Hit & Run Bride (Hit & Run Bride Contemporary Romance Series) (18 page)

He moaned against the skin of her calf as he yanked off the jeans. “Easy honey, we’ll get to what your voice does to me in just a minute.” He slid up her body. “Now where was I? Oh yes…” He slid up the hem of her tunic top until he exposed her belly button. “One of my favorite stops on the Body by Becca tour—your belly button.” He kissed the skin below, and her muscles contracted.

Liam grinned and kissed her again, this time dipping his tongue into the hollow. Becca moaned, and her hips rose involuntarily. Gently, he kissed each of her ribs, letting his breath caress each one as if it were his fingertips doing the touching.

“Raise your hands up over your head, baby.”

She complied, and he dragged the top over her breasts and her head, then removed it from her arms, tossing it over his shoulder. When Liam settled back over her body, she met his gaze, and he gave her his seductive grin.

She held her breath and waited with coiled anticipation for him to touch her breasts or kiss them. Something. Anything. The slow seduction was killing her. But instead of touching her breasts, or even better drawing them into his mouth, he lifted one of her arms. “I don’t know if you realize how strong you’re getting. Every time you do a stroke, I see you improving. I see you building on foundations. I have to tell you, that’s so sexy to me.”

“I think that would only be sexy to you because you’re my teacher.”

Liam nipped at the hollow of her elbow. “Hush. The teacher is talking. Remember, I think everything you do is sexy. Now, if I may continue?”

She giggled and nodded.

“Good.” He slid a hand underneath her, and she automatically arched up. He pinned his gaze on her breast, but when he spoke, his fingers massaged her muscles in her back. “Did you know you have a sexy back, Becca? Sometimes in practice, I just watch those muscles work. I just want to touch you. Massage my hands over your smooth skin.”

From this position, his every breath tickled her breasts. “Liam, you’re killing me.”

“Now you have some idea of what I’ve been going through for weeks.” With a deft hand, he unhooked her bra and kissed the skin just above the satin cups.

Becca gasped. “Liam, please.”

He teased the exposed flesh with the tip of his tongue. “Yes, Becca?”

“Please stop teasing me.”

His smile was wicked. “You’re the one who didn’t believe me when I said you were perfect. So now I’m forced to show you.” One by one, he lifted her arms and slid them out of the straps.

When he focused his full attention on her breasts, molten heat pooled between her thighs. She made her silent pleas for him to just touch them already. She was dying for his hands on her. She was dying for his naked body on top of hers. She just needed him to touch her. Something. Anything. A tiny mewling sound escaped from the back of her throat, and she tried to bite it back.

But he gave her an answering growl as he took one pebbled peak into his mouth. The electric shock of contact had her throwing her head back and calling out his name. She slid her hands into his hair and held him closer to her, never wanting the greedy pulls he took to stop.

He tore his lips from her and sucked in ragged breaths. “Jesus, do you see what you’re doing to me? Your breasts are magnificent. Perfect. You’re so soft and responsive.”

He rolled a thumb over a nipple, and she groaned. “Yes. God, Liam.”

He took her other nipple into his mouth and teased it with his teeth. Unable to help herself, she rocked her hips into him again, and he growled deep. His hips rolled against hers as they struggled to get their bodies even closer. Even with the barriers of her satin panties and his jeans, she could still feel his searing heat as his cock sought her moist center. Her core tightened as the stiff length of his erection rubbed against her clit.

He released her nipple and dropped his forehead against her clavicle. “You’re killing me, Becca.”

“You’re the one who’s torturing me.” She slid her hands into his hair and dragged him the rest of the way up her body so she could kiss him.

The moment she touched her tongue to his, he seemed to forget all about the slow seduction. He licked into her mouth like a starving man. With a frustrated growl, he pushed himself off of her and dragged his T-shirt over his head, back first. His jeans went next, but not before he grabbed a pack of condoms out of his wallet.

