Page 97 of An Inevitable Marriage

My shoulders lifted in a shrug. “Am I curious? Yes. Do I have a million questions? Also yes. But, Liam, I know how hard it is to talk about things. And I also know you’ll share parts of you with me when you’re ready to share them.”

“I’ve never met anyone like you.”

I blushed a little at his words. I wasn’t even sure why.

“My parents weren’t the best example of how to love,” he started. “Their marriage wasn’t a good or happy one. They weren’t affectionate with each other, or rather, my father wasn’t affectionate toward my mother.”

I thought of my parents and how they were with each other. The way my dad always found my mom across a room. The linger of my mom’s hand on my dad’s arm when she walked past him. The love in their eyes when they looked at each other.

“I’m sorry,” I said softly. “It must have been hard.”

“I was very young and, at the time, didn’t really know much about anything. Just that I didn’t want to be like my father.” His jaw clenched, the muscle popping furiously. “I couldn’t bear the thought of treating someone the way he treated my mother. So it was easier not to get involved with anyone.”

My brain worked overtime, desperately trying to decipher what he’d said. “Are you a…?” I couldn’t get the words out. “Have you notbeenwith anyone?”

There was no way this man who kissed like it was his job and expertly brought me to orgasm with his fingers was still a virgin. He was what…thirty-five? And looked like the gods themselves sculpted him. Yeah, no way in hell he hadn’t sown his wild oats.

The skin beneath his scruff changed color. That same pinkish hue appeared high on his cheeks and my mouth popped open.

“No way.”

The man was embarrassed out of his mind, but he didn’t avert his gaze. Unblinking, unwavering, he held my stare. “I have been with someone. Once. I was a teenager, and everyone was doing it, so I wanted to see what the fuss was about. I found the entire act rather meaningless and promised myself never to do things just for the sake of doing them.”

My eyes widened some more.

“Kissing and sex…it’s so intimate. So personal. You’re sharing this vulnerable part of yourself with someone else, trusting them with your needs. That’s why even a kiss has to mean something.” He took a small step forward. “It’s why Laura in the eleventh grade was the first and last girl I kissed. And even then, it wasn’t because I’d absolutely wanted to.”

My knees gave out. Good thing I stood next to the bed, otherwise my butt would have landed on the floor instead of the mattress.

…even a kiss has to mean something.

Heart hammering against my ribs, I touched my fingers to my mouth. “You kissed me.”

“Yeah, I did.” His gaze dropped to my lips for a fraction of a second. “And I reallywantto kiss you again.”

“Because when we kiss, it means something.” It wasn’t a question; it was the truth. When Liam and I kissed, it wasn’t just physical. I’d felt the churning behind my breastbone. Heard the new wild rhythm my heart beat to.

And now I knew it was the same for him.

Liam closed the distance between us and took my face between his hands. Bending over, he inched his brutally beautiful face closer to mine, pausing a breath away from my mouth.

“It means everything, Snow.”

This time, his movements were deep and slow. And oh-so intense. Every swipe of his tongue filled me with warmth. Not the I-really-need-a-release kind. No, this was something far more dangerous.

It whispered of being safe, being taken care of.

It whispered forever.

And we didn’t have that. We had a time frame. Five years.

I didn’t want to think about that. Not now when he was kissing me so thoroughly. Maybe not ever.

Shoving the thought to the back of my mind, I focused all my attention on Liam. On the way his lips moved over mine, the sensual lick of his tongue, and how deliciously close I was to the front of his shorts.

I ran my hand over his length. Liam’s entire body jerked, and he cursed a wicked streak into my mouth.

So I did it again.