Collided: Dirty Air (Book 2)(63)

I scoff. “It’s anything but easy to confront you about this. Easy would be to not mention anything. To sit back, enjoy our limited time together, and take off into the Italian sunset when all is said and done.”

“Then, why do it?” His eyes hold mine captive.

I swallow back my nerves, wanting to say the words before I lose the courage. “Because I care about you. Whenever you mention your brother, you get this wounded look in your eyes. The tragedy in Johanna’s death wasn’t only her dying. It was also you losing part of yourself to compensate for the emptiness of losing a best friend.”

“I think you missed your calling in psychology,” Liam grumbles.

I let out a soft laugh. “Nope. My calling was to end up here all along, ready to kick your ass into gear. You’ve been on more podiums with me around than last year. You’re welcome, by the way.”

Liam shoots me a beaming smile that I feel all the way to the deepest parts of my heart. “You, Sophie Marie Mitchell, are right where you belong. Screw accounting, you’re too hot to sit in a cubicle all day.”

Leave it to Liam to go from somber to humorous in one sitting. I let him get away with his diversion, content on enjoying our happy hour together.

We sit together and people-watch, making up ridiculous stories about tourists and locals alike. He sips his wine, bringing my attention to his lips wrapped around the rim of the glass. The same lips I want kissing me again.

I drain the remaining contents of my glass in a couple of swallows.

“Easy there.” His gravelly voice makes me clench my thighs.

And then I remember my saving grace. The whole reason Liam and I got into this mess together, the start of a relationship I could never prepare for.

I pull out the Fuck It list from my pocket and assess the deeds I can do. “I want to plan what to do next.”

His eyes darken. I review some of the items, wondering what I can choose by myself.

Liam grabs the list from my hands yet again. “The whole point isn’t to plan every little detail. I think I’ll choose this time.”

Goodbye control, catch you later.

“Found one. Kiss in front of the Eiffel Tower.” Liam clasps my hand, pulling me in flush against his body while strong hands hold me close.

I push away from his chest to look him in the eyes. “What are you doing? We can’t kiss here. We’re in public! That’s not what friends with benefits do. They keep it exclusive to specific domains like friends in the outside world and benefits in the bedroom.”

His lips twitch at my rambling. “If you keep benefits to the bedroom, then you’re doing it all wrong.” His deep voice goes straight to my core, a dull throb betraying how much I want him.

“We need clear rules and expectations of what friends-with-benefits means. I think we both have different ideas.”

“Fuck rules and plans. Stop thinking so damn much.”

Liam doesn’t give me a second more to mull over our status because his lips find mine while his hand cups my face. The fresh taste of white wine raids my mouth and runs across my tongue as his lips claim mine. His lips possess me and control my brain and body, bending me to his will as I become putty in his hands.

Tongues clash, sending a shiver down my spine. My toes curl inside of my sneakers at the sensation building inside of me. A soft moan escapes as his hands run across my back, initiating another round of sparks across my skin.

I get lost in the taste of him. Liam claims me piece by piece with a kiss alone, owning my heart and my lips. My arms lock behind his neck and pull him in closer. I nip at his bottom lip. He lets out a groan as my tongue teases his, giving me back a small bit of control.

The sounds of people clapping brings me back to the present moment. Heat floods up my neck to my cheeks while Liam readjusts his pants and puts his hat back on, the brim sitting low enough to hide his face.

“The city of love strikes again.” An innocent bystander smiles at us.

No, sir, there’s no love here.





“Bring out the list.”

My hand fumbles at Liam’s request. I grab the list from my purse and place it on the table of his hotel room. His suite looks like an upgraded version of mine, with a sitting room, dining area, and a huge bedroom.

“Where’s the Sharpie?”

I find a pen after removing two lip balms, hand cream, and a brush. “Are we checking something off? I don’t see anything on here we can do.” My voice betrays my excitement.

He grabs the Sharpie from me and writes at the bottom of the paper, next to his last addition.

Have a friend with lots of benefits.

His written words have a sense of finality to them. “Now that we added that, I wonder where to start...Oh, I know.” His voice drops down to a husky whisper, making sirens go off in my head. “I forgot what a dirty mind you had making this.”

My cheeks burn. Liam rises from his chair and runs one finger down my shirt-clad spine, goosebumps breaking out where his finger trails. He grabs me and carries me toward his bedroom without a backward glance. I’m thrown onto the bed as if I weigh nothing, my body landing in a mangled heap with Liam staring at me from above. The room has enough lighting to make out important details like the way he smiles with mischief.

His gaze lingers on my chest before meeting my eyes. “See, I worry you’re going to back out of our deal. You tend to get all worked up, and as much fun as that is, I’d rather have you unwinding.”