"And do what?"
"Let's dance," he suggested. "I'm still pumped up from the concert, aren't you? Let's work off some of that energy."
I shot a glance at the guys. Gael eyed us for a moment, but returned his attention back to the game, seemingly not thinking anything was unusual about the offer.
I took Liam's hand and let him lead me through the crowded club. He kept us to the edge of the the dance floor, away from the press of bodies.
"Don't want your legions of fans to see us and end up getting mobbed," he explained.
"You just want to feel me up in a dark corner," I said.
"That's a perk," he acknowledged with a wicked grin.
I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders. He put one hand on my hip, his thumb rubbing small circles in the hollow. He put the other on the small of my back, pressing us close. I shivered, remembering what it had felt like to have those hands under my clothes, on my bare skin.
"What was with that pineapple comment?" Liam asked as we swayed together.
"Let's just say it involves a drunken party, a terrible dare, and a sore ass the next morning."
Liam raised an eyebrow.
"Trust me," I said. "You don't want to know more."
"That's a weird game," he replied. "Is it all supposed to be truthful statements?"
"You have first hand experience I'm not on my period," I chuckled. "Are you worried about what Nate said?"
Liam's lips pursed.
"You know you're not washed up," I scolded him. "You're supposed to have an ego to rival my own."
"Even egomaniacs sometimes have moments of self-doubt," he said.
"I've often thought the exact same thing."
"Whenever one of us gets down on ourselves, we'll have to remind each other how kick ass we are."
We smiled at each other. The room seemed to tilt, the floor turning wobbly beneath my feet — that familiar disorientation I always felt around Liam. This time, it didn't make me feel anxious or overwhelmed. It didn't make me feel like running away.
It made me want to stay wrapped in his arms, staring into those green eyes forever, until the stars went dark and the universe met its end.
We had stopped swaying. We stood in the middle of the club, dreamy expressions on both our faces. How embarrassing.
For once I didn't care.
We couldn't gaze into each other's eyes forever though. Eventually the real world intruded.
"I'm really thirsty," I told him. "I worked up a sweat on stage. Want me to grab you something from the bar while I'm there?"
"A beer is fine," Liam said.
With one last lingering look, I pushed my way to the bar. I leaned over the counter and waved to catch the bartender's attention. His eyes caught mine. His gaze immediately fell to my chest. He came over. I almost rolled my eyes. Of course my corset got his attention.
"One beer, one whiskey sour," I told him.
The bartender was at least professional enough to look me in the eyes while I ordered. He left to grab the drinks. I rested my back against the bar, waiting patiently. I was glad Liam had only wanted a beer. I certainly wouldn't have ordered him that twelve year high-class stuff he'd gotten last time, that was for damn sure.
I felt a nudge on my shoulder. I shifted away before a voice said my name.
“Hey, Cerise.”
Morris appeared beside me, his wide frame casting a shadow and blocking the club’s strobe lights from my eyes.
“Hey,” I returned. My chest squeezed, but it was only the barest hint of an ache. Seeing the proud look in Morris’s eyes made my heart swell. “Did we fucking rock out there or what?”
His lips tilted upward. “You fucking rocked,” he agreed. “I knew you would.”
“You want a drink?” I gestured to the bar.
He shook his head. “I don’t drink.”
“Since when?” Morris had always been, if not a heavy drinker, at least more than happy to chug back any beer that came his way.
“A while,” was all he said. "You guys were really great out there."
“I heard our fans compare us to Feral Silence,” I lied, hiding a smile. “Some even said we were better.”
“Don’t let Kell hear that,” Morris chuckled lightly.
“I can handle that raging narcissist,” I said. “After all, I’ve been putting up with my brother my whole life.”
“How is Gael?” Morris asked.
“He’s good,” I said. “Surprisingly good, actually. I didn’t think he’d ever settle down, but…” I shrugged and cast my eyes up to the second floor VIP room. I could see Gael and the guys through the glass walls. “Being in love suits him. He’s been acting out a lot less.”
