Unplugged: A Blue Phoenix Book

by Swallow, Lisa

  Liam relaxes next to me, arm across my shoulders. “Not my call.”

  “But we’re good, yeah?”

  “Not bad.”

  “We are good, I know. Not your kind of music, huh?” Will asks me.

  “What makes you ask that?”

  “Umm. Dunno. You don’t look like you’d like us.”

  “Why? What do I look like?”

  My earlier feeling of rewinding to my pre-Ella days, of losing myself and fitting in, screeches to a halt. Heat spreads across my back as the realisation I don’t fit in hits. I dressed down, yes, but my dressed down still makes me look like I should be with different people. Other mothers. Who am I kidding?

  “It’s fine, forget it,” says Will, shifting in his seat.

  “You mean I don’t have enough tattoos and piercings to be cool enough to watch your band?” I snap.

  “Naw, you just don’t look like a normal fan. Look, I didn’t mean anything. You’re cool, okay?”

  Sure, but if my hair was a different colour and I was wearing the correct clothes, I’d be ‘cooler’. Despite the fact I’m in a darkened corner, I feel as if there’s a spotlight on me.

  “I need the bathroom,” I say to Liam and stand. My small black handbag rests on the seat next to Liam and I stare at it. Nobody else here has a handbag.

  Stumbling toward the bathrooms, I keep my eyes to the floor. I’m not much different in age to these people, younger than the Blue Phoenix guys, but I may as well be ten years older. The black walls drip with condensation in the hallway, and couples hang round chatting. Thankfully, there’s no queue to get into the Ladies and I push myself through the door.

  Gripping the dirty sink in the brightly lit bathrooms, I stare at my reflection. My carefully applied make-up enhances my big brown eyes, my lipstick a natural colour. Next to me, a girl with thick black hair reapplies heavy black eyeliner on her powdered pale face, and touches up her perfect red lipstick. This girl wears a disguise, part of the scene.

  I’m Cerys, mum on a night out.

  I worried that my lack of similarity to Honey would be the issue if I dated Liam, but this is the bigger one. My life doesn’t fit his. I doubt anyone else here has a five year old staying at a friend’s so she can have her first night out in six months.

  With the decision to tell Liam I want to go home made, I head out of the bathrooms.

  Liam’s waiting outside for me, resting against the opposite wall, and I pause in surprise.

  “You okay?” he asks.

  “I’m okay. Getting tired, can we go?”

  He approaches and smoothes my hair, concerned eyes searching mine. “You’re not okay, I can tell.”

  “I’m feeling out of place, that’s all.”

  Liam sighs. “Did I do the wrong thing bringing you here? I thought you’d enjoy this. I remember you and Lou used to sneak in to see us play. You were mini-rock chicks.”

  I smile weakly. “We can’t rewind life.”

  “Why not? I have. I rewound to you.” He touches my lips. “You make it sound like you can’t have fun anymore. I think you need to let go and enjoy the world.”

  Back in Liam’s presence, I’m less self-aware. Out of the two of us, if anyone’s going to get noticed, it won’t be me. “A night out with a badass rock star could be counted as fun.”

  “Hmm. But you got stuck with a sweet one.”

  I circle Liam’s taut waist and pull him close. He’s right. Who cares if I don’t fit? I fit him, the man cupping the back of my head and pulling my mouth to his.

  “Don’t be sweet then,” I say quietly.

  Liam sucks in a breath then knocks mine out by slamming me against the wall, hungry mouth closing over mine. In that one move, he wipes away thoughts of anything but the daily obsession over what sex with this man would be like. I slide my hands beneath his T-shirt, exploring the tight abs and digging my nails into the muscles of his lower back. Liam growls and pushes against me, his obvious arousal spiking my own as we continue to explore each other’s mouths. I can’t move and barely breathe, lost in the heady kiss.

  Liam pushes his hand beneath the thin material of my top and trails his finger lightly along my side. My legs weaken and if he didn’t have me pinned against the wall by his hips, I’d be a heap on the floor. When Liam’s large palm closes over my breast and his fingers slide into the thin lace of my bra and brushes my hardened nipple, I know sweet isn’t anything to do with Liam tonight.

