Page 16

Later

F

or a few moments, no one said or did anything. Silence and stillness hung on the court, with the echo of that final explosive strike resounding within everyone’s ears. It broke just as suddenly, with Victoria and Anna swinging their eyes around to make a connection. And then to share a pair of ear-to-ear grins.

So, that’s what that looks like, Liam thought, watching Victoria and Anna share a quick but meaningful embrace. He wanted to linger on their celebration, but a part of him worried that he’d find the opposite of joy slouched in defeat on the other side of the court.

“We’ll get our vengeance next time,” Avril said, showing only fatigue, not misery, as she and Tess came together. Rubbing her scuffed knee, she found the damage there only superficial. The two of them walked toward him, though they clearly intended to go around the net and congratulate their competitors.

“Absolutely,” Tess said, nodding fiercely, though her racket hung in a tired grip. “Same teams.”

“Same stakes,” Avril said, looking right at Liam as she sauntered—even when exhausted, she somehow still sauntered—by. “You'd better have actually had a good reward. Don’t just pull something out of your ass at the last second.”

“It’s been in here for a while,” Liam promised, tapping the side of his head.

“Good.”

Avril and Tess joined Anna and Victoria, and the four traded compliments and comments about the intense match. All were in a decent to good mood as they came over to Liam to get towels and drinks for the final time of the day. Standing and moving aside, he let them pilfer through the whole thing, taking whatever they wanted.

“Well?” Avril soon asked. “Are you going to tell these two busty beauties what they’ve won?”

“That’s up to them,” Liam said. “I could say it now, later, maybe when you’re not around.”

The look Avril hit him with could have punched through steel.

“For your safety, you should say so now,” Tess said with amusement.

Liam made a show of weighing the older woman’s advice, which caused Avril to roll her eyes and huff. Breaking into a smile, he faced the two women who had come out on top in today’s competition. He was more than sure that there would be more in the future.

“The first half of it,” Liam said. “I’ll share that.” His gaze shifted specifically to Anna. “Congratulations, Anna. You played really well.”

“I played adequately,” Anna said, confirming that there was no harsher critic than one’s own self. “But thank you.”

“Think you might want a full night’s sleep tonight, for once?”

Anna glanced toward Avril. “That’s… a little hard to do.”

“I don’t roll that much,” Avril said, glaring daggers at them both.

Yet, the silence of their third bedfellow was especially damning. Tess even went so far as to look away.

“Well, how about a respite from that? At least for a night. If you want, and so long as Victoria’s willing, you can sleep over with us tonight.”

As expected—as intended, in fact—eyes widened. Even Victoria looked caught off guard, though she clamped down on her shock with her usual brutal efficiency. Most of his attention stayed on her. After all, without her willingness to go along with things, his plan was dead in the water.

He’d considered bringing her into his confidence yesterday, and again this morning. It would have helped scratch away the relatively small chance that she wouldn’t be up for his suggestion, which would cause a slightly embarrassing scene for him when she shook her head, pulled him aside, or just outright slammed the door shut on his night’s plans.

One corner of Victoria’s luscious mouth curled upward. Liam’s relief was immense. He returned his focus to the other three shocked women.

Anna blinked a few times, as if needing to clear up her sight to visualize what he was offering. Another first of hers. A first time sleeping in the same bed as a man. Of course, Liam would also get to experience his own first time. His first time sharing a bed with two women.

And there were also all the things he wanted to accomplish before the three of them shut their eyes and drifted off to slumber. Those were the things he’d share later. When it was just Anna and Victoria around.

“I’m fine with it,” Victoria said, answering a question that they could all see forming on the younger woman’s gorgeously full lips. “You’re welcome to stay over with us.”

Slowly, Anna nodded. “Then… I’ll be there. Thank you.”

She blushed crimson, averting her eyes. Liam found himself wishing he could peer into her mind, detect the specific thoughts that had her looking so frazzled. Were their ideas about what was coming tonight aligned?

“Hold up,” Avril said, scowling. “So, what if Avril and I had won?”

“Same thing, but I’d ask Anna to swap places with me for a night,” Liam said. “If that had happened, you’d be the ones who get to hear about the other part of the reward.”

Avril’s glare intensified. “Rude boy.”

“Loser girl,” he shot back.

“Harsh, since that makes me the same thing,” Tess commented, though she appeared relatively amused by it all. “So, Avril and I won’t be privy to the other plans you have for tonight?”

“Not unless Anna or Victoria wants to share with you once they find out. Tonight, or tomorrow morning.”

The tennis court grew a little hotter. The expectations were there; everyone here had at least an idea about what might happen later tonight.

You two got your experience the other night, Liam thought. That’d been the entire reason why he’d secretly hoped that Anna and Victoria would pull through. By seizing the win, Liam had a good excuse—indeed, not a wholly altruistic excuse—to even things up a little.

Based on the responses he’d received, it looked like everything just might go as hoped. At least, insofar as putting him, Victoria, and Anna together later tonight. He still had some internal revisions to make regarding the evening itinerary.

“You can forget about getting that morsel of information out of me,” Avril said a short time later, while they gathered their things and prepared to leave the tennis court.

“I figured as much,” Liam said, smiling at his favorite redhead on planet Earth. “So, I’ll just have to roll the dice.”

She still only had her sports bra on; she’d simply tossed her shirt over her shoulder, intending to stay mostly undressed as they headed back. The plans for how they’d spend the day before Liam's sinful evening involving two of the four women were still under discussion.

“Eyes up here, rude boy,” Avril said.

Liam stayed smiling as he did as commanded. “But you’ll let me have at least one more look before we head back, right?”

Avril snorted. “Sounds to me like you’re currently more interested in other breasts.”

“ More interested?” Liam shook his head. “Never. I love your breasts as much as anything on this planet. I love you as much as anything on this planet. You know that.”

She rolled her eyes.

“You know that, don’t you?” Liam pressed.

She met his gaze, eyes glitteringly green. “Yeah, I know that. Both things. Even if you are keeping me and Tess from having fun tonight.”

“I didn’t keep you from anything,” he said, poking her on the arm. “You just didn’t win the reward. This time.”

“This time,” Avril repeated, and finally, the corners of her lips curled upward. “I spoil you.”

Liam just nodded.

And yeah, Avril let him see her beautiful breasts one more time before they exited the tennis court.