A Borrowed Life (Carly and Liam #1) (7 page)

Why this sudden curiosity? I don't intend to fall in love with him anyway, so I shouldn’t care, right? Before he answers, his wet and warm lips press against mine. My arms wrap around his neck and his hands grip my waist, his fingers digging into my skin.

“If I tell you,” he begins, catching his breath, “I will have to kill you.”

I let out a giggle.

“Don't you think that is a bit cliché?”

“Take my word for it, it's more than appropriate,” he replies, smiling, kissing me again.

I get lost in his kisses and I don't care about the rest. It’s only me and him and we are together now, and nothing else matters. He lifts me over his hips, holding me against the edge of the whirlpool. My breath leaves me when I feel the hardness of his penis pushing between my thighs.

His fingers grab my hair to press my head against his. I let my hands slide on his muscular torso and his palm massages my breast. My head tilts back while he lowers the cup of my bra to kiss my nipple, softly. His tongue teases around it, and he delicately pinches it between his lips, sending an electric shock through my body.

I straighten up abruptly, moaning, only to see his gaze rising up to mine, taking in my reaction. I lean in to kiss him, and he hurriedly unhooks my bra and throws it behind me. He tears his mouth from mine, contemplating my bare breasts under his burning gaze. I feel shy but excitement takes over seeing him looking at me with such an intense desire.

He leans over and kisses my breasts again and again. My fingers slip through the strands of his soaked hair and again, he gently bites my nipple. My fist closes in on his scalp and his answer is viscous, growling while wildly grabbing me and pulling me against him. His erection cruelly presses harder against my private parts and I let out a scream.

I remain breathless, looking straight into his eyes. They seem to warn me against something; a danger, a prohibited lust, a drug which I won't be able to stop wanting. He pants for a moment, fighting something inside him. I swallow. I want him now more than ever, and I don’t think I would survive if he were to reject me again tonight. My whole body is completely clenched and quivering in this endless wait, and at this point I might even beg.

He regains control of his breathing, softens his gaze, and tenderly presses his lips against mine. His hands going up my body, and his touch is delicate and sweet, completely different from what it was a few seconds ago.

He lifts me again, putting me on the edge of the hot tub while grazing my belly with his lips. He introduces his fingers inside my panties and I lift my hips to encourage him to take them off. His chin presses against my thighs while his eyes stay affixed on mine, and his teeth seize the lacy fabric to slide it along my legs. The intensity of the anticipation is alarming and I’m unable to resist the urge to spread my legs wider to give him free access.

He lays his eyes down there, and his mouth opens in a sigh of happiness. I can no longer breathe, and I emit a low moan. Right away, his eyes go back to my face and a smile pushes the corners of his mouth. He leans toward my crotch and I close my eyes, letting the moment take me away. His mouth closes on my labia and I begin to breathe heavily. My hips wave to meet him. I lean on my hands behind me and my head falls back in pleasure.

“Fuck!” he exclaims, and I realize he's staring at my reflection in the window next to us.

My long hair hangs behind my back arched in pleasure. My nipples are hard as my breasts push forward, and my legs spread widely before him. The picture is absolutely perfect! Even I am astonished by it.

His hands grip my waist fiercely, bringing me closer to him. The slight rubbing of my butt against the rough surface is just as stimulating as his tongue flicking against my clitoris and I scream. He holds me so tightly I can hardly move, but I don't want to. My whole body is in ecstasy. It's too good!

His palms massage my breast as he goes faster and faster. Delicious spasms seize my hips before spreading to my legs. He slowly inserts a finger inside of me while his tongue continues exploring my clitoris.

He straightens up slowly, steadily stroking his finger in and out. I'm mesmerized by his calm expression and self-control as I look at him remove his underwear without feeling any shame. After all, he did allow himself to look at me in my most vulnerable state. When he frees his member and it becomes completely horizontally erected, a hot flash courses through me and my expression betrays my enthusiasm. It's so big I almost fear it, but at the same time, I can only imagine the pleasure he can give me.