  He stops as quickly as he started and rests his head on mine. “Cerys, I want you on your own. No Ella, no Blue Phoenix, and no dickheads making you feel like you’re beneath them.”

  I lick the taste of Liam from my lips wanting more, and determined more is what I’m going to get.

  Tonight is all about Liam, freedom, and me.

  “Let’s go home,” I whisper and nip his bottom lip.

  CHAPTER 20

  LIAM

  We climb the steps toward Cerys’s front door, I’m behind, and her gorgeous ass is close enough to touch. As she flicks the lights on inside the house, I grab Cerys and turn her to me, sliding my hands across the rough denim holding that ass.

  She turns me on so fucking much.

  If I didn’t have the willpower I’m fighting to keep hold of, I’d push Cerys onto the stairs in front of us and pull those jeans off.

  No Ella around. Finally.

  Cerys disentangles herself and steps around me to close the front door. Without a word, she heads to the kitchen. I kick my shoes off, huff, and follow.

  “Do you want a coffee?” she asks, back turned.

  “No,” I say gruffly.

  “Tea?”

  “No.” I step behind her and run my hands along her stomach, slipping my fingers beneath the waistband of her so-tight-it’s-criminal jeans. This is our opportunity and I’m not wasting it with niceties. “I want you.”

  Cerys turns, about to speak, but I close my mouth over hers before she gets a chance. That kiss at the club. That fucking awesome, mind-melting kiss held the expectation of what hangs between us now. Am I over-stepping the line? Will she send me home aching for her? Fuck, I hope not. She tastes of a sweetness I crave whenever she’s not around. Six months I left her, six fucking months and a huge mistake.

  Cerys grips my head too, returning my kiss with the ferocity she did at the club. I fumble with her jeans again, undoing the button. She allows me, unbuckling my belt at the same time. I slam her against the door and continue my devouring kiss, pulling at her clothes. I want her naked. Against me, beneath me, on top of me…fuck, any way as long as we don’t stop. The way her fingers brush my stomach as she undoes my jeans doesn’t help my self-restraint. I grab her legs, wrapping them around me as I push my hardening cock toward her soft centre. Too many clothes. I drop her legs and succeed in pulling her jeans down, my fingers grazing her oh-so-soft skin as I run my hand up her inner thigh.

  She tenses as my fingers edge toward her panties. I still my hand. “Too much?”

  “I’m a bit drunk,” she says.

  Shit. “You mean you’re not sure?”

  “I didn’t say that. I know what I’m doing. I mean I might say things I wouldn’t normally.”

  “Mmm? Such as?” Stop fucking talking, Cerys.

  “Such as can you be badass rock star Liam, not sweet-guy Liam.”

  “Sweet?” I hold her by the shoulders and stare into her face. “This idea I’m sweet, I don’t know who told you, but you’re wrong.”

  Cerys’s breath rushes out in surprise. “So you keep saying.”

  “Let’s just say I know when to hold a girl’s hand, but I also know when to pull her hair.” I wind my fingers through her hair and tug her head back, dropping kisses along her collarbone, enjoying her gasp. “I’m more than ready to show you how wrong you are.”

  “So show me,” she says.

  This, the breathlessness and flushed face, are the green light I need and I release her hair. “You fucking bet...”

  R
oughly, I push her top up; unclasp her bra releasing the awesome tits I’ve wanted my mouth on for months. She helps me tug the black shirt over her head and I lift her again so I have perfect access to them.

  “You’re beautiful,” I say, dragging my tongue across her skin to take her hard nipple in my mouth. The softness and taste of Cerys and the small noise from her continues to threaten my restraint and I’m getting painfully hard already. I hold her in the small of her back as she arches toward me, eager for me to explore her further. The need for her begins to blind and I pause, rest my cheek against her skin and pull in the disappearing self-control.

  “That’s not very badass,” she whispers.

  I hesitate, digging my fingers into her sides. “What?”

