Finding Forever (11 page)

L
iam walked her
to her bedroom door and then his lips were pressed against hers and he was twisting the knob, pulling away and gazing down into her eyes.

Why did men always do that? But it was working.

“Yes, come in,” she murmured.

He didn’t need to hear anything more to spring into action.

Whitney knew they should probably slow down, but it had seemed like an eternity since she’d last felt his touch. She wasn’t able to stop what was happening, but even if she could have, she wouldn’t have wanted to.

He backed her up until her legs hit the edge of her bed, and he pressed against her. She felt his arousal pushing into her stomach, and she wanted to reach out and grip him there, but she was unsure of herself. Would that be too bold, too shameless?

But she moved her hands from his well-defined shoulders and brought them slowly down his chest, unbuttoning his shirt along the way. She was desperate to feel the contours of his solid chest. While she was working on removing his clothes, he was slowly stripping hers off too. She could feel the cool air as it whispered along her skin. Excitement surged within her.

“I need you,” he growled, and nipped her earlobe.

She felt his words all the way through her body. She couldn’t get any words past her closed throat. The entire night had been about magic, and this was the perfect ending to it all. The perfect flourish of the magician’s wand.

All their clothes finally discarded, he lifted her into his arms and laid her on the bed. She instinctively tried to shield her naked body from his roving eyes, but he joined her on the bed and drew her hands away.

He started on a journey, to caress every inch of her body. His fingers skimmed over her satin skin, sending ripples of delight all through her. She became more daring in her need and her desire, and began running her fingers across the hard planes of his torso.

She reached his hip and circled around to touch his arousal, then couldn’t suppress her excited gasp. He was so ready for her, and so … so … big. She didn’t know how the two of them would manage to fit together, but she was more than willing to try.

He sensed her fear. “I won’t hurt you, I promise,” he told her.

She couldn’t help but relax at his words and touch. He was being so gentle with her; how could she do anything but trust him?

He kissed her deeply, exploring the sweet recesses of her mouth, touching every satiny surface. When she was absolutely breathless from that kiss, he moved his head down her slim throat and urged his mouth against her heightened pulse. She brought her hands up, running her fingers through his hair, holding him firmly against her.

He arched upward and brought his lips over her breasts, swiping his tongue across her peaked nipples and then blowing warm air across those tender buds. She arched off the bed and groaned. She felt the wetness building up in her core. She was done with foreplay, and she ground her hips against his. Her fears had vanished.

“Patience” was all he said as he continued his travels down her body.

She couldn’t protest, since what he was doing was melting her from the outside in.

He reached her thighs and spread them apart, something no other man had ever done. She wanted to hide from this intimate exposure, but he wouldn’t allow it. She was on display for him, and to judge from the look in his eyes, he was enjoying what he saw.

“You are breathtaking,” he whispered before he brought his head down and grazed the sensitive skin on her stomach.

She stopped fighting him and simply enjoyed the sensations washing through her. He moved his lips farther down, his tongue sliding against her hot flesh. When he inserted his finger into her tight core, she nearly shattered. It was too much.

But he was relentless. He started moving faster, pressing his hands and mouth forward in a rhythm that had her exploding in passion.

Her head fell back as wave after wave of intense pleasure mastered her. He slowed his movements and made sure she enjoyed every single second of the prolonged orgasm. After the final shudder passed through her body, he started moving upward once again. But she felt so spent. She couldn’t possibly do anything further. She couldn’t even open her eyes.

And yet, when he nibbled on one of her hardened nipples, she was proved wrong. That gentle bite started to wake up her body again. How could he pleasure her so well and then make her want even more?

He lavished attention on her breasts and then took her mouth with his in another deep possession. He was no longer slow and gentle. He was fast and demanding and she was answering his call. The more fevered he became, the more she needed him to join the two of them together.

He reached down and lifted her leg around his hip, pressing his generous arousal against her core, with just the tip teasing her there. She jerked her hips, no longer afraid of his size. She wanted him to finish what he’d started.

