Falling for Him (17 page)

“Where’s your wheelchair?”

“I’m fine without it.”

“You could fall on wet pavement and potentially damage what was just repaired. You don’t have to push yourself like this.”

“I said I was fine. Get out of my way so I can get out of the snow.”

Within seconds she was in his arms and he was angrily stomping toward her car. His dark brows were an angry line slashing across his face. When she looked at him, surprise filling her, his glare brooked no argument. Too bad, he was in for one anyway.

“I said I was fine! Let me down!”

“You’re an obstinate shrew. I won’t have you fall because you’re too mule-headed to listen to reason, so hell-bent on proving me wrong.”

“Did you just call me a shrew? Well … well … you’re a pathetic loser who waited twenty years to repair something that wasn’t even his responsibility and then didn’t have the balls to do the job.”

Before the words were even out of her mouth, she wanted to reel them back in and forget she’d even considered uttering them. Liam stopped midstride, his face agog, hurt and anger intermixing in the play of emotion that churned over his face. “Really? Is that what you think? I’m a pathetic loser? Is that why you’ve refused to talk to me?”

“No.” She didn’t know what to say in that moment to make up for the ugliness she’d just hurled at him. He was right. She was a shrew.

“Oh, no, Olivia. You aren’t going to clam up now after dropping that bomb. Is that or is that not the reason you’ve refused to talk to me?”

“No, it isn’t. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.” When would her acid tongue stop getting her into trouble?

Liam began walking again, changing course.

“Where are we going?”

“Home.”

Olivia wasn’t sure exactly where they were going, but after she’d blurted out the ugliest thing she’d ever said, she thought he deserved a moment. When he dumped her in the passenger seat of a SUV that was apparently his as well, she snuggled in and put on her seat belt as instructed. Liam was silent for the rest of their trip, never telling her exactly where they were going. As they drove, she started noticing their surroundings and realizing he was taking her to his place.

“Stay in the car. I’m coming around to help you.” He gave her a look that made her stay silent and he got out of the SUV. True to his word, he collected her out and held one side of her while she navigated with the cane. Midway through, he lifted her and carried her the rest of the way.

“I’m not a baby. I thought the point of the surgery was to get to walk easier. The only way I’ll do that is to make myself walk.”

“If you push yourself too hard at first, you could damage the muscles, not strengthen them.” Liam set her on his couch and began to unwind her scarf and took off her coat before removing his own. Instead of arguing further, she allowed him to do it, waiting for the backlash from her comment to hit.

Liam’s lips swiftly met hers, his touch insistent. She gasped in surprise, not expecting his reaction or the aggression of his marauding tongue as it slipped into her open mouth. He was on his knees on the floor before her, drawing her face to his with his hands, holding her close to him, not permitting an escape. Not that she really wanted to escape, but it was wrong. She was pushing him away. It was for the best, for them both.

Wasn’t it?

At that moment, being apart didn’t feel right. What did was to be in his arms, to have him engulf her in his scorching desire, fueling the fires within. His caresses melted the chill from the snow and winds. Liam made her yearn for more, the completion of the passion that just begun to explore the last time she was there with him.

When he seemed satisfied she wouldn’t refuse him, he lowered his hands to stroke her shoulders before capturing a breast in each hand. As she arched into his touch, he chuckled. “A loser, hmm? If I’m such a loser, why do you crave my touch?”

Olivia pulled away. “Why do you have to ruin the moment by arguing and reminding me why we shouldn’t be doing this?”

“And why shouldn’t we be doing this?”

“We aren’t meant to be together. There’s no point in going any further when we’ll only end up hurt.”

“Who says we aren’t meant to be together?”

“You should be with a girl like—”

“Don’t say it. I ended things with Jenny for a reason. She was a gold-digging social climber. I want a woman who isn’t interested in landing a doctor. I want a woman who keeps me on my toes. I want a mule-headed shrew who has a smart mouth and doesn’t know when to listen to me.”

“You don’t know what you want. You’re so entangled in this hero complex right now—but one day you’ll realize my accident was the only thing tying you to me and leave. I can’t handle that.”

