Page 50 of Relentless

The EOD man rolled his eyes. “I can handle a three-hour shift.” He waved him on. “Go sleep.”

With a salute, Simon closed himself into the bedroom.

Liam drew Piper to her feet as Cade went to the kitchen for coffee. “Come on. I’ll walk you home.”

She grinned and slid her hand into his. “Your boss seems nice.”

He chuckled at her description of the tough Navy SEAL who started Fortress Security. “He can be. Brent Maddox expects the best from his employees and tells us when we let him down.”

Liam nudged Piper into her room, one lit only by moonlight filtering through the curtains, and closed the door. He wrapped his arms around her waist. “I made you a promise.”

A slow smile curved her lips. “I remember.”

“I don’t break my promises.”

Piper’s arms circled his neck. “Good to know.”

Instead of swooping in like the take-charge Marine he was, Liam reined himself in and nibbled his way across her delectable lips with a series of butterfly kisses before capturing her mouth for a deeper caress.

As soon as his tongue brushed against hers, Liam was lost in a storm of sensation and heat. He’d imagined how sweet her kisses would be many times. Reality was one thousand times better than his imagination. The kiss might have started out sweet but quickly morphed into sizzling heat.

Piper moaned and inched closer. As the minutes passed, Liam became aware that Piper Reece fit perfectly in his arms, as if made for him.

Liam eased back, his breathing as ragged as hers. “Good grief, woman. You have one killer kiss.” Unable to resist the sight of her kiss-swollen lips, he dived back in for another series of kisses before forcing himself to ease up.

He changed the intensity of the kisses to affectionate rather than blow-the-roof-off hot. By the time Liam lifted his head, both of their bodies had calmed down, their breathing almost normal. He brushed her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. “Dream of me tonight,” he whispered and left, closing the door behind him.

Cade glanced over his shoulder where he kept watch at the French doors. His lips curved into a knowing grin. “Will you be able to sleep?”

Liam gave a rough laugh. “Doubt it.”

“They’re worth it.”

Piper was a miracle. The women he’d dated to this point couldn’t handle his job or erratic schedule. Piper appeared to take everything in stride even in the middle of her own problems.

Liam couldn’t get over the fact that she’d been worried enough about him to forget the information she came to Copper Ridge to retrieve. She knew he was military trained and an experienced operative and still she was concerned about his safety. Maybe, just maybe, Piper Reece could go the distance with him. He prayed his assessment was right because he was more than half in love with her. Spending this much time with her had deepened his emotional attachment to the woman.

What if she didn’t return his interest? He blew out a breath. He’d coax and persuade her into his arms. There was no other choice. Piper meant too much to him to let her go without a fight.

He turned toward the kitchen to pour himself a mug of coffee when his cell phone signaled an incoming message. Liam pulled out his phone to check the screen and frowned.

“Problem?” Cade asked.

“Maybe. Z wants me to call him.”

“He’s awake. Better find out what’s going on so he’ll go to bed.”

His gut twisted into a knot as Liam called Zane.

“How is Piper?”

“Sleeping, I hope. She was shaken up by Gavin’s death. What’s going on, Z?”

“Trouble. I pulled the security cam footage from Wicks.”

“And?”

“You were right to be concerned about Piper. The pushy tourist was Jared Spencer, your old nemesis from your military days.”

---