Let Me In (10 page)

She pulled a face and shook her head. “I don’t think I could eat right now.”

The dark circles beneath her eyes bothered him. She looked worn out. “A bath?”

Her face brightened. “That sounds good.”

“Right this way.” He led her through the master bedroom and into the ensuite, noting the way her gaze moved to the king-size sleigh bed set against the far wall. Was she picturing them on it together? Wondering what he’d do to her when he got her naked this time? She had to know he still wanted her. If things went according to plan, he’d have her writhing beneath him very soon. He was done being patient.

In the bathroom, he started the water to fill the tub then turned back to her. She stared at him in surprise when he reached for the bottom of her sweater and began to draw it upward.

Her arms locked over his. “What are you doing?”

He brushed her restraining hands away. “Undressing you.”

“I can do it myself.”

After yesterday she was still embarrassed at the thought of being naked in front of him? After tonight she wouldn’t be. He’d make sure of that. “Not today.”

Her sharp inhalation and dilating pupils told him everything he needed to know. The air around them suddenly crackled with sexual energy. He could practically feel it humming over his skin, like a low-level electrical charge.

A flicker of uncertainty crossed her face, but Talia slowly relaxed her arms and allowed him to pull her sweater over her head. The pale blue push-up bra she wore was sexy as hell and displayed the tops of her breasts for him. She sucked in a breath when he trailed his fingers over the tempting curves, standing motionless. He’d held himself back last night, not wanting to push her too far with his baser needs. But tonight he wanted to show her some of the things he’d fantasized about doing. It was too late for her to try to hide from him now. He’d seen the way she responded when he took control last night. He couldn’t wait to do it again and coax her submissive side to life until all she could do was surrender to him.

His knuckles grazed the velvety skin of her abdomen as he undid the button on her jeans and drew the zipper down. “Step out of them,” he commanded softly.

Talia set her hands on his shoulders and did as he said, refusing to meet his eyes. The flush in her cheeks grew brighter when he drew the denim down her legs and off. In seconds she stood before him in nothing but her bra and a lace thong. So gorgeous. As much as he wanted to run his hands over each luscious curve on her body, he wanted something else even more. He pulled her long ponytail free of its elastic and twisted her thick hair into a messy knot before securing it on the top of her head. She frowned, as though uncomfortable having someone handle her this way. He’d get her past that too. He wanted to pamper her.

Backing up, he sat on the edge of the tub and leaned over to check the temperature of the water. Satisfied it was warm enough, he jerked his chin at her sexy underwear. “Take it off. Slowly.”

Her eyes darted up to his, flashing with reluctant arousal and annoyance. He held her gaze unflinchingly and raised an expectant eyebrow, his cock pulsing hard at the thought of what he was going to do.

She lifted her chin, her posture stiff with resentment. Unwilling to give in. “Why are you being like this?”

“Because I like being in control,” he answered without pause. “And because I know that deep down, you love giving in to me.” He almost smiled at the way her frown deepened. “Off. Now.”

She hesitated, staring at him for so long he thought he was going to have to go over and do it himself. But finally she reached back and undid the bra, letting it fall slowly away from her. He bit back a groan at the sight of her naked breasts, those tempting brown nipples already hard with an arousal she would never admit to. It only made him want to unravel her more.

His eyes followed the movement of her hands as she crooked her thumbs into the top of her thong and began to draw it downward. The dark curls covering her mound were neatly trimmed into a perfect triangle, pointing his gaze to the pink-tinted folds between her legs. He caught a quick glimpse of them glistening before she bent to pull the thong down her thighs. That was sexy enough, but the shy defiance in her eyes had his whole body tightened with need.

Watching her closely, he leaned over and turned off the faucet. The hollow drip of water filled the bathroom, loud in the sudden silence. “Come here.” His voice was low and gravelly with desire.

Talia came toward him cautiously, as though she expected him to grab her and fuck her where she stood. Instead, he took her hand and drew it to his mouth, palm up. He caught the little gasp she tried to squelch when he smoothed his lips across the center of her palm and laved it with his tongue.

Looking up into her eyes, he saw the growing heat there, the longing she was trying so hard to hide. He was going to take care of both of those things, starting right now. “Climb into the tub.”

Surprise flickered in her eyes, but after a second she allowed him to help her in. She sank down and drew her legs up, bringing her arms in front of her in an unconsciously feminine move that tugged at his heartstrings. Though submitting wasn’t easy for her, he’d already seen how much she loved it once she let herself go.

Refusing to let her hide, he caught her wrist in a gentle grip. “Lay your head back and stretch out for me.”

Watching him with a good deal of suspicion, she eased back degree by slow degree. He’d purposely filled the tub only partway so it came up to her hips but didn’t cover her. Dipping his hand into the water, he lifted a handful and spilled it over her breasts. She gasped, stiffening as the water rolled down the plump curves and droplets clung to her tight nipples. His mouth went dry at the thought of leaning down to take her in his mouth. But not yet.

He sluiced warm water all over her body, leaving her skin wet and gleaming. When she was more relaxed, he laid his palm over her sternum and waited for her to make eye contact before stroking the damp curves of her breasts. She gave a little humming sound of pleasure and arched her back, seeking more. Taking his time, Liam at last brushed his thumb over one straining nipple, catching it between his fingers to squeeze and rub the way she liked. Her soft moan made him smile.

