Page 94 of Twisted Beauty

God, he felt good. He was already rock hard, and she couldn’t help moving against him, acutely aware of the part of her that ached, that felt so desperate and needy every time he touched her.

Matt wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and brought her lips to his. “Fuck, Liv, you’re killing me. I need to get you back to our room.” He swiped his tongue across her lips and opened her mouth with his. His kiss was demanding and desperate, and she wanted him more now than she ever had, if that was even possible.

Liv broke the kiss and glanced around at the empty pool area. The sky was an inky shade of black, and even though the pool and hot tub were lit, the bubbles made the water essentially opaque. “No one else is here,” she whispered and reached her hand down between them. She edged his trunks down until he sprang free, and she stroked her hand up the length of him.

“Right now I’m not sure I’d give a fuck if they were.” Matt pushed her bikini bottoms to the side and ran a finger along her slit before slipping it inside and moaning. “So warm and tight.”

She bucked against his hand. “Matt, I need—”

“I know.” He pulled his hand away and lifted her up by her thighs. Positioning himself beneath her opening, he entered her slowly, the invasion stretching her, filling her.

She pressed her mouth into his shoulder to stifle a moan. She closed her eyes and opened her legs farther so she could take more of him in.

“Faster.” She had no leverage this way, and she needed more of him.

“You sure, sweetheart? I thought the hot water might—”

“Faster,” she whispered again. He drew her close and thrust so deeply their bodies smacked together. He pulled out and thrust again, picking up speed and burying his head in the curve between her shoulder and her neck. She threaded her fingers through his hair and tightened her grip.

He kissed her neck and then straightened up. “Look at me.” His voice was rough, barely above a whisper.

She opened her eyes to see his glowing with reflected light from the pool, his gaze so intense it made her dizzy. She felt the hard heat of his body, his fingers digging into her hips, and the slick glide of him inside her, all the while staring into his eyes. With the bubbles surrounding them, she felt like she was in a whirlpool. Being swept under, drowning in the intensity of her own feelings.

I love you. The words almost bubbled to the surface.

She bit down on her lip to silence herself, so hard she tasted blood.

Matt slipped a hand between them and touched his thumb to her clit. Just a single touch, and she felt her body ripple and tighten, until she unraveled so completely she could barely hold on. She dropped her head onto his shoulder, gasping for air.

He thrust once more and stilled. He muttered her name, and she felt him pulse inside her.

Wrapped tightly in his arms, her body relaxed completely against his. She stayed like that until her breathing slowed. But her mind was racing. She’d almost said she loved him. And she had no idea how to handle that.

He backed away just enough to place a sweet, lingering kiss on her lips.

When he finally lifted her off him, she settled beside him once again on the ledge.

He swiped a thumb across her lower lip. “Your lip’s swollen. Did I do that?” His voice was hoarse, and so gentle.

“No, that was me. I was trying not to make any noise.”

Not entirely a lie. Only she wasn’t going for silent sex, she was burying her feelings as far inside her as possible. Somewhere they couldn’t hurt either of them.

22

Matt

“Dude, are you still drunk from last night?” Zach asked, holding up Matt’s sunglasses and various bags of snacks for the boat ride home.

It was ten a.m., of course he wasn’t drunk. But he’d already started down the stairs out of the kitchen, and left everything he’d just packed up sitting on the counter. “Unfortunately not.” He strolled back in and took the items from Zach. “I’m just distracted. It’s like herding kittens to get you all going. Don’t want to miss that boat.”

He didn’t give a shit about the boat.

Liv was acting strange this morning. Preoccupied. Remote. And that had him on edge. He couldn’t help but wonder if it had something to do with whatever the hell she’d read on her phone last night.

Why wouldn’t she talk to him about it? If it had to do with that rat bastard of an ex, he wanted to know. He wanted to rip the guy a new one.

He hurried back to the palapa to check on her and grab their bags. When he entered the bedroom, Liv was sitting next to her packed duffel and scrolling through her phone.