The mighty Quinns: Liam - By Kate Hoffmann Page 0,44

held her breath, waiting, wondering what would happen next. Then suddenly, Liam tossed the carton to the floor, grabbed her Rocky Road and threw it down, as well. In an instant his hands were on her body, cupping her face, spanning her waist, slipping beneath the football jersey and smoothing over her bare skin.

He kissed her as if only her mouth could satisfy his hunger, delving deep, tasting fully. Ellie’s head spun and her limbs felt weak, his kiss like a drug, wiping away the last traces of inhibitions. She’d never wanted a man as much as she wanted Liam. The need was so intense, it frightened her. His lips moved to her throat and Ellie tipped her head back, sighing softly. Her fingers furrowed through his hair and she sank against him.

Skimming her hands over his chest, she reveled in the way he was made. She’d always admired the male physique but had never experienced a man quite as perfect as Liam Quinn. Every inch of his body was taut and toned, muscle and sinew covered by smooth skin.

When he pulled away for a moment, Ellie took the chance to explore. She kissed the hollow at the base of his neck, the few soft hairs there tickling her lips. Then she marked a trail across his chest with her tongue, circling his nipple. She didn’t want to leave any doubt at all about what she needed from him.

He sighed softly and Ellie pressed her body against his as his mouth came down on hers again. She felt his need, hard and hot through the thin silk of his boxer shorts. With deliberate intent, she moved her hips, tempting him with pleasures that they had yet to share. He couldn’t refuse her. Every movement, every subtle reaction, told her that he wouldn’t.

Ellie had never considered herself a highly sexual woman, but with Liam her inhibitions seemed to vanish. She wanted him, his body above her, beneath her and inside her. She wanted to lose herself in the rhythm of their joining and then experience his release, the ultimate surrender. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to ask out loud.

She moved her hand along his belly but he grabbed her fingers at the last moment and brought them back up to his chest. “We should go to bed,” he murmured, his breath ragged against her ear.

A stab of disappointment shot through her. But then Ellie realized that maybe he was offering her an invitation, not calling an end to this seduction. She took a shaky breath and swallowed hard. “Your bed or mine?”

6

LIAM GAZED DOWN into Ellie’s eyes, watching the doubts and insecurities flicker there. He couldn’t deny the need he had, this irrational yet overwhelming desire to possess her body. But it wasn’t just a physical need, a desire to lose himself in warmth. He didn’t want just any woman. He wanted Ellie Thorpe.

In his mind there was no other woman, no one more beautiful or clever or interesting just over the horizon. He’d reached the horizon and he’d found a woman who satisfied him in every way. And now he wanted to satisfy her. But he felt as if he were out of his league. This wasn’t just sex anymore. It was something new…unfamiliar…and completely unexpected. “Are you sure?” he murmured.

A tiny smile touched her lips and she ran her hand down his chest, her fingers leaving a warm trail on his skin. “That I want you? Yes, I’m sure. I don’t think I’ve ever been more sure of anything in my life. If you’re sure, that is.”

Liam hooked a finger under her chin and forced her gaze away from a careful study of his chest. She looked up at him, wide-eyed. “I’m sure,” he said.

Ellie frowned. “We are talking about sex, right? And not about sleeping in the same bed?”

“One usually follows the other,” Liam replied. “But that was my interpretation of the conversation.”

Ellie sighed softly. “Good. All right. So that’s settled, then. I think you should take me back to bed.”

God, she was sweet. He loved how she just spoke her mind, refusing to play the coy little games that had been so common with women in his past. It wasn’t hard to know what Ellie Thorpe was thinking. She usually said it the moment it raced through her head. Liam reached out and slipped his hands around her waist, tugging her near.

He bunched the hem of the football jersey in his fists as he kissed her again,