"Hold on and don't let go. Okay?"
Destry nodded, gripping the cool steel. Liam didn't tell her, he asked. A light went on in her head. Once she realized trust wasn't only about her surrender, but his as well, she felt her rigid muscles relax.
One of the hardest things she'd ever done. Destry put herself in Liam's care. She let herself feel—let herself fly.
Somehow, Liam sensed the moment she let go. He rested his cheek on hers.
"Thank you."
Whispered against the heightened sensitivity of her skin, his warm breath made Destry shiver with anticipation. Liam's fingers toyed with the snap on her jeans. She didn't consider her belly button an erogenous zone. However, when his knuckles lightly brushed the indentation, she swore stars burst before her eyes.
"Either I haven't had sex in a very long time—"
"Two weeks, five days, fourteen hours, and…" Liam squinted at the clock on the wall. "Twenty-seven minutes. But who's counting?"
Liam, apparently. Destry didn't check his math, but she was flattered all the same.
"That long?" The air left her lungs as he popped the snap at her waist and slowly lowered the zipper.
"For me, yes. I can't attest to your celibacy."
"Is celibacy the proper term when we've only abstained for two weeks, five days, fourteen hours, and twenty-seven minutes?"
"Twenty-nine. Again, who's counting?" Liam stripped the rest of her clothes with impressive efficiency. After another long, thorough kiss, he ran his thumb over the slight dip in her chin. "We haven't had sex—we, right?"
"Definitely we."
The smile he flashed was very male, very self-satisfied. From anyone else, Destry would have been tempted to wipe the smirk from his face. Maybe later, she decided, after she was through with his talented mouth.
"Point is, celibacy isn't about the length of time, but the state of mind. I. Wanted. You." Liam punctuated each word with a kiss. Her neck. Her chest. The tip of each nipple. "You wanted me. Yes?"
As Liam played homage to each breast, Destry's fingers tightened until she was certain she felt the metal bend.
"Oh, yes."
"Hence, the definition of celibacy."
"Honestly, Liam? I don't give a rat's backside."
"Honestly, Destry? Neither do I."
Words became unnecessary—or maybe she lost the ability to talk. Liam guided her, played her like a fine instrument. Destry, the student, he the master musician. With a sure touch, his fingers brought her to the edge, pulling her back before she could fall. With his mouth, he stopped time, her breathing, her heart, then set each racing, faster and harder than ever.
Destry wanted to touch him, but she knew the rules, agreed to them and wasn't prepared to break the spell Liam so expertly cast. His hand splayed on her stomach as he settled her leg on his shoulder. The kisses on the inside of her thigh rained down like fire, hot and burning.
Finally, the inferno engulfed her. Destry felt the flames pour from her center and through her fingertips. The metal bars heated to the point she was afraid her palms would surely blister if she didn't let go.
The explosion was fierce. Wave, after wave, after wave until slowly, reluctantly, nothing remained but satiated bliss. Slowly, Destry opened her eyes.
"Unbelievable."
"Me? Aw, thank you." Liam lay by her side, his head propped up by his hand. For the life of her, she couldn't remember how he got there.
"No, not you." She used the sheet to gently wipe the sweat from his brow. "Why didn't the room burn to the ground? Why didn't I?"
"I told you," he said as he touched her face. "I'll never hurt you."
Liam lifted Destry into his arms and carried her to the bathroom. He set her on the ground as he adjusted the faucets, then lifted her again and climbed into the shower. The cool water felt like heaven. She raised her face to the spray and sighed.
"I have to admit, giving you control was genius." She slid from Liam's arms, down his body, until they were face to face, or as close as she could get without heels. "Maybe I'll turn all aspects of my life over to you. When I get up. What I eat. How I dress."
Liam nodded as though he actually considered her idea a good one. "I give the experiment exactly five minutes until one of us kills the other."
Destry voted herself most likely to take him down.
Slick with shower gel, she smoothed her hands over Liam's back. Moving closer, her eyes widened when she felt a familiar something poke her stomach.
