by Harper Sloan
Page 1
HOLY SHIT.
What am I doing?
“Oh, God! Right there . . . I’m coming . . . Don’t stop!”
Is that me screaming like that?
Holy shit.
I didn’t even know that noises like that could come out of my mouth!
“You like that?” he asks with his lips pressed against my neck—the vibrations shooting straight to my core.
I focus, my now alcohol free vision, on the man thrusting above me. His dark hair is blending in with the shadows that are dancing around the room. His face is a mask of ecstasy as he thrusts into my waiting body. It’s a look of pure desire that I will never forget.
What the hell am I doing?
“You feel so good. Your body so greedy for my cock. You want it harder, darlin’?”
I moan shamelessly and feel my body get even wetter with his huskily whispered words.
Screw it—this feels way too good to stop now.
I reach down, dig my fingers in the firm globes of his ass, tip my head back and beg. Beg with incoherent cries for him to take me harder. To take everything he can.
Two Hours Earlier
“You look beauuuutiful,” I sing as Dani Reid—No, Dani Cage—walks over to sit next to me at one of the tables scattered around the backyard wedding.
She looks at me, her stunning green eyes bright with love and happiness.
“And you sound a little drunk, my friend,” she laughs.
I just smile at her, running my fingers through the lace on her wedding gown. “This is soft. ”
She just laughs and leans back and looks across the yard to where her new husband, Cohen, is standing by the dock talking to some of his friends. This is another one of those moments when I’m reminded that this group doesn’t have a single unattractive person in it. I take a second to look at all the well-built, good-looking men standing around him. When my eyes meet Liam Beckett’s, I look away quickly. For months now Liam has made no secret that he would love nothing more than my undivided attention.
“They’re all so unfairly hot. No men should be that attractive,” I whisper in awe, gaining me another chuckle from Dani. I blush when I realize that my thoughts aren’t staying in my head, where they belong. When I look back over to where the group of men are standing, my eyes hit the familiar pair of deep brown ones again, eyes that always seem to know each and every time I’m looking their way. I quickly look away, feeling that blush get even brighter. I’m not ready to deal with him right now. At least not when I’m this tipsy.
Picking up my wine glass, I take another healthy swallow as I do a quick scan, taking in all that is the Reid Family property. They’ve done a beautiful job transforming the backyard of Dani’s family home for Cohen and Dani’s wedding. I still can’t believe that Dani managed to pull off a surprise wedding without Cohen even catching the smallest hint of her plans.
“Are you sure you’re okay with Molly spending the night with my parents, Megs? I know it’s hard for you to leave her overnight, but they just love your daughter to pieces. And I know Owen loves having her around. ” Dani reaches out and takes the hand I had resting against the table while she speaks.
“Yup,” I smack and nod my head.
“You’re drunk,” she says, repeating her earlier observation.
“I’m not drunk, I’m tipsy. There’s a huge difference there. If I was drunk I wouldn’t be able to walk. Watch!”
I jump up from my chair with a little more power than I mean and quickly stumble when the narrow heel of my five-inch shoes sinks into the soft grass beneath me.
“Whoa, there darlin’. ”
I feel it, those words, every single syllable deep down in my gut. Each rumbled word vibrating through my body creating a slow burn until they end with a sharp pulse between my legs. His arms locked at my elbows and my back solidly against his front—where my graceless stumble caused me to end up. I jerk my body tight and feel his laughter reverberate through my body once again.
I attempt to pull my arms from his loose but strong hold, only to give up when it becomes clear that he isn’t going to let go. Shifting until my face is turned, he lets one arm go and helps me spin until I’m facing him, and moves his hands from my elbows to my hips.
“Hey,” he says with a smile, the dimple in his cheek popping out.
“Liam,” I sigh and then curse myself for not being able to hide my reaction to him.
His smile turns knowing and his eyes darken before dropping to my lips.
I gulp.