He continued to caress her mouth with his while rubbing his hand along her hip and the smooth curve of her backside. His every touch sent shivers through her. She jerked her hips again, tired of waiting. Finally, he started to go in inch by amazing inch.

She was so slick, his thick shaft slid effortlessly inside. There was no pain, despite her fears, only pleasure, and she felt fuller than she could have ever thought possible. He sank deep within her, up to the hilt, and paused so they could both relish the sensations.

He looked into her eyes, and the moment was so beautiful that she almost wept. She realized despite it all that she loved him, and there was no better way for them to be close. He started plunging in and out, and the pleasure of it completely consumed her.

He locked his lips back on hers, gripped her hips tightly in his hands, and started thrusting hard. She met him stroke for stroke and their movements grew frantic.

Her entire body started shaking as she shattered yet again, and then Liam threw his head back and groaned. She gloried in feeling him pumping his release inside her.

He collapsed on top of her, and she could hardly breathe from the weight of him. But she didn’t care. She just sank back into the bed.

With the last bit of energy he had left, he shifted her so that he was lying on his back with her snuggled tightly against his side.

“Thank you,” he whispered as he stroked her back tenderly.

She couldn’t even reply. A veil of darkness took over and she slipped into a deep, blissful sleep.

W
hitney sat frozen
and terrified in her room. She knew nothing about fancy fundraisers. The outcome was obvious — she’d make a complete fool of herself. Why had it seemed so easy for Cinderella?

No fairy godmother here. All she could see ahead of her today was hours of fraught nerves and then more of utter disaster. The only choice she had was to contract some sort of vile intestinal flu. Projectile vomiting always gave you a good excuse to get out of things.

She drank her morning tea, trying to compose herself but without any success. How could she help but feel sorry for herself? And then she heard a knock on her door. She wasn’t up for visitors, but maybe one of the children needed her for something.

“Come in,” she called out reluctantly.

Darcy walked into the room with a rare smile on her face. “We have a surprise for you, Ms. Steele.”

Whitney almost didn’t recognize the maid as the stern woman she’d met when she first arrived.

“I can’t imagine what you have up your sleeve, Darcy,” Whitney replied. The maid’s happiness had pulled her from her depressing thoughts.

“We have a full day of what some people call ‘pampering’ scheduled for you,” the woman said.

Whitney stared at her in confusion.

“I don’t need that,” she finally managed to stutter. She’d never even had a pedicure, let alone a full day of freaking “pampering.” How was it pampering when you went through hours of torture? What if there was a bikini wax? Hell, she’d seen the movie
Miss Congeniality
.

“You’re a beauty, as you must know, but all young women need a day of this once in a while,” the maid said. She came over, took Whitney by the hand, and, ignoring her protests, led her from the room.

The next several hours were a whirlwind of activity, though Whitney wasn’t doing much but sitting in a chair. Masks — was that the word for it? — were put on her face, feet, and hands. She was thrown into a vat of mud, and if that weren’t enough, her body was plucked and waxed — yep, it was torture — until she felt she had nothing left of her original skin.

And yet, when she finally climbed from the shower, she looked in amazement in the mirror at her now silken body. She actually felt beautiful for the first time in her life. Before she had time to think, she was rushed off to another room, where she was dressed in the most beautiful gown she’d ever seen. She didn’t have time to even look at herself in the mirror before she found herself in a chair to have her hair and makeup done up properly.

She could only stare and blink several times once she was able to look in the mirror. The stylists hadn’t overpowered her with heavy layers of makeup, but had highlighted her eyes and lips, enhancing her natural glow with a fetching simplicity. Her hair was piled up gracefully on top of her head, with several tendrils curling around her face and shoulders.

She wanted to stand up and twirl around in her gown. It hugged her curves from the bodice to past the waist, and then it flared out into a full skirt that was perfect for gliding around a dance floor.

