"The water is ready."

Liam appeared in the doorway and walked up to where I was wrapped in a blanket in front of the fireplace.

I tried to stand up, but he shook his head and leaned down to scoop me up in his arms. I smiled, curling up my arms around his neck, and burying my face in the crook of it.

Kissing my forehead, Liam whispered, "Tired?"

"A bit. You?"

He chuckled. "Yes and no. Come on, let's bathe first."

Liam made his way to the bathroom and put me down next to the tub. I watched him take off his underwear and step into the water. I followed his lead, sitting with my back to his chest and resting my head on his shoulder.

The dawn was almost there; soon, the sun would light up the snow-covered trees and reflect off the white blanket that covered everything around us. For now, it was only the two of us in the bubbly heaven, with no noises other than our heartbeats and our breaths.

Liam ran his finger down my cheek and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Are you feeling okay?" he asked, looking into my eyes.

"I am. It's perfect. You don't have to worry."

Sighing, Liam kissed my fingers one by one. "I hope I didn't rush into it with you."

I pecked his cheek. "Both of us would combust if we waited any longer. These last weeks were also hard for me, you know? Knowing you were there and not being able to do anything yet."

Liam's phone buzzed on the edge of the tub. I saw the name Victor on the screen and sat straighter. Liam picked up the phone and greeted his boss. Then, he listened intently for a while, not saying much other than understood and good.

As soon as he hung up, I turned around in the tub and faced him. "What did he say? How's Ellie?"

"The knife wound was superficial, but she hit her head on the ice, and they induced a coma to prevent significant damage. They will reverse it as soon as the brain swelling reduces. That's what they told Victor."

My eyes watered, and I covered my mouth with my hands, unable to stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks. "A coma?"

"Ellie's doctors know what they are doing. We need to have faith, sweetheart. Come here."

I let Liam comfort me. In a while, I asked, "And Aiden? Please tell me he isn't there all alone."

"Aiden is okay. Well, as okay as he can be. I texted him while I was getting the bath ready. He told me he'd call us later and said O'Brien was there with him."

I let out a relieved sigh. "I'm glad Jimmy is by his side."

Liam went strangely quiet. "Jimmy, huh?"

"That's his name, and you know it." Then, the absurd thought popped up in my brain and made me laugh. "Wait, are you jealous?"

Liam shrugged, toying with a strand of my wet hair. "He seemed to be quite into you, and now he's Jimmy."

I turned around in Liam's arms. "Well, he's a flirt, but he's this way with everyone, not only with me. He calls Ellie Beautiful, and Aiden is okay with it."

Liam mumbled, "Whatever. Remind me how O'Brien managed to get into our convo after we made love for the first time."

"Baby..." I whispered against his lips. I was aware it was the first time I've called Liam that.

His eyes met mine. I edged forward and touched his lips with mine. "It's not his name I was moaning a short while ago. He wasn't the one kissing and touching me. He wasn't the one who made me feel so damn good..."

"Really? Who was it, then?"

I smiled at Liam's words. If he wanted reassurance, I'd give him that.

I straddled Liam's legs and kissed his lips deliberately slowly, caressing his tongue with mine as soon as he opened his mouth to kiss me deeper. Liam moaned, putting his hands on my behind and pulling me toward him, making our bodies touch everywhere.

"It was you," I said, breaking the kiss and moving my lips to his neck I didn't wait to start kissing. "It was only you. It's ever been only you for me. The one I want to be bad for. The one who makes me so wet."

A groan left Liam's throat when I sucked on his skin and wrapped my fingers around his length.

I didn't recognize myself. The shy Sky was gone. This new girl could say all those things to a guy without getting flustered. Then again, maybe it was because it was him.

Little by little, day by day, Liam managed to make me trust him. Despite all those times where misunderstandings and our stubbornness threatened to make us fall apart, we managed to find our way to each other and give what we felt a chance. I hoped it would last. I desperately wanted what we had to be the real thing for both of us.

I moved my hand up and down Liam's length while my tongue traced the ink on his skin. Liam's eyes were closed now, and his mouth slightly open.

"Do you like it, baby?" I asked, smoothing my thumb over the tip of him. "Do you like me touching you like this?"

Liam nodded, seemingly at a loss for words.

I went on kissing him, biting him gently when I noticed he liked that. Then, I found the courage to say, "I bet you want to be inside me right now, fucking me like only you can."

Liam's eyes flared. He nodded and pressed me to him tightly.

A glance at the corner of the tub helped me locate a foil package Liam must've brought. I took it and ripped it open under Liam's heated gaze. It took me next to nothing to put the condom on him and grip him again. This time, to guide him inside me.

"Look at me," I whispered, sinking down on him, feeling him for the second time.

Liam opened his eyes and didn't look away while I took all of him, inch by inch.

