Consumed (The Breathless Series, #1)
Page 16
Kelly, of course, questioned me on why I needed an empty pizza box. I gave her some clever excuse about using it to wrap a gift for a friend who loved pizza. While she thought it odd, she took my answer at face value. I wasn't completely lying though. Liam and I had made plans for pizza and well... me. Since we couldn't do that just yet, I decided to send him a little reminder of our plans once Kelly has headed back to New York.
Blushing slightly, I remove my white lacy thong and drop it into the pizza box along with the note I had written.
Since we never got to have pizza in bed, I thought I would send you a little reminder of what you are missing. Can't wait to see you.
Love, Addison
I smile inwardly as I seal the pizza box with tape and head for the door. It takes me about fifteen minutes with traffic to reach the Bella Vita. I park my car on the side of the road, not expecting to be here more than five minutes.
I quickly enter into the main entrance of the hotel, a place I have yet to visit. The lobby is something out of a magazine. Bright and open with beautiful columns that stretch from floor to ceiling, giving it a castle appeal. There is a large five tier fountain located in the center and plush couches strategically placed around the area, most occupied by guests. Some reading, some sharing conversation in small groups.
I can see a lobby bar on the back wall that appears to be quite busy but I don't linger long, making my way to the reception area along the left wall. A beautiful, middle aged woman with a thick English accent greets me instantly. She has dark hair, pinned tightly back and is wearing a gray and white pant suit that screams professional.
“I was hoping that you could have this delivered to Liam Mason's room.” I say handing her the pizza box. She eyes me questionably, looking from the pizza box to me.
“Are you a pizza delivery girl?” She asks me looking rather confused. I guess she thinks I don't look the part.
I can't help the laugh that bursts from my throat. “No, no. It's kind of an inside joke. I don't want him to see me so I was hoping someone could run it up.” I say through my giggles.
“To Mr. Mason?” She asks.
“Yes. Liam Mason.” I confirm. She nods, picking up the phone.
“I have a delivery for Mr. Mason. Yes, yes. Thank you.” She says into the phone before putting in back on the receiver. “Dale is on his way down to pick it up. I will make sure Mr. Mason gets the package.” She says with a warm smile.
I thank her and then quickly make my way back out to my car. Once inside I am riddled with both excitement and nervousness. I have never done anything like this before. Grayson would have frowned upon my playful behavior. But with Liam, I think he will see the fun in it.
I can't explain how it makes me feel to not have to worry whether or not I am behaving in a proper way, to not have to worry about the judgments that come with that type of relationship. It feels good for once to just be myself.
As soon as I make it home I head directly to bed. If I had to guess I would say Liam is working tonight and probably won't receive the package until much later. Not really feeling up to a late night, I crawl into bed and snuggle deep into my blankets. My only thoughts are of Liam. The way it feels to be in his arms. The way my heart picks up speed at the sight of him. The way the whole world seems to fade out when we are together. These are the things I hold on to, the things I am willing to fight for, as I drift off to sleep.
****
I feel the warmth of arms around me. The blissful haze that takes over my mind when Liam is near bleeds through me. I snuggle deeper into his embrace, determined to hold on to the dream for as long as possible.
I feel his lips brush against my temple, his breath hot on my face. “Wake up beautiful.” He whispers to me. It takes me a few seconds to force my eyes open, my heart accelerating quickly as I realize that I am not dreaming and that he is really here.
I blink rapidly trying to bring the room into focus. They finally settle on his handsome face hovering above mine. He smiles widely at me, my breath hitching at the sight of him here, in my bed.
“What are you doing here?” I manage to get out though my voice is thick with sleep. “How did you get in?” I question, noticing the only light that penetrates the room is coming from the hallway, telling me it is not yet morning.
“Your roommate is not very good at hiding her spare key.” His face burrows with concern. “Something she will need to rectify immediately.”
