Enamored

by Susan Scott Shelley

  Hours later, as early evening set in, she followed Liam into his apartment. She kicked off her flats, and stifling a yawn, walked right into his back. "Sorry."

  "Careful, or I'll think you had more than one glass of wine with dinner." He turned and his eyes twinkled. "Want another?"

  "Wine? I'll get it. You still can't carry things."

  "Just for a few more days." He led her into the kitchen and nodded at the bottle of wine and two glasses on the counter. "I set these out this morning, hoping I'd be successful in convincing you to come over."

  She smiled and worked on opening the bottle, then pouring the wine. "I'm glad you did. I needed tonight."

  He moved to the freezer and pulled out an ice pack, then threw it on his shoulder to free his hands for the crutches. "We can sit in the living room."

  Claire carried the glasses, admiring Liam's strong back and wide shoulders.

  "Sit right here." He patted the middle couch cushion and then sat beside it and removed his sneakers. "I can massage your shoulders while I ice my ankle."

  "Multitasking." She smiled and put the glasses down, then helped him elevate his foot and set the pack in place. The couch, a brown suede, had deep cushions that cradled the body.

  His warm hands kneaded her shoulders, loosening the tight muscles. Her head lolled forward. "Feels so good."

  "You're really tight."

  "Mmm."

  His fingers flexed on her neck, tiny circles of pleasure that slowly crept onto her scalp. Her hair tangled around his fingers but she didn't care. The sensation felt too good.

  His other hand crept under her T-shirt, rubbing along her spine. She arched her back, stretching into him as his hand glided along her torso to rest on her stomach.

  "Liam." She twisted toward him, seeking his mouth.

  His teeth grazed her lips and he skimmed his fingers higher until they slid over the satin covering her breast.

  She threaded her hands into his hair, holding onto him as the kiss deepened and his fingers explored. Goosebumps pebbled on her skin. She strained to get closer but her position prevented her from accessing more of him. Frustrated, she swung her leg over until she straddled him.

  "There. That's better." Smiling, she stroked her fingers along his face.

  His hands clamped at her waist. "Much better. Kiss me."

  Leaning down, she licked her lips and watched his eyes darken. She flattened her hands on his shoulders, tilted her head, and brushed her lips over his, soft, light, and teasing.

  He ran his hands up and down her back, and then under her shirt to follow the same path. Up, stopping at her bra clasp, working the clasp free, and then massaging with firm hands over every inch of skin.

  Claire leaned back, desperate to see, to touch. She tugged his shirt over his torso. He stopped touching her long enough to yank the garment over his head and toss it across the room. Mouth gone dry, she gazed at his body. Tan skin stretched over developed muscles. He was a study in a well-built male. Her fingers itched to touch him. She traced the defined pecs. His skin was so warm under the sensitive pads of her fingers. When she reached his abs, he sucked in a breath and then groaned. His fingers tightened on her waist.

  Eyes hot and wild, he inched her shirt up, his knuckles dragging along her skin. The shirt fell free and with a flick of his fingers, her bra straps slipped off her shoulders and it fell to her wrists. He gathered the material and twisted it until her hands were together, and then he lifted her arms high over her head so that her back arched and her breasts pressed into his chest. He worked his lips, teeth, and tongue over her jaw and neck, driving her crazy with nips on sensitive skin.

  One hand drifted down and slid into the back pocket of her jeans. He cupped her rear and ground her into his erection.

  Off balance, she could only lean into him. When he released his hold on her hands to slide his other hand to cup her rear, she tossed her bra aside and gripped his shoulders until he looked into her eyes. Panting, hard, and intense, he watched her as he continued to grind and she worked her hips into his.

  Need spiraled through her as turbulent as a tornado.

  They'd waited long enough. Had been pulled apart too many times with his injury and her family.

  Tonight was for Liam. For her. For them.

  "Do we need to move to the bedroom?"

