Page 38 of A Tangled Web

“Me first.” Dani’s heart lodged in her throat at Liam’s possessive response.

Stax lifted himself away from her, taking her towel and tossing it on the floor behind him. “Tell us the truth, Dani. Who is the man you most desire? If you had to choose, who—”

“Liam.” No question. No hesitation.

Liam sounded shaken. “Say it again.”

“How can you doubt it when everyone else sees right through me?” She licked her lips nervously, the moment feeling too important to fumble. “I want you, Liam. I think I have for a while, but I didn’t know what to do with it. Didn’t trust it. You’re so wonderful. What would you want with me?”

Stax lifted a hand to caress her shoulder in approval, watching Liam for any sign of discomfort. When he didn’t find it, he touched her, sending a current of heat through her body, increasing her desire. “After all you’ve experienced, a passion that intense might scare someone else, but not you. Not anymore.”

“Not anymore,” she repeated. “Not with Liam.”

“You can tell him what you want from him now. What you need.”

When she hesitated, Liam leaned closer, cupping her bare knees with his palms. She shivered. “Whatever it is, I’ll give it to you. The world. Anything. You have to know that by now.”

Dani took a breath and the words came flowing out. “I’m not fragile. I was, but I’m not anymore. You don’t have to hold back with me.” She stopped for a moment, studying his hands on her skin, feeling his touch to her core. “I’d like you to give me everything he says you’ve saved up for me. Now, please.”

Liam jerked as if she’d sucker punched him, and she saw him send a suspicious glare to Stax, who shook his head. “This is all coming from her. I say you stop hesitating and give the lady what she’s asked for.”

Dani knew they were about to take a step they couldn’t turn back from, and not just because there was an extra person in the room. An extra person who was kissing her neck and making her feel warm and eager for what came next.

Stax was a mischievous troublemaker. It rolled off him in waves of playful heat. Alone, she would have run the other way and taken the safer path. But with Liam here, Stax was not a threat to her. Instead, he was the hottest, most unusual sex therapist on the planet. A guide, as he put it, sent to bring them pleasure. To bring them together.

Sex therapist? I like that. You are a joy, Dani.

Magic, she repeated to herself, hearing his voice in her head. Tonight, anything was possible.

“Take off those shorts.” Was that her voice Liam was reacting to, nearly ripping the fabric in his haste to obey? Yes. Yes, it was. She smiled in wicked delight and opened her arms.

It was like watching a dam burst. Liam’s expression of relief was so intense it sent an answering ache through her. He fell to his knees beside her on the bed, taking her mouth with a hunger that shook her, despite what they’d already done.

He devoured her.

She reached for the hand curved around her neck and dragged it down her body until he was cupping her breast.

Liam lifted his mouth and pressed his forehead against hers. “You know I can’t resist these.”

“You might have mentioned it,” she said breathlessly. “And then you came all over them, just to drive the point home.”

He smiled against her lips. “I want to make this last. Not for you, you understand. It’s a pride thing. I don’t want Stax showing me up under my own roof.”

How could they do this? Make each other laugh when they felt like this?

You know each other. Already love each other. All the things lovers must learn, you know, except for this. The sweet icing on top of an already delicious cake. And you are delicious, in case you were wondering.

At Stax’s words, she slid off Liam’s glasses and set them on the bedside table. “That’s the only help I can give you. You’re just going to have to work harder, Cookie. Touch me and think of England.”

“Smartass.” Her giggle turned into a moan when he squeezed both her breasts together, sucking each nipple into his mouth in turn.

“I’ll never get enough of these,” he muttered, sucking hard on her flesh. “I want to get them alone and do dirty, dirty things to them. Oil them up and slide between them.”

“Later,” she whispered, and he groaned, pressing his erection against her thigh. She shivered. “But that’s definitely happening.”

He looked broodingly down at them, his rough fingers doing things to her nipples she could feel all over her body. “What is it?”

“If you want this to stop, all you have to do is say the word.”

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