Watching him out of heavy-lidded eyes, Talia’s lips parted as her arousal grew. His cock grew even harder. “Feel good, baby?”

She nodded, gave him a hesitant smile that melted him. “I love the way you touch me.”

He smiled back. It was a start, but he got the impression she still didn’t realize how serious he was about her. Though he’d cared about her from the first time they’d met, his feelings for her now eclipsed anything he’d ever felt for another woman. Talia had captured him completely with her strength and loyalty, that heartbreaking glimpse of vulnerability she guarded so closely. They understood and respected their shared need to defend their country. His family already loved her to pieces, and that mattered to him as much as anything else. All he had to do was convince her she belonged with him.

If he had only this card to play for now, so be it. He wasn’t above using the heat between them to help his cause. “That’s good. What about when I touch you here?” His fingers drifted down the midline of her body to the edge of her dark curls, playing gently.

Her lashes fluttered and she nodded.

“I didn’t hear you.”

She opened her eyes, staring up at him with a dazed expression. “What?”

Liam trailed his fingers over her mound, lower to tease the edge of her swelling labia. “Do you like this?” Already he could see her folds parting, all flushed and rosy, framing the bud of her clit. He couldn’t wait to taste her, wrap his lips around that sensitive flesh and suck at her until she came against his tongue and sobbed his name.

“Yes…” Her voice was soft and breathless, the pulse in her neck beating a frantic rhythm. She started to sit up and reach for him, but he shook his head and withdrew his touch. Talia looked up at him in confusion, a frown pulling at her brow. “I want to touch you, kiss you.”

He wanted that too, but later. “No. Slide down in the water and bring your knees up.”

The abrupt command seemed to startle her, but she lowered her arm and slid into the water until she was flat on her back with her head resting on the bottom of the tub.

“Warm enough?”

She nodded, watching him with a puzzled expression.

“I’ll add some more water, just to make sure.” Starting the tap, he adjusted the temperature until it was warm but not hot, then undid the drain.

At the sound of gurgling water, she looked up at him questioningly. Liam smiled and wrapped his hands around her upraised thighs, pulling her toward the faucet. Her muscles tensed, her eyes growing wide as she realized his intent. Without pausing he brought her legs up and rested her feet on either side of the faucet. She swallowed, her hands pressing against the sides of the tub. His cock shoved painfully against his fly and he quickly reached down a hand to adjust himself.

“Relax,” he soothed. “Open those sexy legs for me.”

Talia hesitated. Her eyes searched his, that pretty blush turning her cheeks a bright rosy pink. The muscles in her thighs trembled as she slowly parted for him, revealing the flushed, slick flesh of her pussy. He hummed in approval and reached out to trace a finger over the labia, down to tease her entrance then back up to her rosy clit. “Ever done this before?”

She shook her head, her eyes alight with anticipation.

Had she really never done this? Bending to press a lingering kiss to her right knee, Liam reached down to cup her hips and pull her forward, tilting her until the gentle flow of water rushed over her open pussy. She gasped and arched in surprise, and when he angled her just right to make the water pulse directly over her clit, she threw back her head with a startled gasp.

“Just like that,” he praised, enthralled by the sight of her stretched out and enjoying her pleasure. He released her hips to slide one hand up and down her inner thigh while the other captured a hardened nipple and twisted it gently. She moaned low in her throat. The silvery sound of the rushing water filled the room. Talia panted and looked up at him with glazed eyes, her body tensing as she climbed closer and closer to orgasm. He smoothed the hand on her thigh up to her delicate folds, pausing a moment before he slid two fingers deep into her clinging sheath.

“Ahhh, Liam—” She let out a choked sound and bit her lip, head falling back in rapture.

He rubbed her inner walls, searching for and finding her sweet spot. “So beautiful, Tal. You gonna come for me?” His other fingers kept working her nipple the way she liked.

The water continued to gush over her exposed clit, a continuous stream of stimulation. “I think—Ohhh, right
there
…”

Not yet, baby.

He pulled his fingers free of her body and shut off the tap.

Talia jerked and sat up, her cry of disappointment echoing through the bathroom. Lust roared through his bloodstream, a pounding demand he could no longer ignore. Liam rose up to peel his shirt off before reaching down to scoop her up. Hauling her out of the tub, he strode into the bedroom to finish what he’d started, intending to claim her as his once and for all.

* * *

Reeling from being balanced on the brink of orgasm and then denied it, Talia’s body was on fire when Liam laid her against the bed and undid the knot of her damp hair, spilling it across the sheets. Before she could move he dragged her bottom against the edge of the mattress and sank to his knees before her. She scrambled up on her elbows, quivering as he pressed her thighs apart and fixed his stare on her throbbing pussy. It was so intimate, she should have been embarrassed, but she was too turned on to care. God, she didn’t know how much more of his teasing she could take before screaming.

“Liam, please.” She barely recognized her own voice, so breathy and desperate.

His dark eyes lifted, locked with hers while he stroked her inner thighs with knowing, experienced hands. “Need something, baby?”