[Fiction] Sex Academy

[nobody's_slave]

Do you ever happen to enjoy something while doing it but then you immediately regret it? Once the euphoria died down, I suddenly became extremely self-conscious. I was sharing the bed with a stranger who took my virginity after I kissed him out of nowhere even though he didn't rush me into anything. Everything felt so natural: his touch, his scent, our bodies entwined, the slow and sensual kisses that made my body tremble with pleasure and desire; so how come all of a sudden the magic disappeared and all that was left was emptiness, guilt and shame? Maybe it was the fact that I didn't know anything about him. Well, except that he was drop-dead gorgeous and that he tried really hard to make me feel comfortable and relaxed considering the circumstances. Or maybe, just maybe I was afraid that I could easily fall in love with him and he wouldn't feel the same way about me. I wanted to crawl under a rock and cry but that wasn't really an option at that moment. Liam might have sensed my sudden mood swing when he tried to make conversation and I barely replied but I sort of convinced him that I was tired and sleepy so he didn't insist. Instead, he hugged me even tighter and tucked my head under his chin before drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

I, on the other hand, couldn't sleep for a long, long time. Instead, I just stood there in silence, listening to his slow steady breathing. I couldn't help but wonder: what did he really think about me? Have I made a complete fool out of myself or was it just me being paranoid? After having an entire conversation in my head (trust me, you don't want to know the details), I finally decided that, no matter how hard I tried that night, I wasn't going to find an answer to those questions and I somehow managed to fall asleep.

The next morning I woke up still cradled in Liam's arms, my head resting on his bare chest. I looked up at him apologetically, thinking that it might have been uncomfortable for him to sleep all night in that position and wondered if he hadn't moved because he didn't want to wake me but I smiled after seeing how peaceful he looked. I still had mixed feelings about all of this and I had no idea how I was going to handle it but I decided to take one step at a time and see what happens.

I needed to use the restroom really, really bad so I lifted his arm very slowly, careful not to disturb his sleep. He shifted a little but his eyes remained closed as I got out of the bed. I looked around for a clock but there wasn't any. His smartphone was on the nightstand but I decided that it would look really bad if he woke up and caught me staring into his phone's screen so I immediately went to the bathroom instead. I know it sounds stupid, but I didn't want him to wake up and see me standing there naked either.

As soon as I entered the bathroom, I started focusing on the physical effects of the previous night. My hair was a mess, my face looked tired after sleeping so little and I felt quite uncomfortable down there when I peed. I thought that this was probably normal but it made me wonder if my vagina was a lot less tight than before. If I hadn't felt so sore, maybe I would have had the courage to check it myself. I shrugged it off and washed my face with cold water like I was trying to purify both my body and my soul then wrapped myself in a bulky bathrobe and returned to the main room.

"Good morning!" Liam greeted me with a yawn. He was still in bed, his lower body covered with the blanket which reminded me that he wasn't wearing his boxers.

"Good morning!" I blushed slightly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"I'm glad you did." he smiled softly as he sat up. He started glancing around and I assumed he was looking for his boxers so I sheepishly turned around. He grinned but he didn't say anything.

'Great, he must think I'm an idiot.' I thought to myself as I mentally rolled my eyes and sighed.

"You showered already?" his question pulled me from my thoughts.

"No. I didn't find anything else to wear." I replied casually.

I heard him heading towards me so I spun around to face him. My attention drifted to his sculpted body as he opened the wardrobe and started looking for something. I've never been attracted to very muscular guys and, fortunately, Liam was not one of them. He had just the right amount of muscle in all the right places: strong arms, perfectly defined abs and chest and powerful thighs.

"Here, I hope you like purple." he winked and handed me a satin nightgown before heading to the bathroom.

I blushed furiously, wondering if that little wink had something to do with the fact that I was admiring his body but I appreciated that he didn't make fun of me for being a prude and left me alone to change into the much more adequate piece of clothing. Compared to the bulky bathrobe, the above the knee nightgown felt light as a feather and fit me perfectly, emphasizing my small waist and revealing my sexy smooth legs. And I wasn't the only one who agreed on that, judging by the look on Liam's face when he returned to the main room.

[sexyseniorctzn]

Very well written and well done. You sucked me right in and didn't let me go until I had finished it. Looking forward to the next installment.

[nobody's_slave]

He looked like he was about to say something (a compliment, maybe?), but then he shrugged it off. Instead, he moved to the nightstand on his side of the bed and picked up his smartphone.

"I'm starving. What do you want for breakfast?" He asked while scrolling through his phone.

"Um... Whatever they have on the menu, I guess?" I replied as I sat on the edge of the bed with my hands fidgeting in my lap, like a shy little girl on her first day at a new school.

I felt my face flush as my eyes darted to the rumpled sheets and stopped on the huge stain of body fluids mixed together. I blushed even more at the thought that someone would clean up the mess and would find the incriminating evidence of my first sexual experience.

Liam watched me from the corner of his eye, a hint of a smile appearing on his lips as he brought the phone to his ear. I stood there in silence as he ordered breakfast for two, along with a notebook and a pen.

"Are you sure you don't want anything else?" He asked again and I nodded. Even though my stomach was grumbling, I was too nervous to think about food, so I trusted him on that one. "No, one coffee and one hot chocolate, please." I heard him mumbling into his phone as he paced around.

'Hm... How did he know?' I wondered, knowing that I never told him that I don't drink coffee. 'Or maybe he ordered it for himself?' Although, I couldn't quite picture him as the hot chocolate kind of guy.

"Apparently, they stopped serving breakfast half an hour ago, but the guy on the phone said he would make an exception for us. The only downside is that we'll have to wait a bit longer, half an hour maybe. I hope that's okay with you." Liam's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, making me gasp as I didn't hear him approaching.

"Um... Yes, sure. But what time is it?" I stood up and tried to compose myself, showing him a half-smile.

"It's 10:30. I still can't believe I slept in. Usually, I'm an early bird. But I believe that's what happens when you have a beautiful girl cradled in your arms." Liam's piercing blue eyes stared into mine as he smiled seductively.

I blushed and broke eye contact, staring at the ground. Liam closed the small distance between us, brought his right hand to my chin and lifted it so I could look at him again. My breathing started to intensify and my eyes closed instinctively as his lips touched mine, gentle at first, then more feverish with every second that passed.

After a long breathless moment, Liam broke the kiss with a grin and started caressing my messy curls with both hands, his hypnotizing eyes staring into mine once again.

"Now that the good morning kiss was crossed off the list, the only thing that's missing - except for breakfast, of course - is a nice hot shower... together. What do you say?" His voice was sexy, but playful, emphasizing the word together.

I swallowed hard, my eyes bugging out with fear and excitement. "Oh... I..." I tried to reply but failed miserably. Instead, my heart was racing like a frightened rabbit and my legs suddenly felt like jelly. For a second, I thought I was going to pass out if I didn't sit down.

"Or we could just talk about last night while waiting for breakfast." Liam added on a comforting tone as he brushed my cheeks with his thumbs.

