Page 47 of Recklessly You
“Got to go, guys. I’m going to check on my girl.” Dominic swings his bag over his shoulder, waving to his brothers and patting Liam on the back.
I look up at Liam for the first time since he snuck up behind me. “Hey.” I force a smile, jealousy still dripping from my lips. His female admirers are still watching him with interest. He must talk to them when he comes to the gym since they clearly know him by name. Oh, of course, they’re staring at his ass. The man has the best ass I’ve ever seen in my life.
“Hey, Sophie!” His beautiful eyes scan my profile. “You looked great out there. Not only do you run like a gazelle, but you jump rope like you’re training for a competition. May I add that your tits bounce to perfection?” He offers a cocky grin.
Well, I can be cocky, too, a little ray of sunshine. “Ugh, yeah, I’m sure it’s what all the guys thought when they were staring at my tits.”
God, you sound like an idiot, a total bitch because you’re jealous. He moves toward me until I can feel his breath on my face. His body is so close, I can make out the beads of sweat forming on the side of his cheeks and trickling down his neck onto his already-damp shirt. My hands itch, as I desperately want to reach out and trace the contours of his arms with my fingertips.
“Watch it, Sophie,” he says, his voice full of authority. “I made sure no man was looking at you but me.” Well, someone is territorial, so why can’t I be too, right?
“Stay put,” I command, and he raises one dark eyebrow in response.
I step around him and let my palm crash against his left meaty butt cheek. The heavy sound of my palm connecting with his toned ass cheek vibrates on my fingertips. His skin feels hard beneath my hand, and a wave of pleasure rushes through me as I remember how tight his ass is when we have sex.
Satisfaction floods my veins as he tenses. I have marked my territory. I can hear Mark and Santiago laughing, as well as some other guys I saw Liam talking to earlier. Glancing up at those guys, I notice they’re wearing tank tops that say SDPD. They must be officers. I return my gaze to Liam, who is looking at me, confused. Squaring my shoulders and standing tall to hide my embarrassment, I turn my gaze to the three women looking at me in shock, whispering to one another like schoolgirls gossiping in a locker room.
A soft grip around my neck has me startled. Liam’s hard callous hands keep me in place. I look into his gunmetal eyes, and he’s laughing.
“You slapped my ass?” he says in a deep husky laugh.
“I did.” My voice strangles in my throat. God, I can’t think straight with him looking at me. He’s just so handsome. I feel my face flush hot cherry-red. I never blush. Never until him. He looks up at the women in their tight little elastic shorts. Then he glances back at me. His thumb caresses my soft skin in an up-and-down movement.
“I see,” he says before his lips crash onto mine. The kiss sends a shock of electricity through me. My arousal spikes as he tightens his hold around my neck. His tongue slips into my mouth, exploring, and I melt into him. He’s kissing me in a way I’ve never been kissed before. Deep. Passionate.
He’s letting me stake a claim on him, even if it’s for a short time. Letting my hands trail to his hair, I grab a fistful, deepening the kiss more. Liam tastes like my perfect temptation, my sin. His free hand rubs my ass, then he smacks it and pulls away.
“There,” he drawls out with a grin of satisfaction on his handsome face. All I hear is whistling in the background. I’m still staring at Liam in shock and aroused. He kissed me at the gym in front of the guys. Oh. My. God.
“You—you kissed me in front of the guys.”
“Santiago and Mark already know, and the guys from work—who gives a fuck?” He grabs his bag and swings it over his shoulder. “Let’s go.”
“Why? Where?”
“To the alley in the back, baby. Now. Hurry your sweet ass.”
I chase after him as he walks to the back, where the restroom and lockers are. The guys are yelling for Liam, but he simply ignores them. The alley. Why the hell is he in a hurry to get to the alley? Then it hits me. There must be someone getting jumped. No, someone getting jumped in the alley doesn’t really make sense. How would he know it was going down? He’s been inside for at least an hour. But what else could he need to do in the alley? It has to be that, right? My tennis shoes smack into the cement floor as I jog after him.
“Maybe you should get the guys.”
He turns to look at me while he’s still scurrying toward the back door. “Why the fuck would I want the guys?” he grumbles, his eyebrows scrunching.
“Well, maybe because you’re not armed, and you don’t know how many guys are out there.” My heart is beating like a drum. I saw a gun pointed at Mila. I can’t handle any more crazy shit. Sure, I’ve seen plenty of crazy shit living in New York, but it hits differently when you see it happen to people you care about.
Liam stops, and I run right into his hard chest. “What in the hell are you talking about?”
“The alley. Is there someone getting jumped or something? You’re running out the door like a bat out of hell.”
My eyes widen when he throws his head back and laughs—full and throaty. A smile breaks on my lips at the sound of his gorgeous laugh. His Adams apple bobs with each hearty laugh. He rests his hands on his thighs, bending slightly to catch his breath from the roar of laughter.
“Oh, man, baby, I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time,” he says.
My heart squeezes at the thought of him holding back from living, laughing, loving, from happiness. I’ve always believed happiness is the recipe our soul needs. I might be going through hard times, but the damage Eric did to me left me feeling self-conscious. He stripped me of my confidence. Liam has made me feel sexy and worth so much more these last couple of days. I want to leave him with a kaleidoscope of laughter and smiles.
He grabs my hand and continues leading me through the emergency exit. He pushes the gray door open, and the soft breeze hits my sweaty skin.
“The only one getting jumped out here, baby, is you. By my cock.”
