UNMASKED: Sequel to Behind the Mask

by Heather Carnassale

  “Uh-huh,” she uttered, without hesitation. Liam abruptly stood up, held out his hand where Remi slipped hers into his then allowed him to guide her indoors and up the stairs towards the master suite. It took only a matter of seconds for them to reach the bedroom where Liam quickly yanked off his t-shirt, tossing it aside while Remi followed his lead by removing hers as well. As they then stood, facing each other, she placed her hands timidly against his bare torso and traced her fingers deliberately along the well-defined crevices of his abdominal muscles, purposely moving them downward. At the same time, Liam’s hands explored the delicate arch of her back. She shivered under his touch. “Are you cold?” he asked. A hushed no briefly exited her mouth before lightly kissing the center of his chest.

  A faint glow, from the full moon peeking through the windows, illuminated the room, so when Liam unclasped the tiny gold hooks of her black-laced bra, the sudden thought of being fully exposed shockingly beset her. So much so, that before the undergarment could fall from her arms, she tensed up. Unsure of what just occurred, and trying to gauge the situation, Liam felt he needed to apologize for possibly misreading her body language. But before he could, she said, “I know after the wedding we almost went there,” she said, snickering nervously with her flushed cheeks turning even rosier, as she felt embarrassed. “But that night it was all so frantic and pent up frustration that there was no time to think.”

  “And now?” he questioned warily.

  “And now everything has slowed way down and though this all feels so wonderful and…” her words trailed off.

  Liam implored, “And what?”

  She hesitated for a second then explained, “I’ve wanted for you not to see me as your former hostage, but at this moment, for some peculiar reason, all I can think of is how you were the gunman I was locked inside of the vault with, who I’m now about to get naked with.”

  He couldn’t get over just how unbelievably straightforward she was, whereas she felt foolish for being childish and possibly ruining what could be something extraordinarily fantastic. Liam cautiously touched her arm then admitted, “When I was away for that month, there were plenty of opportunities for me to have sex, and I could have had my way with lots of women.”

  Remi thought where the hell was he going with this.

  “They were slipping me their hotel key cards, day and night.”

  Somehow his confession wasn’t making her feel any better.

  “But I wasn’t interested in any of them and do you want to know what all those women had in common?”

  “What?” she asked, unenthusiastically.

  He took hold of her hand, and said, “They weren’t you.”

  That admission stunned Remi. If this had been anybody else, she would have assumed he was just saying that to get into her pants, but since this was Liam, she believed it. Opening up and showing any kind of emotion or feeling for someone was a rarity for him. The fact that she was the lucky recipient of this uncharacteristic outpouring of truth was astonishing.

  “Wanting you and wanting to be with you are wrong because it proves just how selfish I am,” he said, his conscience suddenly making an unwelcome appearance.

  “Selfish, how?” she questioned.

  “I don’t want to do anything that will hurt you,” he said. “And it’s not fair to you when I have no idea what the future holds.”

  “No one does,” she argued. “There’s always going to be uncertainty.”

  “But it’s still selfish,” he quickly pointed out. She stood up on her tippy toes and tenderly kissed his lips. “Aren’t we all selfish to some degree?” she whispered, while her lips lingered near his.

  “We don’t have to do this. I’ll just go take another cold shower.”

