Page 41 of The Glass Dolphin

“And that’s what you want? More time with me? With all of us?”

“Yes,” he whispered.

Julia’s vein pulsed in her neck again. “I wasn’t sure, because we’ve been…” She swallowed. “Moving so fast.”

Liam kept his hands on her body but put more space between them. “Have we?”

She gave him a soft smile, because Maddy had been right. She’d said that for Liam, he was probably moving at normal Liam-speed. To her, it felt fast. “I think so,” she whispered. “I’m not upset by it, but I think it’s been pretty fast, yeah.”

He looked thoughtful for a moment, and then he leaned in again. He pressed his cheek to hers, and she let her eyes close in bliss. “It’s because I wanted to stay here over Christmas, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” she said. She’d turned him down, but they’d parted with a semi-understanding that she wasn’t ready yet. It hadn’t had anything to do with the speed of their relationship—until now.

“Noted,” he said. “You’re just so…” He didn’t finish the sentence, and as he lifted his head, Julia didn’t need him to. He wore the desire right there in his eyes, and Julia realized the speed at which their relationship had been or was moving was her issue to resolve.

He wanted her. She could see it plainly in his expression. She could hardly believe it, but she couldn’t deny her own eyes. She could close them and bridge the gap between them, so she did that, landing the kiss squarely against his lips.

Liam pulled in a fast breath through his nose, this kiss electrifying and bone-meltingly hot at the first touch. He kissed her roughly for a stroke, then two, before he settled himself and turned the action into something that resembled a cherishing touch.

“I just…want you,” he said, breaking their kiss and then diving into a second one. “You’re so…good.” He kissed her again. “And kind.” He moved his mouth to her neck. “And smart.”

Julia clung to his shoulders, taking every compliment and touch from him freely. “Your son knows what we’re doing in here.”

“I doubt that very much,” Liam whispered, his mouth lingering along the neckline of her dress. He lifted his head. “But he does have a vivid imagination.” His eyes sparkled with mischief mingled with desire, and he backed up, taking his delicious hands with him. “Let’s go.”

He took her hand and turned to leave the house. Julia went with him, her legs feeling very much like stiff logs. He wasn’t driving the police cruiser tonight, and Julia squeezed his hand. “Where did you get this car?”

“It’s Ian’s,” he said, looking over to her. “Don’t worry.” He chuckled and brought her hand to his lips. “I had him clean it out, and it passed my, and I quote, military inspection.”

Ian sat behind the wheel, and surprise once again poured into Julia. “He’s driving.”

“He’s going to chauffeur us,” he said, like this was totally normal.

“He’s coming on the date with us, right?” Julia asked.

“Yes.” Liam glanced over to her and then opened the back door on the driver’s side for her. “We’re going bowling. That’s still okay, isn’t it?”

“Absolutely,” she said as she sank into the narrow back seat. “I love bowling.”

Liam waited while she tucked her skirt under her leg and out of the doorway, and then he closed the door and started around the car. Julia looked up to Ian, though he sat directly in front of her. “You’re driving.”

“Yes,” he said. “I’m not bad.”

“You’re not sixteen.”

He met her eyes in the rearview mirror, and his contained that same glint his father’s had. Oh, this boy would break a lot of hearts, Julia knew. “If I’m with a licensed adult, I can drive.”

Liam opened the door on his side, and Ian twisted around to face them as he settled into the seat. “All right,” he said. “Ready.”

“Okay,” Ian said, his voice tight. “Now, look here. I can’t have any kissing or canoodling in the back seat. It’ll be too distracting, all right? So hands to yourself and behave.” He glanced over to Julia and back to Liam. “I’m mostly talking to you, son. You hear me? You keep your hormones in check while I’m in the car.”

A moment of silence beat through the car, timed perfectly with Julia’s jumping pulse, and then Liam burst out laughing. Julia’s nerves scattered as Ian’s laughter joined his father’s, and she joined her fingers to Liam’s as his son turned around to face the front.

“You’ve given him that lecture before, haven’t you?”

“I think word-for-word,” Liam said, still chuckling. “I had to drive for the Christmas Ball, and he was with averypretty girl. He needed the lecture.”

“Who did you go with?” Julia asked.

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