He cupped her face, his big, rough hands holding her securely. “I’ll never let anything happen to you. If I had to, I’d kill them.”
There was something in his eyes, in the way he said the words. He meant every word. Who was this guy?
“Maybe we should go,” she said. With their luck, the jerks would come back with reinforcements. It was getting late, and a bit of chill was in the air. Liam said this was a popular spot, but in reality, it was in the middle of nowhere, pitch black, and she hadn’t seen any teens.
“I want to be with you, Rebecca. Don’t cut things short because of that. I have more to show you.” He took her hand and led her farther down the rough path near the water. Crickets and frogs droned heavily from the underbrush. She closed her eyes briefly, the sound more soothing than any lullaby. Rebecca felt like a kid again, a young girl before the world brought her down. Back then she’d been happy in her skin, played in the dirt, and watched the stars past her bedtime. Then reality and adulthood stole all her magic. Something about Liam brought those feelings back.
He brought her into the heavier wooded area where the light of the moon didn’t penetrate. She held his hand tighter, leaning into him so she didn’t fall or bump into something. “How can you see?” she asked.
“These trails are imprinted in the back of my head. I’ve grown up in these forests.”
She was new to the area, so she put her trust in him. After a bit more walking, he stopped dead. “Look.”
Rebecca looked up when he tilted her chin up. There were fireflies everywhere, little lights scattered in the inky blackness, appearing and disappearing like magic. “They’re beautiful,” she said.
“The forest has a lot of secrets. I plan to show you every one of them.” He played with her hair, his fingers brushing her cheek. Every time he touched her, she fell under his spell. She’d never given much thought to sex, not when she couldn’t even talk with men. Now the wicked scenarios wouldn’t leave her alone. His voice was so damn deep, the rough timbre making her clit tingle.
She touched his neck, her urge to be closer giving her the courage to do things she normally wouldn’t dare to do. His skin was warm. “You feel good,” she said. “Aren’t you cold?”
“I’m fine. Are you?” He smoothed his hands down her arms, giving her goosebumps, but not from the cold.
“A bit.” He interlocked their fingers with one hand. It felt like the most intimate thing in the world. Liam brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it.
There were a lot of sounds around them in the bush—breathing, branches snapping. She hadn’t paid much attention because she was falling in love with a stranger. But Liam suddenly stiffened, ushering her back the way they came. “We better get you home before you get a chill.”
She frowned, wanting to stomp her feet like a two year old. In truth, she wanted the night to last forever, to feel his kisses again. “I thought the night was young.”
“You were right. A gentleman shouldn’t keep a woman out this late,” he said. “We’ll have to make a date for earlier next time.”
At least there was a next time. She kept expecting him to realize he was out of her league, that she was too fat, or too awkward. But, no, he appeared genuinely interested.
He was quieter on the walk back, and she could feel the tension. When they reached the road after the short climb from the lake, he looked back into the darkness briefly.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“I’m more than okay. I’m with the most beautiful woman in the world.”
They drove back to her apartment. Her cheeks heated from the compliments. Even though she didn’t believe everything he said, it still felt nice. She just hoped this fantasy wasn’t like Cinderella because she never wanted it to end.
He came to a stop in front of her apartment.
“Thank you for taking me out. I loved it.”
“Remember, I have a lot more to show you.” He opened her door and helped her down. Liam hooked an arm around her, his hand at the small of her back. He held her close, their bodies practically pressed together. “And think about what I talked about. I want you, Rebecca. Want you as my woman.”
Her mouth went dry. She didn’t want to play hard to get. The voice in her head screamed at her to say “yes, yes, yes!” She would be a fool to reject this hunk of a man. But they’d only just met, and she didn’t want him to think she was cheap if she moved too fast. She remembered the sharp talks from her mother about keeping her legs crossed and not looking men in the eye. She’d grown up with a complex around men and sex because of her overly strict, backwards upbringing.