  "Probably. But you feel too good to move." He glided his hands up her back once again and then around to cup her breasts. After long moments, he dipped his head down and teased her with his lips, sending an arc of liquid desire directly to her core.

  "Stand up."

  The murmured request took a moment to register in her fuzzy brain. Buzzed on wine and Liam, she complied.

  He traced his finger along her waistband, one slow, continued caress across and back, and then he worked the button free. The zipper opened with one pull and he leaned forward, shifting on the cushion, and eased her jeans down her legs, leaving her in her underwear.

  She stepped free of the pants and his hands fisted on his knees. "You're beautiful."

  "And you're wearing too many clothes." She brushed his hand when he reached for her. "I'll help you."

  Kneeling beside the couch, she trailed her fingers over his shorts, taking her time and making him groan. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his stomach, then kept her gaze on his as she slowly opened his shorts. His cloth covered arousal poked through the opening and she trailed her finger over it, relishing in Liam's deep groan.

  His hand covered hers and he pulled her away. "Now, we need to move to the bedroom."

  "Let me get your crutches."

  "No. I don't want my arms holding onto them when I could be holding onto you. If you help me, I won't need them." He moved his leg off the ottoman and slowly stood up, and then shoved his shorts down to his feet and stepped free.

  She stood by his left side. "Where do you want me?"

  His eyes glittered. "That's a loaded question."

  Fresh heat flushed through her body. "You know what I mean."

  He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and drew her into his left side. She slid her arm around his waist. At times, she forgot their height difference was so great, but being skin on skin with him was a tantalizing reminder of his broad strength.

  Walking down the hall, they stopped for kisses every few steps. When they reached his bedroom doorway, he backed her against the threshold and kissed her breathless.

  And then, he drew her inside.

  LIAM

  AFTER COUNTLESS NIGHTS and fantasies, the real deal was here, and reality was so much better than fantasy.

  Liam turned on the lamp by the bedside table, but left the rest of the room cast in darkness. Reaching for Claire, he moved carefully as his eyes adjusted. She was a goddess. Hair like gold, eyes like aquamarine, and her small body, delicate yet strong. Not only physical strength, but emotional too.

  She was a giver, over and over again. She needed someone to make sure she was taken care of too, and he nominated himself for the job.

  Claire linked their fingers together and stepped into him. Holding hands at the foot of his bed, they kissed. Slow and sexy, the moment seared into Liam's memory.

  This woman.

  He was over his head for her.

  He grazed his fingers up the silky skin of her arms. Hers followed the same path on his. When he reached her shoulders, he continued the journey down the sides of her torso, causing her to shiver, and then teased over the blue striped underwear that rode low on her hip. Needing more, he sat on the bed and pulled her between his legs.

  She stroked her hands over his chest, driving him crazy. "Is your ankle hurting?"

  He had no idea. His head was too clouded with lust and the beautiful, almost naked woman in his arms. "Something else is."

  Claire's fingers traced over his thighs, over his boxers, stroking his length. He rested his forehead against hers and edged his fingers under her panties, determined to drive her as high as she drove him, work
ing his fingers against her until she clutched at his shoulders and gasped his name. Then he did it again.

  When they were both panting and straining together for more, he pulled her onto the bed and rolled until he covered her with his body. Caging her with his hands on both sides of her head, he leaned down and kissed her, then he worked his boxers down and kicked free. Claire arched her body and shimmied out of her underwear. It sailed past his head on its way to the floor.

  Grinning at her, he lay on his side, facing her, and drew her against him. They rocked together, their fingers seeking to draw out pleasure, guided by whispered requests and gasps and groans.

  Liam rolled away and dug through the bedside table drawer until he found a condom. Protection in place, he moved between her legs. He braced one hand by her shoulder and together, they guided him to her center.

  Throbbing with overwhelming need, he paused, drinking in her lips swollen from his kisses and her eyes misted in passion. Smiling, Claire curled her other hand around his neck. “Kiss me.”