"No, shower sounds perfect." I finally managed to reply with a trembling voice and smiled nervously.

"Are you sure? We don't have to do that if you don't want to." Liam doublechecked, his voice sincere.

"I'm sure." I smiled again, this time more confident.

Liam smiled back and kissed me softly on the lips before reaching for my left hand. "Shall we?" He asked politely and I nodded, letting him guide me to the bathroom.

[nobody's_slave]

Liam turned on the shower and rotated the knob until he found the right temperature then spun around to face me.

"The water is perfect, milady. Do you want to check it yourself?" He asked in an improvised British accent which I wasn't expecting, so I burst out laughing.

Happy that I was starting to feel more relaxed, Liam guided my hand towards the showerhead and thousands of drops of warm water started tickling my soft palm. The water temperature was indeed perfect, but the touch of his hand on mine was what actually sent waves of pleasure through my body.

I nodded timidly and he gently turned me around to face him, his arms now encircling my small waist. Liam rested his forehead against mine for a long, lingering moment until his lips finally met mine and I melted into his embrace. Slowly, his hands traveled down to the hem of my nightgown and pulled it up inch by inch, savoring the intimate moment.

Once again, I was naked and vulnerable in front of this beautiful stranger, my body trembling with fear and desire. I watched him nervously as he pulled off his boxers and tossed them to the floor, his big penis dangling freely between his sculpted thighs.

Aching with desire, he pressed his naked body against mine and our lips joined in a long, feverish kiss that made my knees weak. Without breaking the kiss, we stepped into the shower, our bodies moving in sync until we were right under the showerhead. Raining down like a tropical storm, the water was blissfully warm against our already heated bodies.

With the greatest reluctance, Liam parted his lips from mine and reached out for a bar of cocoa butter scented soap. I watched quietly as the soap slid through his fingers, creating a foamy lather on his hands. I closed my eyes and breathed heavily as his fingers met my bare skin and glided over my back and shoulders tenderly, massaging me while covering my skin in a thin layer of foam.

Slowly, he moved to my arms, then to my chest and focused on my firm breasts, caressing them, squeezing them and cupping them in his palms. I instinctively bit my bottom lip and moaned softly as his fingers concentrated on my nipples, pinching and pulling them until they became hard and erect like never before.

I opened my eyes and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as his hands released my nipples and traveled to my flat belly, then to my round ass and down my thighs and calves, lathering my soft skin with slow, circular motions.

Suddenly, Liam stood up and closed the distance between us, pulling me into a deep, passionate kiss while his hands traveled back up my thighs and, slowly, to my crotch, making me flinch.

"I am still very sore down there." I pushed him away slightly, breaking the kiss.

"Sorry..." Liam mumbled apologetically, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Turn around." He requested as he reached out for a plastic bottle and I complied. "You might want to close your eyes for this one." He said softly as he poured some shampoo in his hand and began massaging it into my hair.

I felt myself relax completely as his fingers caressed my scalp and temples with slow, circular movements, his sensual touch sending intense waves of pleasure up and down my spine.

"You're all clean." He announced after he tilted his head and kissed my neck.

"Thank you." I turned around to face him and smiled at the tender look in his eyes, then I reached out for the bar of soap and rubbed it between my palms. It was my time to return the favor.

[nobody's_slave]

Liam watched me curious, a hint of a smile playing on his lips as I kept lathering the soap for what it seemed like an eternity.

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to. You know that, right?" He finally broke the silence.

"Shhh..." I looked up at him and raised one forefinger to his mouth but froze when I met his gaze.

I let out a small nervous chuckle, closed my eyes for a brief moment as to compose myself, then moved my hand down to his perfectly sculpted chest, caressing him slowly and tenderly, as if I was afraid of hurting him.

I could feel his chest moving up and down with shallow breaths and his muscles shifting under my delicate touch. I looked up and met his hypnotizing blue eyes, flickering with passion and desire, and I was immediately drawn into a deep, sensual kiss. Liam snaked his strong arms around my waist, pulling me closer, so I brought my hands to his back and began lathering his skin with slow, delicate movements. My palms traveled up to his broad shoulders and down his muscular arms, lathering him thoroughly before breaking the kiss. For the very first time since I met him, he growled into my ear, unhappy.

"I'm still not done here yet." I explained as my hands found their way back to his chest and down his well-defined abdomen, my fingers slowly sliding over his six-pack, feeling every inch of his muscles, as if I was trying to memorize his body.

When I crouched to reach his thighs and calves, the sight of his erect penis just a few inches away from my face made me fluster. I swallowed hard and closed my eyes for a moment, my palms resting on his powerful calves.

"Is everything alright?" Liam's voice made me shudder and I instantly opened my eyes. He was looking down on me with a cocky grin that made my cheeks flush bright red.

"I need more soap." I replied, trying to sound as calm and composed as I could. Apparently, I failed.

"Nah, I think that's enough." He chuckled and extended his left arm.

I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. Our gazes locked for a long, lingering moment before his mouth met mine into a warm, passionate kiss.

"Thank you." He whispered against my lips, our foreheads resting against one another's.

[nobody's_slave]

The next moments were kind of awkward. Hm... let me rephrase that. The next moments were extremely awkward. I turned my back to him as we started to wash our private parts, not only because I was still shy about it (shocking, right?), but I didn't want him to see the frown and the pained look on my face when I touched my still aching vagina.

Yes, ladies, I hate to break it to you, but the first time you have sex is rather painful. In the heat of the moment, I didn't feel it so much or maybe I was just better at hiding it, but once the excitement and arousal subsided, I realized how stretched and sore my pussy really was. But after the romantic shower we had together, I didn't regret it anymore, not even a little bit and I didn't want him to feel guilty about it either, so I preferred to postpone the discussion as much as possible.

"It's so hot and steamy in here I think I'm gonna faint. Do you want me to leave the door open on my way out?" I raised my voice slightly so Liam could hear me as I stepped out of the shower and put on an already familiar bulky bathrobe.

"No, it's fine. I'll be out in a minute." He shouted back while washing his short, neat hair.

Damn, he looked sexy as hell, naked, his muscles flexing with every movement as millions of tingling drops of water danced on his perfectly sculpted body. I almost didn't want to leave the bathroom, but I knew that someone would bring us breakfast any minute and I didn't want them to think that we were doing the obvious things that people do in a place like this. Ugh, so typically me!

Right when I heard a knock on the door, I remembered the huge stain on the sheets and I raced to the bed to pull the covers back up to hide it.

"What's the matter?" Liam entered the main room nonchalantly, wearing his bathrobe loosely enough to make me fluster and blush once again.

"Room service is here." I whispered as I fumbled with the bed covers.

"Then why didn't you open the door?" He restrained a smile, his voice taunting.

"You know why." I flustered. This time he laughed heartily, unable to suppress his amusement.

"They're going to see it eventually." He stated the obvious, looking at me with a mischievous grin.

Yes, eventually, but after I was long gone and hiding in my room.

"You can open the door." I breathed a sigh of relief.

