Loving Liv Read online

  That’s not what happened.

  He cupped her face, confidently looking her right in the eyes. “Tonight we’ve played a game, but what will happen next is no game, Liv.” He yanked her up against him and then murmured in her ear, “Tonight you will spread your legs for me, and I will fuck you until all you can do is scream my name. And after you come you will say: ‘Thank you, Sir’. Because tonight, you’re mine…completely, and this will please me.”

  Overwhelmed by his sheer presence, her breath caught somewhere deep in her throat. Her body hummed with the passion he put out in the world. Her pussy pulsed in need. “Miles,” she barely managed.

  “One more task,” he said firmly. “Go. Now.”

  She turned away from him, even though it was the exact opposite of what she wanted to do. Her legs shook, almost like she hung right there ready to climax, as she somehow walked down the hallway, only one thing on her mind. Miles’s hard body thrusting inside her, until they both broke apart.

  On her way down the hallway, toward the stern of the ship, she passed Miles’s cabin door, when suddenly it swung open. He snatched her by the waist and yanked her inside before he slammed her against the door. “You remember the rules for tonight, Liv?”

  “Yes,” she gasped.

  “Good girl.” He ripped off her panties and the fabric burned against her flesh. Then he had her skirt lifted, her legs around his waist and he was driving himself inside her. “Give me what I want, Liv.”

  And she did. She screamed his name, not because he asked, but because she had no choice. No say whatsoever in how her body responded. He’d taken control of it all. His masculine growls filled her ears, his strength and power brushed across her senses, as he pounded lust and pleasure into her, until he was thrusting harder, faster, and she was going to a place she’d never been. One that had no beginning and no end. The place only he could take her. Pure freedom. And only when he got her there, did he follow her.

  She vaguely felt his cock pulsating inside her when he said, “The rules were clear, Liv.”

  She didn’t need another reminder. The words fell easily from her lips. “Thank you, Sir.”

  He dropped a sweet, soft kiss on her lips that was a stark contrast to how he’d taken her a moment ago, and whispered against her lips, “Now doesn’t that sound pretty.”

  CHAPTER 9

  The next morning, the ship docked in Nassau, Bahamas at a little after seven o’clock in the morning, unbeknownst to Miles as he slept. He awoke to find Liv already gone from his bed to meet up with her friends, and before hopping in the shower, he ordered room service. Out on the balcony with his breakfast, the heat of the day had already set in and he stared upon the vast blue water. He was beginning to feel terrible for taking up all of Liv’s time on their reunion cruise, but he knew without a doubt that if the roles were reversed, his friends would understand too. And he was not ready to give up the hours he got with her. He’d come on this cruise for answers, and he was beginning to get them. He loved being with her. He liked how she made him feel. Content…happy. Whatever this was going on with them, his feelings for her weren’t dulling, they were only intensifying.

  Lost in his thoughts, he stayed on the balcony for the better part of the morning, until he’d received Liv’s text to meet him in the lobby. When he spotted her approaching, she wore a summer dress over her bikini. The sun looked good on her. Each day her tan got a bit darker. He liked how her freckles were coming out on her nose. She had her hair up, bringing all his attention to her long gorgeous neck, making him reconsider his plans to leave the ship today. “All squared away with your friends?” he asked when she reached him.

  “I actually couldn’t find anyone,” she said, giving a cute grin. “Apparently, they’re having as much fun as I am on this cruise.”

  “Is that so,” he murmured, sliding his hand across her lower back and pulling all her soft curves against him. “I guess that means I get you all to myself today, hmm?”

  She tilted her chin up, offering him so much with those sweet eyes. “Seems so.”

  Consumed by this magical thing between them, he took what she wanted him to have and dropped a soft kiss onto her lips, a tease of what was to come today.

  “But it works for us,” she said, when he leaned away. “That’s kind of how our friendship has always been. We’re there for each other when it matters, but our lives have always seemed to take us all in opposite directions.”

  “Sounds like good friends to me,” he said.

  She agreed with a nod.

  Miles took her hand and liked how that felt. Natural. Right. For years, he’d spent his life alone. But this…yeah, he liked this. “I’ve got a surprise for us today,” he told her.

  “Oh,” she said, stepping back a little. “You made plans already?”

  He noted the disappointment in her expression. “Plans that can be easily changed or cancelled, if need be. Did you already have something in mind?”

  She nibbled her lip, shifting from side-to-side. “Well, there was something that I really want to do while in Nassau. It won’t take long. Can your surprise wait an hour or two?”

  “Of course,” he said. “Where are we off to?”

  At that question, she led them to a local pet store twenty minutes away in a cab. Curious, Miles stayed quiet, watching Liv study each and every item she picked up, from toys to beds. She also studied the price tag. Wanting to understand her, he asked, “Have you always been such an animal lover?”

  “Always,” she explained, moving down another aisle. “I’ve got a cat at home. His name is Fritz. I really want a dog, but with how much time I spend at work, it would just be unfair.”

  Miles took the mental note. “You work long hours?”

  “Incredibly long.” Regret was heavy in her voice. “But that’s because Allie’s growing her company. We’ve just been so busy this last year.”

