There was something so sweetly normal about this that I found myself craving more. My mind ran with itself, wondering what life would be like if I hadn’t met Eli. If I could throw myself into this strange relationship and really enjoy things then maybe my future would be good.
Loading up the plates, we ate dinner in the open-plan dining room, which was surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. It reminded me of the view from Sawyer’s office, only we were much higher up. All the cars down below looked like ants, and if I squinted, even the buildings looked like sparklers from the lights blurring together.
Liam said the apartment belonged to Sawyer, but he’d been living here ever since they returned to the city and they both loved it. After eating, Marie showed me the one window that she was allowed to draw on with water markers. The window was near one of the light towers that shone through all her paintings and created a patchwork of colors on the oak floors. It was beautiful, and after some quiet discussion, I added my own drawing to the collection.
I drew a cake since it was the one thing that had brought us together today.
By the time bedtime rolled around, Marie was almost asleep in my arms, so I carried her to bed while Liam dealt with cleanup. Tucking her into bed, I read her a chapter from the storybook she was reading and then kissed her forehead.
“Goodnight,” I said softly. “Have the sweetest dreams.”
“I hope we get to see you all the time now,” Marie murmured.
“What do you mean?”
“Dad says we’re going to be living here,” she yawned. “And I like you so I hope we see you lots.”
I kissed her goodnight once more, then left the room and headed back down the hallway. Liam was already in the lounge with two glasses of red wine in hand. The moment he noticed me, he offered me one, and I took it gladly. It was back to being just the two of us and I had a desire to return to our previous topic of conversation.
“Marie said you’re going to be staying here permanently?” I asked, immediately distracting with a different topic.
Liam smiled over the lip of his glass. “I’m considering it, although, from the sounds of things, she wants it to be definite.”
“That’s a good thing, right?” I took a few sips. “Having her support with it must be good.”
“It is,” he nodded, pacing slowly in front of the windows and half staring out. “I want what’s best for her and at first, I thought that was keeping her away from the city. She’d had a small house with her mother and I wanted to replicate that kind of home. But now?” He puffed out his cheeks and smiled.
“Being back here, there’s something so satisfying about it. Being back around my old life, seeing all my friends again. Being in the city and seeing it through her eyes, seeing her happy.”
Liam spoke with such warmth in his voice that I wandered closer, wanting to soak up some of those good feelings.
“It’s all I could ask for. It helps too, that the women are gorgeous.” Liam paused and swiveled to face me. “Well, one woman.”
I laughed softly, and my cheeks warmed. His words fed into my greedy need for a distraction and the comfort he offered.
It was the perfect thing to take my mind off of Eli.
“One woman?” I asked coyly, drinking slowly. “She sounds interesting. What is she like?”
“Well.” Liam set his glass aside, then took mine from my hand with his fingertips lingering on my writ. That touch turned into a light grasp that pulled me closer. “She’s absolutely beautiful. She has long brown hair. Stunning eyes that look gold in the sun. Full pink lips. Supple, soft skin.”
He punctuated every sentence with a kiss. My lips. My cheek. The hinge of my jaw.
“She smells like fruit and vanilla. Some kind of berry too. She has this amazing curvy body and when she laughs, I feel like I can take on the world.”
His kisses moved from my throat to my bare shoulder where his teeth snagged the strap of my summer dress. He slipped it from my shoulder, then used his fingers to do the same with the other strap.
“She sounds… unreal,” I murmured breathlessly.
“You have no idea.”
As my dress slipped from my body, leaving me in a black bra and panties, Liam gripped my shoulders and pulled me close as he kissed me deeply. Our lips slid together, weaving over one another as we kissed and gasped, then kissed some more. He moved, and I moved until my back was pressed up against the cold glass of the window. The touch was alarming against my heated skin, and I gasped.
“She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” Liam’s teeth snagged on my lower lip and pulled until the elasticity of my lip caused it to slip from his teeth. “The most beautiful woman I’ve ever tasted.”
I blinked and Liam was on his knees, pulling my panties down and then sliding one of my legs over his shoulder. He situated himself beneath me, and I was forced to balance on the tip toes of my other foot. His hot breath ghosted over my pussy, causing my core to clench and a rush of damp heat swept south.
“Fuck,” I gasped, struggling to keep my balance. I had nothing to hold onto, and when Liam’s mouth delved into the sweet heat of my pussy, I could only scrabble against the glass and pray I wouldn’t fall.