  He complied, tangling their tongue together. Her legs encircled his waist and then her heels dug in, urging him on. He sunk inside in one slow, smooth slide. His eyes closed and he groaned as her tight, wet heat gripped him.

  Claire's fingers in his hair held him close and they came together in breathless thrusts. He wasn’t going to last long this first time. She felt too good. Perfect, actually. But damn, he was determined that she hit her peak first. He hitched her leg higher and rolled his hips—faster, deeper, harder. Until he was steeped in her feel, scent, and taste and still, it wasn’t enough.

  Those fingers tightened in warning as her release hit and she shuddered around him.

  Liam pressed his lips to hers, drinking in her gasps. Pleasure tingled at the base of his spine. He bucked his hips wildly until his release crashed over him like a tidal wave.

  He collapsed, boneless. When he had the strength to move, he shifted to his side, dealt with the condom, and then drew her against him.

  She smiled and kissed him, snuggling into him with a sigh. Her fingers traced patterns over his chest that both relaxed and teased.

  His brain was fried. He couldn't think of a single thing to say.

  He combed his fingers through her hair, amazed that he finally had her in his bed.

  She looked good there.

  Damn good.

  He wanted her all over again.

  But her breathing had slowed and deepened and the hand tracing over his skin grew heavy and then stopped. Eyes closed, her body relaxed fully as she fell to sleep.

  Liam dragged the blanket at the foot of the bed up with his foot. Shifting carefully so he wouldn't disturb his sleeping beauty, he pulled the blanket over them, then switched off the light.

  He lay in the darkness with his arm wrapped around Claire's waist, mulling over the effects of fate.

  Maybe the busted ankle had happened so that they'd come into each other's lives. His mother always said that the best things came along when you weren't looking for them. He hadn't been looking for Claire, but he couldn't deny the spark he'd immediately felt upon meeting her, or how it had grown stronger and brighter until it could power all of L.A.

  He'd tried to push aside the thoughts about what would happen or could happen after he'd been cleared to return to his job, but they continued to creep in, especially now that he was about to begin physical therapy. The uncertainty was too great. What he needed to do was enjoy the next several weeks with Claire, definitely doing a lot more of what they'd done tonight, but the little things too.

  She sighed in her sleep and shifted closer. Liam pressed a kiss to her forehead and wrapped his arm tighter around her. He liked having her close. The old line keep your friends close and your enemies closer flitted through his mind. Claire wasn't his enemy, even though she might end up with his job if things didn't go well. She definitely was his friend, but more than that, too.

  He thought of Fin and Fiona. Fin had found his mate, even though Great Whites were mostly solitary creatures. Liam hadn't ever given the matter much thought, too wrapped up in his job and his friends to think about his future or who he wanted to share it with.

  But Claire made him think.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  SLADE

  SLADE STOOD AND STRETCHED and then gathered his bag from the bus's overhead compartment. One week on the road, four games in St. Louis, followed by three games in Milwaukee, followed by the slowest flight and bus ride of his life, and finally, they'd arrived back at the baseball stadium's parking lot.

  Most of his teammates were talking about getting into their cars and going home to their families or significant others. A few others were planning to hit the closest bar.

  He should go home and rest his body, but eight o'clock on a Sunday evening wasn't too late to stop in and see Savanna.

  Dom waited for him outside the bus. "Heading home?"

  "Nah. I thought I might take a drive."

  "Any place in particular? Like Savanna's."

  "Yeah. Like Savanna's."

  "Let me give you some advice." Dom patted the roof of his car. "Go for it. But make it last." He grinned, his pearly whites practically glowing in the dark. "See you here tomorrow."

  Slade nodded and hugged him and then headed to his car. He hadn't been sure what time the game would end or how the flight or bus ride would be, so he hadn't called her in case their arrival would be delayed.

  Hopefully, she wouldn't mind him showing up, unannounced.

  Thirty minutes later, he knocked on her door.