“You should be more careful, Megs. ”
“It’s Megan,” I snap. Page 2
“I know, babe, you don’t have to keep reminding me. ”
“Then why can’t you seem to actually remember it?” I squeak and try to pull my body away from his grip—and fail, again.
“Someone doesn’t sound drunk anymore. ” I hear Dani speak but I don’t take my gaze off Liam. “She does look it though. ” She muses on a laugh, which finally gets my eyes to snap to hers.
“I’m fine! I just had a few glasses of wine and I haven’t eaten much. But, I most definitely am not drunk. I think I would know if I was drunk. ”
Okay, so that’s a lie. I might not be drunk, but I am definitely slightly past tipsy. Dealing with Liam—or rather my attraction to Liam—is hard enough for me on a good day, when I’m completely sober. But with this amount of wine flowing through my body, I just can’t trust myself.
It’s taken everything I have to keep him, and his obvious interest, at bay for the last couple months. When he’s around he goes out of his way to get me alone and lay it out. He wants me.
“You look stunning when those shadows aren’t rolling around your shoulders,” Liam whispers, his lips press close enough to my ear that I can feel his words one by one against my skin.
I shiver, his words hitting me close to home, but the tone causing me to forget I should be pushing him away. Especially when he’s talking about things that he has no business speaking about.
“I’m fine,” I stammer.
“Yeah, darlin', I know you are. ”
His eyes keep their hypnotizing hold on my own. I hear Dani excuse herself. I don’t turn to watch her disappear in the lingering crowd of party-goers that are still left milling around. The music is still floating in the air around us. As I look into his eyes everything around me feels like it’s . . . alive. It’s a feeling that I’ve been missing for the last few years. A feeling that only comes to visit when I’m with my daughter, or until recently, when Liam Beckett is in the same room. It’s a feeling that, even though I shouldn’t, I feel guilty for allowing myself to enjoy.
Whether it’s the wine, the fact that Molly left a few hours ago with Dani’s parents, or the man standing in front of me, all I know is if I don’t hold on to this feeling for as long as I can right now, I’ll regret it for years to come.
“Megs,” he says on a sigh, his fingertips digging in and his eyes swirling with a rich hopefulness that turns those golden flecks you can normally see swimming in his brown eyes into a burning fire lighting his gaze.
Hungry eyes.
I don’t think. If I had given myself just a second to process my next move, I’m sure I would have backed out of his hold and run as fast as I could to my car. But, I didn’t think, so my next move was pure, one-hundred-percent Megan. But not the Megan I’ve been for the last couple years since my husband died. No, this Megan feels like I’ve finally dug myself out of those ashes I’ve been living in since my life burned up around me. The cloak of depression that normally lingers loosely around my shoulders, dropping to my feet with the feel of Liam pressed tight. I know this feeling won’
t last, but I suddenly want to hold on to every second I can of this experience, until it leaves me.
I reach out and curl my fingers around his forearms. My eyes growing wide when his brow lifts. With a quick push I rock up and close the distance that is left between our mouths. When my lips touch his, that feeling of being alive burns so bright every nerve in my body feels it, each inch of skin boiling and cooling so quickly it’s as if I can’t make up my mind if I want to be hot or cold. My hairs stand on end, my skin pebbles—going cold before rushing heat fills my veins, and the very ttowardhump of my heart seems to skip a beat the second our lips touch.
One thing I know for sure. I want this. I want this and Liam’s going to give it to me.
He doesn’t pause. His groan vibrating against my chest only lights the feeling that is firing through my skin. My hands move from his forearms and I run my hands up his chest until both hands curl around his neck and I use the hold to pull my body even closer to his.
His hands move from my hips and he curls them around my bottom, pulling me tightly against his body. When I feel the very obvious sign of his attraction, I moan deeply, and shiver when he answers with one of his own.
I can’t tell you how long this kiss lasts. When his tongue moves to swipe against my lips, I open without reservation. We continue, our tongues dancing together while each of our moans are swallowed by the other, until I have to pull away to gulp a breath of air before I pass out—however, the way I feel right now, passing out might very well be a possibility.