“Not like he could have acted out worse,” Morris said dryly.
“Gael did go a bit too wild once the band got popular,” I said. “I was getting sick of bailing him and Nate out of jail or finding them in the middle of a trashed hotel room.”
“And what about you?” Morris asked quietly. “How have you been dealing with Gael’s new relationship?”
“I’m cool with it. I’m grateful to Jessie, actually. She’s keeping Gael out of trouble.”
“I’m glad.”
I studied Morris. “Were you worried I would feel left out or something?”
“I know how much you rely on Gael,” Morris said. “He’s part of your support system.”
Gael was my only support system. I didn’t have anyone else. I loved the guys in my band like they were my own brothers, but I had to be strong around them. Had to be a leader. I couldn’t afford to fall apart in front of them.
Morris must have sensed my thoughts, because he gave me a sympathetic look. He patted my upper arm with a large palm and left it resting on my shoulder.
“If you ever need anyone…” he trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.
I appreciated the offer. Morris was one of the very few people who knew what happened, who would understand.
I took his other hand in mine. “Thank you,” I said.
"What's going on?"
I turned my head to find Liam behind us.
“Hey,” I said. “Sorry, I ran into Morris and totally forgot about the drinks.”
There was a scowl on Liam’s face. He pinned Morris down with a stare. “Hey. What are you still doing here?” he said bluntly.
“Decided to stick around after the concert.” Morris eyed him carefully. “It was a good one,” he added.
“Thanks,” Liam said shortly. He put his arm around my waist and tugged me to his side. “You and Cerise talking about work?”
“Talking about a lot of things.” Morris turned his attention from Liam to me. He patted my shoulder again. “I’m here if you need me.”
I rested my hand on his briefly. “Thanks.”
With a nod at Liam, Morris took off. Liam tracked him with a shrewd eye as he disappeared into the crowd. His frown hadn't eased. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Okay," I started, pulling away. "What the hell was that?"
He shifted his gaze to me. "What?"
"That macho-caveman-possessive act," I said.
"You and Morris are close." He echoed his words from before.
“Yes,” I said. “We’re friends.”
“Were you always just friends?” Liam asked. Now I was sure there was a hint of accusation in his tone.
"There's nothing between me and Morris," I said. "We're friends. That's it." I looked Liam over and folded my arms over my chest. "Look, I don't do the jealousy thing," I told him. "If you've got trust issues, that's on you."
We stared at each other, both unwavering.
"I'm sorry," he finally conceded, although it sounded as if he were forcing the words out. "I guess I overreacted. I just saw you and him and—" Liam’s shoulders slumped. "We just had this amazing moment between us. I guess I'm still sort of in that clingy mindset. Kind of pathetic, right?"
I considered his explanation. "It's not pathetic," I t
old him. "I get it. I suppose I'd be pretty pissed if I saw some girl all up on you."
He threw me a relieved smile. "I'd hate to see a pissed off Cerise."
"You sure would," I agreed. "Just ask my brother."
The tense moment between us was over. We were back to our sappy smiles and easy laughs. Some guys were just overprotective like that, weren't they?
There wasn't really anything to worry about, after all.
20
"Ughh…" Gael groaned, rubbing his temples with his fingers. "My fucking head."
"That's what you get," Nathan chuckled, then let out of moan of his own. "Shit. I'm gonna puke."
"Not in the rented van," Seth called back. "If you really need to, let me pull over first."
"You're a monster," Julian told Seth. "I hate you."
"No, you don't," Seth grinned at his friend. "You love me."
Julian grumbled.
The drinking game had continued while Liam and I were on the dance floor and my poor boys were in a world of pain. Of course, they didn't deserve me feeling sorry for them.
"You brought it on yourselves," I told them. "You're just lucky we don't have a concert tomorrow."
They continued to whine and complain as Seth dropped each of them off at home. Liam and I were the last ones left.