He tore one of them open and tossed the other on her nightstand. He quickly sheathed himself before kneeling over her again. “Now what do you say we do something about these pretty blue panties? They’re sort of in my way.”

“Then by all means you should get rid of them.”

He tugged them off her legs with the same quick efficiency he’d used for his own clothes. Like he was a man way past the point of taking his time. He kissed her gently as his body rocked into hers. “Now do you see what I see, Becca? How beautiful you are? Every gorgeous inch of you. I can barely keep my hands off you.”

Becca met him thrust for thrust. Her body hummed with vibrating satisfaction as he stroked that hidden bundle of nerves deep inside her body. He kissed her and whispered homage to her body as he made love to her. As an orgasm rocketed down her spine, she believed him. And when his orgasm chased hers, and he rocked into her one final time, she knew she loved him.

She fell asleep with Liam wrapped around her, holding her tight.
This
was how it was supposed to be. A kind of easy existence. She could get used to this.

Just as her eyes fluttered closed, her phone rang in the other room.
Shit
.

Liam tried to sit up, but she put a hand on his chest. “No, you stay put. I’m not done with you yet. Besides, I need to lock up anyway.”

He flopped back against the pillow. “Okay, but hurry back.”

Becca grabbed a T-shirt of out her drawer and flung it on as she padded out to the living room. As she locked the door, she answered Van’s call. “Hey, Babe. Can’t chat right now. Liam is busy cheering me up.”

Van cursed. “In that case, I’m double sorry I’m calling you, but I need your help.”

Becca frowned. “What’s the matter?”

“Stupid car broke down on my way to Orange County. And I’m the idiot who switched purses and forgot to migrate my Triple A card. I hate to do this. I know you’ve had a shitty day, but I’m just north of the racetrack. Do you think you can come get me?”

“Oh, my God. Don’t be a moron. My bestie calls, I come running. Give me thirty.”

“Thanks, girl. You’re a lifesaver.”

Chapter Sixteen

Liam slipped into Becca’s shower. He’d wanted to go with her to help Van, but she’d insisted he stay put. She planned to pick up her friend and take her home, then be back for the night. She’d locked the door on her way out and told him to make himself at home.

So far, this night had been a slam-dunk for him, even with the news that Becca had been fired. Addison had never called him back, but he knew her refusal had to be bullshit. What was up with her?

Liam hoped his contacting her after Becca had wasn’t the real reason Becca had been fired. In the morning, he had to make sure. He hadn’t been up to Huntington Beach in a while, but a road trip to talk to Addison in person seemed like a good idea. If his bugging her had been an issue, he’d apologize and smooth things over. Maybe he’d even find a way to help Becca get her old job back. Or find a new one.

The hot water caressed his shoulders and led to thoughts of Becca slippery and wet in the pool. Once she returned from helping Van, he had plans for her. Plans that involved warm water…and his mouth.

Thinking about her made him instantly hard. He smiled as he ran soap over his body, humming a song under his breath. Her shower was barely big enough for him—he might have to think over that plan to get her in here under the water with…

Bang
. A noise came from the other room. The door slamming? Was Becca back already? She must have forgotten something.

“I’m in here,” he called.

No response. He leaned out of the shower door listening. “Becca?”

Nothing. Maybe he’d imagined it. He shook his head and went back to washing off. He didn’t have any shampoo with him so he picked up one of her bottles and gave it a sniff. Flowery. Just like her.

Well, he wasn’t going anywhere until tomorrow. Who cared if he…

From the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow pass by. What the fuck?

He’d just raised the bottle of shampoo and went to grab the door when it flew open, exposing him to a guy on the other side.

“Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in Becca’s bathroom?” the guy said. In his hand was a Kettlebell.

Okay, as far as weapons, that beat a bottle of flowery shampoo. Liam wiped water out of his eyes. “I could ask you the same thing.”

The guy’s eyes dropped to Liam’s very out-there erection. “Where’s Becca?”

