Once her bra was discarded, Macy left her arms out, giving him the silent go ahead to remove the final piece. As she stood before him, more exposed than with any other man in her life, Macy didn’t have the fear she’d been so overwhelmed with. Maybe every moment up until now was preparing her for him. Maybe she’d waited all this time for Liam to come back into her life, to show her how she should be treated.

Macy wasted no time in assisting him out of his clothes as well. She ran her fingertips over the taut ridges on his abdomen. The trembling beneath her touch had her smiling as she glanced up.

“I thought I was the one who was supposed to be nervous.”

He gripped her hands, lacing their fingers together as he tugged her to fall against his chest. “You’re supposed to do nothing but relax and let me pleasure you.”

Oh, the promises held within that bold, toe-curling statement.

Macy backed up a step until her legs hit the edge of the bed. Sinking down, she reached her arms out.

Liam braced his hands on either side of her hips. Without saying a word, he covered her lips with his as he eased her back. She settled into the down comforter, but when his weight landed on top of hers, she tensed.

“Easy,” he murmured against her lips. “Just us, remember?”

His hand trailed down her side, over her hip, and along her thigh. Back and forth, he stroked her heated skin until she was arching against him. When he placed his hand between her legs, Macy opened, letting him in.

The way he touched her, pleasured her, loved her was so overwhelming. Macy tossed her head back as Liam made good on his promises. He nipped at her lips, her chin, down her neck to her breast. The sensations rushing through her, over her, were too much. She cried out as Liam lifted just enough, their eyes locking as she shattered.

Before she ever came down off her high, Liam pulled her with him as he rolled to his back. Instantly, she found herself straddling him, looking down into those captivating eyes. He didn’t turn his scarred side away from her. Perhaps on some level he was exposing himself as well.

Macy reached out, sliding her fingertip along the edge of the jagged scar. Liam didn’t tense, didn’t look away. He merely gripped her hips and waited.

“You’re more than I thought I’d find,” she confessed. She didn’t care that she’d said the words without thinking first. She meant them and she wasn’t a bit sorry they were out.

As she positioned herself over him, Liam kept that firm hold on her hips. She may be in charge, but he was still holding the reins . . . so to speak.

Before Macy could move, Liam sat up. “Wrap your legs around me. I want to touch all of you.”

As she shifted, they came together and Macy bit her lip, closed her eyes, and let the new onslaught of emotions take over.

“Look at me,” he demanded.

She opened her eyes, not surprised to see his face a breath from hers. Their bodies touched from shoulders down. Macy tightened her hold around his waist, encircled his neck with her arms, and slid down to connect them.

Just as she started to move, Liam’s fingertips dug into her hips. “No. Not yet.”

Macy needed to move, she needed . . . something. He was killing her.

“You good?” he asked.

Unable to speak, she nodded.

“Keep looking at me,” he demanded, his voice husky, as if he were suffering just as much. “Don’t take your eyes off me.”

Keeping their bodies in perfect alignment, Liam stood and turned. “Trust me?”

Macy threaded her fingers through his hair, keeping his command of eye contact. “Completely.”

He turned, laying her on the bed as he came down with her. But he didn’t fully press his weight into her. Macy’s arms fell beside her head as he loomed above her. An inkling of fear curled low in her belly. She glanced to the canopy above her bed.

“Eyes here, Macy.”

The moment she made contact again, the warmth in his eyes instantly erased the anxiety. She trailed her fingertips up his arms and over his shoulders. As he started moving, everything vanished but this moment. Not once did he look away, nor did he try to put any more of his weight on her.

Macy curled her hands around his shoulders and urged him down. She wanted to feel him against her, wanted to feel only him and no other memory or nightmare. Liam was it. Now and forever.

But that was a thought for another time. Right now, she relished the way he braced himself above her, still not fully coming down.