“That’s what you’re wearing?”

I look down at my outfit and frown. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

Daphni rolls her eyes and comes to stand next to me in the mirror. Cupping her chin with her hand, she surveys my outfit.

“Okay, you either need to be showing legs or boobs. And you’re not doing either. Also you need to wear your hair down and play with it through the night. It’s sexy and will totally make him want to grab it while he pins you down and—”

I cover my ears and shake my head. “Okay, okay. I’ll wear my hair down,” I concede. “But I’m not changing—I like this outfit and besides, we’re leaving in like three minutes.”

I pull out my ponytail and let Daphni play with my hair until she’s satisfied. For my date with Liam, I had decided on a simple, dark heather-grey pencil skirt, white tank, and cropped jean jacket with a wedge heel. Though I would never admit it to Daphni, this was actually the seventh outfit I had tried on. I was nervous. This was new ground for me and Liam. This was not just a date for us: it was our debut. We would be leaving the safety and comfort of our bubble, and it terrified me.

A knock at the door finally gets Daphni off me, and she rushes gleefully to the hotel door.

“Daphni! Stop!” I screech, but it’s too late. She opens the door and gestures for Liam to enter.

The minute I see him, I can’t stop myself from smiling. He’s wearing his usual uniform: dark-grey dress pants and a black button down, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing the familiar peek of black ink. God, what was it about rolled-up sleeves and tattoos that got me so hot and bothered?

“You look lovely, Gabby,” Liam says as he crosses the room to offer me a quick kiss on my cheek.

“Thanks,” I mumble awkwardly, painfully aware of Daphni watching us, a huge smile on her face.

“Oh, Liam. Flowers? For me? You shouldn’t have!” Daphni exclaims as she pulls the flowers from Liam’s hands.

Liam smiles in amusement, playing along as he gives me a wink.

“And Liam, good sir, pray tell, are your intentions with my sister noble and pure?” Daphni asks, in a mock British accent.

“Daphni!” I hiss, glaring at her.

Liam smiles and reaches for my hand as he leads me out the door. “My intentions are completely noble, Daphni,” he promises as we leave the room. Once the door closes, he pins me against it and kisses me. “But I must admit, they aren’t the most pure,” he whispers against my lips as he breaks the kiss.

_____

“Okay. I have never been to Albania. I think frogs are actually adorable, and I think mustaches are kind of gross.”

Liam nods along thoughtfully and pauses a long moment to think. “The frogs. That’s the lie.”

A large smile stretches across my face and I shake my head triumphantly. “Nope. I love frogs and they are adorable. Mustaches on the other hand? Disgusting! Drink up!” I push the milkshake toward Liam and he takes a long sip from the bright, neon-pink straw.

After walking for two hours just talking, we had stumbled into a diner. We discovered that we both have an unnatural aversion to the texture of milkshakes, so we decided to order the largest one they have and head right into a game of “two truths and a lie.” I was having a wonderful time discovering that Liam has a pathetic poker face and is the absolute worst liar on this planet. While I, on the other hand, was scarily fantastic.

“I don’t think I can drink any more of this rubbish. I can feel it sliding down my throat,” he complains.

“Fine, I’ll give you a break. I am still struggling to understand how someone who spent six years doing surveillance is incapable of telling a simple lie.”

Liam shoots me a playful glare as he stands up from the table and walks over to pull out my chair. Even though we had ended up at this hole-in-the-wall diner, Liam still insists on opening every door and pulling out my chair for me.

Once back on the street, Liam pins his grey eyes on me, sending a shiver of heat and awareness right through me. “What are you up for, Gabby?” he asks, and I know what he is asking me. When I bring my eyes to look in his and see the same desire swirling through him that is consuming me, I know what he is asking, and I know it’s exactly what I want.

“Let’s go back to the hotel.”

Liam hails a cab, and a short while later we’re back at the hotel. I can feel my whole body radiating nervous energy. Silently, we head up to my room, and once the door closes, I turn to look at Liam.

“Are you okay?” Liam asks, his brow furrowed with concern.

I smile weakly and nod. Twisting my hands at my waist, I walk toward the bed and sit on the edge. I force myself to drop my hands to my sides and I look up again to Liam.

He crosses the room in two strides and sits on the bed next to me. Reaching for my face, he tilts my chin so I’m facing him.

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

I nod. “I know.”

He kisses my lips softly, caressing my cheek with his hand. I force myself to relax into his touch and bring my hands up to wrap around his neck.

