by J. H. Croix
My breath came out in a hiss when he reached the juncture between my thighs. His palm stayed right where it was, curled over my thigh with his thumb softly stroking back and forth. My entire being narrowed to the small strip of flesh where his touch moved in a slow sweep. “Liam, what are you doing?” I asked in a fierce whisper.
My cheeks were hot, hell my whole body was hot, and it was a miracle I didn’t dissolve into a puddle my chair.
His eyes met mine, the blue gone dark as navy. “Touching you,” he said, the low timbre of his voice sending a ripple of need through me.
Right then, he slid his palm down the curve of my inner thigh where my skin was so sensitive. I didn’t even realize I was widening my thighs until I felt my skirt slide up further. He trailed a finger over the wet silk there. I was drenched with my own arousal as he commenced to tease me to madness right there in the restaurant where his hand was hidden under the table in the dark corner. All he did was drag his fingers back and forth, coasting over my swollen clit again and again and again. My breath came in short pants, and I almost forgot where we were. His eyes were on me the entire time, and I couldn’t tear my gaze free—locked in this sensuous, shimmering web of desire with him. He slipped a finger under the edge of my panties and sank it knuckle deep into my channel. I was dripping wet, and he slid home instantly. My hips were rolling into his touch, and I was on the verge of a climax, small ripples of pleasure building inside.
I was snapped out of the madness when the waitress came out of the kitchen entrance nearby, the swinging door banging shut behind her and nudging me into awareness. I clamped my knees together. “Oh my God! We have to stop.”
His hand was effectively trapped between my thighs now. He arched a brow and eased his finger in another slow stroke. “Must we now?” he asked, his tone hinted with that haughtiness.
The raw desire pounding through me combined with mortification made me hot all over. I glared at him. “Yes!”
Our waitress was making her way back across the restaurant from delivering a tray of food to a table on the far side of the room, and I could tell she was aiming right for us. “Ease up, luv,” Liam said softly.
I relaxed my knees, and he slipped his fingers out of me. He carefully put the silk back where it belonged and threw a grin at me just as the waitress reached our table. The heat of his touch disappearing sent a pang of longing through me. That’s how out of my mind I was. I might’ve been mortified at almost tumbling into an orgasm in a restaurant, yet that didn’t stop me from wanting his fingers shoved right back inside of me.
I managed to nod along and speak a few words while the waitress checked to see if we needed anything else, but my attention was focused elsewhere. Specifically on Liam and when we’d be alone. I had no idea how much time passed between then and when we found our way outside. I was only vaguely aware of my surroundings. It had started to rain softly since we’d entered the restaurant a few hours ago. The feel of his hand on my low back was searing. Liam hailed a cab, and I didn’t even think to question why. I almost never took cabs. Once we were in the backseat with the panel up between us and the driver up front, Liam yanked me onto his lap.
My knees fell apart as I caught my balance and instantly sank down against him, savoring the feel of his hard shaft through the layers of my panties and his jeans. He leaned back and lifted his hands, reaching to untie my hair. With a flick, the elastic snapped off and landed God-knows-where in the cab. My curls unwound and spilled over my shoulders. He ran his hands through them before sliding one hand to cup the back of my head and leaning in to kiss me. Our mouths collided in a hot, wet and overpowering kiss. I couldn’t get close enough fast enough and wound my arms around him, plastering my body against his.
I sighed into his mouth at the feel of him—all hard muscles with warmth emanating like a furnace. He groaned into my mouth when I rolled my hips against him, almost crying out at the sweet streak of pleasure from the pressure of his hard cock against me. With a muttered swear, he tore his lips free. His eyes locked with mine in the dim light of the cab, his gaze so intense, my heart gave a hard kick. It felt as if we were alone in the world, protected in the quiet of the cab with cars rolling by and the soft patter of the rain on the roof. The air around us was heavy with the weight of desire, taut with need, and that intimacy I didn’t know how to comprehend hung around us. When I was with him like this, none of my worries about us mattered. All I knew was it felt so good, I felt held and protected in his embrace. It was so much more than just sex.
