Her voice was low and shaking with emotion when she answered. “I do, Liam. So much, it frightens me.”
“It almost killed me to see you walk away from me to go out with Douglas,” I confessed. “I don’t want you to go out with anyone but me.”
“I didn’t want to go,” she said. “I was confused, and I had all these feelings I didn’t think I should have. Then when he asked, I thought I had to try to move past whatever it was, but…” She sighed. “All I could think of—all night—was you. The only place I wanted to be was with you.” Her eyes were intense. “It’s always you, Liam.”
Our faces were close. I could feel her breath washing over me as we stared at each other. My hands tightened on her, bringing her even closer against me. “Try, then. Please,” I begged.
“I work for you—I’m your housekeeper.”
“Is that your last argument?”
“Um, yes?”
Her lips were almost touching mine. “Fine. You’re fired,” I murmured.
“Oh,” she breathed.
And then I was kissing her.
But this time, she didn’t push me away.13LiamOur mouths were on each other’s the entire ride home. I couldn’t get enough of her. Her lips were warm and pliant, her tongue like velvet, and her taste, perfect. Sweet and uniquely Shelby. I wanted to swallow the breath she shared with me and hold it in my lungs forever. I never wanted to be without the feel of her mouth moving beneath mine again. Her quiet whimpers and murmurs only made me hold her closer, kiss her deeper, and want her more.
When the car stopped, I regretfully pulled back, but I didn’t let her leave my arms. I climbed out of the limo and walked into the house, cradling her. I had her tucked tight against my chest, her arms wrapped around my neck, only letting go long enough to unlock the door and disable the alarm. I carried her to my room, setting her on the vanity in the bathroom. I stood in front of her, my hands cupping her face as I kissed her again.
Our lips had been apart far too long.
“I have to look at your feet,” I whispered against her mouth.
“Don’t stop.”
“Shelby. Let me take care of you.”
She sighed in frustration, and I leered. “Addicted already?”
She giggled as I dropped a small kiss on the end of her nose. Then I eased off the socks I had covered her feet with earlier, grimacing at the blisters I saw all over her swollen flesh. Some had already ruptured and bled, while others were still forming and looked painful.
Fuck, they all looked bloody painful.
I filled the sink beside her with warm water, planning on soaking her feet and then bandaging them.
“The dress.” She protested.
I groaned. I didn’t care about the bloody dress. But I knew she did. “Take it off, then.”
“Right here?”
“Shelby, I’ve seen you in a bathing suit. I think I can handle your underwear.”
“Um—”
Chuckling, I shrugged out of my jacket and unbuttoned my shirt, yanking it off, leaving me in my undershirt. “You can put this on.” I wrapped my arm around her. “Come on, I’ll help you.” Gently, I set her on the floor, my eyes following her hand as she pulled down the hidden zipper on her dress. The deep-red gown pooled at her feet, and I swallowed when I saw what was hiding underneath the satin.
Her bathing suit, I could handle.
This, I wasn’t sure about.
Red. Lacy. Strapless.
A bustier.
My gaze drifted downward.
Tiny scraps of fabric tied at her hips in the same shade of red, leaving a tantalizing strip of soft flesh between the bustier and her underwear. A strip I wanted to lick.
And the underwear…tiny straps with bows that led to…
I shut my eyes as the room became far too small and far too hot. All the blood in my body was now pooled in one place.
My hard, aching cock.
Which was at that very moment trying to punch its way out of my pants to get to that red lace.
Bugger. Shit. Damn.
I gulped in air. Tried to think of anything else. Puppies. Worms. Everett in his underwear. Anything but the warm, red-lace-wearing woman in front of me.
Who was in pain and needed me to look after her.
Not lift her back onto the counter and fuck her until she screamed my name.
At least once.
Three or four times, preferably.
Her voice broke through my thoughts. “Liam?”
I blinked at her and handed her my shirt. I needed to rein myself in. “Put this on, Shelby, please.”
With downcast eyes, she did as I asked. I realized she thought I wanted her to cover up for a different reason than I needed her to cover up. I cupped her cheek. “Hey.”
Her hesitant gaze met mine. I covered her mouth with my lips, yanking her close. I pulled her hips against mine so she knew how she was affecting me. Her eyes flew open, meeting mine that were already staring at her—trying to convey a hard message. I smiled against her lips. “Just for now, Beaker. Or your feet won’t be the only thing that’s sore.”