After last night, Raine had no doubt that Liam was mad—and hurt—that she’d run away. She adored his sweet side. His tender, nurturing compassion made her turn all gooey. But now he’d reverted to the reserved control he’d used with her at the lodge. It was effective and disquieting.
“Come here.” His voice was thick as he opened the towel, inviting her into his arms.
A flutter of excitement scurried up her spine. Oh, she’d missed his warm embrace. Fighting the need to surge into his arms, she tiptoed closer. He enveloped her against him. Closing her eyes, she inhaled his spicy, familiar scent. She loved it every bit as much as she loved him.
“I can’t begin to tell you how good it feels to hold you again.” His silky Irish lilt slid over her like warm honey. “I’ve missed you.”
She snuggled deeper. She could feel every hard inch of his body pressed against hers as he squeezed her tight. “I missed you, too.”
Reaching up, he dislodged the clip in her hair and feathered his fingers to loosen the strands. All the while he stared down at her, not uttering a word. As he captured her with his gaze, the worries that had plagued her for the past few days faded into the background. But her guilt and insecurities still niggled her, seeping past the comfort of his embrace.
“Why?” Her unguarded question slipped out before she could curb it.
“Why what, love?”
“Why are you doing this for me after the way I left you? When you removed my collar, I panicked. I ran. I-I’m sorry. I didn’t think you wanted me anymore.” She hadn’t planned to open up and show him her vulnerabilities. Now that she had, Raine searched his eyes, desperate to know what he thought, felt. His unreadable expression left her feeling more exposed than her nudity.
At Beck’s condo, she’d believed that she’d cried all she could, but new, hot tears threatened, proving Liam owned something deep inside her.
“Shh. There now, love. Of course I want you. I never stopped.” He stepped back and pulled her down with him as he sat on the toilet lid. “I’m trying to help you in the ways I know you need. This isn’t about me; it’s about you.”
Raine curled up, sliding her arms around his steely shoulders as he placed a sweet kiss on her forehead. She sank into his embrace with a sigh. Being here felt so right.
“I didn’t mean to snap at you last night,” he murmured.
“You had every right to.”
Liam gently rocked her, smoothing her hair back from her face. “You surprised me with your request. Just know that I love you. I’d do anything for you. Well, except watch you give your submission to a Domme.”
Despite her anxiety, she laughed. So gentle, so loving…so Liam.
“Come on.” He smiled down at her. “Stop your worrying and show me that you missed me.”
With a sudden shyness, she leaned up and pressed her lips to his, feeling small and treasured in his arms. Liam moaned as he took her lips with a fierce tenderness that made her toes curl and her body dissolve with arousal. She squirmed, but he held her in place with firm fingers on her nape. With his free hand, he gripped her hip and pulled her tighter against him.
He was like a drug shooting straight into her veins, and the surge of “instant Liam” made her heart thump wildly. God, how she’d missed him. Missed this.
Their tongues tangled. A moan of desire bubbled and rolled up from her throat. Though the days she’d spent apart from him were painful and empty, they’d been healing, too. And coming back to him—to the comforting fire he roused—centered her.
Easing back, she saw a gratified smile sparkle all the way to Liam’s eyes. Then he plucked her from his lap, tore away her towel, and swatted her bare ass.
“Now get a move on. We’re waiting.” With a wicked grin full of promise, he turned. “Bring me your toiletries after you’re dressed. And make sure you wear a skirt. Something short.”
With that, Liam left the bathroom.
Nerves jumping, Raine dashed to her closet and dressed, then applied some tinted moisturizer and lip gloss. Pausing to look in the mirror, she noticed her lips were swollen from his kiss. All the energy buzzing inside her merged with the joy she felt at being with him again.
As she stepped back into her room, she noticed Liam sitting patiently on her bed. An empty suitcase lay open beside him. He stood and accepted the items she held out in offering. After unloading them into the bag, he led her to the door.
“I’ll finish packing for you, love. Right now, it’s time to eat breakfast. Hammer is waiting for you.”
Raine’s eyes widened. Liam was voluntarily sending her to Hammer? Yes, they’d both agreed to be her Doms, but everything seemed surreal.