“Another super secret mission?” Everyone in town knew that despite being retired from the Navy, Liam was a certified badass who flew all over the world, helping magnates and royalty stay safe in the most dangerous parts of the world.
He’ll be gone for a few weeks, that same voice that I was pretty sure was the devil on my shoulder said in a sing-song voice. The little shoulder devil was right, this man and this woman was just about perfect. “Do you think I’m a prude?”
“I don’t know you well enough to say that,” he said, uncharacteristically diplomatic of him.
“That’s a copout,” I told him. “And a yes. Why?” Even if I didn’t end up doing the horizontal mambo with Liam Reyes tonight, he would give me the unvarnished truth and maybe tomorrow, I could find Mr. Right For A Night.
“Part of it is the clothes. You go out of your way to hide what to me looks like pretty killer curves and a nice rack. Really nice,” he added as his gaze slid down to the cleavage that had been on display all night.
“And the other part?”
“The goody two shoes thing combined with your job. It gives off the impression that you’re very…sugary.”
“Sugary, what the hell does that mean?” Sugary seemed like a way to call someone sweet but not in a complimentary way. “Does that mean I’m destined to be bad in bed?”
Liam choked on his drink and shook his head. I leaned forward and gave his back a good hard clap. “Thanks. I don’t know, Olive. Jeez.”
He was uncomfortable, I realized, and for some reason that made me smile. “It’s just sex talk, Liam. What’s the problem?”
“No problem,” he said and took a step back, grasping the glass until his knuckles turned white. “Just weird talking about sex with you.”
My shoulders sank. “I’m not a nun, Liam. Or a eunuch.”
“Believe me, I know that.” Heat flared in his hazel eyes once again and this time I knew, with absolute certainty, that Liam Reyes was attracted to me. Maybe not always. Maybe it was just the dress and the heels, or maybe it was because walking me home had screwed up his plans for a wild erotic night.
Or, had it? Feeling bold and scared as hell, I knocked back the rest of the whiskey Eva had brought over for our last girls’ night and slammed it down harder than I needed to. Thank goodness for heavy bottom glasses. “I’m not sure that you do know, Liam.”
“Know what,” he asked around a big hard swallow.
“That I am a woman. Not a child,” I said and reached around my back to find the zipper hidden between the fabric and gave it a sharp tug. “I’m not a nun either. I may be a goody two shoes, but I am a woman with wants and needs. Desires, even.” The heat in his eyes turned to fire when the dress fell to the floor, showing off the black and hot pink lace I’d opted for in hopes of someone seeing it.
“Olive,” he growled and took a step back, but that was all right because Liam was powerless to hide how turned on he was. By me. “You’re drunk.”
“Tipsy,” I clarified with a smile, suddenly encouraged by his nerves. “I only want this from you, Liam. This. Tonight.” Liam set his glass down, jaw clenched as desire for me warred with his determination to do the so-called right thing. “I know you don’t like me but I can see that you want me, which is perfect because I want you too.” I did want him, I realized. Badly. My heart thumped against my chest bone, blood pulsed through my veins and the speed of light, sending raw vibrations up and down my skin. “Just for tonight,” I said on a low, husky whisper.
“I…I don’t know, Olive.” My feet stopped moving my body towards Liam at his words. They were, I don’t know, genuine. The doubt in his tone was as real as the desire in his eyes. And behind his zipper.
“You don’t want me?” His lips pursed and thick black brows rose skeptically. “You think you’ll sex me so good that I fall for you?”
“No. I’m just not sure if you’ll regret this in the morning and you know, this is a small town.”
Okay, I’d give him that one. I nodded in agreement. “Okay, but you leave in the morning and you’ll be gone a while, right?” Liam nodded again, looking like a cornered animal. “So if you dickmatize me, I’ll have a few weeks to get myself under control before you return.”
“Seriously, Olive?”
“Yes. I liked spending time with you tonight and I like the way you’re looking at me right now. I feel beautiful and sexy and desired.”
“You’re fucking gorgeous.”
Score! “And you’re stupidly handsome, remember?”