He approaches me and I wait impatiently. He kisses me tenderly and pushes himself inside of me, inch by inch. His swollen shaft immediately delivers the promised satisfaction and he takes advantage of it, thrusting in and pulling out, again and again with a slowness of true sexual torture.

He pushes inside fully, allowing me to savor his length and width. Oh! I'm completely under his hold. I only have one desir
e
to please him, abandon myself to him and let him do whatever he wants with my body. He takes control of me, physically and mentally.

His hips rock back and forth, slowly at first, then quicker and deeper. I'm not used to such a big member, let alone a man who knows how to use it, so my body's reaction is completely unknown to me. All my muscles tense up to the limit of pain. My heart is pounding. It’s so good I want to scream; many emotions battle inside me!

My hands grip his neck and I bury my nose in the crook of his shoulder. His hands slip into my hair and down my face. A shiver runs through my spine and I pull away from him, groaning. His eyes immediately land on my breasts, and his thumbs stimulate my nipples in delicious circular movements, instantly amplifying my pleasure.

Liam accelerates his thrusts in such a merciless assault. My body writhes uncontrollably. My legs stretch behind him and my breathing is out of control. A rumble vibrates between his teeth as he closes his eyes, on the edge of the abyss. I relish the view offered to me right now: his muscles moving before my eyes, his pelvis banging against mine, every sound he makes.

My eyelids close when our enjoyment peaks. My whole body convulses and I can’t move or breathe, or even produce the slightest sound. I feel my whole body wanting to explode and I can’t take it. Liam screams as he comes, and I pour myself around him. We collapse against each other, panting and drenched in sweat.

He needs a few seconds to recover, and then plunges a loving gaze into my eyes.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

I can only answer with a nod. No sound comes out of my mouth and he smiles.

He hugs me against him while we slip into the hot water of the jacuzzi. He presses a kiss on my forehead and his arms close around me as I snuggle against him. A few minutes pass without either of us speaking. We just sit there, enjoying the moment and what just happened between us.

“You know, I don't think one night will be enough,” he admits, breaking the silence.

That’s when I remember what we agreed on; one night only and I can't become attached to him. But it wasn't enough for me, either. Never have I experienced such an intense orgasm. We have another week left on this cruise, and I won’t be content with just memories and watching from afar without being able to touch him.

“Me neither,” I say.

He leans over to kiss me.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?”

I nod. “I'll wait to hear from you.”

This time, he accompanies me to my room. I know that if Liv is back, she's surely sleeping, and there’s no risk of her catching us. Once outside my door, he runs the backs his fingers along my temple, causing a shiver throughout my upper body, and then leans in to kiss me.

“Good night, gorgeous,” he says tenderly.

“Good night,” I say grinning.

I don't see them, but I know they are ther
e
the sparks in my eyes from being completely crazy about a guy. I won’t say it's love because I hardly know him, but I can't deny the effect he has on me. He smiles back.

I quietly enter into my room, closing the door slowly. I hold my shoes in my hands so that the heels don't slam on the tile, and I tiptoe to the bathroom.

“Got you!” says the sleepy voice of my roommate.

I grin and turn to her guiltily.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you.”

“Are you kidding me! I was worried sick!”

“What? Why?”

“You were not yourself tonight. I know the bad date yesterday really got to you, but frankly, disappearing like that…”

She stops, studying me for a moment, and then yells out in total surprise.

“Carly Bray Scott!”

“What?”

“Who is it?”

“Who?”

“The one who is making your eyes shine like this!”

“Go back to bed, you're imagining things.”

She leaps up, pushing back her covers.

“Don't take me for an idiot!”

She walks with a firm pace.

“Don't look at me like that,” I say in a chuckle.

“You got laid! Carly! Don't leave me hanging like this, I want to know! Who? How? Where?” She emphasizes the last question.

