My fingers graze across her hardened nipples, pinching ever so slightly. So much for laying still. Her back arches and a shiver breaks out, moving down the length of her body.
“Good?”
“So good.”
The assault on her body continues as my tongue caresses her skin from her breasts down to her center, while my hands massage up and down along her sides. One swipe of my tongue through her slit and she nearly comes from that alone. Stopping briefly gives her a moment to relax before I begin again. Her legs spread wider, and her hands grip the pillows. Within minutes, she comes, her legs trembling, stomach clenching and back arching, every molecule of her being wrapped up in a package of pleasure.
“Liam...Liam...oh, God.”
She rides the wave of her orgasm all the way to the end, crashing with a deep sigh.
My tongue grazes its way back up her body, kissing, licking, feeling the small aftershocks of her orgasm. Quickly, I remove my jeans, my rock-hard cock finally set free. Two pumps with my fist and I’m ready for her.
“You ready, baby?”
“Now, Liam. I need you now,” she whimpers, reaching for me with desperation.
There is no way on Earth I can enter her slowly. I’m so primed and ready, I can’t get in that tight body soon enough. One push and I’m inside paradise. Her walls tighten around my cock and my eyes close in pure, unfiltered pleasure. This isn’t going to last, I can feel that already.
My movements slow, attempting to prolong the inevitable, but she grabs my hips, moving me, taking what she needs. I love this about her. She doesn’t hold back. She takes. She takes from me because she feels safe.
The pace quickens, and soon we’re both racing towards the end result. When we hit that high together, our eyes lock and we connect on a level I’ve never reached with another human being before in my life.
She is the one.
After that moment passes between us, we both collapse, lying side by side, exhausted.
“I’ll be right back,” she whispers as she crawls out of bed, heading towards the bathroom.
I roll to my side, waiting and watching for the bathroom door to open. A few minutes pass and she still hasn’t come out. I silently make my way to the bathroom door, easing it open just a bit. Sarah stands there in front of the mirror with tears in her eyes.
Shit.
“Sweetheart?”
“I’m okay. I’m good.” She wipes the tears from her eyes and turns to face me, pulling me in for a hug. “There’s never been a time when I’ve felt that connection before. God, Liam, this feels so real to me.”
“It is real. This is us, and it’s good.”
“Yeah. It is. That look right before...you know? I’ve never ever had a man look at me like that, with so much emotion. I kinda panicked, I think.” Those shimmering green eyes find mine. “Us.” That’s all she says, shaking her head.
“Yeah. Us.”
I pick her up and walk her back to bed, laying her down. Climbing in beside her, I reach to pull her over to me. I want her skin touching mine. I want her arms and legs wrapped around me like a ribbon. I want her. Forever.
Chapter Fifteen
Sarah
In the grand scheme of things, being in a relationship with Liam shouldn’t be a big deal. He’s so handsome, kind, and caring. He’s honest to a fault, and did I say handsome? For me, though, this is a very big deal. I’d like to say I’m completely at ease and totally comfortable with it, but in all honesty, I’m a little bit nervous. I do want this, but I’ve just always resigned myself to hook-ups and one-night stands after the shit that went down with Daniel.
But it feels good. It feels natural and real, and I know it’s just a matter of giving myself time to adjust to being with him.
My phone alarm goes off earlier than I normally set it because I need to haul ass home and get ready for school. Peeling myself from Liam and rolling over toward the small stand where my phone is dinging relentlessly, I pull the sheet just a bit too far, and when I turn to make sure I didn’t wake Liam, I see my man, sprawled on the bed, naked as the day he was born. His hair is tousled, and one arm thrown across his eyes, shielding the bit of light starting to make its way through the slivers of space in the window blinds. What a glorious way to wake up on a workday. That image will be running on the Liam-is-so-fucking-hot highlight reel in my head the entire day.