  “Oh, I don’t think that will be necessary,” she remarked, going back down on flat feet. She then allowed her bra to drop to the floor and placed her hands low on his torso while dancing her fingers just beneath the rim of his waistband. He flashed a sexy grin then leaned over, softly tickling her neck with his tongue. With his right arm, he swathed it around her waist then slowly tipped her backward onto the bed, all the while, his lips giving full attention to the skin of her bare shoulders. With his body, slightly hovering over hers, her eyes closed briefly, savoring the anticipation as he gradually ventured further south towards her breasts. She let out an exasperated sigh as Liam kissed the underside of one, while his hand pleasured the other. He purposely took his time, making sure Remi felt every kiss, every touch, every sensation he was supplying. Her body and mind were transcended into an erotic state of euphoric bliss and beyond convinced there wasn’t anything this man wasn’t great at doing. Selfish, she thought, who the hell was he kidding as his trail of kisses moved towards her navel while his fingers slowly unzipped her jeans. He grabbed hold of them, to which he then effortlessly peeled them off her legs, revealing her pastel purple bikini. The cutest of grins appeared on his lips as he stood again. Clamoring to join him, she hurriedly climbed off the bed and with extreme eagerness to get him out the rest of his constrictive clothing, she unfastened his pants and yanked them down his legs. The moment he stepped out of them, Remi purposely slid her hands up his well-developed calves, his powerful thighs, and around to his tight backside, then she sneakily copped a feel through his white cotton boxer briefs. His excitement plainly visible, as was his impressive size evident the moment he shoved his briefs downwards. She devilishly smiled as Liam tugged her underwear off. He leaned down to kiss her sweetly then reached over to open the nightstand drawer. Inside was an unopened box of Trojans. Remi eyed the still sealed packaged and silently chuckled at his preparedness yet surprising confessed celibacy. She scooted back onto the bed, with Liam shadowing her, and smooshing his lips against hers at the same time. Soon their bodies pressed together, skin on skin, naked and raw, both physically and emotionally. Not wanting to release too quickly, Liam kissed her then backed away for a moment. Just long enough to retrieve a condom from the box. Apparently, just as impatient as he was, Remi snatched it from his hand and tore open the wrapper with her teeth. Liam painstakingly held off as long as he could. In a plank position above her, he lowered himself just enough so they could lock lips, while his hands concentrated heavily on her inner thighs. Remi almost couldn’t stand it she had never wanted any man as much as she wanted him. And as his fingers moved between her legs, she shifted her hips and moaned under his touch. Her body’s positive response was such a turn on Liam’s hold out had become torturous. Sensing he was struggling to keep his composure, she pushed him onto his side and with the condom still her in hand; she placed it on him. The very instant her fingers skimmed over the sensitive skin he had a difficult time remaining in control. So thankfully, she unrolled it on the way down his imposing length, and at the exact moment she reached the bottom, he moved Remi onto her back and climbed on top. Their mutual attraction had reached its pinnacle, no more denying what they both wanted and desired. As Remi arched her back, Liam slipped himself inside of her. Tentative at first, when she moaned and dug her nails into his back, Liam thrust harder. She twisted her legs around his, guiding him in even deeper. Though close to the brink himself, Liam deliberately moved with her pace, and as she quickened it, he knew she was on the verge of climaxing. Her breathing exaggerated until her entire body quivered. With a soft groan, she smiled as her body relaxed underneath him. It took only two more thrusts for Liam to achieve the ultimate orgasm and join his contented partner. Afterward, he collapsed to the side, draped his arm across her flat stomach and rested his chin on her shoulder. “It’s been a long time for me,” she whispered, out of breath. “Me too,” he laughed, his rapid breathing mimicking hers.

  She turned her head to face him. “Will your ego inflate, if I confess you were totally worth the wait?”

  A huge grin fell upon his face, as he repaid the compliment, “As were you.”

  He swiped his hand along her sweaty forehead, down the side of her cheek then kissed her still moist lips.
The whole time Remi couldn’t stop from wearing a perpetual smile, feeling happier than ever. If only she could bottle that feeling and keep it forever, she thought. Fearing her mind might be diving into a pessimistic territory, she willed away unwanted negative spirits, refusing to allow them to dampen her elated mood. Liam kissed her lips again, which only reinforced the positivity. “Aren’t you glad we came out of the vault?” she asked, giggling. He started cracking up while wholeheartedly agreeing with her. “Yeah, good call on that one,” he said, kissing her again. And those kisses continued along with a few more rounds of lovemaking, which lasted into the wee hours of the morning.

  CHAPTER 16

  Liam opened his eyes to spy the bright, Florida sun bursting in through the windows. Not only had he slept fantastically, making love with Remi, far exceeded his wildest imagination. He never doubted them getting intimate wouldn’t be amazing, but what he didn’t count on was how great he was going to feel afterward.