"You seem awfully copasetic for a man with a raging erection." She felt guilty. "Would you like me to help you out?"
"If you insist."
Liam had her back against the tiled wall before she could suggest they take the show on the road—back to bed. Or at least to the bathroom floor.
"Shower stalls are notoriously slippery, you know."
"Afraid you'll break something?"
He lifted her a bit higher, and Destry moaned when his lips unerringly found the most sensitive spot on her neck.
"I'm afraid we'll end up in the hospital."
"Don't worry. My balance is excellent."
Ready to give in, Destry suddenly realized something missing.
"Whoa, hotshot. You need to suit up first."
"Already did." He shifted his hips to the perfect position.
Destry glanced down. Well, well. One very hard penis covered in latex.
"When did you have time to put on a condom?"
"I'm a multitasker. Now, may I continue or is there something else you want to discuss?"
Poor baby. So patient. Liam had definitely earned his reward.
"Ready for entry if you are."
Liam joined their bodies in one long, easy, breathtaking movement.
"Destry?"
"Hm?"
"Wrap your legs around me."
"Okay."
"Kiss me."
"With pleasure."
Liam took charge. She gasped then sighed when he flexed his hips, moving deeper.
"Now what?" She was ready for anything.
"Hold on and enjoy the ride."
CHAPTER TWENTY
~~~~
DESTRY LAY NEXT to Liam, the same beautiful, sexy woman. Yet, something was different. She hadn't changed, he had. Suddenly, he saw with new eyes.
When did the shift happen? When had she become more than just another woman he wanted in his bed? Liam realized the exact moment didn't matter. While he shied away from a defining word for what he felt, he wouldn't fool himself. The wall around his heart he once thought impenetrable had been breached by the most exasperating, fascinating, unpredictable woman he'd ever met.
A long-term commitment didn't frighten him. He watched as his parents, forty-three years together and still going strong, navigate the twists and turns of marriage. Because of them, Liam wanted to find someone and one day settle down. He planned to wait, play the field, and when he was ready—way, way, way down the road—welcome the right woman with open arms.
Destry hadn't waited for an invitation, she stormed his defenses and tore them to shreds. A fact Liam could accept. Trouble was, she was clueless about the havoc she caused. Had no freaking idea. Worse, he was afraid if she found out, she would end their relationship before he could convince her to give him—them—a proper chance. Or any chance at all.
Liam traced the curve of Destry's bare back. He had the feeling she was the one. Damn, he was in trouble.
"Literally and figuratively, I am royally screwed."
"What?" Destry's eyes flickered open. "You're ready to screw again? I'd love to. Really. Give me a few more minutes to recover from the last time, and I'll be right with you."
"No hurry." Liam chuckled. Yes, Destry was definitely an original. "I ordered some food. Need to keep our strength up."
"Among other things." Under the sheet, her fingers walked up his thigh. She gave his half-hard dick a friendly squeeze. "All thing
s considered, not bad. Not bad at all. A little sustenance and you'll be ready for round number four."
"Keep up what you're doing, and I'll be ready a lot sooner."
"Promises, promises."
Liam grabbed for her, but Destry was quicker. She rolled out of bed and, naked as the day she was born, stretched her arms over her head without an ounce of self-consciousness.
"Need the bathroom. Hey." She paused at the door. "The Athens Metro doesn't have room service."
"One of the maids agreed to go next door for some takeout."
"Nice of her." She yawned and shut the door.
A knock sounded. Liam wrapped the sheet around his waist, thanked the tiny, dark-haired woman, and gave her a hefty tip. He set their meal on the small bedside table, opened two bottles of water, and loaded a plate with one of everything.
"Yum." On her way back to bed, Destry grabbed his shirt from the floor. The hem hit her mid-thigh. A modest length, but Liam had a nice view of her legs. "What did you order?"
"I told the maid to get whatever she liked." Liam took a bite of phyllo stuffed with spinach. "I can't believe all the times I've been to Greece, and I've never tasted whatever this is. Won't make the same mistake again."