“Babe, if you don’t throw those covers back on me, there will be hell to pay.” I chuckle when I look at him, lying there naked, eyes covered, not moving a muscle. Quickly, I throw the sheet across his body covering up all that wicked goodness...the morning hard-on Liam is sporting. Morning wood is a definite thing, and my man has it in spades. I only wish I had the time to take care of that for him.
My clothes are strewn about the floor after last night’s exploits, and I’m grabbing at them so I can get home. Suddenly, strong arms encompass me from behind, and the morning wood? Still there, and pressed up against me so sinfully, I halfway consider taking the day off.
“Are you trying to make me late with that...cock all up in my business?”
“All up in your business? Let me show you exactly what I can do with this cock that’s all up in your business,” he whispers in my ear, biting at the lobe. Liam’s hands reach around and his callused fingertips grab my breasts, flicking at my nipple like the strings he plucks on his guitar.
“You got five minutes.”
I’m once again tossed over Liam’s shoulder and taken back to his bed.
Thirty minutes later, I’m rushing out the door, knowing I’ll be late for school. But no regrets on my part. Not one.
Chapter Sixteen
Liam
“Listen to me, Cole. Stop and listen.”
“Okay, man. I’m ready. Hit me.” So much energy.
“Roman, Tatum’s boyfriend, said his old man’s secretary is gonna call us to set up a time to meet with another executive. She’s out of town till late next week, but he wants us to meet with her when she gets back. Looks like we’re headed to Nashville in two weeks or so, but we’ve gotta talk with Zane, man. We can’t leave him high and dry, ya know?”
I’ve been on the phone with Cole, trying to explain this shit to him now for twenty minutes. It’s like he can’t even comprehend what I’m trying to say. He’s rattled off terms like contracts, hot women, concerts, and hot women again. It’s like trying to explain the concept of the Universe to a five-year-old. Cole is nothing if not energetic, and he’s just as psyched about this as I am, but, in the end, we were both in agreement that we’ve got to meet with Zane.
“I’ll give him a call and see if we can catch up at the bar in about an hour, if that works for you?” Cole asks.
“Yep, that works. See ya then.”
Every time I think of Nashville and the opportunities that may present themselves there, my mind circles right back to Sarah. She has to know. I can’t just up and leave for a few days without telling her. I just have to figure out the right way to do it.
Damn. Why did this have to happen now? Shit like this just doesn’t happen to everyone, and we can’t let it pass us by. I’m sure she’ll understand, right? She knows how much my music means to me. I’ve been writing songs since I was ten years old and to have the opportunity to break into the music business with Cole would totally rock. Even if it’s just songwriting, which is my passion anyway. I can write songs from anywhere.
See? The more I talk this out in my head, the easier it all sounds. Everything will work out. I just need to chill and have more confidence in Sarah. She’ll be fine.
“I don’t want either of you to worry about anything. Samantha and I will cover here. We just need to speed up on getting another full-time bartender and I’d also suggest another server as well.”
“We want you to be sure, Zane, because we’re invested in this place too. It’ll only be a few days and until we know exactly what this lady is looking for, it’s hard to even guess what’s gonna happen in the futur
e. But I, for one, can tell you that I’m not bailing on you. We’re in this together, yeah?”
“Absolutely,” says Cole. “I know we’ve always kinda had in the back of our minds that someday we’d get a break in the business, but that was years ago. I wanna know what this woman is thinking, where she sees us in the business. It’s so much to think about right now that my head is spinning.”
“S’all good, man. Just hear what this woman has to say and go from there. We’ll be back here thinkin’ all the good thoughts.” Zane turns my way and I know exactly what’s on his mind before he says a word. “What did Sarah say about it?”
“Haven’t said anything to her yet. She’s so damn guarded that I’m having a hard time figuring out exactly what to say. She’s had some bad luck with men in the past, and I sure don’t want to be added to that shit list.”
Zane laughs, smacking his knee. “She’s a spitfire, that one. But seriously, she needs to know. The more open and honest you can be with her, the better.”