  Her head was resting on his chest, and all he could think was how nice it would be having this in his life—all the time. He smirked, louder than he meant to, waking her. As she stirred, a sigh of pure contentment escaped her mouth. She opened one eye and conspicuously peeked up at him. “Good morning,” he said, grinning. She murmured, “Hi,” as she casually placed her hand on the 4-inch scar on his abdomen. “Who removed the staples?”

  “A doctor in Chicago.”

  She felt the slightly raised area of the skin, marveling at his resilience. “I remember that night you came to me for help.”

  “I thought for sure you were going to tell me to go to hell.”

  Staring at the scar, she asked, “Ever regret not leaving Philadelphia?”

  “You mean after you told me to?” he countered.

  “No, after the heist.”

  “No regrets—remember?”

  “I’m serious,” she said, moving to a pillow, and propping her head up with her elbow. He sat up a little then sighed. “I don’t know; I guess to some extent.”

  “I know I asked you this before, but why didn’t you run?” she questioned. “You could have been in the clear to get rid of the diamonds as you saw fit and lived a life a free man with no worries.”

  “True,” he said then added, “But you forget that I’m a very confident, arrogant man who didn’t think it was possible for them to figure out I was one of the gunmen or that I had the diamonds.”

  “Confident yes, but you don’t seem so arrogant anymore,” she said. “At least to me anyway.”

  “Guess my stupidity as of late has killed the arrogance.”

  She gave him a sad expression.

  “I’m not referring to you or what we just did as being stupid; I mean everything else from leaving my DNA all over that damn bag to allowing Denton and Charles to blackmail me.”

  She scooted as close as possible while laying her arm around his bare torso. A position she couldn’t deny absolutely relishing. As she laid her head down on his shoulder, she lightly kissed the underside of his neck, which a satisfied Liam rendered a smile. While the sound of ocean waves could be heard breaking outside, being there with Liam made her never want to be anywhere else. In fact, she boldly suggested, “Let’s never go back.”

  That garnered another smile from the once cold-hearted soul who couldn’t deny staying there with her, was extremely tempting. She lifted her head and looked him in the eye. “I’m not kidding, Liam.”

  “Oh, I don’t doubt that,” he said, skimming her cheek with his hand. As he softly stroked her skin with his thumb, he somberly muttered, “But it’s not reality.”

  She sighed. “I just know things are going to turn to shit when we get go home.”

  He quipped, “Pretty much.”

  “How can you be so flip about it?” she asked, amazed at his blasé attitude.

  “Because it beats the alternative,” he said. “Walking around with our heads hung low while anticipating the awfulness that is probably going to ensue, will just ruin the moment now, so let’s just have fun today and not worry about tomorrow.”

  She half-smiled, but it was completely disingenuous.

  “What was it you called me the night you were drunk at that bar?” he asked. She sheepishly shrugged. “Buzzkill,” he said. “And that’s what you’re being now.”

  That made her laugh and feel a little better. “Okay, I promise to stop being a Debbie Downer.”

  “Good,” he said, squeezing his arm around her. “You hungry?”

  “You cooking breakfast?”

  “That’s why I bought the food yesterday,” he said, pressing his lips to her forehead. “Sounds good,” she said, absolutely loving this side of Liam. It just made her wish even more that they could hide away from everyone and everything. “I need a shower but don’t want to move from this spot,” she said, lying her head back down against his shoulder while snuggling against him. He held her for a few minutes then both reluctantly exited the bed. Remi grabbed Liam’s t-shirt off the floor then slipped it over her head, while he pulled on his boxers and stretched. “I also need coffee!” she exclaimed, stretching herself. He announced that he’d brew some in the new maker and get breakfast started. He flashed a sweet smile before heading downstairs, leaving Remi alone to shower and get dressed.