"They're probably long gone, anyway. They usually just knock and leave, especially in the morning." he snickered.

I just rolled my eyes, brushed past him and opened the door myself.

"Come on, you're not mad at me, are you?" He cut me off and tilted his head, searching for my gaze.

I brought the room service table in and closed the door, but I brushed past him once again, ignoring his question. Instead, I sat on the edge of the bed, arms crossed in front of my chest.

"Aria?" He crouched in front of me and rested his palms on my knees, his piercing blue eyes searching mine. "I'm sorry."

"Just so you know, I'm eating both desserts." I shrugged his hands off my knees and turned my head to the side trying to look all grumpy but I burst out laughing instead.

He pushed me back onto the bed and plopped himself on top of me, his lips finding mine almost immediately. I squeaked and pushed him away playfully for a couple of seconds and then I melted into the kiss, completely.

"Right now I can only think of a better dessert." He grinned devilishly as he parted his lips from mine. His eyes scanned me from my face to my upper body and then returned back up to stare into mine.

"Liam, please..." I gulped and looked to the side, my voice only a whisper.

"Hey..." He slowly tilted my head to face him. "'I went too far, I'm sorry. It was meant to be a joke." He stood up, his expression pained.

"It's okay." I murmured and smiled miserably as I sat up on the bed.

"No, it's not ." He sat on the bed next to me and took my right palm into his larger ones. "Earlier in the shower, you said that you're still sore. How bad is it?" He asked, visibly concerned.

"I don't know." I shrugged my shoulders as I stared blankly into space, my voice weak.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Liam chuckled softly, raising a hand to my face to play with a rebel curl.

''It's not like you lose your virginity every day.'' I laughed faintly. "I don't really know how it's supposed to feel, unfortunately."

"True." He let out a small laugh, encircled me with his strong, comforting arms and hugged me tight against his chest. "I will take you to Dr. Hudson, if necessary."

"What? No!" I protested. The last thing I wanted was to have someone else stare into my newly defiled vagina, even if that someone was a doctor.

"Why not? She's a pretty nice lady.'' Liam insisted, his fingers running soothingly up and down my back.

He was right, the lady was indeed very kind. I met her earlier that week during the mandatory examination, the most important step that needed to be done in order to be accepted by the academy. She seemed quite professional, but with a hint of friendliness that could easily make you forget that you were in a medical room.

"I don't want to." I pouted. I still didn't want to talk about my very first sexual experience to anyone else except Liam. It felt too intimate.

"At least will you let me take a look?" Liam pulled away to look me in the eyes once again.

"What? Why?" I asked, fearful.

"Do you trust me? At least a little bit?" Liam's expression was soft, warm and playful as a couple of fingers brushed lightly against my left cheek.

"I... Yes..." I replied, entranced by his magnificent blue eyes.

"Okay, take off your bathrobe for me, please. I'll be right back" He said as he went to the nightstand and opened the drawer.

"What are you doing?" I asked, puzzled, a hint of fear in my voice.

"You said you trust me. Lie on your back and wait for me, please." His voice was gentle but firm.

"Yes, sir." I rolled my eyes and mumbled as I slipped out of the bathrobe.

Liam chuckled softly as he rummaged through the drawer, then returned with a small squeeze tube like the ones that contain toothpaste. He froze for a brief moment at the sight of my naked body, his eyes filled with lust and desire making me blush.

He tried to shrug it off, but his husky voice betrayed his need. "Lie on your back."

I complied, feeling my breath accelerate with every second that passed. My heart skipped a beat when his hands spread my knees wide and brought them up with only one smooth move.

Soon, I felt one wet, cold finger brushing at my entrance. "Relax and let me know if it hurts and I'll stop, okay?"

"Mhm..." I agreed absently and closed my eyes.

His moist finger slowly caressed my entrance, gliding up and down, encircling it. I let out a small moan as I felt a little bit of tension building up in my stomach.

"Are you trying to make me come?" I raised myself up on my elbows and eyes him suspiciously.

"Do you want me to?" Liam grinned devilishly.

"No, of course not. Not now, anyway." I bit my lip as I felt my face turning red.

"Don't worry about it then. But if it happens in the process..." Liam winked playfully.

"Liam!" I protested, trying my best not to laugh.

"I'm joking, darling. Stay put or else you'll hurt yourself and we don't want that now, do we?" Suddenly, his voice became serious, almost concerned.

I let my head fall back on the pillow and kept my knees up, trying not to move. I failed, gasping and flinching slightly as the tip of his finger slid inside my sore entrance.

"Relax, you're too tense." Liam said soothingly, caressing my left thigh with his free hand.

I nodded and took a deep breath as he inserted the whole finger and started spreading the soothing liquid against my clenching vagina walls.

"Damn, you're tight. You seem tighter than last night." Liam marveled, continuing to rub my narrow hole.

"Thanks?" I retorted without thinking.

"You're killing me, Aria." Liam roared with laughter and I couldn't help but giggle, his mirth being quite contagious. "Done." He added enthusiastically as he slowly retracted his finger.

"What was that anyway?" I asked as I brought myself back into a seating position.

"An intimate gel from Dr. Hudson. I wanted to apply it to you last night, but you fell asleep."

Yeah... Asleep.

"If you don't feel better tomorrow, I'm taking you to Mrs. Hudson." Liam warned, his tone serious.

"Okay..." I murmured, defeated.

"This should be applied three times a day." He stated as he read the prescription.

"Three times a day?" I gaped, my eyes growing wider.

"Don't worry, you can do it yourself next time." Liam added casually.

"Unless..." His blue eyes sparkled naughtily as they found mine.

"Well, if you don't mind..." I looked away and murmured sheepishly.

"What?" Liam challenged me.

"I want you to do it. Happy?" I blurted out and blushed.

"You have no idea." He grinned and pecked my lips. Suddenly, my stomach started growling loudly and we burst out laughing at the same time. "Let's eat, we're both starving."

[nobody's_slave]

I sat on the bed, watching from the corner of my eye as Liam removed his bathrobe and put on a pair of black boxers, black socks, black pants and a long-sleeve white shirt. He had impeccable taste in clothes, not that it really mattered as everything looked good on a body like his. Even in a bag of potatoes, he'd still be the sexiest man I know.

"Aren't you getting dressed?" Liam raised an eyebrow as he started buttoning his shirt.

Fuck, he caught me staring like a creep. What do I say?

"I... I didn't bring anything except the red dress." I replied weakly.

"Hm..." he answered contemplatively as he stopped buttoning his shirt halfway through.

Without another word, Liam quickly went to the bathroom and returned with the purple satin nightgown.

"Oh, I forgot about that one." I rose to my feet as he approached me with a determined look on his face.

"Raise your arms." He instructed and I complied, letting him dress me like I was a little girl.

"Thank you." I smiled and he kissed my forehead for a long, lingering moment.

I instinctively used this moment of closeness to button up the remaining buttons of his shirt. Pleasantly surprised, Liam pulled away to look me in the eyes and smiled broadly. We were both lost in the moment and everything felt so right, so natural that I wished I could have stopped time to enjoy that feeling forever.

