I want to look at you."
Skye gave him an impatient look. "If you keep interrupting me, it'll be slow all right. In fact, it'll never get done."
Liam just grinned, unperturbed. "I have all the time inthe world. Take your time."
Skye glanced at the clock, thenjumped a little when Liamreached over and abruptlyflipped it face down.
"No. Ignore that right now. Pay attention to me, Skye." His voice was the firm, authoritative tone from earlier. It sent a shudder downSkye's entire bodywhen he used it.
"I'm sorry. I just...it's for three hours and we were at the bar for part of it and..."He trailed off when Liam reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezinggently.
"Stop. Just listento me. IfI sayignore the time, then I meanignore the time. It's mytime to do what I choose with, allright?"
Skye nodded, head stillspinning, though. Was Liam saying he didn't expect to be paid extra for the extra time? Was he saying he got to decide how much time Skye paid for now? Or--most surprisingly--was he not eventhinkingabout the moneyat all?
What anintoxicatingthought. Skye chose to go with that reasoning. It just sounded nice.
He nodded. "Okay. Sorry."
"Sir."
He repressed a smile. "Sorry, Sir."
Liam gave him a pleased grin and leaned back on his hand again. "Good. Now go on, Skye. Take off your clothes."
Slowly. Skye did his best to keep that thought inhis head. Slowly. He couldn't just do what he normally did and tug things off willy-nilly. Liam wanted more than that and Skye wanted-- Oh, Skye wanted to please him and get more of those smiles. He unhooked his suspenders first, feeling a little silly as he reached over to lay themon the nightstand. He suddenly remembered he still had his glasses on and took them off, setting themsafelyonthe back ofthe nightstand.
"How wellcanyousee without those?"
Skye shrugged. "Pretty good, actually. It's kind of like everything's been slightly blurred on a one or two degree axis."
Liamsmiled, but didn't say anything. Skye imagined his precision was what caused that. For some reason, the other man seemed amused by Skye's literal way of thinking. He supposed it was good, because Skye certainly couldn't change the way he thought or processed information.
He was thinkingtoo muchright then, though, and he knew he was. Darn it. He shook off the inane rambling of his over-anxious mind and met Liam's sultry gaze. How one man could display so many different emotions at once...it seemed exhausting. Liam felt so much, and Skye wondered whether he ever got tired of it. He'd ask some other time.
"The shirt next, Skye."
He must be getting impatient because Skye realized he was hemming and hawing, standing there navelgazing. Damn it, Skye McCord, pay attention. Skye caught the hem of his T-shirt and lifted it, drawing it slowly over his head and laying it on the foot of the bed for lack of a better place. He was a little bit shy about this part. Liam sat there just...looking. Not saying anything. Skye felt like he was ondisplay.
He thought that might be the point.
Then Liam reached out and curled a hand at his waist, tugging Skye closer. Oh, better. He liked that. Liam's hand was warmand its weight seemed almost to ground Skye. Center him.
"You have the most gorgeous skin," Liam murmured.
Skye's brows lifted and he glanced down. Then he shrugged. "I'mverypale."
"You are. I like it very much." His hand shifted, splaying across Skye's belly, thumb stroking little circles around his navel. Skye's muscles clenched tight as Liam touched him. He had to admit it was very aesthetically pleasing--the contrast of Liam's more golden, sunkissed skinagainst his ownlighter tone.
Skye wondered if he tanned just to tan or if Liam maybe did lots of outdoors things. He didn't even know why he wanted to know such an insignificant detail. Maybe because he was feelingso exposed and his mind chose to focus on other, less scary things? He wasn't
sure.Liam smiled, sliding his hand up to cup the nape of
Skye's neck and pullhimdown for a slow, wet kiss
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