  “And you like that?” Miles asked behind her, as she placed a couple cat toys in the cart.

  “Working so much, you mean?” She glanced over her shoulder at him.

  He nodded.

  “Not really, but Allie needs me, and I know it’s temporary. She wants to grow just a little more before she can hire more staff. Things should settle down after that, and maybe my doggy dreams will happen then.”

  Something about that sat wrong in Miles’s gut. “Seems unfair not to have what you want in life, simply to make someone else happy.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “So, what are you suggesting I do? Leave Allie when she needs me most? That seems harsh.”

  He considered that and shrugged. “Only harsh to her, if she doesn’t love you like you love her. From my time spent with Allie, I’d think she’d want you to be happy.”

  “Of course she would, but I’d feel terrible for leaving her when things are so hectic.”

  Miles arched a brow. “Have they ever not been hectic?” He knew what a growing company took. It never calmed down, only got worse and busier until the funds were there to hire the staff.

  She quickly glanced away. “It’ll calm down. Soon. I’m not worried about that.”

  Liv stayed quiet while she stopped in front of the cat food and began piling cans and bags in the cart. He didn’t want to push, even if he thought her dreams mattered as much as Allie’s did, so he changed the subject. “Are you expecting to find a pack of strays somewhere?” he asked with a soft laugh.

  When she moved onto the bigger bags of cat food, he gently nudged her out of the way and began sliding them into the bottom of the cart as she explained, “When Hurricane Dorian hit, the local animal shelter was destroyed, and over one hundred animals died. But thankfully, over two hundred animals were shipped to shelters in the US.” She looked back and smiled warmly. “That’s how I got Fritz. He was one of the cats that survived the hurricane, so I made a promise to myself that if I ever came to Nassau, I’d show the shelter some love for all the love that Fritz has given me.”

  He added another
bag to her cart. “So that’s what you’re doing here? Buying things for the shelter?”

  When he straightened, she nodded at him. “Whenever I travel, I always go to shelters and bring stuff. I wish I could save more animals, but I do what I can.”

  Hell, this woman was sweet. Kind in ways he’d never really seen before. She loved hard, not only her friends, but her family, and now it seemed, animals too. He thought Liv had a lot going for her, but this warm heart she had, he liked that most.

  She grabbed a couple cans of wet food then turned back to him. “Do you have any pets?”

  He shook his head. “My mother wasn’t a fan of animals. She has a phobia of cats, so we never had any animals growing up.”

  Liv looked horrified at his admission. “Well, you need to change that. Believe me, animals make us better people. And the love they give…” She went all soft and warm. “There is no better love than that.”

  Miles doubted that. He bet her love felt pretty damn good. A tightness in his chest eased that he hadn’t realized had been there, making his breath slow and easy. And it was this exact feeling that he’d been chasing ever since his first night with Liv. He was beginning to see her nurturing side, and it occurred to him then that this was what was missing in his life… he’d certainly never experienced it growing up. His mother had been cold, aloof. His father worked all the time, never thinking it was his job to parent, while Miles found a family with his friends. This warm touch of a loving woman was nothing he’d known before.

  He broke away from his thoughts when she suddenly laughed softly. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “Come here.” He snatched her hand and brought her soft curves against his hard plains. Everything felt right when he lowered his mouth to hers, and kissed her hard, passionately, until she melted against him. Only when she softened enough, telling him he’d kissed her like she deserved, did he back away. “You’re a good woman, Liv Sloane. This world is lucky place to have you in it. And I’m a lucky man to be with you now.”

  She gave him a smile that had him all wrapped up. “Well…thank you. I feel lucky to be here with you too.”

  He kissed her again. This time, all for himself. For years he’d searched, trying to understand what was missing in his life, in his soul, and for the first time ever, he finally felt like that question had been answered. When he backed away, her eyes slowly opened, revealing her dark pupils. “Wait here,” he told her with a grin.

  “Where are you going?” she called after him.

  He fetched two more carts and then returned to her. “Let’s see what else those animals at the shelter need.” Her brow furrowed a little in obvious confusion, and he set to clear that up. “Surely, I can’t let you do all this charity work and stand by doing nothing. I’ve got money. Let me support your cause.”

  Her eyes widened. “Really?”

  He gave a firm nod. “You’re right. This is a good thing to do. Those beds you were looking at before, would the animals like those?” Her eyes softened then, and she threw herself at him.

  “Thank you,” she whispered in his ear.

  His chest took a direct hit, filling with unfamiliar warmth. Yeah, this he could get used to.

  Later that afternoon, after delivering all of the pet supplies to the shelter and spending time with the animals there, Miles’s plan for the day took over. They’d taken a taxi back to the beach, and a speedboat took them to a private island, where they’d spent the day soaking up the sun. Liv stretched out on the beach bed, its white curtains waving in the wind. They weren’t alone on the island. Beds lined the coast, but the only noise reaching them was the waves washing up on shore. Miles hadn’t left a single detail out of their excursion today, and in between swimming and hiking through the private island’s jungle trail, Liv couldn’t quite remember a day she enjoyed more. And the hot-as-hell guy lying next to her, with his eyes closed, was the reason. Liv wasn’t exactly sure when it happened, but the part of her heart that said Miles was all wrong for her began to grow quiet. He was a great guy. Sweet and attentive. Dominant and powerful. Everything she ever hoped she’d find in a man and more. Everyday he’d put the effort in to make their moments together special.