"It's a beautiful day outside. Would you like to have breakfast on the balcony?" Liam broke the silence, reluctantly.

"That sounds perfect." I agreed happily.

Liam brought the room service table to the balcony and I followed him closely.

"How did you know that I like hot chocolate?" I asked curiously as we began to uncover the plates. "I don't remember telling you that I don't drink coffee."

"Oh, I... " Liam seemed taken aback for a moment before he continued. "I ordered it for myself, but of course I'll let you have it. I don't mind drinking coffee."

"Are you sure?" I double-checked.

"Yes, of course." he smiled reassuringly.

We both sat at the table and ate in silence for a few moments. The atmosphere was lovely: we were surrounded by white and purple orchids and the wind was gently playing with my curls while the sun-kissed my velvet skin.

"You're not cold, are you?" Liam broke the silence.

"No, I am fine." I smiled casually. "But thank you for asking."

He smiled back and returned to his omelet, a comfortable silence settling down over us once again. I followed his example, content that the hunger was starting to subside.

"I'm sorry for killing the mood earlier." I apologized before taking a sip of hot chocolate.

"What?" Liam roared with laughter. "You were a virgin like 6 hours ago. Give it time."

"Are you serious?" I asked, surprised.

He just looked at me sideways.

"I don't know." I shrugged my shoulders before continuing. 'I am... I mean, I was a virgin, but I do understand if you have some expectations. Nobody forced me to come here."

"Nobody expected you to have wild, crazy sex since day one, Aria. Relax, we have three months at our disposal." Liam reassured me.

"Were you mad that I didn't choose you?" I popped another silly question.

"No, of course not." He frowned before taking a sip of his black coffee. "I was a little concerned that maybe you didn't like me. I tried to give you a few hints during our dance so that you could avoid the punishment, but you were too nervous to notice." He smiled softly.

"Oh... Well..." I hesitated slightly. "Just for the record, I liked you the most." I blushed furiously.

"Then how come you didn't choose me?" Liam asked curios and confused, his gaze intense.

"Because you were also the most intimidating." I admitted truthfully. "I was both intrigued and terrified at the same time, but deep down I hoped it was you."

"Then I'm glad it worked out just fine for both of us." Liam replied with a grin.

"Me too." I said honestly.

"Come here." Liam extended his hand across the table and I took it, letting him guide me towards him to sit on his lap.

"I have some urgent matters to solve, so you'll be on your own for a few hours." He said while fishing through his wallet. "Take this voucher and spend some relaxing time at the spa." Liam handed me the voucher. "But not before you go back to your room and get some sleep." He added on a serious tone. "And this is my phone number so you can call me if you need anything." He gave me another small piece of paper with his name and his phone number on it.

"Thank you." I smiled in response as I stared at the small piece of paper. Damn, even his handwriting is perfect.

"That's all I get?" He raised an eyebrow disapprovingly.

I giggled and pecked him on the lips. "Better?"

"No!" He rolled his eyes and kissed me back sensually for a long, lingering moment.

I snaked my hands around his neck and pressed myself tightly against him, deepening the kiss. Both of us ended up breathless, gasping for air.

"You're a fast learner." Liam smirked satisfied, tucking a wild curl behind my ear.

"I have the best teacher." I admitted before kissing him again.

[nobody's_slave]

"I wish I didn't have to leave." Liam growled as he reluctantly broke the kiss.

"We have three months, remember?" I retorted playfully while running a hand through his silky hair. "I'll be thinking about you all day, patiently waiting for you to get back." I added as I rose to my feet.

"Liar!" He rolled his eyes dramatically. "You'll forget I even exist as soon as you hit the spa."

"Hm... That's also a huge possibility." I said teasingly.

He gaped, trying to look hurt and I giggled as I ran back inside.

"Come back here, you little troublemaker." Liam mumbled as he stood up and ran after me.

"Nooo!" I squeaked when I felt his strong arms encircling my waist and pressing me tightly against his rock hard chest.

"You're not going anywhere." Liam spun me around to face him and stared at me with his hypnotizing blue eyes, our faces only a few inches away.

"But you are." I reminded him teasingly.

"Shhh..." He whispered as he brought a finger to my lips.

I closed my eyes, anticipating a hot, passionate kiss. I moaned softly as his lips found mine and melted into his embrace, my legs feeling like jelly. He kissed me again and again until I couldn't think, couldn't breathe, I could only feel.

"Liam..." I sounded hoarse, defeated. If it hadn't been for his strong grip I wouldn't have been able to stand.

"Now that I made sure that you're going to miss me, you can go ahead and change into your clothes." He said gently, his right hand caressing my cheek.

"Okay..." I replied weakly.

He let go of me and watched me as I removed the nightgown and slipped into my white underwear and then into the little red dress. Without a single word, he closed the distance between us and helped me with the zipper.

"You look stunning." Liam whispered into my ear as his hands fell to my hips and encircled me, pressing me tightly against him. "You should wear red all the time."

"All the time?" I raised an eyebrow as I turned to face him.

"Well, except when you're not wearing anything." He grinned devilishly.

"I'll see what I can do about that." I smiled genuinely.

"Do you still remember how to get to your room?" Liam inquired while gathering his jacket and smartphone.

"I think I do, but I wouldn't mind the company if you still have the time to walk with me." I replied sincerely.

"Say no more." He added as we stepped outside of the room.

A comfortable silence settled between us as we walked together towards the elevator. I really enjoyed that I was starting to feel more relaxed around him and smiled to myself, thinking that the next three months were going to be unforgettable.

"Which floor is it?" Liam's voice brought me back to the present.

"Um... 2nd floor." I replied, flustered, knowing that he caught me smiling like an idiot.

Liam grinned and pressed the button, his hypnotizing eyes never leaving my face. "If that smile had anything to do with me, I'd say that last night was a real success."

Blushing, I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. Luckily, the elevator suddenly stopped, saving me from any more awkwardness. I stepped into the lobby with Liam following closely behind and we both greeted the people who were caught up in an intense foosball game.

"They looked like they didn't have any fun last night." Liam whispered on the way to my room and I burst out laughing.

"Don't make fun of the less fortunate." I lightly punched him on the shoulder as we stopped in front of my room and he laughed heartily. "Are you ready to see my red room?" I tried to give him a smoldering look while batting my eyelashes seductively, but I ended up laughing again.

"Don't try to seduce me unless you're ready to face the consequences." He retorted, his voice sexy and dangerous.

I gulped and opened the door, trying to compose myself. The chemistry between us was incredible and I was unable to deny the effect that he had on me.

"Oh, wow..." Liam paced around, mesmerized, his eyes finally settling on the huge bed. "Everything is indeed very... red." He turned to face me, a devilish smile playing on his lips.

I didn't say anything, I just looked at him and blushed.

"What are you, a chameleon? You're almost as red as this room." He teased and closed the distance between us, wrapping his arms tightly around me.

I instinctively tried to look at the floor, but he didn't let me, slowly lifting my chin so that I could look him in the eyes.

