Bad Romeo Christmas: A Starcrossed Anthology (Starcrossed #4)(48)

Yeah, sure, it was.

Fighting the urge to run, I hurry through the clearing, hoping like hell I don't bump into anything on the way.

When I get to Liam, he smiles up at me as he squints against the sun.

"Hey, thrill seeker. Welcome back."

"Hey."

"You okay? You look flushed."

"Yeah, just creeped out by the murder altar back there. I keep imagining things."

He frowns. "Like what?"

I wave my hand. "Vengeful spirits."

"You've been speaking to Alba, haven't you?"

"A little, but it's fine. Just tell me there's no such thing."

He looks at me like he thinks I'm both crazy and adorable. "There's no such thing."

"Cool. Thanks." I flop down on the towel beside him. "So, on a less creepy note, sorry for not jumping. I'm a wuss."

"No, you're not. That was a tough thing to ask you to do. Most people would have balked."

"You didn't."

"Yeah, but I have more guts than brains. You're the smart one in our relationship." He leans over and kisses me. "Maybe we should develop your adventurous side with something a little less extreme."

"Like ...?"

He shrugs and feigns innocence. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe ... topless sunbathing?" When I give him a skeptical look, he gestures to his chest. "Look, I'm already doing it. You should join me."

"Seriously, Liam?" He's grinning like a teenager about to get his first glimpse of boob.

"What do you have to lose?" He gestures around us. "We're in a private spot, and you can avoid those pesky tan lines."

I do hate tan lines. Not that I've really had a tan before. "What if Luis comes to check on us?"

"He won't. I gave him and Alba the weekend off, so they could go to the mainland for their daughter's birthday. They won't be back until Monday morning. That means we have this entire island to ourselves for nearly three days."

When I hesitate, he makes chicken noises. Bastard.

Oh, game on, Quinn. I'm not chickening out this time.

"Okay," I say, and stand. "How about we take this a step further." I strip off my top and push my bottoms down my legs before stepping out of them. "You wanted me to ditch my clothes this trip. Fine. You got it."

Liam's eyes nearly bug out of his head. "Uh ... wow. Okay. So, wow. You're ... naked."

"Do you have a problem with that, Chicken McNugget?"

He swallows, hard. "Nope. No problem at all." He just stares for a few seconds, slack jawed and practically drooling.

"Liam?"

"Sssh!" he says, waving a hand. "Talking will wake me up, and this is the best dream I've had in a long time." He brings two fingers to his temple and squints like he's concentrating. "Dream Elissa, please walk around so Dream Liam can ogle you. Maybe get him a Dream Coke while you're at it."

Shaking my head, I head over to the beach hut. On the way I hear him whisper to himself, "Oh my God. It worked. I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi."

It feels weird being naked out in the open, but I kind of like it. Right now, the girl who's spent most of her life in the concrete jungle of NYC is feeling wild and free, and it's empowering.

I grab two Cokes from the fridge and head back to Liam. He's studying me with the intensity of an alcoholic watching someone pour him a drink. There's longing but also a little fear.

When I pass him his drink, he looks away with effort, and judging by his color, either the sun is starting to get to him, or he's blushing.

"Still cool with me being naked?" I ask.

He holds the cold bottle to his face. "Yep. It's ... good."

"Good? Hmmm. So turned on you're having trouble with your vocabulary, Liam?"

"Uh ... no. I'm ... good."

I enjoy his discomfort way too much as he tries to look at me and keep himself under control at the same time.

"Then how about some quid pro quo, Clarice." I uncap my bottle. "If I'm going to be naked, it's only fair you are, too."

He takes a mouthful of his drink then wipes his mouth. "I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Because it's different for me than it is for you."

I slap his shoulder. "Hey! Sexist, much? Why is it different?"

"You really don't get it?"

When I shake my head, he sighs and stands. Then he opens his shorts and pulls them down. As soon as his erection bounces free of the fabric, it points proudly to the sky.

Liam gestures to it with vague disgust. "That's why. I look like a goddamn rhinoceros." He glares down at his crotch. "Why can't you behave yourself, dude? Seriously. Just because Elissa's naked, you don't have to lose your shit. You're a disgrace to penises everywhere."

I'd laugh if I didn't find the sight of him erect so damn hot. "Actually, I think he's a penile role model. I know a lot of ladies would be thrilled if their men were packing that in their tighty-whiteys."

"You would think that. You're biased."

"I am, but that doesn't make it untrue." I stand and walk over to him as he kicks off his shorts. His breathing speeds up when I put one hand on his chest and trail the other along his length. "You know, if it's uncomfortable for you to be this hard, I could always release the pressure." I move closer, and he lets out a hiss when I press my stomach against him.