“Your accident isn’t tying me to you. You’re now healed, on the path to being everything you could ever want to be. And guess what? I’m not running away. I want to be a part of the new life this surgery will open for you. But if you keep trying to push me away, this will never happen. You’ve let fear rule you your entire life. Are you going to keep letting it run you?”

“I just didn’t want to be hurt again.”

“I can’t guarantee things will work out. I’d be a fool to say we have a hundred percent chance of a happily ever after. But do you really think it’s better to never try to reach for our happiness? It’s there waiting, but, you’ll need to take a leap of faith.”

“I’ve already fallen hard.”

“And I let you be hurt all those years ago.” Liam gathered her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “This time, I promise I’ll try with everything in me to make the landing softer.”

Olivia drew back slightly to watch him for a moment. “Why didn’t you perform the surgery? I felt … abandoned. You told me you couldn’t trust another to do what you should.”

“Is that why you pushed me away?”

“When you didn’t go through with the surgery, I felt alone, especially after how hard you lobbied me to go through with it. And I thought you’d realized your guilt was the only thing tying you to me.”

Liam pulled her face into his hands, his eyes bright. “My hands were shaking so badly, I was petrified I’d hurt you. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I had. I called Ethan to step in. But I
was
there. I never left you and I don’t plan to.” Liam dropped his head to lay a kiss on her lips.

His admission warmed her as much as his kisses. He hadn’t deserted her as she’d assumed. She needed to let the doubts go and accept him at face value.

“Olivia, you need to have a little more faith in me. Without trust, this will never work.”

“I haven’t had much luck in the past to base things on.”

“Forget about those assholes and don’t assume I’m like them. Time will tell.” Liam captured her lips in a sweltering kiss of possession, pulling her atop him as he leaned across the floor. As he pulled, she settled onto his lap, straddling him. She could feel the weight of his arousal against the heat of her core.

Her body wanted so desperately to be with him, but she was stiff and sore from her therapy and when she gasped in pain, he gathered her close. “You need meds and a hot bath. A nice massage would help, too.”

Liam rose, lifting her to her feet after. She settled on the couch, digging through her bag for her pain meds as he moved about his condo. Seconds later, he returned with a glass of water in hand. “Take two; they should relax you.”

She heard the running of water in the background. Shyness settled over her for a moment. Liam extended his hand for her once she’d taken the pills and he led her to the bathroom. Once there, he turned and began to slowly undress her. Olivia felt heat suffuse her face, the need to cover herself overwhelmed her as he removed one piece of clothing at a time. Liam kissed her once she was completely nude, his hands moving hers away from the spots she hid.

“Stop. You’re beautiful just as you are.”

Olivia relaxed a tad, yet still felt uncomfortable in her blatant nudity in the full light above them. She had more curves than what he was used to, she was sure, but she tried to let her body relax, forgetting her misgivings. Warm wisps of steam rolled over her cool skin, making her shiver. Or perhaps it was his gaze roaming over her that caused it. The hungry look in his eyes made her stomach churn, desire swirling within her. He didn’t seem to have a problem with what he saw, from his hooded gaze and lustful stare. Liam lifted her into his arms and lowered her into the tub. She sighed as she instantly felt relief in the hot water’s embrace.

Liam knelt by the side of the tub and grasped a soft cloth. He soaped it and began to languidly wash her limbs, massaging her as he went. All she could do was sigh and close her eyes to the rapture, his touch healing her sore body. It seemed to work on her soul as well, cleansing away some of the doubts that had plagued her since he’d first shown interest in her.

She felt the old adage weighing on her, one step forward and two steps back. She’d tried to open herself up, climbed over the walls she’d erected. To then only push him away was foolish. She’d yearned for this man in her life for so many years, wished he’d seen her for the woman she was, or at least the woman she could be, and when he’d finally opened his eyes, she’d hidden away.

Her fears had choked her, prevented her from enjoying what Liam had to give. If he hadn’t been persistent, she would have lost him to her uncertainty.

