74

NORA

Say what you want about Emily, but she was pretty good at construction. The buildings all seemed similar but they each had slight differences to them. It was like walking into a dystopian/utopian society at the same time.

I whirled around in awe, taking in all the beige-colored buildings. “It’s actually much more impressive than I imagined,” I confessed to Liam, who was rounding up a conversation with some of Emily’s staff.

He glanced at me with a smile on his handsome face. My heart warmed. “Fun fact, do you know Emily’s company constructed ours,”

“No way,”

“If there’s one thing she’s good at, it’s definitely architecture,” we both shared a laugh as he closed the space between us. Emily’s staff had been around to show us around, but in the end, they’d left us alone to perform our task in private.

We needed to ensure this was a business deduction that would not only be profitable but one that wouldn’t hurt our reputation. And we certainly couldn’t do that with her cohorts breathing down our necks.

I glanced at Liam, whose attention was on me. A small blush crept up my neck at the intensity of his gaze. The weight of our earlier conversation no longer hung between us. In fact, it almost felt like it helped our relationship progress. We’d both opened up about our deepest secrets. It almost felt as though we were open books to each other.

Liam was smiling more, and I was happier than ever. Even though the weight of Gemma still loomed somewhere.

We were still unsure what she was capable of, but for now, our priority was enjoying the little moments we had together.

“You know, this feels more intimate than a business deal in the making,” he told me, walking past me and into the kitchen. A small smile split my lips as I followed after him, pretending to not know what he was talking about.

“Really? "What do you mean?” I teased, gliding my fingers on the cold kitchen island.

He was on the other side of the room, a dark gleam in his eyes as he watched me. When was the last time Liam looked at me like this?

He shrugged a shoulder, admitting, “Feels like we’re house hunting,”

The thought had crossed my mind when we first pulled up, but I didn't want to say it because I was the only one who felt this way. I smiled. It was nice to see Liam and I thought alike.

“It does,” I stopped the innocent act, my voice taking on a more teasing tone. “What would you have done if we were really house hunting?”

Subtly, I lifted a hand and touched it on the exposed sliver of skin on my chest. I ran it down, throwing the valley of my breasts, all the way to my navel. I paused right at the waist of my skirt, noticing a beat too late that the island was blocking his view of the lower part of my body.

Still, Liam swallowed as his eyes tracked the movement.

I wanted Liam and he wanted me too. Perhaps it was the result of our earlier conversation, or maybe it was something else. But for some reason, the only thing I wanted was to be all wrapped up in Liam’s arms. For him to lean me over that island and fuck me to kingdom come.

The way he had all those months ago.

My body craved his—it needed his. And not even the prospect of being caught by the staff straggling about was enough to stop it.

I saw Liam’s resolve drop. Electricity crackled in the air as he closed the space between us in a few hasty strides, taking me in his arms before his lips collided with mine. I sighed into the kiss as his tongue gently coaxed mine apart. My heart leaped behind my rib cage as my lips fell open, giving him access to my tongue.

It was desperately yearning for the feel of him as we exchanged breaths.

A small moan escaped my throat as Liam's hands slid down my sides. They lingered on my hips, rubbing at the sensitive skin before he hoisted me off the floor and onto the island.

We pulled apart for air, but his mouth was quick to latch onto my neck. I groaned as he bit into the damp skin ever so gently, writhing silently at the sizzling sensation the bite sent through me.

We’d kissed a couple of weeks ago, but it was nothing in comparison to this feeling. This kiss was ravaging. It wasn’t just our lips grazing, it was a silent promise that we had a chance together. And not even time or distance was enough to split us apart.

“Fucking hell, Nora,” Liam swore as I slid my arms around him and grabbed at the fabric of his suit jacket.

All the heated gazes, the electrifying touches, and the stolen kisses had led up to this moment. For a sliver of a moment, I felt bad considering the whole situation with Emily, but I would have been lying if I said this didn't feel right.

I groaned in frustration as Liam pulled back. One of his dark brows was raised as his fingers lingered on my shirt's button. It was a silent question: were we doing this?

Whether it was lust, desire, or even the desperate need to have him in me, something propped me to nod hastily, assisting him with the many buttons on my silk shirt.

Impatient, Liam ripped them off, exposing my bra-clad chest. It rose and fell with my desire.

I pouted. “That shirt was expensive,”

“I'll buy you a thousand more,” he growled, eyes dilating as he took in my nearly naked torso. I shrugged the rest of the shirt off, laughing as he dipped in to run his tongue along the swell of my breasts.

“What will I do with a thousand shirts?” I asked, but he only groaned in response.

My hands flew to the back of his head, pressing him closer into me as pleasure coiled in the pit of my belly.

Liam's soft hair ran through my fingers as his mouth worked at my breasts. He expertly flicked the clasp open, taking in a deep breath as he came face to face with the fullness of my chest for the first time.

Sure, he'd felt them before, but he'd never latched onto a nipple or a bit onto it the way I liked before.

“Damn, you're gorgeous,” he told me, resting a palm on my face. Crimson rose up my neck and cheeks at his words. When was the last time someone appreciated me and my body this way?

Liam's hands trailed down my exposed breasts and dipped down the waistband of my skirt. “You were teasing me earlier. "I couldn’t wait to get my hands on you,” he confessed.

My heart pounded against my chest as his fingers skimmed lower, brushing against my clit and wrenching a soft desperate moan from me.

“Fuck, no panties?” he groaned, pulling back as though my skin burned him. I shook my head, needing him to find my clit once again.

He cursed, wrapping a hand around my neck before pulling me in for another drugging kiss.

“I want to do so much to you, but I need to bury myself in you before I fucking die,” his words wrenched a raspy gasp from my voice. I pushed aside the alarmed voice in my head that warned me it was wrong to rail my boss.

After all, he was Liam, my grumpy roommate before he ever became my boss. And that was who I was fucking today.