I glanced at Liam. I wanted to invite him to come home with me, but I didn't want Seth to know.
Liam squeezed my hand discreetly and called out to Seth from the backseat.
"I bet you're tired after driving all night," he said. "Why don't we drop you off next and I'll take the van back tomorrow morning?"
My heart beat a little thrill.
"Thanks man, appreciate it," Seth replied. He drove a few more minutes then pulled up to an apartment building and put on the brakes.
"You really rocked tonight," he told Liam as he grabbed the handle and swung the car door open. "I'm glad you showed up at our audition. Maybe we should bring you on full time," he half-joked.
Liam's expression went blank, even as his fists clenched into a ball. From his odd reaction, I had to assume joining the band was the last thing he wanted to do.
We watched Seth enter his building as Liam climbed into the driver's seat.
"So," Liam said, glancing at me through the rearview mirror. "Your place or mine?"
I had to suppress a silly little smile.
With a few quick directions, Liam navigated his way to my condo. We parked and rode the elevator to my floor. We were silent, but the tension between us hummed in the air. We were finally standing outside my front door. I hesitated before putting the keys in the lock.
"Are you going to warn me about the mess?" he asked. "I'm sure I've seen worse."
"No," I said, fumbling with the keys.
I hadn't had a man in my apartment since…
Since ever, really. I never invited guys home. It always felt too personal. Like an invasion of space.
Liam put his hand on mine. "You don't have to invite me in."
I met his eyes. "If you don't follow me into this apartment and immediately throw me down on the bed, I'm going to scream."
"You'll be screaming all right," Liam smirked. "I'll make sure of that."
My inner muscles clenched and throbbed.
I unlocked the door and we walked in. I wondered what Liam would think of the place. I tried to look at everything through new eyes, imagining what he might see. All my furniture was neutral colors, shades of beige and brown. Two overstuffed armchairs matched an equally squishy looking sofa. There was no TV in the living room, but there was a huge computer monitor on my desk in the corner.
"I'm surprised everything isn't red," he said, taking a look around.
"I have at least some taste, thanks very much."
My place was homey and cozy, warm and inviting. The outside word was such a harsh place, cold and painful. I wanted my home to be a safe, comforting spot.
"I thought you said your place wasn't a mess?" he teased, nodding to a bra hanging off my desk chair.
I snatched it up and quickly tossed it behind a closet door.
"If one stray bra is all that's left lying around, I don't think I have much to be embarrassed about."
"I see you wear black bras as well as panties and socks," he noted.
"Sorry there's no cute cartoon kittens or superhero themed underwear to tease me about."
He came up behind me and gripped my hips.
"I'll just have to tease you in other ways," he said.
My whole body flushed at the wicked intentions behind his words.
"Is that another promise?" I asked.
He brushed my hair aside and placed a kiss on my neck. I shivered. His hand slid down my stomach, going lower and lower, until his fingertips were a mere inch away from that tantalizing spot at the apex of my thighs. He kept his hand there, not moving any further.
"Tease," I breathed.
He only chuckled.
Reaching back, I cupped his cheek, stroking his skin as his fingers clenched the fabric of my skirt.
I took a step, forcing him to follow as I started off towards my bedroom. We were steps away from the bed when I turned around to face him. He tilted his head down and captured my mouth, lips moving hungrily over mine. Delicious sparks spread spread over my skin.
Liam hooked his thumbs into the waistband of my skirt as my palms slipped under his t-shirt. I let out a longing whimper into his mouth, the feeling of his toned torso under my fingers sending my heart to a flurry of wild beats. My skirt fell to the floor. I ran my hands all over his abs and chest, greedy and wanton, but he didn’t let me enjoy it for long.
With a swift movement, I was tossed onto my bed. Liam pulled his t-shirt up and over his head, throwing it on the floor. My gaze roamed his body as I leaned back on my hands.
"Like what you see?" he asked, lifting his eyebrow with a knowing smirk.
