Page 85 of Outback Secrets

Chapter Twenty-five

Liam grinned. ‘Give me one moment.’

He whistled for Sheila to follow him out of the room. Henri heard the telltale sounds of him rifling through a packet of dog treats that lived on the kitchen bench and then moments later, he returned, shutting the door behind him.

‘Didn’t think we needed an audience,’ he explained as he toed off his shoes, then crossed the room and came to sit down beside her.

‘Good thinking.’ Desperate to feel his naked body, she reached for the waistband of his shorts, but he caught her wrist before she got there.

‘Not so fast, Henrietta Forward,’ he said, his voice low and his eyes full of heat as he grabbed her other wrist, lifted both her arms over her head and then pinned them down against the bed. ‘I intend to take this slow and make the most of it.’

Then, his fingers traced down from her face, over her neck, skating the curves of her breasts. The coil deep within her tightened and her hips lifted involuntarily off the bed.

‘You’re so freaking gorgeous,’ he said, dipping his head to kiss her before she could tell him that he was pretty freaking gorgeous as well.

She felt his scrumptiously hard body pressing against her and, as his tongue nudged open her lips, Henri welcomed him inside, loving the feel of his mouth consuming hers. While they kissed, Liam continued his exploration of the rest of her body. Lifting himself slightly so he could slip a hand beneath her T-shirt, she gasped into his mouth as his hand connected with her bare skin, inching slowly up to cup first one breast and then the other.

Henri barely moved. She didn’t know what was happening—it wasn’t like she was a virgin—but every place he touched felt as if it had never been touched before and she felt utterly helpless as his fingers twirled her nipples into hard and needy buds.

‘Perfection,’ Liam said, lifting his mouth from hers. ‘But I want to see them.’

‘Then you’d better take off my T-shirt,’ she managed.

And he did just that, taking not only her shirt but ridding her of her bra as well, hurling both over his shoulder before dropping a kiss on her belly button and then licking his way right back up to her breasts. His tongue twirled around her right nipple before sucking it into his mouth.

It was nice—better than nice—but Henri wanted in on the action as well. She wanted to feel the hard planes of his chest, she wanted to take him into her mouth and make him squirm in the same delicious way he was making her.

Again, she reached for the waistband of his shorts but once again he shifted out of her grasp.

‘Patience, Henrietta,’ he said. ‘I’m not even nearly done yet.’

‘I told you not to call me that,’ she snapped, her voice huskier than she meant it to be.

He smiled. ‘It’s a very pretty name. I don’t know why you don’t like it.’

Before she could utter any further objections, he grabbed hold of her waistband and slowly peeled her skirt and knickers down her legs, taking extra care around her sore ankle.

When she was lying there on his bed, completely naked—except for her bandage—he smoothed his hands back up her legs, every inch of her skin tingling in his wake. ‘Are you enjoying yourself, Henrietta?’ he asked with a smug smile.

‘Uh huh.’ She nodded, barely able to get the words out. ‘Enjoy’ didn’t even come close. Perhaps there was something to be said for slow, after all.

‘Good,’ he said, before spreading her legs wide and putting his mouth exactly where she felt the most need.

Within seconds she was putty in his hands. Or rather his mouth.

‘Oh God!’ she cried out, her hips bucking and her fingernails digging into his shoulders.

His tongue delved deeper. Her breaths came faster. Pleasure rippled through her, building to a wonderful crescendo. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had done this to her but, she thought as Liam took his sweet time, maybe she’d been settling for less than she should.

‘Holy shit,’ she said, minutes later as she lay there, thoroughly played, trying to catch her breath. ‘Just. Holy. Shit.’

Liam crawled back up and lay alongside her, his hand coming to rest on her belly. ‘I like the sound of holy shit, Henrietta.’

She laughed. The truth was when he said ‘Henrietta’ she didn’t actually mind it. And after that, she reckoned he’d earned the right to call her whatever he damn well pleased.

‘Your turn now,’ Henri purred, sliding her hand into his shorts.

Her fingers closed around his hard, silky length, and she tried to sit up so she could remove his clothes, but pain shot through her stupid ankle. She winced.