by Mari Carr
Liam’s face hardened. “I loved Celia. And I did want to marry her. I would have stood at that altar. I would have said I do and I would have meant it.”
“Well then, you’re lucky. I’ve never looked at anyone and seen forever. Can we call this subject closed and finish up in here? It’s getting late.” Jade was anxious to put some distance between them and this conversation. They were touching on subjects that made her uncomfortable. And sad.
“The game’s over, Jade.”
“You’re forfeiting?”
“No.” Liam’s hands tightened on her thighs before moving along the inside in slow, gentle rubs. Jade’s chest seized when his fingers began working to free her from her jeans. She couldn’t handle this. Him.
“You can’t claim a prize you didn’t win.” Her voice gave her away, the sound too breathless. Hungry.
Liam unbuttoned her pants, lowered the zipper. “Then stop me.”
Jade didn’t move, offered no resistance as he lifted her ass and tugged the denim and her panties down. He slipped one of her tennis shoes off, freeing her leg from the material, while leaving them dangling from the other ankle. The entire action took mere seconds.
“How am I supposed to stop you? You’re stronger than me.”
He scowled. “You know better than that, Jade. You wanna stop me? Then do it. Tell me no and it all ends.” Before she could say anything, he spread her legs apart even wider, his hands reaching for her pussy.
Jade hissed in a harsh breath when his finger grazed her clit. The gentle stroke wasn’t enough for her and her eyes drifted closed as she waited for—silently willed—him to go on.
“Open your eyes.”
She lifted her eyelids, saw that he’d leaned forward. His face was inches from hers. Her heart raced. Liam was handsome, kind, sexy, and offering her everything she wanted. Her resistance melted.
“Kiss me, Ja—”
She moved the scant distance needed, her lips on his before he finished speaking her name. Jade held him to her, her hands stroking his hair as he sucked her tongue into his mouth. His hands rested on her upper thighs. She tried to wiggle closer, hoping to encourage him to continue his exploration.
Liam’s grip on her legs tightened, an unspoken command for her to hold still. Jade forced herself to remain motionless. She tried to focus on the incredible kiss he was offering, but it was pointless. She was past the point of no return.
She pulled away. “Touch me.”
Liam studied her face. “If we start this, Jade, the decision’s made. No backtracking. It’s going to be me, you and a bed for the next two months.”
She licked her lips and tried to pull his face back to hers, hoping to evade his demand.
Liam stopped her. “Say yes. We’re not taking one more step until you tell me yes.”
“Liam, please.”
“Jade.”
His expression was resolute. He wouldn’t make another move unless she agreed. Jade closed her eyes, hoping that by blinding herself to Liam’s gorgeous brown eyes, his chiseled jaw, his sexy body, she’d find some way to refuse.
Shit. Who was she kidding? It really was game over.
She’d told Liam she wanted to break free of the rut she was stuck in, to go wild and she’d meant every word. Liam was offering her a dream…without strings. Clearly the heat of this summer really had gone to her head if she was seriously considering saying no.
She opened her eyes and captured Liam’s gaze. Let him read the answer in her expression.
She was pleased when he smiled. “It’s about time you got here.”
She laughed. “I haven’t quite been myself the past few weeks, have I?”
“It would appear you’ve turned a corner.”
Jade nodded. “Oh yeah. I’m back. And ready.”
“For?”
“Everything you’re offering, cowboy.”
Liam didn’t hesitate. Didn’t ask if she was certain. He knew her well enough to know she didn’t mince words, didn’t hem and haw once her mind was made up. And hers was.
“Tonight I’m giving you a sample. Tomorrow—the whole enchilada.” He pushed two fingers inside her pussy. “Jesus, Jade.”
She was wet. Hot. Hungry. He’d put her in this state weeks earlier with just a kiss, and the condition had only grown worse with each passing day. She grinned at his reverent tone. It was nice to know she hadn’t been suffering alone.