He wasn’t answering any questions until he got some answers himself. He shut off the water. “Look, I don’t know who you are or how you got in here, but you better leave before I call the cops.”

“
You’re
calling the cops?” The guy smirked. “You break into my fiancé’s apartment and then threaten to call the cops on
me
?”

Back up the bus. “Your fiancé?”

“Yeah, my fiancé.” He hefted the Kettlebell a little higher. “You better get your ass out of that shower and explain what you’re doing here.”

Liam’s erection deflated. All of him deflated. He lowered the shampoo bottle. “She’s engaged?”

Suspicion entered the man’s gaze. “Wait, you know her?”

Liam reached for a towel.
I thought I did.
“Give me a minute to throw on my clothes, will you?”

Kettlebell guy didn’t budge. It took a minute for his brain synapses to fire, but he finally seemed to realize why a naked man was standing in Becca’s shower. “You do
know
her. You slept with her, didn’t you?”

Liam didn’t have time to react before the guy dropped the Kettlebell and punched him square in the jaw.

The guy was shorter than him but packed some muscle. Liam’s head snapped sideways, and his feet slipped in the wet tub. He threw out his arms to keep from falling, but hit the tiled shower wall and dropped his towel.

Fiancé. Engaged
. The words tumbled through his head as he rubbed his jaw. A sudden burst of red-hot anger shot through him. Jumping out of the shower, he balled a fist and slammed into the other guy’s gut. Mr. Kettlebell went down in a heap with a loud “oomph”.

Liam left him there on the floor and went to get his clothes. Once he was dressed, he found Becca’s fiancé standing in the living room. “So, who are you?” he said to Liam.

Liam’s jaw ached. His heart ached worse. He headed for Becca’s door. “Nobody.”

The guy smirked again. “That’s what I figured. Well, listen up, asshole. Whatever you and Becca had going here tonight, don’t ever let me see you again. She’s confused and this little thing you had meant nothing to her. She’s marrying me.”

“Funny, she never mentioned you.”

Surprise flitted across the guy’s face. “She never mentioned you either, probably because she knows you’re not good enough for her. You can’t take care of her like I can. This was just a fling. One last little fling before she marries me. Like I said, she’s confused at the moment, but that’s why I’m here. To straighten her out.”

“Straighten her out?” Another pulse of anger shot through his veins. “She doesn’t need anyone to straighten her out. She’s perfect the way she is.”

“Did you hit your head in the shower? She’s far from perfect, but she’s still mine. She needs me.” His gaze took in Liam’s ragged jeans and faded T-shirt, the assumptions he was making obvious in his face. “Someone who’s stable and successful. I bet you don’t even have a real job, do you?”

Liam swallowed back his response. “How long have you have known her?”

“A year and a half. We’ve planned out our entire lives together. How long have you known her? One night?”

A month. One lousy month. Which meant, Liam really didn’t know her at all, no matter that his heart said differently. He’d lost his father, he’d soon lose his mother. Now Becca, too? Failure, fear, loss…his guts cramped with the bevy of emotions. “She’ll never marry you.”

But his voice came out too low, weak.

“Get the fuck out of here,” the guy said. “You don’t deserve her, and she’ll never leave me for some loser.”

Loser
. The word sent him right back to the day he told his dad he couldn’t swim one more lap. The pain had started off small but had continued to get worse. His father had accused him of laziness and Liam had held back his complaints, fearing his dad’s wrath. By the time he finally admitted the truth—that he couldn’t stroke properly without fiery pain in his shoulder, it had been too late. The doctors had put him on a rest regime, and the sports therapist did his best, but eventually, they both gave up. He would never swim competitively again.

And his father had blamed him.
If you’d told me when the pain first started, we could have saved your shoulder.
Liam remembered the exact words his father had said to him.
You’re of no use to me, if you can’t get in the pool
.

Liam grabbed his keys and walked out, wishing he’d punched the guy one last time and wiped that smirk off his face.