His hand leaves my face and slowly skims down my body. As his lips move to kiss my neck, he pushes my jean jacket off my shoulders until it comes to rest on the bed behind me. I let my head fall back, giving him greater access to nip softly on my neck. His hands continue to roam until they find my breasts. When his thumb skims over my nipple, it sends a jolt of electricity through my body and I moan. The sound inflames Liam and he eagerly claims my mouth again with his, thrusting his tongue into my mouth as he kneads my breasts, bringing my nipples to hard peaks.

I bring my own hands down to roam the contours of his hard chest. I feel a surge of power when I feel his muscles ripple as my fingers skim over him, knowing that my touch has the ability to affect him so physically.

When Liam tugs at the edge of my shirt, I lift my arms and let him pull it off me. My bra disappears a moment later and Liam gently pushes me down on the bed. Almost completely naked, I suddenly feel a wave of nerves wash over me and I move my arms to cover my breasts.

“Liam, I need to tell you something,” I say, pushing up to a seated position and wrapping the blanket around my exposed breasts.

“What is it, love?” He looks at me so tenderly, the concern so obvious on his face that it momentarily takes my breath away.

“I…I’ve never actually had sex before,” I say after taking a deep inhale.

“What?”

“I’m a virgin,” I clarify.

Liam’s eyes blaze into mine. “How is it you have walked this Earth for twenty-two years and remained a virgin?”

“I never found anyone worth it, I guess,” I reply, biting down on my lower lip, suddenly feeling incredibly self-conscious.

“Gabby, I promise you it will be worth it,” Liam says, taking my hands in his. “I’m happy to be your first. Thank you for giving me this gift.”

Liam presses his lips against mine as he again gently pushes me down on the bed. Standing over me, he unbuttons his shirt, casting it to the ground. He keeps his pants on as he lies down next to me. His lips find my neck and he kisses me as he massages my breast with his hand. Moving his face down, he takes my other nipple in his mouth, suckling it until I arch my back with need. His other hand replaces his mouth as he kisses a trail down my belly.

Once he reaches my skirt, he pulls it down and it falls to the floor. My underwear follows and suddenly bare to him, I prop my head up to look down at him. The sight of his face settled between my legs sends a heat to my cheeks. Liam sees this and pauses, catching my eye. “Do you trust me, Gabby?”

When I nod, Liam’s hands move to grip my thighs, pulling my legs apart. Exposed to him, Liam inhales and moans with pleasure. I feel a flush of color heat my cheeks as liquid heat warms my center. Liam’s undeniable excitement and passion is so…erotic, and my body shivers with anticipation. Just when I feel like I can’t take any more, I feel Liam’s slick tongue dart out to taste me. And then, his lips are on me, sucking my bud into his mouth as he flicks his tongue, teasing me and making me pant with need. I curl my fingers into the sheets underneath as Liam continues his assault on my clit, his tongue driving me to the precipice of what I am sure is to be a life-changing orgasm.

“Liam,” I moan.

The sound of his name on my lips seems to awaken some feral monster inside him, and he continues to suck and nip at my clit as one of his hands shoots up to squeeze my peaked nipple. I feel my body so close to erupting when Liam slowly slides his index finger inside me. My body, now acting completely on instinct and need, thrusts into his touch, urging his finger deeper inside of me. With long, languid licks of his tongue, he slowly slides his finger in and out.

I moan his name again as he slides in a second finger. He stretches me and fills me as he continues to pump his fingers inside of me. At the same time, he uses his thumb to continue to stimulate my clit. Sliding himself back up the length of my body, he presses a forceful kiss on my lips. I can taste myself on him as he thrusts his tongue inside me. It feels so erotic and his tongue inside me, along with his two fingers fucking me, finally sends me over the edge. I let out a loud gasp and I feel all the muscles in my body constrict, my toes curling, as a wave of intense pleasure washes over me and my walls clamp down around Liam’s two fingers, still inside me.

As I come down from my orgasm, Liam pulls his fingers away, licking my wetness off them, a satisfied smile on his face.

“You taste like honey,” he tells me, and I decide right then and there that those are the sexiest words I have ever heard. I throw my arms around him, wanting his body against mine. I curl my fingers into the fabric of his shirt and throw my leg over him, capturing him in my embrace. Liam responds by wrapping his arms around me, pulling me against his chest.

In the silence of that moment, with my ear pressed against Liam’s chest, all I can hear is his beating heart. I know mine is thrashing just as wildly against my own chest, and as my breaths begin to even and my body starts to relax, I let the reverberating sound of his heart slowly lull me into a deep sleep.