A Borrowed Life (Carly and Liam #1) (10 page)

I put on a gray cocktail dress with satin ribbons crossing at my waist. I straighten my hair and let Liv work her magic with my makeup.

Liv is simply ravishing in her ivory gown; she clearly wants to impress Ian who joins us in our room. I haven't heard from Liam all day. Initially it didn't bother me, but now I'm beginning to wonder if he even thought of me today. What did he do? Who was he with? I shouldn't be worrying about all that; our relationship is only about sex.

We go to the upper deck which is decorated with hundreds of fairy lights, and the music is already deafening. There are barbecues scattered around, buffets with appetizers, and waiters circulating with trays of champagne flutes. Also, there is a fabulous chocolate fountain which is accompanied by fresh, exotic fruits.

“I'll meet up with you later,” Liv says to her date.

The man kisses her on the cheek before agreeing with a nod. I envy her to have the strength to be independent, whereas I haven't stopped looking for Liam. Liv tucks her arm under mine and drags me on the dance floor.

We have fun without worrying about anything else. This experience of a lifetime will end soon, and we have decided to enjoy every minute we have left. I almost forget about Liam, until a familiar shiver runs through my body. I glance around, but I don't see him. All the guests are up here, so where is he? I’m putting way too much thought in this; he has the right to be where he wants and with who he wants.

Ian returns to take Liv with him. She turns to me seeking my approval, and I signal to her that it's fine. She leaves with him and I find myself alone in the middle of a crowd of strangers. The thought of returning home has this effect of making me feel like I no longer belong among these people.

A shock runs through my spine down to my toes and I look for him, but he's not there. I think I’m beginning to imagine things. I suddenly realize that the ship is moving, and that’s probably what is making me feel a little dizzy.

I sigh and leave. My heart isn't into partying anymore, so I head to the other end of the boat that is completely isolated. Even though it's dark, the dancing glow of Bora Bora's torches are very visible. They shrink by the second until they disappear completely. I will miss i
t
two days really wasn't enough.

I sit on a beach chair, watching the ship slowly move away and thinking about what awaits me at home. The wind is rather chilly tonight and I rub my arms, trying to warm up as my eyelids become heavy. Slight strands of my hair fly in the breeze, gently tickling my nose. I’m far from my room and don't feel like walking the long corridor back.

I can’t remember when the dancing, the laughter and the music stopped, and I'm not cold anymore. In fact, I don't even feel the slightest breeze. A delicious familiar smell invades my nostrils, waking me up. I gently shift in my chair and become aware of the material warming my arms. I slide my fingers along a black sleeve of a fleece sweater.

I bury my neck inside, snuggling against the garment. I now recognize the scent as Liam's. I sit up, but he's not there. I don't know when he left, how long he stayed or even when he came, and I'm a little disappointed I missed him. I would have loved to see him and feel his arms wrapped around me.

I breathe in deeply. I can't hear a sound on the upper deck anymore, so I assume it's late. I stretch my legs before making my way back to my room and stop abruptly in front of my door. There is a thong on the handle! I can't believe she did that! I stand there, frozen in front of my room and completely mortified, not being able to bring myself to remove this
thing
. There is no way I’m going to touch it.

I think of all the people who have walked the corridor and saw it. I hide my face in my left hand in shame. Where am I going to sleep tonight? I sigh as I turn around and come face to face with the most beautiful man. I smile.

“Good evening,” he says.

“Hi. Is it you I should thank for this?” I ask, pointing to the sweater.

He smiles in response.

“I was afraid you would get cold.”

“It was very nice of you.”

I look down, hesitating to ask where he was since it's not of my business. He studies me for a moment, his eyes tortured by something. He sighs at my silence while shaking his head.

“I don't know what you’re doing to me, Carly. What is it about you that makes you so irresistible and makes me act like a fool?”

“What?”

“I see you have nowhere to sleep?” he says, changing the subject.

“No, I don't.”

He holds out his hand to me and I put my palm in his. The current flows immediately between us, awakening my whole body.

There are several private balconies along the side of the ship Liam and I are sitting on, and all are facing the horizon. A server puts a fruit plate in the center of the table while we wait for our pancakes. Here, even breakfast is a social event and a lot people dress in a chic conservative style. Then, it’s time for swimsuits and finally, formal attire for dinner.

Since the access to my room was forbidden yesterday, I slept in Liam's room. It's been a while since I had slept in the arms of a man. We talked for awhile, about everything and nothing at the same time, and I woke up this morning to the warmth of his body against mine.

“It's already the end of the cruise,” he notes.

“It's been the best vacation of my life.”

Liam turns to me with a smile, a flattered expression on his face. He should be flattered, it's mostly thanks to him.

“Where have you traveled, apart from French Polynesia?”

“Nowhere. I had never been out of country before this trip.”

“Really?”

Oh, I forgot my rich girl role, but it's not like this is something I can lie about. What could I say? I can't describe any other country, much less talk about different cultures.

“Yes, I… the opportunity just never came.”

“That’s a shame. There is so much to see!”

I only smile in response to his comment.

“Do you travel a lot?”

“Several times a year, yes. Often for business, but sometimes for pleasure.”

“I see.”

“What are you gonna do when you get back?” he asks.