“Yeah, I guess so. Otherwise any old riff raft will find their way in.” I joke, reaching up to trail my index finger down his jawline. “I take it your pizza was delivered?” I ask, the memory of what I did flooding back to me.
He lets out a low laugh. “It was. I must say, best pizza I have ever had. Unfortunately it left me quite unsatisfied.” He says, rolling on top of me, my body pinned below him.
“I’m offended.” I fake a gasp.
“You shouldn't be. I prefer the real thing.” He growls deep in his throat, reaching down to trail his hand between my thighs. My body arches into his hand instinctively, instantly craving more of his touch.
“Mmm.” I hum in satisfaction. “Well by all means, I'm all yours.” I say, feeling the moisture pool between my legs. I have never known wanting like this. A thirst so intense that nothing but feeling him inside of me can quench it.
He lowers his lips to my neck, nipping and sucking his way down to the neckline of my shirt. “You won't be needing this.” He says, pushing himself up to peel my night shirt from my body. “I don't think you will need these either.” He says hitching his thumb into the band of my barely there bikinis. He gives a quick tug and I can hear the material rip.
“Hey!” I cry out, as he holds up the torn panties in front of me. “I liked those.” I exclaim being purposely over dramatic. He laughs and tosses them to the floor.
“No barriers Addison. I want all of you.” He says finding the base of my neck once more. His kisses are gentle, his hands like silk against my flesh. I moan out as he takes my nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the rim before taking it all into his mouth again. He slowly moves to the other, repeating the process until I am a bouncing with anticipation.
“I want to enjoy this.” He says, sensing my patience running out as I squirm beneath him. “Put your hands above your head.” I follow his command without a second thought, reaching high above my head, stretching out my body before him.
He continues his slow torturous assault down my body. Sucking and biting my flesh all the way to my inner thigh. He inhales deeply, a low growl escaping his throat as he plunges his tongue inside my lips, finding my clit immediately. I cry out the moment the contact is made. My entire body going rigid beneath his skilled mouth.
I arch my back into him, urging him forward. I spread my legs wider to give him easier access. I fight to keep my hands above my head, wanting so badly to plunge them into his hair. Within two minutes I can feel the build. It's so intense I grip the pillow below my head and pull at the fabric to keep myself grounded. “Liam!” I cry out as I explode around his mouth. My body fighting to keep still but failing miserably as I flail beneath him.
He wastes no time, crawling up my body, losing his pants in the process. He settles in between my thighs, his face hovering above mine. “You drive me crazy.” He says breathless against my mouth before pushing his lips to mine, his tongue entering my mouth in a hard rush of passion.
I grip my hands around the back of his head, holding him tightly to me. I kiss him back with as much force as I can muster, our teeth crashing together, our tongues invading each others mouths. “God, I love this.” He pants breaking away from my mouth. “I swear I could be with you like this....Forever.” The words come off his lips so quickly, it takes me a moment to process.
I don't have a chance to respond as he takes my mouth once more, this time less forceful but still full of want and need. I buck my hips upwards, the need to feel him inside of me taking over. He doesn't make me wait long, draw
ing back to plunge deep inside of me. I cry out from the shock of his entrance, my body taking a moment to accommodate his size.
He moves so slow, I feel like I might crawl out of my skin at any moment. He pulls all the way out, plunging back into me hard before continuing with his slow and steady rhythm, his mouth rarely leaving mine. “Are you with me?” He breathes against my mouth. His voice is rough and shaking, a sure tell sign that he is fighting for control and is quickly losing the battle.
“I'm with you.” I whisper against his lips, taking his mouth in mine once more. I can feel the deep build inside of me, feel every ounce of his thick erection weighing heavily inside of me. He moves so slowly that I feel like the build will never end, carrying me up, up, up, until I feel like I might float away and never come back down. Just when I feel like I can take it no more, I explode around him, crying out against his mouth. I continue to quake, my walls pulsing around him. He lets out a soft moan before letting himself go, his body becoming impossibly tight as he finds his release.