Liam soon found a rhythm as he finger-fucked her. He hadn’t lied about his desire to explore limits. His strokes were firm, hard, fast.
Jade gripped his shoulders in an attempt to hold on as he worked his magic. Her back arched and she tried to scoot closer to him. While his fingers were beating a furious pace, driving her to the brink too quickly, she still wanted—needed—more.
“Liam.” His name fell from her lips on a gasp. He stilled for a split second before he added a third digit to the dance. His hands were large, calloused. They stretched her, taking her to the edge of discomfort, but not beyond.
His motions grew even faster, something she hadn’t thought possible.
Jade dug her nails into Liam’s shoulders, vaguely aware she was piercing his skin through the thin cotton of his T-shirt. It didn’t matter. She couldn’t let go, couldn’t loosen her grip. She needed to hold on to something.
Stars flew behind her eyes and she closed them tightly. Her orgasm was imminent. It was all happening too fast. No lover had ever gotten her to the peak so quickly. Mere minutes had passed, yet Jade felt as if she was coming apart at the seams.
“Oh my God. Harder. I need it harder.” Her voice sounded harsh, guttural. “Dammit.” Jade struggled to breathe, fought to find air as her body began to tremble.
Liam increased his strength, his pace. She felt his gaze on her. She’d never manage to hide from him, to shield every overpowering sensation he was unleashing inside her.
“Do it, Jade. Give it to me. Let me feel you come.”
She shook her head, though not in denial. It was too much, too good. She wasn’t ready for it to end.
Liam misinterpreted her response. He fucked her harder, his thrusting fingers pounding rougher. “Don’t fight it.”
She splintered, erupted. Her back arched as she cried out loudly, a stream of obscenities flying out, one right after the other as tremor after tremor wracked her frame.
Through it all, Liam continued to stroke her, to make his hot demands. “Give me another one. More, Jade. You’re so hot, you’re burning my hand. Do it again.”
Her body obeyed even as her mind began to reject what was happening as possible. She wasn’t sure if she was having multiple orgasms or if it was just one long, never-ending moment of bliss. Geological ages passed as Liam directed her body, bending her pleasure at will, taking her further than she’d ever gone.
Finally, his hand stilled. Jade fell forward, her arms wrapped around his shoulders tightly, her face buried in the crook of his neck. She shuddered when Liam removed his fingers from her satisfyingly sore pussy. She’d pay for this night’s pleasure tomorrow. Then he enclosed her in his embrace, tugging her completely onto his lap. She still straddled his legs, but their new, closer proximity allowed her to feel his rock-hard cock, buried beneath the denim of his jeans.
She sat up, besieged by guilt.
Liam tilted his face, studying hers. “Crying?”
Jade reached up to touch her cheeks, shocked to find they were indeed wet. “I—” She shook her head. “No.”
Liam smiled. “It’s okay, Jade. It doesn’t make you weak.”
“I’m not crying.”
He kissed her gently, his lips surprisingly soft considering every other part of the man seemed to be chiseled from stone. His firm muscles and rough hands attested to how hard he worked for a living.
She soaked up the comfort in his tender touch for several minutes before moving. She reached for the button on his jeans, but Liam captured her wrists, tugging them away from their intended target.
“Not tonight, Jade. I told you. Tonight was the sample.”
She frowned. “You’re hard as a rock. That’s gotta be painful. Let me take care of you.”
He shook his head. “The first time we’re together, we’re going to be in a bed, not in the back room of this dive.”
“It’s just sex, Liam. It’s not like we’re on our honeymoon or something. I don’t need special.”
He didn’t answer for a few moments and she was left to ponder the strange expression on his face. His response confused her even more.
“Yes. You do.”
“You’re not going to start being overly nice to me now, are you?” Despite the fact they were indulging in a racy affair, she really wanted their friendship to remain the same, complete with trash-talking and sarcasm.
Liam laughed. “Don’t worry, kiddo. I have no intention of turning into some romantic sap.”
