Instead of answering, Liam sucked her swollen nipple into his mouth and she let out a soft shriek of bliss.
He continued for long moments, then finally looked up at her. “Are you wanting me to stop? Or would you like me to continue?”
“I want us both to continue,” she said as she trailed her hand down the front of his stomach and reached into his boxers. Liam’s eyes deepened to a dark navy blue as her hand caressed the head of his penis. She measured his length, glorying in how deeply she affected him.
“Enough.”
“Not enough,” she disagreed as she undulated against him.
“I’m going to lose it. Having you against me is a pleasure I never dreamed I’d have again. It’s too much, Addison.” His hand trembled as he pushed back the hair from her face. He kissed her. It was a benediction.
“Liam.”
“I’m here, Honey.”
Those words worked like a key that unlocked her heart. She pushed down his boxers. She was done playing. She needed him inside of her.
Now.
“Shhh. It’s going to be all right.”
He sheathed himself.
She tried to pull him to her, but he was having none of it. Dammit. His fingers teased and delved, stroking the heart of her. Memories flooded her as she remembered all of his care. He parted her legs further.
“You’re gorgeous.” She blushed. God, she was forty-three years old and she was blushing. Her man tenderly kissed her cheek, then he looked back down at her glistening folds as his fingers circled and plucked at her clitoris.
Addison whined. “Enough. Fuck me, already.”
Liam threw back his head and laughed. “Still my impatient Addison.”
He plunged inside her with two fingers and she shrieked her pleasure.
From a distance she heard the words, “Now you’re ready.”
He’d watched sunrises over many mountains and oceans, but nothing touched him more, was more resoundingly beautiful, than the look of pleasure in Addison Sander’s eyes. How could he have ever let her go?
Slowly, ever so slowly, he bonded his body to hers. It was a holy moment. One he would never forget. The slide into her warmth felt like heaven.
Liam watched her carefully, wanting nothing but joy for his woman. Her eyelids fluttered closed, then she opened them again, her eyes liquid silver. She twined her arms around his neck.
“Come closer,” she breathed.
“Soon,” he promised as he slid deeper. He wanted to watch their joining. She arched her hips up, taking him to the hilt.
Bliss.
His entire body shuddered with need. He struggled to maintain control. Then he saw her witchy look. She knew what he was doing, and she liked it. Her legs moved up his calves, up his thighs, then she dug her heels into his ass.
“Again,” she purred.
“Again,” he agreed. “Many more agains.”
Liam came up on his knees and caught her up with him. He took total control. His mouth went to her breast and feasted. He heard her shrill sound of pleasure and everything male inside of him growled with satisfaction. He pressed deeper, pushed higher and he listened to her cries urging for even more.
She was made for him. No woman had ever come close to giving him this kind of ecstasy. She was his mate. Made especially for him. He licked at her perfect skin. He tasted caramel and salt.
“Please, Liam.”
That wasn’t what he wanted. He never wanted Addison to beg. He wanted to give her anything and everything she could ever want in this life.
“Yes, come for me.”
She shattered.
She was breathtaking.
“Liam,” she cried again.
He followed her into the sun.
11
He was having a tough time reading Addison. The early morning hours had been unbelievable, but now she seemed almost shy. Which, all things considered, seemed unbelievable.
Time to take the bull by the horns. “Addison, are you okay?”
She looked up from her phone.
“Hmmm? What?”
“Didn’t you hear me? That’s the second time I’ve asked you a question.”
She smiled. “I’m sorry. I was looking at a text from Brody. What did you say?”
Maybe that was it. “I was asking if you were okay.”
“I guess I was just preoccupied. It bothered me that Caroline wouldn’t see us until this afternoon. According to Stacy, she’s off rotation this week, so her time isn’t accounted for. She should have been able to make time for us this morning, or lunch at the latest.”
Liam went and sat down next to her at the dining room table. “Are you sure?”
Her phone rang. She looked at it and immediately answered it. “Brody? Can I call you right back?”
He must have said yes, because she put her phone on the table, then she pushed up from her seat and settled herself on his lap. Every concern he’d been having that she had been regretting their time together, evaporated.
Addison traced the back of her fingertips along the line of his jaw. “So smooth. But I like it better with a little bit of silver scruff.”
He grabbed her hand and brought her palm to his mouth so he could bestow a kiss.
He felt her shudder. Addison raked her fingernails of her loose hand along his scalp, now he was the one who was shuddering.
“I want a kiss,” she taunted him with her lips hovering over his mouth.
“You need to call Brody.” As Liam said the words, he could taste her minty breath.
“Kiss me,” she said again. “Then I’ll call Brody.”
He clasped the back of her neck and pulled her down for a ravenous kiss. He couldn’t get enough of this woman.
Heat spiraled out of control. She squirmed on his lap. He was going to lose it.
He heard her whimpers of pleasure, and he broke their connection.
“Call Brody,” he rasped.
She let her head rest on his shoulder. “Okay.”
She slowly lifted off his lap and picked up the phone then made her call. In a heartbeat she was in mama-bear mode. Liam smiled. His woman was amazing.