I laugh. “That, you will never know.”

“Wanna bet!”

I look up to heaven.

“Alright, alright. The date I had yesterday wasn't completely screwed up after all.”

She starts jumping with joy, clapping her hands, then leads me to the bed, begging me to tell her everything.

“Can I go change first?” She notices that my underwear is in my hands and soaked, and she shows an expression of amazement.

“You will never stop surprising me! Go ahead! And hurry!”

I put on comfortable pajamas in the bathroom, observing my body in the mirror. I still feel him between my thighs. I see his hands caress me and I smile… It's strange how I see myself differently now. It's the way he looked at me, like I was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. I notice all the curves of my body, the natural beauty of my face, and the sincerity of my gaze. I see what he saw, and I like it.

I finally join my friend who’s waiting for me on the bed with her legs crossed, and I tell her what happened last night in a little more detail. She immediately understands my bad mood this morning. Then I summarize my chance encounter with the mystery man tonight.

“What's his name?”

“That I won't tell you.”

“What? Are you kidding!”

“No,” I confirm sliding under my sheets.

“You know I'll find out eventually.”

I chuckle, shutting the light out on my nightstand.

“Yeah, I know. But for now, it’s my secret.”

She lets out a laugh that she hides in her pillow.

“Good night, Carly.”

“Good night, Liv.”

Someone knocks on the door, I think. I struggle to open my eyes.

“Carly,” groans my best friend. “Go get the door.”

“No, you.”

None of us gets up. Another knock echoes in the room.

“Carlyyy!”

“No!”

Liv growls placing a foot on the floor.

“You owe me one!” she complains.

She can be so grumpy when she's woken up!

“Thanks Liv,” I mumble between the folds of my pillow.

“Anyway, from what I understand, you probably can't stand this morning,” she jokes as she opens the door.

I answer with a growl that’s suddenly interrupted by Liv's cry of surprise. She slams the door shut. Did she argue with Ian last night?

I raise my head with my hair jumbled in my face. She turns to me with her mouth wide open, and her back pressed against the door.

“Carly! Liam Walker is at our door!”

“What? Do you know him?” I suddenly wonder.

“Do you!” She whispers, stunned. “Don't tell me…”

She points her index finger to the door behind her, incapable of finishing her sentence. A timid knock taps against the wood.

“It's him!” deduces Liv. “You’ve spent the last two nights with Liam Walker!”

“Yes,” I confirm on a puzzled tone.

How does she know him exactly? She opens the door again, trying to keep her cool.

“Mr. Walker,” she welcomes him.

“Hello,” he says, trying not to laugh. “Is Carly here?”

She turns to me grinning, then returns a calm smile to Liam.

“Just one minute!”

She closes the door and runs towards me. Is she gonna make that a habit or what? I'm sure she just beat his record of the number of times someone has closed a door in his face!

“Hurry up! You have to get ready. You can't answer looking like this!”

“Looking like what?”

She drags me out of bed and puts me in front of the mirror. My hair is disheveled, my makeup is smeared, and I look like I haven’t slept for weeks.

“Oh shit!”

“Here! Comb your hair and throw some water on your face. I'll get you something to wear!”

“Thank you!”

I brush my hair in a hurry, and tie it in a ponytail. Liv hands me a pair of beige shorts with a white fitted shirt that hugs my waist. She looks up at me and immediately pulls the elastic in my hair. She repositions my ponytail more loose, and a little higher on my head.

“There, that’s much better.”

I brush my teeth, mist some perfume on my neck and I'm ready. I turn to Liv to hug her.

“What would I do without you?”

“Go! He's waiting!”

I skip to the entrance, smiling like a schoolgirl. I open the door to find Liam with hands pressed firmly against the railing, staring at the ocean stretching endlessly before him.

“Hi.” He turns to me, smiling.

“Hi.”