He collapses down on top of me, his chest heaving, his breathing raged. I gently run my fingertips up and down his back, loving the feeling of his body connected so wholly with mine. He withdraws on a deep breath and rolls to his side, pulling me along with him, until I am tucked tightly into his side. I snuggle deeper into his arms, my eyes fighting against my need for sleep.
He gently rubs his hand up and down my arm. Such an innocent contact and yet it reignites the fire deep within me. If I wasn't so tired I would probably take him again, right here, right now but my body refuses to move. I am too comfortable, too warm. I love the feeling of being blanketed by his body. His scent all around me, my body in his strong arms. It's all any girl could ever want. It's all I will ever want.
I feel myself giving into sleep, the heavy numbness taking over my mind. It's there in the state between awake and asleep that I hear his whispered words. “I love you.” The sound sends a vibration through my entire body but my mind can't digest if I am still awake or if this is just a dream.
Chapter Twenty-Five
My eyes flutter open to the bright morning sun shining through my window. I stretch, noticing immediately that Liam is not beside me. Disappointment settles deep in the pit of my stomach. I can't help but wonder what it would be like to wake up in his arms. I can't imagine a better way to start my day.
I peel myself from the bed, throwing my puffy pink robe on to cover my still naked body. I let my hand linger for a moment on my collarbone, remembering the way it felt last night to have Liam's hands on my flesh, consuming my body. I smile inwardly at the memory. Every touch, every kiss, seems more precious than the last and I revel in the after glow of being adored by a man who could literally have any girl that he wanted. Instead he chose me, for reasons I still don't quite fully understand.
As I head towards the bathroom I notice a piece of paper folded on my bedside table. I immediately retrieve it, my eyes quickly skimming the page.
Addison,
Words can't describe how incredible it felt to fall asleep in your arms last night. I am so sorry that I had to leave. I wanted to wake you but you seemed so peaceful I couldn't bring myself to do it. I hope to see you later.
Love,
Liam
I re-read the note several more times before putting it back down on the table and heading to the bathroom, my mind in a crazy love sick fog. Words cannot describe the way this man makes me feel.
I shower quickly, washing away the remnants of last nights events. I close my eyes as the loofah skims across my skin, wishing that it were Liam's hands instead. I feel like I could stay in here all day but knowing that I am on a time restraint, I finish up, shivering as I step out of the hot shower and into my robe.
Kelly is already waiting on me when I exit into the living room thirty minutes later, her bags sitting on the floor by the door. I am so sad to see her leave but I am also very thankful to have gotten this time with her. It is so rare these days that we get to see each other and I didn't realize how much I had missed our little get togethers.
I fight through almost an hour of traffic on the way to the airport. Kelly and I making small talk on the way over. We arrive with fifteen minutes to spare before Kelly's flight is scheduled to leave. After going through a billion security measures, we finally reach the terminal for her nonstop flight back to New York. We say our goodbyes, both of us trying not to cry.
“Take care of yourself kiddo.” She says before finally releasing me. “I expect weekly updates. I have a feeling you are going to have a lot of interesting things to fill me in on. And hey.” She says resting her hand on my shoulder. “Enjoy it. I know you're scared and that you have been through a lot but I am telling you, the way that man looks at you, I think he'd be more likely to propose than to break your heart.”
I contemplate her words as I watch her disappear into the tunnel. How can she be so sure of Liam's feelings for me when I'm not even sure myself? She's right though, I need to let myself enjoy this. I need to stop running the 'what ifs' into the ground and just live my life. There are no guarantees in life but that doesn't mean I should just let it pass me by out of the fear of the bad things that could happen.
I make my way back through the airport, lingering for a moment to watch a few planes take off and land. Lost in my thoughts, I jump slightly at the sound of someone saying my name. “Addison?”
“Grayson?” I breathe out the moment I turn to find him standing not three feet from me. My stomach clenches, my mind instantly landing on the events that took place the last time.