"Spanakopita," Destry informed him as she gladly accepted the bite he offered her. "Do you travel a lot? Whenever Calder tried to track you down to thank you for your generous donation to her charity, you were never around."
"I could easily sit behind my desk in New York City and do my business by phone." Liam shrugged. "I want to see as much of the world as possible. To justify my passion, I buy things."
Destry dipped a spoon into a thick, creamy soup studded with tiny meatballs. "Greek Wedding Soup. Try some, it's amazing."
Liam agreed.
"What kind of things do you buy?" Destry handed him a napkin. She looked truly interested.
"A wildlife reserve in Africa. An apartment building in Paris. A little neighborhood coffee shop in London."
"Wow. How much money do you have?"
"More than you." Liam didn't brag. He simply wanted Destry to understand, unlike most of the men she met, he wasn't after her fortune.
"You say you have more. How do you know?"
"I just do."
"Hm." Destry didn't look convinced. "When you say more…?"
"You want a number?"
"Of course not," she scoffed. "To ask would be rude. Just give me a ballpark figure. Bill Gates rich?"
"No."
"George Clooney? He's a billionaire now, you know."
Insulted, Liam simply raised an eyebrow. Destry grinned.
"Okay. Somewhere between Gates and Clooney. Some ballpark, Mr. Stanton."
The topic of Liam's wealth reminded him of a question he wanted to ask Destry. Since she opened the door, he figured he had the right to step through.
"Why don't you like to date rich men?"
"Besides the obvious?"
"We aren't all dull and boring. And in case you haven't noticed, I don't have a stick up my ass."
"True. I've seen your ass up close. Not a stick in sight." She tapped her spoon against her bottom lip. "My reasons make perfect sense to me. I don't know if you'd agree."
"Try me."
Destry looked at him—really looked—as if she had to make up her mind. Finally, just when he thought she'd keep the reasons to herself, she began.
"From an early age, I knew I wanted to live a big, adventurous life. One like no one else's. I want to eat the best food at the best restaurants all over the world. I want to help people even if I have to get my hands dirty in the process. I want to be selfless and selfish. Walk across every desert, swim in every ocean. If I could, I'd go to Mars and beyond."
"Sounds like a great plan to me. How are you doing so far?"
"Not bad," she shrugged. "Here's the hard part. While I live my adventurous life, I want to be as anonymous as humanly possible. I don't want anyone to know who I am or where I'm from. When I meet people, they should judge me by my actions, not my family tree." She wrapped her arms around her legs, pulling them to her chest. "Unfortunately, thanks to my mother's perverse sense of humor, I don't have just one recognizable name, I have two. Destry and Benedict. Talk about crime and punishment."
"You could change your name."
Her gaze grew cool and pointed.
"I don't run from anything, Mr. Stanton. Time and experience have taught me to deal with my sordid heritage. However, I'm not a glutton for punishment. Rich men, pardon the generalization, court publicity. Even if they don't, they're magnets for gossip and innuendo. Tabloids love them and hate them."
Liam hated to admit she was right. Yet, to a certain extent, she was.
"I try to stay out of the limelight," she continued. "Occasionally, through no fault of my own, the glare of public scrutiny hits me. I deal and move on. I don't date often. When I do, I see no need to push my luck."
"A rich man would give you a push?"
"Or a swift kick in my butt." Destry patted his knee. "Don't look so glum. Basically, I'm a happy soul. I have my bad days, as anyone does. But who wants rainbows and lollipops all day, every day?"
Liam knew he should let the subject drop. But he had one more thing he had to know.
"Why'd you agree to go out with me?"
"Aside from your sexy body and killer smile?"
"Hey. No need to state the obvious," he said, tongue firmly in his cheek.
"You make me laugh." Her eyes crinkled at the edges. "Most important, you only asked for two weeks."
Shit. How could he forget? Stupid rule, stupid man. The last thing Liam expected was to be hung by his own rope.
"What if you decide you want more?"
"I won't," she said with absolute certainty as she crawled onto his lap. "I plan to enjoy every second of our time together, Mr. Stanton. I can guarantee at the end of two weeks, you'll be glad to see the last of me."
