Let Me In (6 page)

He still couldn’t get the picture of them out of his head. Talia struggling to hold her enraged mother safely on the floor, her lip bleeding, face twisted with the kind of emotional pain he couldn’t even fathom. “No problem.” The woman had been a handful even for him to subdue without hurting her. As it was, she’d have bruises in the morning, but he’d had to be a hell of a lot rougher than he’d wanted. “What are you going to do now?”

“I don’t know.” She sounded exhausted. Lost. “Thanks for the ride.” Before he could stop her, she got out and slammed the door, started heading inside.

For a moment he sat there in stunned silence. Even after all that had happened, she thought she was going to face everything alone? No way in hell.

Cursing, he threw the truck into park then shut off the engine and ran after her, catching up on the second-floor staircase. The moment she saw him her shoulders stiffened. He could see the tear stains on her face as she tried to wipe them away. It felt like someone had sucker punched him in the diaphragm. “Tal.”

“Liam, no. I just want to be—”

“Alone? Forget it.” While her mouth dropped open, he snagged her hand and all but towed her up to her room. What kind of an asshole did she think he was, to let her deal with this by herself? If she’d made him swear not to tell his family, then he couldn’t call his sister in for backup, and that was fine by him. He wanted to be the one to comfort her, stand by her through this. Maybe that would get the message through her stubborn head that his feelings for her were more than physical. More so now than ever.

Inside her room she shut herself in the bathroom, so he ordered room service for them both. When she emerged with puffy eyes fifteen minutes later, dressed in a white robe, the soup and sandwiches were already waiting. He sat her down and forced her to eat the soup, then drink a cup of hot tea laced with sugar. Satisfied he’d taken care of her in at least some small way, he moved to the couch and waited for her to say something. She didn’t. Only poked the spoon around in her half-finished soup while she did her best to ignore him.

His temper simmered.

If she thought she could wait him out and make him leave, she was sorely mistaken. Talking wasn’t his strong point, and with Talia it always seemed to get him nowhere, so he decided to switch tactics. He was a man accustomed to action, completely comfortable with taking charge of any given situation. Right now, she needed to be held. Almost as much as he needed to be the one holding her.

Taking her by surprise when she rose from the small table, he tugged her down onto his lap on the couch and wrapped his arms around her. At first she was stiff, but after a few seconds she relaxed and turned into him, resting her cheek against his chest. He closed his eyes, enjoying the victory of that tiny surrender. Though she seemed pliant enough on the surface, he could sense something darker simmering beneath the surface. Anger, a pain she couldn’t—or wouldn’t—give voice to.

His cheek rested against her hair. So shiny and soft, smelling of green apples. He wasn’t going to force her to talk about what had happened, but he wasn’t going to let her hide from him anymore either, or from the sexual pull between them. If this was the only way to make her open up to him, so be it. She nestled against him, soft and warm, strong yet fragile. His body reacted predictably, his cock hardening beneath the delectable press of her bottom. He couldn’t help it.

Walking away after that mind-melting kiss last night and now dealing with the aftereffects of the adrenaline rush from earlier had him so hard he hurt. With her cuddled trustingly in his arms he didn’t want to scare her off, but right now he desperately wanted to stretch her out on the bed and make love to her until she forgot everything except him and the pleasure he could give her. He wanted that more than he wanted his next breath.

As though she sensed his thoughts, Talia tipped her head back to look at him. Her hazel-green eyes regarded him in silence for a few moments, filled with desire and indecision, that quiet longing for him. Traces of silvery tear tracks marked her pale cheeks. She was so beautiful and strong, hurting inside. He’d do anything to take it away.

Unable to stop himself, he reached up to caress her cheek with his thumb, wiping away the vestiges of her tears. She surprised him by leaning into his touch and closing her eyes, rubbing against his palm like a kitten in search of affection. When she opened her eyes this time, his breath caught at the raw hunger he saw there. Vulnerability and need, all wrapped together in a potent combination that brought his every protective instinct to life. Damn, she made it hard to keep a lid on the dominant side of him.

She closed her slim hand over his, turning his palm away from her cheek until she could press a slow, soft kiss there. More blood rushed to his cock, and when her little pink tongue darted out to taste his skin, it was all he could do to hold back a groan at the hot, damp glide of it. He watched the heat build in her gaze, the sensual need she wasn’t even trying to hide anymore.

Fuck it.

Sliding one hand into her thick hair to hold her still, he bent and covered her mouth with his. She sucked in a breath and set her hands on his shoulders, burying her fingers into his hair when he slid his tongue between her lips. Groaning at the sweet taste of her, at the feel of her responding so eagerly, Liam shifted her in his lap and allowed his free hand to cup her jaw. He stroked the tender skin there, brushing over the forming bruise with feather-light strokes meant to soothe, seduce.

Talia emitted a soft sound in the back of her throat and wriggled her bottom against the hard length of his erection. It pulsed in silent demand, begging for more attention. He ignored it. Whatever she wanted from him right now, he’d give it to her. Including denying the urgent need to strip them both naked and pin her to the bed so he could slide as far inside her as he could get.

Kissing her more deeply, he traced the long line of her throat to the open collar of the robe. His fingers brushed across her collarbone and the tempting inner curve of one breast. She grabbed his hand and brought it inside the lapel to cup her breast through her white lace bra. He obliged her immediately, cradling her soft flesh, kneading it. She moaned into his mouth when he rubbed his palm over her hard nipple, straining against him, sucking at his tongue.