Page 3
“This is finally happening,” he snarls in a tone that should scare me, but all it does is act as kerosene to our already uncontrollable fire of lust.
“It is,” I agree without question.
“Now,” he says.
“Okay,” I agree on a sigh and sway toward his hard body.
With the encouragement he needs, his hands finally leave my body. He turns me, wraps one thick arm around my shoulder, and turns to walk toward the front of the house.
“We’re leaving?” I question lamely.
“Darlin’ I didn’t stutter. This is happening,” he says, pausing when he reaches the side of the house and the shadows that will give us the privacy we need. His body turns, moving me to stand before him once again. “I need to know you’re with me, Megan. I’ve wanted this since the day I met you, but I knew you weren’t ready for me. I’ve been trying to keep my distance, just waiting for those clouds to leave your eyes. If you don’t want me to take you back to my house, strip you naked and fuck you until you can’t walk for weeks, then say so now, because the second I have you I won’t be letting go. ”
“Oh, boy,” I whisper.
“I prefer oh God, but I’ll make that the first item on my to-do list. ”
“You’ll make what?”
“My to-do list, Megs. The list of things I’ve wanted to do to you for months now. Making you scream oh God will be number one, followed by my name, of course. ”
“Oh, God,” I repeat, my mind swilling with the promise his words inflict.
“Yeah, you’re getting it. ”
His mouth crashes down on mine for a hard but quick kiss before pulling back and giving me another one of those knee-melting smirks. “Last chance, Megan,” he whispers while his hands are framing my heated face.
Whatever he sees in my eyes is enough, he gives me a light kiss, takes his hands from my face and curls one around my left hand and pulls me toward his truck.
Fuck.
I thrust in again, feeling her tight walls squeeze my cock, and roll my hips while I take her mouth with my own. Her moan turns into a high-pitched scream that I swallow. I can feel her release wet my balls when I bury myself deep, again rolling my hips. Her small hands grab hold of my ass and I groan when I feel her nails bite into my skin.
“Next time you come against my cock, you scream my name,” I demand, looking her in the eyes. Her eyes widen briefly before they roll back when I thrust deep again. I don’t give her time to respond before I power my hips back and take her in a bruising speed. “My name, Megs,” I rasp. “Don’t you come without screaming my name. ”
She whines.
I groan.
She gives me a small whisper of breath against my lips when I lean closer to her, moving my hips faster.
“Do you want it harder, darlin’?” I question.
“Yes,” she whimpers.
“Do you want me deeper?” I continue, pausing when the tip of my cock is about to fall from her body, smiling wickedly when she makes a cry of protest. “Do you want to feel my cock even when you aren’t with me? Want me to take everything you have to give me? So greedy. So fucking greedy. ” Without giving her a chance to answer, I bend forward and crush my lips to hers. She opens immediately and our tongues meet, causing a fire to race down my spine and curl around my balls.
Damn she feels good.
“Tell me, Megs. Give me the words. ”
“Take me, Liam. Give me everything. Make me feel. God, please make me feel!”
Her eyes bore into my own. With one gaze she is telling me everything her words don’t. This means more to her too, I can see it, and fuck me—my body locks tight when I see the depth of her plea.
“Yeah, darlin’. Everything. ”
She doesn’t know it, but with that one word I silently vow to stop at nothing until I make this woman mine.
With one powerful thrust, roll, and push, I give her everything I have—over and over. When she throws her head back, it’s my name she’s screaming loud enough to cause my ears to ring long after her breath grows slow and her face relaxes with sleep.
I lay there looking at her after my cock softens and falls from her body. I remember the first time I saw her, I knew that she would one day be in this position. Naked in my bed and spent from taking my cock for hours. Over the months since that first meeting, the feeling, the craving, to make her mine had only grown. I’ve tried, tried to reach her, but it was clear she wasn’t ready. So I waited and fuck me was it worth the wait. Now, having confirmed what I knew then, I know I won’t let her go without a fight.
