“So many people say that to me every day. People who don’t even know me. But you . . . you’re the one person I crave to hear it from. Before last night, I didn’t think I’d ever hear those words from you again.”
He cups my face and stares into my eyes. “I used to think that if I just waited long enough, fate would bring us back together. That our stars would align, or whatever, and you’d come crashing back into my life to stay. But that didn’t happen. So now I say, screw it. I’m done waiting. Sometimes, fate is what you make it, and I’m making my life with you.”
He kisses me and pushes me onto my back, and I gasp as he covers my body with his. Lord, that much Liam is hard to handle. I run my hands down his back and over his magnificent ass. I love feeling his muscles tremble beneath my touch. So much strength wrapped around his sweet heart.
“We don’t have long,” I say, already breathless. “I have work to do before rehearsal.”
He presses his erection against me in ways that make me moan. “Don’t need long. Just need to be inside you.”
He kisses down my chest, and grinds against me at the same time. Within seconds, every muscle that was complaining about our epic lovemaking of last night is begging for more.
I lift my hips and urge him forward, and with minimum repositioning, he slides into me. When he’s fully inside, he lets out a quiet moan before going still.
“Along with you saying you love me, I’m also never going to get tired of this,” he says, his voice tight. “Ever.”
He moves, slow and restrained, and I breathe in time with his thrusts. “I still find it hard to believe that Liam Quinn, the world’s most desirable man, is inside me.”
He bends down to kiss me. “And goddamn . . .” He closes his eyes and pants. “The world’s most desirable man is about to come in record time because you feel so damn good. God, Liss . . .”
I don’t know how long we make love, but I know that it’s even better this morning than it was last night. Last night, it all seemed like a dream. Today, it’s a very sexy reality. Even though we know we’ll have to sort through a massive mess to make it happen, we’re no longer going to let anything stand in our way.
I watch, enthralled as a naked Liam trawls through the mess surrounding the couch. “Found my underpants!” he says, holding them up in triumph. “Not sure how they got wrapped around Cheese Lovers’ Quarterly, but whatever.”
I pout as he pulls them on. Thankfully, he ignores the rest of his clothes, which he’s already folded into a neat pile on the couch, and begins to clean in just his skintight boxer briefs. We’re both freshly showered, and I’m in my robe, and although I would like to stay in bed all morning, knowing the apartment looks like a tornado has ripped through it makes both of us tense. Neat Freaks, Unite!
“I’ll do the kitchen,” Liam says, and gives me a quick kiss as he passes. “There’s broken crockery in there, and I can’t have my woman cutting her delicate feet.”
I smile at his choice of words. I’ve never been someone’s woman before. I like it.
Liam stops at the hall closet and digs out the dustpan while I start sorting through the mess of books on the floor. Did nothing survive our onslaught?
A shiver runs up my spine as I think about Liam slamming me against walls and counters. So worth it.
Liam hums as he cleans the kitchen, and I smile as I concentrate on stacking books on the shelves in my own particular fashion; that is to say, categorized by genre, then author, then color. Kind of sad, but whatever. They’re my shelves. I like them to look pretty.
I’m almost finished when I hear voices outside the door.
“Angel, stop.”
“No. C’mere, Josh. Jusforasecond.”
“I can’t hug you and open the door at the same time. Just stand there, okay? And for God’s sake, don’t puke. I don’t deal well with puke.”
The door swings open and Josh stumbles in with one arm around Angel. She looks terrible. When they see me and the mess, they both freeze. Angel sways and blinks as Josh turns to me. “What the hell, Lissa?! Did those asshole teenagers from the second floor break in and trash the joint? Because I’d love an excuse to kick some pimply, emo ass.”
“Josh, hey. Uh . . . no. Would you believe there was an earthquake?”
“No. What really happened?”
“Elissaaaaa!” Before I can answer, Angel lurches toward me and pulls me into a tight hug. “I love you. I had a shitty day yesterday, but seeing you makes it all better.” God, she smells like a brewery. “Will you marry me instead of Liam? He’s a dick. He makes me look stupid. He’s supposed to be my rock in the stormy sea of life, but he let me drown.” She squeezes her eyes shut. “Oh, my God. Someone write that down. I’m so freaking poetic when I’m hammered, it blows my mind.”
I glance over at Josh. He holds up his hands, defensive. “You told me to comfort her. She wanted to be comforted by beer.”
“Has she been drinking all night?”