The startling hunger in her set him on fire. Groaning, he slid his hand around her back to release the clasp then helped her shrug out of the bra. He skimmed his lips over her cheeks, her jaw. The robe slipped off her shoulders, baring her to his gaze. Pale golden skin and dusky brown nipples beckoned, making his mouth water at the thought of tasting her.

He cupped her breast in his palm, using his thumb to glide back and forth over the tight peak. Talia sighed and sought his mouth again. Their tongues twined sensually while he squeezed and rolled her sensitive flesh between his fingers. She let out a purring sound and arched her back, offering herself to him, asking for more. He couldn’t resist the invitation.

Holding her up with one arm behind her back, he lowered his head to the tempting mounds and took one pebbled center into his mouth.

“Ohhh…” Her fingers curled against his scalp, digging in to hold him close, her whole body vibrating with suppressed emotion. His heart squeezed. She needed to get off in a bad way, and he would make sure he delivered. As many times as she wanted.

He dragged his tongue across the captive nipple, sucking firmly, loving the wild little moans she gave and the feel of her arms holding him close. She was finally accepting her need for him, at least in this way, even if she refused to voice it aloud. Her body knew the truth, and he had no qualms about reinforcing that message.

Holding her tight, he licked his way across to the other breast and teased with slow swirls of his tongue, gentle scrapes of his teeth until she whimpered and twisted in his arms. Finally giving in and sucking the nipple, he held her firmly in place while she squirmed in his lap.

“Liam.” Her voice was breathless, pleading.

He lifted his head just long enough to kiss her parted lips. “What, baby?”

“Mmmmm.” She all but melted in his arms, rubbing against him in a sexy undulation.

“You want more?” His fingers plucked at a ripe nipple, making her shiver. There was so much he wanted to do to her, but he forced himself to go slow for the moment.

“Yes, more,” she whispered between kisses.

“Then be a good girl and stay really still for me.”

That stopped her. She blinked at him through hazy eyes but did as he said, despite the uncertainty in her expression. He rewarded her with another deep kiss, letting the hand playing with her nipple glide lower, over the smooth curve of her belly until his fingers found the lacy edge of her panties. Talia murmured into his mouth and began to part her legs.

He firmed his hold across her back and squeezed in warning, asserting his command over her. “I said, stay still.”

She froze in surprise. He watched the dawning comprehension fill her eyes, followed by a flare of molten heat. Yeah, that glimpse of his dominant side had turned her on. The knowledge made his dick throb in agony. He’d hold his baser nature back for now until he was certain he’d taken care of her needs. But oh, the things he wanted to do to her. Blindfolds and bindings. Talia tied up and at his mercy while he learned exactly what it took to bring her to the edge of release before making her shatter in his arms.

“You’re so beautiful,” he told her, savoring the satiny skin beneath his fingertips and the little goose bumps his touch raised. He trailed his fingers over her hipbone, down her thigh and back up the inside, eventually grazing the soft lace covering her mound. It was already damp, the muscles in her legs tensed in anticipation. He wanted to rip the sexy underwear off her, slide his tongue into her slick flesh and make her sob in ecstasy as she came against his mouth.

He fought the urge back. She wasn’t ready for that yet. He had to earn her trust this way first, give her his gentleness after all she’d been through.

“Put your hands on my shoulders and leave them there,” he ordered roughly, unable to hide his own desire.

Watching his face, she slowly curled her hands around his shoulders, the flare of arousal in her eyes making him even hotter. She licked her lips, a sign of her nervousness. “What are you going to do?”

What I’ve wanted to do to you for almost two years.
“Shhh. Let me in.” That’s what he wanted more than anything. For her to lower that protective wall and allow him into the deepest, most secret parts of her. He wanted her to surrender her control, let him take her further than she’d ever imagined going. And he wanted her to know she was absolutely safe in his arms while she gave that to him.

The robe was wide open now, trapped around her hips, exposing the scrap of black lace between her slightly parted thighs. She leaned up to kiss him, but he shook his head and pulled away. “Watch my hand, sweetheart. Watch me touch you.”

Talia looked down at his hand, so dark against this paler part of her skin where the Afghan sun hadn’t touched her. She trembled as he drew his fingers up and down the front lace panel, her breaths growing shallow. He could have stripped the thong off her, but it was so erotic like this, slowly unwrapping her like a present and leaving more secrets for later. He teased her, gliding his fingers over her covered pussy until she shifted restlessly. He stopped, his hold tightened in silent warning and she stilled, a soft groan of frustration escaping from her lips. A flush of arousal burned bright in her cheeks, her eyes almost glazed with need when Liam finally slipped his fingers beneath the edge of the fabric and touched the hot, slick flesh beneath. He clenched his teeth at the feel of her, the evidence of her excitement.

Talia gasped, letting her head fall back. Her eyes were closed, the pleasure clear on her face. Nothing held back, accepting and loving every moment of what he was doing to her. An image right out of his fantasies.

“So wet,” he breathed, stroking the velvety inner labia, carefully circling her swollen clit.

Talia tensed and whimpered, lifting into his touch. Her lids lifted, showing pupils dilated with arousal.

“No, stay still. I want you to let me make you come just like this.”

The muscles in her thighs quivered. She was so fucking sexy like that, pert breasts rising and falling with her rapid breaths, nipples flushed and beaded, the lingering uncertainty in her warring with the heat.