“We will, though. I promise.” Gently he scooped her into his arms. She looped her arms around his neck and sighed.
“You must think I’m an idiot.”
“What I think,” Liam replied as he made his way across the room, “is that we’ve damn near broken the how-long-can-a-human-being-stay-awake record.” Jessie laughed. It was a real laugh this time, a wonderful sound, and Liam grinned at her. “You like that, huh?”
“You made it up. There is no such record.”
“Well, if there isn’t, there should be.” He kissed her, then jabbed the light switch with his elbow. Velvet darkness swallowed the room. “Okay,” he said briskly, “here’s the plan.”
“The plan?” Jessie swallowed. Liam was heading back toward the bed, washed in ivory moonlight. “Liam?” She hesitated. “I think you should know…I mean, if you think it’s the light—if you think turning it off will—”
“I know that, sweetheart.”
He laid her on the bed and stood over her. She caught her breath as he pulled off his sweatshirt. He was beautiful. The hard, masculine face. The broad shoulders. The wide chest and narrow waist.
“What I thought,” he said huskily, “was that we’d get some sleep.”
“I won’t be able to sleep,” she said quickly. “I’m too—too—”
“Let’s try, anyway.” She heard the thud of his sneakers as he kicked them off. His hands went to his waist and he opened his belt, undid his zipper. The denim rustled as he stepped out of his jeans and stood before her, clad only in a pair of dark boxer shorts slung low on his hips. “The thing is, I can’t sleep with the light on.” A smile curved his lips. “Or with most of my clothes on, either.” The mattress dipped gently as he sat down beside her. Jessie could hear her blood beating in her ears.
“Liam,” she whispered.
“Shh.” He took her hands, brought them to his chest, and she caught her breath at the feel of hot skin, tight muscle, silky hair. “That’s not so awful, is it?”
No. Oh, no, it wasn’t. It was wonderful touching him. He was so alive, so real, so excitingly male.
His fingers were at the front clasp of her bra. This time she didn’t stop him. A languid heat was moving through her body. She could almost feel herself turning to liquid. When the clasp gave way, he drew the bra off and tossed it aside.
“I want to feel your skin against mine,” he said. “That’s all, I promise. Is that all right, Jessie?”
She didn’t answer. She couldn’t, but Liam seemed to understand her silence. He put his arms around her and when her naked flesh touched his, she caught her breath. He lowered his head to hers and kissed her. Desire, sharp and hot, began to boil in her blood.
“Let’s just get you out of some of this stuff.”
She sighed her acquiescence, sat up so he could undress her. When she had nothing on but her panties, he eased her back against the pillows and kissed her mouth, her throat, her shoulders. She closed her eyes and waited, her skin tingling, for the feel of his lips on her breasts.
This was what she’d dreamed of last night. This slow, scalding seduction. Liam in her arms. A burning ache, low in her belly. When he finally stretched out beside her, she turned toward him, trembling, every breath searing her lungs.
“Liam,” she whispered. “Liam—”
He put two fingers lightly over her lips, drew the blanket over them. Then he gathered her into the strength of his embrace.
She almost came apart at the first touch of his body against hers, the first awareness of his erection pressed against her belly. She waited for him to move against her, to strip away the last flimsy barriers that separated them, yearned for it to happen.
“Go to sleep, darling,” he whispered.
He stroked her back, kissed her temple. After a while, his breathing slowed. So did hers, but she knew it was meaningless. He was pretending and so was she. Neither of them would get any sleep, not pressed together like this, with their hearts beating in unison, her breasts against his chest. Nevertheless, his heartbeat steadied. Hers did, too.
He really had fallen asleep, she thought in surprise.
Moments later, so did she.
* * *
LIAM CAME AWAKE SLOWLY.
It was just before dawn. A pale pewter light was seeping into the room, and Jessie was still in his arms. She was asleep, cradled against him, and he fought back the desire to dip his head and awaken her with a kiss.