Consolation (Consolation Duet #1)(72)

I don’t want to go back.

He pulls my pants off completely and hovers above me.

“I love you.” My voice is strong and I need him to know. “I’m yours.”

He enters me in one push and I nearly cry out from the feeling. His eyes stay trained on mine and he rears back and slowly pushes forward.

“Liam!” I cry out as emotions and physical sensations become too much.

“No other man will be inside of you,” he says aloud but I can’t tell if he’s trying to convince himself or me.

“No one . . . only you,” I say.

“No other woman will have my heart,” Liam assures me. “No one else ever had my heart. Only you, Natalie.” His eyes close as he slides back and forth.

From the words and the feelings, it’s too much. Liam has stolen every resolve I had to keep something for myself. He knows what I need and he gives it to me. With his body and with his words.

I soar high as he flips me onto my stomach. His hand wraps around and he applies pressure on the bundle of nerves. He pounds me from behind as I push back against him. I need him to lose it. I want to drive him so hard that he can’t think of anything but how good this feels.

“Fuck me,” I cry out as I push myself back to meet his thrusts.

He nearly loses it as he grips the back of my neck and the sound of skin slapping overtakes the room. Heavy breathing, moaning, and our love making echoes. I close my eyes as he grips me tight and f*cks me relentlessly. It’s heaven and hell. I fight my orgasm off, as I want to go over the edge together.

“Let go, goddamnit,” he says angrily. “Let me feel you lose it.”

He swirls his hips and circles my clit and I’m gone.

I moan and let myself go. Liam kisses my back and follows me over the edge a minute later. I fall flat on the bed, sated and exhausted.

“You’re incredible,” Liam says as he rubs my back.

I roll over and smile lazily. “You’re pretty incredible yourself. I’ll be right back.”

I sit up and head into the bathroom. I wrap my robe around me and look at the left side of the sink. Aaron’s old razor and toothbrush. They’ve been a part of the house and I forgot to get rid of them. I pick them up and hold them in my hand. I don’t feel anything though. No sadness, no anger just resignation.

Liam opens the door and sees me. He looks at my hand and then closes the door.

“Liam!” I call out and rush toward him.

“I’m going to go.”

“No! Please, it’s not like that,” I try to explain. I wasn’t mourning or anything, I saw it and picked it up. “Please, stop. Let me explain.”

He’s throwing his clothes on and tears start to form in my eyes. “I’m sorry. I need to go.”

“Stop!” I cry out and he turns. “I wasn’t upset. I wasn’t crying over his razor. I just saw it and I don’t know . . . I picked it up. It wasn’t like that.”

“What was it like?” He looks away, but I see the hurt in his eyes.

“I don’t know. I can’t explain it.”

Liam grabs my hand and I look up. “Try.”

“I saw it there, but I didn’t feel anything. I won’t feel bad though. You can’t expect me to be so unfeeling. You’re the first man to be in my bed other than him. You have to have some sympathy for that.” I wait for him to fully register what I’ve said.

“You think I don’t have sympathy for what you feel? You’re f*cking kidding me. I’ve never said a word, but I’m fighting a damn ghost.” Liam’s words are sharp and he’s clearly upset.

“You’re fighting something on your own. I’ve never made you feel that way.”

His eyes meet mine before he turns away again. “Maybe not, but seeing you with that razor. Clutching it to your chest wasn’t my imagination.”

“You have two choices,” I say determined to end this, because he’s making it something it’s not. “You can either trust me when I say you have nothing to worry about or you can leave.”

“So easy for you?”

“Don’t.” I say with no room for an argument. “Don’t you dare make this my fault. This is all you.”

Liam steps toward the door and my heart sinks. His hand rests on the doorknob and he turns to me. “I just need a minute. I’ll be right back.”

I nod, understanding. “I can handle a minute.”

He steps toward me, and in an instant, I’m in his arms. He holds me close and breathes me in. “It’ll never be more than that,” he vows and then releases me.

I climb into bed and wait for his minute to pass.





“No, Mom, I hear you,” I say while trying to put the food we need for Corolla in the bag. I figure if we’re going for a week, we should pack what we can.

“Are you going to be back in time for her party?” she asks.

She’s flying in three days before Aarabelle’s birthday party to help. The flight from Arkansas isn’t cheap, and no matter how many times I explain I’ll be back a full week beforehand, she isn’t grasping it.

“Mom, everything will be fine. It’s a two-hour drive and Liam has to be back to work after that anyway.”