  She studied him next to her. This confident man who never seemed to fill the silence with small talk. She’d never felt so comfortable with anyone. At every turn, he surprised her, filling her nights with adventure, passion, and making her smile more than she could remember in a long time. All she kept asking herself was: Why had she shut him down so fiercely these past three months? Because of the distance between them? Because she told herself she’d never date a guy who was both charming and edgy? It began to feel like her reasons for staying away were more like excuses. And she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Pathetic that she’d given up on believing anything was possible? Embarrassed that fear ruled her life? Sad that she shut down a chance at happiness?

  Miles’s eyes were still closed, but the side of his mouth curved. “What’s on your mind?”

  She felt the urge to explain, but also was drowned in fear of what he’d say back. Instead, she said the next best truth, “I feel terrible that I can’t think of one magical thing to do for you to make this trip as incredible as you’ve made mine.”

  He turned his head, sliding his sunglasses down his nose, revealing his potent gaze. “Believe me, you’ve made my trip incredible. It’s the spark I needed.”

  She flipped on her side, leaning her head against her hand. “What do you mean? The spark?”

  He mirrored her movement, shifting onto his side, taking his sunglasses fully off. That potent stare held hers for a beat, obviously choosing his words carefully. “I’m not sure how to explain what I mean, other than to say that my life feels stagnant, and it’s not a position I enjoy.”

  She couldn’t help but admire the golden tone of his skin, the stretching and flexing of his muscles, but she forced herself to stay focused, curious about him. “Stagnant in what way?”

  A long slow breath passed through his mouth. “I wake up and it feels like I’m living the exact same day. Ever feel like that?”

  She gazed into his piercing stare, overwhelmed by him, of how easy it was for him to speak his truth. “I wouldn’t say my life has ever felt stagnant, but I know how it feels to be stuck in a little bit of Groundhog Day scenery myself.”

  His bicep flexed, the veins bulging there, as he rested his head on his hand. “In what way?”

  She cleared her throat, focusing on the conversation. Again. “I’ve just…” The words were going to come out so easily, but then her voice caught. Admitting deeper parts of herself had landed her on dangerous ground before, but she suddenly found she wanted Miles to know her. “I actually have been living the same day, over and over again, and it’s not the day I thought I’d be living.”

  Of course, he didn’t miss what she wasn’t saying between the lines. “What did you think it’d be, then?”

  “I thought I’d be a commercial real estate agent. I mean, that had been the plan. I’d finished college and everything. All I needed to do was get my real estate license.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “Life happened,” she said with a sigh. “After college, I wanted some real-life experience and saw Allie’s job posting. She hired me, and then a friendship grew between us. One of those crazy friendships that feels kinda soul deep, you know?” He nodded, fully understanding, and she added, “After that, I just never left. She pays me nearly as much as I’d make on my own, and I am happy working there, alongside her, even if it’s not exactly what I thought I’d be doing.”

  Miles hesitated. “But you’re not satisfied?”

  She considered that then lifted a shoulder. “I hadn’t really thought about it too much, and I guess I’m not totally satisfied with my life. But I mean, is anyone?”

  “Yes,” Miles stated. “Some people are, just not us, apparently.”

  She laughed softly. “So what are you going to
do after the cruise to make your life less stagnant?”

  His fingers froze on her thigh, heady gaze meeting hers. “That depends.”

  “On?”

  “On what happens after the cruise ends,” he said boldly. She was flattered by how sure he seemed about her, but felt the same strangling fear creep up. He went on before she could address it. “Something’s been missing in my life. I’ve known that for a very long time. I’m tired of not finding out what that is and going after it.”

  “I envy that about you,” she said honestly. “I wish I was bold and brave like that.”

  “You are,” he said. “I’d say since I met you you’ve been pretty damn bold and brave.”

  She laughed softly. “But that’s different.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s fun.”

  He nodded. “I suspect that’s what life should be about.”

  She caught the darkness in his gaze. “But your life hasn’t been fun?”

  “Like I said, a spark has been missing. I’ve felt that spark on this trip. It’s not boring. Not full of responsibility. It’s…refreshing.”

  She watched him closely. “Okay, well, I guess that does make me feel better, at least you’re getting something good out of this too.”

  “I am,” he said firmly. “So, stop worrying about me, all right?”

  “Okay, I won’t.” She laughed then slid closer, moving against him, resting her head on his shoulder. She pondered all he’d said. “When, and how did you realize you needed a change in your life?”

  His tender touch began its trail over her hip, warming all the spots he grazed. “It wasn’t something that happened overnight. I was very content. My construction company satisfied me professionally. My personal life was where I wanted to be. I very much liked being alone. Unattached.”

  “Then what happened?”

  He laughed, which softened his typically intense eyes. “All of my very single friends got married and started having children. Being around them…well, it changed me.”

  “It made you want that?”