Liam

by James, Nicole

  Her eyes were dark and shining, and her lips parted. She nodded, giving him the sweetest gift she had, and he wasn’t taking that gift for granted. He wanted her to know how honored he felt; he wanted her to feel worshipped. He wanted her to remember every moment of this night, their first night together, but if he had anything to say about it, definitely not their last.

  He dropped to his knees and pulled her toward him, spreading her thighs to accommodate his broad shoulders. “I want you to enjoy every second of our time together.”

  The pulse in her neck quickened at his words, and her breathing picked up.

  He ran his palms up the inside of her thighs, his touch soft but firm, stopping just short of his goal and dragging the moment out until the anticipation made her squirm.

  “Liam, please.”

  At the first stroke of his thumbs over her pussy, she jerked.

  “Easy, sweetness. I’m only going to give you pleasure.” He brushed the pads of his thumbs over her again, and then he dipped his head and inhaled her scent. It filled his nostrils and went straight to the primal part of his brain. He wanted her more than any woman he’d ever been with.

  She sucked in a breath and lifted her hips. “Please.”

  He gave her what she wanted and licked her softly… slowly with the flat of his tongue.

  Her fingers threaded into his hair and tried to pull him closer, but he was having none of it. She was a delectable treat, and he was determined to take his time savoring her. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them to the bed by her hips.

  That had her writhing even more. “Oh, God, Liam.”

  “We go at my pace. I want to take my time, and you’re going to let me, yeah?”

  She stared down at him; her passion-glazed pupils dilated. “Yes. Yes. I’ll give you whatever you want.”

  He licked her again and again, watching her belly tremble with the need he was building in her. She tugged on her wrists, but he held them tighter. If she’d asked him to release her, he would have immediately, but she didn’t.

  She struggled to move, to bring her pussy to his mouth, but he held her thighs pinned beneath his muscular arms. He gave her just enough room to move an inch and barely lift to his waiting mouth. “Work for it, baby.”

  Her pussy coated with a new rush of wetness. This time, Liam was the one who gave in.

  “Oh, yeah, baby. I love seeing that.” He dipped his head and lapped and sucked and finally worked his way up to her clit. He gave it all the attention it deserved until she thrashed on the bed; her head flung back, and she begged him not to stop.

  He gave her a wicked smile. “I have no intention of stopping anytime soon. I could feast on this sweet pussy all night long and never get tired of it.”

  True to his word, he kept on and on, stroke after stroke until she exploded in orgasm.

  Her chest heaved, but he wasn’t ready to give her a break just yet. He released one wrist and sank two fingers into her slick pussy, searching out her g-spot. Her hips jerked, and he knew he’d found it. “Bingo.”

  She stared down at him, her breasts slick with sweat. “Oh, God. I can’t.”

  He kissed her inner thigh. “Yeah, you can, baby girl. I’ll show you.”

  He worked her g-spot rapidly and gently stimulated her clit with soft circles. She writhed and squirmed, panting hard.

  Liam spread one big palm over the trembling skin of her belly and applied pressure, keeping her pelvis pinned to the bed while he stroked her clit and g-spot. Wave after wave of release coated his fingers.

  She lifted her head to watch, and Jesus Christ, she was the hottest thing he’d ever seen.

  He could feel her clenching around his fingers. He wanted her to remember this night, like he knew he would remember the sight of her rolling around on that white fur forever.

  He kept at her until her head dropped back, and she arched, her mouth dropping open. He took that moment to press down on her belly and up with the two fingers inside her, and she detonated, moaning loudly as she came hard.

  She panted heavily, her body trembling. “Please, no more.”

  He gently withdrew his fingers but kept his thumb moving in soft slick circles as she floated back down. Then he lapped her clean.

  He put a fist to the mattress and hovered over her body, taking her mouth with his. She moaned, her hands coming up to lightly touch his ribs.

  He broke the kiss to look at her flushed face. Then he moved back off the end of the bed, stripping down. He pulled a condom packet from his pocket and tossed it on the bed, then dropped his jeans to the floor.

  His eyes remained locked on hers, but her pretty blues dropped to his cock. He took it in his hand, giving it a stroke. It was already rock hard.

  “You’re the hottest woman I’ve ever seen, Velvet.”

  ***

  Velvet was used to men looking at her with lust in their eyes, but the way Liam looked at her now was different. His warm brown eyes were sincere, his words genuine.

  She could only give him tonight, but she had a feeling he would never be satisfied with only one night. She knew she should have never even risked this much, but with this man, like no other, she couldn’t fight the pull. It was like he was her one true mate, and she was incapable of denying him.

  God, those unspoken thoughts would sound crazy if she dared speak them. She knew better than anyone that reality was nothing romantic. There were no soul mates.

  But, Lord, with just a look, he was making her feel things she shouldn’t dare let herself feel. A moment before she’d let herself forget everything but the feel of his warm mouth on her pussy.

