Over the next couple of weeks, I fall into a routine of sorts. Work is well, work. I am there most Friday and Saturday nights with a few day shifts throughout the week. The tips are good and Marv proves to be a great boss. I layer my tank and that successfully conceals my scar problem leaving me free to pull my hair up into my preferable high ponytail. Liam has been there with his friends in the evenings, hanging out and listening to the band. To my relief, minus Miranda. Not much to my surprise, after Liam's visit and declaration, Mike never called and that was fine by me. He is not the one that plagues my fantasies and hijacks my dreams. Even though they are usually not in my section, I can often feel his eyes on me. Several times we get caught in the battle of the wills, staring at each other, daring the other to look away first.
I run with Jenna every other day. We chat about anything and everything. Well, everything except for Jason. She has left that topic well-enough-alone. She gushes over Chris and what an amazing father he is and that they are trying for another. According to her, the best part of trying is the unlimited sex, whenever and wherever. Apparently Chris never leaves his wife in need, mind-blowing orgasms are his specialty. "Anne, it is like we are teenage lovers. The touching, caressing, kissing. He is...wow. I am telling you, the man is not satisfied if he doesn't make me come undone at least twice. Besides, how could I not. My husband is fucking hot."
I shrug my shoulder and blush, "I wouldn't know. Never done it."
"WHAT!?!" Jenna spits her water out and chokes out a cough. "You are a virgin? How the hell is that possible?"
"Virgin...interesting." My heart submerges into my stomach like a submarine on a covert mission. Liam is standing right behind us, eyeing me with both surprise and curiosity.
"Thanks, Jenna." Turning towards Liam, "Don't you have some place you would rather be?"
"I was about to turn around and go home after hearing my sister talk about her sex-life, but sweetheart, you just made this interesting. I think I will stick around for bit." Liam graced me with a tilt of his head and a half smile. I really feel like I could die from humiliation at this moment. With a touch that was almost not there, his fingers slipped across my shoulders as he took the seat next to me. I recrossed my legs and squeezed my thighs together to try to mitigate his effect on me and took a deep breath. I hear a chuckle next to me, alerting me to the fact that he know exactly what he does to my body.
Jenna clears her throat, "Anne, we are having some friends over tomorrow for a barbeque and some fireworks, you should totally come over."
"Sure, I actually have a Friday off for once. It would be nice to do something other that work. Text me with whatever you need me to bring."
"Thanks for the invite, sis. I will be there too." Liam gives his sister a pointed look. Wierd, it is almost this he is a little pissed.
"Really, won't Bar Harbor Saloon miss you?" I give him a wry smile.
"Naw, I think things will be more entertaining here." Huh, if I didn't know better, I would think he might be flirting with me.
"Okay...well, Jenna, I am going to head out. I'm so sweaty from our run and need to shower before I head into work." I swiftly get up without a backwards glance.
"Damn." Liam groans in a low voice that I probably wasn't supposed to hear. It was accompanied by muffled giggle.
***
I show up at the barbecue with a watermelon keg. I saw it on Facebook and I had to give it a try. I hollowed out a large watermelon and inserted a tap like a keg. I blended together the melon, some vodka and sugar then poured it back into the melon and sealed the top. Festive, cute and fun. Walking into the backyard, I felt a little overwhelmed. There was easily thirty people there. Searching over the sea of faces my eyes instantly locked onto the slightly curly black-brown hair that I dream about brushing my cheeks as he kisses me. As if sensing my eyes on him, Liam turns and locks gazes with me. His lips part slightly as his tongue barely peeks out and wets his bottom lip. I bit down on my lower lip to stifle my moan as he clearly takes his time memorizing every inch of my body.
"Wow, if you two are done eye fucking, I would like to introduce you to some of my friends." I quickly look down and regain my composure. Jenna gives me knowing smile, "Anne, this is..." Jenna takes her time introducing me to people around party. We make pleasantries, nice to meet you, how do you like Bar Harbor, when did you graduate, etc. Honestly, I couldn't focus. All of the names and faces blended together. My mind and my eyes kept drifting back to Liam. To my surprise, his were usually on me too, causing my heart to skip and the butterflies to rebel in my stomach. A low warm tingling sensation in my core was going to demand my attention when the night was over. "Anne...Anne." Jenna snapped me out of another knee melting appraisal. "I don't think you have heard half of the things I have said to you in the past twenty minutes."
"Sorry, I was a little...distracted."
"I can see that. So, what's going on with you and Liam anyway?" She asks, not really surprised, but curious.
"I have no idea. Sorry, I know he's your brother, but the way he looks should be illegal." I bit my bottom lip then give her an apologetic smile.
