Page 26 of Triple Protection
"And you see me. You and Brick and Alex."
"We do."
A bright smile spreads across her face and she tilts up before kissing my cheek. Warmth spreads through me and I blush, rubbing the back of my neck.
"Where's the smooth, lady-charming Liam?" She teases, lightening the mood as she picks up a club and walks onto the green.
"Honestly," I say, stepping forward to stand behind her, "you make me nervous." She snorts.
"No, I don't."
"Here's the thing about lady-charming - I don't care what they think of me. If we don't hit it off, if there isn't chemistry, no big deal. It's easy enough to move onto the next one. With you, I care. I care what you think about me, and I never want you to think I just think you're beautiful."
She blushes a little and looks down at her golf ball. "Are you sure that's not just a line?"
"Nope, but this is: let me help you." I stand behind her and wrap my hands around hers on the golfclub. I press the front of my body to the back of hers and rest my chin on her shoulder.
"How is this a line?" she teases.
"Well, if I take a girl out to something that lets me 'show' her ways to improve, like bowling, darts, pool, golf, I get to test the waters." I press a little harder into her, reveling in the heat of her, the smell of her perfume, the feel of her ass on me. "If she steps away, I know I'm firmly in the friend zone and I can back off. If she doesn't step away, I know she's warming up to me without making it uncomfortable for her. If she pushes back against me, I know I've got a green light."
"Is that right?" she purrs, arching her back to wiggle her ass against my thighs and lean her head against my shoulder.
"Noted," I growl in her ear before planting a chaste kiss on her neck. "But first," I chuckle, breaking the tension, "let's actually fix your swing."
I show her a few easy pointers that have her hitting somewhat decently. We hit balls, rib each other, drink and laugh for hours, before our allotted time is up. She never scores as high asme, but she does well enough and is humble enough to have thoroughly enjoyed herself.
The ride home is passed in silence. I rest a hand on her thigh, and she places hers over mine, interlacing the fingers. I put on some quiet music and enjoy the comfortable silence. She alternates from between watching the scenery pass with her head rested against the headrest and stealing quick glances at me. I've rolled up the sleeves to my button down, knowing full well what forearm porn is. Come on, I grew up with two sisters. I watch her out of the corner of my eye, checking out my forearms before biting her lip and squirming in her seat.
I know what's coming, but I'm not sure if she does. No first date is complete without the first kiss.
Chapter twenty
Angela
Angela
Liam silently opens the passenger door and offers me a hand to help me stand. We walk up to the front door, still holding hands, the tension and anticipation between us palpable. He silently unlocks the door and leads me inside. My stomach churns with nerves. I've read enough romance novels and watched enough romance movies to know this was it - the first kiss... or not.
The drive home was the best and the worst kind of foreplay. He'd been thoughtful and funny and easy-going and sexy-as-hell all evening. But the hours leading up to the drive home only served to prime me for the actual drive. Liam let the silence linger between us, ratcheting up the anticipation. I don't know if he did it on purpose or not. He's clearly a master at dating and women in general. The drive home, being surrounded by the smell of him. His touch on my thigh was both innocent and suggestive. His hand rested just above my knee, a respectfulplace, but his thumb rubbed circles on the side of my thigh, suggesting he was deep in thought.
His sleeves rolled up showed off the veins and corded muscles of his lean arm and holy fuck, it was the best forearm porn I'd ever seen. I was getting hot and bothered by the sight of his forearm and his hand on a respectful part of my knee. I was fucked. Even if all we did today was kiss, I was going to have to finish the date with my B.O.B. as soon as possible.
When we get through the door, however, butterflies accost my stomach and I swear it flies up into my throat. I didn't know what to do. My first and only kiss with Bobby Shanholzter had been sloppy, awkward, inexperienced. His tongue felt like a bird's tongue in my mouth.
I've been resisting my attraction to these boys for months now, and I'm just about at my breaking point. If he kisses me, I know I'll kiss him back. Shit. What if I'm not a good kisser? If he kisses me, will I let him take it farther?
Yes. Yes, I will. I'm tired of resisting, of being good, doing what I'm told. I'm tired of denying myself what I want. We're both consenting adults who clearly like each other. If the wood he was sporting when he came up behind me at the gold range was any indication, he at the very least finds me attractive. If he kisses me, if he takes it farther, sign me the fuck up.
Liam gently turns me, after locking the door behind us, and presses me back against the wall. Oh fuck. Liam's hand delicately holds the back of my head as he leans into me for a kiss. I'm already breathless with anticipation and he hasn't even kissed me yet. His soft, warm lips brush against mine and I melt against him. He smiles against my lips, causing a shy giggle to bubble up inside of me. It's been so long since I've kissed anyone, and I never remembered it beingfun. Liam's kiss is fun. It's playful, teasing, exploratory, sweet.
Before we can deepen it, though, his head jolts a little to the side and he pulls back. It takes me a moment to blink and refocus on what's going on. Alex had smacked the back of Liam's head, causing him to pull away and blush.
"What the fuck are you doing?!" Alex hisses. "That's Brick's girl!"
I look at Alex, stunned and confused, who's standing next to a very red-faced Brick. Brick grimaces before groaning, rolling his eyes and smacking Alex on the back of the head. Alex had slipped up and admitted something that Brick didn't want to be let out.
"Sorry man," Alex has the decency to look apologetic before walking out of the room.