Page 7 of Outlaw Heartstrings

“You win this time, Ellen.” Moving each arm in turn, he settled his weight on her, hips never losing their rhythm and movement. “But one day I’ll make love to you stretched out like that, so I can see every inch of your pleasure.”

The “one day” caught her breath and hope bloomed inside her.

“I think we both win, at least I hope so.”

He made an agreeable sound as he tucked his head in next to hers, mouth moving along the side of her neck.

It was impossible to explain how this felt so right, so Ellen didn’t try to overthink or dissect it. For the first time in a long time, she gave herself permission to just feel.

Safe.

His big arms curved around her, holding her close. With the way he wrapped her up by his muscled body, he became a barrier against the world, protecting her and this space against anything.

Desired.

The hardness thrusting inside her was unmistakable proof that Liam wanted her, but the way he’d loved on her carried it to a different plane.

This wasn’t sex for the sake of getting off.

This was more. It had started the first time their gazes met and been fed with every encounter through the few hours they’d had together so far, building to a blaze that threatened to burn her to the ground with the heat of his lovemaking.

Seen.

Not something she’d expected to need, but the way he’d paid attention to everything was a balm to her soul.

From offering her extra bites of food he’d noted she liked to the way he’d paid homage to the stretchmarks from carrying LouCiel, it was as if he’d mapped her with mind, fingers, and tongue.

That kind of attention was heady, rich with possibility she hadn’t expected to find in her life again. The potential for a deep and true love.

Loved.

Warm breaths brushed the curve of her ear as lips pressed soft kisses on her cheek, unshaven scruff a delicious counterpoint.

He neither avoided nor sought out the scar on her face, just dropped kisses along her jaw.

As if that moment in time didn’t define her.

As if she continued to live and grow and be.

And Ellen believed . It was possible to find love after loss.

She knew this truth in her gut, even if a day ago she’d never have thought it possible.

Arms and legs wrapped tightly around him, Ellen held Liam closely.

Body already primed from his earlier ministrations, another orgasm was already building low in her belly, drawing more sounds from her as her body clenched around him.

They fit together so well, him dwarfing her just enough that she could anchor her heels around the backs of his thighs, lifting her hips to add extra power to each of his thrusts.

“Ellen.” Liam’s soft murmur against the flesh of her throat drew goose bumps to every inch of her skin. “Ellen, Ellen, Ellen. So good.”

“Yes.” She could only gasp out her agreement, breath stolen by the force of the feelings sweeping through her.

Faster now, his cock shuttled in and out as every muscle she owned tightened.

Another deep push, another undulation of his hips, and she was there, rising from the top of the cliff and hovering for a moment before plummeting, safe in the knowledge that Liam would catch her.

His chest heaved against hers, each of his breaths coming on a groan as his movements lost their rhythm.

Body curving around her, encompassing her, Liam stiffened, and his cock kicked inside her.

By the third or fourth hard, hot pulse into the condom, he clasped her tighter, mouth trailing across the scar on her jaw to find her mouth.

They kissed desperately, tongues sliding, sharing breaths as he finished coming, still buried deep in her body.

Gradually the kiss slowed, nips becoming more of a tease than the branding bites of earlier, lips slipping slowly against each other in long glides. Finally, Liam broke the connection, resting his forehead against hers, and she fluttered her eyes open to find him staring solemnly at her.

Afraid to speak, Ellen didn’t dare chance breaking whatever spell had controlled them both.

Liam had no such qualms.

“Ellen.” Soft and gruff, his voice stroked across the butterflies in her belly, stirring them to more agitation.

“Got a connection with you. Never felt anything like it. Knew from the moment I saw you that you were special, but I didn’t have any idea of exactly how right I was.

Feels like I’ve been with you forever, but with the excitement of our first time. ”

“I feel it too,” she admitted, keeping her gaze fixed on his. “It’s good.”

“And fast.” His smile curved against her lips as they kissed again, a brief caress. “But fast doesn’t scare me, not with this.”

“I’ve got considerations—”

“Lucy and Jerry’s folks.” His response was quick, cutting her off as he laid out his understanding for her.