"You already know you're hotter than sin, you narcissist."
His lips quirked up. "Sometimes a guy likes to be reminded."
Throbs raced between my legs as he crawled into bed. He rolled my panties down, keeping his eyes locked with mine. I felt the callouses of his fingers and the softness of his lips traveling up my legs. His fingertips circled my entrance. My very core scorched with need.
"You know how you keep on saying I'm amazing?" he asked, his voice a low murmur. I nodded without words. "Add this to your list."
With one last smirk, he dove between my thighs.
My legs clamped down around his shoulders, my moans filling my bedroom as my need was finally met. I pressed the heels of my feet into his back, drawing him in, encouraging him. I twisted my fingers through his hair, savoring his mouth, his lips, his tongue.
Liam hadn't been bragging. He was amazing at this. On and on it went, thorough and all-consuming, until my pleasure reached its peak. My hips jerked up and against him. I gripped the sheets, eyes squeezing shut as waves of a powerful orgasm rolled through me, stealing my breath.
As I slowly came down from the high, my whimpers were interrupted by the sound of his belt unbuckling and his jeans hitting the floor. He rolled on protection as he scanned my body from feet to head.
My limbs were still shaky, but when he made a movement to settle back on top of me, I grabbed him and flipped us around, climbing on top of him. Liam's lips parted in surprise but he didn’t speak. His eyes just turned even hungrier, filled with a rabid lust. He liked that I was taking change.
I took full advantage of that, running my fingers across his shoulders as I devoured his lips in another fiery kiss. He hurriedly unlaced my corset and tossed it to the floor, then palmed the undersides of my breasts. I tossed my head back, exposing more of my chest. He flicked my nipples with his thumbs, then sat up to suck and nip at them. I shuddered, my insides throbbing, as if my breasts had a direct line to my core.
One hand found my folds again. He parted me, making room for his tip to nudge against my entrance. I met his eyes. The
y were wild, dark and ravenous. In one swift motion I sat up then forced myself down onto his cock. His moaned matched my own as my inner walls spread and clenched around him. I dug my nails into his chest, lifting my hips to take him deeper. The firm squeeze on my breasts made me bite my lower lip. I could feel every hard inch pulsing in me, pleasure spiraling higher with every swivel of my hips.
He let his fingers roam over my flesh, squeezing, grabbing and kneading. Every touch sent me closer to the edge. The heat inside me increased by the second. We moved together, him thrusting and me bucking, our bodies meeting one another in this animalistic ritual.
His fingers found my clit again as he circled his thumb around and around, pressing down. With that, another orgasm tore through my body, sending me into a tailspin of pure bliss. I cried out his name with a ragged moan, the sound resonating through the walls of the bedroom.
As I pulsed and fluttered around him, he groaned and jolted his hips upward. His cock twitched inside me and I knew he was following me into that bliss.
After long moments, my muscles relaxed and I collapsed onto him. His legs went limp, his low moan audible over mine. We lay still, gasping for breath together, trembling in the aftermath.
"Holy fuck," he groaned.
"Mmm," was all I could muster.
When I could finally move again, I rolled over next to him, snuggling my back up to his chest. I could feel his cock still half-hard against me.
His finger trailed and up down my stomach, circling my belly button, mapping out my skin. A slow trail of kisses up the back of my neck had me giggling like a besotted schoolgirl. His hand crept lower and lower.
"Stop," I half-moaned, half-laughed. "I can't go again. I'm done."
Liam hummed in amusement and crushed me to his chest. "Just want to make sure you've gotten your fill."
"I appreciate your generosity but I'm more than satisfied."
He squeezed me again. We lay there cuddling as our breathing evened out. I was just about to drop off into sleep when he spoke.
"Can I ask you something?" he said in low tones.
"Anything."
He went quiet. I could practically hear him thinking, could hear his hesitation. I was filled with a sort of dread, wondering what terrible subject he was going to ask about.
Hard Rock Crush Page 10