Never. Liam buried his face in her soft, fragrant hair. He wanted her. Today, tomorrow, and further into the future than he could see or imagine. Now, all he had to do was convince Destry.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
~~~~
"WAKE UP, DESTRY."
"I need sleep." She pulled the covers over her head and burrowed in.
"Come on." Liam tugged at the sheet, but she held firm.
"Are you on some kind of medication?" Destry grumbled. "If you need to get off so badly, go rub one out in the bathroom. Promise I won't watch."
"I wouldn't ask."
Liam's laugh didn't help her frame of mind. As much as she appreciated a man with a healthy libido, now and then, she needed her rest.
"Good." When she sensed Liam was still crouched by the bed, she pulled the sheet down just only enough to take a tiny peek, then groaned. "You're dressed. Why?"
"Get up, Destry. Please." he cajoled. "Come with me to Ireland."
Ireland? As in the country? Where Liam was born? Destry's eyes popped open. Now she was awake.
"The sun isn't up, and you want to catch a flight to Ireland?"
"Dublin to be exact."
The idea wasn't completely without merit. However, he hadn't sold her yet.
"What time is it?"
"Quarter after three."
Was he crazy?
"Have you been to the Athens airport—any international airport? Even if you can find two empty seats on a last-minute flight, with customs and delays, we could drive to Dublin faster."
"We don't need to worry about empty seats or delays, and customs will be a breeze."
"Because you'll charm your way through?" Destry gave him a sad, pitiful look. "Hate to break the news, Mr. Stanton. I might find your smile irresistible. Weary, seen-it-all airport employees probably won't."
"Thank you for adding probably, Ms. Benedict." Liam jerked the sheet to the end of the bed and swooped Destry into his arms. "We won't have to wait because I have my own
plane."
"A private jet?"
When Liam nodded, Destry grinned. She and her sisters once considered a jet of their own but decided the idea wasn't practical. Now, they knew someone who, if they played their cards right, might share? Happy days! Not that they would take advantage. But in a pinch, when the idea of a long commercial flight was hard to bear? Couldn't hurt to ask.
"My sisters already like you. But they're going to love you now."
"Because of my plane?" Liam asked as he deposited her in the bathroom.
"Don't tell anyone. But, on occasion, the Benedict sisters can be kind of shallow."
"Okay." He turned the shower to full blast.
"Really? You don't mind if they love you for your private jet?"
"Why not? Figure I can eventually bring them around on my other charms." Liam guided her under the water as the steam filled the room. "You told me how to win your sisters' love. Question is, how do I win yours?"
Speechless, Destry's mouth fell open. Before she could answer, Liam chuckled. With a snap of his wrist, he pulled the shower curtain closed. The bathroom door shut behind him with a soft click.
Love? Was he joking? Slightly stunned, Destry emptied half a bottle of shampoo into her palm and down the drain before she realized what she'd done. Of course, the whole thing was a joke, she assured herself as she washed her hair. Another bit of silly banter; something they engaged in all the time.
Destry felt her heart beat again. She reached for a towel and smiled. A man doesn't talk about love one moment and laugh the next. Right?
Hair wrapped in a fresh towel, she used the other to wipe the steam from the mirror. Her lips curved upward. Tentative, but at least she could smile. Good thing she was in the shower when Liam dropped his little joke, or she'd need another to wash away the flop sweat.
Shaking her head, Destry's smile widened. She should be angry at the jerk. Some things one shouldn't joke about. Still a little shaken, she couldn't think of many. But one thing was certain, love topped the list.
"I'll forgive him." She quickly smoothed an essential after-shower layer of lotion over her body. "This time."
Better not to mention the subject, Destry decided. Liam would think she was crazy if she did. They would fly to Dublin. He would show her the sights from a native's point of view. Maybe they'd meet his family, maybe not. Either way, she didn't mind.
Four Simple Words: A Badass and the Billionaires Contemporary Romance (The Sisters Quartet Book 4) Page 19