  As he stood there, her eyes moved over his muscular body, taking in all the tattoos she’d only ever wondered about. Now she could see every inch of them, and they were beautiful. Colorful masculine designs made him that much more attractive in her eyes, that much more dangerous; they accentuated every muscle group that corded his stunning body.

  She couldn’t help but lick her lips in anticipation of having that big masculine body on top of her. As if he read her thoughts, his mouth twisted into a half smile revealing pearly teeth. His eyes darkened, traveling over every inch of her, branding her with possession, before returning to her eyes, and she suddenly found it hard to breathe. She’d never in her life reacted to a man this way.

  The vein in his neck pulsed, and a muscle in his jaw tightened. His eyes stalled on her bare pussy, and she squirmed in anticipation. That was all the invitation he needed. A predatory gleam was in his eyes when they flashed to hers. He leaned down, a fist in the bed and kissed his way up her body.

  Desire shot through her veins with the tingle of his lips trailing across her sensitive skin. When he got to her breasts, he sucked and toyed with them at his leisure. His warm body settled, pinning her to the mattress.

  His hard cock pressed against her thigh, and she swore she could feel it pulsing between them.

  He released her nipple and took her mouth for one long kiss. “I need you,” he breathed.

  She nodded, even as he was already moving between her thighs, spreading her wide to accommodate his body.

  He paused only long enough to tear open the condom packet and slip it on, and she felt pinned like a butterfly, helpless to do anything but take what he was giving. He dropped a hand to her breast and squeezed, his mouth sucking on her nipple. He dragged his touch down her belly, guiding his cock to her opening. He swirled the head in her wetness and then sank deep in one deep thrust.

  Her head fell back and her mouth dropped open as she gasped in a breath at suddenly being filled. He gripped her ass and held her firmly while he eased in and out, setting the pace and giving her every inch of him.

  She couldn’t help but clench down around him, and when she did, he emitted a growl from deep in his chest and picked up his pace until he was driving into her.

  He lifted his weight off her, slipping a hand between them and strumming her clit. He dipped his head, murmuring hot words of sex into her
ear until she couldn’t think of anything but the sensations soaring through her. She moaned his name.

  “You’re fucking beautiful, Velvet. ” His hand fisted in her hair. “It’s never been this good with anyone else before. I feel it. Tell me you feel it, too.”

  She nodded, unable to deny it. “Yes, I feel it.”

  He kissed her softly at first, and then with more urgency. He trailed his lips down her neck, to her nipples, where he latched on hard until she tightened her legs around him and exploded in another orgasm.

  He followed in a few more strokes, spearing into her and shouting his release.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Twelve hours later…

  Velvet stared down at the gorgeous tattooed man lying among the white hotel sheets. They’d spent an incredible night together. He’d been her secret crush for years, and when the opportunity to spend the night with him presented itself, she’d jumped at the chance.

  They’d shared an amazing connection, something she’d never felt before with any other man. And he’d felt it, too. He’d admitted as much last night.

  Her gaze skated over his chest, where she’d cuddled against him when they’d both finally fell into an exhausted sleep as dawn approached. God, how she longed to lie back down beside him and take him in her arms. But as her eyes moved lovingly over his muscled inked body, fear flooded through her. She couldn’t risk him finding out the truth. If he ever found out her secret, he’d look at her with different eyes, and he’d come to hate her, and that she couldn’t bear.

  So she did the only thing she could. She forced herself to slip out of his hotel room without saying goodbye, without so much as leaving a note. Of course she couldn’t have left one if she wanted—and that was another secret she kept guarded. She couldn’t read and could only write enough to sign her name.

  She turned her back on what might be the only opportunity she had for any kind of relationship with the one man who had ever made her feel something, and that was why walking out that door was so incredibly hard.

  The door quietly latched as she slunk out, and the feelings of regret overwhelmed her. She pressed her forehead to the door, and as her chest tightened, she allowed a single tear to fall. Finally straightening, she took a deep breath and walked down the hall. Stepping onto the elevator, she stared at the doors as they slid closed, and she couldn’t help the hope that flared inside her that maybe last night would be as ingrained in his memory as she knew it would be in hers.

  Yes, perhaps he would remember her. After all, she’d heard what men said about her…Velvet—Nobody forgets Velvet.

  She took out her phone as she crossed the lobby and dialed Aaron. He’d talked about meeting for breakfast and then doing a shoot with the city skyline as a backdrop, but she hadn’t heard from him, and they’d have to be quick if they wanted to use the morning light.

  He didn’t pick up, and she frowned when a recording came on saying the subscriber was not available. What the hell?

  She stood at the window and redialed, her gaze darting around the parking lot. As she listened to the message repeat again, her eyes locked on a figure, and her mouth fell open. Pulling the phone from her ear, she stared in disbelief. Aaron was across the parking lot, throwing a suitcase into the trunk of his car. Slamming it, he slid quickly behind the wheel.

  What the fuck? Where the hell was he going? Was he leaving her here? They hadn’t even split the money from yesterday’s sales yet!

  She dashed out the glass doors and ran after his car as he sped off the lot. “Aaron!” He didn’t stop; he didn’t even slow down.

