GRIND

In the back of my mind I reminded myself that maybe this was just the universe making up for the lack of bedroom skills that Josh possessed. He'd never been able to bring me to orgasm, ever—not that any of my previous experiences had either. And something like this would've never even crossed his mind. Who knew, maybe I'd be in a different place if he'd learned a thing or two…

Josh was vehemently kicked out of my mind as Liam’s hands went to my breasts, heaving them in his hands. I knew my double-Ds were a lot to handle, but I was proud of them, even more proud of them while he pinched each hardening nipple between his finger and thumb and rolled it around, tugging at it and causing me to gasp out loud.

Realizing that I too, possessed a pair of hands, I tangled them in his hair, my chest heaving against him. Whatever I could do to bring him even closer.

Liam's mouth was hungry for more, and he dropped his head down, his tongue skirting around my sensitive areola and darting out at my nipple before he sucked it into his mouth with a resounding pop. I leaned back even more and whimpered uncontrollably when Liam's hand undid my legs, pushing my thick thighs wide apart. Oh my God…

There was a pause of movement from Liam’s hands as he moved his mouth to my other nipple, my mouth popping open and my chin quivering when his fingers lightly traced at the apex of my thigh.

With the heat of the sauna pressing in on me, and the heat that was already starting to build inside of me, I was sure that I would explode before I left this room today. Liam would make sure of it.

Trying to hold on before everything slipped out of my control, I opened my eyes and watched Liam pull his mouth away from my breast. His mouth zig-zagged along my body, kissing my side here, dipping his tongue into my navel, and nipping at my rounded hip, dragging his teeth along my skin. When he pulled back, a twang of disappointment rushed through me, until I realized slowly what he was doing.

As much as I resisted, knowing that if I watched him it would only turn me on even more, I couldn't help but catch Liam's icy blue gaze. It was a solemn expression at first, but the corner of his mouth quirked up, and it became the edge of a very naughty smile, one that told me he took great pleasure in making me squirm.

He stroked along the soft flesh that was too close to my swollen folds. He teased me this way, his face drawing closer. I thought I'd scream out if he didn't just do something.

Then I felt as though I was being peeled apart like a flower, my outer lips gently pulled aside to reveal the warm, pink insides that were soaked with excitement. The steam hit me and I sucked in a quick breath, trying not to hyperventilate.

Liam saw the intensity in my eyes and sought to soothe my needs, his tongue slowly trailing along my pussy, dragging it up to the very top. He avoided my clit at first, and I let out a cry anyway—both from frustration and the way he left me shivering. His tongue delved into my core, lapping at all the wetness he'd created there, and my legs were shaking… There was no way my moaning wasn't being heard outside of this tiny room.

When Liam's tongue snaked along my inner lips, trailing around my swollen bud, I prayed to God that he would just put me out of the best misery I'd ever known. He hooked his two thick fingers inside of me and pressed up, his thumb carefully rubbing at the small gap of skin between my pussy and my clit, and I felt everything in me preparing for what came next.

As Liam's tongue darted everywhere around my clit, he stroked at my g-spot, and with his other hand, he pulled back the small hood of skin that left me feeling the most open and exposed. I could feel him take a deep breath, breathing my scent in, before his mouth caught my clit between his lips, sucking at me.

I came apart all at once, but he did not slow. In fact, he sped up his pace, with his fingers now pumping in and out of me and his tongue whipping around my clit inside his mouth. My hips bucked against his face and all I wanted was more, more. I couldn't stand the thought of him leaving me, or that this was already done.

His fingers and mouth were everywhere on me, and I rocked against him, pinpricks lighting up behind my eyelids. Never, never, never had anyone made me come. Never had anyone known what they were doing and cared enough to get me to this point.

My breathing hitched and I looked down at Liam, whose wide smile made me feel giggly and sleepy all at once. Or maybe that was what it was like when someone went down on you…

Chapter 3

ALY

I could tell by the way Sage kept eyeing me across from the couch that I was about to get the shakedown. "What?" I asked innocently, sipping my latte.

