covered my lips with his own. The softness of his lips was a contradiction to the hardness of his kiss. Liam didn’t waste time feeling out the kiss. He pressed his lips to mine, demanded entrance and then used his tongue to explore my mouth. As soon as our tongues touched, the sensations went straight to my core, and caused my already damp panties to become even wetter. The logical part of me told me to push him away and move from his embrace, but when his hand moved underneath my shirt, pushed my sports bra aside, and tweaked my hard nipples, I could no longer think straight.
Slowly, Liam loosened his grip on my wrists, but continued to press my body into the wall with his body weight. I aimed to wrap my arms around his neck to get even closer, but he pulled back before I could. Impatiently, he pulled my shirt over my head along with my bra, and tossed both to the floor. When he lowered his head and swirled his tongue around one erect nipple, the groan that escaped my mouth was the only sound that could be heard in the room. I pushed my chest towards his hungry mouth, encouraging him to suck harder. He happily obliged. He released my left nipple with a loud “pop” and moved to the right one.
“Liam, I need to touch you,” I practically begged, needing to feel his skin against mine. Any pretense of not wanting to be this close to him flew out the window.
He lifted his face from my breasts. “Then touch me,” he directed, right before he pressed his lips to mine again.
With my hands free, I began unbuttoning his shirt, and slid it and his Armani suit jacket down his strong biceps. I felt goosebumps rise along his arms as my fingers moved over them. I attempted to lean back to stare at his bared chest, but Liam swooped down and hoisted me up by the legs, causing me to wrap my legs around his waist. He strolled over to the bed and seconds later, I felt the plush sheets kissing my back as he came down on top of me. He leaned back on his knees in between my legs and stared down at me. My eyes fell from his face down to his large chest. I smiled, seeing the Texas flag tattoo. I reached up to trace the flag with my finger, remembering going with him to the tattoo parlor on his twenty-first birthday to get it done. My gaze moved lower and I saw the four-inch scar that began from the left side of his upper abdomen and nearly reached his belly button. I ran my finger along the ragged, raised edges of the scar, also remembering the fateful day this happened. I closed my eyes, remembering exactly how intertwined our histories were. His body literally told the story of us.
“Look at me,” he commanded, hovering over me.
Slowly, I opened my eyes to stare into his which darkened with passion so much so they almost looked black.
“I never left. You were always right here,” he said at the same time he lifted my hand to cover his heart. “If you don’t believe anything else, believe that.” He held my hand to his heart, leaned down, and kissed me again.
I moaned into his mouth as his thickening erection pressed into my center. I didn’t know what to believe at that moment, but I knew I wanted to feel more of him. Even if it was just for the time being. Liam must have felt the same too, because he released my mouth, pulled back and began pulling my running leggings and thong down. He moved quickly, removing my sneakers and the rest of my clothing, discarding them somewhere on the floor. When he lowered his head, it was then I remembered I’d just come back from a sweaty run. I pressed my hand to his shoulder to stop him.
“Liam, I just got finished running. Maybe we should do this in the shower,” I said, rising to move. I was stopped by his hands around my waist.
“Don’t move.” He glared at me and lowered his face to my quivering pussy lips.
I thought he was going to put his mouth on me, but instead, he moved in closer with his nose and inhaled deeply.
“Mmm. For five years, I’ve only had the memory of your scent. You’re not going anywhere.” He groaned as he inhaled me again and then began tonguing my clit.
“You’re so damn nasty,” I said around a moan as I plopped back down on the bed. “Oooh,” I moaned as his tongue began making circular motions around my engorged clit. I felt his lips kiss my labia and his grip around my waist tightened as he pulled me even further into him. I couldn’t keep still. This felt too good and I wanted more. I began pushing my hips up and moving my pelvis in a circular motion.
“That’s it, baby. Fuck my face,” he growled, seconds before he pulled me even closer to his mouth. His tongue lashed even more quickly against my clit and his lips slapped and slurped up my juices.
It felt so good my back arched off the bed. “Liam, what are you doing to me?” I moaned.
“I’m writing my name on this pussy.” It’s then he pressed his tongue hard against my clit and I came apart. “Oooh, shiiit!” I yelled as the most wonderful sensations overtook me. I hadn’t felt that good in a long time. I was still trying to catch my breath, only for it to be snatched again when I felt Liam’s stiff thickness push into me. I felt every inch and ridge as he filled me up, maintaining eye contact the whole time. He used his eyes and body to tell me what his mouth already did. I felt overwhelmed, overcome with emotions that I’ve only felt for this man. I turned to look away, but he used his hand to cup my neck and chin.
“Don’t you dare. Look at me,” he ordered and shifted his hips to move in a rhythm that had my pussy singing his praises. He didn’t immediately pound into me, instead he took long, measured strokes to allow me adjust to his girth.
“More, Li. I need more,” I begged.
The cocky smirk he gave me caused my pussy to flood even more. He picked up the pace, using his free hand to pull my leg around his waist. He began pumping into me even faster, while moving his hand to massage my clit.
“Oh, God!” I gasped.
“That feel good, baby?”
“Yesss,” I hissed, raising my hips to meet his heavy strokes.
