A Kiss Before Lying: A BWWM Romance

by M. Skye

  Swinging the door open, he was all set to go off on Damien, but found Rico, looking confused. “What are you doing here?” Rico asked breathlessly. “Why is she not answering her phone?”

  “She shut it off after I got here. She was a mess and needed someone to talk to. I think she might be okay now. You can take over from here if you need to.” While he said this, he really didn’t want to go. He hoped she would wake up and ask him to stay, but he knew it was a long shot. Here he was, hardly knowing her, wanting to be next to her. He wasn't sure what to make of it.

  “No,” Rico ran his hand over his head. “Just let her sleep. Stay here because she’s going to need you when she wakes up. That is if you were planning on staying.”

  “I wasn’t sure if I should, but someone should be here in case...”

  “In case what?”

  “In case he comes by.”

  “You know about him?”

  “Yeah, and the rest.”

  “I love her, you know? She’s one of the best damn friends I’ve ever had and I hate it that she can’t shake him.” Looking Liam up and down, Rico developed a slight smile and then went back to his serious demeanor. “Or, maybe she has. Her letting you in was big. She doesn’t do that often. She’s a guarded person and even though she has a heart of gold, she hides it from the world. Don’t hurt her.”

  “I won’t,” Liam looked back at the sleeping girl and then back to her concerned friend. “Did something happen? Is it her dad?”

  “The restaurant caught fire a few hours ago and I was worried sick that she was still there when I got the call, but when I arrived, I saw that her car was gone. The fire has been put out and only the back is damaged, but we will have to shut down for a while to get it repaired.”

  “How bad is it?”

  “A month, maybe two and we will be back, but she’s not going to like this. I know her temper, so be ready for a blow up when she finds out.”

  “How did it start? Do they think someone set it?”

  Looking at him strangely, Rico shook his head and leaned over to kiss Draya’s forehead. “It’s too early to tell, but I don’t think so. The stove was probably left on or something. The kitchen is where it started.”

  “Yeah. Maybe,” Liam replied, unconvinced.

  Offering him one last glance, Rico walked back towards the door and opened it. “Tell her goodnight for me, and take care of my favorite girl.”

  Nodding his head, Liam waited until he heard the door shut and dialed up his voicemail. His first message was from Will wondering where he was, and the second from that meddling bitch Alea. Calling Will back, Liam gave him some instructions and when Will questioned him, he gave a fly by excuse and settled their call. Listening to the line click, Liam placed his phone back on the end table and went back to Draya. Lifting her up, he carried her back to her room and laid her down in bed. After making sure she was settled, he searched her closet and found a blanket and pillow, making himself a place to sleep on her couch.

  Settling in, he closed his eyes and got comfortable, only to feel a shift next to him. Opening his eyes, he looked over to see Draya sitting next to him, and before he knew it, she was laying down in her previous position against his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he took in her even breathing and allowed himself to relax. Even with all the drama of the night, he had to admit, this was the best sleep he had experienced in a while. He knew it was because of his beautiful companion and hoped he would get to have this again. It could easily become addictive.

  Chapter Eight: Up All Night

  Rolling over in bed, feeling a warm body next to hers, Draya sat up, quickly, clutching the sheet to her chest. She remembered calling Liam over and she remembered their conversation vividly because she had shared everything with him, but what she didn’t remember was how they ended up in bed together. Thinking the worst, she let out a loud groan hoping she hadn’t slept with him. She would have hoped she hadn’t crossed the line, but she knew that was already done; he was her trainer and was quite possibly naked under her sheets.

  Pulling the sheet back carefully, holding her breath, Draya looked down to make sure she was still wearing clothes. She had on just a t-shirt that she didn’t remember changing into and was beginning to get worried because all he had on were boxers. She wasn’t afraid of Liam, he seemed so safe, but she was afraid of what he might think of her. Just the previous night, Damien had been in her bed, doing anything but sleeping and if she had done the same with Liam, she would feel trashy. She didn’t want him seeing her that way.

  Letting out a whimper, Draya laid back on her pillow, only to feel the other side of the bed shift. “Morning, sleepy head,” Liam ran his hand down her cheek giving her an incredible smile.

  “Good morning,” Draya replied, nervously. “Uh, how did... how did we get here?”

  “We walked,” he smiled, obviously amused by her disoriented waking.

  “I know that,” she sniped, playfully. “Did we... did anything happen?”

  “Yes,” he pulled her closer. “We started out on the couch, and then we realized your couch was too small and came in here.”

  “Oh, God,” she hissed frantically. “I’m... I’m not usually like that; I’m sorry.”

  Laughing at her bashful behavior, Liam kissed the side of her cheek and brought his head down to rest on her shoulder. “Relax, all we did was talk. I brought you in here, you changed clothes and we slept. You were out of it, and you came and laid with me on the couch. It was a little uncomfortable for both of us, so we came here after a little while. I hope you don’t mind that I got a little hot and stripped down to my boxers. I thought I was doing you a favor though, because I normally sleep naked,” he laughed.

  Sighing in relief Draya loosened her grip on the sheets. “You stayed for me?”