"You still find me intimidating, don't you?" He chuckled softly, his gaze intense.

"I... I do." I replied weakly.

He smiled, cupped my face between his palms and kissed me tenderly. For a moment, we were the only people in the world and nothing else mattered. There were butterflies and fireworks and my head was spinning while my heart fluttered in my chest like never before.

"I really have to go." Liam whispered against my lips.

"I know..." I pouted as his hands dropped to his side.

"Promise me you'll behave." His tone was serious as he continued. "You'll sleep, eat and relax. You must be tired after last night."

"Wow, that sounds like a real burden." I joked, but he looked at me expectantly. "Yes, yes, I promise." I rolled my eyes at his seriousness. "Can I hang out with the others too?" I asked innocently.

"By all means! You're not a prisoner here, Aria. You're gonna be here for a while, you should try to make some friends." Liam answered sincerely.

"Thank you." I smiled genuinely.

"But I do have one small request from you. Take it as your first assignment." He added, his voice neutral.

"What is it?" I asked, curious.

"Try to think of some questions that you'd like to ask me. We're gonna play a little game tonight, just to know each other better." Liam explained.

"Oh... okay." I agreed happily, excited that I was finally going to learn more about Liam.

We kissed goodbye and he left, so I immediately went to find my notebook and a pen. I had a lot of questions that were screaming for some answers.

[nobody's_slave]

A few hours later, I was pacing back and forth in my room which was suddenly feeling smaller and smaller. I thought I had a lot of good questions for Liam, but once I started writing them down, most of them sounded silly or dull.

In need of some fresh air, I stepped into a pair of flat shoes, grabbed my notebook and my pen, and decided that sitting on a bench outside would help me come up with some better questions.

To my surprise, the beautiful garden was packed with picnic blankets and the usual quietness had been replaced by laughter and chattering.

'Wow, there are more than twenty people having lunch here.' I thought to myself as I quickly scanned the place, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the idea of getting out of my comfort zone without Liam by my side.

But before I could turn and walk away, a vaguely familiar voice called my name and I froze into place.

"Aria, over here!" Chris - the guy staying in the room next to mine - was waving his hand to catch my attention.

Hoping that I wasn't looking as nervous as I felt, I walked over to the end of the garden where Chris and two women were sitting on a red plaid blanket, hiding away from the sun under a huge willow tree.

"Hi." I waved at them shyly.

"Come on, sit with us," Chris said encouragingly as he moved to the nearest corner of the blanket so I could squeeze in between him and a young redhead.

"Thanks." I smiled appreciatively. "I hope I'm not intruding."

"Of course not," he smiled back. "There's plenty of space and food for everyone."

"I'm Tina." The green-eyed brunette sitting across from me introduced herself.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Aria." I shook her hand before turning to the redhead.

"Nadia." She said simply and, judging by the look on her face, it was kind of obvious that she didn't want me there.

"I'm not hungry, I'm only staying with you for a couple of minutes." I smiled briefly.

I was hungry, but the idea of getting room service alone was more appealing than eating with someone who was staring daggers in my direction from the moment I sat down, without even knowing me.

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere." Tina smiled mischievously. "I need to know all the details about your first night with Adonis."

Of course they'd seen Liam escorting me to my room earlier. Both girls were in the lounge, cheering on the guys who were playing foosball. That's why they looked so familiar.

"His name is Liam." I tried not to burst out laughing. "And there's not much to tell. We're just getting to know each other." I tried to sound as composed as I could, casually popping a cherry tomato in my mouth, hoping that my cheeks weren't as red as they felt.

I've always been the quiet type, never revealing very personal details - not even to my closest friends - always feeling uncomfortable whenever someone talked about their most embarrassing hangover or their latest hookup.

"Of course there's not much to tell. Isn't she a virgin?" Nadia laughed mockingly. "I bet the poor guy offered to sleep on the floor."

"Wow, I really had no idea that I was some sort of celebrity around here. And I don't think my sex life should be anyone's business." I retorted loud enough to draw stares from the couple sitting across from us. Embarrassed that I let her words get to me, my cheeks started to burn even worse than before.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to offend you." Tina quickly apologized, a tiny hint of red appearing on her pale cheeks. "It's just that you're probably the first virgin who had the guts to come to this place. Plus, you get to be with the hottest guy around here. We were just curious, that's all."

"It's okay." I showed her a crooked smile. "It's just that I'm not used to talking about my private life, especially with people that I don't know."

"We completely understand," Chris said sympathetically. "Right, girls?"

"Yes, of course. You can tell us everything when you're ready." Tina agreed while Nadia just shrugged, her face expressionless.

The next few moments of awkwardness sent us back to eating, this time in silence. Not that I was complaining, but it made me aware of the fact that they were really cheerful when I first spotted them and I was the one ruining their mood.

Lucky for me, Chris knew how to turn things around and asked a random question that I don't even remember, then one thing led to another, and right before I knew, we were chatting and laughing together.

"What's with the notebook?" Tina asked all of a sudden and we all stopped to look at where she was staring.

"Oh, it's... I'm writing down some questions to ask Liam tonight." I blushed slightly and looked down, averting my eyes from their intrusive stares.

"Questions about what?" Christ raised a curious eyebrow.

"I don't know. About... everything." I shrugged awkwardly.

"Oh, I'm intrigued." Tina giggled. "Tell us more." She put down her plate, her attention focused on me only.

"It was his request. We'll play some sort of game, I guess." I said briefly.

"And how is that going so far?" Chris asked curiously, then took a sip of coffee and watched me over the rim of the cup.

"Um... Not as good as I expected." I admitted sincerely.

"Come on, show us what you've got so far," Tina suggested.

"We can help." Chris encouraged me as they both saw my hesitation.

"Okay..." I accepted reluctantly and passed the notebook to Chris who didn't waste a second, his expression conflicted as he began to read the questions out loud.

"What do you enjoy doing in your free time? How would you describe a perfect date? What is your favorite childhood memory? Hm... I'd say these are..."

"Boring," Nadia stated bluntly and we all turned to look at her. "What?" She shrugged unapologetically. "That's my honest opinion and I stand by it."

"I hate to say this, but she has a point." Tina backed her up. "I mean, these are things that you will get to ask him eventually. But I believe that the whole point of this game is to ask him things that you don't usually bring up during daily conversations, so you should probably step up your game."

"Ugh, I am so screwed." I sighed dramatically, letting my head hang in defeat.

They all ignored my whining and came up with endless suggestions.

"Ask him what made you stand up from the other candidates." Chris inquired.

"No, let's put it up like this: ask him what's the sexiest thing about you." Tina corrected, gaining a frown from him.

"But those are different things. Keep both questions." Chris protested.

"Fine." Tina rolled her eyes, then turned to look at me. " Are you writing them down?"

"Yes, yes." I nodded as I keep scribbling in my notebook. "What else?"

"Ask him about his weirdest fantasy." Nadia prompted mischievously.

"What? No!" I shook my head rapidly, both embarrassed and outraged.

