I took a shaky breath and swallowed hard. “Now, I’d like to try. To date you. If that’s still on the table.”
For a heartbeat, neither of us moved. I watched him, painstakingly waiting for him to split my soul in two and accept me. He didn’t know what he was accepting, but on the surface of my lineage and the craziness this world calls love—though I’m not ready to give my feelings that label—I needed him to accept me. My flaws. My insecurities. My crazy sisters.
Me.
“Yeah, it is.”
Liam’s arms wrapped around me and my magic surged. It danced, flowing in happy waves and twisting into coils. I stayed there, breathing in the sweet scent of his musk. Taking in thehard curves of his body. I could have stayed there with him forever, but I wanted more than just a hug. I wanted to finish what we'd started back at Abbott’s.
The moment I looked up at Liam, his hands cupped my cheeks and he dipped his head, lips pressing against mine. All the other times we kissed it felt like he was ravenous, feeding an insatiable hunger. This kiss was different. Slower. Like I was something precious to savor. It lasted for a minute, then two, then… Well, then I lost all concept of time.
I looped my arms around his neck, needing to touch more of him, and he lifted me off the ground. My legs wrapped around his waist as he carried me to one of the dusty work tables. He set me on it, then pushed the papers, pens, and haphazardly forgotten tools to the floor. I reach for his shirt and tug it overhead. Somehow, I’d forgotten how beautiful he was. His hard edges were tanned and toned but not beefy. A thin dusting of chest hair covered his pecs and funneled down his stomach, paving a taunting trail to the goods beneath his pants.
“I want this,” Liam said, one arm on either side of me, caging me in. “But not if you’re going to run again. We can take things as slow as you need. Whatever it takes to keep you here.”
“I’m accepting our bond, Liam,” I cupped his cheeks and looked him in the eyes. I needed him to know that I meant every word and I wasn’t going anywhere.
“What?”
“Nothing,” I said, shaking my head. I wasn’t going to get into the details. It didn't matter. I was Liam’s and my magic hummed with the anticipation of making it official. I kissed him and pulled him on top of me as I laid on the table. I reached for his zipper and struggled to get his pants off, but between my hands, my feet, and an uncoordinated shimmy, I finally had him how I wanted him. Well, almost. His boxers still stood between me and what I needed, but not for long.
I reached between the slit of his boxers and wrapped my fingers around his cock. I stroked his long, silky length, my fingertips far from touching. Liam’s head dropped to my shoulder and he bit down. I sighed his name, “Liam,” and he dipped his hand between my legs, pushing my pantie aside. I could have died right there and been happy. He played with my clit while I tried to make him feel just as good. But he was ruthless, pulling my arousal from me, bringing me to the edge of ecstasy, just to leave me wanting more.
“Holly,” he panted, my name a plea on his lips as he broke our kiss. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him. I saw it in the way he looked at me. Felt it in the way his dick pulsed in my palm when he said my name. “I don’t have a condom.”
My magic wrapped around us, golden threads tangling and twisting, waiting with heated impatience. I squirmed beneath him, pressure building inside me as his thumb rubbed against my clit. “I’m on the pill,” I said, nipping at his ear. “So long as you’re clean, I trust you.”
I hoped my magic wouldn’t match me with someone who had a gross STD. I liked to think it was sensible and wouldn’t give me a nasty surprise as its going away gift.
“I’m good. I promise,” he said, slipping a finger inside me. I gasped, unable to take the sensation anymore, and came all over his hand.
“That’s my good girl.” Liam kissed the inside of my thigh and then sat back on his heels. He slid my panties off. Tossed them to the side. Spread my legs open. And positioned himself between them.
There was a breathless moment where he hesitated and I wondered if he had changed his mind. Liam might not have understood what us getting together meant, but maybe some part of him could sense how monumental this moment was. He stared into my eyes, the gold fleck in his greens glowing bright,and I was convinced this wasn’t happening. But then he smiled and slowly pressed into me.
It should have been awkward, and perhaps with anyone else this level of intimacy would have been. I’d had my fair share of hookups over the years, and this first step was always rushed. A quick thrust and boom the fun began. Sometimes there was a slower start, but that usually had to do with me not being wet enough and friction. That wasn’t the case with Liam. I was hot and wet and wanting and he… he was savoring the moment.
He sucked in an audible breath once he was in and stilled again.
“You okay?” I asked. I’d never felt so vulnerable. I wasn’t used to this tenderness. The guys I hooked up with were thewham, bam, thank you ma’amsort. There was no thought or feeling beyond the race to finish. With Liam, there were butterflies, anticipation, a heightened sense of elatement with every touch. He could have sneezed on me and I probably would have felt the ghost’s touch of an orgasm.
“Mmhmm.” Liam kissed the tip of my nose and the movement of his body shifting made him grunt. “I’m just trying really hard not to come right now.”
“We’ve got all night.” I laughed a little and hooked my legs around his waist.
“No. I need you to come first.” He bit down my shoulder and a zing of pleasure shot from my shoulder straight through me. My back arched. Liam moved not to lose me and I dissolved into a sticky pool of pleasure. With each thrust I lost myself in the way he made me feel. Beautiful. Desired. And oh so good. A distant part of me felt my magic tying us together but I was too lost in the next round of pleasure building to care.
Liam pinned my hands above my head and rutted into me. He thrusted deeper, and harder, until there was nothing I could do but scream his name. I came harder and more viscous than Iever had in my life. Liam’s release was moments later, and as he pulled out and came on his shirt, my body was quiet. My magic had left me but in its place was a new sensation.
The feeling of being utterly and completely whole.
Saint Patrick’s Day. One Year later
“What are you drinking?” the man across the bar asked. He wore large green overalls without a shirt and a top hat. He looked like most everyone tonight, dressed to celebrate their favorite drinking holiday in various shades of green.
It was strange, having that phrase catch my attention tonight instead of the one I’d heard for so many years.Wanna get lucky?But it was nice too.
Just like Mom promised, my magic left when Liam and I got together. It hadn’t stirred or even fizzled all year, although that wasn’t unexpected. Under normal circumstances, my blessing—that was more of a curse—was confined to one night and one night only. Saint Patrick’s Day. This year, for the first time since I was eighteen, it slept silently, more than satisfied with the bargain I made. Choosing Liam and love set me free.