“Of course they’re in this too, in different ways.

We try this out, pull each other on for size, they’re part of it all.

You’re doing everything right, keeping Lucy first and caring for family.

Not gonna get any argument outta me on that front. ”

“When I met Jerry, it was quick, but we both knew. I picked up and left home, came here, and Marilyn and Ricky adopted me immediately. My own folks were mad. Still are.” And that stung more than she’d expected.

By the quick frown on Liam’s brow, she knew those feelings had been clear in her tone.

“I don’t blame them, not for their first disappointment.

They’d wanted a lot for me, had planned things for my future.

My rebellion wasn’t expected, and they didn’t react well, and then I didn’t give them a chance to get used to the idea before I was gone. ”

“They ever seen Lucy?” With a single question, Liam dove straight to the crux of her continued anger at her parents.

She shook her head in answer, and his expression darkened, growing stormy. He buried his face in her neck, arms tight around her again as he wordlessly comforted her.

“Their loss, right?” Tight and small, her whisper barely broke the silence.

“Entirely their loss. I’m glad you have Jerry’s folks to love on you and Lucy, show her how family is supposed to be and act.” He sighed heavily. “I don’t have anything like what Ricky’s got with his club. Nothing to leave behind, really.”

Until his words, she hadn’t acknowledged the fear nipping at her thoughts. All the “what ifs” of how this might work out.

“You were headed to Bozeman?”

“Yeah.” The single word had weight and Ellen braced herself. “Give me a minute and I’ll tell you why.”

Liam propped himself on an elbow and reached between them, anchoring the condom to his dick as he pulled his now soft cock out. Taking a moment to deal with the condom, he came back from the bathroom with a wet cloth, gently tending to her before tossing it back to the tiled floor.

Knee-walking his way up the bed, he lifted her shoulders to slide an arm underneath so he could draw her to face him as he stretched out and pulled the covers up. They weren’t quite nose-to-nose, but she could feel the warm gusts of his breathing against her skin.

“Had a brother pass. Last year. We were close, ride or die, brother from another kind of relationship. I said left and he was already turning. He’d say go and I’d be right behind.

We were real close. Losin’ him has been hard.

Took something outta me I didn’t know I had, and try as I might, back home I couldn’t quite wrap my head around him not being around anymore.

” With closed eyes, Liam’s head traveled side to side as he paused for a moment.

“Lyon was a good man. Really good. Made me a better brother. Hell, Ly made me a better man.”

Liam’s words stopped for long enough Ellen wasn’t certain he’d continue. She asked, “And Bozeman?”

“His folks are from there. Some family plot that came with expectations. So his mom took his ashes home and laid him to rest there. I was headed up to pay my respects. Tell the bastard how pissed I am he’s gone.

” A broken laugh tore from his lips, slicing Ellen’s heart.

“Son of a bitch wasn’t supposed to die.”

“Grief is hard.” Ellen’s experience made her words certain.

“Doesn’t matter the how, because just the fact of the loss is enough to change a person.

Losing someone you love, no matter how that relationship binds you together, is an emotional amputation, and the phantom pains come unexpectedly.

They’ll rule your life for days at a time, then slide to the background for a bit before coming on strong, like a storm.

With grief, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution either.

” She arched closer, cupping one hand around his throat, the rapid thudding of his heartbeat pounding against her palm.

“Different people grieve the same person differently, dictated by whatever connection they had. The fact you’re still grieving your brother a year down the road just tells me that you were bound.

Not by blood but by experience and trust. That’s strong, Liam.

Nothing to be embarrassed about there. Strong love is a blessing, however it comes about. ”

“No lies in those words. Like I was saying about Ricky and Marilyn, it’s good to have people where you belong. I’d never ask you to give that up.”

Ellen’s nerves had her heart thudding hard, and she blinked back threatening tears. The only way she’d know if Liam was serious would be to ask, straight out.

Before she could, he laid each of her fears to rest.

“You want to explore this, I’d leave the east coast, come here, and find a place, a job. This between us feels right, and if you’re open, then I’d be ready now.”

“After a few hours and a single round of sex? You’d uproot your entire life?”