Did it freak him out that I asked to be spanked? I mean, our sex is rarely gentle, but this was something we've never done before. Maybe it was too different.
I rub my eyes. I wouldn't blame him if he was freaked out. I am, too. Even though I consider myself pretty tough as far as injuries go, I never considered I might have a thing for pain. What the hell does that say about me?
???
After Luis and Alba deliver all of Liam's freshly laundered clothes, we all bustle about setting up for breakfast on the balcony beside the pool. Liam comes down to help, freshly showered and wearing bright red board shorts that sit deliciously low on his hips. I don't miss the way Alba's eyes widen when she sees him shirtless.
She shoots me a quick glance, and I nod, as if to say, "I know right? How dare he be so hot?"
When the preparations are nearly done, I dash upstairs and pull on another of my new bikinis before topping it off with a sarong.
By the time I come back down, the large wooden table next to the pool has been set with sparkling silverware and fresh flowers, and Liam is lying on a sun chair with his eyes closed. His hair has been pulled up into a ponytail, which highlights his cheekbones like crazy. Even though it's still early, his body is already glistening with a thin layer of sweat. It only accentuates his muscles.
I make a mental note to rub sunscreen on him later. After all, somebody has to do it.
He cracks his eyes open as he hears me approach, and when he registers what I'm wearing, his brows furrow, and he sits up.
"Nice sarong." Despite his words, his tone suggests he thinks the sarong is an asshole. "Where did you get it? And why does it want to hurt me by hiding your hotness from my eyeballs?"
With a patient smile, I stand in front him and untie the knot around my neck. Then I strike a pose and hold the sarong open so Liam can see my bikini. This one is deep blue with gold highlights.
Liam takes in a breath then exhales as he tries to look everywhere at once. Even though he gives my whole body a thorough appraisal, his gaze keeps coming back to my chest.
"Okay," he says, still staring at my boobs. "So, that's you in a bikini. Don't let this go to your head, but this is possibly the best thing I've ever seen in my life."
I smile. "What about the view out here? The ocean, the cliff, the pristine beach below us? It's stunning."
At last he makes it up to my face. "Liss, there's not a single thing on this planet as stunning as you. How do you not know that by now?"
As usual, he melts me with his words, but there's something else in his expression, and I wonder if he's still bothered by what happened earlier.
I'm working up the courage to ask him when Alba calls out, "Breakfast!"
Liam sighs in disappointment when I refasten my sarong, and he takes my hand as we go sit at the table where Alba and Luis have set out omelets, fresh fruit, tea, and coffee.
We eat breakfast in relative silence, content to take in the view. When we're done, Liam leans back and rubs his completely flat stomach, as if there were something there other than ripped abs.
"So, Miss Holt, how adventurous are you feeling today?"
I dab my mouth with the linen napkin, still thinking about the glory of Alba's cheese omelet. "Hmm, depends. On a scale from ‘using a different brand of dental floss’ to ‘swimming with sharks’, how adventurous are we talking?"
"Adventurous enough to get your blood racing."
I put my hand on his thigh. "Being with you is enough to get my blood racing, Mr. Quinn." His posture stiffens as I slide my hand up toward his crotch. "So as long as you're with me, I can do anything."
He smiles. "Right answer."
SEVEN
He Knows If You've Been Bad or Good
I squeeze my eyes shut and grip Liam's hands. "Okay, so, it turns out I can't do this."
"What happened to 'I'm up for anything as long as you're there?"
"That was when I was high on cheese omelet and safe on the ground. Now I'm fifteen thousand feet above sea level and sure to die."
"That's not even a little true. We're only sixty feet up."
"I thought you loved me."
"I do."
"Then why are you trying to kill me?"
"Stop being so dramatic. Just open your eyes." I shake my head, but he kisses me softly and whispers, "You're perfectly safe, I promise."
I crack one eye open and grip his arms. "Let's go for a hike," he said. "I know a spot that's beautiful at this time of day," he said.
Yeah, well, after arriving at the lake, we hiked up the cliff for nearly an hour before reaching this spot. And sure it's gorgeous, but now he wants me to jump off the edge to my certain death? No thanks. I'm firmly on the NOPE train to Fuck-that-ville.
"How about you open the other eye, too?"
I sigh and open both eyes. I never thought I had an issue with heights before now, but looking down into the water, I feel a sick dread fill my stomach.