My younger sister snorted into her wine glass, rolling her eyes at me. "Don't play dumb with me."

Lifting a brow in her direction, I tried to play it off. "I have no idea what you mean, sis. But if you don't stop staring at me like that, I'm going to dump this drink in your lap."

If Sage rolled her hazel eyes any more, she'd be looking out of the back of her head. "Oh please. Just spill it—and no, I don't mean your drink. Tell me about your spa trip earlier!"

Sage worked with our mother at Sun-Kissed Leaves, the local wine distributor that Mom owns. They were both total workaholics, so I knew my sister must have been dying to live her spa fantasies out vicariously through me for the moment.

I sighed, unable to help the blush that crept across my cheeks. "It was good."

She sat back and studied me, pursing her lips to the side. "Well, you do look relaxed."

"Oh, I feel light as a feather," I replied, thinking about how completely blissed out I felt as I walked out of the spa only a few hours ago.

"It seemed to do the trick," Sage added, sounding somewhat skeptical.

I traced the rim of my latte cup, thinking about the special kind of magic Liam had in store for me inside the sauna. If I thought about it even more, I could almost feel every stroke of his tongue along my skin. I cleared my throat, still blushing.

"Are you okay? I mean, are you running a fever or something? Your cheeks and ears keep flushing pink. I hope you didn't pick up something at the spa."

Holding back a knowing chuckle, I shook my head. "Oh no, not at all." I glanced down at the bottle of Sauvignon Blanc that was chilling on ice next to Sage. "Be a good sister and give me some of that wine you're drinking." I plopped down on the leather couch next to her, grinning. There was no way I could keep Liam a secret from her of all people.

"So the spa trip was good… My massage therapist was like, insanely hot. You can only imagine what that must have been like."

"You little minx! How hot are we talking, exactly?" she replied, flipping her long brown hair over her shoulder and sounding pleasantly scandalized.

"It was like he walked off one of those soap operas set on the beach, I swear to you. Dark blonde hair, gorgeous blue eyes. Muscles on muscles, tan, charming smile. I didn't know whether to run out of there or to strap myself in for the ride."

The show on the TV in front of us was playing the latest episode of WAGS. I pouted, asking Sage to turn off the mute button. "I'm so far behind, it'll probably take me forever to catch up. I was so busy studying for the bar and everything."

We relaxed, tuned in to our favorite show

, and nearly finished the bottle before the credits rolled on the screen.

I leaned back and sank into the couch, sighing contentedly. "I have to admit, it feels so nice to relax and not be thinking about the damned bar exam. After practically worshipping the law books I'm ready to kick back and binge on some TV."

A weird expression flitted across my sister's face. I knew exactly what she was going to say before she even said anything.

"Okay, I have to ask you. I promised myself I wouldn't ask you about what happened with Joshua while you were studying… but now that you're home, I have you face to face. Tell me, what happened?"

My head lolled back against the firm, dark cushion as I groaned. "I thought I was supposed to be relaxing," I whined. I knew she was right, but I hated dredging all of that back up, right on the heels of the fantastic send-off Liam provided me earlier.

"Come on, Aly. You can't expect me to pretend it didn't happen. I mean, you were engaged to get married and then suddenly you weren't."

Letting out a pitiful sigh, I sat up and drained the rest of my wine glass. "All right, all right.”

Sage already knew part of what the problem was, as many times I’d confided in her my doubts over Josh and his family. They were pure money through and through, and with his impossible to please mother, Olivia, I never really felt like I'd be happy as a Banks.

"He was just such a pussy, you know? Never wanted to displease dear old Mama. After I spent part of Christmas break with them, I felt like I was being suffocated. There were so many rules, so many expectations. It was like dining with the damn Queen of England, for God's sake!"

Sage mulled it over for a bit, setting her glass down. "Yeah, but if you’d married into that family, you'd be set for life."

I frowned at her. "I'm not a gold digger."

She shrugged, but pointed right at me. "No, I know that. But instead, you're aging yourself faster than you should from all this stress over the bar exam, and now dealing with Joshua and that fiasco!"