Page 50 of Drowning in Lies

Chapter 27: Moving On

I smiled as I took in the sight of Liam stretched out on the bed.He was dressed more casually than I had ever seen him.The dark blue board shorts showed off his long muscular legs, and the tight white T-shirt clung to his broad shoulders and bulging biceps.I knew he was tall and fit, but the suits he usually wore disguised just how well-built he was.He had arrived here two days ago, and judging by the golden tan he was sporting, he'd spent the majority of those two days out on the beach.His dark blonde hair was a little longer than it normally was, and the sun had lightened the ends just a bit. In a word, he was gorgeous.

"My flight was just fine.You look nice and relaxed. Have you enjoyed yourself so far?" I asked, walking over toward the bed.He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, then reached out and gently grabbed my hips, pulling me in between his spread knees.He was nearly a foot taller than I was, so even sitting down, he was almost at eye level with me.I draped my arms loosely over his shoulders and smiled at him.

"I have indeed.It's beautiful here, but I would have enjoyed it even more if you'd been with me, though.I'm glad you're here now."

He reached up and wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, pulling me down so he could take my lips in a searing kiss. There was no hesitation, on his part or on mine.I had invited him to join me this week, knowing - or at least hoping - that this would happen.This week was all about banishing David from my memory, and moving on with my life.Liam would be an excellent first step.

As he deepened the kiss, he shifted his hand from my hips to cup my ass, pulling me even closer.His other hand was now curved around the side of my neck, with his fingers gently grasping my jaw.I moaned softly at the feel of his lips against mine.I gently nipped at his bottom lip before soothing it with my tongue, then slid my tongue inside his mouth.It was my turn to do a little exploring. He groaned and his hand clenched on my ass before he pulled away slightly.

"Princess, if we keep this up, we'll miss dinner, and trust me, we're both going to need to keep our energy up," he said huskily.He tapped me on the back of the leg and released me, then got to his feet when I took a step back.He dropped a kiss on the tip of my nose and took me by the shoulders, turning me away from the bed. "Move, woman. I need sustenance.I made reservations at the beachside restaurant.We don't have to be there for another forty minutes, so we have time to change and freshen up."

I smiled at him, then gave an overly-dramatic sigh. "Fine, if you want to deny a woman who hasn't had sex in months..."

I squealed when he growled and lunged toward me, then laughed as he caught me around the waist and twirled me around.We were interrupted by a knock at the door, as my luggage was delivered to the villa.He gave me a swat on the butt as he passed me to open the door.

The porter brought the luggage in, setting it just inside the bedrom door as Liam directed him to. I started to reach for my purse to get a tip for him, but Liam just glared and shook his head at me, discreetly handing over some bills from his wallet.After he thanked the man and closed the door, he turned to me.

"Just to be clear, when you're with me, you don't pay. Call me old-fashioned, but that's the way I am. I let you have your way when you insisted on paying for the rental on this place, but that's it.Got it?"He arched a brow at me, clearly waiting for my agreement.

I rolled my eyes and huffed."I already had this villa rented, so I was paying for it whether you're with me or not.And yes, I remember your lecture when you refused to allow me to buy your plane ticket."

I dropped my voice in a really bad imitation of him, complete with a terrible Irish accent."I'll not be a kept man, Princess.Your uncle pays me very handsomely for my services."

Liam threw back his head and laughed."That was truly awful, Princess.Are you sure you have Irish blood running through your veins?"

I picked up a throw pillow from the end of the couch and tossed it at him, sticking my tongue out at him for good measure.

He shook his head mockingly as he told me "You'd better go get ready for dinner, little girl, before I find a better use for that tongue of yours."

I tried to ignore the buzz of electricity through my veins at hearing his words, then turned to open my suitcase to pull out a sundress with a vibrant green and blue swirling pattern, and a sexy bra and panty set.

In a total "fuck you" to David, it was one of the sets I had bought with Sherry and Vanessa on the day he died. I shook the sundress out, pleased to see that the wrinkle-free fabric lived up to its description.Grabbing my small toiletry case, I took it and the clothes into the bathroom. I pinned my hair up out of the way, and jumped in the shower to quickly wash off the grimy feeling from my day of traveling.

I had visited the spa four days ago, and had my hair trimmed and highlighted.My golden blonde hair fell in waves to just below my shoulder now, with a few face-framing highlights added in. I'd also endured waxing...everywhere.Brows, underarms, legs and bikini area. I was left with only a small strip of light blonde curls on my pubic mound, as I didn't like to go completely bare in that area.

After drying off and applying my moisturizing lotion, I quickly brushed out my hair, fluffing it with my fingers to give it a tousled, beachy look.I applied minimal make-up, just dusting of powder, a bit of eye shadow to bring out the green of my eyes, mascara, and a swipe of lip gloss.

I put on my new bra and panties, and took a moment to assess myself in the mirror.I had gained back most of the weight I'd lost over the past eight months, so my curves were back.

As a teenager, I'd been uncomfortable with my larger-than-average breasts and my ass that was a bit too plump. As an adult, I'd embraced my figure, and had learned to dress to flatter my curves instead of trying to hide them. I was pleased to see that I looked the old me these days.

I came out of the bathroom to find that Liam had also changed.He was now wearing a white button-down with the sleeves rolled up a few inches above his wrists, and black pants which were fitted to his ass and thighs to perfection.

The tattoo on his forearm was slightly visible - a Celtic knot with a beautifully scripted "F" in the center of it. I recognized that tattoo, as all of the men on my mom's side of the family had the same one.It was a sign of loyalty that all members had to display upon acceptance into the Flanagan Family.

After we finished dinner at the romantic restaurant next to the resort, Liam and I walked hand in hand on the beach for a little while, before returning to the villa. We'd shared a few kisses along the way, and I loved the feeling of being held in his arms.

With every step we took back toward the villa, my nerves increased. Liam shut and locked the door behind us, and pulled me into his arms before I'd even taken three steps into the living area.He held me close, and lowered his head to speak softly into my ear.

"I can feel how tense you are. If you still aren't ready for this, please tell me. I don't want you to push yourself into doing something you're going to regret in the morning."

I pulled back to look up at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes."I'm just a little nervous.It's been over eight years since I've had a 'first time' with someone new. But I want this.I want you."

The smile he gave me then stole my breath. He had a slight dimple in his left cheek that I had only seen a few times before.I wanted to kiss that dimple.I wanted to trace it with my fingertip, and then with my tongue. When I shared that thought with him, he scooped me up in his arms and carried me to the bedroom.I had never been literally swept off my feet before, and I decided very quickly that I was a fan of that particular move.

He sat me on my feet next to the bed, then held my stare as he slipped off his shoes and slowly unbuttoned his shirt.He slipped it off and let it pool on the floor at his feet. I watched mesmerized, as he reached to unbuckle his belt before unfastening the button of his slacks.He lowered his zipper and pulled off his pants and socks, leaving him in only a pair of boxer briefs that clung to him in all the right places, leaving no doubt about his desire for me.

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