And there went touch. It belonged to him as well.

“That so?” she somehow managed to ask as she looked up at him.

“Honey.” His voice dropped low when he said honey. That one word filling her ears and moving to her chest before it spread through her entire body. “The only person who is going to stop me from finally waking up next to you tomorrow morning is you.”

Bye, bye hearing. It was his.

“Me?”

“Yeah. You. Do you want separate sleeping arrangements?” His voice somehow dropped even lower with the last question and the words vibrated through her.

“No.” She shook her head.

“And what do you want?” He moved so that their faces were only inches apart. His green-gold eyes were all that she saw, taking over her sight as well.

Such an easy answer. “You.”

“Good.” And just like that his mouth was on hers and she was opening up for him immediately, needing his taste on her tongue.

He’d taken over all of her senses. She was gone. He owned her. But she’d already known that. Had known that when she’d first met him.

“I need you, Liam,” she whispered against his mouth.

“You got me. Now where’s your bedroom?”

Chapter Thirteen Promise?

Liam followed behind Harper, his hand firmly in hers, as she led him to her bedroom. There were more French doors in here as well, and a quick glance showed they led out to the same back deck as the ones in the dining room. The setting sun filled the space with a warm light.

Pinks, reds, and oranges streamed through the glass panes and reflected on the walls. Besides the queen bed, that was the only thing Liam took in as his gaze was now fixed solely on the woman in front of him.

Good Lord she was stunning.

His hands were on her body again, moving up and down her sides as he pressed his lips to hers. And then he got to that spot under her ear, opening his mouth over that patch of freckles that he loved to taste so damn much.

“I don’t understand it.” Harper gasped, her hands fisting in his shirt.

“Understand what?” He moved his lips down and across her jaw, kissing every spot he could get to.

“I feel like I’ve been missing this for years. Missing you for years.”

He pulled back, his hands going to the back of her head, his fingers spearing through her hair. “I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I missed you even before I met you.”

She gasped at his words, her hands tightening at his sides. “You never cease to amaze me, Liam James.”

“And I’m never going to stop.”

“Promise?”

“I swear.” He moved one of his hands down through her hair, pulling his fingers through the strands as he traced her spine. “I got you a little something, too, you know.”

“You what?”

“A gift. I couldn’t help myself. I saw it and I knew I needed to see it on you.” He reached for his front pocket, fishing out the necklace that he’d dropped in there only moments before.

He pulled his hand up, the delicate silver chain dangling from his finger. The pendant at the end swayed back and forth, the amethyst stone and the ring of tiny diamonds that surrounded it catching in the sunlight that streamed through the open windows.

Another gasp escaped Harper’s mouth as her eyes moved from the necklace to him. “It’s beautiful.”

“Of course it is; it matches your eyes. Now turn around.”

She did so, gathering her hair to the side as he unclasped the chain and looped it around her throat. When it was in place he leaned forward, kissing the back of her neck. She dropped her hair as she spun to face him again.

“Thank you.” She reached up, fingering the pendant. “But I didn’t get you anything.”

“You’re wrong there, honey. You’re giving me the greatest gift of all.” He reached out, his palm going flat on her belly. “This baby.”

“Liam.” She stretched up, pressing her mouth to his.

“I don’t want anything else,” he whispered against her lips. “Well, besides seeing you wearing nothing besides that necklace, that is.”

“I think that can be very easily arranged.”

“Good.” But he knew for a fact that as soon as he started to strip Harper out of her clothes he was going to be good and fully distracted, so he started to undress first.

He reached behind him, grabbing a fistful of shirt and pulling it over his head as he kicked off his boots. But before he could reach for his belt, Harper’s hands were there, sliding the buckle out and pulling down the zipper of his jeans.

He needed his mouth on her, and the second his lips brushed over her neck she let out a soft sigh, her body melting into his. And just like that he got a little waylaid from his mission, and it didn’t help that Harper was now pressing herself firmly into his erection.

Focus, man. Pull it together.

He reached up, palming one of her breasts and she cried out as her body stiffened.

His head came up immediately and he cradled her face in his hands.

“Sorry, they’re just really sore.”

“Harper, don’t apologize.”

“I just…I know how much you like them.” Uncertainty flickered through her eyes and it almost did him in. “I don’t want you to be disappointed if it’s a little different this time around.”

“Disappointed?” That word should never, ever, be equated to sex with her. “Not possible.”

“Liam, that’s not true. I’m pregnant and my body is changing and—”

“Do you trust me?” He cut her off as he leaned forward and nipped at her bottom lip, their eyes not breaking contact.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Good. And you should know,” he said as he dropped his hands to the skirt of her dress, slowly working the fabric up, “I was amazed by your body the first time I saw it.” The skirt was at her hips and he tugged, pulling it past her ribs, and her breasts, and over her head. “And if anything I’m even more enamored with it now. And you know why?”

He dropped the dress to the floor as his eyes raked over her body, taking in everything. Her breasts were currently decorated with a cream and black lace bra, and matching panties covered her hips.

“Why?” she whispered, her hands falling to her sides.

He reached behind her back, unhooking her bra and pulling it from her arms before he fell to his knees. “Because it’s changing.” His hands slid across her hips as he pulled her close and pressed his mouth to her belly.

Her fingers were in his hair, her nails lightly raking against his scalp.

“You. Are. Perfect.” He kissed a circle around her belly button between each word. And he had to stop himself from saying the rest of the sentence that was on the tip of his tongue.

And. You. Are. Mine.

She was concerned that things would be different this time around? That there was a chance he’d be disappointed? Well, that was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard in his life.

For one, he still held firmly to the fact that she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Two, absolutely nothing was going to change that. Three, she was carrying his child. Their child. If that wasn’t the sexiest thing in the world, he had no idea what was.

And four…well, he was in love with her. In love with everything about her, from her body to her mind and all that there was in between.

Speaking of between…

He hooked his fingers in either side of the fabric of her hips before he pulled down, sliding her panties down her legs. And then his mouth was at the very core of her, doing everything in his power to make her lose her mind.

It didn’t take very long before her unsteady breaths started to fill the room, and when his tongue found her clit she was gasping his name.

“Liam, I…I can’t…can’t do this standing up.”

“Lie down.”

The second she was flat on her back on the bed he had both of her legs over his shoulders and he picked up right where he’d left off.