“I think they can do that, but I can’t promise anything.”
Mallory sat down. “Okay.”
“Okay? Does that mean you want me to call Randy?”
She slowly nodded, and I could see the tears forming in her eyes. She quickly blinked them away. It felt like someone was squeezing my damn heart. I wanted to ease all her fears, but I knew that was impossible until this monster was brought to justice.
I stood, reached for her hands, and gently pulled her up. Cupping her face, I looked into her hazel eyes. When she was worried, the yellow sunbursts seemed to be lighter in color. “Do you remember when I said I wouldn’t let anyone ever hurt you?”
“Yes,” she softly replied.
“I won’t, Mallory. I swear to you, I’m not going to let anyone hurt you ever again.”
Leaning closer, I pressed my lips to hers. The kiss was soft and slow at first, but quickly turned more passionate. Her handswent to my chest, and she gripped my shirt, moaning into my mouth.
When I drew back, I rested my forehead to hers.
“Liam?” Her chest rose and fell with each panted breath.
“Yes?”
“I want you. Desperately.”
Closing my eyes, I fought for the strength to tell her we needed to wait, but it wasn’t there. I wanted her as much as she wanted me. “I want you, too, sweetheart.”
When she drew her head back and looked up at me, she let out a nervous chuckle. “I don’t even know if I’m a virgin or not.”
My brows shot up, and I stared at her for a few moments. “Um, well…I guess there’s only one way to find out.”
She grinned, then looked down at my chest, a nervous expression on that beautiful face. “Will you make love to me?”
Sweeping one arm under her legs, I picked her up and carried her through the house and to my bedroom. We hadn’t picked up Piper from Billy’s house yet, so I could take my time with her. Study every inch of her body and learn what she liked when it came to lovemaking. The idea of her possibly being a virgin only made me harder. Either way, I wanted her. Wanted to make hermine.
Slowly letting her slide down my body, I kissed along her jaw, down her neck, then back up to her ear. I bit gently on her earlobe, and she sucked in a breath.
“Are you sure, Mallory?”
Her shaking hands started to lift my shirt over my head. “I’ve never been surer of anything in my entire life.”
When she placed a soft kiss on my chest, I nearly crumbled to the floor.
I’d told myself we would go slow, but I couldn’t wait any longer. I was desperate to make Mallory Wilson my own.
She fumbled with the button on my jeans, and when she couldn’t manage it, we both laughed. She stepped back and allowed me to undress. I watched as she did the same, then made her way over to the bed.
“Mallory,” I whispered, as I took her in. She was perfect in every way. Never in my life had I ever wanted a woman as much as I wanted her. A part of me felt guilty for that, because of Emily. Because for a long time, I’d thought she was the person I was meant to be with.
But looking down at the woman lying in my bed, I knew with every ounce of my soul that Mallory was the one my heart had been waiting for. And there wasn’t a damn thing I wouldn’t do to protect her. I would walk to the ends of the Earth for her. I’d lie for her. I would even die for her, if it meant keeping her safe.
Moving to the bed and lying next to her, I kissed her gently. “Are you nervous?”
She shook her head. “Not at all.”
I kissed her again, and within minutes, we were both lost in one another.
I was falling in love with Mallory, or maybe I’dalreadyfallen. All I knew for certain was that my life would no longer be complete without her.
##