  The morning temperature was a balmy 75 degrees, so as soon the coffee was ready, Liam poured a cup then strolled out onto the terrace. It was a beautiful start to the day. He stood there for a moment just watching the waves break, his thoughts heavily concentrated on what happened between him and Remi and that's when he finally admitted to himself that she, in fact, represented happiness. His career, though satisfying to a degree, still never quite gave him the complete fulfillment he craved. Hence, why he resorted to his alternative life as a thief. Always searching for whatever was missing, Liam surely never thought it would be a woman. Romance and relationships were taboo in his warped way of thinking. He wanted no parts of it. Which might explain why all the other women he was ever with opted for his sexual prowess and notable bank account knowing full well he was never going to give them his heart. Of course, he still didn’t believe he actually had one. Perpetually conditioned not to love or be loved, had worked very well for him. That said, what he found in Remi was a woman who could see past the façade and bullshit. A woman he held at gunpoint but somehow forgave him. A woman that went above and beyond to lie, protect and take care of him. A woman who knows the darker part of his life, and regardless, still wants to be there and doesn’t ask much in return. She accepts him, flaws and all. He had to ask himself, what did he ever do to deserve someone like her?

  After a refreshing shower, Remi quickly got dressed then stared at the mussed up sheets, a telltale sign of their night of lovemaking. It was perfect, she thought. She began tidying the sheets when the smell of fried bacon entered the room. Starving, she hurried to finish then rushed to the kitchen where Liam had generously whipped up scrambled eggs, bacon, and buttered toast. “Hope you like it crispy,” he said, referring to the overcooked bacon. She sat down on one of the stools and remarked, “So, there is one thing you aren’t good at.”

  He laughed as he joined her at the island. Both famished from sex; they devoured the food in a matter of minutes. Neither wasting time to actually taste any of it. “What would you like to do today?” he asked. “Well, I figured you’d probably want to get some work done, maybe I’d work on getting a tan,” she replied. He nodded that she was correct in her assessment, but that he hadn’t planned on ditching her all day. “No worries, I brought plenty of reading material,” she said, getting down and walking around to the other side where Liam was. “I’ll just plant myself on one of those comfy chaises out on the deck, and I’m good to go,” she said, giving him a peck on the cheek. “Thank you for breakfast,” she whispered. “You’re welcome,” he said, slipping his arm around her waist. “Don’t forget, tonight I’m taking you to dinner,” he said, side hugging her. It amazed her that he could continue to block ou
t the negative shit and act like it wasn’t weighing on him. Not that she was complaining, because if being Liam’s diversion helped him get by, she was all for it. “After I clean up this mess, I’m going for a run,” he said. Remi shooed him out of the way and told him that she’d clean up the kitchen. With no argument from him, Liam quickly threw on shorts and a tee then hit the beach. It didn’t take her long to wash the dishes and wipe the counters, for Liam was just as meticulous with his cooking as he was with everything else. When she finished, she remembered that they had forgotten all about the appetizers and boxes that were still outside on the terrace. She grabbed a trash bag from under the sink with the intention of cleaning up, but to her surprise, or maybe not. Liam had already taken care of it. Since she was already out there, she took a moment to watch the waves and thought about how wonderful last night had been and how Liam’s lovemaking skills had exceeded her expectations. She giggled along with blushing, as there was no doubt that Liam was all man. Even better, he was all hers.

  An hour later, Liam arrived back and immediately hopped in the shower while Remi, clad in a pink string bikini concealed by a gray cover-up tunic, had taken refuge on a side deck for some much needed bronzing. With a small stack of fashion magazines and a brand new tube of SPF 30 sunscreen at her side, Remi got situated on a lounge chair and took full advantage of the spectacular weather and gorgeous surroundings. In the meantime, Liam worked for a couple of hours, but for the first time since they had gotten to Miami, he began thinking about the investigation and the dilemma with Denton. Though having done an exceptional job not dwelling on those things, it managed to creep in and remind him that he had some decisions to make. Regardless, he felt screwed no matter what he chose to do. Denton and Charles would more than likely hold Remi’s actions over his head every time they would need something from him. He then thought the jewelry store job might not even matter if the police have him arrested before it even takes place. With his focus completely messed up, he stepped away from the drafting table and ventured out to the deck where he sat down on the empty chaise next to Remi. She hadn’t acknowledged his presence, so he thought that maybe she was sleeping, and not wanting to disturb her, he leaned back onto the chair and quietly sighed. To his surprise, she heard him and asked, “Everything, okay?”