Chapter 23 - Madison

After Liam and Adele leave, I pour myself more sake and down it in one gulp. Piper does the same.

“That was fun,” she mutters to herself putting the cup back on the table.

My insides burn little bit from sake and a great deal from the open-heart wound. “I sure do know he took my just one night seriously!” I confess my thoughts as I take my chopsticks. No reason not to go on with our dinner. He continued with his life. Fuck him.

“It hurts me to see you like this. You were positively beaming this morning and now it all went so wrong.” She tells me.

“And I was feeling great. Don’t let this spoil our dinner. Do you know how hard it is to get fresh sushi in Willow Creek?” I try to lighten the mood.

“What will you do now?” Piper asks and munches on a sushi piece.

“Now I go home tomorrow rather than go on a meeting with him. We don’t have anything to say to each other.” I reply dipping my sushi in soy sauce and shoving it in my mouth.

“Maybe things are not as they look?” She asks not convincing either of us.

“Mmmm, yea maybe he didn’t go out with his girlfriend right after he spent a night having sex with me.” I respond under my voice so that people around us don’t hear me.

“She is not his girlfriend! If she, was I wouldn’t try and set you up in the first place. They had fun, but I haven’t seen them together for months now.” She informs me.

I nod. She is adamant about the fact they are not together. I just don’t care. The truth is I wanted Liam and I wanted him badly. And I got him. Just a notion of his naked body on top of mine is enough to make me squirm in my seat. “Enough about Liam. Let us enjoy our dinner.” I tell Piper as I feel the phone in my bag buzz. I take I out and see that Liam is calling. I decline the call while Piper looks at me quizzically across the table. “It’s him. I don’t want to talk to him tonight. He has taken too much of our time as is.” I explain.

“He won’t stop at that. I hope you are aware of that. I suggest you take the call and be done with it.” She tells me.

“I’ll call him back when we return to your house.” The phone pings again and Piper laughs.

“Told you so!”

I turn off the phone, “he can go fuck himself!”

We continued with dinner enjoying our food but the mood was hindered, no matter how much both of us tried to keep it up. We ate and decided to go back to the house. It was an active night for me followed by an active day and my muscles ache. I’m feeling drained both physically and mentally.

John waited for us by the curb and drove us home leaving us in front of the house while he continued to park the car. Piper throws her house keys on the console in the hall.

“I hear Drake out on the terrace,” she tells me and heads in that direction.

All I wanted was to go to the bead, but at the same time I didn’t want to be rude to my hosts. I follow her seeing Drake sitting there having a beer and talking to somebody. Fully expecting that somebody to be one of his County Club friends but I stop dead in my tracks as I step out on the terrace. None other than Liam sitting there. Shocked I look at Piper while she mouths off – Told you so - behind Liam’s back.

“Hello ladies! I trust you had a good dinner.” He greets us all relaxed, lifting a heavy crystal glass to take a sip of the amber liquid and returns it to the table. His gaze sliding down my body, taking in my outfit, pausing for a long moment on my breasts causing instant reaction, immediately visible due to poor choice of clothes for tonight. A lack of said clothes. He notices my pebbled nipples, smirks, looks me right in the eye – holy smugness. I clench my teeth and hold my head higher.

Look all you want; you’re not going to see them again.

“Liam! Two times in one evening….To what do we owe this pleasure?” Piper greats him with a zing of wickedness in her voice. We all turn and look at her. Piper is an incarnation of a benevolent person. Always bright and warm-hearted. She smirks, bends, and kisses Drake, smack on his lips. As she moves away, he gets up from his chair.

“Liam is here to talk business with Madison?” he informs the group in a theatric way and now we all look at him. Discomfort level 100/100. Piper and I exchange a look almost bursting in laughter. “We will leave you to talk business.” Piper says and intertwines her hand with Drake’s while pulling him in the direction of the house. The look of disbelief I give her I don’t try to hide from others. She responds with a small shrug and a wince.