She started walking the length of the dining room then into the kitchen. Apparently, her input wasn’t necessary, all she did was make murmurs of agreement or commiseration. After five awhile, Liam gave up and turned to his own phone.
There was a message from Declan. It was almost noon in Pensacola which is where his suspect was located. It was possible he had already checked things out. Hell, he might have somehow met with the woman. You never knew with that kid.
“Hi, Uncle Liam,” Declan answered.
“What did I do to deserve being called Uncle?” Liam asked.
“Oh, I was talking to Shelly. She kept asking me how Uncle Liam was doing. I guess it stuck for a moment. Anyway, how’s it going with Addison? You making any progress?”
“That’s why I called you. I wanted to know if you were making any progress,” Liam grumbled.
“Well, that didn’t sound too promising. You sound like a bear with a sore paw. Damn, I was really hoping with the sparks the two of you were throwing and a little alone time, you might have a meeting of minds.”
“Just tell me how your meeting went,” Liam pressed on.
“She wasn’t our guy.”
“How can you be so sure?” Liam rubbed the back of his neck as he watched Addison look out the window.
“Besides not being the type? Besides not being a man?”
“Spill it, I don’t have the time or the patience.”
There was a long pause. Liam could practically hear Declan’s wheels turning, and frankly, he didn’t need it. He took another look at Addison and she was looking as anxious as he was beginning to feel.
“Besides the fact that she’s in a shit-ton of debt, then there’s the fact that she spends the majority of her time volunteering at a school for mentally challenged girls. Today was her day to work in the school’s office s
o I went in to discuss making a donation. She’s on the up-and-up.”
“Couldn’t she be a patsy?”
“She’s too savvy for it, Liam. She’s working on all cylinders. I had planned to make a good-sized donation and she had me doubling it by the time I left.”
“But what about the debt?”
“It was because of what she’d personally put into the school. She leads with her heart.”
“So, back to my original point, couldn’t she be somebody’s patsy.” He watched as Addison twirled the end of her hair. What was Brody saying? She only did that when she was truly upset.
“Can you repeat that?”
“I said that there isn’t anybody else in her life. It’s that school and the Navy. She was engaged to a man who died in Iraq. His picture is on her desk, and according to what Conn picked up, he was it for her. She’s never recovered from his death. She’s a dead end.”
“Sounds like it. Good job. When can you get back?”
“Do you need me tonight?”
“Probably not, why?”
“I’d like to stop by Chicago for the night and see Allie and Becky.”
“Is there a problem?”
Declan laughed. “Uhhmm. I miss my wife?”
“Oh, got it. Yeah, sure do whatever.” He saw Addison hang up. “Can you call Cooper and see what he’s found out?”
“Sure.”
“Gotta go,” Liam hung up the phone.
“Addison,” Liam strode over to her.
She smiled. He looked so good in the blue Henley that matched his eyes. “Yes?”
“What’s going on with Brody?”
She let out a long sigh. “Girl problems. I didn’t realize how deep things had gotten with him and Jamie. He’s making his decision on what job to take based on where Jamie can get a job. So much for cautious and methodical, huh?”
He stood in front of her, his expression was neutral. “I didn’t hear you doing much talking.”
“What was there for me to say? He’s twenty-four, he’s a grown man. He was just running things past me. He needed a sounding board.”
“Yeah, but you looked more than a little concerned, you looked upset.”
“I was twenty-seven when I got involved with you. I was twenty-eight when I walked away. In between that time, I was positive we were going to have the whole shebang, you know?”
Shit, had she just said that?
Liam’s face was still pretty blank.
Good.
“Then there’s the fact that he’s a guy. I worry that he might be a little young to be making such life-altering decisions based on a relationship. Things change for men.”
Liam’s phone rang. He ignored it. He put his arm around her waist and circled her toward the sofa and settled her down beside him.
“You told me that because of his parents dying, he was overly cautious. Don’t you think that he would have really analyzed his feelings and his relationship with Jamie?”
“I would have bet my bottom dollar that’s how he was, until this phone call. This threw me for a loop. He and Jamie have only been dating…Well, more than dating. I guess in a serious relationship, for six months now.”
“Okay. How long before you knew you were ready?”
“You mean with you?”
His head jerked up. “Has there been someone else?”
“I thought I was close once,” she said slowly, but then shook her head. “No, basically it’s been only you.”
She was amazed by the look of relief that passed over his features.
“What about you Liam, has there been someone you’ve been close to pulling the trigger with?”
“Addison, if I wasn’t going to do it with you, there wasn’t anyone else, that’s for damn sure.” His hand caressed her waist.
“So, you can see why I’m worried about Brody, right?”
“No, I can’t. It seems to me he has a good head on his shoulders and you’ve been a good role model. You can worry about this woman, but not Brody. But you probably can’t even worry too much about her, since Brody chose her.”
His phone rang again.
“Shouldn’t you get that?”
“No.”
She raised her eyebrow. “Liam, you should at least look to see who it is.”
He pulled out his phone. He swore, then he answered it.
“Caroline, this is Liam McAllister. I’m so glad you called me earlier than planned. Does that mean you can meet earlier?”
