Outback Secrets by Rachael Johns

Chapter Twenty-five

Liam grinned. ‘Give me one moment.’

He whistled for Sheila to follow him out of the room. Henri heard the telltale sounds of him rifling through a packet of dog treats that lived on the kitchen bench and then moments later, he returned, shutting the door behind him.

‘Didn’t think we needed an audience,’ he explained as he toed off his shoes, then crossed the room and came to sit down beside her.

‘Good thinking.’ Desperate to feel his naked body, she reached for the waistband of his shorts, but he caught her wrist before she got there.

‘Not so fast, Henrietta Forward,’ he said, his voice low and his eyes full of heat as he grabbed her other wrist, lifted both her arms over her head and then pinned them down against the bed. ‘I intend to take this slow and make the most of it.’

Then, his fingers traced down from her face, over her neck, skating the curves of her breasts. The coil deep within her tightened and her hips lifted involuntarily off the bed.

‘You’re so freaking gorgeous,’ he said, dipping his head to kiss her before she could tell him that he was pretty freaking gorgeous as well.

She felt his scrumptiously hard body pressing against her and, as his tongue nudged open her lips, Henri welcomed him inside, loving the feel of his mouth consuming hers. While they kissed, Liam continued his exploration of the rest of her body. Lifting himself slightly so he could slip a hand beneath her T-shirt, she gasped into his mouth as his hand connected with her bare skin, inching slowly up to cup first one breast and then the other.

Henri barely moved. She didn’t know what was happening—it wasn’t like she was a virgin—but every place he touched felt as if it had never been touched before and she felt utterly helpless as his fingers twirled her nipples into hard and needy buds.

‘Perfection,’ Liam said, lifting his mouth from hers. ‘But I want to see them.’

‘Then you’d better take off my T-shirt,’ she managed.

And he did just that, taking not only her shirt but ridding her of her bra as well, hurling both over his shoulder before dropping a kiss on her belly button and then licking his way right back up to her breasts. His tongue twirled around her right nipple before sucking it into his mouth.

It was nice—better than nice—but Henri wanted in on the action as well. She wanted to feel the hard planes of his chest, she wanted to take him into her mouth and make him squirm in the same delicious way he was making her.

Again, she reached for the waistband of his shorts but once again he shifted out of her grasp.

‘Patience, Henrietta,’ he said. ‘I’m not even nearly done yet.’

‘I told you not to call me that,’ she snapped, her voice huskier than she meant it to be.

He smiled. ‘It’s a very pretty name. I don’t know why you don’t like it.’

Before she could utter any further objections, he grabbed hold of her waistband and slowly peeled her skirt and knickers down her legs, taking extra care around her sore ankle.

When she was lying there on his bed, completely naked—except for her bandage—he smoothed his hands back up her legs, every inch of her skin tingling in his wake. ‘Are you enjoying yourself, Henrietta?’ he asked with a smug smile.

‘Uh huh.’ She nodded, barely able to get the words out. ‘Enjoy’ didn’t even come close. Perhaps there was something to be said for slow, after all.

‘Good,’ he said, before spreading her legs wide and putting his mouth exactly where she felt the most need.

Within seconds she was putty in his hands. Or rather his mouth.

‘Oh God!’ she cried out, her hips bucking and her fingernails digging into his shoulders.

His tongue delved deeper. Her breaths came faster. Pleasure rippled through her, building to a wonderful crescendo. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had done this to her but, she thought as Liam took his sweet time, maybe she’d been settling for less than she should.

‘Holy shit,’ she said, minutes later as she lay there, thoroughly played, trying to catch her breath. ‘Just. Holy. Shit.’

Liam crawled back up and lay alongside her, his hand coming to rest on her belly. ‘I like the sound of holy shit, Henrietta.’

She laughed. The truth was when he said ‘Henrietta’ she didn’t actually mind it. And after that, she reckoned he’d earned the right to call her whatever he damn well pleased.

‘Your turn now,’ Henri purred, sliding her hand into his shorts.

Her fingers closed around his hard, silky length, and she tried to sit up so she could remove his clothes, but pain shot through her stupid ankle. She winced.

Concern filled Liam’s face. ‘You okay? Is it your ankle?’

She nodded.

‘Do you want to stop?’

She glared at him. ‘Don’t ask stupid questions, just take off your own bloody shorts.’

Not needing to be asked twice, he yanked them off and his boxers as well and … Wow! Of course, she’d seen him shirtless before, but being this close, and knowing that right now his beautiful body was hers to do with as she pleased made her even hotter than she already was.

She wanted to taste him like he’d tasted her, but didn’t trust her ankle not to ruin things, so instead she wrapped her fingers back around his erection and started to play.

Liam leaned against the pillows and closed his eyes and, as she moved her hand, she watched the expression on his face go from anticipation to ecstasy. It had to be one of the most beautiful things she’d ever seen.

‘Henrietta!’ he gasped as she felt him start to twitch. He grabbed her wrist. ‘Enough. I want to finish this inside you.’

He turned and retrieved a condom from his bedside table, then positioned himself above her and sank right on down, giving them both exactly what they wanted.

And yes, it was a little awkward with her ankle, but he was careful and tender, making her feel like the most precious thing on earth.

‘How’s your ankle?’ he asked when they finally caught their breath.

‘Never been better. How’s your lip?’

‘Absolute agony, but it was absolutely worth it.’

Hours later, Henri woke to the sound of her phone beeping with a text message. She glanced around Liam’s bedroom. There was no sign of him, Sheila, or the sun that had been blazing in through the windows when they’d returned from the farm. The window was open, and the warm, salty breeze wasn’t the only thing drifting into the room. She could also hear Liam’s signature rock music and the noise of his patrons chatting and laughing downstairs, not to mention smell something delicious wafting up from the kitchen.