  “Yeah,” he laughed. “It was late and I wanted to be here. You were out like a light and I didn’t want just sneak out like a creep, although, I’m not sure having you wake up with us in bed together makes me look like less of one. If I made you feel uncomfortable, I apologize. It has to be strange having some random guy in your bed.”

  “You’re not random, Liam,” Draya felt herself smiling. “You’re my friend and I’m glad you stayed. Thank you.” Touching his hand, she felt an instant spark and pulled back. Something between them was compelling her to be near him. She honestly couldn’t explain it.

  Draya knew it was more than he probably bargained for when he made the comment bout her being able to talk to him, but she was glad he was there. He had a calming effect that made her feel free and she hadn’t felt that in a long time. Feeling his loose embrace around her, she turned to face him and looked into his eyes. He probably had the most gorgeous blue eyes she had ever seen and the rest of him wasn’t too bad either. She had seen him in next to nothing before, but never this close. Being this close, she realized, she wasn’t able to downplay her attraction. Right here in her bed was probably most women’s fantasy man and he was looking at her like she was more than just some married man’s side chick. He looked like he cared.

  Leaning in slowly, her lips touched his and she could feel the shock on the other end of the kiss. Pulling back in embarrassment, she got as far as the edge of the bed when she felt his strong arms bringing her back. Positioning her to straddle him, he ran both hands through her hair, giving her a look she didn’t understand and brought her lips down to his in a hard kiss that took her breath away. Dancing his tongue over her lips, he pushed it past them and gripped her head tighter. Running her hands up the base of his neck, she rested them on his cheeks and leaned in a little more.

  Relaxing into the hazy pleasure of the kiss, Draya felt sensitized everywhere. Against her chest, she could feel his beating heart and realized hers was beating just as hard. This was all new to her. She had never had a kiss have this much effect. It was like he was giving her new life right then and she was desperate to let it all soak in.

  A few minutes had gone by and he was a
s into the kiss as he was in the beginning, and Draya felt a familiar ache between her thighs. She had never known anyone that had an orgasm from just the simple act of kissing, but she felt like she was on the way to it. It was then that she realized her body had been starved for this kind of unbridled passion, and that this kiss was anything but simple. In this kiss, he had brought her body back to life and unleashed a deep desire she never knew she possessed. She wanted more.

  Flipping them over, Liam kept his hold on her head, exploring her mouth even further, before pulling back running his hand down his face. Sitting up, Draya touched her fingers to her throbbing lips and gave him a shy smile. She had never been kissed that way by any man, and she wasn’t sure what this meant for them.

  “Liam?”

  “Yeah,” he sighed. “I’m sorry. I got a little carried away there.” Watching him stand off the bed, Draya grew nervous until he turned and reached his hand out to her. “Breakfast?”

  Nodding her head, she took his hand and he pulled her from the bed. With her body against his, she felt the erection he tried to hide and felt her insides flutter. He wanted her, he wanted her bad, and she was excited knowing this. She had always thought any man after Damien wouldn’t want her because of what she had become while loving him, but here Liam was. He was undeniably one of the sexiest men she had ever known and in his eyes, she saw temptation, desire, and hunger she had never seen elsewhere. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.

  Feeling her breathing increase, Draya closed her eyes, and his lips found their way to her neck. While he placed butterfly kisses all over her neck, she kept her eyes shut, trying to fight down the urge to take it a step further. Her body was screaming for more of his touch and she heard herself moaning involuntarily and wanted to kick herself. Placing her hands on his shoulders to help with the dizzy feeling, she felt like her body was on fire. He was kissing her in all the right places and when he stopped, she felt cheated.

  Breathing heavily, he slid his hand down her cheek and forced her eyes open. “Slow.”

  “What?” she gasped, feeling the room still spinning.

  “We need to go slow with this. I want to see where it goes, but I know what your situation is. I can’t expect your feelings to just disappear.”

  “What is this?” she asked, feeling like it was finally the appropriate time.

  “I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “I just... I like you, and I don’t want to take advantage.”

  “You’re not.”

  “Let’s keep it that way,” he smiled, lacing his fingers through hers. “Now, let’s get to that breakfast. Get dressed because I need to tell you something.”

  After brushing her teeth and taking a quick shower, Draya felt like she was floating in the air. Nothing had made her feel as wanted and needed as Liam had just then and she only hoped it escalated from there. Wanting him was probably not the smartest thing, she had to admit, but at least he was available. She had spent so much time lusting after a man that would never be hers, now she felt a little out of place wanting one that possibly could be.

  Stepping back into her room, Draya weaved her hands through her closet. Most of the clothes she had bought over the past few years were gifts from Damien. He never picked them out himself, but every time he would hit her, he’d toss a few bills her way and tell her to buy herself something nice. It seemed like her whole closet consisted of nice things.

  Feeling like none of it was appropriate, she went all the way to the back of her closet and found the last thing she had actually bought herself and slipped it on. It was a modest bright pink dress that stopped above the knees with a dip in the back that showed off her top and mid back, but it was the first thing she had put on in a long time that made her feel beautiful.

