Sliding his tongue through her pussy, he reveled in the pleasure he brought her. He loved her taste, the way she responded so totally to him. The fingertip he’d had circling her gate slowly pushed into her and he closed his eyes against the way her body clasped around him.
A second finger followed the first and she arched her back. He paused and she moved her legs back in place.
“I find it quite erotic to control you, sugar. The way you just got even hotter and wetter says you do too.”
She exhaled around a soft whimper and he got back to work, his tongue swirling and flicking around her clit over and over as he fucked into her with his fingers.
Her clit bloomed against his tongue as she cried out softly, her thighs wrapping around his shoulders as she came.
Finally she went lax, her thighs falling open and he put his head on her belly, looking up the line of her body at her face, a relaxed smile on her lips.
He kissed her belly and stood, holding a hand out to her. She took it and he helped her up.
“Condoms in my bathroom. Just bought a new box today. You keep me very busy.” He pulled her down his hallway but she stopped at the doorway when he went inside.
He saw her reflection in the mirrors over the sink, saw the mirrored doors on the closet and realized the entire room was walled by mirrors. He smiled. “Come on in here.” He patted the counter. “I think this is the perfect height.”
Shucking his jeans and socks, he hoisted her up on the counter, stepping between her thighs and going in for a kiss.
“I like this view. I can see your ass and the muscles in your back. You have a very sexy behind.”
“Why thank you, ma’am. I do try.” He winked, sheathing himself quickly and testing her for readiness before slowly pushing himself into her.
Liv watched him make love to her from every angle, really appreciating the mirrors on the closet door fully. Watched the clutch of his glutes as he pushed his cock into her, the flex of his shoulders and down the long line of his back.
She caught sight of her body wrapped around his, the paler skin of her legs contrasted with the more golden hues of his. Her eyes, slumberous, lips parted. They were beautiful together, linked.
It was almost as if she watched someone else there in the mirror. Perhaps through his eyes? In the mirror she was confident and trusted him completely as he stoked her desire that he’d just sated scant minutes before.
His body was made to fit into hers and he did it so very well. His cock, wide with a blunt head, brushed over her sweet spot over and over. He knew just where it was and took great care to give it attention. That’s how their sex was. Mindblowing yes, but because he wanted it to be. For her.
“I like seeing you from all these angles. So pretty.” A fingertip traced around her nipples, feather light. “These are luscious. When I see you my mouth waters to taste them.”
His head bent then, the warmth of his tongue sent shivers up her spine as he flicked over the nipple quickly, in time with his thrusts.
How he did it she didn’t know but it was a form of erotic torture and he devastated her with it time and again. Each flick was followed by a sucking pull that brought a throb from her clit.
“I love the way your pussy flutters around me when I do that. Such sensitive nipples.”
“For you.”
He looked into her eyes then, pausing. “I love you, Liv.”
She felt it to her toes and blinked back tears. “I love you too.”
His free hand found her clit, squeezing it lightly between slippery fingers and she arched, grinding herself into him, into his thrusts as yet again, climax washed through her body, leaving her helpless to do much more than hold on and ride it out.
“There you go, sugar. Give it to me,” he said, voice hoarse as his thrusts deepened once, twice and a third time before he pressed as deep as he could and came.
And as if she weighed nothing, he picked her up and carried her to his bed, laying her there carefully, gently.
“Rest up now because we’re going another round or five when I get my breath back.”
Laughing, she reached up and traced the line of his jaw. “Even if my legs were working I wouldn’t want to escape.”
Chapter Eleven
Liv stood under the tree the large blankets were spread beneath for the annual homecoming picnic. Nicholas, two months old now, stared up at her, wide eyed with a gummy grin on his face.
“Aren’t you just the most handsome little man?” Liv smooched his chubby cheeks and smoothed down the patch of bright red hair that normally stood straight up on the top of his otherwise bald head.