He walks slowly up to me, takes my face in his palm and kisses me. I stretch my arms on his shoulders to wrap them around his neck.

“Did you sleep well?” he asks.

“Amazing. And you?”

“I haven’t slept that well in a long time.”

I smile with all my teeth as he leads me to the elevators. I can see Liv through the curtains, spying on us. She beckons me to go and I mouth a thank you as I follow Liam.

“What do you want for breakfast?” 

“Something light, is that okay with you?” I respond.

“No problem.”

We decide on a French bistro. He gets a muffin, and I pick out a croissant.

“Is your friend accompanying you on the island today?” he wonders.

I nod. “Liv is my best friend. We do almost everything together.”

“Really everything?”

He stares at me with a smirk. I see where he's going.

“Not
everything
,” I correct laughing.

“Does she have someone in her life?”

“No. Why?”

He shrugs. “She's very pretty. I could introduce her to someone.”

I choke a laugh.

“Liv does very well on her own, trust me on that one.”

He smiles.

“I see. Do you think there’s a chance she’ll be busy with someone else today so I can steal you away for a few hours?”

“It's not impossible,” I say smiling.

I can’t help but notice the woman who walks past us wearing only her bikini top and skirt. She sways her hips at every step and balances her hair behind her shoulders. She smiles at Liam while lifting her hand for a slight wave, and he raises an eyebrow with complete disinterest. He smiles back at me.

“And what can I do to ensure a yes?”

“I'll talk to her,” I say, laughing.

Liam holds out his hand to help me get down the boarding ramp. Once I told Liv, she practically threw me out of the room to explore the island of Bora Bora with Liam. She claims that he's very famous and it's the chance of a lifetime. How is it that I've never heard of him? She simply couldn't believe that I hesitated. She is going to explore the wild jungle with her boyfriend of the week. Our ship is leaving tomorrow night and it's a very short time, but a simple stopover was the plan.

Here I am, walking away from the dock in company of the most beautiful man I have ever met. His fingers intertwine with mine, and I’m so happy that my smile reaches my eyes. I'm well aware of the women who pass us and study me from head to toe, a mixture of surprise and disappointment evident on their faces; the same women who didn't even know I existed five days ago. It's normal that they're surprised because they have never seen me before. I'm not in any magazines and my family is not known or rich for that matter. They simply have overlooked me until today.

All travelers wander along the wharf stopping at restaurants and shops, while Liam leads me to the other side. I remove my sandals and let my toes sink into the sand of the beach. Small bamboo houses supported by strong, wooden pillars rise out of the beautiful blue sea that appears to be sparkling with diamonds. People literally have to walk in the water to get there, but Liam explains that when the tide goes down, they are much easier to access.

After taking in the view for a few minutes, we continue on a touristic trail that extends into exotic and tropical vegetation.

“Are you sure?” I ask Liam, stopping in front of what seems to be a jungle. “It's not dangerous?”

Liam chuckles.

“It's for tourists, don't worry. I've been here already. The path is marked and wild animals hide much deeper on the island.”

This is supposed to reassure me?

“Okay,” I answer hesitantly.

I put on my walking shoes and follow him. I can't help but look around with big wondering eyes. I’m unable to identify any trees or plants, and the change of scenery takes me by surprise. I exclaim with wonder in front a flower that’s four and a half feet high. Liam stops next to me with a wide smile on his face.

“It's a Bird of Paradise,” he explains to me.

“What, that?”

I point the flower with red, pink and orange hues, and texture that looks like rubber. I’ve never seen anything like it before.

“These flowers aren't meant for our climate. It’s only here they can fully flourish.”

I nod, observing it carefully and finally recognize some characteristics. I take it that the ones I saw before were not actually bloomed. We continue walking on the path.

“You know a lot about botany?” I ask, a bit surprised that he would know something like that. He doesn't really come off as the classic intellectual man.

“I like to learn.”