  Draya knew it was going to take a while to restore all the confidence Damien had stripped from her over the years, but she felt like she was on the way. Running her hand through her curls, she let out a sigh and stepped into the living room. She wasn’t expecting a standing ovation or anything, but when Liam stood upon seeing her, it made her feel like a giddy young girl. In an instant, her insecurities were washed away and she knew this was how she was supposed to feel when a man looked at her.

  Walking over, placing a light kiss on her cheek, he stood quietly for a second before stepping away. “You look incredible, Draya, but I’m afraid I need to freshen up if I’m going to go anywhere with you. Is it okay if we stop by my place for a second before we go eat? I’m in desperate need of a shower and fresh clothes.”

  “Sure,” she nodded, grabbing her keys and phone. Watching his eyes dart to her phone, she felt a sense of uncertainty by the way he was looking at her. Walking over and taking the phone, he slid it back on the table and held her hand.

  “Let’s say we hang out today. Can we do all day, just you and me with no phones or distractions? How does that sound to you?”

  “It sounds crazy. You have clients and I have a business to run. We can’t just skip out on all that.”

  “I canceled everyone for today,” he admitted, “and you have a partner. Let’s just go have a little fun. In fact, let’s not go out at all. I have food at home, and I have a crazy movie collection. Do you want to lock yourself in with me and watch movies while pigging out all day?”

  Letting out a silly chuckle, Draya nodded her head, loving how innocent it all seemed to be. “Yeah, I’m in, but I have to tell you, as my trainer, you’re setting a bad example.”

  Running his hands down her arms and leaning his head against hers, he whispered in her ear. “I’ll make sure you work it all off.”

  ***

  Unlocking his place for Draya to come in, Liam was nervous. He wasn’t sure how he left his house the day before, and Draya was the first woman to come by since he had moved back. He wasn’t expecting anything to happen with her, but he wanted to make sure his place wasn’t a mess the first time she saw it. Looking around, he was relieved to see it was tidy. Offering her a seat, he stepped into his room and closed the door quietly.

  Sighing into the air, he racked his brain trying to figure out when was going to be the best time to tell her about her place catching on fire. He knew there was never going to be a perfect time, but he also didn’t want to ruin their day. He was serious about wanting her to have a good time with him, and he knew she wouldn’t if she was worried about the restaurant.

  After selecting something comfortable to wear, he stepped into the shower and allowed the water to drench his body. He hadn’t realized how much he craved a hot shower until the water hit him. He was stressed about her restaurant, but he had already developed a plan to soften the blow. It was probably already in progress, but he still knew it was going to put a damper on her day. Even with all the stress he felt from having to be the one that broke the news, he couldn’t forget that kiss.

  For him, the kiss was unexpected, but it was the best kiss he had ever experienced in his life. He felt like he may have pushed too hard, considering her fragile state, but he couldn’t help himself. She was probably the most fascinating person he had ever met, and he loved the fact that she was so honest with him. She could have ran and hid from what she had been doing, but she just sat there and bared her soul, and it made him crazy for her.

  Letting the water hit his back, he closed his eyes, thinking about her touch. Her skin was so soft and her lips so sweet. Everything about her was sweet, and he only hoped he would be able to know more, to feel more. Placing his hands on the wall before him, he thought long and hard about what he needed to do.

  Sticking his head out of the shower, he peeked into his bedroom to see her sitting on his bed. He figured when he left her in the living room that she was going to nose around, so her being in his bedroom wasn’t a surprise. He half expected her there. Even though he knew the thought was wrong, he wished she was there in some other way. He wished she was there laying in his bed, underneath him, screaming his name. It was a little unnerving how much he actually wanted her, b
ut he knew he had to handle the business with the fire first.

  Shutting off the water and grabbing a towel after a few more minutes, Liam walked into his bedroom, to find Draya relaxing on the bed with her eyes closed. Leaning over her, he kissed her cheek and her eyes fluttered open. “You like sneaking up on people, don’t you?”

  “Well, I needed to talk to you before we got started with our day. Last night, Rico came by and told me that your restaurant caught on fire.”

  He saw the look on her face and rushed to calm her down. “It wasn’t bad, in fact, the guys I have on it say they will have it up and running in a few weeks. Don’t worry.”

  “How did it catch on fire? What happened?” Liam was dreading this question because he didn’t really have the answer. He had no clue how the fire started, but he was glad she was okay. She could have easily been in the building, and he was happy that she got out.

  “Relax, Draya, please. I have people working on it, and it will be better than it was before. I spoke to Rico this morning and he has handed over the plans for the new bar and they will work on that as well as the damages. It will be spectacular when it reopens.”

  “Why are you doing this? You hardly know me.”

  “I’m just protecting an investment. Do you remember that little offer I made last night about investing in your restaurant? I was serious; it wasn’t just some spur of the moment thing. I don’t want you dealing with Alea on any level, but I truly think your restaurants are a good business move. They’re popular and you’ve done a great job. I would be a fool not to invest. I’m trying to set down more roots here.”

  “Oh, right. I forgot about that,” she blushed, dropping her eyes to the floor.

  “Don’t be ashamed. I get why you would think that I was doing it for more than that reason. Truthfully, I might be,” he grinned.