Page 4
And it will be a fight. That I’m sure of.
But it’s also one that I know I’m ready to take on. I know what I want. I know who I want.
I also know in order to have those things, I will be fighting the hardest fight I’ve ever fought.
Because not only am I fighting for someone that can’t see through the shadows to find the rope I’m holding to pull herself off rock bottom, but I’m also fighting the ghosts of her past that I’m not sure will let her go long enough to make that climb.
After rolling away from her warm body, I walk to the bathroom and clean myself off, not wasting any time before I move back to my bed. Quietly I lie back down and pull her into my arms. Even in her sleep she curls into me, her head hitting my shoulder, arm curling around my stomach and her legs tangling with my own. I reach down and hike her thigh over my hips and smile to myself while fighting another erection when her wetness hits my hip.
Sitting there, looking into the darkness I know I’ve finally found her. I’ve been searching for her for as long as I can remember. That person that would make my heart beat faster.
When you grow up with parents like mine, you know without a shadow of a doubt that a love worth fighting for is a love worth keeping. The fight—that drive—the desire to have the person you love, love you back just as fiercely? That’s all it’s about. They showed me that when you want something, you don’t stop until it’s yours.
I think I was about eight when I first realized the relationship my parents shared was something . . . different. I was about sixteen when I realized that different was something I wanted. They had some sort of magical power to their love. Nothing that you would ever be able to describe, but when you saw them together there was no denying it. They would look at each other and
it was as if there was some invisible cord that connected them completely. Mom would give Dad a smile and he would laugh softly under his breath, always causing her face to redden. He would walk into the room and her whole body would jolt like it had been struck by lightning. Her skin would pebble with goosebumps and she would always snap her eyes to wherever he was. Of course it took me years to understand what that look meant.
They felt each other.
They knew each other past a feeling that could be physically felt.
They had a love that went past anything explainable.
And just like I knew when I first met Megan, she was the person that I would have that with. I knew when I was younger when my person stepped into my path, there would be nothing that could stop me from making her mine. I wanted what my parents had and now there isn’t a damn thing that will stop me from getting that.
Megan isn’t going to know what hit her.
With that final thought, my lips tip up and I let my body drift off to sleep, while I hold my future in my arms.
Two Months Later
“TELL ME ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND,” Dani asks softly.
I look over to where she’s sitting in my living room, reclined back against the love seat, her legs propped up in the seat next to her, and her baby boy, Owen, sleeping against her chest.
I don’t answer right away; instead I watch her hand rubbing his small back. The diamonds in her wedding ring glittering against the sun that shines through the window.
Jack.
She wants to know about Jack.
It shouldn’t be this hard to talk about him, but even after almost three years it still feels like yesterday sometimes.
“He was my best friend,” I tell her honestly.
“Like Cohen and me?”
“Nothing like you two,” I laugh humorlessly. “God, Dani, it feels almost like a betrayal to his memory to even admit that out loud. What you and Cohen have . . . that’s a love story for the record books. Jack and me . . . well, we kind of fell into love in the most unconventional ways. No, that’s not right. We fell in love with each other all because of Molly. ”
“What do you mean?” she says, her voice just over a whisper.
I sigh, “We grew up together, Jack and I. It sounds so much more glamorous when I say it that way, like we were kids that would run on perfectly paved sidewalks and in each other’s backyards until we were called for dinner. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. We lived in the backwoods, wrong side of the tracks, trailer park from hell, in a small town in nowhere Georgia with one blinking caution light and the only store for miles was a mom and pop grocery store that, most of the time, only had expired goods for sale. It was hell on earth, really. But Jack, God Jack, he was always seeing the brighter side of life. He had these huge dreams. He was going to get a scholarship to the best football playing college, play for a few years until he was drafted—early of course, or so he would say. He wanted to play with the big boys, Dani, and he could have. He really could have. He was that good. ”