“Five fucking years, I’ve been missing this,” he pushed into me with each word. He lowered his face to mine and kissed my lips, then removed his hand and began sucking on the sensitive column of my neck.
I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders and pulled him even closer. By now, he was pounding me into the mattress and it felt like heaven. I raised my other leg to wrap around his hip and secured them around his waist. I pushed the back of my head into the pillows, granting him better access to my neck. He continued to suck and moved his hands under my ass, raising me up. With every stroke, he hit my G-spot. My vaginal walls started fluttering and I knew another orgasm was just seconds away.
“Li, I’m about to come.”
“Come for me, CeCe. Let me see it.” He pulled back to look into my face.
The passion filled expression on his face sent me over into oblivion. I clenched my pussy around his thrusting cock and my second orgasm flooded my whole body with euphoria. I knew he wanted to see me come so I struggled to keep my eyes open watching him as he watched me. My orgasm must have triggered his and soon after he threw his head back and the vein at the side of his neck bulged, at the same time I felt him release inside of me. He continued to pound and thrust until the last tremors of his orgasm subsided. I finally closed my eyes and tried to control my breathing. I felt him above me as he pulled out and moved to my side. The sense of loss was immediate, but I pushed it away. Slowly, my common sense returned and I realized what had just happened between us. My eyes sprung open and I saw Liam watching me. Without a word, I hopped out of the bed and stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me.
I locked the door and pressed my back against it, covering my face with my hand. “What the hell did I just do?” I murmured to myself. I let my hands glide down my face and turned to stare in the mirror. My hair looked tousled, and I noticed red marks forming on my breasts and neck where
Li sucked my skin. Despite my brown complexion even minor bruising tended to show up easily. The marks and the throbbing between my legs reminded me of exactly what had happened. I sighed deeply and ran my hand through my messy, short curls. I grabbed the robe hanging on the door and made a decision.
I cinched the robe securely at my waist before stepping out of the bathroom door. I nearly walked right into Li, who was standing in the bathroom doorway, and I had to tamp down the urge to beg him to take me again. The hard set of his jaw and his closeness told me he was determined to not let what just happened go.
“CeCe,” he called, and the passion in his voice made my belly quiver.
I ignored him and squeezed past to the bedroom entrance, stooping to pick up his shirt and suit jacket. I tossed his clothing in his direction. “It’s time for you to go.”
“What?”
“You heard me. It’s time for you to go.” I moved to the opposite side of the bed and found his boxers and pants and tossed those to him as well.
“CeCe—”
“Don’t call me that!” I shouted. That damn nickname got under my skin. It was too intimate, and I didn’t want to feel close to Liam. I just wanted him to go. “Get dressed so you can go.”
“You can’t just kick me out.”
“Why the hell not?”
“Goddammit, Ce—”
I gave him a murderous look.
“Coral, just talk to me.” By then, he was putting his boxers back on.
I refused to even look at him, knowing that if I did, I would have fallen back into bed with him, and talking would be the last thing we did.
“No,” I said petulantly, shaking my head. “Just go. Now!”
I heard him let off a rant of swearing, but I remained with my back to him until I saw him go to pick up his shoes out of the corner of my eye. I moved to walk past him to the suite door, but his arms caught me around the waist. I was caught off-guard, and before I could break out of his hold, he caught my free hand and pushed it around my back, holding us chest to chest.
“Let me go.”
“I will. I’ll also leave, but this isn’t over. You and I are far from over.”
“Fuck you, Li,” I spit out.
The mischievous smile he gave me caused my belly to quiver all over again. “You just did,” he cockily stated before pressing a quick peck to the tip of my nose and releasing me.
I didn’t turn around as the door opened and closed. I felt the loss of him as he exited. I closed my eyes and counted down from ten to one, trying to regain some sort of control over my wayward emotions. Part of me wanted to run back to him and ask him to come back. The other part wanted to kick his ass for stirring up all this shit I worked hard to bury. I hated feeling so out of control.
I opened my eyes and walked back into the bedroom. I sat on the bed and tried to talk myself out of chasing Li down. I wouldn’t do it. I stood and began picking up my discarded clothes and the pieces of my disarmed gun. Once I put all that away, I called down to the hotel’s maid service and requested a fresh pair of bed sheets and pillow cases. There was no way I could lay my head down in this bed with Liam’s scent all over it. It took less than ten minutes before the sheets were delivered, after which I changed the sheets and then prepared to shower. I knew I wouldn’t be getting much sleep tonight, but what else was new?
****
Liam
This stubborn ass woman.
A whole damn week had passed since she kicked me out of her hotel room. Imagine that. She kicked me out of a damn hotel that I own. Technically, Jeremy owned that portion of the company, but I still signed off on the financials. For the last week, she’d been working with Ron to get through the employee interviews and so far nothing had turned up. She’d done everything in her power to not be alone with me or to avoid me altogether. However, I’d finally figured out how to get her alone.
My phone rang loudly, interrupting my thoughts.
“Yes.”
“Mr. Bennett, your father is on line one.”