“Good. Because I hate that shit.” Now that the lazy haze of the aftermath of her orgasm was lifting, Jade began to feel slightly uneasy about her present state of undress.
She stood, bending over to fight with her jeans. The denim was tangled around one ankle. Liam leaned forward to help.
“You sure you’re okay?” She gestured toward the erection she could still see straining against his pants.
He shrugged. “Nothing there a hand job, followed by a cold shower, can’t cure.”
She stepped closer. “Or my hand…and mouth…could take care of it.”
Liam blew out a long, slow breath. “Fuck, Jade.” He closed his eyes and he appeared to actually pray. When his gaze found hers again, his face was serene, but his eyes still betrayed his need. “I know I said that once we started, we wouldn’t stop, but I want you to take tonight to think about exactly what I want, where this is going. You’ve had a taste, but I intend to take this a lot further. I’m not lying when I say I want your submission. You need to be sure you can handle that.”
She was surprised by his determination to slow things down. Especially after he was the one so fired up to get this party started. But she was touched by his concern. It reinforced just how much she could trust Liam. He would always look out for her, have her best interest at heart. “It’s your call. I mean, I’m feeling pleasantly sated. Pretty sure I’ll sleep like a baby tonight.”
He laughed. “Keep rubbing it in and I’ll be forced to seek revenge.”
She gave him a look that let him know she wasn’t worried. Once she was dressed again, Liam rose as well. Determined not to let things get weird between them, she started tidying up the room, making casual chitchat while returning their pool cues to the rack.
Liam leaned against the table with his arms crossed. It was several minutes before she realized he hadn’t contributed anything to the conversation.
She turned to look at him. “What?”
“Did I hurt you?”
Jade shook her head. Though he’d taken her harder than she’d ever experienced before, the slight twinges of pain had only increased her pleasure. She wasn’t sure what to make of that knowledge. Eventually she’d have to sit down and consider what that meant. But for now, she hadn’t lied. Her body was relaxed, her mind too enjoyably foggy for her to worry about anything.
“Good.” He reached out for her, tugging her until she was pressed tightly against his chest in what could only be called a giant bear hug. “Now for the ground rules.”
She pushed away and narrowed her eyes. “You can’t add guidelines to a game after it’s already started.”
Liam ran his hand through her hair, softly stroking it for a few seconds before wrapping a handful of the locks around his fingers and tugging. The satiation she’d felt after her orgasm faded as lust kicked in once more.
Liam tightened his grip, pulling even harder. “Ready to listen?”
Jade wanted to call him to task, but his hand in her hair was having an overwhelming effect on her libido. “Yes,” she hissed.
“No one else but me, Jade.”
She scowled. While she wasn’t exactly innocent, she wasn’t promiscuous. She didn’t sleep with countless guys at the same time and Liam knew it. “Only if you agree to the same thing.”
“Goes without saying.”
Jade let her annoyance creep out. “You’re right. It does.”
Liam didn’t bother to acknowledge that his first rule pissed her off. “No more recklessness. You get the urge to do something even remotely dangerous, you come find me and I’ll offer you a better alternative.”
She wanted to accuse him of being a cocky asshole, but considering the orgasms he’d given her with just three fingers, she decided to let it slide. “You realize dangerous is a subjective term.”
Liam tugged harder and forced her to look at him. He had her by at least half a foot in height, but that was never more apparent to her than now when he was towering over her and clearly not happy with her response. “We’re going to use my interpretation of the word.”
At the moment, it felt as if he was the living embodiment of a threat. However, rather than scare her, it ramped up her arousal even more. Damn him.
“Fine. I’ll come find you before I do anything risky. But I’m warning you now, you better deliver on your promise or I’m not beholden to mine.”
His grin turned almost wolfish as he used his free hand to pinch her ass. Hard.
She gasped, amazed by the incredible impact the pain of that simple touch provoked.
“You don’t need to worry about that,” he taunted, proving his point perfectly.