Her stomach rumbled as she stretched across to grab her phone from the bedside table. Just like the first morning she’d woken up in his bed, it was right next to her, along with a bottle of water and a packet of painkillers, although this time the painkillers were for a different reason. Leaning against the wall right next to the bedside table were her crutches and overnight bag. He was so bloody thoughtful.

Smiling, she glanced at the screen and shrieked at the message that flashed up at her.

How’s things upstairs, sleeping beauty?

Henri snorted and texted a reply.

How’d you get my number?

Face recognition worked while you were sleeping, and I sent a message to myself.

Before she could decide whether she should be annoyed by that, another message was incoming.

Anyway, answer the question. Do you like cheese?

Who doesn’t like cheese?

Good answer. What about bacon?

Same as cheese.

And beetroot?

I’m ambivalent about beetroot but you’re making me hungry.

Henri waited for a reply, but when almost two minutes passed and none came, she struggled out of bed and hobbled into the bathroom. As much as she loathed the crutches, she wasn’t about to do anything silly that might set back her recovery, so for the next week, she and these two wooden aids would have to make a truce.

She decided she might as well take a quick shower. Balancing on one leg, she carefully removed the bandage, turned on the taps—not too hot, following doctor’s orders—and then frowned. She couldn’t exactly hop into the shower. With the wet tiles that would be asking for trouble. But could she use her crutches in water?

Ah, to hell with it.Wood dried, didn’t it?

Henri grabbed the crutches and tentatively stepped under the water. It wasn’t the most relaxing shower she’d ever had, but it did the trick, and when she shuffled back to Liam’s bedroom—barely managing both crutches and a towel—she found him sitting on the bed, waiting for her.

‘Are your crutches wet?’ he asked, clearly amused as he rushed to help her.

‘Yep. I wouldn’t recommend showering with these things, but I was desperate.’

‘I could have helped you,’ he said. Once she was settled on the bed, he rested the crutches back against the wall.

‘Are you kidding? No thanks.’ It had been bad enough last night with her mum—she’d felt like she was three years old again—no way she wanted Liam playing nursemaid.

‘Yesterday you seemed quite excited about the idea of us sharing a shower.’

‘Yesterday a shower would have been sexy, today …’ She shook her head and pointed to the tray sitting in the middle of the bed. ‘Never mind, is that a Bunyip Burger?’

He nodded.

‘Please tell me that’s for me, because if not, I’ll fight you for it.’

He grinned as he lifted the tray and placed it on her lap. ‘It’s for you. Although if the fight led to make-up sex, maybe it’d be worth it.’

‘Trust me,’ Henri said, lifting it to her mouth, ‘bringing me one of the best burgers this side of the equator pretty much guarantees you sex anyway.’

She should probably get dressed before eating, but … priorities.

‘Oh my God, this is so good,’ she moaned after the first mouthful.

‘Macca certainly knows how to make a burger.’

‘What does he put in the patties that gives it that extra …’ She couldn’t think of the right word. ‘That extra something?’

‘That,’ he said, ‘is a state secret.’

‘You tell me, you’ll have to kill me?’

‘I can’t tell you, because even I don’t know.’

‘What? You serious?’

‘Yeah. I know a lot of secrets about lots of things in this town, but that’s not one of them. Macca guards his “extra something” with his life. And that’s why I treat him like a king. The Palace menu wouldn’t be the same without him.’

‘So … these other secrets?’ Henri asked, her interest piqued. ‘Care to share any with me?’

He winked. ‘They wouldn’t be secrets if I did that, now would they?’

‘Tease.’

As she got stuck into her dinner, Liam sat down on the edge of the bed and turned his attention to her ankle. She was kinda getting used to the sight of it, but it was the first time he’d seen it in all its bruised and swollen glory.

‘Geez. You don’t do anything by halves, do you? Is it still really sore?’

‘A bit,’ she admitted through another scrumptious mouthful.

‘Shouldn’t you still be wearing a bandage?’

‘Yeah, but I took it off to shower. I’ll put it back on later.’

‘Let me. It’ll be easier if someone else does it.’

‘Okay, thanks,’ Henri said. ‘I left it in the bathroom.’

Liam stood and returned a few moments later, re-rolling the bandage. He sat back down on the bed and ever so tenderly took her foot in his hands. Despite the pain, her skin tingled, and desire began to build inside her as he slowly wrapped it up.

By the time he’d finished, the burger was gone, leaving only chips on the plate.

Liam gestured to them. ‘I forgot to ask whether you preferred sweet potato fries or normal ones, so I brought some of each.’

‘I like both.’

‘Good,’ he said, smiling as he picked one up and fed it to her.

Honestly, this was her best trip home in years, she thought, as her lips closed around the deep-fried goodness. She must have been a very good girl this year for Santa to deliver her this present—a man who not only made her toes curl but also fed her hot chips in bed.

I could definitely get used to this.

Her heart stilled at this thought. No, Henri—you cannot get used to this. He isn’t a gift that you get to keep forever. He’s more like a library book you can enjoy but then you have to give back. So … just enjoy him while you have him.

Pushing the almost empty tray aside, she hit him with her most seductive smile and said, ‘When do you have to go back downstairs?’

Liam glanced at his watch. ‘Probably now.’ But instead of making a move to leave, he reached out and tugged at her towel. ‘Then again, perhaps I can spare another five minutes?’

‘We better make this fast then,’ Henri said, dragging his face back down to hers.