Enticing Liam (Big Sky Royal 2)

“You are a little drunk,” Nina says. “Your cheeks are bright red.”

“That always happens.” I cover my face with my hands and laugh. “Not that I have the opportunity to over-indulge often, but my flushed cheeks always give me away.”

“You’re adorable.” Grace, who has been quiet up until now, leans over to tap my glass with hers. “I like you.”

“I like you, too.” I blink rapidly, not wanting to become a blubbering idiot over some sweet words. “I must have something in my eye.”

We spend the next hour putting the finishing touches on our flowers and polishing off our cake and wine. When Nick and Liam escort Nina and me out to our waiting car, I find myself stumbling over my feet.

Liam immediately reaches out to grab my elbow to keep me upright.

“Pardon me,” I say, trying to sound proper. “That sidewalk snuck right up on me.”

“Or the wine did,” Nina says with a snort. “That was fun. We need to do it more often.”

We climb into the back seat, and I sigh in happiness. I’m completely hammered. I don’t remember the last time I drank in such excess.

Perhaps never. It would be frowned upon to behave in such a way back home.

“Don’t feel guilty,” Nina says as if she can read my thoughts. “It’s time you act twenty-five.”

“I am twenty-five,” I remind her.

“Exactly.”

The car pulls into Sebastian’s drive, and Nick escorts Nina inside the house.

“Let’s go, Princess,” Liam says, motioning for me to walk down the path that winds beside the house to the lake below.

“Where are you taking me?”

“To your apartment,” he says, his lips twitching with humor. I want to kiss those lips. I’ve wanted to kiss them since the day I first met him.

“Oh, right. I almost forgot.” I giggle as I walk on the path next to Liam. When I stumble, he reaches out for me again.

I really like it when Liam touches me.

It makes my skin tingle.

I rub my lips together, hoping that will keep me from babbling. Alcohol gives me loose lips.

It’s a curse.

“It’s hot tonight.” I wipe my brow with the back of my hand. “Is it always so hot here in the summer?”

“Yes.”

I frown at him. “You’re not much for chatting, are you?”

“No.”

I narrow my eyes, still watching him. Well, both of him. “You’re allowed to speak to me, you know.”

“Okay.”

My toe catches on something, pitching me forward, but before I can land face-first on the path, Liam’s arms encircle my middle, holding me up.

“Oops.”

“Do I need to carry you, Princess?” He sounds angry. Frustrated. I don’t know why, this is his bloody job.

“I can walk.”

I think.

When he sees that I’m stable once again, he takes his hands away. Despite the hot evening, my skin is cool where his hands were.

I’m a bloody hormonal mess.

Liam is too virile for his own good.

We make it safely to the dock and the boathouse. Liam opens the door, and I step inside. To my surprise, he helps me up the stairs.

“I can do it,” I mumble.

“You’ll fall on your face,” he mutters.

Once at the top, I grin. “See? We made it!”

But my damn toe catches on something else. This time, I hit the floor.

“How many glasses of wine did you have?”

“Good question. I didn’t count. A lot. You can go, I’ll be fine.”

“Like hell.” He pulls me up, and suddenly, I’m pressed against him from hip to chest, looking up into his brown eyes. His jaw is firm, his lips pressed into a hard line.

“I’m a virgin.”

I feel my eyes grow wide, but I suddenly can’t stop talking.

“I know it’s silly, but I’m a twenty-five-year-old virgin. Can you believe that?”

“Uh—”

“Absolutely ridiculous,” I mutter and let my eyes travel down to his neck, where his Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows hard. “And you’re an attractive man, Liam.”

“I should go.”

“No way.” I grip his shoulders. He could easily push me away, but he doesn’t, and I take that as a good sign. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this. Wait. Yes, I do. I’m telling you because I think you’re attractive, and I like it when you touch me, and maybe you should teach me all about the sex.”

“Christ,” he mutters and closes his eyes. “The sex?”

“Yes. I’m here for a month, and you’re here with me. It’s convenient.”

“No.”

“But why?” I sound whiny, even to my own ears.

“Because I work for you.”

“You work for my brother. Not me.”

“No.”

“But why?”

“Because you’re too young for me.”

“I’m a grown woman who can make her own decisions with her body, thank you very much.” I hiccup and do my best to look sophisticated.

“No.”

“But why?”

“For a million other reasons that make this a very bad idea.”

I frown and bite my numb lip, still staring at Liam’s Adam’s apple.

“Why do they call this an Adam’s apple?” I brush my finger down the firm bump in his neck.