Page 71 of Booked for the Holidays
Like I was art. Like I was his.
The mirror doesn’t lie. I see the red flush on my chest, the way my nipples are still tight from being watched so intensely. I see the damp shine between my thighs, proof of how completely he unraveled me with just his hands and that voice. The dirty talk was next level. I think it might have been filthier than the scene in the book.
And I see him, still behind me, his broad chest rising beneath his shirt, eyes dark and fixed on mine like he’s not done. Like he’s barely gotten started.
I’ve never felt this exposed. Not just physically, but emotionally. Like he’s peeled back every layer of my defenses, and all that’s left is want. Need. A reckless kind of craving.
I should be overwhelmed. But I’m not. Because Liam’s gaze hasn’t wavered—not once. He’s not smirking. He’s not smug. He’s reverent.
I don’t think anyone’s ever looked at me like this. Like I’m both the fire and the fuel.
My chest rises again on a shaky breath. He’s still dressed, his shirt still tucked neatly into his pants, but there’s something feral behind his restraint. He’s holding back for me, waiting for my cue, and the knowledge sends another flicker of heat through my belly.
He worshipped me without undressing himself.
And I want to worship him right back.
“You want to keep going?” he asks, voice husky as his lips brush over my shoulder.
I can hear the need in his voice. And I can still feel the painfully hard length of him beneath my ass.
“Yes,” I say. No hesitation.
Because in this moment, there’s no fear left. No embarrassment or panic at the thought of showing Liam everything I am. There’s only moving forward with whatever this is between us. Even if it only lasts for tonight or for the week, I want it.
“Good,” he says, brushing his thumb across my bottom lip before he captures my mouth with his own. “Then get on the bed.”
I move off his lap and sit at the edge of the bed.
Liam stands then steps in front of me, watching me. His chest rises slowly, his eyes burning like he’s memorizing me all over again—my parted lips, my bare breasts, the trust I’m offering him without a single word.
He starts by pulling off his sweater and setting it on the chair behind him. Then, he reaches for the buttons on his shirt, working them one by one, slow and deliberate. No rush. No performance. Just his eyes on mine while the fabric parts, revealing the golden skin of his chest, the sharp cut of his abs, and that trail of hair that disappears below his waistband.
When the shirt finally slips off his shoulders, he tosses it aside. His fingers go to his belt next, the sound of the leather sliding through the loops making my stomach flip. The clink of the buckle. The soft rasp of his zipper. It all feels louder with my heartbeat in my ears.
He watches me the whole time. Like he wants me to see every inch he’s going to give me.
When he steps out of his pants, I get my first look at how hard he is for me, straining against the fabric of his briefs.
He doesn’t say a word as he hooks his thumbs in the waistband and slides them down.
His cock springs free and I swear I lose my ability to breathe for a full five seconds.
“Oh,” I blurt, before I can stop myself. “Well. That’s…ambitious.”
His mouth curves into a knowing grin, cocky and lethal. “Ambitious?”
I lick my lips, my eyes still glued to him. “I mean, I’ve read about this kind of confidence, but I didn’t think it actually existed in the wild.”
Liam laughs—low, sinful, completely unbothered—and strokes a hand down his length like he’s doing it just to mess with me. “You going to be okay?”
“Physically? Emotionally? Spiritually?” I raise a brow. “Unclear. But I’m willing to find out.”
That earns me a groan as he steps closer and strokes a knuckle along my jaw. “You’re the one sitting there like a feast, Firefly. I’m just trying to keep up.”
I reach for him then, wrapping my hand around him for the first time, and his breath hitches. He’s hot and hard in my grip, and my own pulse ricochets at the weight and heat of him.
“Fuck,” he groans. “I love your hands on me.”