“What are you thinking about? I see your brows wrinkling. You’re supposed to be relaxing, not letting that mind of yours run rampant.”

Olivia opened her eyes to gaze at him. There was a sadness in his stare, and she knew she’d put it there with her words. “I didn’t mean what I said earlier.”

Liam wouldn’t look at her as he rinsed out the cloth and continued to rub her arm. She wasn’t even sure he’d heard her until he finally replied.

“There was truth in what you said.”

“No, there wasn’t. You made the right choice in having Dr. Peterson perform the surgery if you weren’t able. I’m glad you did.”

“You’re glad?” Liam’s gaze flew to hers. “I was supposed to perform that surgery.”

“When will you let it go?”

“I can’t.”

“You’re just as broken as I am. Now that I’m fixed, what will it take to save you?”

Liam was quiet, his stare boring into her. “A pathetic man without the courage to rescue you when I had the chance. My God, I am broken, aren’t I?”

“It was never your burden to carry. You chose to take this guilt on and you’ve let it rule you for too long. Even if it had been your fault, you ensured I had this surgery that could make my life better. Can’t that be enough?”

“It’ll have to be, won’t it?” Liam ran a hand through his hair. “Stop looking at me with pity in your eyes, Olivia.”

“Then let it go. This is the other reason I pushed you away. This guilt you have, it links you to me. Is that the only thing that ties us together? What happens when you realize there’s nothing else?”

“Nothing else? Do you really feel nothing for me?”

“Of course I do, but I’ve loved you for too long to watch you walk away from me one day when you finally see the truth.”

Liam grasped the back of her head in his wide palm, pulling her close, her lips nearly touching his. “I’m not with you out of pity or guilt. Get that through your thick head.”

His lips descended on hers, quieting her response. Liam grasped one of her breasts with his other hand, fondling her and bringing the tip to a tight peak between his fingers. Once the other nipple was equally distended, he slid his hand down her rounded belly to the apex of her thighs. He slid his fingers through her slit, pressed his thumb to her clit and began to circle it in time to his insistent kisses.

Olivia arched into his touch, having missed his caresses and the promise of more to come. She suddenly wanted fulfillment, for him to surge within her and claim her fully. She’d always been his in her mind. She now wanted to be his completely.

“I want…”

“What is it you want, baby?”

“You … finish what you started the other night.”

Without answer, Liam rose and began to shuck his clothing, kicking his shoes across the room with force. He slipped into his bedroom and was back quickly. She saw the shine of a condom covering his fully erect cock as it swung before him. Touched that he’d considered her protection, she smiled at him, shamed that she hadn’t even thought of it herself in her moment of need. Moments later, he crawled into the large tub, sliding beside her and rolling her on top of him.

Olivia could feel his hardness pressing into her pussy and she rolled her hips, hoping to give him the opening he needed to press forward. Urging her head to the side, he captured her lips again, kissing her as he lifted her slightly, the head of his cock sliding across her slit. They both sighed as the tip nudged inside her and he thrust slowly, sheathing himself halfway.

He moved his hands to her hips, lifting her and bringing her down farther on his cock. She cried out once he was fully within her, the awareness of his body inside her devastating her senses. She felt stretched to the limit, erotically impaled on his length. He filled her completely, marking her forever.

“Olivia, you feel amazing,” he said against her lips.

Liam thrust forward, moving his hips under her, creating a languid tempo. Water sloshed around the edge of the old claw-footed tub as they moved, liquid splashing to the tiled floor below. Olivia didn’t care. She was too absorbed in the motion of their bodies gliding together, pushing toward the pinnacle as one.

He lifted one of his hands to her left breast, pinching and plumping the flesh as he moved the other to rub her clit in time with his body driving within her. He swallowed her gasps and cries with his mouth, giving her so much pleasure she felt as if she were flying.

Tingling arcs rushed through her, her body a lightning rod, stiffening to the shocks of his touch. Overwhelmed with emotion, she sensed his feelings for her in his caress, knew he held some of his passion back for her sake. Between her fragile body and lack of experience, she knew he restrained the beast of desire within, his whole body trembling below her.