Liam: Branded Brothers Read Online Free PDF Page A

in
record time thanks to Liam’s fast and furious paddling skills, but they were still
drenched.
    He let out a raspy laugh as their eyes met. The rain dripped
down the sides of his face, leaving tracks of water along the tight angle of
his jawline. Not a good idea , she told herself, trying to catch her
breath as she glimpsed into his endless eyes. She exhaled heavily and stepped
off the mat, dripping onto the linoleum in the dining room.
    “Jack’s got some things you could wear. He was a little
smaller than you are, but they should work for now,” she said, pulling Jack’s
soaked Cubs sweatshirt over her head. The wet cotton clung against her skin,
heavy and restrictive as she tried to yank it past her head. She felt a gentle
pull with extra hands lift the sweatshirt over her head. The sweatshirt finally
popped over her head, and she stood staring at Liam’s outstretched hands
holding the sweatshirt.
    “Thanks,” she muttered, slowly putting her arms back down.
Liam’s small gesture was somehow both the sweetest and sexiest thing anyone had
done for her in the past two years. It was entirely depressing and intriguing
at the same time.
    “You’re not the only person who likes helping around here,”
he said, lifting his shirt up over his head. She inhaled sharply at the sight
of his chest, following the lines of his tattoos. His chest was harder and more
defined than she imagined it to be. She studied the tattoo on his heart, the
tattoo just like Jack’s. She fought the urge to trace the lines of the two-inch
tattoo with her finger, and instead, clamped her hands by her thighs and tried
to ignore the skip in her heart. She could smell the deep hint of spice in his
cologne.
    You need peace, Charla. Not the Irishman.
    “You know, Jack had the same tattoo you have on your heart.”
She pointed to the tattoo, making sure she wasn’t in proximity of accidentally
grazing him.
    “This one?” He took her outstretched finger and brought her
whole hand to his chest. He laid her hand on his heart and covered it with his
own hand.
    “Yeah, that one,” she breathed as she felt Liam’s heart
pound beneath her hand. Despite the cool rain, his skin was hot. “Jack’s was
bigger, spanning across his whole heart.”
    “It’s the Celtic symbol for family. Had it since I can remember.
I guess it makes sense his was bigger than mine. My chest must have been pretty
small when I got it. I don’t remember getting it, but it’s always been there.
It was really distorted when I was a teenager, but I had it touched up when I
was eighteen and then again two weeks ago. My parents said they didn’t know how
I had gotten it.”
    “Oh.” She cleared her throat and tried to pull her hand away
from his chest, but he held it there, searching her eyes for permission.
    “Charla,” he whispered. “I’m going to kiss you.”
    Her mind told her to stop him, to keep this man away, but
her eyes didn’t obey and instead, gave him the permission he sought. He bent
down slowly and pressed his lips against hers. She felt the warmth of his lips
swallow her softly at first. Her lips moved against his, exchanging the sweet,
tender kiss. She felt the thud of the sweatshirt and his t-shirt drop near her
feet. Then his lips pressed harder, moving faster as he let go of her hand and
moved it to the back of her head. She met his pace, moving her lips faster to
meet the urgency of his. She felt his hand run through her wet strands and move
to her shoulder. He caressed her neck, sending a flood of shivers through her
body. She felt her body pull toward him, seeking out the heat of his. Just as
he slid his fingers underneath the strap of her tank top, the sound of a ring
tone pierced the air.
    Charla’s eyes snapped open at the ringing, and she pulled
away suddenly, trying to catch her breath. She pressed her fingers in his chest
and gave a light push. “We shouldn’t be doing this…”
    “Yes, we should,” Liam said, pulling her back in.