  Locks clicked, and then it opened. Savanna's hair was drawn into a high ponytail and she wore a white tank top and gray shorts that rode high on her hips. Smiling, she launched herself into Slade's arms. Slade slung his travel bag behind him as he adjusted his grip around Savanna's waist. He pressed his hand into the small of her back and walked her the few steps inside. His mouth fused to hers as he kicked the door closed behind him.

  Need. The word pounded through him with every beat of his heart.

  So much need.

  He set her down to lock the door and drop his bag on the floor. And then he cradled her face in his hands. "Hi."

  "Hi." Her hands traveled up his chest and curled into his shirt. Like a magnet seeking its mate, she strained toward him.

  Stroking his thumb against her cheek, he lowered his head until their lips met.

  They'd seen each other once more the weekend after their para-sailing adventure and his visit with his parents, for a quick drink last Saturday night. He and Savanna had spent time with Liam and Claire, Dom and his wife Irisa, and Adam and his wife Gemma before the guys had left for the road trip. He'd loved how the eight of them had gotten along. But right now, last Saturday seemed pretty far away.

  Her hands clung to his biceps and she angled her head seeking a deeper taste. Slade was glad to accommodate. His tongue tangled with hers, firm licks that stoked his need higher when she caressed his with equal passion. He moved his hands over her, desperate to touch every inch. Slade traced the line of her neck, the slope of her shoulder, and across her collarbones. She wasn't wearing a bra. That thought registered a second before he grazed his fingers along her nipples straining against the shirt's material.

  Soft fingers worked at the buttons of his shirt, opening the row quickly from the top down. Savanna kissed him as she freed the buttons. He hardened at the thought of her hands on his skin.

  Savanna pulled his shirt free of his pants and pushed it off his shoulders. He pulled his T-shirt over his head and dropped it beside them. The only thing he hated about team travel was that they had to wear suits. But watching her help take his off... yeah, he could get used to that.

  Savanna's eyes widened and her hands mapped the muscles in his chest and torso. Her touch almost burned into his sensitive skin. He needed to feel more of her skin against his.

  Lifting the edge of her tank, he slipped the material off, baring her to him. Curves and softness and beaut
y, her body was perfect. He filled his hands with her breasts. Her eyes closed and she bit her lip. Slade trailed kisses along her neck.

  His control slipped when her fingers opened his belt. Eyes on his, she worked open the button and zipper on his pants. With unsteady hands, he moved to return the favor, but his hand met only soft cotton. Blinking through the haze, he looked down at the material.

  She smiled. "These are easy. There's a drawstring inside the waistband."

  He delved his fingers between her stomach and the shorts, found the string, and pulled it loose. Easing the shorts down her legs, he discovered she wore no underwear. A bolt of lust hit him, but before he could explore further, she slid his pants and boxers down in one smooth move and then sank to her knees.

  Slade went rock hard as Savanna took him in her hands, and then into her mouth. Wet heat enveloped him. He rested his fingers in her hair, not pushing, but needing to touch her. He mentally recited the league standings to keep himself under control. When he nearly lost the edge, he eased her back and to her feet, and then crushed his mouth to hers.

  "My turn." Stepping free of his pants and shoes, he hitched her off her feet, urging her to wrap her legs around his waist. Intending to walk to the bedroom, he decided the couch was far enough, and kicked his pants in that direction so the condom in his pocket would be close by. He shifted one hand to her hip and laid her body on the couch, then moved between her thighs.

  He sat back, stroking a path up her legs, watching for any hint of a sensitive area that he could explore later. Savanna’s hands closed over his and she guided him to her center. He leaned forward and slipped his fingers into her, growing harder at the catch of her breath. Wanting to drench her in pleasure, he followed the path with his mouth. She arched toward him with a moan at the dual assault and threaded her fingers into his hair as she continued to move her hips in time to his movements.

  He pulled away to retrieve the condom and rejoined her with a kiss. He couldn't get enough of kissing her.

  Savanna took the condom and with smooth strokes, rolled it on him.