“Last one for today then, and it’s my choice. I hope you all have a fantastic weekend. I’ll be back to get you ready to start your working week on Monday morning.”
My heart threatens to pound out of my chest as I wait for his song choice to start. I recognise Philip George’s ‘Alone No More’ immediately, and to start with I think it’s a bit of a weird choice. That is, until he starts singing about being in love. Then, my knees buckle and I find myself on the sofa.
Did he choose this to tell me…Is this a coincidence and his choice has nothing to do with me? Or is he really trying to…
My heart races as I try not to allow it to run away with me. It could just be a random song choice. It could have nothing to do with me at all. I’m probably just thinking too much into it.
I’m still staring at the wall, lost in my thoughts, when BJ comes back down some time later. He’s freshly showered and ready to hit the town, even though it’s not even 11am yet.
“Well, that went well.”
“W…what?”
“Your song choice and his response.”
“You think?” I ask sceptically.
“Yeah.” He looks at me like I’m crazy. “We were just listening to the same thing, right? You basically heard my best friend declare is love for you live on radio?”
“Did he, though?” I hate sounding vulnerable and needy, but I can’t help it. I’m already driving myself nuts with this; I need someone else’s opinion.
“You really needed a song to tell you that? He’s had it bad for you since the moment he saw you.” My mouth drops open but no sound comes out. “Liv, seriously. He’s been waiting years for ‘the one’, then you turn up and it’s like his world’s been tilted. He’s totally in love with you.”
I stare at BJ with wide eyes and a gawping mouth as his words race around my head.
“You really didn’t know?” he asks with a laugh.
“I just…I don’t know.” Sagging back against the sofa, suddenly feeling exhausted, I let out a long breath. But it seems BJ hasn’t finished.
“You love him too, by the way. And when he’s ready and comes back, you’re going to tell him and then run off into the sunset together. I can see little Liams running around very soon.”
“Whoa,” I say holding my hands up. “He’s not even talking to me at this point. Don’t you think you’re running away with yourself?”
“Nah. When you know, you know.”
“And you know that how?” I ask, hoping to get a little insight into the mystery that is BJ, but he just shrugs before telling me that he knows what he’s talking about.
“Just promise me something?” he asks, turning back as he heads towards the door.
“Sure.”
“Don’t fuck it up. Life’s a long time to live with regrets.” Then, he’s gone.
* * *
I eventually manage to drag my confused arse up to my room to get showered and dressed for the day. Feeling restless and not wanting to sit around the house waiting for Liam to possibly return, I slip on my flip-flops, grab my bag and start walking. I’ve no idea if she’s working, but when I get down to the beach, I poke my head inside the shack. The place is packed and it’s only a couple of seconds before I spot a harassed looking Nicole taking some customers’ food orders over.
Taking the one empty stool at the bar, I sit and wait for her to come over while eavesdropping on the two women next to me discussing a guy one of them has been seeing. It’s nice not to have to think about my own life for a few minutes as the woman gives her friend a play-by-play of the previous night.
“Oh my god, it’s crazy in here today. Freya rang in sick and she was meant to be working a long shift.” After redoing her ponytail, Nicole sets about making a round of drinks.
“I can help,” I offer.
“You serious?”
“Of course. I’ve never waited tables before, mind you.”
“You’ll be fine. It’s easy. Go put your bag in the office and I’ll find you an apron.”
Jumping off the bar stool, I do as she said, feeling good about having something to do today. When I return, Nic wastes no time tying the fabric around my waist and shoving a notepad at me.
I’m totally out of my depth. I’ve no idea what’s on the menu other than the brie and bacon panini I always order, but it’s not long before I find myself in the swing of things. Glancing over at Nic, she smiles, looking much more relaxed than when I first arrived.
“I’m guessing Dec’s with BJ?” I ask when there’s a bit of a lull.
“Yeah. He monopolises their time for the entire day every year.”
“What are they doing?”
“No idea, but every year they apparently end up in a strip club in the city. BJ keeps the plans secret.”
* * *
By the time Nicole locks up for the night, my feet are throbbing and I’m in need of a nice long shower and a large glass of wine.
“Drink?” she asks, turning the main lights off.
“Can you read my mind?”
With a laugh, she grabs a bottle from the fridge and pours us both a generous glassful.
She carries them over to where I’ve flopped down on the sofa that looks out over the beach beyond.
“Want to talk about it?” she asks after I let out a long sigh.
“I just feel lost. Things were so good between us. I felt my life was turning a corner, and now it’s like I’m back at square one again. I’m half tempted to go to my parents’—”
“Don’t you dare,” she warns, turning her narrowed eyes to me. “You know he would hunt you down and drag you back if you did, anyway.”
“Would he? I’ve not seen him since last weekend, let alone spoken to him. For all I know, he’s done with me. Every time I picture him, I just see his anger and the dejected look on his face when I visited David. I was trying to put an end to all of that. I know I may not have gone the best way about it, but I never intended on it ruining what I have here.”
“That boy’s head over heels for you, and you know it.”
“So everyone keeps telling me, but it’s kinda hard to believe when it’s not coming from him.”
