“It’s not like it’s far. You never responded earlier, so…”
“Yeah, I know. Sorry. Haven’t checked my phone since lunch. I would have come over to pick it up, I just…wasn’t sure if I should.”
“Well, now you don’t have to worry about it.” I flash him a small, tight smile. “See ya.”
“Wait.” He grabs my arm as I turn to go, then immediately drops it. “Is everything okay?”
“Of course.” I don’t mention my dad already left. Or the lingering happy spell my mom is still under.
Twin lines form between his eyes. “Fine. I’ll go first. I’m going to South Carolina next week to visit my grandparents. My dad got his intensity when it comes to football from his dad. And Cole is coming with us. So, yeah. I’m dreading it.” Liam stares at me expectantly.
I exhale. “My dad is gone. He lasted a whole three days at home. As far as I can tell, my mom hasn’t been taking any pills or drinking since he left. Which should be a relief. But instead, I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Worrying it will be worse this time once she does go off the cliff.”
“Natalie—”
I drop a shoulder and shake my head. “It’s fine, Liam. You don’t need to say anything.Don’tsay anything, please.”
He studies me. I can feel every inch his eyes swipe over. It scalds.
“Want to see where we keep the towels?”
I blink at him.What?“What?”
“In here.” Liam steps to the left, opening the door to a small building—a shed, really—and walking inside. I glance around the still-empty pool area and then follow him.
It’s tidy and neat. Like he said, most of one wall is lined with shelves holding stacks of white towels. There’s a whiteboard on another wall. That’s all I catch a glimpse of—before Liam crowds my space.
“I was so fucking glad when I realized I left this.” He tosses the sweatshirt on a folding chair set up in the corner. The soft material brushes my arm. “That I had an excuse to text you.”
I don’t respond to his confession. But I tilt my head back so I can see him better. There must be windows in here somewhere because I can see everything clearly without any lights on. The sun is still a couple of hours from setting.
Liam’s lips lower to skim my jaw. Heat pulses and spreads from each inch he brushes. My hands grip the cotton of his t-shirt involuntarily, pulling him closer.
And then we’re kissing. It’s greedy and desperate, seeking something we both know we shouldn’t want. It’s also familiar—becauseshouldn’thasn’t been a strong enough deterrent.
It feels like a potent form of relief when my hands hit his hot skin, creeping under his t-shirt as I grind against the growing bulge in his shorts.
“I don’t have anything,” he whispers.
Having sex again is a worse idea than kissing. But something in me craves the intimacy. Liam isn’t someone who lets loose easily or often. I want to witness it again. It gives me some strange form of satisfaction—of possessiveness—to see his guard lower because of me.
I nip at his neck before pulling down the top of his swim trunks at the same time I sink to my knees.
Liam’s sharp exhale echoes through the small space. “You don’t have to…”
The words are half-hearted, at best. I move my hand up and down, enjoying watching him react to my touch. Watching him resist the urge to thrust.
“Good thing I want to, then,” I say, before leaning forward and taking him into my mouth.
Liam groans as I start to suck him. It releases a heady burst of power, hearing his approval. I want to make him feel good. Usually, I consider hookups an equal exchange of pleasure. I’m in an inherently demeaning position, one that often gets girls labeled as easy or too eager.
But Liam is looking at me like I’m a deity on a pedestal. His hands are fists at his sides, the bottom of his abdomen a sharply defined V as he clenches his stomach muscles. I swirl my tongue around the bulbous head of his dick, and he hisses my name.
I tease him with my lips and tongue. Graze my teeth. Fondle his balls.
“Fuck, Natalie. I can’t—I’m going to—” He says my name again, as a warning I don’t need. I can tell he’s close to coming.
The salty taste of his release fills my mouth. I swallow before shifting away and standing.