“Sure.”
Getting comfortable with the rest of the restaurant behind me, I stare out across the water. The moonlight shines in its depths and bathes everything in a silver glow.
I’m so lost to the tranquillity of this place that the presence of someone appearing at my side scares the shit out of me.
A little squeal escapes my lips as my hand comes up to cover my racing heart. Laughing to myself, I’m just about to apologise and order two glasses of wine when I look up.
My chin drops and my hand falls away from my chest.
“Liam?”
Liam
I knew something was off the second BJ said the taxi was outside. I can’t remember the last time I used one, seeing as all the places we go to drink these days are in walking distance. He and Dec had been acting a little shifty all night. I really should have seen it coming.
“What the fuck’s going on?” I ask when the taxi pulls up outside the fanciest restaurant this town has to offer. It’s the kind of place you take your missus for your anniversary, or when you want to pop the question. It wouldn’t be my usual restaurant of choice, but the sudden realisation of who I’m going to be spending the evening with doesn’t make it seem so bad.
“We’re running an intervention,” BJ announces.
“An intervention?”
“Yep. I call it ‘Mission; get Liam laid’.”
“Nice,” I say with a roll of my eyes. Apparently, BJ’s class ran out after his choice of restaurant.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” he asks as Dec opens the front door when he spots Nicole heading our way. “Go on,” BJ says, elbowing me in the ribs, “she’s waiting.”
I’m not sure if it’s nerves or excitement that erupt in my stomach, but whatever it is, it’s enough to have me jumping from the car.
“You can thank me later. I’ll put my music on so I can’t hear you getting some!”
Choosing not to respond, I turn to Nicole. “She has no idea, does she?”
“Nope. She looks gorgeous, though. You’re in for a treat.”
“Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. It was all BJ.”
“Really?” I ask, glancing back at my beaming best mate.
“Trust me, you can’t be as surprised as I was when he called for my help.”
Liv’s appearance has definitely had some weird effect on my best mate, that’s for sure, but I can only focus on that thought for so long because knowing Liv’s sat inside waiting for me, even if she has no idea, has my legs moving of their own accord.
“Have a good night,” Nic shouts as I make my way up towards the entrance. “The table’s under my name, but the maître d’ is expecting you.
As I follow behind the maître d’, my eyes dart around the restaurant, trying to spot her, but I come up empty. Please don’t tell me she’s clocked what’s going on and legged it.
I breathe a sigh of relief as we round a corner and my eyes land on her, tucked into the corner, staring out at the night beyond, looking like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders. She looks stunning with her curled hair pulled over one shoulder, her almost bare back on display. My eyes run over all her exposed skin and my fingers twitch to find out if it’s as smooth as I imagine.
The maître d’ gestures for me to join her before walking away, leaving us alone. I keep my eyes on Liv, taking in her beauty as my heart races. Crazy thoughts start running through my mind. Is she going to be okay with this? Does she want this? She was so keen to get away from me earlier that I’ve no idea where her head’s at. One minute I think she feels the same way I do, then other times I wonder if it’s just me getting carried away with myself and my fantasy of her being my perfect woman.
I can only stand and wonder for so long because the second I take a step towards her, she screams in fright, her reaction scaring the crap out of me at the same time.
Her eyes almost bug out of her head as she takes me in. I guess that answers my question about her expecting me.
My name is barely a whisper but something inside me knots. “We’ve been set up, haven’t we?”
“We have,” I say, leaning towards her. Her sweet scent tickles my nose and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Unable to resist, I move closer and press my lips to her cheek. “I hope that’s okay.”
Pulling back, I stare into her glazed eyes, my lips twitching with amusement as she tries to find her words.
“I…I think it’s more than okay.”
Relief floods me that she’s not going to put an end to our night before it’s even begun.
“Ready to order?” a waiter asks, halting any further conversation.
After ordering myself a drink and then our food, a comfortable silence falls over our table. Liv’s once again staring out to sea, while I keep my gaze on her face.
“Tell me what you’re thinking?” I ask, reaching across the table and entwining our fingers. Sitting here opposite her isn’t enough. I need more.
“That BJ might be a bit of a tool at times, but his heart’s in the right place.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” I say with a laugh.
“Can you stop looking at me like that?” she asks, and I’m a little taken aback by the question.
“Like what?” My brows draw together with confusion.
“Like I’m going to break. I don’t need reminding of everything every time I look into your eyes. Trust me, I’m not likely to forget anytime soon, but I’d really like a normal night out. I don’t want you to treat me like glass. Treat me like I’m any other woman you date.”
“I…uh…don’t date,” I admit, reluctantly.
“So you don’t date and you don’t shag anything with a pulse like BJ. What do you do?” Her cheeks heat a little as she realises what she’s really asking.
“I wait,” I answer simply.
Her eyes narrow as she stares at me like I’ve just told her I have two heads. “You…wait? Wait for what?”
“The one.”
“The—”
Her words are cut off as the waiter arrives with our food, but her eyes don’t leave my face. I can almost feel her trying to figure me out.