“Handsome? Well, certainly he’s got a lot of character but with that hair, I don’t know.” Matt grabbed a bare foot and kissed it, making Nicholas emit a breathy laugh.
“A man with character is handsome, I’ll have you know.” Polly stood there, moving from foot to foot and Liv finally took pity on her and handed the baby over.
“You’re greedy with him.” Polly never took her eyes from Nicholas as she teased Liv. “You should have one of your own and you can hold him. Well, every once in a while because he’ll fit just fine here on my other hip.”
Marc laughed, a little distracted. He’d run into one of his old ex-girlfriends the day before and she she’d come on to him. Strong. It wasn’t so much that he was interested but there’d been a moment when part of him panicked at the thought of never being with another woman again. It passed quickly enough as he’d realized he didn’t want to be with another woman. Liv was everything.
He’d considered talking to her about it but he’d been concerned that he’d hurt her or make her think he was having second thoughts. He’d worked so hard and so long to gain her trust, he didn’t want to endanger that. But he felt like he was hiding something from her because they normally shared everything.
“You okay?” Her head cocked, hand on her hip, she looked so beautiful it made his chest hurt a moment.
“Yeah, fine. Hungry? We’ve got a lot of food here and I can see Momma has left us all to fend for ourselves now that the youngest Chase has stolen her attention.”
Liv sat next to him on the blanket and began to make plates and pass them down to everyone. Cassie sat across from them, leaning against Shane while Maggie looked up at Polly as Polly sang silly songs to the baby. It was good there with the people he loved.
Since Nicholas’s birth, he and Liv had gotten closer and closer. He practically lived in her house and saw her or spoke to her daily. She’d become a regular at all Chase family events and dinners.
He loved waking up to her, feeling the warmth of her body next to his. They’d cooked together, side by side and he’d enjoyed the feeling of familiarity and comfort. Their sex life had remained active, exciting and very frequent. But it wasn’t just sex, every time he was inside her he learned something new about her and himself. She saw into him. There was a time he’d have been freaked out by that, but instead, it made him feel whole.
He didn’t want to do anything to screw that up and so he’d keep the thing with Nancy to himself because it had meant nothing anyway.
Liv knew there was something Marc wasn’t telling her. She’d known him long enough to tell the difference between the way he was acting then and his normal behavior.
She didn’t like it. It felt familiar. Before the end with her other lovers it had been like this. Smiles and assurances that nothing was wrong and then the end. Her insecurity ramped up.
All afternoon and into the evening it sat at the back of her mind, worrying her, nagging at her. Finally, as they were packing Nicholas and all his gear into Maggie’s car, her friend turned to her, touching her cheek.
“Is everything all right? I feel like I’ve not paid a lot of attention to you these last two months. Nicholas takes up so much of my time but I want to know what’s going on with you. I care about you.”
Liv gave Maggie a tight smile. “I’m fine. I think. I don’t know.” She sighed. “
It’s Marc. Since yesterday afternoon when I came into the shop to work out he’s been acting odd. I don’t know, like he’s not saying something.”
“Are you two having problems?”
“No. Things have been going great. He’s totally present in this relationship, you know? We talk all the time, share everything. I’ve never felt this way before. He’s good to me, you know? He cares about me. But I’m afraid.” A sob tore from her and Maggie hugged her.
“It’s okay. He loves you. He does. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. I’ve heard how he talks about you. I’m sure it’s stress or something silly like that.”
“I’m afraid he’s going to leave me.” Liv felt like the words tore a part of her to say. Like everyone she loved left. Sooner or later it happened.
“Oh honey, don’t cry. I’d give everything I own to bet on Marc loving you. Just give it some time. I’m sure he’ll relax and all this will seem silly in a few days.”
Kyle approached with Marc and Shane, all holding stuff to load into the cars and Liv quickly dried her eyes and stood back.
“Call me tomorrow, okay?”