She watched as he frowned. He looked up at her, then put the phone on speaker.
“Liam, someone’s been in my apartment.”
Addison cleared her throat. “Hi Caroline, my name is Addison Sanders, I’m with the CIA, and I was trying to find you with Liam and the rest of the men. Myself and a man named Conroy Lake were in your apartment two days ago looking for any kind of clues to help us locate you. Is that what you’re talking about? We tried not to move anything, but maybe you noticed something.”
“I’m not talking about before I was found. I figured people would dust for prints and stuff.” She sounded strong, yet Addison got a real sense of trepidation in her voice. “It was when I got back from the dojo this morning. Someone is fucking with me.”
“Explain exactly what you mean,” Liam demanded, his voice tense.
“My grandmother’s picture is on the left nightstand instead of the right nightstand.” Caroline cleared her throat. “Then one of my MMA medals is missing.”
“Get out of your apartment now,” he said fiercely.
“I am. I’m at the diner where I told you I’d meet you. I’m having tea. I figured if I had coffee I’d shoot through the roof.”
“We’ll be there in twenty minutes,” Addison promised.
“Make that fifteen,” Liam said.
“Oh right, I forgot how he drives,” Addison teased on purpose. Anything to make Caroline feel better.
Caroline let out a shaky laugh.
Caroline was seated in the farthest booth in the corner of the diner, with her back to the door. She was hunched over trying to make herself small and unnoticeable. In Liam’s opinion, it just made her presence in the diner more obvious.
“Hey, Caroline,” he said gently as he and Addison walked up to her, not wanting to startle her as they slid into the other side of the booth. She turned and lit up when she saw Liam. Apparently, he had made an impact. He had a way of doing that.
Liam held out his hand and Caroline clutched it like a lifeline. Addison’s heart melted for the young woman. She wanted to reach out and hug her. No matter how tough she was, she was still a young woman who had been traumatized.
“Are you okay?” Addison asked. Caroline’s gaze shifted to Addison as if she’d just noticed her.
“I’m getting there,” she admitted with a gulp. “Uhhm, they have great coffee and pie here, the waitress should be by soon.”
Addison noticed all there was in front of Caroline was an empty mug of tea and about five torn-up napkins. She caught the waitress’s eye and motioned for her to come over.
“Caroline, what would you like to eat?” Addison asked when the waitress smiled down at the three of them.
“Food? Pie?” Addison coaxed. “What’s your favorite?”
“Banana cream,” Caroline answered. She was still holding Liam’s hand. The waitress looked at the trio with a little bit of confusion, especially when Liam ordered butterscotch for her and apple for himself.
Caroline laughed when the waitress was out of earshot. “Thanks, I needed that. Liam, I think she thought you were in a kinky ménage situation.”
He gave a slow sexy grin as he looked from one woman to another. “At my age, I gotta tell you, I’m happy that someone would be thinking that about me, especially about two such gorgeous women.”
“Is he always so full of it?” Caroline asked Addison as she pulled back her hand.
“Actually no, he’s usually pretty serious. This is good for him,” she paused. �
�He told me about you. Your story knocked my socks off. I work for the CIA, I’ve heard about a lot of victims, and you might have started out as one, but by God, you sure didn’t end up as one.”
Caroline grinned. “I kicked ass.”
The waitress set down their pie and coffee.
“Thanks,” Liam smiled.
“I heated the apple pie and gave you extra vanilla ice cream,” she said before she walked away.
Addison shoved her shoulder into Liam’s as she grinned at Caroline.
“He’s a babe magnet,” Caroline said as she bit into her pie.
“It’s the silver hair,” Addison agreed.
Liam kept silent as he started eating his warm pie and ice cream. Addison knew the man, he was content to see Caroline getting comfortable before talking to her about being protected.
Addison took a bite of butterscotch, then a sip of coffee.
“It was smart that you left your apartment, but why did you call Liam and not the police?” Addison asked.
“He told me that there were players involved that he didn’t want the police to know about. Navy. I assumed some bigwigs, right?”
Liam nodded.
Caroline’s fork clanged down on the Formica tabletop. “I’ve been in the Navy almost five years. It’s been my home.” She stared at them both. “My home.”
Addison nodded.
“The idea that someone is fucking with me, that somebody targeted me and likely was going to rape and kill me who was family. That—” She shoved her fist in her mouth. Then slammed her fist down on the table. “No! That doesn’t get to stand. I’m not going to allow it! I knew if I called in the police it would blow whatever Liam was trying to do to get that sick fuck. I want him caught. No! I want him dead. No! I want him castrated. Then I want him dead.” Her voice had lowered with each wish.
Addison liked and respected her with every ‘No’, that she’d uttered.
“I’m going to get this sick fuck, I promise you.”
“Do you need to use me as bait? I got away. That has to have pissed him off. Let’s stake me out in the open like some kind of goat. They did that right? Put a goat out in the open, tied him to a stake and waited for a wolf to come and get him, then killed the wolf? Let’s bait that fucking trap, and you kill him.”
SEAL at Sunrise (Silver SEALs Book 12) Page 12