“Look at you, all feelings and shit,” I say, taking a drink of soda. Never thought I’d see the day when that man talked feelings. He’s had a tough life, but Raina seems to settle him, keeps him grounded. She’s his rock.
“All I know is Sarah is Raina’s best friend, and what affects Sarah affects my girl, which in turn, affects me. So, don’t screw her over. Raina and I are in a good place and don’t need shit messin’ that up.”
“You’ve got nothin’ to worry about. She’s gonna be fine. But don’t say anything to her until I figure out how to first.”
Cole and I are playing just one set tonight, during a Ladies Only Happy Hour thing that Cole dreamed up. He loves his women and they flock to him for whatever reason. He’s a good-lookin’ shit, but such a manwhore. But the way he looks at Samantha when he thinks no one’s watching? Well that tells me sure as shit he’s more interested in her than he lets on. Not sure what her story is. Popped up out of nowhere, looking for a job. Damn good at what she does, though.
I shoot a text to Sarah asking her to meet me here later on, and she agrees to stop by. I need to run some errands first, so I head out to get that taken care of.
The bar is packed by the time I get back, and there is Cole, sandwiched between two blondes. Complete opposites of Samantha. My eyes bounce back and forth between Cole and Samantha, and I can most definitely say that if looks could kill, Cole and those blondes would be toast. This is gonna get good.
“Hey, Sam.” I squeeze my way between two regulars here at the bar, trying to get her attention. “Hey, Sam. Grab me a bottle of my water in the cooler, would ya?”
“Sure thing,” she says, reaching down to snag a cold one for me. “Busy tonight, huh? Good for tips though.”
“Absolutely. Cole’s Ladies Only Happy Hour, or whatever the hell he calls it, is a good idea, don’t you think?”
She rolls her eyes, turning her nose up in disgust as she shakes her head. “Yeah. He’s a real genius, that one.” She hands me my water then goes back to taking orders on the other side of the bar, a bit of a scowl on her pretty face. If I didn’t know better, I would say I’ve just hit a nerve. Interesting. Physically speaking, Sam is not the kind of woman Cole usually goes for, so his attraction to her is a bit unexpected. She’s a beautiful woman, sure, just more reserved and down-to-Earth than the bimbos that typically throw themselves at him. A bit on the shorter side, curves for miles, and more of a “jeans and tee” kind of girl. Sweet as shit, though.
I make my way through the crowd toward the stage, stopping along the way to catch up with a few people who come to see us regularly. When Sarah comes through the door, I motion for her to head up to the table I have reserved for us near the stage. When I’m in the zone, playing my guitar and singing one of her favorite songs, I love looking into the crowd to see her smiling that beautiful smile that’s reserved for only me. I fuckin’ own that smile. Damn, I’m a lucky man.
Chapter Seventeen
Sarah
Liam’s body is perfection. No, really, it is. My hands have grazed over every single chiseled inch of perfection on that beautiful, toned man, and not one flaw. So, the boyish grin he flashes, along with the quick wink, makes me giddy as hell as I sit down at our table. I don’t do giddy. Except now, I quite possibly do. However, I’m twenty-five, not sixteen.
He and Cole are entertaining the crowd here tonight at what Cole has dubbed Ladies Only Happy Hour. Every other bar in America calls it Ladies’ Night, but Cole had to be different. It’s cute that he thinks his idea is original. So only the ladies get half-priced drinks. He calls it a win-win. He gets to sit on stage, drinking and singing, all the while watching the women stagger in by the dozens, ready to fawn all over him. Damn creepers. It’s interesting, though, that tonight his attention is drawn more to the new bartender, Samantha, than the rest of the women.
This table, this spot near the stage, is where I have been sitting the last several months when I come to the bar with Raina if the guys are working. It’s just our spot. However, tonight it seems different somehow, and I don’t know what to make of that. It feels good. It feels right.