“I'll probably just go back to my normal routine.”

“That is a very vague answer. You never want to talk about you, your life or your hobbies.”

What? Is he serious? I could say the exact same thing about him.

“You already know a lot about me, don't you think?”

“No,” he replies smiling. “I want to know absolutely everything.”

I pick up a slice of cantaloupe, giving him a mocking look; no way I’m giving him details. I bite the fruit and turn back to the horizon.

That night, we dine at the fourth deck restaurant with Liv and her boyfriend. There is a dance floor in the middle of the room, and I was told that the food would be just as good as Stardust. I order a rack of lamb because I have never had the means to order such an expensive meal. The meat is more tender than I would have imagined. For dessert, they have a buffet with a variety of cupcakes displayed in pyramids, small sundae glasses with special puddings in it, and different kinds of cakes; it’s simply impossible to choose.

I come back with a filled plate and I can't help but feel embarrassed about what Liam will think of me. Oh well, I don't intend to deprive myself and I doubt that he would stop desiring me just for eating these cakes. At least I hope he wouldn’t…

We talk and we laugh, and Liam seems to really appreciate the lightness of the atmosphere tonight. After taking time to digest our food and a throw back a few glasses of champagne, Liam slips his hand under mine to invite me to dance and I’m pleased to accept. He raises his hand to make me spin and lets me fall gracefully in his arms; he dances like a real gentleman.  I let him guide me since he knows what he’s doing, and because I’ve never really had the opportunity to dance like this.

He spins me around again, and I can’t help but burst out laughing because I'm so happy. I'm having more fun than I’ve ever experienced before. Liam smiles from ear to ear and I believe I hear him let out a small chuckle.

The evening progresses and literally all the guests are now on the dance floor, making it a little too crowded. Liam gives me a smile, barely hiding his sexual intentions. I pinch my bottom lip between my teeth and shrink my nose while my lower abdomen tenses in anticipation. I glance at Liv and her boyfriend a little further away. They’re only focusing on each other and too busy to notice us leaving.

Discreetly, Liam leads me out of the restaurant and we escape on the ship's roof. The pool is completely deserted with no sign of even one employee. This late at night, there's really no danger in swimming, so hand in hand, we approach the water with the same idea in mind.

I sneak out of my shoes while staring into his eyes, and he removes his. I pass my hand under the skirt of my dress to slide my panties down my legs, and Liam looks at me, his eyes sparkling with desire. He touches my forehead with the back of his fingers then pushes them into my hair, gently undoing the clamp that holds my bun. A cascade of brown locks tumbles on my shoulders, and his hands run along the long wavy strands. His index finger brushes my collarbone, pulling down the straps of my dress one at a time.

I don't look away from him, not even for a second, while he takes his time undressing me. I never thought that such a simple moment could be so erotic. My heart throbs and my breasts swell in anticipation of the cool breeze that will soon embrace them. I look forward to Liam's satisfied gaze landing on my hardened nipples in his hands…

The backs of his fingers slide the top of my dress under my chest, and stop on my nipples to stimulate them deliciously with his knuckles. I step forward to sink into his arms. I let my fingers run over his shirt up to his collar and undo each button while he watches me. I gulp as I slide his shirt over his head, revealing his delicious, chiseled chest. My lower abdomen contracts once again.

I tip toe up and stretch my body to press my lips against his, which loosens my dress on my hips, causing it to fall to the ground. We kiss passionately as Liam tightens his grip around my waist, his fingers digging feverishly in my skin. He takes a sharp breath forcing himself to calm down, but is still unable to tear his tongue away from mine. His left hand strokes my ass, massaging it until I feel my inside liquefy. I’m panting and burning, my whole body begging to be pleased.

His nails gently push their way up on my back, causing a shiver through my spine, then his fingers wildly grab my hair and lean my head to the side to kiss me even more passionately. I unbutton his pants and notice his erection fighting against his white boxer shorts. I take a step backward, and then another, approaching the stairs in the pool.

Liam removes his underwear and remains standing there, beautifully muscular and perfectly tanned. My heart starts to beat faster. He's all mine, really? I turn around and put my foot on the first stair of the wide concrete staircase. The freshness of the water covers my ankle and a chill runs through me. I take a deep breath before sinking my left leg on the second step when suddenly,
splash
!

I stop and raise my eyes to see Liam diving head first into the pool. The bursting of the water rises along his body as he breaks the surface, and the waves ripple up to me. He moves his hands through his soaked hair to push it backward, water dripping on his face and chest. A discrete blue glow from the lights embedded in the concrete of the pool illuminates him. I don't know why but I burst out laughing.

“You just wait!” he threatens, rushing towards me. “I'll teach you to laugh at me!”

He seizes my waist to bring me into the pool with him. The striking freshness takes me by surprise and a sharp cry escapes me. I straighten up in Liam's arms as he pushes my hair behind my ears with both hands before kissing me.

His palm slides down to massage my breasts. A few groans roll on my tongue as our lips close against each other, again and again. His breath becomes begging and his other hand rests under my butt to lift me. In the water, I'm lightweight and he has no trouble dropping me on his hips, sinking inside me softly and tenderly. He discretely thrusts in and out, his member swollen and hard, and his veined shaft perfectly squeezed in my flesh.