Chapter Eleven
Olivia
“The one.”
His words repeat in my mind as I try to enjoy my meal while his stare burns into me. What is it exactly he’s trying to tell me here?
“That was incredible,” I say once the plates have been cleared away and I’m sat once again under his intense stare. “W…what?”
His eyes leave mine and drop down my neck, then to the skin between my breasts that my playsuit exposes. I swallow as he takes his fill.
I freeze when he reaches out, but instead of touching me, he wraps his fingers around the bottom of the chair and pulls me towards him. My breath leaves me as I’m surrounded by him. His fingers brush across the bare skin of my back before resting on my waist as he leans into my ear.
“You’re beautiful.” All the air leaves my lungs at once.
“Liam.”
His nose runs around the shell of my ear and I shudder. “I’m not sure how much longer I can wait.”
“Y…you were waiting for…me?”
“Yes,” he states all matter-of-fact, like the words don’t tip my world on its axes. I know I told him to treat me like any other date, but I wasn’t anticipating this. My heart begins to race and relief washes through me when I see the waiter walking our way.
“Would you like to order desserts?”
“You choose,” I say, turning to Liam. “I just need…” My words trail off as I stand and begin to walk away. “I just need a minute,” I mutter to myself.
His stare. His words. His touch. They all make me want things I shouldn’t. It’s been only weeks since I ran out on my boyfriend and his monster of a brother. Shouldn’t I still be dealing with the fallout from that? Shouldn’t I be heartbroken? I definitely shouldn’t be here with a man, wanting nothing mor
e than for him to take me home. I want him to make me forget, but it’s more than that. I don’t want to use him for escape from my nightmares. I just want him. I want him so much I’m scared. Scared I’m doing the wrong thing. Scared I’m not ready. Scared he’s going to shatter my heart into a million pieces because he can’t possibly want me the way I want him. He says all the right words, makes me believe he could. But what happens when he decides he doesn’t and I’m left alone, but not from my own doing?
I spend too long in the toilets, staring at myself in the mirror and giving myself a good talking to. I don’t walk out of there any less confused than when I walked in, but I do feel a little more grounded. I tell myself to stop worrying about the what ifs and what I believe to be the right thing to do in this situation. Who says there’s a right thing to do, anyway?
“There you are. I was just going to come and find you.”
“Whoa, that’s a big one,” I comment, dragging my eyes from his concerned face to the giant ice cream sundae sitting in the centre of our table.
“That’s what I hear,” he says with a wink, a cheeky smile twitching at his lips. “Is everything okay?” he asks after a beat, his voice serious all of a sudden.
“Yeah, fine. Just ignore me.”
“Not likely.”
My cheeks flush at his words and I drop to my chair, which is still pulled close to his. “Only one?”
“I thought it might be romantic.” He shrugs but I can sense that he’s now questioning his decision.
“Well, it looks incredible.”
“Here,” he says, scooping up a spoonful of ice cream covered in chocolate sauce. His focus is zeroed on my lips as I part them to allow him to place the spoon inside my mouth. As the sweetness of the sauce hits my tongue, I can’t help but groan, my eyes flickering closed.
Liam clearing his throat has my eyes popping open. I watch as he shifts about in his seat while staring aimlessly out the window.
“Everything okay?” I try to keep a straight face but the second his dark, lust-filled eyes find mine, it kickstarts a throb inside me that has my mouth dropping open in surprise.
“Yeah, perfect. You?”
“Yeah. Want some?”
I return the favour with the ice cream and I totally understand what his issue was. The second he moans in pleasure, I swear I’m seconds away from exploding.
“I think we should get out of here.”
“Sure.” I try to sound confident but the second he suggests leaving, my panic hits me again full-force. I want to enjoy this, him, but I’m concerned it’s more likely that I’m going to royally screw it up.
Thankfully, Liam insists on paying the bill. I was too busy worrying about everything else to think about how the hell I was going to afford this extravagant meal. I’m waiting for my bankcard to give up any moment; I’m sure this bill would have finished it off.
“Come on, there’s a taxi waiting,” Liam says, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Okay.” Standing, I feel his eyes run the length of me before lingering on my shoes. I’m reminded of his fascination with them at Nicole’s engagement party and the joy he took in unwrapping them from my legs. Warmth spreads up my neck and to my cheeks as memories of how his touch affected me that night slam into me.
I expect him to maybe thread our fingers together as we walk towards the exit, What I’m not expecting is for his hand to land on my waist and for him to pull me tightly into his side.
No words are said, but it’s like our bodies are talking as they move together perfectly. It conjures up images I really don’t need filling my head.
“Thank you for tonight,” I say after sitting in the suffocating silence of the taxi for what feels like forever. The tension surrounding us is incredible, and the closer we get to home, the more unsure I am of what my next actions should be.
I still want him, more than anything. But should I? Will I regret it tomorrow?
Glancing over at him, it appears at first sight that he’s totally relaxed as he sits back against the leather seat, but the closer I look, the more evidence I see that he’s just as agitated as I am. His jaw pops and a muscle in his neck pulses. When I get down to his waist, I spot his fists curled so tight that his knuckles are white.
