Page 22 of The Reality of Wanting Him (Love Without Labels #1)

“Playing with the animals, eye candy, moral support, comedic relief?” I suggest. Liam just shakes his head, but he can’t hide his smile. I’m totally winning him over.

We spend the next hour comparing his tiny town to my life in the city.

He tries to convince me that waking up at sunrise to work is “fun,” and I try to convince him that a twenty-dollar oat milk latte from my favorite swanky coffee bar is worth it.

We’re laughing the whole time, and every time our eyes meet or I earn a laugh from him, that fluttering in my stomach intensifies, and my heart races a little faster.

Later, back in the apartment, we take turns showering, and I’m excited to find the producers dropped off more puzzles.

I start working on one at the breakfast bar so we can talk as Liam cooks, and after lunch, he joins me working on it.

I hope I’m not the only one feeling the tension between us as our arms occasionally touch, reaching for pieces.

He has to be as aware of me as I am of him, right?

We’re not doing anything special or extravagant, but I’m really enjoying our time together. I hope he is too.

I lose track of time puzzling, and when we finish, it’s already time for dinner. “Can we do an in-person cooking lesson?” I ask, coming up beside him while he starts to pull out ingredients.

“Yeah, maybe you will be able to cook something for me soon,” he teases.

“Eh, I wouldn’t get your hopes up.” I wink, and this time I get to see when his cheeks darken. Yup, I definitely like that. Without really considering what I’m doing I brush my fingers over the blush and his breath hitches.

“You always blush this easily?” I murmur. “Or is it just when you’re around me?”

He swallows, but doesn’t move away. “I-I think it might be you.”

My hand lingers a second longer than it probably should. “Good.”

We’ve been flirting, and the tension between us has been building since we met, but I don’t know how to take that next step forward. I’m too nervous, too in my head about it being my first time with a man, but I want to. I want more.

“What are you doing?” His voice is breathy and his wide eyes are locked on mine.

I let my fingers linger for just a second longer before letting them fall away, but I don’t move back. “I was thinking that it’s cute how your cheeks get so red from a simple wink. And I was wondering how you’d react if I kissed you.”

His lips part slightly like he’s about to say something, but then a slow smirk spreads across his face, completely replacing his previously shy expression.

There’s a newfound confidence there and a glint of something wicked in his eyes that I haven’t seen yet, but it makes my pulse pick up even more. I think I like it.

“Fuck it. You want me to kiss you, straight boy?” he taunts, voice dripping with amusement.

Now I think I’m the one blushing. I give a slight nod as I hold his gaze.

As soon as I give him permission, he steps closer. His breath fans over my lips, and for a second, we just hover there. Close enough to feel it, to want it.

He closes the distance, and when his mouth finally meets mine, I’m surprised by how soft his lips are.

As confident as I was pretending to be, I feel like I’m frozen in place.

I’m usually the one initiating things with my partners, but not now, and I kind of love it.

He’s cupping my jaw and tilting my face to deepen the kiss, and my brain feels like it’s completely short-circuiting.

Why have I never kissed a man before? I’m definitely into it.

I gasp, completely unprepared for how good his beard rubbing against my skin feels.

He takes full advantage, slipping his tongue past my parted lips, licking into my mouth with a confidence that makes my knees feel unsteady.

Without permission, a soft moan escapes my throat, and that finally snaps me into focus. I grab his hips and lean in more.

That must be all the encouragement he needs, because the next thing I know, he’s spinning us, pressing me back against the counter, our mouths never separating.

My entire body melts into him. It’s a visceral reaction. His tongue moves against mine, and I give into him willingly, loving this display of dominance. I’ve never been kissed like this before. Never had someone take over like they physically couldn’t hold back, like they couldn’t help themselves.

It’s so fucking hot.

And more than that, it feels like proof that he hasn’t completely dismissed the future I’m still hoping for with him, that he wants me.

His hand slides into my hair, gripping tight as he tugs my head back just enough to deepen the kiss even more. It’s like he needs to be closer to me, and god, I want him to be.

I’m positive I’ve never felt this wanted. And I like it. No, I fucking love it . This is all I want now. I don’t think anything else could ever live up to the way this kiss is undoing me.

A whimper slips out this time before I can stop it, and I don’t even care.

I want him to know how badly I want him.

I realize I'm grinding my very hard cock into his thigh where he’s positioned it between my legs.

I’ve fully crossed the line from experimental curiosity to holy shit, I want him so badly, I can’t think straight.

Ha. Not thinking straight at all, this is very much not-straight thinking. I’m definitely into him.

His other hand slips under my shirt, fingertips tracing over my abs, and I can feel his erection digging into my hip. It only makes me more desperate for him, and I grind into him more forcefully. I don’t want to stop. If only he’d move his hand a little lower?—

But instead of playing into my fantasy, he pulls back.

“Okay,” he says breathlessly, laughing softly as he steps away. “I think that’s enough for today.”

For a second, I can’t even process what he’s saying. My brain is too fogged up with want and desire to think of anything other than kissing him. I’m sure I heard him wrong. Right?

“What? No, why’d you stop?” I whine. My body is buzzing. I’m so needy for him, I can barely stand it. I’m desperate for his hands, his mouth, anything he’ll give me. I’m not even picky. I just want more .

Liam gives me an amused look like he’s enjoying watching me suffer and nearly beg. “Because you don’t need to jump straight into the deep end. I get it, you’re okay with me being a guy, but we can ease you into that a little before we get our cocks out.”

“Liiiiam,” I whine again because my still-very-hard dick is not loving this plan.

“Blaaaake,” he taunts back, raising an eyebrow as he smirks at me.

I bite back a groan. “Fine, but I would like to state for the record that I’m more than willing to speed things up.” I cross my arms and sink back against the counter with a huff.

He relaxes too before laughing at my disappointed expression. “Want to get back to cooking?” he offers, and I reluctantly nod.

Not like I have much of a choice.

As much as I kind of really want to excuse myself to go finish things myself in the shower instead, I also don’t want to give up this time with him. I liked our phone-call cooking lessons, but I’m even more excited to get the live version.

I just need to stop distracting myself with how fucking hot that kiss was and enjoy this time together.