  He glanced at her as he flew past, the car accelerating. She stomped her foot. Oh. My. God! That jerk! He’d taken off with all the money! And he was her ride! She was left high and dry in LA.

  “No, no, no! This cannot be happening. It has to be a mistake.” She frantically dialed his number over and over but got the same message.

  “You son-of-a-bitch!” she screamed into the air, her body going stiff with her rage.

  When she calmed down enough to function, she dialed her best friend. “Chloe?” she whispered, her voice shaky.

  “Velvet? What’s wrong?”

  “Aaron just took off on me… with all the money we made!”

  “Are you shitting me?”

  “I wish I was.”

  “Oh, baby, I’m so sorry.”

  “I can’t believe this is happening. I had such big plans and everything hinged on that money. It was everything to me. My means of finally being able to break free of my family.”

  “Oh, Velvet. He took all of it?”

  “We made over thirty grand.”

  “Wow! And he left you with nothing?”

  “Yep. We were supposed to do another shoot this morning and split the money then. I can’t believe I let this happen. I can’t believe I trusted him.”

  “I’m so sorry, babe. I tried to warn you. In this business you can’t trust anybody. I’ve told you before, you’re too nice.”

  “I thought he was different. I thought we were in this together.”

  “You deserve so much better, honey.”

  Velvet fought to swallow down the heartache. Every word her friend spoke was true. She did deserve better, and she needed to stop letting people use her. The funny thing was, she thought she already had. She believed she was really turning her life around. Everything had been looking up. She’d had big plans. And now? Now she didn’t even have a ride.

  “So what about that lease on that shop you were supposed to sign?”

  “I won’t be able to if I don’t have the money Aaron stole.”

  “Well, you know you can keep staying with me for as long as you need.”

  “I hate to impose on you. You’ve already let me stay for longer than I planned.”

  “Honey, you’re not even here half the time. It’s no problem.”

  “This isn’t how it was supposed to be. I was supposed to sign that lease and finally be able to make my dreams come true.”

  “I know, honey. Do you need me to come get you?”

  “Um, maybe.” She bit her lip, knowing her friend was hours up the coast. Her cell buzzed with an incoming call. “Hold on a second. Maybe that’s him.” She took the second call. “Aaron?”

  “Nope, Kitty-Kat. It’s your big brother.”

  Her shoulders slumped. “Vano.”

  “I was just driving through LA and heard you were at the big expo this weekend. You still in town?”

  “Yes. Why?”

  “Just thought we could get together for a cup of coffee or a beer. Haven’t seen you in months.”

  “Hold on a second.” She flipped back to Chloe. “It’s Vano.”

  “Your brother?”

  “Yep. Says he’s in town. I can get a ride from him.”

  “I thought your goal was to disassociate with your family. You know they always suck you into their bullshit.”

  “I know, but what choice do I have? Anyway, I’ll call you later.”

  “You sure you don’t want me to come get you?”

  “You’re hours away. He’s right here. It only makes sense.”

  “Do not let him pull you into any of his schemes.”

  “I won’t. I’ve got to go before he hangs up.”

  “Okay, honey, but remember I’m always here for you.”

  “I know, babe, and I love you for it.”

  She chuckled. “Of course you do, I’m very loveable. But seriously, call me tomorrow or I’ll hunt you down.”

  “I will. I promise.” Velvet switched back to the call from her brother. “Hey. Sorry, I had another call.”

  “So, where are you?”

  Velvet bit her lip, hoping she wouldn’t regret this. “The Excelsior.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  The AC kicked on and a cool breeze blew over the skin of Liam’s back. He twisted his head, pulling the adjacent pillow under his face. Memories of last night flooded his brain as he sucked in the scent of Velv
et’s perfume on the hotel linen. He pushed up off his chest and scanned the room. Dim light filtered through the slit in the drapes.

  “Velvet?”

  The bathroom was dark.

  He sat up quickly, scanning the floor and chair for her clothing, shoes, and purse. Nothing. She was gone.

  His chest tightened with the ache of losing her. He didn’t even have her number. He’d thought there’d be time for that this morning. He’d never imagined she’d sneak out on him.

  Things last night had been good. Better than good---they’d been phenomenal. The two of them had clicked, intellectually and physically. Liam had never been one to believe in soul mates but something about her drew him in and made him feel like he’d found his other half.

  Apparently, it was all one-sided. Although, last night, when he was on top of her, moving slowly in and out of her and staring into her gorgeous, expressive eyes, he could have sworn she was as connected as he had felt.

  Jerking the sheet away, he strode naked to the window and pulled the curtain aside. He scanned the parking lot, not that he expected to see her. His hand closed in a fist around the fabric of the curtain. Damn it, the little minx could have at least said goodbye or…

  His head swiveled to the far nightstand, scanning for a note and landing on the hotel notepad and pen.

  His jaw tightened when he saw it was blank.

  He stared out the window again, wondering at all that could have been and aching at the loss of it.