The scowl on my face was instant. He was the last person I wanted to talk to. Ever. He usually called in to check in on the business while he was in Austin. I provided him minimal information, so there was a lot he didn’t know. Over the last few years, I’ve had a team digging into his history to get all the dirt on him.
“Put him through,” I told my secretary.
“Hello, son. How is business going?”
Straight to business. That was my old man. Didn’t stop to ask about his granddaughter or me. He was a son of a bitch, but most people didn’t know that about him. He painted a perfect image for the outside world, but behind closed doors, it was a different story.
“Hello, Richard. Business is business.”
I started calling him by his first name years ago. My father enjoyed the money and prestige that came with being the CEO of such a large and well-respected company, and even the influence, but he wanted more. Hence, his current position.
“Yes, well, speaking of business, I’m not sure if I agree with all the time and money you're putting into these alternative energies. Our family has thrived for three generations off of oil and now you’re trying to change it up. I’m speaking with some big oil companies this week about investing in the pipeline. I’m going to suggest Bennett Industries be an investor in this pipeline as well. The payoff will be huge. And you have Jeremy expanding the hotel side. I told you I don’t like that bastard nephew of mine.”
I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose to hold off my irritation. “We’ve been over this. The pipeline has a lot of problems, and the future of energy is in alternative energies, not fossil fuels. Bennett Industries will be ahead of the curve with these energies we are working on. And Jeremy is running his end of the business with great success. His involvement in Bennett Industries is not up for discussion. You’re a busy man, and I’m sure you have work to do as do I. Bye,” I said, before hanging up.
I knew that seemed harsh, but most had no idea who that man was. He spent my entire childhood chastising my mother and me then pasting on a smile when we were out in public. I was a bastard before Coral, and well, it was because of him. I watched him do some very unscrupulous things to remain on top, including screwing business rivals’ wives. And that was not even the worst of it.
My father’s call did remind me to have my assistant make a few phone calls for my upcoming Austin trip. I knew exactly the businesses my father wanted Bennett Industries to work with on this pipeline, but instead of the pipeline, I’d been working to convince them to invest in our alternative energies. Before I left my office, I told my assistant to set up a trip for me to go to Austin for a few days to meet with the same businessmen. Once that was done, I rose from my chair and stretched, preparing to pop in on the woman who’d been avoiding me for a damn week.
****
I walked into the security office and found the object of my affections closely watching the large flat screen monitor hanging from the wall. I watched her profile and noted how intently she was watching the scene in front of her. I glanced at the screen to see Ron in another room interviewing Mikhail from marketing and sales. I looked back at Coral, noting her flawless skin and the column of her neck. My fingers twitched with the need to touch the soft skin and feel her tremble underneath them.
“Stop staring,” she said, keeping her gaze on the screen.
My lips kicked up into a half smile. “I can’t help it.” My voice was slightly deeper than usual. She made me feel all types of shit.
Without looking at me, she asked, “Liam, what are you doing here?”
“Last time I checked, I run this company and can go anywhere I damn well please.” My eyebrow raised. My words had come out harsh. Her refusal to even acknowledge my presence pissed me off. Do you know how angering it was to be in the same room with the woman you’ve wanted for more than a decade, and she wouldn’t even look at you? The same woman, I might add, who’d been screaming my name at t
he top of her lungs just a week ago.
Finally, she turned to me, rolling her eyes.
“Whatever,” she spat before turning back to the monitor, effectively dismissing me.
Not today. “We need to talk.”
“No, we don’t.”
“Like hell we don’t,” I growled, losing my composure.
“Li, this isn’t a damn game,” she retorted angrily, turning her whole body to face me. “I did not come here to play whatever game you’re playing. Your employee is dead, and someone in your company may very well be responsible for it. Your other employees could be in danger. You could be in danger. Now, is not the time to play around!”
She huffed, now standing. That pissed me off even more.
I moved closer to her. “First of all, let’s get one thing clear; don’t ever imply that I don’t care about my employees. I care very much that Larry may have been killed because of this company. That is why I actually called Jabari to have him look up any aliases Larry may have had. Turns out, he did and he had a safe deposit box, which housed his laptop. I didn’t need to visit his fiancée.”
“You have his laptop?” she asked, cutting me off.
“Yes, and your stubborn ass would have had it this morning when I requested you visit my office, if you hadn’t been avoiding me. These are my employees.” I pointed to my chest. “I am responsible for every single one and I do not take that lightly. You of all people should know exactly how serious I take my responsibilities as a leader,” I finished, reminding her of the time we served together. I might have been many things—cocky, arrogant, even a showboat when the occasion arises, but I was a damn good leader, and those who worked under me were my team, and I made sure to look after them.
Those hazel eyes stared at me for a few seconds, taking in what I’d said. When she bowed her head slightly, I knew she was contrite. “You’re right. I didn’t mean to imply that you didn’t care.”
She sighed, running a hand through her short curls. She turned back to the screen, but the look in her eyes just before she turned gave me pause. I know Coral. We spent years getting to know each other as best friends. She didn’t let many people in, but she did let her guard down around me eventually. I noticed her body language as she peered at the screen, watching Ron and Mihkail. In that moment, I had a realization and it caused the hair at the back of my neck to stand up.
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