I stilled, feeling him much deeper than before. A fleeting thought about my inexperience made me pause, trying to figure out what to do next to give him the same pleasure he'd given me.

Liam moved forward slightly, making me gasp at the sensation. Then, he caressed my arms and guided them behind my back, immobilizing me as he gripped my wrists with his hands.

"My good girl wanted to be bad just for me," he whispered, kissing my neck, "but first, I'm going to do things to her."

Warm, wet mouth wrapped around my nipple. Then, I felt a gentle bite, followed by a caress of Liam's tongue. He moved to my other breast to give it equal attention. Unable to use my hands, all I could do was surrender to Liam's caresses.

Unable to take it any longer without doing anything, I started to move, rocking back and forth, encouraged by Liam's moans and his lips on me.

"Do you like it like this, baby?" I asked, struggling to get the words out.

Liam released my nipple and let out a small, breathless laugh. "You are fucking me so damn good I'm struggling not to come, baby. Such a bad, dirty girl."

Releasing my wrists, Liam pressed his palms into my ass, starting to guide my movements. I changed the pace to a much faster one, aided by Liam's hands on me, kissing his mouth and rubbing his tongue with mine.

It seemed as if Liam grew even bigger inside me. I moaned when he thrust his hips upward and then pulled me down, repeating the same motion until the familiar pressure in the lower part of my stomach made me whimper, gripping Liam's hair tightly and joining out mouths in a raw, desperate kiss.

"Am I fucking you good, sweetheart?" Liam asked against my lips. "Can you feel me deep inside you?"

Unable to utter a word, I kissed him again, letting Liam's mouth swallow my moans.

"You're so close, baby. Touch yourself."

A sudden request broke through the haze reigning in my brain. Caught off guard, I stared into Liam's eyes.

"Come on, sweetheart, do it. Please. I want to show you you can feel things like this, too."

Liam started to move slower as if he was waiting for me to do what he wanted. I guided my hand to our joined bodies, putting my fingers on the sensitive spot Liam already touched and kissed more than once. His eyes followed the movement of my hand.

I did it - I touched myself under Liam's blazing gaze, my fingers moving slowly, then faster as they tried to match the rhythm Liam set.

"Fuck, baby, I wish you could see how beautiful and hot you look right now," whispered Liam, putting his lips on my breast again.

As soon as he did, I felt it all - the tightening of my muscles, the tremors that coursed through me, and the pleasure so intense I cried out, tilting my head back.

Liam's release came right after. I felt him shudder and let out a groan, then kiss every inch of my skin he could reach as he wrapped me in his arms, still breathless.

"You drive me wild," he said, stroking a hand down the length of my hair. "You are everything, baby, so innocent and so hot at the same time, all wrapped in the most beautiful package I've seen. And knowing the way I see you, you're still wondering why I act stupid and get jealous?"

"It's only you for me," I mumbled, resting my head on Liam's shoulder. "I don't want anyone else. I haven't wanted anyone else this way. So please, don't act stupid and don't get jealous, or I won't let you fuck me from behind while I'm wearing my red stilettos you seem to love so much." I yawned, nuzzling Liam's neck with my nose. "I didn't pack them for nothing."

"Holy shit," whispered Liam. Then, he kissed me again, differently this time- a tender touch of his lips that lingered on mine. "The water is cold, baby. Let's get you to bed."

"And you'll cuddle me?" I yawned again.

"Always." Liam chuckled.

I let him leave the tub first, and missed feeling him inside me almost immediately. It was another first- another of many more firsts with him.

Liam stood next to the tub with a warm towel. I got out of the water and let him put it around me. Then, he led me to the bedroom.

A beautiful winter morning was already there by the time I threw on Liam's tee and snuggled into him in bed, with my head on his bare chest and my leg thrown over his.

Liam pressed a string of tiny kisses to my jaw. Then, he looked into my eyes in a way that made me feel warm and fuzzy. "I love you," I heard him whisper. "I didn't say it to you while we were making love because I didn't want you to think it was a spur-of-the-moment thing, but it's the way I feel. So, before I cuddle you to sleep, I have a question."

I kissed his chest. "Which?"

"Am I your boyfriend now?"

I giggled. "Yes. My sexy, jealous, daddy boyfriend."

Liam gave my butt a light slap. "Careful with what you wish for. So, as your boyfriend, I have a couple of requests."

I looked up at Liam's face. "Which?"

He kissed my nose. "I'm gonna buy you at least five pairs of those shorts to wear around our apartment. That's my request number one."

"And your request number two?"

Liam smiled. "From now on, the only fruit in our kitchen will be oranges."

"On one condition."

"Which?"

"You'll tell me what your tattoo means." I traced the Chinese symbol on Liam's skin with my fingertips.

Liam pressed me to his side and buried his hand in my damp hair as he touched my forehead with his. "Sky. It means Sky. Not the one above us, but the one I'm holding in my arms."