A Dangerous Wave

10

"Andy is only a friend," I explain to Liam. "I don't like him that way."

I look up from the floor, when I feel Liam's hand on my waist. His posture towers over me and he is looking into my eyes, while I am leaning against the counter and my hands are holding onto it.

"That's great to hear." Liam says quietly from above me. I bite my bottom lip while looking up into his eyes. "Don't bite your lip, it'll bleed." His thumb traces over my lips, so I am not biting the lower one anymore.

His hand moves to my cheek and rests there. He is leaning down to my height. Our lips connect for the second time today. I feel the same as I did the first time; alive and free. I love how our lips move against each other with ease. The kiss isn't forced. It's slow and filled with care.

I let myself relax into the kiss more. I move my hands from the counter to his torso and trace them up and behind his neck. I feel his tongue lick my bottom lip and I open my mouth to let our tongues meet. They tangle together as the kiss gets more heated. Liam's hands are both on my waist. He is holding me lightly in his arms, careful not to do something that'll draw me away.

After we break the kiss, both of us are breathing heavily. Liam hasn't moved away from me, so my hands are still locked behind his neck.

"I felt something in your mouth." Liam says after a while. I give him a confused expression.

"Oh, right." I suddenly remember. "You mean this ..." I open my mouth and lift up my tongue. I point to the piercing I have there with my index finger.

"I didn't know you had another piercing." He says and I close my mouth with a nod. "Didn't that hurt?" He moves away from me and lets go of my waist.

"Not at all." I shake my head. "I actually did it myself." Liam's eyebrows rise up in surprise.

"Impressive." I chuckle and sit on the counter. "I also really like your bird tattoo."

I lift up my arm and look at it. "That was my first tattoo."

"You have more?"

"Yeah?" I laugh. "This was my second one," I point to the little anchor on my wrist. "This was my third," I lift up my shirt and show him the feather one on my ribs. "I thought you saw this one when we were swimming."

"I don't know how I didn't."

"And this one ..." I hop off the counter and turn my back to Liam. "This is my last one." I point to the back of my neck for him to see the compass tattoo.

"I think this one is my favorite." I feel him trace the tattoo with his fingers. The light and soft touch sends shivers up my spine. I turn around again and look up at him.

"Let's go outside for a bit." Liam says randomly and pulls me outside to the hammocks. I lie down in mine and he lies down in Tina's.

"How come you don't have any tattoos?" I ask.

"How do you know I don't have a tattoo?"

"So, you do?" I turn to look at him.

"I've only got this one." He lifts up his foot and I see an anchor tattoo on his ankle.