Page 17 of When It Rains He Pours

“That's the most expensive place around.”

Shrugging his shoulder, his fingers tightened around mine, thumb rubbing the nub on my wrist. “It's home for now.”

“How long are you staying for?”

“Until I get what I came for.”

“You still haven't told me what that is.”

Liam's lips thinned as his eyes settled on my face. “I thought I knew before, but things have changed. Something special brought me half-way across the country, and it's not what I expected at all.”

“You're not going to tell me what it is, are you?”

“Nope.”

The hotel's front plaza emerged as we rounded the corner. Granite steps led up to a set of double glass doors. The center of the glass was frosted with the hotel name etched over the surface in looping swirls of calligraphy.

“I can't believe you're staying here.”

Glancing down on me, his head tipped into his shoulder, a single brow arching high. “And why's that?”

“I don't know, it's just that most of the time the only people I know that stay here are senators and the occasional famous actor or musician.” Staring down at the steps, I watched the black onyx swim in long streams through the white marble. “Most of the tourists stay over at the Gully or the Red Swan.”

“I'm not most tourists.” The doors slid open and I followed Liam to the elevator, hand in hand. Nodding at the receptionist, he hit the button and looked up at the glowing arrow.

I felt out of place and under dressed for that hotel. Looking down at my dirty jeans and paint stained sneakers, I uneasily twisted my toe into the fancy marble tiles.

“You alright?” he asked as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open.

“Yeah, I'm fine, I just don't feel like I belong here.” Plucking at my shirt, I looked myself over. “I mean look at me, I'm a mess.”

“You're not out of place here. If anything, this place doesn't fit you.” His smile warmed me, making my stomach do acrobatic tumbles.

“Thank you.” Stepping onto the elevator, Liam pushed number twenty-three, and before the doors even had time to close all the way, he was on me. His hands came up and tangled in my hair, his lips found my neck kissing and nipping.

Moaning softly, my head tilted back, giving him all the room needed. My sex was hot, throbbing and pulsing as his hands traced my ribs and teased the trim of my pants.

“Fuck, Glory, it's been hard as hell to keep my hands off of you.” Teeth nibbled the tender skin behind my ear, his tongue swirling over the surface and gently suckling my earlobe. “You have no idea how fucking hard it's been not to touch you. The walk here was torture.”

“I've wanted you to touch me, I've been waiting for you to touch me.” The words spilled out as I exhaled, my fingers curling around his back to pull him closer.

Everything about us was raw, primal, driven by lust and desire. My brain had shut down, running on adrenaline and alcohol.

Did I know what I was doing? Absolutely.

But what was making the choices and decisions was debatable. I could say I was in charge, I could say that my mind was working at full speed and all of this was planned.

Except it wasn't. The day had scarred me, it had made me want to hold onto something that made me feel good.

Because losing everything was too much for me to bear. It hurt, it stung, it created an open gash in my heart that needed immediate fixing.

And he became the glue I wanted to mend me.

Liam's mouth found mine, his tongue dancing over the ridges. We were lost in each other, the passion and need all consuming.

The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened to release us into the hall. But we didn't break apart from each other. Liam guided me backwards out of the elevator, his mouth still on mine, refusing to let go. Our steps were awkward and unbalanced as his arm wrapped my waist and my hands raked through his hair.

Reaching a door, he pushed me against it, trailing rough kisses down my throat as he pulled the key card from his pocket and unlocked the door. Throwing it open, Liam's hands gripped under my ass and lifted me off my feet.

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