It’s a little unnerving watching some of the women here making eyes at Liam and making advances toward him. It’s understandable, really. I mean, just look at him. But never once does he take advantage of that, nor does he flaunt it in my face by flirting with any of them. He never has. It’s like I’ve always been his in one way or another. He’s always wanted more with me, and he’s finally worn me down.
The two of them are playing one set tonight, which is fine by me since it’s a school night and I need to be home at a decent hour. They’re finishing up their last song, an original that Liam wrote about love and second chances, and in a few minutes, after the equipment is cleared off the small stage, Liam will be all mine. Makes my heart flutter.
Honestly. A giddy, fluttering heart. When I think long and hard about it, I don’t ever remember having these same feelings for Daniel when we were together. My lips upturn in a smile. He was the one to let me go, and if he never had, I would have never met Liam. Next time I see that piece of shit, I’ll be sure to thank him for all that.
Thinking of Daniel this time doesn’t make me frown or piss me off. He’s now just part of a past that I’m moving on from, forgetting about, because he’s not worth it. Neither is my sister. All just a distant memory. Moments that have passed, moments I’ve learned so much from.
A delicate touch to my shoulder makes me jump nearly out of my seat, and I spin around to find Liam there, almost knocking him over. “What in the ever-loving hell is it with you all? Can we not try to scare the shit out of me anymore?”
“It’s just so cute, babe. You’re all focused on whatever it is you’re thinking, and when I touched you, your eyes kinda like bugged out of your head, and your hands came up to your cheeks,” he jokes, then leans in to whisper in my ear. “And it’s just about the most adorable look I’ve ever seen.” His voice is deep and raspy from singing. My eyes close, thinking of that sexy voice in the bedroom. Suddenly, it’s very warm in here, and I think a breath of fresh air, or a drink, or even a garden hose to the face would be nice right about now.
“Babe?”
“I could just use another, um, drink.”
“I could get one for you, or we could head out. I know you’ve got school tomorrow.”
“Let’s go then. Just let me catch up with Raina first to let her know I’m leaving.”
I grab for my purse to go find Raina at the bar with Zane when my cell phone buzzes, which is odd for this time of night. I look at the number and instantly sigh when I see my sister’s name on the caller ID.
Decline.
Within minutes, my phone buzzes again and I know if I don’t answer her, she’ll just keep calling. Whatever she wants, she had better be quick about it because I’m thinking I’ve got some really hot sex coming tonight.
“What is it, Sydnee?”
“Oh, thank God. Sarah, it�
�s Dad. He’s been taken to the hospital.”
“What? What happened?”
“Mom said he got really short of breath, had a hard time breathing when they were putting boxes in the attic. He started having sharp pains in his chest. He sat down to rest for a minute, but then the pains came back, so they called the ambulance.”
“Where are you?”
“We’re at the hospital now. Are you going to come?”
“I’m on my way.”
“Oh, thank God. I need to see you too.”
“To see Dad, Sydnee. I’m coming to see Dad.”
“Sarah...”
“Don’t. Just don’t. I’m on my way.”
The nervousness in my voice clues Liam in to the fact that something is definitely wrong because before I can even make a move, he’s right there.
“What’s going on?”
“Liam, do you think you could drive me to the hospital? Dad’s been taken there. That was Sydnee, and she said Mom had to call the ambulance. They’re there now.”
“Absolutely, sweetheart. Let’s go. I’ll text Zane and Cole later, so they know what’s going on,” he says as we hurriedly make our way to his car. Within minutes, we’re on the highway, headed to the hospital.
The fact that I’m going to be face-to-face with Sydnee, and most likely Daniel, after so long gets pushed to the back of my mind. I need to focus on Dad, and I’m upset that neither he nor Mom told me he had been sick, but then again, I haven’t called much either.
“What’s going through that head of yours, babe?” Liam reaches over to take hold of my hand, gently rubbing his thumb along my wrist. It’s soothing and calming.
Hold on to Her (Only Her Series Book 2) Page 8