"Will he also ask you any questions? If he does, you need to have some uncomfortable options that you can use to your advantage." Chris pointed out, taking her side.

"Damn, I have no idea." I sighed, frustrated. "Fine, I'll write that down too. Anything else?"

"Oh, here's a good one," Tina jumped in enthusiastically. "Ask him about the time he lost his virginity."

At that point, I was probably blushing like a tomato, but I kept writing down every crazy idea they had without questioning it. It wasn't like I had to use all of them anyway. The more questions I got, the merrier to choose from.

[nobody's_slave]

For the first time since I joined the academy, I was actually feeling bold and confident. I don't know if it was the little black dress that hugged my curves perfectly while emphasizing my long legs or my favorite red lipstick and mascara that never seem to disappoint me. Or maybe it was that notebook full of questions waiting on the nightstand. But it didn't really matter because, in the end, whatever that was didn't have the power to save me from the heartbreak.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" Tina's comment was accompanied by a wolf-whistle coming from a blonde guy that I didn't know.

I immediately regretted leaving my room, but waiting all alone inside those four walls had been driving me insane.

"Why are you even here? Did you and Adonis run out of questions?" Nadia snickered ironically after tilting her head back over the armrest to look at me.
"He still hasn't returned." I pouted.

"Oh, honey, come join us." Tina patted the free spot next to her, encouraging me to sit on the couch. "I'm sure he'll be back soon."

"When exactly did he leave?" Nadia looked at me pointedly while absently playing with a strand of her red hair.

"Right before noon," I replied as I sat next to Tina.

"Wait... That was like 10 hours ago." Nadia let the strand of hair fall near her temple and frowned."

"I know." I bit my lip impatiently. "He said he'd be back in a few hours."

"Hey, I'm sure you have nothing to worry about," Tina assured me. "Did you try to call him?"

"No. I didn't want to sound desperate."

"For fuck's sake, just call him already." Nadia rolled her eyes. "Or send him a text and tell him you're horny. That should bring his sexy ass back here."

"What?" I felt my cheeks heat up.

"Is she the virgin?" The guy asked Nadia like I was invisible.

"How did you figure that out?" She snorted, amused.

"Hey', I'm still here." I crossed my arms across my chest and looked at her, annoyed, before turning my attention to the guy. "And I don't even know you."

"This is James. He's really annoying at first and you'll find him even more annoying once you get to know him." Nadia said teasingly. James opened his mouth to protest, but she silenced him quickly. "But you'll love him anyway."

"Yeah, I'm a very lovable guy." James winked at me, making Nadia giggle.

"I don't doubt it." I said sarcastically, then turned my attention back to Tina. "What do you think I should do?"

"I think you should go back to your room and wait for Adonis. You don't want him to walk in and find you here looking like that." She smirked at my outfit and I looked away, blushing.

"And once you're back to your room you may as well start packing." Nadia taunted me shamelessly.

"Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow, taken aback by her unwanted comment.

"What the hell, Nadia?" Tina backed me up, but it wasn't enough to shut her up.

"What? You know that everybody talks about-"

"Okay, that's enough. You're scaring her." Tina interrupted her, growling.

"About what?" I asked confused.

"About nothing," Tina answered quickly. "You don't want to pay attention to rumors and gossiping, babe."

"What do people talk about behind my back?" I stood up, completely ignoring Tina and focusing all my attention on Nadia's smug face.

"Well, people say that your beloved Liam paid some really nice cash for your virginity and now that you're no longer a virgin, he has no reason to come back. But people are just mean and envious and he would never do that to you, would he?" She shook her head mockingly, a hint of a satisfying smile appearing at the corner of her lips.

"That's enough!" Tina stood up and threw a warning look in Nadia's direction who rolled her eyes but remained silent. "Don't listen to this bullshit. Just go to your room and call him. That's why he gave you his phone number, right?" She turned to me and rubbed my arm soothingly.

"You're right." I smiled weakly, pretending that I wasn't on the verge of tears. All I wanted was to crawl under a rock and never see the light of day.

"I'm out of here too, anyway. My master said he'll return for round two. And he always delivers." Nadia said smugly, emphasizing the word 'always'. She started walking down the corridor, then stopped on her tracks to deliver one final blow. "If I'm being honest, I'm sad too. I'll really miss that fine piece of ass."

With my heart shattered into a million pieces, I didn't have the strength to confront her, so I just sighed heavily and said goodnight to Tina before returning to my room, wishing I hadn't left it in the first place.

After pacing back and forth for what felt like an eternity, I finally found the courage to pick up the phone and call Liam, but to my disappointment, it went straight to voicemail. I didn't leave him any message, so I just put the phone away, then went to the bed and let my body sink into the soft mattress, my troubled eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.

I tried to make myself believe that Tina was right, that it was only a matter of minutes until Liam walked in, but with every moment that passed, another dreadful scenario took over my brain. When I signed the agreement with the academy I was informed that both slaves and masters would live at the academy for the incoming three months which meant that they'd spend most of their time together. Liam didn't attend the picnic, he didn't call or text to check in on me and his number was unavailable. And I was starting to be well aware of the fact that I had come to this place as a virgin who gave herself to a man she didn't know anything about.

'Probably Liam isn't even his real name.'

'What if the rumors are true and he paid for my virginity?'

'What the hell am I doing here?'

I didn't care that it was almost midnight, I just needed answers. With a trembling hand, I picked up my phone and called Mr. Clarke, only to be greeted by another robot voice. Defeated, I decided to do the only thing that seemed wise at that point: I took Nadia's advice and started packing my stuff. Sobbing, I didn't even bother to fold the clothes properly, I just threw them in my suitcase and sat on top of it to forced it closed.

Reluctantly, I went to the bathroom to remove my smudged makeup. I don't know if it was shame, or guilt, or self-pity, but I couldn't even stand looking at myself in the mirror. I didn't even deserve to cry. It was only my fault, after all. Girls like me shouldn't come to places like this.

As soon as I was finished, I returned to the bedroom, finally able to freely cry over my tainted dignity. After changing into something more comfortable, I let my body fall heavily on the bed, then curled up into a ball and cried my heart out until I ended up in a puddle of tears. I was a complete mess, but I didn't care. All I needed was to let it all out. And that's what I did until I heard a soft knock on the door.

'Liam!' My heart did a little hopeful flip as I whispered to myself through sobs.
I quickly wiped away my tears and went to unlock the door, my thin fingers trembling on the door handle.

"Chris? What are you doing here?" My voice cracked with disappointment.

"The walls are pretty thin. I just wanted to make sure that you're okay in there." He replied sympathetically, his voice full of concern.

"I... I'm sorry, I... I didn't mean to bother you." I flustered, suppressing another sob.

"You didn't bother me. I thought that maybe you need someone to talk to."

"God, this is so embarrassing. Do you want to come in?" I stepped away from the door frame so he could enter.

"I can't. I mean, I shouldn't." Chris replied awkwardly. "You know, rules and all." He explained and I nodded.

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning on the first bus." I blurted out.

