They were excellent, and Liam applauded after each piece till his hands tingled. The pulsing energy of the music soothed something raw and savage inside him. He was fiercely glad that Eoin had fallen in with this group. They would keep him happy and busy until he found his feet. After they finished, he pushed his way through the crush and gave Eoin a quick, hard embrace. “Great job,” he said. “You kicked ass.”
Eoin grinned. “Thanks,” was all he had time to say before he was surrounded by chattering, congratulating people.
Something poked Liam in the back, and he looked around to find Nancy smiling at him. “Weren’t they fine?”
“Excellent.” He swept her into his arms. “Sorry,” he whispered.
He offered up a silent prayer of gratitude as her body softened, went pliant in his arms. He’d gotten through the crisis. This wasn’t the wall. There was still time, still grace. His arms tightened hungrily around her. “Do you have more to do tonight?”
She looked through her eyelashes. “Theoretically, I could network for hours. But I don’t have any appointments until tomorrow.”
He saw Peter, who was scowling at him from across the room. Liam grinned, baring all his teeth, and nipped Nancy’s ear possessively.
“How long has it been since you’ve eaten?” he asked.
She looked guilty. “Um…”
He rolled his eyes. “Nancy, for God’s sake—”
“Okay, okay, don’t scold. I forgot. So sue me. Let’s go get something. Want to ask Eoin and the others if they—”
“No. I want to be alone with you. I missed you.” He leaned over, sucked in a whiff of her perfume. “You smell good.”
She stood up on tiptoes and kissed his lips. “I missed you, too.”
Dinner options were scarce at that hour, but they found an all-night pizza place that delivered. It arrived in their room shortly after, and Liam watched with approval as Nancy enthusiastically devoured pizza.
“Wow,” she murmured, licking her fingers. “Guess I didn’t know how hungry I was.”
“No wonder people take advantage of you. You never eat. It takes energy to put your foot down.”
She snorted and grabbed another piece. He made another cautious attempt at conversation. “So the conference is going well?”
“Excellently,” she said, fishing for a napkin. “I’ve given out scads of promo packets. We’ll get lots of bookings. And the showcases all went wonderfully.”
“I’m glad,” he said.
She took a sip of her soda. “I’ve been thinking about our conversation. In some ways, I think you’re right. But in others—”
“Let it go,” he offered. “I was way out of line.”
She studied him with her wide, brilliant, leaf-colored eyes. “Only somewhat out of line,” she conceded gently. She took her cell out of her purse, made a big show of turning it off, and got to her feet. “Have to wash off pizza grease,” she murmured, disappearing into the bathroom.
He pinched out the jack of the room phone. This was a delicate moment. He didn’t want anyone to interrupt it and fuck it up. He peeled off his shirt, in the interests of saving time, and followed her into the bathroom. She washed her hands and face, patted herself dry. Her eyes locked with his in the mirror. Full of longing.
He longed for it, too. He reached around, trapping her against his body. He plucked off her glasses, pulled her hairpins out, unraveled the coiled braided hair, and smoothed the crimped waves over her shoulders.
He wrenched his belt loose, got rid of the rest of his clothes. Nancy gave him that secret little sorceress smile that drove him wild and glanced down at his stiff, rampant erection. She petted it.
“Ever ready,” she murmured. “At attention.”
“Fuck yes,” he said. “For you. Always.”
He tugged the snug black sweater out of her jeans and peeled it off over her head. Her bra was silvery green, a sheer, lacy thing.
“Wow,” he said, admiring it. “Look at that. Fancy underwear.”
“I thought I might get lucky,” she whispered.
He unhooked the bra and tossed it away, ran his hands over her velvety softness, felt the muscles that moved sinuously beneath it. Marveling at the translucent perfection of her small, high breasts.
“I’m the lucky one,” he said. “God, look at you. So beautiful.”
She just smiled, but her eyes caught his in the mirror, and they both laughed. “See? I’m making progress, aren’t I?” she teased him. “I no longer flip out and get all uptight and scared when you say that.”
“That’s good,” he said. “But I want you to know it in your bones.”
Her gaze slid away, and she blushed. She didn’t know it, though. She liked to hear it, but she didn’t buy it. He could see it in her eyes, and it made his chest ache. That he could not get past that invisible barrier inside her. Her caution. So deep, it was beyond his reach.
He could only wait. He slid his hand down over her belly to the downy tuft of hair at her muff, and insinuated his finger against that tender, tight furled slit. Just resting it there. “I wish you could see what I see when I look at you,” he said. “It drives me nuts.”
Nancy twisted in his arms and looked into his eyes. Her gaze had suddenly become very focused. “Then we’ll just keep at it, then. Things take time. Right?”
They stared, gripped by tension. “Right,” he said hoarsely.
He turned her, sank down to his knees, and buried his face against the hot, fuzzy ringlets crowning her pussy. He pried her legs a little wider, just wide enough to slide his tongue inside, teasing and fluttering her clit, thrusting deeper to taste her hot, rich flavor.
Hunger swamped his mind, but he kept at it until she shivered and arched and cried out, her body jolting in his grip.
He picked her up, carried her into the other room. He flung her onto the bed. Touching her, kissing her, spreading her out wide and loving her again with his lips and his tongue, again, again. Making her sigh and sob and clutch him, begging.
When he finally fumbled the latex on and positioned himself, she took him in so completely, it felt like flames of pure pleasure were licking him, each stroke an agony of delight more perfect than the last. He clutched her, heartbeat clamoring in his ears.
Things took time. Hell yes, they did. All the time she liked. The more time the better. A lifetime would be fine with him.
That amazing idea lifted him up and blasted him into inner space.
Someone was pounding on her door, and probably had been for some time. Nancy struggled out of a dream that had a great deal of gratuitous pounding in it. Liam stirred as she slid out of bed. She found her nightshirt, and slipped it on as she went for the door.
The pounding had redoubled. She pulled the door open and focused on Peter and Enid, who looked electrified.
“Good God, Nancy, you’re not even dressed!” Enid said, dismayed. She peeked into the room, eyes widening when they landed on Liam sitting on the bed dressed only in his jeans. “Remember yesterday at the Exhibition Hall when you were talking to the promoter for the Jericho Arts Center in D.C.? Where Bonnie Blair is opening next week?”
“Uh, yes, of course. I gave him a promo packet. He seemed interested in an opening act sometime,” Nancy said, rubbing her eyes.
“Yeah! That’s just it! Sammy Phillips with the Phelps Bay Blues Band was opening for Bonnie, but he wrecked his car yesterday, and—”
“Oh, no!” Dismay shocked her to full consciousness.
“Don’t worry, Sammy’ll be fine,” Peter said impatiently. “But he broke his collarbone. Enid and I were having coffee, and the promoter came up and asked if we’re free Wednesday! I told him are we ever!”
Nancy was wide awake. “Opening for Bonnie Blair? At the Jericho? You mean this Wednesday?”
Enid and Peter nodded violently, identical wide grins splitting their faces. “Is that megaspectacular, or what?” Peter crowed.