“Liam,” she began.
“Have your breakfast,” he said, dropping a kiss on her shoulder. The bristles on his chin pricked her as his sudden coldness scored her heart. “I’m going to hit the shower.”
He picked up his robe and walked into the bathroom, leaving her alone with the most expensive eggs and bacon on the Strip.
“Again.” His demand, so hot on her ear, acted as food for her weirdly-famished body.
“I don’t think I can.”
One touch. One lick. “Yes, you can.”
“Oh, God.”
He slid between her legs, his thick erection throbbing. They’d been at it for hours, had watched night turn to day and back into night again. Since admitting his secret, Liam had been a machine. And as exhausted as she was, he’d managed to coax orgasm after orgasm out of her. She was barely doing any of the work at this point, just lying there while he teased her body into the pulsing, weeping mass of wetness he so craved.
He thrust deep into her and her pussy welcomed him yet again, as much as her brain railed against such excess. “More. I want more.”
“Liam, please, I can’t.”
But then he hit that spot again and she cried out, making lies of her words. She began to fall apart on an incredulous shout.
“That’s it, baby.” He drove her harder, taking his pleasure like a man obsessed. “Come for me. Oh fuck, that’s so good, Kate!” He let out a cry of his own and collapsed on top of her.
They lay on the bed, drenched in each other’s sweat. She wasn’t sure how long they remained prone, but she felt each second plod by. Each passing minute left her more and more convinced he was drowning his sorrows in sex.
Surely it couldn’t be healthy.
He moved. She breathed a sigh of relief, grateful to finally have a few moments to sleep. He moved off her to discard the latest condom, and she closed her eyes. Once again, warm hands slid up her legs, parting them.
“Open up for me.”
“Liam, we should talk…”
“No talk.” He pulled her close and threw her legs over his shoulders. His greedy tongue put a silky period on the end of his sentence.
And once again, Kate could do nothing more but let him have her, as another terrifying orgasm swept her away.
Chapter Eleven
“Just a few drinks. I promise.” Liam ran his fingers up her bare arm and appraised her look for the evening. “Christ, you look gorgeous, Kate. I can’t wait to show you off.” He brought her over to the full-length mirror in her suite and made her look.
She did, with hesitation, and marveled at the fantastic creature staring back. Liam’s assistant had reminded him of a charity obligation and he’d somehow convinced her to go with him. She wasn’t really sure what to expect at a Governor’s Ball for the local chapter of the Heart Association, and certainly didn’t have the wardrobe for it. However, during the last couple of days, Liam had taken care of everything, from finding her a beautiful gown in navy silk, to bringing in hair and makeup artists and jewelry.
The makeup had been so carefully applied she couldn’t see her bruises. Her hair had been piled onto her head in an artful chignon. Liam seemed to like the up-do, and took advantage of the neck access it provided. He kissed the top of her spine and goose pimples exploded in a riotous dance over her skin.
Despite her response to his touch, something felt off. She felt uncomfortable in an outfit paid for by Liam, the silk grated on her skin with each soft swish. She’d never been the sort to accept expensive gifts.
To say nothing of the fact she’d rather stay in the suite and talk about what the hell was happening between them. She thought she’d made a major breakthrough with Liam, but so much had been left unsaid as well. Yes, he’d shared a lot and it had been emotional for both of them. However, if they were to move forward in any way, didn’t they need to keep talking?
She’d tried to bring up the topic again this morning, but he’d brushed it off. Rather than talk about the past, he’d rolled on top of her and begun his very persuasive seduction routine, and she’d been unable to say no. When he kissed her, when he slid his hands between her legs, she couldn’t say no.
He was using sex as a distraction, that much was clear. As eager as she was in bed with him, she couldn’t help feeling Liam evaded a lot of issues this way. It made her uncomfortable. It made her feel as if she’d fallen into bed with a different man, one whose appetites both excited and scared her.
“I’ve never been to such a fancy event,” she said now.
“Stick with me. You can have as much high society life as you want.” He cast an appreciative glance at the way her breasts swelled under the navy silk. “You look amazing in that color. I knew you would. We might have to take you shopping for more clothes.”
“I don’t want any more clothes. I have clothes at home.”
He frowned at the mention of her home. “I’d like to get you some special things. You know, for nights like this.”
“I think I’d feel more at ease wearing jeans at Franky’s.” She wiggled her toes in her new stilettos, wincing at their tight pinch.
“Me too, but I promised to make an appearance at this shindig ages ago.” He spun her around to look at him and struck a cheesy pose worthy of a Sears catalogue, letting his mischievous side reappear for a split second. “So, did I clean up good?”
She smiled, surprised by how much she’d missed playful Liam. Intense Liam had his charms, but he wore her down. She touched a finger to the sleeve of his slick tuxedo, relishing the musculature underneath. “You’ll do nicely.” She felt more overcome by his beauty than by her own startling transformation.
All too soon he turned serious. “You sure you’re okay to go out? My security team will be with us.”
She couldn’t exactly say no now. He’d spent a billion dollars on her dress, from the looks of it. “Sure. We’ve got to go out some time. Maybe when we get back we can hang out and chat? I feel like we haven’t talked much the past few days. I miss it.”
Liam tweaked her nose. “You’re cute. But way too serious. Just enjoy the ride, sugar.” He pulled her close, eyes narrowed with desire. “When we get back, my plans don’t involve chatting. They involve getting this dress off.” He brushed his thumb over her rouged lower lip, looking puzzled when the lipstick didn’t rub off.
“It’s a stain,” she explained. “The makeup artist said it wouldn’t come off unless I get mauled.”
As he stared at her lips, his expression grew dark once more. With so much focused attention, her body responded in kind. “Well, I’ll maul you later and see if I can’t nibble the stain off.”
After a few rushed kisses, they gathered up their things and left, making their way to the Escalade waiting out front. As they passed through the main hall, so close to the casino, Kate realized she didn’t hold her breath anymore while surrounded by the cigarette smoke. She’d become almost accustomed to it. The idea bothered her, though she said nothing to Liam.
Once outside, she took note of the spot on the sidewalk where she’d conducted her protests. It seemed like an aeon ago. Where had that woman gone? She’d never been the sort of woman to play “dress up,” to fritter away her evenings at society events.
Had she already forgotten who she was?
Guilt made the acids in her stomach bubble and she swallowed a sudden bad taste. She had forgotten. And here she stood, dressed in a lavish gown bought by the man she’d thought she hated less than two weeks ago. If someone had told her then she’d be sleeping with Liam Doyle, she would have thought them unhinged.
Maybe she was the unhinged one.
She tried to ignore the gut-wrenching mea culpa sounding in her brain as they drove to the Governor’s Ball at the Venetian Hotel. She wondered how the fates had led her to be a guest at two casinos in the same week. After years of avoiding them like her own personal plague, she couldn’t seem to avoid them now.