“I’m not an expert in the slightest. You could find all this stuff out by doing a little research.”
He ducked his head so that his warm breath brushed against her nose and cheek. “That sounds much less exciting than hearing all this wisdom straight from Natalie Reyes’ mouth. Especially,” he continued, his low, vibrating voice causing a shiver to skitter down her spine, “when it’s such a lovely mouth.”
“Liam.”
She’d meant to say his name in a warning tone, but instead, it’d sounded like an uncertain plea of longing. Liam brushed his mouth against hers in a coaxing kiss, his lips warm and firm.
“Don’t be afraid of me, Natalie.”
Her lips moved, and Natalie herself couldn’t be sure if they did so to speak, or to caress Liam’s coaxing mouth. “I’m not afraid of you.”
His hand remained braced on the doorframe, but he placed his other hand on her lower back and then palmed her hip. His lips shaped hers gently and Natalie felt those careful, deliberate movements all the way in the core of her body.
“You’re…afraid…of something,” Liam muttered, taking small bites of her lips. His hand moved, stroking her back. Natalie’s spine arched slightly against the pressure, as if her flesh were melting against the heat of his palm. Liam took a step closer and lowered his other arm. His hands bracketed her waist as he continued to kiss her, his mouth still closed, but his movements grew increasingly feverish.
“What, Natalie? What are you afraid of?” He lifted his head, pinning her with a blazing stare. He pulled her closer, their bodies melding into that supreme fit that she recalled all too perfectly.
“This,” she admitted softly.
He just stared down at her for a moment, his features cast in part-shadow. She had little doubt that Liam knew she referred to the heat that resonated between their pressing bodies at that very moment, the electric charge that always seemed to occur whenever they touched.
“It’s probably a bad idea, Liam,” she whispered, even as her forearms slid against his waist and her fingertips discovered the muscles of his back through the fabric of his shirt.
“It might be unwise,” he granted gruffly. His head lowered. “But it feels unstoppable.”
He leaned down, forcing her back to arch against the firm hold of his hands at her waist. All the restraint he showed in his former, questing kisses evaporated. She was submerged in Liam’s heat, his possessive kiss…his fierce spirit.
And she knew he was right. They’d unleashed a force of nature neither one of them could control.
Chapter Nine
Natalie altered beneath the power of Liam’s kiss, transformed into a sensual creature, suddenly unafraid of the deep passions that frothed at her core. It was a little like losing herself in the dance. When she allowed the movement to overcome her, she forgot the audience or any expectations it might have of her.
She craned upward, wild for more of his taste, desperate to quench her tingling nerve endings with the hard pressure of his body. She slid her tongue next to his and treasured the sound of his low moan of arousal. He stroked her hips and back with increasing excitement, molding her flesh against his, as though he knew he was creating a fire beneath her skin with the added friction. Natalie began to explore him as well. Her opened hands found the upward slant from his ribs to his chest fascinating. It was like holding the essence of power in her very hands, caressing Liam.
That feeling of power spread to her when she sensed how much he liked her touch.
He groaned into her mouth. Their tongues dueled sensually and she felt him grow even harder, his muscles flexing beneath her seeking fingertips, his arousal flagrantly obvious next to her straining body.
He sealed their kiss, but, as if he couldn’t get enough of her mouth, he continued to nip at her lips. Natalie responded in kind, nibbling at him feverishly. He tasted so good, it wasn’t enough. Her tongue slicked along his lower lip as if it had a mind of its own.
He groaned roughly. The next thing Natalie knew, he’d shifted her in his arms and she was airborne. Her mind and body both seemed to be flying, falling headlong into the pool of sensual pleasure Liam always created with his touch. The bedroom where he brought her was dim—only the light from the hallway illuminated it. He laid her on the bed with what struck Natalie as exquisite care, as though he thought she’d break.
She stared up at him, her breath coming fast and ragged. Anxiety had started to rise again, but the image of Liam looking down at her held her so spellbound that she couldn’t focus on her nervousness overly much. His expression was rigid with arousal. She could just make out the gleam in his eyes as he watched her. He brushed back the hair on her brow in a gentle gesture. His hands felt hot and dry next to her skin. He looked down at her as he rubbed the tip of his thumb over her lower lip. As if he’d pushed a secret button, Natalie parted her mouth to better feel his touch.
His nostrils flared with arousal.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured. “I want to see all of you. Can I undress you?”
Natalie nodded, unable to speak. She didn’t necessarily believe in the truth of his words on a personal basis, but in that moment, she could read his expression perfectly.
Liam thought she was beautiful.
His stare remained melded to hers as he reached for the hem of her shirt and lifted it over her head. When the neckline snagged on her bun, he gently loosened it and then tossed aside her
shirt. She felt his fingers moving in her hair.
“How many of these things do you have to use to keep all that hair on your head?” she heard him murmur in amusement as he drew out one pin after another. He kept one hand on her body, stroking her shoulder and neck, as if he didn’t want to lose physical contact with her even as he undressed her. Natalie suspected he’d sensed her nervousness, and was reassuring her with his humor and touch.