Still riding the tail of his orgasm, Liam rolls to his back and takes me with him. He parts my legs, slips two fingers inside, and lets his thumb become a merciless tease on my clit.

“I need more,” I say, bowing my spine, bringing his touch deeper.

“Greedy girl.” He tugs on my hair, then slides his hand to the back of my neck. My head tilts under his control as he takes my mouth in a desperate kiss, his tongue thrashing against mine. I can’t help but rock into him, chasing every ounce of friction he’ll give me.

Abruptly, he breaks our lip lock. “You’d better come before I want round two.” Even as he issues the warning, his spent cock twitches against my ass cheeks, threatening to grow once more.

“Please, I need…” Biting back a whimper, I move to the pace of his hand, my hips straining for release. His skilled digits guide me to the peak, where I cling to the edge for what seems like an eternity before I finally…

Let go.

It’s an endless fall, an inevitable surrender, an agonizing renewal. My second climax of the night is more earth-shattering than the first, the waves trapping me in the throes, making speaking impossible.

Liam is not so silent.

“I’ll love you until I die, and then some.” His mouth presses against my cheek as he wraps his arms around me, shifting us onto our sides.

I’m still humming with aftershocks, but as the fire in my blood cools, I struggle to keep my eyes open. The landscape of my mind is blissfully empty, my limbs sated and heavy with exhaustion.

“I’ve got you,” he whispers. “Sleep, my sweet girl.”

7

Harsh, unrelenting light penetrates my lids, sending jabs to my temples. Even before I open my eyes, I sense the absence of melancholy grey beyond the windows. As sleep fades, the cloudless sky and snow-covered trees come into focus, and I blink against the glare, shifting under a royal blue comforter.

This isn’t my suite in the House of Aries.

The thought sinks in as my hand drifts to the other side of the bed. The sheets are cool to the touch, the space beside me empty. I sit up, clutching the blanket to my chest, and scan the room for Liam.

He’s slouched in a chair in the corner, head buried in his hands, elbows braced on his knees. Tension simmers in his motionless shoulders. For several seconds, I watch, silent as the morning, while fragments of last night take shape.

I almost jumped.

The memory slams into me like a wave, stealing my breath. Sleep dulled its edges, but now awareness washes over me.

What they say about the cold light of day?

It’s true, and brutally cruel in its honesty. A small part of me wishes I’d gone over that cliff after all.

“Liam?”