Jade fought to calm her racing heart. Liam may have no intention of continuing their sexual exploration tonight, but if he didn’t let her go soon, she’d be forced to institute his so-called cure on herself. Only she’d be using her vibrator along with that cold shower.
“Anything else?” she asked.
“Last one. If you do anything that I consider unsafe, I have the right to punish you.”
Feminism reared its head. “No. You don’t.”
Liam slapped her ass this time, the action sending sparks of electricity straight to her pussy. If this was what he meant by a penalty, she needed to shut the hell up and agree.
“That’s non-negotiable, Jade.”
Jade’s ability to think clearly faded, obliterated by the sensual needs Liam awakened inside her.
“Whatever. Okay. Correct me. However you want to.” The thought of Liam taking her over his knees and spanking her bare ass flashed before her eyes.
Liam must’ve recognized the desire lacing her tone as she agreed to his final rule. “Don’t go inviting trouble. I promise you. You won’t enjoy my discipline.”
As he spoke, he released her, taking a step away. She didn’t like the distance, so she sought to close it, reaching for the button of his jeans. The orgasm she’d experienced earlier was ancient history, her body suddenly demanding more.
Liam halted her, the grin on his face one she instantly mistrusted.
“I want you,” she insisted.
Liam turned away from her, walking toward the bar. Glancing over his shoulder, he winked. “Revenge is a bitch.”
Chapter Five
Liam rubbed his neck as he drove down the narrow lane that would take him home. Nearly a week had passed since he and Jade had supposedly begun their summer fling. Seven days and he’d yet to have sex with the woman. Not that they hadn’t tried. Unfortunately, circumstances conspired against them. He’d been out of town earlier in the week, meeting with a team of rodeo organizers, bidding to outfit several large state events. It had been a successful trip, but it had kept him away from home and Jade for four days.
Once he’d returned, Liam found Jade laid up in bed with a nasty head cold. He had taken her some soup and watched a couple movies with her, but she’d refused to even kiss him for fear of giving him her illness.
>
Tonight, she was better, but it was Bruce who’d been under the weather. Her boss had asked Liam to stick around again to help Jade close, and Liam had finally spied an opportunity to take things to the next level. Until they’d found Chuckie Dupont passed out in the bathroom. It had fallen to Liam to drive the dumbass home, while Jade assured him she could finish things at the bar.
Liam tried to decide if he should say to hell with it and take the turn-off to Compass Ranch. He had made a mistake when laying out the ground rules. Liam had put the decision of when they hooked up in Jade’s hands, telling her to seek him out whenever she felt the urge to do something crazy.
That miscalculation was costing him. For a week, he’d walked around with a perpetual hard-on, unable to think of anything except pulling Jade Compton under him and fucking her nonstop until the end of August.
Brake lights in the distance caught his attention, and he slowed down. While the road led to quite a few homes in the area, it was unusual for him to come across someone out so late. His heart began to pound when he saw Jade’s motorcycle along the side of the road. In front of it, he spotted a car wrapped around a large oak tree.
Liam pulled up behind Jade’s bike and parked. He quickly dialed 911 and told the operator to send an ambulance to Redbud Lane.
Rushing from the truck, he spotted Jade at the driver’s side door, struggling to pull a man from the vehicle. He hadn’t taken two steps toward her before he was assaulted by the smell of gas. Then he noticed the flames flickering under the hood.
Jesus.
He ran toward Jade, yelling for her to get away. She didn’t acknowledge him. Instead she continued to tug at the unconscious man, her frantic actions attesting to the fact that she knew exactly what kind of danger she was courting.
When he reached her, he tried to pull her to safety, but she fought him.
“Jade. Run. The car could explode.”
She shook her head, refusing to release the man. “It’s Bruce. Help me.” Her voice was filled with terror, panic.
“I’ll get him. Get away from here!”
“No.”
“Dammit, Jade! I’m not fucking around. Move. Now!”