Next second, I’m left alone with Liam, feeling a tinge of angst because I dismissed his calls earlier. All brave and fuck him when he was securely far away. Not feeling the same bravado now when I’m melting under his gaze. I push all that far away from the surface as I don’t want to let him know how much he influences me. But that is mission impossible because he is right in front of me. Sitting all composed, powerful, and elegant. My thoughts become unfocused the second I’m aware of the firm body of his, so close, so desirable. What would it feel to get close to him now, to touch the firm muscle ridges of his stomach and feel him getting hard under the tailored suit?

Sitting down on the chair next to his I try reading his face. Nothing. He is watching me intently but he is wearing his usual bad boy smirk I could never penetrate.

“You didn’t answer my calls.” He states the obvious. Such a plain statement, but the way he said it makes if sound like a threat. Delicious threat. And is that tinge of annoyance I hear in his voice? Good. Leaning back in my chair I cross my legs.

“Maybe I’m not in the mood for you tonight Mr. Carver.” I reply.

He chuckles leaning forward towards me, resting his elbows on his knees. “I could help with that…” he responds. “The mood…”

My blood boils in a second, the audacity of this man. Or did he just trigger my jealousy on purpose? I can’t tell the difference. What I do know is that he spent the last night with me, just had a date with his “girlfriend” and now he is back offering to improve my mood!? My mood!!!

“Your girlfriend is not enough for you tonight? Thanx but, I’m not interested!” I bark at him, my fragile composure cracking.

He looks away and makes this small snorting sound. “Why are you lying?”

Waiting until he looks back at me, I answer. “It is not a lie. I cannot hide my attraction to you, but that isn’t anything new to you. Isn’t it?” Fidgeting in my seat now I look away because he was right when he said I cannot look him in the eye and lie. And I know that the next thing out of my mouth is going to be a lie. “And that doesn’t mean anything.”

“Look at me.” He commands firmly, managing to keep enough softness in his demand. Making me comply without trying to fight it. His entire posture relaxes a bit as a hint of smile flickers across his face. “Attraction is an understatement when it comes to two of us…” he begins solemnly.

“Call it what you want, I don’t want anything with you anymore – attraction or no attraction.” My hurt from seeing him with Adele is back in full force.

“You just used me for sex and now that you fucked me out of your system you are done!?” he bows his head still leaning towards me.

“As I said, call it what you want I’m not interested.”

“You are lying again Madison. Don’t ever lie to me.” He looks up, takes one of my hands in his and softly caresses the top of it with the tips of his fingertips. The sensation of this small touch driving me crazy.

“Call me ridiculous but to have anything more than one night, I would have to like that person. And I don’t like you much tonight.” Shiver runs down my body followed by a pulsing sensation as he continues gently stroking my hand.

“You are not insane, but I don’t have time for dating.”

“Like tonight, you mean!?” I respond.

“Adele and I are not dating!”

“No, you are also just fucking!” I’m done playing around. Knowing well that I don’t have any claim over him, that we only spent one night together and that he warned me in advance – I also know that part of a second fiddle in his merry band of admirers, is not going to happen.

“I can’t deny we had a physical relationship, but that is over. Has been for months.”

Vile swells in my throat just from thinking about two of the together. “You don’t owe me any explanations.”

He takes both of my hands into his and continues applying little circular motions with his thumbs.

“Don’t get used to it, but tonight I wanted to tell you that. Although I don’t do romance, there are countless ways I can get you to explode. Why don’t you let me do that?”

“I can’t be your new Adele…”

He stands and pulls me up with him. Grabbing me by the elbow he directs me from the terrace and into the garden. I let him because let’s face it at this moment I’ll take any contact with him, for it may be the very last one. He guides us into a remote and private part of the garden, nearby the small waterfall. When we get far enough from the house, he lets go of my hand taking few steps in front of me while I take in his tall figure outlined by the dim lightning of the small pool. He turns to me and points to one of the deck chairs placed by the pool.

This corner of the garden is secluded from the open view from the terrace by a wall of bushes. Not high enough to hide a standing human but more enough to shelter anybody sitting on the deck chair.

“Please sit down.” He orders.

“I am tired Liam.”

“As am I. If you remember I didn’t get much sleep last night. Now sit.”

“What do you want from me?” I ask still not budging.