“Thank you so much,” she managed to tell the attendants despite her tight throat.

“Don’t you start crying and ruin all their hard work,” Darcy said, sounding suspiciously close to tears herself. “You have a man to impress tonight.”

“A man? What man?” Whitney had no escort for this occasion.

“There will be a room full of eligible men tonight, but I have a feeling you only have eyes for one,” the woman said smugly.

Whitney had to protest. “Oh, that’s so not true. I’m not interested in Liam.”

How could she be possibly interested in him? They’d made love — spectacular, out-of-this-world love — and then she hadn’t seen him for two full days. He’d finally managed to conquer her, and now he was finished. Wasn’t that typical of a man, especially one like him?

“Then how did you know he was the man I was talking about? Interesting.” After that remark, the maid disappeared.

For the millionth time in only a few weeks, Whitney was filled with panic, but she brushed it aside. She was feeling good about herself right now despite Liam’s cruel rejection. Did that mean she’d feel the same tonight?

W
hitney entered the
ballroom and Liam forgot how to breathe.

She’d glided into the room wearing a shimmering silver gown that cascaded down her perfect body. She was unadorned by jewels, but she didn’t need them to shine. Her hair was enough of an accessory. Even the nervous smile resting on her lips captivated him. She was biting gently into her bottom lip, capturing his full attention. He so wanted to brush her pouting mouth with his tongue.

He was falling for this woman, but the difficulties surrounding their situation seemed insurmountable. So he’d stayed away for a couple of days to gain back his control — or to try to gain it back. Yeah, right. He’d failed. And he was very grateful for that.

Liam was suddenly moving toward her before he even knew what he was doing.

“May I have this dance?” he asked huskily.

Whitney looked at him with a deep blush on her cheeks.

“Why?” she asked, and he was stumped for a moment.

“Because you are the most beautiful woman in the room,” he told her.

“But you walked from my bed without a word for two days.”

Liam watched the vulnerability flash in her eyes before she managed to tamp it back down. He hurt for her in that moment — for what he’d done to her. His father was right. He hadn’t been a very good man for a very long time. That needed to change.

“I was overwhelmed,” he told her honestly. “And I’m incredibly sorry. Please have this dance with me,” he said again.

“Everyone is looking at you, Liam. I don’t know if I can take that kind of pressure.”

“It’s just the two of us” was his only response before he took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

The moment they stepped into the center of the room, the musicians began to play a waltz. The sigh escaping her beautiful mouth nearly dropped him to his knees.

“You’ve been practicing,” he whispered as they twirled around the room.

“I didn’t want to look like a fool in front of all these people,” she said. “I wasn’t sure I was going to dance, but in case I did …” She trailed off, and a sweet blush spread over her face.

“You dance like a princess.”

He would have been happy to hold her in his arms for the rest of the night. But of course in every fairy tale you have to encounter a few obstacles along the way. Their perfect moment was about to be interrupted.

“Are you enjoying yourself, Miss Steele?” Alexandra said. “Your hands are all over a man who is promised to me, I hope you understand.”

Whitney immediately stiffened and gave Liam an accusatory stare.

“Promised? In what way?” he asked the woman, not allowing Whitney to free herself from his embrace. “Our relationship ended six months ago, Alexandra. I’m sorry if that’s something you can’t accept.”

“How can you say these horrible things to me?” Alexandra said with a rising voice.

None of the people in the room could take their eyes off the balls-out — oops, shocking — soap opera unfolding before them.

“If you can’t act in a civilized manner, I’ll have to ask you to leave,” Liam said tightly. Alexandra was embarrassing Whitney, and he wasn’t about to put up with that.

“Maybe everyone in the room would like to hear who you really are, Liam,” Alexandra said, not backing away.

“I have nothing to hide. You’re the one making a fool of yourself, and also making my guests uncomfortable,” he said, stepping just a bit in front of Whitney in a protective manner.

“They won’t think so highly of you when they learn that you’ve abandoned the child I carry.”