  She giggles so I press myself into her, pinning her so she can’t move. “Exactly what do you mean?” Cerys’s breathing speeds up at the action. Okay, this is unexpected. “What do you want me to do?”

  “Whatever you want.”

  “You really shouldn’t have said that.” I release her and step back to open the door. “Get upstairs.”

  “Make me.”

  “Fuck, Cerys. Teasing me is such a bad idea. Especially when all you have on now is your panties.” I push her through the door into her tiny lounge until she trips against the sofa. As she falls backwards, I pull her up by the wrists. “No, I said upstairs.”

  “No.”

  Her drunken giggling continues and she wraps her arms around my neck, her hardened nipples brushing my chest. This is too fucking much. Spinning her round, I slam Cerys against the wall and push my hand against her damp panties. I groan. This is way too fucking much, because she’s wet for me and I’ve hardly touched her. The plans I had to make love to her gently and not scare her disappear from my head.

  “Get upstairs or I’m going to fuck you here,” I growl, holding her hands against the wall, over her head.

  “You have too many clothes on,” she whispers. “You can’t.”

  “Jesus Christ, woman!” I drop her hands and step back, dragging a hand through my hair. Fuck it. I hoist her over my shoulder, gripping her legs as her hair falls down my back. “You are in so much fucking trouble.” I slap her backside harder than I should and she responds with a shriek of laughter.

  This is not how I expected tonight to end.

  ****

  CERYS

  Liam dumps me on the bed and he can’t get his clothes off quick enough. I lie back and stare at his chest where the light from the open curtains casts across the firm muscle, taking in the sight of every inch of his sculpted physique. He leaves his briefs on but there’s no denying the size and hardness of him.

  Liam kneels on the floor and drags me roughly toward him by the ankles, his face directly in front of my sex. Slowly, he traces a finger along the cotton and as his fingers slide between the cotton and my skin. I hear a sharp intake of breath followed by the rough sensation of him yanking the lace panties down my legs. Seconds later his mouth replaces his fingers, tongue flicking my clit. I gasp as he eases his fingers inside me, stroking against a part of me I never knew existed. This man turns me on so easily it should be illegal.

  I moan his name and Liam laughs against my sex, the vibration making things worse as he teases me with his fingers. I push myself against him, whimpering as he sucks and licks at me. He pays close attention to the growing volume of my moaning because when I’m on the brink of coming he stops and sits back.

  I push my head back against the bed in frustration at the loss of his hands and mouth. “Any better?” he asks.

  “Don’t stop.”

  “I don’t intend to.” He kisses my ankle then proceeds to move his lips along my leg, across my stomach and breasts until his mouth hovers over mine. The sensation of his rough cheeks against my skin adds to the burn threatening to explode inside. “I’m going to kiss every inch of your beautiful self. Then I’m going to make love to you slowly until you come screaming my name.” I squirm. I want him inside me. What happened to the threat from downstairs? “And after that I’m going to fuck you.”

  Please.

  Liam stands and looks down at me, my skin cools at the loss of him. I can’t move; I’m a shaking mess as he shucks off his boxers and digs around in his jeans for a condom. Continuing to watch me, he tears open the foil before sliding the condom on his hard length.

  Liam rests back onto me, propping himself up by the arms as he looks down, his loose hair falling into my face. “By the end of tonight, your body will know that you’re completely mine.” He nudges my legs apart with his knee, darkened eyes on mine. “I can guarantee you won’t want anyone else after tonight.”

  All I’m aware of is the tip of him resting against my sensitive sex and I shift my hips, desperate for Liam to fill me. He moves backward in response, mouthing ‘no’ at me; and when I try to shuffle closer, he pulls my hair again so I can’t move without it hurting.

  “You’re a surprise, Cerys,” he says and hitches my leg around his hip. “I’ve changed my mind; I think I’ll fuck you first.”

  I gasp as he thrusts into me hard then stops, kissing me again, and forcing my mouth open to accept his tongue. I dig my nails into his shoulders, and lock my legs around his waist; I fit tightly around him but want him closer. Liam pulls his head away and takes a deep breath. He withdraws slowly, watching my face and I close my eyes focusing only on the pleasure pulsing through every nerve ending.

