When I park, I turn to look at Ellie. Her blue eyes are big as she stares out at the lights below.
“The town is so small and beautiful,” she whispers. “This is a lovely spot.”
“It’s not just pretty,” I admit and release my seatbelt. I turn toward her and push my fingers into her hair. “This is a famous point of interest in Cunningham Falls.”
“Tell me more.” She unfastens her own belt and turns toward me, her eyes glowing in the darkness. “What’s so special about it?”
“Have you ever heard of Make Out Point? Most American towns have one.”
“I don’t think I recognize the term.”
“Well, it’s a place where young people go to make out. It’s romantic.”
“Is it?” She laughs and glances down at the town again. “I suppose the lights and stars are romantic. But if it’s such a popular place, why are we the only ones here?”
“I guess everyone else is busy tonight.” I drag my fingertips down her cheek. “Lucky for us, we’re all alone.”
“That is quite fortunate, isn’t it?”
“Have I ever told you how much I love your accent?”
“I don’t believe you have, no.”
“I do,” I reply before leaning over to kiss her lips softly. I can’t get enough of the taste of her, the way she gasps every time our lips meet. She’s sweet and addicting. “And I think this is a good opportunity to review what you’ve learned so far.”
“That could be fun,” she says just before I sink into her, tasting and exploring her perfect, smart little mouth. Our hands are everywhere, slipping over shoulders and arms. Finally, I slide up her tank, hitching it under her arms and exposing her bra and stomach.
“Take it off,” she says, but I shake my head.
“Not yet.” I kiss the skin at the edge of her bra. No nipple play this time. I want to explore her skin, discover what gives her goose bumps. She’s gathering my shirt in her hands, pulling it up, but I shake my head and tug it back down again.
“I want to see you without the shirt,” she says.
I’m not ready to show her those scars. Not yet. I don’t want to see the pity in her eyes or feel her recoil at the marred flesh.
“Not yet,” I growl again. “Sit back and let me make you feel good.”
“You always make me feel good.” She bites her lip when I slide my fingers over her stomach and down to her navel. “You have brilliant hands.”
“You have such soft skin.” I kiss my way over her neck to her chin, and with my lips against hers, I whisper, “I’m going to kiss your stomach now. Is that okay?”
“Oh, yes. That would be lovely.”
Her manners make me smile. I make my way down to her exposed stomach and lay open-mouthed kisses on her skin. She’s warm and smooth, and her muscles contract at the light touch.
While my mouth worships her flesh, my hand travels over her thigh, up to her hip, and then down between her legs where she’s hot. If her shorts were off, she’d be wet and slick in my hand.
God, I want that more than anything in the world.
But we’ll get there.
She moans and arches into my touch, wanting so much more than just over-the-clothes petting.
“Liam, take my pants off.”
“Not now.”
“I’m going to be fifty by the time you get me naked.”
“Maybe thirty,” I reply with a grin. “Why are you so impatient?”
“Oh, I don’t know. It could have something to do with the fact that I’m sexually frustrated every single day lately. Are you ever going to move faster than turtle mode?”
“Maybe.”
I gently rub my thumb over the hard nub in her shorts and feel her jerk in her seat.
“Are you what they call a sadist?”
My head comes up so I can look her in the eyes. “What do you know of sadists?”
“I read. I think you like torturing me.”
“Is that what I’m doing? Torturing you?”
She nods and moans when my thumb moves once more. Finally, I push harder, rub just a little faster, and watch with absolute fascination as Ellie comes apart in my arms, right here in the front seat of my car at Make Out Point.
She’s panting, her hands in fists as she rides wave after wave of ecstasy.
“I’m not a sadist,” I whisper into her ear. “I’m just not in a huge hurry.”
She licks her lips, trying to catch her breath. “That was rather fun.”
I feel my lips twitch in response. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
Staying the night again with Ellie isn’t the best idea. In fact, it’s a horrible one. My men will start to wonder what the fuck is going on.
And that’s not even the tip of the iceberg of the long list of reasons this is the worst idea I’ve ever had.
But when we returned to her apartment in the boathouse, and she smiled so sweetly, then took my hand and asked me to stay, I couldn’t turn her down.
I’m a fucking idiot, but I couldn’t leave.
So, here I am, in her bed, holding her to me as she sleeps peacefully.
Her touch, her even breathing, it soothes me. My eyes are heavy, and sleep calls seductively.
Gunfire. There’s always so much damn gunfire.
“Cunningham!”
“Adams! Retreat, goddamn it! Get the fuck out of here!”
“Cunningham, where are you?”
Why can’t my men see me? Hear me? I’m right here, damn it!
“Get them behind the building! Retreat!”
“I’m going to die.” Beller, the private I’ve come to think of as a younger brother, says with tears in his eyes. “I’m going to die, Cunningham. I want to call my mom.”
“There’s no time,” Adams yells. “We have to find Cunningham!”
None of this makes any sense. I’m right here. Why can’t Adams see me?
“I don’t want to die.”
“You’re not going to die.” I pull Beller in for a hug, trying to protect him from something that I already know is coming.
His body jerks from the gunfire, and he falls against me, crying out. “I’m hit! I’m hit!”
“It’s okay.” I lower him down and see the blood start to spread on the ground beneath him. But when I look back up at his face, it’s not Beller.
It’s Ellie.
“Save me,” she pleads. Her face is dirty. Blood is smeared on her cheek and dripping out of her mouth. “I don’t want to die, Liam. Save me.”
Fucking hell, I have to keep her alive. I have to. I pull her against me and push against the wound in her back.
“Stay with me, baby. You’re not going to die. I promise.”
“Liam.”
“No, you’re not going to die.”
“Liam.”
“Keep breathing. Just breathe.”
“Liam.”
I jerk awake. Ellie’s petting my shoulder, crooning.
“Liam, wake up. It’s just a nightmare, darling. It’s just a dream.”
I recoil from her touch, bound out of bed, and sink to the floor, my back against the cold wall.