“It will.” She’s full of a confidence I could do with a little of. “Just give him time. He’ll be back.”
“We’ll see,” I mutter, staring back out at the dark night, praying that she’s right.
Chapter Sixteen
Olivia
The second I get in, I grab myself another glass of wine and head for my room, exhausted after my impromptu waitressing shift. It was the perfect distraction from everything that’s been going on, and it was a great excuse to spend some time with Nicole.
Foregoing the shower, I put the plug in the bath and pour in some bubbles. I strip out of my clothes and lower myself into the water, way before it’s even halfway up the tub. Grabbing my wine, I relax and allow the water to soothe my aching body.
The bruises Griff caused have almost faded now. There are just a few yellowish marks on my upper arms and around my eye that I can mostly cover with make-up. I can’t wait for them to vanish completely so I’m not reminded of him every time I take my clothes off. I’ve managed to rid him from my life; now, it’s time the evidence he ever touched me vanishes, too.
With the heat and the scent of the berry bubble bath surrounding me, I succumb to my exhaustion much sooner than I was expecting. I doze in and out of sleep, knowing I really need to get out, but I’m too relaxed to move. That is, until I hear a crash downstairs.
Sitting up so fast I slosh water all over the floor, my heart races as I strain to hear any more noise. I wasn’t expecting anyone home tonight, and I’m pretty sure I locked the door behind me.
My pulse pounds with every footstep I hear thundering up the stairs, and I gasp in horror when my bedroom door crashes open.
With my fists clenched so tightly my nails dig into my palms, I wait for the inevitable, but when the door opens, my breath catches at the sight
of the person staring back at me.
His chest is heaving, his eyes dark and hungry. My body trembles, but it’s no longer with fear. It’s with lust.
“Liam,” I breathe, so relieved he’s here that I can barely think straight.
His eyes hold mine for a few seconds before they lower to my body, mostly hidden behind masses of white bubbles. When they come back to mine, they’re darker still and my insides clench in anticipation. I haven’t seen him for a week, and being without his touch has been driving me crazy.
Suddenly, he’s moving. His hands reach down into the bubbles and he grips me around the waist before I’m lifted from the water as if I weigh nothing.
Water drips from my body, but he either doesn’t care or notice because he manages to manoeuvre me so my legs wrap around his waist. The water clinging to my skin soaks into the fabric of his shirt and jeans, but he ignores it as his fingers thread into my damp hair and he pulls my lips to his.
His tongue is in my mouth in seconds, exploring every inch like he’s forgotten what I feel and taste like. I eagerly kiss him back, but before long, the pounding between my legs gets so intense that I can’t help but start grinding myself against him. His hardness presses against my clit, and that along with the roughness of the denim has me nearing release sooner than I ever would have thought.
Ripping his lips from mine, he stares at me with his dark, lust-filled eyes. “I don’t fucking think so,” he warns. I’ve no idea what he means, but excitement fills me at his demanding tone.
We’re in my bedroom before I’ve even realised we’re moving. I’m too lost in his eyes and the determined expression on his face. I squeal when I’m thrown onto the bed, and bounce a couple of times before I settle. The wine I consumed earlier makes my head spin a little from the sudden movement, but I soon focus when Liam cages me in with his arms and stares down at me. His eyes are almost menacing, and if it were anyone else, I might be a little intimidated. But this is Liam, and I have a feeling that look in his eyes means only one thing…he’s about to show me a new side to himself that I think he’s kept hidden.
“Do you trust me?” he asks, making me flinch and dragging me from my thoughts.
“With my life,” I answer honestly. His eyes widen at my words, but instead of dropping on me or kissing me like I was expecting, he stands and marches from the room.
What the fuck?
I stare into the empty space where he just was as my duvet soaks up what’s left of the water covering me. He bangs around and I start to think he’s not going to reappear when I hear footsteps.
Butterflies erupt in my belly and my pulse thunders in every part of my body as he gets closer.
My eyes widen the second he steps foot inside the door. His shirt’s gone. He stands there in only his dark jeans, hanging low around his hips with the waistband of his boxers on display, with a black rope in his hands. My mouth drops open as he runs it through his fingers. All the while, his eyes roam my naked body as if he’s thinking about what he wants to do to me.
“Liam, please.” I don’t mean to say it out loud, but the longer he stands there, the more I need him to do something. He watches as I squirm under his gaze and rub my thighs together to try to dull the ache.
His eyes flash with something, but he’s moving before I have a chance to decipher it.
“Tell me now if you don’t want this.”
“I want this. I need this.” My voice is almost begging and it has a wicked grin tugging at the corner of Liam’s lips.
Dropping the rope to the bed, he reaches out and wraps his fingers around my ankles before pulling my legs wide to stop me.
“I get you off. You got that?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“What was that?”
“Yes, only you,” I say with more determination as he picks the rope back up and kneels on the bed beside me. He drops one end over my shoulder before slowly running it over my neck and across my collarbones. A shiver runs through me and goosebumps race across my skin. Closing my eyes, I focus on the sensation of the rope as Liam circles it around my nipples. My back arches when he pulls away, desperately trying to find it again.