"Don't worry, I am used to it by now." Jenna hands me one of my watermelon drinks on ice, "Go talk to him.", then she turns and leaves. I feel his touch before I hear him. The backs of knuckles gently skim down the back of my arm.
"Hey, are you going to say hi tonight or just stare at me." Liam's breath tickles my exposed neck as he whispers in my ear. I shiver in response and turn around. "Cold?" His cocky grin and emerald eyes dancing with amusement tell me that he knows otherwise.
"Hi, Liam, no I am not cold." I look down at me feet to try to cover some of my embarrassment. A knuckled finger lifts my chin back up. Liam's eyes lock onto mine, searching through my soul and tugging at my heart. He wets his bottom lip as I gasp with the intensity of his stare.
"That's better, I like it when you look at me." Liam is standing so close to me, I can feel his body heat caressing, swallowing me up. Everything else is fading into the background until it is just me and him. His knuckled finger is still under my chin. His gaze drops to my lips as his thumb gently strokes my bottom lip. I can feel my body quiver and my breath catch. Liam's tongue darts out slightly, then he bites his lip and lets out an almost inaudible groan. Liam's going to kiss me!
"Damn, are you going to kiss her already or just keep eye fucking her man?" Liam straightens up is search of the verbal intruder. I take this moment to down my drink. My nerves are fired and liquid courage is my friend right now.
"Fuck-off, Mike!" Liam shouts as he sends his icy daggers in somebody else's direction for once. I follow his eyes and it is his friend Mike from the bar, the one that didn't call me. I give him a small wave and he returns it with wink. Liam's body stiffens next to mine. I feel his muscular arm drape over my shoulder and his finger drawing slow patterns. My body instantly shivers in response. Liam's body instantly relaxes. "Wanna go for a walk?" He asks in a low husky voice, his nose a whisper touch to my ear.
"Yeah, I would like that." My eyes look up again at the sea of people and Mike is gone.
As we start to walk, my shoulders are suddenly cold with the absence of Liam's arm. Disappointment crushes through my body at the loss of contact. Then I feel his fingers gently brush against hand, then a little bolder, they lace and intertwine with mine. Peaking at him through the corner of my eye, Liam takes a deep breath, then nods once to himself, as if he is coming to some sort of conclusion. Walking hand-in-hand, we fall into an easy conversation. Time passes quickly as we jump from one topic to the next, smiling and laughing with each other. Before I realize it, the sun has set and crescent moon is glowing low in the sky a brilliant sherbert orange. "Beautiful." Escapes my lips.
"Yes, you are." Somewhere along the line we had stopped walking. Liam is in front of me with a look preditoral look in his eyes, me his only prey. I instinctively take a step back, him a step forward. We continue this slow perusal until I find that he has guided my back up again the thick trunk of a tree. One of his hands rests on my hip as the other comes up to the nape of my neck, his thumb brushes my cheek. My hands come up to his hard rounded chest to either push him away or draw him nearer. Self-preservation or live the dream? Liam steps a little closer and tilts my head up. Staring at my lips, he announces with low almost pained voice, "I am going to kiss you now." Then his lips decend on mine. A gentle brush at first. His lips are soft, yet firm. My breath catches and gives him permission to continue to slide his lips against mine. I lift to my toes to return his kiss. His tongue strokes the seam of my lips and they instantly part, granting him access to deepen our kiss. His tongue gently strokes mine as his arm slides from my hip to around my back, pulling me closer. My hands fly up to hair, running my fingers through it and holding him to me, begging him to stay, to continue to kiss me senseless. Liam growls with satisfaction as he fists my hair and tugs down slightly, giving him better access to my mouth. Liam takes my mouth, claims it as his. He is ruining me and I love it. Faintly in the background, I hear the popping of fireworks, but who wants to watch them when you can be one. My body is exploding from his kisses. He had drugged me with his lips and tongue. Caressed me in a way that has left my breast aching with need and core throbbing and damp. With his body pressed firmly against mine, I can feel that I am having the same effect of him. His arousal is long and thick against my stomach, making my need for him more. Much to my dismay, he breaks our kiss and leans his forehead against mine. "God, Anne, that was hot." He looks at me with dark eyes filled with lust and desire.
"Mmm...hmm." is all that I can get out. I am still mindless with want and need.
"How on earth are you a virgin?" He asks more to himself than to me. His eyes are closed as he is trying to refocus himself.
"Never the right time or guy I guess." My phone start to vibrate in my pocket. I give a little giggle. "I think maybe your sister is looking for us." I pull out my phone and my eyes widen at the name. "Shit." Detective Briggs. This can't be good. "Hey detective, what's up?"
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