He knows I’m watching him. His eyes follow me, but he says nothing. It seems I’m not the only one fighting an internal battle, but what’s he got to worry about?
My heart races as we pull up to the house. I don’t sit and wait for Liam to pay. I’m up and out of the car the second it pulls to a stop by the curb, not being able to stand the tension and uncertainty any longer.
I’m stopped when I get to the front door because, unlike usual, it’s locked. By the time I’ve found the key in the depths of my handbag, Liam’s caught up with me.
“Hey,” he says, running his hand down my arm, causing goosebumps to cover my skin. “Is everything okay?”
“Of course,” I mutter, shoving the key in the lock, pushing it open and storming inside.
I’ve no idea what I’m doing. My ears buzz and my mind spins as I make my way towards the stairs. My only thought is to get to my room.
“Liv…Liv,” I hear from behind me, but my footsteps don’t falter. “Liv, stop, please,” Liam begs. His fingers wrap around my wrist and I spin so I’m staring right at him. The look on his face has me taking a step back, but all that achieves is bumping into the wall. “What did I do?” His eyes flick over my face as he waits for my response.
What do I say to that? He’s been nothing but perfect.
His breath skates over my face as he patiently waits for what I have to say. His eyes beg for me not to turn him away, not to shut him out.
My heart continues to pound and my temperature soars with him so close.
But I don’t answer him. Instead, I lean forward, closing the space between us, and press my lips to his.
He hesitates for a second and I panic that he’s going to pull away. Just as I’m about to move back and apologise, he grabs my arms and places them over his shoulders. He closes the small amount of space between us again and presses me into the wall. His fingers dig into my hips and he tries to get us even closer. His lips move against mine, and then his tongue is in my mouth, duelling with mine and discovering every inch.
I sag against the wall as his kiss consumes me, but he doesn’t let me fall. Threading one of his legs through mine, he holds me tighter and kisses me harder.
I’ve never experienced a kiss like it. It’s demanding yet soft. Romantic yet explosive.
Pulling back, he rests his forehead against mine. His eyes are closed tightly as his breath caresses my face.
“Liam,” I whisper, wanting his attention and panicking that he’s cut himself off from me.
“You have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for that?”
Biting down on my bottom lip, I shake my head. A smile tugs at my lips as I process his words. He’s not regretting that.
When he pulls his eyelids open what lies beneath is full of hunger and lust. It makes my breath catch and my core throb.
“Tell me what you want, Liv.” His tone is almost a warning, but it only excites me.
“You,” I breathe, staring him straight in the eyes so he can see how serious I am.
“I can wait, if you’re not ready. I understand.” His hand comes up to my cheek and his eyes soften slightly. “But if you say yes, the second we step foot in that room, I’m not going to be able to stop.”
I shake my head and he begins to move away. “No,” I shout, grabbing his shirt, stopping him. “No, I’m ready.”
“You sure?”
I nod, and the smile I get in return almost knocks me on my arse. “Have you always had dimples?” I ask, running my fingertip over the little dent in his cheek.
“Only when I’m really, really happy.”
I can’t help but burst out laughing. I’m soon silenced when his lips come back to mine. Every single thought falls from my head and I foc
us on his lips and his hard body.
I’ve no idea how long we make out in the hallway like teenagers. All sense of time seems to disappear when he’s touching me. It’s a feeling that I think I could very easily get used to.
“Shall we?” I whisper between kisses and nod my head towards my bedroom door. “We don’t really want to give BJ a show.” My words were meant as a joke, but Liam’s body tenses at the thought seconds before he grabs onto my thighs and lifts me.
Wrapping my arms around his shoulders, I allow him to carry me to my bedroom. “That was a joke,” I whisper in his ear before I kiss down his neck. I want it to relax him, but I can still tell he’s tense.
“I know. It’s just the thought of someone else…” I don’t allow him to continue. Instead, I slam my lips back down on his. He doesn’t need to say any more.
After breaking our kiss, he lowers me down his body until I’m on my feet. He looked so in control out in the hallway, but now, stood here in front of me, he looks totally lost.
“I don’t know if I can do this,” he admits and my stomach drops.
“But you said—”
“I know what I said, and that still stands, but I don’t know if I can be what you need.” His eyes break from mine and he glances over at the bed.
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m…” His hands rake through his hair as he tries to find the right words. His shirt lifts in the process, exposing just a slither of his tanned, taut skin beneath, and my mouth waters. I go to run a finger along it, my need for him getting the better of me, but he’s faster and his fingers wrap around my wrist before I make contact. “I’m not very good at soft and gentle.”
“Who said that’s what I wanted?”
“It’s what you deserve.”
“Says who?” I stare him dead in the eye, trying to show him just how serious I am. Daring him to make a move. I’m not blind; I knew Liam wasn’t the soft and gentle type. He’s too demanding and possessive to take a backseat in the bedroom.
Falling For Liam (Falling Book 9) Page 11