Playboy Prince

"I don't?"

She nods. "You're nervous."

"I am?"

"You are." She half-smiles. "I don't know if I've seen you nervous before."

"What about the pitch in Toronto?"

"A little. But this… Liam Pierce is blushing."

Shit, is that why my cheeks are warm?

"I kind of like it."

"I'm nervous for you."

"For me?"

"My skills are immense."

"Your kissing skills?"

"Yeah." I pull my hands from my pockets. Immediately wanting them on her skin. "I don't want to overwhelm you."

"Catch me if I faint." She calls my bluff.

I answer it. Take a step toward her. "You don't have to ask."

"Just in case." Her hand goes to my chest. The wool of my suit jacket. "When did you last kiss someone?"

"Don't remember."

"Really?"

"I don't keep a running total."

"Well, you can only count to ten."

"If that."

Her fingers brush my neck. "What's the last kiss you remember?"

I try to find memories of other women, but it's impossible. "Nothing special. You?"

"My last kiss?"

"Yeah." My stomach churns with an unfamiliar sensation. Envy. No wonder Simon's such an asshole. It's awful.

"You met my boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend."

"John." His name is bitter on my tongue. The guy was unworthy of Briar. Pretentious and smug and not nearly as funny as he thought. He wasn't a bad guy, but I still despise the asshole for having her, losing her, hurting her.

"We were at the Cloisters. He took me there for my birthday. He had this picnic set up. Wine and cheese and a beautiful view. It was the first time, in a long time, I felt the way I did when we met; like he saw me as someone special. Then he put his hand on my cheek, and he stared into my eyes, and he kissed me like he wanted to give me everything he had."

My stomach churns.

"I hadn't felt that in a long time."

"Is that why you broke up? Because it stopped?"

She nods. "And because I stopped wanting it. I stopped wanting to give him more of me. It's hard to explain to someone who's never been in a relationship. It feels good to have someone there. Warm. But when their love fades, it's cold. Lonely. Much lonelier than being alone."

"He's an asshole."

Her eyes stay fixed to mine. "Sometimes. We all are."

I still hate him. "He didn't deserve you."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Of course. You're way hotter than he is."

She half-smiles. "You say stupid shit when you're nervous."

"I always say stupid shit."

"True." Her fingers curl into my neck. "But there's a certain kind of stupid…"

"I told you. I'm nervous for you."

"Then be gentle this first time. For me."

"You're ready?"

"I am." She stares at me with those gorgeous grey eyes.

Then her eyelids flutter closed.

Her hand finds the back of my head.

Her lips brush mine. It's soft. A hint of a kiss.

But I feel it everywhere.

My entire body is buzzing.

"You okay?" Her fingers skim my chin.

"Yeah." I'm dizzy. I'm floating. I have to pull her closer to stay on the ground.

"You're blushing."

"It's embarrassing bringing up my skill. I'm a humble guy."

"Of course." She smiles you're so full of it, but she doesn't call me on it. "I do appreciate you going easy on me."

"Sure thing."

"You can turn it up this time."

"In an engaged kind of way?"

"We are engaged," she says.

"I'm more used to an I'm going to take your clothes off kind of way."

"I can lead." Her eyes meet mine. "If you don't know what that looks like."

"You're using me for my body, right?"

"I am."

"So we could do it my way."

"Let's try it this way first."

"Go for it," I say.

She doesn't buy my bravado. She looks me over carefully. Like she sees every crack.

No one else looks at me like this.

My brothers look for cracks, sure. Adam does it with concern. Simon does it with suspicion.

Briar is all curiosity. She's trying to see me as I am. See every part of me.

It's terrifying.

Intoxicating.

"I'd look at you like this." She slides her arm around my waist. Stares into my eyes with hazy affection. "Hey."

"Hey."

"You look nice tonight."

"You look hot as fuck."

She smiles in that Liam is difficult and I like it way. "I know." Her hand goes to my cheek. Her hips melt into mine. "I'm trying to torture you."

"It's working."

Her fingers curl into my waist.

Her eyes close.

Her lips meet mine.

Softly at first.

Then harder.

Her lips part.

Her tongue slips into my mouth. Dances with mine. Not the aggressive I've got to fuck you now song I know.

Something slower. More tender.

Infinitely more inviting.

She pulls back with a low, deep sigh. "Good?"

"Fucking fantastic."

"One more?"

I'm not going to survive one more. I'm going to dissolve. Or throw her against the wall and fuck her right here.

Those are the only two possibilities.

But I need to do this.

For Preston.

And for me.

Because I want to give this to him. Because I want to convince him I'm the kind of man he wants me to be.

The kind of man Briar deserves.

I swallow hard. Then I get my head in the game.