Page 105 of Just Between Us

I hear a huff beside me. Austin is warming up to Liam. Slowly. Penny’s not the only one he’s overbearing with.

Standing on legs that feel much steadier than they did a bit ago, I reach over and give Austin a purple-nurple, and he yelps in pain, clutching his chest.

“Jesus, Cass! That hurt!”

“Well, stop being an ass, Austin. It doesn’t look good on you.”

His eyes are warm, and yet he still mutters, “You’re a menace.”

Smoothing my hands down my dress, I take a deep breath and cross to Liam. As soon as I reach him, he takes my hand, leading me to the dance floor right as an old Madonna song starts up.

“Did you request this?” I ask, brow arched.

Liam tugs me against him, wrapping an arm around my waist and folds our hands together. It’s like the world has taken a step back and it’s just us.

“Maybe.” A beat passes and he tugs me even closer, his nose nudging against my ear. “Do you know how ready I am to get you home?”

His palm skims lower, splaying at the small of my back and I’m hyperaware of every place our bodies touch. A tight tremor of anticipation coils its way down my spine, simmers low in my belly as my nipples pebble against the satin fabric. There has to be a limit for how much I crave Liam, and tonight I want to test all those limits.

“When is an acceptable time to duck out, you think?”

I raise my head to glance around the tent. Everyone is so caught up with dancing that I’m not sure they’d miss us.

“Maybe after this song ends, we slip out?

Liam gives a quick jerk of his head and we sway to the song, all the sounds around us fading until it’s just the two of us.

“You’ve been driving me crazy all day.” His lips are close to my temple. Not quite touching.

“Just today?”

He makes a low sound in his chest. “Touché.”

I tilt my head back to look at him and his sea green gaze is already on me, heated with desire. His eyes drop briefly to my mouth and back up. “I’ve been very patient this evening.”

He tugs me closer until I feel his hardness press against me.

“Liam. We’re at a wedding.”

“I know where we are. ’Bout ready to get outta here, though.”

I don’t realize Liam has slowly been guiding us to the side of the crowd until the song ends, and his hand finds mine. “Ready?”

Swallowing hard, I nod, letting him lead me to his truck.

The town of Singing River passes in a silent blur of streetlights, and I can’t stop touching him. I’ve scooted all the way across the bench seat to rest my hand on the top of his thigh, his forearm, anywhere my hands have access too, like if I stop, one of us will change our mind. I’m not about to let that happen.

“You better be buckled up,” Liam warns, eyes flicking quickly from the road.

Sighing heavily, I remove my hand from his thigh and quickly buckle.

Liam drives exactly the speed limit, but I can tell by the way he’s white-knuckling the steering wheel he’s just as eager to get to his house. He takes a turn into his driveway, tires crunching and finally,finallywe’re parked in front of his house.

“Don’t you dare get out yet,” he commands, jumping from the truck, and in two seconds flat the passenger door opens and Liam’s carrying me, bridal style up his walkway and into his house. I know we should probably pay attention to Mutt or let him out to pee or something a responsible pet owner would do, but my mind isn’t clear enough for all that.

Luckily Liam’s is. With me still in his arms, he jogs us to his back door and Mutt scampers out.

I slide down his body and his mouth is on mine before my heels hit the floor, forcing my lips apart. His tongue slides against mine in a rough drag. While our other kisses have been the best of my life, this is different. The kiss is dirty. Raw. Mind numbing in its intensity, like he’s seeing if he can get me off with only a kiss. I whimper into his mouth, my hands going to fist his hair, tugging harder than I ever would have dared before. But he makes me bold. Makes me want to take as much as give.