Chris sighed and looked at me like he was trying to choose his next words carefully. After a long moment of silence, he finally spoke.

''I ran into James earlier and he told me what happened. Are you sure Liam's not coming back?"

"He didn't call or text. I called him a couple of times and it went straight to voicemail." I shrugged bitterly.

"I'm sorry." Chris looked at me sympathetically.

"Yeah..." I shrugged, defeated.

"You should try to get some rest. For tomorrow."

"Yes, I know." I stared blankly at the floor, unable to meet his eyes.

Chris placed a palm on my left shoulder which made me finally look at him.

"Let me know if you need anything. Seriously, just knock on my door anytime and we can go sit in the lounge or something."

Grateful, I gave him a small nod. "Thank you. I really appreciate it. I'll go back inside now and let you sleep."

"Take care."

"You too." I smiled briefly.

He turned around, ready to walk away, but stopped in his tracks at the sound of my voice.

"Hey, I was just wondering... Did you hear any rumors about him paying for my... You know... Fuck, I can't even say it." My voice cracked and my eyes started to feel watery again.

"Hey, come here." Chris closed the distance between us and pulled me into a tight hug. "The guy is the biggest asshole if he did that to you. And he doesn't deserve any of your tears."

I let him comfort me for a few moments until I found the strength to suppress my tears.

"You're right." I pulled away and gave him a determined look. "I am stronger than this. I need to be."

"I know you are." He smiled genuinely.

"Thank you." I forced a small smile. "Good night, Chris!"

"Good night, Aria! Maybe I'll see you again one day." He showed me a small smile.

"Maybe." I waved at him, then took a small step back and shut the door behind me.

I felt tired and miserable, but I forced myself to go to the bathroom and washed my face with cold water before returning to bed. After tossing and turning for what felt like an eternity, I was starting to think less about Liam and more about how I was going to tell my parents that my so-called summer job ended so quickly.

'Fuck, I'm not ready to go home. Maybe I should hop on the first train and see where it takes me. Maybe a week at the beach will heal my heart and clear my head. I can fix myself, I just need to get through this night.' I thought to myself before finally drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

[Less Still]

Very interesting

[nobody's_slave]

A couple of hours later, I woke up to the sound of someone softly knocking at the door, only to discover that I was lying in a puddle of tears from crying in my sleep.

'Poor Chris, I woke him up again.' I thought to myself as I dragged my languid body out of the bed.

With shaky hands, I wiped away my cold tears and headed to the door. I didn't bother to turn on the light, determined to mumble an excuse and go back to bed before Chris could see how devastated I still was.

I took a deep breath and cracked the door open, hoping that he wouldn't see my watery eyes glistening in the dark.

"Hey! Sorry for waking you up." The man standing in the hallway apologized, his voice almost a whisper. "I couldn't find the key to my room, I guess I left it in the car."

"L-Liam?" I asked with a shaky voice. I opened the door wide to make sure that I wasn't hallucinating. I was immediately facing a sculpted chest, broad shoulders and a pair of familiar dark blue eyes twinkling in the dim light coming through the hallway window opposite my door.

"Can I come in?" He asked sheepishly, aware of my confusion.

Like in a trance, I stepped to the side, letting him in. Liam entered my room and closed the door before turning to me.

"I'm so glad to see you." Liam took a step towards me through the darkness. "Actually, do you mind if I turn on the light so that I can actually see you?" He asked slightly amused.

"I... have sensitive eyes." This was the only lame excuse I could think of and one second later I only wished to kick myself for using it.

Worse than my stupid excuse was only the awkward silence that followed it.

"I will turn on the bedside table lamp," I mumbled the salvatory solution, hoping it would save me from dying of embarrassment.

In the huge room, the little red light was so dim that it was almost non-existent, only keeping us from bumping into each other, enough for us to distinguish our shadows and to hide my puffy eyes. Just perfect.

"This would have been really romantic if you hadn't used it solely for the purpose of hiding the fact that you have been crying," Liam said cautiously and I froze.

So much for hiding my blotchy face. I suppose that my croaky voice gave me away.

"I..." Before I could say another word, Liam closed the distance between us, our bodies only a few inches apart.

"I'm really sorry. I'll explain everything." He brought his left hand to my chin and caressed me softly.

Only then I realized that his palm was bandaged. I quickly looked up to his face and saw a small patch on his left temple as well.

"What happened?" I gasped nervously, suddenly feeling a lump forming in my throat.

"I had a car accident this afternoon." He said simply. "Do you mind if I sit down? I'm feeling a little dizzy."

"Yes, of course. Sit down." I replied frantically, my heart suddenly beating very fast. "Let me open the window so that you can get some fresh air."

"No, it's okay. I'm okay." Liam reassured me. "Just sit here with me."

He took my right hand and guided me to sit on the bed next to him. Here the light was brighter and I could actually distinguish his beautiful features. He looked exhausted, but to me, he was still the most handsome man in the world.

"After we had our brunch I drove to Tampa to attend a business meeting." Liam started.

Tampa? But that's a two hours drive from here. I either frowned or said it out loud because Liam stopped for a beat. I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at Liam expectantly, waiting for him to continue.

"Yeah, well, the meeting was boring as hell. At some point, I wanted to send you a text, and then I remembered that I gave you my phone number, but I wasn't smart enough to get yours."

I chuckled softly, half amused and half relieved that he didn't forget about me all day.

"Long story short, a couple of hours later I was on my way back when a 70-year-old guy went through a red light and drove straight into me."

I gasped and instinctively covered my mouth with my right hand as a cold shiver went down my spine. "What happened? Don't tell me he was having a heart attack."

Liam shook his head in denial. "The poor guy had Alzheimer's. Apparently, he took the key to his grandson's car because he wanted to visit his friend. At some point he remembered that he wasn't allowed to drive, so he panicked... And you already know the rest of the story."

"What happened to him? Is he okay?" I asked anxiously.

"He's fine," Liam assured me. "Lucky for me and for him, he was driving under the speed limit, so the impact wasn't very strong."

"I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that." I squeezed his right hand sympathetically.

"Thanks. I'm really sorry I couldn't get in touch with you. It's been really crazy out there, between hospital visits, police statements, getting in touch with the insurance company and taking the car to the auto repair." Liam explained, his voice sad and apologetic. "By the time I finished with all this madness and found some spare minutes to call Mr. Clarke, my phone was already out of battery."

"It doesn't matter anymore. I'm just glad you're alright." I said sincerely, squeezing his hand tighter.

"Thank you," Liam whispered tiredly. "I just wish I hadn't upset you."

"Don't worry about it." I waved a hand dismissively. "We should really go to sleep, we're both tired."

"Okay." His half-smile revealed a cute little dimple that made me melt right away.

"Let me help you undress," I said as I started to unbutton his shirt.

Liam looked at me amused, but he didn't say anything.

He winced as he slipped out of his shirt, revealing a bigger band-aid on his left shoulder. I looked at him sympathetically and he put on another smile, assuring me that he was alright. I removed his shoes and helped him discard his pants, pleased that I didn't find any more band-aids hidden under his clothes.

