Chapter 83 I’m Sure
Mia's POV
The sunlight shimmered on the waves, but all I could focus on was Liam. The way his eyes stayed on me.
The way my smile felt brighter against the endless blue around us.
A small wave rolled in and made me squeal as I grabbed his arm to keep my balance. Liam laughed softly and steadied me, his other hand resting at my waist.
"See? This is why I need to keep you close," he said. "I can't have you floating away from me."
"You think I can't handle the ocean?" I teased, trying to pull back, but he did not let go.
"Oh, I know you can," he said, his voice lower now, his eyes locked on mine. "But I like having an excuse to touch you."
Heat rushed to my cheeks. I splashed him lightly with water, but he only laughed and stepped closer, the warm sea moving around us.
"You're blushing again," he murmured, tilting his head. "I love that look on you, Mia. It makes me want to..."
He stopped, his eyes dropping to my lips before he pulled back with a playful, dangerous smile.
"To what?" I asked, my voice barely above a breath.
He did not answer, at least not with words. Instead, he suddenly scooped me up into his arms, making me gasp as my legs instinctively wrapped around his waist.
"Liam!" I squealed, laughing as he spun us in the water, the sea spray catching in my hair.
"What?" he grinned. "I told you I wasn't going to let you go."
My laughter softened when I realized just how close we were, my body pressed against his, my hands resting on his bare shoulders. The playful energy shifted, the space between us thickening with something else entirely.
"You know," he murmured, his forehead dipping close to mine, "this... might just be my new favorite view."
I tried to roll my eyes, but my smile betrayed me.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said, his voice serious this time. “Every time I think I’ve seen you at your most beautiful, you surprise me again.”
My heart raced so hard I was sure he could feel it.
Then a wave came in, higher this time, and I gripped him tighter, instinctively burying my face into his neck. Liam's arms tightened around me, his lips brushing my ear as he whispered, "Told you... you belong right here."
I leaned back to look at him, my lips parting like I was about to say something, but he only smiled that slow, dangerous smile again.
"Careful, Mia," he murmured, his thumb brushing along my jaw. "Keep looking at me like that and I won't wait for tonight to have you."
My pulse spiked. "And what if I don't want you to wait?"
His eyes darkened, his grip on me tightening just slightly as the waves swayed us. "Then, Baby... you might not make it out of the water before I do."
The heat in his voice sending a shiver down my spine despite the warm ocean surrounding us. Before I could even think of a reply, Liam closed the distance, his mouth capturing mine in a kiss that was nothing like the teasing pecks he had given me before. This was deeper. It was the kind of kiss that left no room for doubt. He wanted me, completely.
My fingers tangled in the damp hair at the nape of his neck as I melted into him, tasting the salt of the sea on his lips. Every movement, every brush of his mouth against mine sent sparks shooting through me.
When he finally pulled back, his breathing was ragged. He rested his forehead against mine, his voice low and rough. "We should head back inside."
I did not argue. My heart was already racing, my body trembling, not from fear, but from the heady anticipation that seemed to pulse between us.
Without putting me down, Liam carried me out of the water, his strong arms holding me effortlessly against him. Droplets of seawater traced down our skin as he walked up the short path to the beach house. I clung to him, feeling the solid beat of his heart against my chest.
The moment he stepped inside and the door clicked shut, something in him shifted. The restraint he had held onto outside began to fray. He pressed me back gently against the wall, his lips claiming mine again, hungrier this time.
I gasped softly into his mouth, my hands sliding over his shoulders, feeling the taut muscles flex under my touch. "Liam..."
He broke the kiss just long enough to look into my eyes. "Tell me you want this."
I did not hesitate. "I do. I want you, Liam. No regrets. No holding back."
The way he looked at me then, like I was the only thing in the world that mattered, made my chest tighten. He cupped my face in his hands, kissing me slower this time, letting me feel every ounce of what he was not saying out loud.
Still carrying me, he moved through the open living area to the bedroom, setting me down carefully on the edge of the bed. I looked up at him, my hair still damp, my cheeks flushed, and something in him nearly broke.
"You have no idea how beautiful you are right now," he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from my face.
My lips curved into a small, shy smile, but the way my eyes lingered on him was anything but shy. "Then show me," I whispered.
That was all the permission he needed.
Liam's gaze did not leave mine as he lowered himself beside me on the bed, one arm braced above my head. The sunlight spilled in from the wide windows, painting my skin in a golden glow. I was sure he could feel the thrum of my pulse beneath his fingertips as he traced the curve of my jaw.
"Mia," he murmured, his voice rougher than before, "do you have any idea what you do to me?"
I shook my head slightly, lips parting as if to speak, but no words came.
He smiled faintly, brushing his thumb across my bottom lip. "You make me forget everything. The world, my plans, the fact that I'm supposed to take things slow with you." His voice dropped, husky. "I don't want slow anymore... not today."
My heartbeat drummed in my ears. "Then don't," I whispered.
That was it, the last thread of restraint snapped.
He kissed me again, but slower this time, as if he wanted to savor every second. His lips moved with measured care, tasting, coaxing, lingering until I sighed into him. His hand slid to the small of my back, drawing me closer, and I pressed against him without hesitation.
When he pulled back to breathe, his eyes swept over my face like he was memorizing me. "You're sure? Because once I start, Mia... I won't want to stop."
My answer came without a flicker of doubt. "I'm sure, Liam. I want this. I want you."
He lowered his forehead to mine for a moment, just breathing me in, before his lips began their slow, deliberate path along my jawline, down the delicate column of my throat.
My hands slid over his back, feeling the warmth of his skin, the solid strength beneath. When his mouth brushed over my shoulder, my breath came out in a shaky sigh, and he felt it against his cheek.
He drew back just enough to look at me, his fingers grazing over the thin straps of my swimsuit top. "Can I?" he asked, and the quiet respect in his voice made my heart swell.
I nodded.
He slipped the straps down my arms with a reverence that made me feel treasured, not just desired. When he bent to kiss the newly bared skin, I shivered, not from cold, but from the way every touch felt deliberate, like he was telling me I was the only woman who would ever matter to him.
My hands tangled in his hair, urging him closer, and he obeyed, kissing me again, deeper this time, with a hunger that matched my own.
He shifted, gently lowering me onto the pillows, his body settling over mine without trapping me. His lips never left mine for long, breaking away only to trail soft, teasing kisses across my skin before returning to my mouth like he could not bear to be apart.