“What are you doing here?” He asks me almost hopeful. Hopeful about what I am unsure, until I see the luggage sitting on the ground next to his feet.
“My aunt Kelly, she flew in for a couple days. I just saw her off. You heading somewhere?” I don't miss the way his head sags slightly at my words, his broad shoulders hunching over. He no longer looks the part of my smart handsome lawyer in training. His suit has been traded in for a pair of loose jeans and a t-shirt. His blonde hair is not the carefully placed style that I am used to but instead a messy mop on top of his head. And I think this is the first time I have ever seen stubble on his face.
“Home.” He says shrugging his shoulders.
“Visiting your parents?” I ask, trying to keep the tension buzzing around us to a minimum. To say this is awkward would be a huge understatement. It's so hard to believe that this is the man I once shared my life with. How quickly things have changed.
“No. I'm going home.... for good.” He says, his eyes settling on mine for the first time. He seems worn down, beaten. As much as I hate what he did to me, to us, I can't help but feel extremely bad for him all of a sudden.
“What? Why? What about your job?” I ask.
“They let me go. Things have been, well a bit out of hand since you and I, you know, broke up. I've been distracted and haven't been giving my job the attention it deserves. Roy told me to take a while and we will see what happens but truthfully I don't ever see myself coming back here.” I don't why but my heart aches at his words.
While I know that him and I will never be together again, it doesn't change the fact that I loved him for a third of my life and that he is the reason that I am in Vegas to begin with. We came here to start our lives together.
“I'm sorry to hear that.” I reply truthfully. I know that I should be angry with him for what he put me through only a few nights ago, but I can't muster the feeling. I don't feel angry with him, hell I'm not even the slightest bit mad. Right now the only emotion I really feel is pity.
“Don't be. It's my doing. Honestly Addie, I don't where it all went wrong. And I can't apologize enough for everything I have put you through. Truth is that I'm leaving Las Vegas because I can't keep hurting you. I can't keep seeing you look at me the way you are looking at me right now. Pity, disappointment, regret. It's all there and I hate that I put it there.” His confession hits me like a ton of bricks. He's leaving because of
me? Just a couple of months ago he was discarding me like I was nothing. Now he's uprooting his entire life because he can't have me back?
“Grayson, don't. We have both said and done hurtful things to one another over the years. I'm not angry with you.” I say, feeling like I at least owe him that much.
“You should be.” He breathes, his eyes not able to hold mine. He stares at the floor for a moment and then his eyes find mine once more. “I want you back Addison.” The words come out in a quick rush.
“Grayson.” I start to protest but he cuts me off.
“No, just let me say this. I need to get this out. I love you Addison. I have loved you for eight years. You're the only one that makes sense to me, the only one that feels like home. Breaking things off with you was the biggest mistake I have ever made and I will regret it for the rest of my life. I know that things between us can't be fixed, I know the damage has already been done, but that doesn't change how I feel. I just needed you to know that.”
I can feel the tears welling in my eyes and I fight with everything I have to keep them at bay. Somehow him telling me goodbye this time is so much more impossible to stomach. At least when he ended things with us he was still near by. While I didn't want to see him, I had the comfort of just knowing he was around. No matter what has transpired between us, it doesn't change the fact that he is my family. He has always been my family.
“Grayson, I do love you.” I say the words not for his benefit but because they are true. I fell out of love with him a long time ago but I still care about him and what happens to him. I can forgive his behavior over the last few weeks simply because I can see that he is lost and not only that, but he's scared.
“For years you were my life. Those feelings don't just disappear overnight. I need you to know that it's okay and that I forgive you.” I say, no longer able to hold back the tears that are now streaming down my cheeks.
“Don't cry Addie. I have made you cry too many times already. I'll never forgive myself for giving you up. You were my best friend.” His words only make the tears come harder. I step into his arms without a second thought, my face burying into chest. I squeeze my arms around him tightly. He hesitantly wraps his arms around my shoulders, his face finding my hair. “I'm gonna miss you so much.” He breathes out.