Bad Romeo Christmas: A Starcrossed Anthology (Starcrossed #4)(25)

"Miss Holt? You were saying what I need to get."

"Uh ... right. Yes. An espresso machine. And a bowl of M&Ms with all the green ones removed."

"Sure. I'll get on that. Can I also get you some water? Or something to eat? You don't look well."

She's not wrong. I'm lovesick. And Liam deprived. And orgasmically challenged. None of that is healthy, dammit.

"You're right, Ainsly, I'll grab a sandwich and be back in five, okay? You keep going on these rooms."

"Sure, I'll be here."

I almost sprint to my office. It's true I have a sandwich in my bag, but what I'm really hungering for isn't food. When I get inside, I lock the door and lean back against it. My fingers shake as I jab Liam's name for Facetime.

Within seconds, he appears on the screen.

Sweet giddy Christ, he's shirtless. It should be a crime to be that attractive.

I’ll never get used to the sight of Liam's naked chest. What's more, the roll he's playing calls for long hair, so he's wearing messy extensions and braids that make him look like the Viking God of Extreme Hotness.

It takes me a few moments to adjust to the bout of dizziness the sight of him inflicts upon me.

"Hey," he says. I know that voice. The one that means he's so horny, he can barely speak.

"You're killing me, Quinn, you know that?"

He leans closer to the camera. "I can't help it. You look beautiful, by the way. Show me your underwear."

"Liam, everything is in chaos here. I have no time to—"

"Now, Elissa."

Jesus. I can't argue when he orders me around like that. It's too arousing.

I quickly lift up my shirt to show him my plain black bra.

"Fuck, yes." He licks his lips. "Don't suppose you have time for a quick strip tease? Or even better, a slow one?"

"Sadly, no." His face falls as I drop my shirt. "But just for the record, are you currently naked?"

He smiles before standing to show me an elaborate pair of leather pants that are caked in fake blood and embellished with fur. "Nope. Just lounging around in my nifty thrifty killin'-pants. They're surprisingly comfortable."

As bizarre as it sounds, my blond-ish, blue-eyed hunk is playing Genghis Khan in a big-budget and historically inaccurate blockbuster.

Ahhh, Hollywood. Casting white people in ethnic roles since forever.

The only reason Liam even considered the role was because James Cameron was directing, and he's Liam's idol. I'd never seen Liam fanboy, but the day Cameron called to ask him to do the project, Liam's blush was off the charts. It was both adorable and hot as hell.

"Those are some sexy pants, Mr. Quinn," I say with a smirk. "They make your junk look even more epic than it already is."

He sits again and raises an eyebrow. "You like the leather pants, huh? Well, play your cards right, and I'll take them off for you."

Man, if only. "You have no idea how much I want that right now, but I'm behind schedule as it is. Seeing you naked isn’t going to help me focus on anything except how much I miss you."

He leans forward, and even with the low-quality satellite feed, I can see the longing in his eyes. "Liss, I miss you so much I can't see straight. I'm going insane here. It's like I've got this weird, clammy fever, and the only cure is to be with you again." He lowers his voice. "I need you. I've almost forgotten how you feel."

"I know. But the wait is almost over, right? Then we'll have four weeks of total bliss together. No theaters. No movies or publicity. Just you and me."

He smiles. "That's the only thing keeping me going right now. I can't wait."

"Are you ever going to tell me where we're going?"

"No. But trust me when I say you're going to love it."

"If I have no idea of our destination, how will I know what to pack?"

He lets out a dark chuckle. "As long as you're there, screw everything else. It's not like you're going to need clothes. I intend to keep you naked the entire time."

I slump into the chair next to my desk. "Yes, please. Naked. You. Some food and water so we can keep up our strength. That's all I need."

There's a knock on my door, and James says, "Oh, hey, Elissa. Uh ... you might like to come see the lighting designer. The entire grid just crashed. Power overload or something."

I bite back a grunt of frustration. "You have the backup drive, James. Take care of it."

"Uh, yeah, about that. I kind of forgot to back it up. Do you have a list of the cues? We'll have to program them all in again."

I clench my jaw. "I'll be right there."

Footsteps move away from the door as I turn back to my phone. "I have to go. No rest for the wicked."

The disappointment is clear on his handsome face. "I'm sorry I'm not there to help out, but the show is in good hands. You're going to rock this. And when I get back, I'll thank you by showing you all the things I've been fantasizing about for three long months. Prepare yourself."

"Well, now I'm intrigued."

Through the screen, the intensity in his gaze makes me shiver. "Good. Because not all of them are gentle."