He’s always been vague, so I’m not surprised that’s the only explanation I get from him. The moisture becomes increasingly overwhelming, and I swear I can feel every drop of water sliding off the broadleaf trees on my skin. I stop abruptly to point out a leaf that stretches over our head.

“Look!” I exclaim in a whisper.

Liam leans over me to observe the silhouette of lizard resting in the sun. Only his shadow shows through the foliage, but we can picture his long tail and can assume his legs are tucked under his body.

Liam smiles and turns to me, slightly surprised.

“What?” I ask.

“Oh, nothing. I'm just a little surprised, and… well, I must admit, impressed.”

“It's only a lizard.”

“Yes, but most women I know would have fled. No one would even had entered this jungle.”

Oh, I forgot that I'm playing the role of the rich girl. I suspect that a wild excursion into the rainforest is not a very popular choice of activity by the kind of women he usually surrounds himself with. I look away and force a smile on my face. I have no desire to deprive myself of all this beauty simply to keep pretending to be someone I'm not.

I turn to Liam, ready to confess everything, and his eyes fixate on me. His lips still haunt my body and I still want to feel his hair between my fingers… I change my mind. No, I don't want to lose him just yet. Even if he accepted me not being rich, he wouldn't look at me in the same way. He would view me as he views the servers of the cruise, and I saw firsthand the respect he has for them.

“I… Um, well, its very high and far from us so…”

I mumble because in reality I have no idea what to say. His puzzled frown makes me fear he suspects something, but he continues on without saying anything. I take a deep breath and promise myself that I'll be more careful in the future.

He shows me a huge purple flower with petals that are covered with white veins.

“This is a candile. It can reach up to sixty feet high.”

“Really? This one's just a baby!”

“Yes,” he replies laughing.

We continue but he stops abruptly, gently holding my elbow between his fingers to immobilize me. He motions me to be quiet as he approaches a tree, and I see what he sees. On a branch, a small gray and black blob of fur is curled up into a ball. He advances slowly so he doesn't frighten the creature who is now aware of his presence. Although its wary, it gently stands on his feet, but doesn’t run away. I have never seen a real one, and I now recognize the koala.

He signals me to approach as he extends his arm to the animal with a branch of leaves in his hand. The animal stretches his neck, one leg and then another, and finally climbs on his arm. I just can't believe the trust this wild animal has granted him! I believe it's a gift he has; last night I would have put my life into his hands.

It leans a paw on the branch to take the leaves to its mouth while Liam turns to show it to me. I move my hand slowly to the eating animal, his eyes seeming to close in enjoyment of the meal and I stroke his silky but dirty fur. Sand dirties my hand, but I don't car
e
this opportunity will never occur again! The koala watches Liam, gently picks up a leaf between his teeth, and leaves. I'm all smiles and Liam expresses a childlike expression.

“Do you realize not many people can brag of even being able to approach a wild animal?”

“You just have to stay calm and have good intentions,” he replies with a shrug. “The animals are very sensitive to what we exude. It's a matter of control.”

We resume our excursion, discussing anything and laughing easily with smiles glued on our faces. We arrive to the most beautiful scene I've seen in my life. Looming a hundred feet above us, a waterfall pours down a cliff into a deep lake that feeds a stream running away in the jungle. Massive, smooth boulders dripping with water skirt the waterfall. I suddenly feel so small. I'm speechless, and the scene seems to have the same effect on Liam, even though he hides it quite well.

After a few seconds taking in the scenery, I become aware of the wetness that settled on my neck. My ponytail fell out a long time ago and several strands of hair have escaped my elastic. I remove the band and run my fingers through my hair to smooth it out before picking it all up in my hand to redo my ponytail.

Liam turns to me and undresses me with his eyes while my arms are high above my head. His attention pauses at my hips, and I see his lip quiver as he swallows before returning his attention to my hair. As I begin stretching the rubber band around my new ponytail, he loses his breath.