Liv nodded. She leaned down to kiss Nicholas’ head as he slept in his carseat. “Night, sweetie.”
Kyle looked at her, a question in his eyes but she shook her head and he moved his gaze to Maggie who shrugged.
“Everything okay?” Marc asked as he took Liv’s hand.
“You tell me.”
“Okay, what the hell is going on?” Kyle asked.
“Nothing, hon. Liv, you call me tomorrow, you hear? Marc, goodnight and make sure you take care of our girl.” Maggie gave him a stern look and got into the car.
“Liv, honey, have you been crying?” Marc touched her face gently.
“It doesn’t matter. I want to go home.”
He helped her into his truck and drove back to her place.
“It does matter.” He turned to her once he’d pulled into her driveway. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“You’re the one who’s not telling me what’s wrong, Marc. I can tell there’s something up but you won’t say and that makes me wonder just what it is you’re hiding.”
“Sugar, I’m not hiding anything. I love you. You believe that, don’t you?”
“I want to.”
Marc’s heart began to pound at the desolate sound of that answer. God, he’d made her so upset without even trying to and now if he told her it would make it even worse. She’d think he was hiding it because it meant something instead of just a stupid thing that he didn’t say anything about and now had snowballed.
He moved over to her side and pulled her to him, holding her tight. “I love you, Olivia. More than anything. I swear that on my life. I’m just stressed, honey. It has nothing to do with how I feel about you.”
Nodding against his chest she hugged him back. “I need you to tell me stuff, okay? I can’t bear thinking that you’re having second thoughts or something and not telling me.”
He tipped her chin up, kissing her lips. “I love you. I don’t doubt that for a moment. Now let’s go inside, okay?”
Things had gotten back to normal pretty much and Liv relaxed. Maggie had been relieved that everything was all right and Liv realized that things were going the best they had her entire life. Her plan had actually come to fruition and loving Marc Chase had been everything she’d imagined true love to be and more.
A spring in her step, she walked toward the studio a bit early on a Wednesday. The heat had finally edged away and fall was in the air. She’d picked up a few brochures for a bed and breakfast down on the coast. She thought a nice weekend away would be just the thing for them.
Pushing open the front door of the studio, Liv halted. The smile on her face froze and then slid off as a pain so sharp she wasn’t sure she’d survive it sliced through her gut.
Marc was there on the floor, on top of another woman, Nancy Ellis. Nancy’s thighs were spread and wrapped around him.
Nancy, laughing looked up and caught sight of Liv as Marc pushed away and scrambled up. When he turned and saw her he went as pale as a ghost.
“Sugar, it’s…”
“Not what I think?” She felt totally empty, as if there was nothing inside her at all, which she supposed was better than the searing pain she’d felt just before.
“You made me think I was imaging things.” She took a step back and he took one forward. “Don’t. Don’t you fucking come near me. Not ever again. Don’t call me. Don’t come see me.” She pressed a fist to her gut to keep from screaming as the pain came back, filling her from her toes up to her ears. She would not cry. She would not give him the satisfaction.
Turning, she left and he was on her heels.
“Liv, damn it, wait!” He grabbed her arm and she spun, kneeing him square in the balls, smiling with savage satisfaction as he crumpled to his knees.
“Don’t you touch me. You fucking bastard.” Turning again she ran as fast as she could.
Knowing he’d probably go to her place, she grabbed her car and got the hell out of there.
Marc had been busy with one of his clients when he’d turned to see Nancy walk in. Great.
“Hey, Nancy. What brings you here?”
She put her hand on her hip and gave him her sexiest smile. “I came for a workout.”
His other client had been cooling down and by the time she’d gone, it was just Marc and Nancy.
“Well, I told you that I’m with Liv Davis and I meant that. If you’d like to work out without any sex involved, I’d be happy to help. I’m not taking one-on-one clients just now but I have a wait list. But you can use the facilities here without a personal trainer.”