This statement caused a gasp to be heard around the room. Liam’s fury rose to an entirely new level as he shot a searing look at this woman. How had he been foolish enough to date her at one time?

“If you were pregnant with my child, Alexandra, you and your ‘baby bump’ would be a lot farther along. Don’t even think you can blame an unplanned pregnancy on me. But I’d be delighted to see the DNA tests you can come up with. And so will my lawyer.”

She took a step back — a very wise move indeed.

Liam felt Whitney trying to pull away from him, trying to escape, but he wasn’t letting her go. Certainly not because of the spoiled and twisted woman standing in front of him.

“You’re a fool, Liam. You were promised to me, and I would have made the perfect wife for you. I have a name and a pedigree that you could be proud of. And I’d have turned my head when you had your sad little indiscretions, as men like you always do. Do you honestly think this
peasant
would do the same?”

Liam was rarely surprised, but he had to admit he hadn’t been expecting this level of animosity from Alexandra. They hadn’t clicked at all, and when they’d parted, he’d thought she had been as fine with it as he was. Obviously he was wrong.

“I feel sorry for you, Alexandra. Sorry for you, and for the bitterness and the darkness that seems to drive you. Yes, I’ve been there myself. But I’m trying to let go of my demons. You might try that, too.”

She growled — actually growled — at him before turning her full attention to Whitney. After giving this peasant a high-bred sneer, Alexandra gave her these words of wisdom: “Don’t think you won’t be discarded just as easily. He grows bored quickly, and you’re not in his class. Not even close.” The woman turned on her four-inch heels and glided from the room.

When he turned back to Whitney, her cheeks were washed of any color and she looked on the verge of tears. He pulled her close and held her for a moment. In front of everyone.

“I’m so sorry you had to witness that, Whitney. But please don’t let her ruin our night. She just isn’t worth it.”

“What she says is true, though. I’m nothing special. I’m just a girl from a small town with nothing to offer. We both know this is all a fantasy for someone like me. I can’t compete, and I have no desire to play these games that you and your friends seem to be so fond of,” she said before taking a breath. “I can’t imagine ever saying the horrible things that woman just said, or making a spectacle of myself in a room full of my peers. Yet even though I don’t want to be the center of attention, that’s exactly what’s happened. I’ve been forced into a drama that I didn’t ask to be involved in.”

“You’re absolutely right. What she did was unforgiveable, and I should have stopped it sooner. I keep having to ask for your forgiveness,” he said, “and that pains me. I just hope that your kind heart keeps accepting the apologies.”

As he saw her eyes welling up, he wanted to kiss them away and make her happy somehow. That was definitely a first for him. He’d never fallen prey to women’s tears.

“I feel so insignificant in your world, Liam.”

“You can’t imagine how valuable you are, so much more than anyone else in this room.”

“Please don’t say such ridiculous things to me,” she said before ducking her head. “I really should go.”

She tried pulling away, but he cupped her cheek with his long fingers and ran his thumb along her satin skin. He then bent down and brushed his lips across hers.

“You’re beautiful, Whitney, beautiful inside and out, and I’m not letting you leave like this. This night will end on a positive note.”

“You make me want to stay, Liam,” she told him, allowing him to relax just a little.

“Then stay.” It was that simple.

“Even if I know one night can’t possibly change anything?”

“One night can shape a lifetime, Whitney.”

“I’m not going to bed with you again, Liam.”

He pulled her closer to him. “Ah, my beautiful Whitney, never say
never
,” he told her with a smile. “For now, let’s just continue dancing.” He stopped speaking and spun her in a circle, hoping to make her forget about anything but the two of them.

Once Alexandra departed and the melodrama of the evening dissipated, the people quickly forgot. They’d simply await the next big social scandal.

As Liam held Whitney tightly in his arms, he realized that he felt more at peace than he ever had. It was time to admit that he wouldn’t let this woman get away. He just needed to come to terms with that — and sooner, rather than later.