Mel

It's been a while since I've been intimate with anyone. The most intimacy I've had since Justin died has been with Liam, and even then, we haven't done much- kissing, mild touching, nothing below the belt.

Don't get me wrong, I'm pleased to know that he isn't in any hurry and won't pressure me into anything, but the heat between us is getting unbearable. His self-control is impressive; it's just that I'm starting to feel my most primal needs surfacing.

I haven't felt this kind of craving in years. The more time Liam and I spend together, the needier my carnal instincts become.

I thought I'd hit my boiling point before his last game. When he hit me with that panty-dropping smile of his, I could feel my core start to ache. Pair that with him calling me his girl. Yeah, I was a goner.

From that moment on, the wheels started turning. I started forming plans for the two of us after the game. Whether they won or lost, Liam would be presented with a gift from me. And he would receive that gift in bed.

It was almost torture watching hours of gameplay and waiting for the final buzzer when all I wanted was to get Liam home and worship him. Every goal he scored and every hit he landed made me more and more ready to take him home.

When he scored his third goal of the game, rounding out his hat trick, he turned my way and winked. Fuck. If I weren't already done for, I surely would have been after that. His simple action had me melting in my seat, desperate for the game to end so I could get him alone.

After Ben scored the game-winning goal, I knew the guys would be expected to show for the celebration afterward. Luckily, we didn't spend a long time at the bar. I have Tay and T.J. to thank for that. They were eager to get back to the apartment and start their own celebration.

I convinced Liam to leave with them, claiming to be tired and ready for bed. He, of course, obliged, and we quickly made our way back home.

I couldn't help but think of all the things I wanted to do with him and to him on our way to the apartment. Liam unwittingly slowed me down when he gallantly offered me his hat trick puck of the night.

My primal needs took a back seat to my emotions when he did that. How did I get so lucky to find a guy like him?

That simple gift pulled all of my heartstrings and reminded me what a good guy Liam truly is. For a moment, I was so lost in awe that I almost forgot my goal for the night- to take Liam to bed and not just to cuddle.

The wind in my sails picked right back up when I heard the creak of a bed from inside Tay and T.J.'s room. They were doing what I wanted to be doing. And suddenly, I was reinvigorated, ready to put my plan back into action. Liam wouldn't know what hit him by the end of the night. He'd be blown away if all went to plan.

Liam took the initiative and pulled us into his room, but after that, I took over. I pushed him back on the bed and stood between his open legs. I thought he got the message when I tore his jersey off and mounted him, crashing our lips together like a woman starving for physical touch.

The way he responded with his tongue made me think we were both on the same page. If that wasn't a sign, the stiff rod between his legs sure was. I thought I would get what I needed, what I'd been craving for so long.

Instead, I got an hour and a half of intense heavy petting, grinding, and making out. His hands explored my body over my clothes, but he never tried to go underneath. He never once let his fingers wander under the waistband of my jeans. The most he allowed himself was a nice grip on my ass and a gentle graze over my boobs while he ground teasingly into my core.

It drove me insane. I tried to encourage him to go further. I really did. I arched my back when he grazed my chest, hoping he'd take the signal to squeeze my breasts. That only made him move his hands down to my hips or up to my neck. I tried getting my hands between us to undo my zipper or his. When that happened, he ground harder into me, distracting me until my hands fell away on their own.

I was giving him the go-ahead, and he wasn't taking it. Talk about being sexually frustrated. I was delirious with need, and Liam was still trying to be a gentleman. By the time I convinced myself that I could settle for dry-humping, he stopped altogether and suggested we change for bed and try to get some sleep.

I knew he wasn't trying to land an intentional blow to my ego, but shit, that stung. He excused himself to take a quick shower, leaving me reeling as I tried to figure out where I went wrong.

When he was done, I decided to go ahead and take a cold shower myself, hoping that would calm me down. It didn't. While I changed into my pajamas, I seriously considered jumping his bones the second I got under the covers. That thought had me excited all over again.

If he was uncertain of what I wanted before, he sure wouldn't be after that.

I was smiling to myself as a plan formed in my head. I would get into bed, cuddle up close to him, then rub my hand all over his naked chest, working my way down to his boxers. When I had his undivided attention, I'd slip my hand inside and let him know exactly what I wanted to do before we fell asleep.

It didn't take long for me to realize that plan was a bust. When I got back to the bedroom, Liam was already asleep. As tempting as it was to wake him up with a hand job, it just didn't feel right.

I let out a disappointed sigh and crawled under the sheets, letting myself snuggle against him. If I couldn't quench my hunger, I'd at least get some quality cuddling out of this.

~

When I woke up the following day, the boys had already left for practice. I saw Taylor getting coffee and tea ready for us in the kitchen.

She turned to me with a bright smile. "Good morning, Mel!"

I tried and failed to match her energy, barely able to gruff out my lame greeting.

When Tay noticed my gloomy demeanor, her face fell. "Mel, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

I sighed deeply before laying my head on the surface of the island. "I'm fine. Just frustrated."

Her brows furrowed, and she moved closer. "Why? What happened?"

I sat up, rubbing my hand over my forehead. "I'm incredibly sexually frustrated," I managed to grind out.

Taylor's eyes widened at my confession, and I saw her lips quirk with amusement. "So, you and Liam haven't...?"

"No!" I threw my arms up in the air, still feeling the surge of frustrated energy coursing through me. "I tried last night, but he apparently didn't understand my signals!"

I'm pretty sure Tay was trying to hold back laughter as she drew both lips into her mouth and took in my appearance. She schooled her features before gently replying, "Did you come right out and say it- that you wanted to...?"

My brows squeezed together as I realized I had never actually said it. "Well, no, but I thought my signals were pretty clear."

She gave me a sympathetic look as she sat down next to me. "Maybe he understood the signals but was afraid to go for it because he's afraid of losing you. He thought he went too far before and pushed you away. Maybe that's all it is."

I remembered what he told me about how he thought he'd scared me off on our date by pushing too far physically. Fuck, how could I be so stupid? Of course, he's worried that pushing too far would scare me off.

I smack myself on the head. "Shit. That has to be it. I can't believe I didn't think of that before."

"It's okay, Mel. Just talk to him about it. Let him know where you stand and what you are ready for. That way, he can tell you why he froze up last night. And who knows, maybe he's not ready to take it that far yet."

I cringe as her words hit me. Shit. Did I push too far this time? Is he not ready to go that far? "Do you really think he's not ready?"

Tay shrugs. "I don't know. And neither will you unless you ask him."

I knew she was right. I should have thought of that before, but I got carried away by my primal instincts and let logic fly right out the window.

Tonight, I'll talk to Liam. I'll tell him what I want and find out if he's with me. We can finally clear the air. Who knows, maybe by the end of the night, I'll finally satisfy my craving.