She’d appeared to take the news well and had gone back to change and he’d filled out enrollment papers and gotten her signed up. He should have known it was too good to be true when she’d said she was having trouble with one of the machines. He’d bent over her to help and she’d pulled him down, laughing, wrapping her thighs around his waist.
Pissed off beyond measure, he pushed himself away from Nancy and to standing when he’d heard a gasp. A sound that constricted around his heart. He’d turned, knowing she was there but that knowledge hadn’t been enough to prepare him for the look on her face.
Her voice, flat, empty didn’t fit with the pain glittering in her eyes. He had plenty of time to relive the entire event as he lay there on the sidewalk after his gloriously pissed off woman had kneed him in the balls and took off running.
He limped back into the studio where Nancy stood, fully dressed and looking upset.
“Oh goodness, Marc. I didn’t… I’m so sorry. Is she all right?”
“I don’t know,” he said, voice strained as his balls throbbed. “What the hell were you thinking?”
“I was just flirting. I didn’t mean for that to happen. I may have wanted you back and wanted to test to see what your commitment to Liv really was, but I’d never, not ever in a million years want to hurt her like that. Or you. I’m so sorry.” Nancy wrung her hands anxiously. “Do you want me to talk to her? Tell her what happened?”
“Not for now. Maybe later. Fuck.” He pushed a hand through his hair. “I have to go find her.” He put up the closed sign and Nancy left, promising to be available to talk to Liv if he needed her to.
Maggie opened her front door and her warm greeting died in her throat. She reached out and pulled Liv inside.
“My goodness, honey, what is it? Is everyone okay? Who got hurt?”
“Marc,” she gasped.
“Marc got hurt? What happened? Where is he?” Kyle came into the room.
“Marc cheated on me.” Liv crumpled to her knees as she wept as if her heart would break.
“He what? No. No, he wouldn’t!” Maggie sank to scoop Liv into her arms and rock her slowly. “Honey, you must have misunderstood.”
“Two weeks ago he was h-hiding something and tonight I found him on the floor with Nancy Ellis. He was on top of her, her legs wr
apped around him. She was l-laughing.”
“This can’t be right. Liv, honey, my brother adores you. He would not do this to you. I know it.” Kyle looked helplessly at Liv as he brushed a hand over her hair. “Did he explain?”
“Explain what? Do you think I’m a moron? Or some desperate woman who’ll buy a bunch of lies to hold onto a bigger lie?”
“Let’s get you up and on the couch, all right? Kyle’s gonna go and make us some tea and we’re going to talk after you finish your cry.” Maggie raised a brow at Kyle who left the room quickly.
“I love him so much. My God this hurts more than anything I’ve ever felt before. This is not right. Why would he do this? If he wasn’t ready he shouldn’t have pushed me. I was…I had a plan! Damn it, I had a plan and he promised he loved me and I fell in love with him and he sucks. Oh he sucks and I hate him and I hope I did permanent damage when I kneed him in the sac. That fucker.”
Maggie sighed heavily, not knowing what to do but hoping like hell Kyle picked up her hint and was tracking down his brother to find out what was happening.
“I tell you something, Olivia Jean, if Marc has cheated on you, I will personally skin him alive. I swear it. I’ve got your back. But let’s not be hasty here. Let him explain.”
“Explain what? Maggie, he was on top of another woman with her legs wrapped around his waist! What is there to explain about that that isn’t totally obvious?”
“Okay so it sounds pretty bad.” And boy how it did. What the hell did Marc do? “But…”
Liv stood. “No buts, Maggie. I never should have allowed myself to get close to him. I should have listened to my head and not my freaking vagina. I have been such a fool. This probably isn’t even the first time.”
Kyle came into the room and put a tray down on the table with a pot of tea and some mugs. “I’m going to go check on the baby. Should I make up the guest room for you, sweetie?”
“No. No. I need to go. Be alone. I have to think.”