Capture Me: Alpha Billionaire Romance (Hollywood Dreams) (34 page)

I stood and began to make my way up the steps, then looked back to see Liam’s head in his hands. He wasn’t crying, but he knew I wasn’t sure about us and that’d hurt him.

“Come to my loft tomorrow afternoon?”

I wasn’t sure if he’d meant it to be a question. “Of course.”

Now I just had to figure out how much I cared about the guy and what I was willing to do to keep him.

I shut the front door and reached for my phone to call Sadie and talk things through. She’d probably still be on the road and it would be nice to talk to a familiar voice after seeing my grandparents. It didn’t matter that I’d just seen her, she’d make me laugh and tell it like it was.

I squeezed my cell in my hand until the plastic bit into my skin and my knuckles turned white. I wanted to call her so she could tell me what to do. Knowing her, she’d point that out then give me a hard time about it.

Sadie always knew. She just did. It was one of the best and most frustrating things about her. To think that Sadie could soon be moving across the country and Liam would be halfway around the world had me in a near panic. Dani would only be a few hours away, but knowing her and Grams, I probably would only see them for holidays. That’d still be more in one year than I’d seen them in the last ten years combined.

Looking down the entry room, into the main family area, the place felt more empty than ever before. The plastic draped across all the furniture made me think of a winter frost. Summer was here already outside, but inside, the house felt barren and cold.

The furniture, the house, Sadie, Liam, Dani.

Everything and everyone I’d grown to care about and love were about to go away with no guarantee of returning—just like Mom and Dad.

Thinking about the things beyond my control would only overwhelm me. I promised Liam I’d get back to him tomorrow. Less than twenty-four hours to start my life fresh.

Either on my own or with him.

I walked down to the game room. This place reminded me so much of Liam. Maybe it wasn’t fair to myself to choose this room to think things through in, but Dani and I wouldn’t have the house much longer. I had to get my memories in while I could.

Seeing the vending machine made me smile. It was one of the few things with a
Send to NYC
sign taped to it. Before Liam, I never would have considered keeping it. Now, I pressed the button for cupcakes, then pushed it twice more.

As I pulled off the plastic from the oversized couch and sank into its leathery folds, I wondered if I should send it to New York as well, then reminded myself for the hundredth time today that if I took everything I wanted to, I literally wouldn’t be able to walk through my apartment.

The first time I’d had one of these cupcakes was right after Dad got the vending machine. I ran to him, holding the cupcake out for him, showing the creamy center. I didn’t know there was supposed to be a completely different layer and it had taken me by surprise. I’d spit out that bite before really tasting it because I’d thought something was wrong. Dad had laughed and made me try it again. The way the cream mixed with the cake turned out to be the perfect combination.

When I licked it off Liam’s shaft, well, that put it on a whole other level of amazing.

I crossed my legs as I grew wet picturing all the things we’d done on this couch, then reminded myself I wasn’t a guy and that having my wet pussy direct my life like a magic eight ball wasn’t the ideal solution.

Though asking it if I should stay with Liam would be one hell of a party trick. Give my clit a little rub and see if it ever led me to anything other than him inside me.

Don’t count on it.

I took the rest of the evening getting the house ready for selling and going over my options with Liam. Not that I had a whole lot to choose from. The range went from marrying the guy to hiding him in my pantry for the foreseeable future.

Whatever was a girl to do?

It just frustrated me that I didn’t have more time to think things through. I took off my pants but kept my tank on as I went through my nightly routine, knowing this was likely the last time I’d sleep in this bed.

Meeting someone, we don’t know everything about them and shouldn’t expect them to share every detail of their lives with us in the first few weeks of dating. It wasn’t that Liam lied to me or that we’d been together for a long time and had kept things from me.

Of course he had some layers to him, and not all had a yummy creamy center that I wanted to lick.

Everyone had baggage of some form or another. I hadn’t exactly been myself after what happened with my parents. Liam was there for me and that meant everything. I wasn’t expecting complications in his life, but like the cream filling, it didn’t change who he was.

Thinking back, how did I not see any red flags when I began dating a gorgeous billionaire who could sex me up like I’d never known who seemed to have zero issues?

He wasn’t perfect, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t perfect for me.

I curled under my covers and part of me wished I’d asked Liam to stay. With him about to leave, every precious moment counted. I didn’t want to have to count down the hours. Didn’t want to make desperate memories of his last few days in New York.

I couldn’t just let things go as they were. He deserved more. If I still felt this way in the morning, I knew exactly what to do.

As I turned off the light, I blew out a shaky breath and hoped my resolve held steady.

CHAPTER 57

Tessa

I decided to surprise Liam by showing up at his place earlier than expected. I’d been so focused on my decision that it didn’t occur to me until I walked through the door that he might not be here.

Seeing Randy behind the desk eased some of my tension. He’d help me track Liam down if needed.

“I’m here to see Liam.” Just saying his name made my stomach flutter.

Randy barely glanced up from his paperwork. “He’s not expecting you.”

“I’m supposed to come later this afternoon but was hoping to catch him now. Is he here?”

“He specifically said no visitors.”

“Liam’s called me a dozen times in the past couple of days.” To show him, I pulled my phone from my purse and pushed the main button. Then pushed it again and cursed. During the entire evening of introspection last night, I hadn’t once thought about plugging in my phone.

“I really can’t help you.” His face resembled the best of poker players, but Liam had told me that Randy had been an interrogator at some point in his military career. While I couldn’t imagine some of the things he’d seen, war hadn’t stripped Randy of his humor. If I hadn’t been warned he enjoyed messing with people, I’d be seriously worried that he wasn’t going to let me upstairs.

