Page 49 of Hold

“Liam,” she breathed. “You’re killing me.”

“I don’t know how that’s possible,” he said, brushing his beard against her skin, “because I died of wanting you about a week ago.”

Her waist was under his other hand, and it was slim and soft against his arm, but he kept it there, knowing he had time to make love to only this one arm before they were found. He kept on his journey up toward her shoulder, the ruffle of the blouse now tickling his cheek, leaving small wells of moisture where his tongue tasted the salt on her—

“Jesus,” a voice said behind them. “Get a room. Seriously. I’m begging you.”

It was Chloe. Thea dropped her arm and tried to shy away from him, but Liam held her waist more tightly. They were two consenting, unattached adults, and there was no need to keep this from their friends.

“About time you two got it on,” Chloe said, putting a hand on her hip. “You could cut the sexual tension in this house with a knife.”

“Shh!” Thea said and pointed upward. It was still possible that Jake would hear them, though Liam knew he spent most of his time with his headphones on so his mother wouldn’t know what movies he was watching. Liam, who’d grown up an only child in a quiet house where his mother knew most of what he was doing, approved.

“So,” Chloe said. “Where are we at?”

Thea spluttered and Liam said, “We love you, Chloe, but it’s none of your business.”

“Ooh, Thea. Note how easily he says, ‘I love you.’ This one’s a keeper.”

“Chloe!” That was Thea.

Chloe put up her hands. “I’m just pointing it out. Now, someone promised me ice pops.”

Thea reached behind her and wrenched Liam’s hand from her waist; at least that was what it felt like. But still. Now they had two more days and then,then, the boys would be at the Cape and Thea wouldplease Godcall the shot he’d been waiting for.

Chapter 14

Thea:You’re going to murder me.

Liam:Why? If I’m going to sharpen the ax, I’d like to know I had a good reason.

Thea:The boys just left. I’m knackered, as Ellen would say. I need to go to bed for three days.

Liam:Sounds good to me.

Thea:Alone.

Liam:Where’s that whetstone?

Thea:I’m sorry. I’m no good at this.

Liam:Me either.

Thea:I don’t know how to… be a modern

She deleted the word. She sounded like someone out of the 1920s.I’m a thoroughly modern woman. Look, my dress barely reaches past my calves.

But there was still the issue that she had never properly dated and Liam probably had, several times, before he met his ex-wife. She was in her own immersion class, but the language she was learning was the contemporary way to flirt, to tease, to make love.

Thea clutched her hair in her hands. Look, see? She’d texted several sentences to him and hadn’t used an emoji once. She was a dirty old woman, and Liam was going to notice as soon as she took her clothes off.

She still didn’t know how old he was, and now she was too afraid to ask. He was younger than thirty-one, but how much younger? If she added four years of college to five years of apprenticeship, the number still came out too low for her peace of mind. So the big question was, how long had he been teaching?

No, the big question is, how long are you going to torture the poor man?

She deleted the whole sentence.

Thea:I have a question.

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