Liam swallowed, drawing my eyes down, and I could see the rapid beat of his pulse along the column of his throat. His hand sifted through my curls, and he subtly arched his hips, sending another sharp spike of pleasure scoring through me.
He freed his hand from my curls and traced it down over my shoulder, lingering along the curve of my breast before moving to unbutton my blouse, so swiftly it was hanging open and the cool rush of air sent goose bumps prickling over my skin.
I became vaguely aware of where we were. “Liam, maybe we shouldn’t…”
“Tell me everything we shouldn’t do, luv. I shall have to do all of it,” he said with a low chuckle.
I couldn’t help but smile. He was so naughty, and I secretly loved it. I leaned back and looked at him. He rolled a taut nipple between his thumb and forefinger, the thin silk of my bra sliding back and forth heightening his touch. “Shall I not do this?” he asked in a gruff whisper.
Wordless, I shook my head.
“I think…” He dragged his hand over the curve of my belly. I experienced a pang of self-consciousness. I’d never been one of those thin girls, and I loved good food too much to deprive myself. As such, I had the curves to show it. He glanced down and my eyes followed his gaze. My skirt had ridden up around my thighs and the silk of my black thong was visible against the obvious bulge in his jeans. He gave my generous hip a squeeze. “Have I mentioned I love every inch of you?” he asked in a murmured, instantly dissolving my pang of insecurity.
His eyes flicked up to catch mine, right as he dragged his fingers across the wet silk between my thighs. I was beyond shame at this point and couldn’t keep from rolling my hips into his touch. “I think we need to finish what we started before we get you home.”
Instead of worrying about where we were, I was worried he meant to finish this here when I couldn’t even bear the idea of him not coming home with me. “No! We can wait. I want to…”
“Oh luv. There will be plenty more. Think of this as an appetizer. I know just what I want to do when we get back to your flat, and it won’t work in here.”
He pushed my panties out of the way and sank two fingers inside of me. Between the long, slow tease he’d put me through in the restaurant and the last few minutes, I was so close to ready, I almost came instantly. He tangled his free hand in my curls again and fit his mouth over mine. With his tongue mimicking the stroking of his fingers in my channel, my climax burst through me, my cries caught in the heat of our kiss.
I tipped my forehead against his as he slowly eased away from our kiss. My breath came in rough gusts, and I tried to pull myself together, but I was nearly limp from the climax that had rocked me. When I finally managed to lift my head and open my eyes, I met his gaze and my heart set to pounding again. The need in his eyes was so raw and so intense, it hit me right in my chest.
Chapter Nineteen
Liam
Somehow, bloody hell if I knew how, I managed to help Olivia button her blouse. She didn’t move from my lap until the cab rolled to a stop in front of her building. I was so wracked with need, I could barely think. All I knew was I needed to be inside of her and needed every inch of her bared to me. A distant voice in the far reaches of my mind tried to warn me I was in way over my head. I was so far gone over Olivia, I couldn’t even stop to think, much less listen to that part of me that thought I’d gone and lost my mind. Because I had, well and truly.
The driver slid the panel open and called out t
he fare. I was stumped for a moment, my brain so muddled I couldn’t comprehend, and then fumbled for my wallet to pay him. Somehow we stumbled out of the cab. Olivia smoothed her skirt down and held her jacket together, covering her crookedly buttoned blouse. The soft rain fell in cool spikes against my cheeks, just barely easing the hot lust pounding inside of me. I looked down at her with her curls a wild halo around her face and her gorgeous green eyes glowing under the streetlights. My need for her was so fierce I was almost shaking from it. I curled my hand around hers and cleared my throat.
“Shall we?” I asked, my voice almost croaking as I gestured to the entrance to her building.
She gave her head a little nod and turned, tugging me along behind her. She dropped her keys by the door, but then we made it through. I couldn’t keep my eyes off the sway of her hips as she climbed the stairs ahead of me. I called on every ounce of discipline I had not to take her right here in the stairwell. In a daze, I followed her into her flat. She hung her jacket on a coatrack by the door, gesturing for me to do the same. After she slipped her shoes off, I followed suit while she walked across her small flat to turn up the furnace. I met her halfway across the room, sliding my hands over the lush curves of her hips. Her breath caught, and her eyes slammed to mine.