I pressed my hands against the main desk to keep my legs steady, wishing Randy hadn’t decided now was the time to have his fun.

It made me think of the time Dad taught me about negotiations in an antique store. I was five and wanted a doll with blue hair—because, for a time, strange colored hair fascinated me.

He told me that even if I had my heart set on it, I had to be prepared to walk away if the price wasn’t quite right. He told me that when people couldn’t bear the possibility of what they wanted most slipping away and gave in too early, they ended up disappointed.

No chance I’d give up on Liam, so I matched Randy’s cool expression and shrugged. “Okay then. Maybe I’ll try back some other time.”

As I crossed the floor and Randy didn’t call me back, I began to realize Randy might not be having his fun with me. Liam was leaving in days and probably told Randy that he didn’t want any visitors.

By the time I reached the door, I thought for sure my legs would collapse. That would definitely get some attention, but not the kind I was looking for.

“Excuse me,” Randy called out. I breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to see him holding my phone. “You forgot this.”

I stalked back and snatched it from him. “You can tell Liam that . . .”

I wanted to be mad at Liam but he was the one I wanted to see. Apparently the best way to get into Liam’s room was to break into the place.

Crossing the entrance again, I shoved my phone into my purse. I’d have to go back to my apartment to plug the stupid thing in to call Liam. That added at least an extra half-hour that I wasn’t ready to handle—the same reason I came here early.

I had to see Liam while I still had the nerve.

The wind caught my skirt the moment I stepped onto the sidewalk. I’d lost the negotiation.

I turned and looked up to get some idea if Liam was here or not. Since his studio was closer than my apartment, if there was any chance he might be there, I needed to take it. When I saw movement on the roof, I backed up to the curb and couldn’t imagine better luck.

Liam leaned against the rail, looking to the sky. He must have just come from his pool because he only wore a pair of board shorts. I caught myself from staring at his broad chest and arms, reminding myself why I was here.

I took my phone out to call him, but the black screen reminded me how useless the thing was right then. “Hey!” I waved up to him but Liam turned away. New York was too noisy of a place to hear someone three stories down. “Liam!” I waved the phone around but he didn’t turn.

Without thinking, I stepped back and threw my phone as hard as I could. The moment it left my fingers, I thought for sure it would bust somewhere up the side of the brick wall into a million pieces, showering down any hope of talking to Liam.

But it skimmed just over the railing and out of sight. With the sun overhead, I cupped my hand over my eyes to make sure I didn’t miss him. “Come on.” My heart pounded. “Tell me I didn’t kill my phone for nothing.”

Silhouetted by the sun, a head peeked over the railing. I’d recognize his shoulders anywhere.

“Liam!” I waved and pointed to the main door and hoped he got the idea.

Stepping back inside, Randy glanced up. “Back already? You really—”

“Liam’s on his way down.” I said it just as he appeared in the open stairway.

“Tessa.” He took the stairs down two at a time. “You’re earlier than I expected.”

“Tessa?”

I looked over to see Randy look at me for the first time today.

“Sorry about that. I got confused with that other one.” Randy gave me a sympathetic look and I knew he meant Paisley.

“I’m sure keeping up with Liam’s women is a full time job,” I said out of the corner of my mouth to Randy.

He chuckled as Liam cleared the last few steps. “Pretty sure that’s something you don’t have to worry about anymore.”

“I have a feeling you’re right about that,” I said and gave Liam my biggest smile as he scooped me up in his arms.

I melted into him and kissed him as though I hadn’t seen him for months.

Randy cleared his throat. “There’s a room right up there for you two.”

I settled back down on my heels. Liam grinned at me, then eyed Randy. “I do own this building.”

“And I like to keep the entryway of it at a PG level.”

CHAPTER 58

Tessa

Liam pressed me against the main door to his loft, wrapped my ponytail between his fingers, and crushed his mouth against mine. I moaned as our tongues tangled together like a raspberry vine, ripe and ready.

“I’m glad you made it here.” Liam lightly tugged my hair and raised my chin until I met his eyes. He licked his way down my neck. With every flick of his tongue, my panties grew wetter and I wanted his skilled mouth to keep going. “I’d planned for us to talk first, but the way you kissed me . . .” he whispered in my ear. “We can stop . . .” Liam lightly nipped at my nipple through my dress. “If you . . .” He mirrored the gesture with my other breast. “Want to.” He kissed his way down my stomach. “Tell me what you want.”

“You. Inside me.”

His eyes widened and he growled. Clearly, that hadn’t been what he’d expected me to say.

Liam turned me around and pressed my cheek against the door. He ran his hands down my back, over my hips, and cupped my ass. Every touch of my curves sent goosebumps across my skin.

“Spread your legs.” His voice was so low I almost didn’t hear.

I closed my eyes as Liam’s fingers slid up my skirt, hooked around my thong, and had it dangling at my ankles before I realized I no longer wore any panties. The moment I flicked it off, he had two fingers in me.

“That isn’t what I meant,” I gasped as he drove them inside again and again.

He chuckled in my ear, warm and inviting. “Oh, give me time.”

My brain wanted to remind him how little time we had left, but with every thrust, my body said that we still had days to enjoy each other.

And that was exactly what I planned to do.

I quivered as he found my g-spot.
Oh, wow
.

My mind began to lose focus. I arched my back and moved against him. With his other hand, he pulled the top of my dress under my breasts.

“Never thought I’d say this, but spandex was one of the best inventions, ever.” When I laughed he said, “You wore this on purpose didn’t you?” Moving his fingers faster, I groaned a response. “Good girl.” Liam pulled me from the door and led me straight to his room. Standing me before his bed, he swept my dress off in one motion.