  “You feel so fucking good, like you were made for me,” he says and drives himself into me, harder and faster, pulling me to the promise he denied me several minutes ago. As my breathing turns to moans, Liam grabs my arms and holds them over my head, continuing his fierce pushes until I come, crying his name. Liam doesn’t stop, and neither does the sensation shattering my body. Gaze fixed firmly on mine, his urgency increases and I match his rhythm until he grinds into me one last time, holding still before swearing as he comes.

  Liam drops to bury his damp forehead against my neck and releases my hands. “You are fucking awesome,” he says and moves his mouth to find mine.

  I hold him against me, relishing the closeness and the tender caress of the kiss. “That was fucking awesome,” I reply.

  Liam wipes my hair from where it’s stuck to my face, and smiles. “That was just the start,” he whispers.

  CHAPTER 21

  CERYS

  The temperature didn’t drop last night, the sticky humidity of late July makes lying naked next to Liam more acceptable. I snuggle into him and rest my head on his warm chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heart. Liam shifts and encompasses me in his arms, burying his face in my hair. The bed smells of him. Us. Sex.

  “Good morning,” he whispers, soft lips moving against my forehead.

  “You’re still here,” I murmur.

  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  I rest my palms on his chest and look up at his tired face. “I don’t know. I guess I half-expected you to run away again.”

  “Why run? There’s no five year old to shock when she sees me coming out of her mum’s bedroom,” he says.

  “Ella...” She’s never far from my thoughts and guilt twinges as I glance at the bedside clock. 11 a.m. “I should call Phoebe; I said I’d pick Ella up early.”

  Liam’s clothes lie on the floor and images of my last night rest with them, how the frantic sex turned into his gentle kisses and leisurely exploration of my body and then to things I wouldn’t have dreamt of doing with Craig. Liam pushed us into a dizzying plane of pleasure I never knew existed, telling me again and again how I belonged to him. Finally ending in the early hours, Liam looked down at me with a sincerity and tenderness that made me cry as we finally exhausted the need we’d held.

  Liam tore apart my heart and soul then put them together again with a piece of himself inside. He was right. After last night, I’m his.

  “I should get a shower and go get Ella.”

  “Now who’s running away?” he asks and laces his ha
nds behind his head.

  The tattoo running across his chest to his shoulder is newer than in the pictures on my old bedroom wall. His ink blends into one canvas of colour across his chest and continues down his arms, a strange collection of pictures and words. Of course, there’s a phoenix, soaring across his chest with the tail feathers heading toward his muscled abs. I drag a fingernail down the length of the bird and across the tight muscles.

  How do I really feel about what I did last night? Slightly sore considering it’s a long time since I had anyone in my bed, and before then it was quick and not repeatedly.

  “You can hang around when I go to pick her up. If you want to, I mean.”

  “Of course I want to! I’m not disappearing and leaving you after last night.” He sits and kisses my arm. “Get your shower, I’ll make breakfast.”

  “That’s sweet of you,” I say and giggle as he pokes me and pulls a sour face.

  Refreshed by my shower but anxious to get dressed and collect Ella, I throw a pair of cotton shorts and tank top on, and grab my phone to call Phoebe.

  “Phoebe, I’m sorry, I’m running late.”

  “Don’t stress, she’s fine.” Phoebe pauses. “Late night with your rock star?”

  I’m glad she’s not in the room to see me blush. “A little. I slept in.”

  “I bet you did! Naughty...”

  “Phoebe!”

  “Seriously, as long as you had fun, I’m happy.”

  “I’ll be about an hour. Is that okay?”

  “Of course! She’s playing in the garden with Jordan, no trouble at all.”

  Despite her reassuring words, I want to get to Ella as soon as I can. I don’t want Ella feeling abandoned; I’ve never left her alone overnight.

  The relief Phoebe isn’t annoyed with me evaporates when I walk downstairs. Craig is sitting on the sofa. He greets me with a dark expression, one I’m too familiar with. I glance behind. Liam has his back to us in the kitchen. Shirtless. Crap.