"Like what you see?" Liam asked sleepily.

"You know I do," I answered casually. "Come on, get under the covers."

"So bossy." He yawned and obeyed lazily.

I shook my head amused, finally feeling peaceful after such a long and emotional day.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Liam added tiredly. "Can I borrow your charger to revive my dead phone?"

"Yes, of course," I replied before I started rummaging through the drawer.

Once his phone was plugged in, I got under the covers and turned off the lamp.

"Good night, Liam!"

"Good night!" He replied in a hoarse voice. After a beat, his tone became serious. "I know this is awkward, but I've just realized I don't remember your name."

"What?" I jumped to a sitting position and turned the lamp back on. "Liam, what did the doctor say after the accident?" I asked, alarmed.

"He said not to worry, that I only had a minor concussion."

"I'm calling Dr. Hudson." I dismissed his explanation, worried.

"Who?" Liam frowned.

"Oh my god." I gasped anxiously.

"Aria, I'm fine."

"No, you're clearly not. Come on, get dressed. We're going to see Dr. Hudson." I informed him. I wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Aria... Calm down. It was a joke. I called you by your name twice."

"Liam! Don't you ever scare me like that!" I swatted his shoulder, annoyed. Why would he even make such a bad joke?

"Aaargh!" He started wincing in pain and I suddenly remembered that he had an injured shoulder.

"Oh, god. I'm really sorry." I apologized guiltily.

Liam burst out laughing. "Don't worry, it's actually the other shoulder."

"Ugh! I can't believe this!" I slumped against the pillow, rolling my eyes.

He continued to laugh, so I turned my back at him and turned off the light without saying a word.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself." Liam snickered playfully as he hugged me from behind, holding me tight against his chest. "Please don't be mad."

I sighed and thought about releasing myself from his grip, but I couldn't do it. His left arm felt too good around my waist. So, instead, I snuggled cozily against him, melting in his embrace.

"Sweet dreams, Aria!" Liam said satisfied after planting a soft kiss on my neck.

"Sweet dreams, Liam!" I replied sleepily.

[FrostbittenSoul]

Well I just read the story to here tonight and it was an excellent read ... can't wait to read the rest of it!

[JustLearning]

Subscribing and anxiously awaiting for the next update!

[nobody's_slave]

There was a soft voice whispering my name, followed by a delicate caress of my left cheek. Half asleep, I rolled to my left, only to bump into something hard and warm, exuding the most enticing scent I've ever smelled. I slowly opened my eyes and a lazy smile spread across my lips as I realized that I was facing Liam's sculpted chest. I looked up to his face and saw the already familiar pair of dark blue eyes watching me tenderly as a stray strand of curly hair was being brushed away from my forehead.

"Good morning, beautiful!"

"Good morning!" I yawned and blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the blinding sunlight. My eyes were still a little puffy and overly sensitive from crying so much during the night.

"Breakfast is served," Liam murmured and placed a soft kiss on my forehead before straightening up to look at me again.

I loved that he was so tender with me, that even his voice was just a whisper as if he almost felt guilty for waking me up. I sat up and moved my head a little, stretching my neck. Liam stood up and started pouring black tea into our cups. As I became more aware of my surroundings, I noticed that he was already dressed for the day.

"Look at you, all dressed up and ready to take over the world," I said admiringly. Even after the accident and only a few hours of sleep he still looked fresh and ravishing and I couldn't help but wonder where he got the clothes from.

"Yes, I tracked down one of the housekeepers and asked her if she could unlock my room so that I could shower and change," Liam replied like he was able to read my mind.

I smiled at the thought of Liam flashing her his most charming smile and revealing the sexy dimples that could be seen even through his beard. I bet the old lady didn't even stand a chance and gave in immediately.

"What are you smiling at?" Liam asked mischievously.

Busted! But I managed not to blush and shrugged casually instead, pretending it was nothing.

"I was wondering how come I didn't hear you slip out of the room or even returning with breakfast. I must have slept like a rock."

"Aham..." Liam looked at me only half convinced.

Most of the time I was sure that he was some kind of psychic that could read my mind.

I got up from the bed and quickly went to the bathroom before joining him at the table. We ate quietly for a few minutes until Liam broke the silence with an unexpected question that made me froze for a moment that felt like an eternity.

"I'm afraid to ask, but why is your suitcase at the door?"

"Let's say that some envious people messed with my head yesterday and made me think that you weren't coming back."

Yes, that was very subtle of me. Way to go, Aria!

"Aria..." Liam looked at me guiltily. The pain in his eyes made my heart ache in a way that's hard to describe.

"It's okay, Liam. It's not your fault. It's nobody's fault." I placed a hand on top of his and rubbed it soothingly. "It's just that we don't know each other very well and I didn't know what to expect. But now I do." I showed him a sympathetic smile.

"That's going to change soon." He retorted in a determined tone, squeezing my hand. "Were you able to think of the questions that you'd like to ask me?"

"Yes." I felt my cheeks heat up, so I looked down to my plate, pretending that I was suddenly interested in a raisin muffin that I kept avoiding.

"Perfect." His voice started to sound enthusiastic again. "You'll be able to ask me anything tonight. Anything you want."

I tried hard to keep my mind off the kinky questions that the others made me write in my notebook because I was probably starting to look as red as a tomato.

"Are we going to play the game you were telling me about?" I asked curiously.
"Of course we are," Liam assured me. "Oh, and I have to warn you... It might involve some stripping too."

"A stripping game? I've never played one." I blushed. "I'll make sure to wear all my wardrobe just to make sure I win. You won't stand a chance." I joked to hide my embarrassment.

"Suit yourself." Liam shrugged nonchalantly. "I already know how the game ends. After a couple of rounds, you'll be begging me to undress you." He smirked, sure of himself.

This time I blushed furiously. I couldn't bring myself to say anything else, so I started eating my muffin. Without saying a word, Liam kept observing me out of the corner of his eye, his grin getting wider.

Suddenly, his phone lit up and vibrated with a message. Liam picked it up and peered into the screen before turning his attention back to me.

"The taxi is here. I'm going back to the repair shop to pick up my car and then I need to solve some work-related issues."

"Oh, okay." I showed him a small smile. "I'll walk you to the door."

Liam smiled back and held my gaze as he put on his jacket. He grimaced as the fabric settled against his wounded shoulder and I couldn't help but look at him sympathetically.

"You're still in pain. Are you sure you can't stay in today?"

"I'm fine," Liam reassured me before planting a small kiss on my lips, his smile back in place. "Don't worry about me."

He turned around and opened the front door, ready to leave.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

My voice drew him back and he raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"My phone number," I said simply.

"Oh, right. Sorry." Liam reached into his pocket and handed me his phone so that I could fill in my contact details.

"Done," I said cheerfully as I gave him back his phone. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some unpacking to do."

Liam laughed and leaned in for one more kiss, longer and more sensual than the previous one. Reluctantly, we let go of each other and I watched him walk away, wondering if the butterflies that I had in my stomach were real or just a piece of my imagination.