I’d had this idea we’d get back to her apartment, and I’d seduce her all over again slowly. But I was way too far gone for that. My cock was so hard, I was on the verge of losing control without laying another finger on her. We happened to be standing right beside the sofa. I’d like to say I planned it that way, but it was solely because her flat was rather small.
“Turn around,” I said gruffly.
Her dark green gaze held mine for a beat and then she turned. I stroked one hand through her hair, pushing it to the side so I could taste the sweet skin of her neck. A tremor ran through her. I flicked the button open on my jeans and shoved the zipper down. In a flash, I yanked the condom I’d tucked into my pocket out. I paused to glance up.
Olivia stood before me, her spine straight and her head bowed slightly. Her breath came in soft pants and bloody hell it turned me on. I dragged my palm over my cock. I was so hard, all I could think about was being inside of her.
“Bend over,” I said, my voice nothing more than a rough whisper.
With the sofa directly in front of her, she didn’t hesitate and leaned forward, curling her palms over the back of the sofa.
I shoved my jeans and briefs down just far enough to free my cock and rolled the condom on. I slid a palm down her spine, savoring when she arched, her bottom rising up. I finally gave into what I’d fantasized about so many times since I’d first seen her in her proper little skirt and pushed it up over her hips, almost groaning aloud at the sight of her luscious bottom with a scrap of black silk nestled in the center. I loved her curves and dragged my hands over them, savoring the silk of her skin and the soft give of her flesh. Her breath was coming in heaves, along with mine.
I leaned over and hooked my finger under her thong, pulling it out of the way. She was slicked in wetness, pink and glistening. I couldn’t wait anymore and stepped close behind her. Gripping her hips, I positioned my cock at her entrance and sank inside in a swift surge, seating myself deeply. I heard my own groan, a rough broken sound, mingling with hers. Her channel pulsed around me, its warm, silken pressure lashing the whip of lust sharply inside me. With one hand holding tightly to her hip, I slid the other up her spine and threaded my hand in her hair, lightly gripping her curls, as I begun to stroke into her. She arched deeply, her hips pressing back into me with each surge into her. The pressure inside built rapidly, and I felt my release coming. I eased my hand from her hip to reach between her thighs and stroke across her swollen clit. At her cry, I finally let go, my release crashing over me hard and fast.
I curled over her back and slipped my arms around her waist. I wasn’t holding onto her for physical support, but it felt as if I was holding on for dear life. This, whatever this madness was with Olivia, made me feel raw and exposed, and only she could ease the fear the feeling elicited.
Several long moments passed before I felt her shiver and realized goose bumps were rising on her skin. I straightened and slowly pulled out of her. She straightened and turned to face me, her skirt still bunched around her hips. “You’re cold,” I said. Such a mundane comment given the emotions thundering through me, yet it was all I could think to say.
Chapter Twenty
Olivia
My car rolled to a stop in my aunt’s driveway. I turned the engine off with the click of a button. I loved my little hybrid hatchback and gave the dashboard a pat. I glanced around as I stepped out of the car. The sky was dotted with clouds with the sun peeking out between them. Yellowed birch leaves fell with a gust of wind. Cascade Falls, the small town where I’d grown up, was nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. It was one of many towns within the broader radius of Seattle, but once you drove off the interstate and into the towering evergreen forests, it was hard to believe Seattle was nearby. After my parents died, my Aunt Lorraine had raised me. She was my mother’s fraternal twin sister and so similar to my mother, it was almost strange. Over the years, what I’d called her had morphed affectionately to Lorrie. She was largely responsible for my interest in medicine. She’d been in medical school when my parents died and had dropped out to raise me. She already had her nursing degree at the time and was still working as a nurse in a local pediatrics office to this day. She’d never pressured me, but I shared a natural affinity for every academic subject along the road to medicine, so becoming a doctor had been an easy choice for me.
Her home was a bungalow style, common in the Pacific Northwest, and tucked into the hillside amongst other similar homes. Her beloved garden was fading through the long, slow dance of autumn. I walked down the slate walkway to her front door and stepped inside, calling out as I did.