He teases me relentlessly, running the rope over my sensitive skin, leaving me begging for more. My legs tremble with my need for release as he tickles it over my navel and down towards where I need him most. I can’t help the moans that fall from my lips as he allows the rope to drop between my legs.
The bed dipping as he moves has my eyes opening. His warm fingers circle my ankle before he slowly starts to wind the rope around, and I’m reminded of his reaction to my favourite shoes. I knew he liked them, but I’m now starting to understand why.
His fingertips trail over the fabric before he makes quick work of some fancy knot. After giving it a tug to make sure it’s secure, he grabs my wrist and repeats his earlier action, binding me wrist to ankle.
Once he’s done the other side, he stands back and assesses his handiwork. My eyes run over the tight muscles of his shoulders before dropping down his chiselled stomach and stopping on his cock, straining to be released.
“You drive me fucking crazy, you know that?” Sensing it’s a rhetorical question, I don’t respond. “Going off, taking the law into your own hands. Well, tonight…you get no say. You get what you’re given. You do what I say, when I say it.”
Lust fills my entire body and I pull against my bindings, trying to release some pressure.
“Consider this punishment for your reckless behaviour.”
I should be scared of the look in his eyes, of the fact that I’m tied up and completely at his mercy, but in reality, I’m more turned on than I think I’ve ever been. Something told me that Liam was different. That he wanted something more, something darker, and I think I’m finally learning the truth.
“Liam, please,” I beg once again, my patience waning.
I cry out when he leaves the room again, but this time he’s back in seconds with my wine glass. He takes a sip and I watch the muscles in his neck work as he swallows, desperate to feel them under my lips.
“I spent most of tonight watching naked girls dancing around,” he says, like it’s an everyday occurrence, “but all I could think about was you. You being at my mercy and taking whatever I give to you. Want some?” he asks, glancing to the wine glass, and I nod eagerly.
He walks over, but instead of making any attempt to put the glass to my lips, he tips it above my stomach. I flinch when the cool liquid hits my heated skin as a pool of wine collects in my belly button.
The bed dips as Liam climbs on before his head drops to my stomach. He slowly laps at the wine before nipping at my skin, sending shockwaves of pleasure around my body.
“It tastes better on you.” My thighs come together once again but he notices and forces them apart. “Have you forgotten what I said earlier? Only I get you off. And only I decide when and if it happens.”
Liam
I didn’t plan on coming home tonight, but when BJ tried to convince me to get a lap dance from some random stripper for the fifth time, I decided enough was enough. Those girls weren’t doing anything for me. I knew exactly who I needed, and the shots filling my body gave me the perfect excuse to put an end to denying myself what I truly wanted.
It was time to show Liv who I really was.
My cock throbs as I stare down at her with her wrists and ankles bound together. It’s a fantasy I’ve had for too fucking long. The need to just fuck her is strong, but I’ve got no intentions of this being over that fast. I wasn’t lying when I said this was punishment for what she did. Even a week on, I’m still furious she put herself at risk like that. She put herself in a position for that cocksucker to touch her, to touch what’s mine. My blood boils once again as I think about it and I neck what’s left of her wine, the effect of the earlier shots starting to wear off.
Climbing between her legs to stop her trying to pleasure herself, I fold over her and pull one of her nipples into my mouth.
She arches her back, trying to give me more, and I can’t help but smile around her. I had no idea how she was going to react to this; for all I knew, she could have run at the sight of the rope, but it seems my girl is all up for a little bit of kink.
My chest swells with everything I feel for her, and it confirms that what I’ve done this week was the right thing. It hurt like a motherfucker being away from her, but I needed to calm down and to get some things organised. Right now, though, with her naked and writhing beneath me, I know it was totally worth it.
Releasing her with a pop, I give the other side the same treatment as she tries to slide down the bed to find me, to get some friction.
Pulling away from her, I push her back up the bed. Her pout makes me laugh but she needs reminding of who’s in charge right now.
“When. I. Say.”
Threading my fingers in her hair, I force her to sit up and crash my lips to hers. I might want to tease her until she’s crying for release, but fuck if I don’t need her just as badly.
Pulling her hair, I move her head so I can kiss down the soft skin of her neck, biting and sucking as I go so that in the morning there will be no question about what happened to her.
I allow her to fall back to the bed before continuing my trail down her body, not leaving an inch untouched before I find my final prize.
My mouth waters with my need to taste her. The smell of her arousal fills the room but it’s not enough. I want the fucking taste of her on my tongue forever.
Lowering myself so my knees are on the floor, I grab her hips and pull her to the end of the bed. I look up at her gazing down at me between her thighs, her eyes wide with lust and her red, swollen lips parted with her increased breaths. Her chest heaves as she waits for me to do something, to bring her the pleasure she’s so desperate for. Once I manage to drag my eyes away, I stare down at her, glistening with arousal, and I lick my lips. She groans in need, flexing her hips, trying to entice me, but she seems to be forgetting that she’s not calling the shots here.
Falling For Liam (Falling Book 9) Page 16