He walks back to me grabs one of my hands and pulls me close. As our bodies touch, he turns us and pushes me back towards the chair. Secretly reveling in this new contact between our bodies I surrender, walking backward. Once we reach the chair the pushes me down to sit, taking his place next to me.

“I want more sex with you and a lot of it. We are going to discuss what needs to take place for that to happen.”

This offer of his insults me and makes me hot as hell at the same time. It’s hard to see his face in the darkness of the garden but I can feel he is watching me closely. “This is low and offensive.” I respond quietly.

“This may not be the best example of my negotiation skills but you were honest with me yesterday and I’m returning the favor because you strike me as a person who doesn’t appreciate fluff and flattery. I offer you the truth. What is offensive in that?”

“I’m not a disposable asset to be used when you need a relief. I’m a person.”

His head falls back and his eyes close for a moment before he looks back at me. “That’s a given Madison.”

“Are we done?”

“Not quite, we just started. The fact is that both of us feel a strong sexual connection, but neither of us is in a place for real relationship at this moment. What is it you want from me?” He asks.

“Sex scheduled like a business meeting – that’s not for me.” I answer. It is hard not to feel the temptation when I’m so near to this beautiful man who is determined to have more of that delicious sex with me. I won’t be his release valve. Although a full-blown relationship is not something I’m looking for I know in my bones that if I succumb to his demands, I will be the one who will make all the concessions, molding my life around his needs. Not the other way around.

“I find when the expectations are set early on, there is less chance of somebody getting hurt when it ends.”

“You can’t be serious. That must have sounded better in your head. What you are suggesting is a transference of bodily fluids between two units!”

Dipping his head, he tries to hide a chuckle. Unsuccessfully because it escapes him. I stand and take few steps towards the outer garden wall, turn back, and lean on it.

“I don’t have time for a full relationship, you are right. Still, sex for me is something deeply personal, friendly and with the deepest regard for the person I’m with. I need to feel something for that person.”

He stands as his eyes flash something dark. “My private relations are clean and simple, no misguided expectations on either side.”

“Look Liam, I’m not asking you to do anything you are not comfortable with. At the same time, I’m telling you that I will not do that as well.”

He closes the few steps separating us and puts both of his hands on each side of my head. I can feel his strength and determination pulse out of his body and into mine. The world recedes and all that remains is the two of us. Out of time, out of space – while every cell of my body screams with the need to get closer to him. It drives me crazy he has such a powerful effect on me and I’m powerless to do anything about it. Instead of running in the opposite direction I find myself majestically turned on by this man.

“Kiss me!” He tells me hoarsely.

I close my eyes as rush of excitement takes over my body. I want him. Fiercely! “Just let me go.” I croak. He is not good for me. I have more than enough problems in my life.

“I intend to, because I just can’t give you what you need.”

One of his hands finds its way to the small of my back pulling me closer against his body. In an automatic movement I grab his shoulders only to be confronted with the sensation of his hard cock pulsating against my belly. We are lost in this desperate need for each other.

“Give me one last kiss to say goodbye.” His intensive stare pierces right through my core.

I tilt my head up giving him access to my lips as he takes them without any hesitation. Soft gentle lips touch mine and I’m reminded of how good they taste. Brain fog descends on me as I moan from the pleasure of that moment and my hands grab his face pulling him closer. He growls deepening the kiss as well as grabbing my butt with both hands. Lifting me off the ground. Leather of my pants crackles as my legs go around his waist.

“I want you, Madison. The hell with everything, I just can’t give you up now that I finally have you. I just can’t stop. This feels so right.” He whispers in my ear as I kiss his jawline.

I return his kisses as hungrily as he gives them. I too not able to just stop. My clit pulsates with a force of its own demanding more; especially now after he made me remember last night. Nobody ever made me feel like this. Coarse wall provides leverage as I latch on to him looking to feel his hard cock against my pulsating clit. Skillfully he unbuttons the front of my silk blouse moaning in satisfaction as he uncovers my bare breasts.

“Madison…” He exhales my name, raw need in his voice sending shivers through my body making my nipples pebble more while I watch his head descend on my naked and eager breasts.

Suddenly his entire body stiffens and he jerks his head from my breasts enclosing me with his body. Second or two passes before my brain starts working to notice that somebody is standing behind him.