“Lorrie! It’s me.”
Her front door opened into a cozy living room with a large stone fireplace to one side and a small dining area to the other. The kitchen was through an alcove behind the dining area. I hung my jacket by the door and walked to the circular dining table, setting down the bag of goodies I’d brought for her. As I was starting a pot of coffee, I heard her footsteps finally and glanced over my shoulder.
“Hey girl,” Lorrie said as she reached me and gave me a quick side hug and a peck on the cheek. She turned back to the table and opened the bag. “Oh heaven! You brought hombows and piroshkies.”
Lorrie loved Pike’s Place Market in downtown Seattle and whenever I went to see her, I made sure to stock up on a few of her favorite baked goods. She loved hombows, which were an Asian stuffed roll, and piroshkies, a Russian baked good, filled with salmon and cream cheese. I’d also brought fresh bread from one of her favorite bakeries.
“There’s more. Look in the bottom of the bag. I got some black olive bread and spicy chipotle bread for you.” I tapped the start button on the coffee maker and slipped into the chair across from her.
Lorrie’s dark curls, so like my mother’s and mine, were streaked with silver. She had them tied back in a loose braid. Her brown eyes crinkled at the corners with her smile. “Well, how’s life in the big city?”
I shrugged. “Same, same. Busy with work mostly.” My reply was what I’d usually say because that was my life for the most part. Except now there was Liam, but I didn’t quite know how to talk about him, or how to describe what we were to each other. Just trying made me feel as if I was casting in the dark. I was so unaccustomed to the whims of my emotions tossing me this way and that.
Lorrie absently twirled the end of her braid and eyed me. “Did you happen to see the paper online today?”
Her question threw me. “Huh? No, but I hardly ever do. Why do you ask?”
Lorrie stood and walked over to the coffee table, returning with a newspaper. Sitting down, she flipped through it and spun it around, pointing at a photo. “I doubt anyone else would notice becaus
e it’s not a good angle, but that sure looks like you.”
The photo in question was of me and Liam, taken the night before when we’d been out to dinner. By the grace of dim lighting and no good possibility for a clear view through the restaurant’s window, my face was partially in shadow. Liam had been seated facing the window and was easily recognizable. The caption under the photo said: Who’s the mystery woman with Liam Reed, Britain’s famous footballer and Seattle’s new soccer star? Of course, this was on the local gossip page of Seattle’s biggest newspaper. Under the photo and blurb was a snippet about the betting books in London on Liam and his impossible to guess at love life.
My stomach turned in dread-filled flip and my cheeks flamed scarlet. I knew I couldn’t sidestep this with Lorrie, so I gathered myself and looked over at her. “That’s me.” I put my face in my hands and sighed. “I can’t believe this. What if someone else sees that and figures out it’s me? I don’t know what I was thinking.” I lifted my face and swatted a loose curl out of my eyes, my mind spinning. Few people read the physical paper like Lorrie, but everything here would be online with the wonderful comments section in addition. Just thinking about what else might be said made me want to cry. If anyone guessed it was me, I’d be facing plenty of trouble.
Lorrie angled her head to the side, her eyes concerned. “Hon, it’s not likely anyone else will be able to tell that’s you, except maybe Daisy or Harper. What’s got your so worried? I was actually happy to see you finally went on a date. Not because he’s some kind of soccer star, but because it’d be nice to see you have a social life.”
The coffee maker beeped, and Lorrie quickly stood and stepped to the counter to pour two cups of coffee. I curled my hands around the mug she handed me and took a long swallow, savoring the rich, bitter flavor. “I’m worried because I shouldn’t have gone anywhere with him. Technically, he’s a former patient, but I operated on him and he’s still under the care of the rehab team at the clinic. I’m so stupid,” I said with a sigh. Internally, I cringed. Because I had been so ridiculously stupid. I knew better than to cross the lines, but I’d played hopscotch and jumped past every line there was. I was a muddle inside with wishing I’d had the fortitude to steer clear of Liam, the intensity of my feelings for him, the scorching desire between us, and the reality that I needed to take a giant step back and fast before I got in any deeper than I already was.