Liam twined his fingers through her hair, giving a gentle signal for her to stop. “Anna. Let’s go home.”
“But you taste so good.” She continued to flick the tip of her tongue across his cock. Wrapping the base with one hand, she moved a determined lock of hair out of her eyes with the other and gave what she hoped was a convincingly lascivious grin. Finally, waving her sock-clad feet in the air, she asked, “Shall we get dressed then?”
“Yes.” He reached forward to ruffle her hair. “I even have food. For sustenance, because I think we’re going to need it.”
Anna paused to kiss his belly before wiggling off the bed. As her feet touched the floorboards, she squealed, flipped over, and crawled toward Liam like a manic crab.
“There’s water all over the floor. I think we might be sinking!”
Chapter Seventeen
“Your scuppers are clogged.”
The mechanic Anna dragged out of the warm, dry marina office made his pronouncement after twenty minutes of mucking about in the bowels of the boat. His pants were wet to his thighs, and the belly area of his navy blue work shirt was soaked.
“The boat was probably stored outside under trees and left uncovered through at least one cycle of seasons, if not more.”
His assessment rang true to Anna’s understanding of boat construction. It wasn’t unusual for boat sellers and buyers to be surprised when the vessel was put in the water or taken apart. It wasn’t unheard of for a boat to go down in its dockside slip either.
“It’s a preventable disaster,” he continued, “but if the boat wasn’t being used and serviced regularly then the owners probably weren’t paying attention, and the couplings just dried out.” He wiped his hands on a rag, pulled a ballpoint pen from his pocket and waved his clipboard between Liam and Anna. “Sign here. Just need one of your signatures sayin’ you understand what I’ve told you. Then I’ll need you to sign another paper statin’ the marina’s not to be held liable for any damage or litigation.”
“Litigation?”
“Yup.” He nodded. “Folks sink a lot of money into these boats. Sure hope this one’s insured.” He watched Liam sign the required papers. “Because where there’s one leak, there’s likely to be more.”
The noise of the pump working in the background added another layer of surreal to the scene. The mechanic left, promising he’d keep an eye on the boat. Anna’s bag had spent time floating in the galley and was soaked. Most of Liam’s drawing supplies and tools were dry. The water hadn’t risen to the countertop.
“Shall we pick up where we left off, perhaps in dryer surroundings?” he said, gesturing to the short set of stairs.
“I’m all kinds of wet, Liam Galbraith.”
“Then lead the way, Ms. Granger. I believe I know just what to do.”
Anna drove her truck away from the marina, careful to mind the speed limit. The look in Liam’s eyes as she drove away assured her he’d be on her tail the entire way, and someone had to exhibit self-control. She could keep her foot from pressing the gas pedal to the floor, but she was apparently incapable of staying away from Liam.
Wipers threw rain to the left and right, keeping the windshield relatively clear. She kept her eyes on the road and searched her heart. She’d gone giddy, playing on the boat with Liam, even a little reckless. Maybe the busted scuppers were a timely sign she should rein in her hormones and take a more measured approach to her sex life.
She navigated the two-car caravan to their respective cottages. When she overcorrected the turn into her driveway, gravel sprayed to the left, taking with it any thoughts of slowing down what they’d started on the boat. Liam’s car passed, parked, and he waved at her from the edge of his porch.
He was filling the canvas log carrier from the woodpile off the far end of the porch when Anna arrived at the steps and held the door open. He deposited the logs in the box and crouched in front of the woodstove.
“How many fires do you plan on starting today?” Anna teased. She unsnapped and unzipped her jacket, draped it over a chair, and sank onto the near corner of his bed to remove her boots.
“Whatever it takes to keep you hot. Do you see the matches?” He wadded up newspaper, set the kindling, added two of the smaller logs, and turned from his crouch as Anna stood. She had removed her socks and was starting to undo her pants. “Stop. Please. I want to undress you.”
“Bossy today, aren’t you?” She re-did the top button of her jeans and scanned the room. Liam squeezed her denim-clad ass when he passed between her and the bed on his way to the kitchen for the spare stash of matches.
“Just being clear about what I want,” he said.
“You said something about feeding me?”
Liam grabbed her again on his way to light the fire, pressing his body against hers. She had his flannel shirt unbuttoned and off his shoulders in seconds. The look on his face broadcasted his internal debate loud and clear: should he feed her or fuck her? “I’d like to return to what we were doing first. You looked like you were enjoying sucking my cock, and I can think of something I’d like to wrap my tongue around.”
And it looked like it would be sex before sustenance.
“I sure was enjoying myself,” she said. “Hurry up and finish what you’re doing. We have some catching up to do.” She watched Liam’s every move as he sped through the cottage.
He located and lit the beeswax candles, placed them on the mantle and the upended wood box he used as a bedside table, and peeled off his T-shirt. “I’m ready to play catch up.”
Anna stepped forward and splayed her hands over his pecs. She traced the outlined muscles tensing down his belly and unzipped his pants. Liam slid his thumbs between his jeans and
