nice.”
“Why the hell not?”
“Because I have to leave.” A laugh burst out, but it changed into racking sobs.
Liam stroked my cheek, his body close to mine. “Hush, now. It’ll be all right.”
“I don’t like pretty lies.” I dug fingernails into my palms until the tears stopped.
“Then how about I’m here with you right now, and I wanna help you.” He edged closer still, stroked his fingers over my hair.
His touch opened something in me—a door to a secret place where I found everything I’d ever wanted. Home. This is what home should feel like. I wanted to be close to him, to lay down somewhere together and bask in his warmth, to drown in the kindness in his eyes. How could I want that with a stranger? After the dream, how could I think about that at all?
The urge to touch him took over. I pushed down the fear, erased my doubts and drew up next to him. I yanked his black T-shirt out of his jeans and pressed my hands against the muscular ridges of his stomach.
The instant I touched him, the world slowed. Pleasure didn’t describe the sensation of his skin under my hands or his on mine. Something intense and raw, comforting and exciting at the same time, urged me on. I played my fingers along the course hairs running down his midline and the smooth skin around it.
His ran up my back.
My eyes fluttered closed.
A low moan escaped from him.
I slipped my hands over the swell of his chest, his muscles flexing and bulging beneath. No matter how much I touched, it didn’t quench my primal hunger. I could have crawled inside his body, and I wouldn’t have been close enough.
I had no idea how long we stood there, our hands roaming along every plane. I raised my gaze to his face, the sweetness of his breath falling across my face like a silk caress. Mesmerized by the depth of his stare, I didn’t notice when he leaned closer, his lips pressing forward toward the contact I craved.
He hesitated for a moment before melting against my mouth and tangling his fingers into my hair.
I strained to inhale oxygen into starving lungs. The growing ache to climb him like a jungle gym consumed me. I pushed him away.
He stumbled back and rubbed his chest. “What’d I do now?”
I swallowed the cotton from my mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t meant to push you that hard. I just—” God, what am I doing?
“I won’t tell nobody I saw you cryin’. And you didn’t tell me no, or move away, you know. Don’t need to break my ribs next time. Just say enough, and I’ll back off.”
“There won’t be a next time.” I folded my arms together. “And I said I was sorry.”
Hands on his hips, he stared until I squirmed. “You’re not even gonna tell me what’s wrong, are you?”
“Look, I’m just confused. I don’t understand. I feel …” I pressed my fingers, still tingling from the touch of his skin, against my lips, “… strange.” Is he doing something to me?
“It’s called attraction. Nothin’ to be ashamed of, ’less you’re married. Been a long time since I felt it, too.”
No, not just attraction. Compulsion. Had he emitted some sort of energy? Did he mean to? It didn’t matter. “I need to go. It’s not safe for me to stay here.”
“You keep sayin’ that, but you don’t say why. Did someone threaten you?”
“It’s not me I’m afraid for.” I winced. Shouldn’t have said that.
He nodded as though he understood more than I’d said. “Just think on it a bit. At least go on up to the house and help yourself to a shower. I got some chores in the barn, and then I’ll cook you some breakfast.” Liam heaved out a sigh. “If you still want to go after that, I won’t stop you.”
A boom cracked the silence and echoed against the hill. Liam and I dropped to the gravel. My chest hurt as if I’d left my heart and lungs up where I’d been standing.
Liam unwrapped his arms from his head. “Jesus H. Christ, Clancy! You best hope you didn’t just shoot at me, or I’m
“Why the hell not?”
“Because I have to leave.” A laugh burst out, but it changed into racking sobs.
Liam stroked my cheek, his body close to mine. “Hush, now. It’ll be all right.”
“I don’t like pretty lies.” I dug fingernails into my palms until the tears stopped.
“Then how about I’m here with you right now, and I wanna help you.” He edged closer still, stroked his fingers over my hair.
His touch opened something in me—a door to a secret place where I found everything I’d ever wanted. Home. This is what home should feel like. I wanted to be close to him, to lay down somewhere together and bask in his warmth, to drown in the kindness in his eyes. How could I want that with a stranger? After the dream, how could I think about that at all?
The urge to touch him took over. I pushed down the fear, erased my doubts and drew up next to him. I yanked his black T-shirt out of his jeans and pressed my hands against the muscular ridges of his stomach.
The instant I touched him, the world slowed. Pleasure didn’t describe the sensation of his skin under my hands or his on mine. Something intense and raw, comforting and exciting at the same time, urged me on. I played my fingers along the course hairs running down his midline and the smooth skin around it.
His ran up my back.
My eyes fluttered closed.
A low moan escaped from him.
I slipped my hands over the swell of his chest, his muscles flexing and bulging beneath. No matter how much I touched, it didn’t quench my primal hunger. I could have crawled inside his body, and I wouldn’t have been close enough.
I had no idea how long we stood there, our hands roaming along every plane. I raised my gaze to his face, the sweetness of his breath falling across my face like a silk caress. Mesmerized by the depth of his stare, I didn’t notice when he leaned closer, his lips pressing forward toward the contact I craved.
He hesitated for a moment before melting against my mouth and tangling his fingers into my hair.
I strained to inhale oxygen into starving lungs. The growing ache to climb him like a jungle gym consumed me. I pushed him away.
He stumbled back and rubbed his chest. “What’d I do now?”
I swallowed the cotton from my mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t meant to push you that hard. I just—” God, what am I doing?
“I won’t tell nobody I saw you cryin’. And you didn’t tell me no, or move away, you know. Don’t need to break my ribs next time. Just say enough, and I’ll back off.”
“There won’t be a next time.” I folded my arms together. “And I said I was sorry.”
Hands on his hips, he stared until I squirmed. “You’re not even gonna tell me what’s wrong, are you?”
“Look, I’m just confused. I don’t understand. I feel …” I pressed my fingers, still tingling from the touch of his skin, against my lips, “… strange.” Is he doing something to me?
“It’s called attraction. Nothin’ to be ashamed of, ’less you’re married. Been a long time since I felt it, too.”
No, not just attraction. Compulsion. Had he emitted some sort of energy? Did he mean to? It didn’t matter. “I need to go. It’s not safe for me to stay here.”
“You keep sayin’ that, but you don’t say why. Did someone threaten you?”
“It’s not me I’m afraid for.” I winced. Shouldn’t have said that.
He nodded as though he understood more than I’d said. “Just think on it a bit. At least go on up to the house and help yourself to a shower. I got some chores in the barn, and then I’ll cook you some breakfast.” Liam heaved out a sigh. “If you still want to go after that, I won’t stop you.”
A boom cracked the silence and echoed against the hill. Liam and I dropped to the gravel. My chest hurt as if I’d left my heart and lungs up where I’d been standing.
Liam unwrapped his arms from his head. “Jesus H. Christ, Clancy! You best hope you didn’t just shoot at me, or I’m
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