Backstage (The Barter System Book 4)

by McClendon, Shayne

  Then he set to the task of devouring her. She was gasping for breath by the time he released her lips, moaning as he licked and kissed his way over her breasts, and ready to scream when he yanked away her panties and settled his mouth over folds that were audibly wet.

  She buried her fingers in his hair and allowed her eyes to close so she didn’t get dizzy from trying to watch him.

  Within two minutes, he made her come and it was the first time a man had been able to do so with oral sex. She screamed his name and he growled as two thick fingers pressed inside her.

  “More. I need more of you, Teddy.”

  One palm on the back of her thigh, he pushed her legs wider. It was a position that brought her ass off the bed and he wasted no time removing his fingers and using his tongue instead.

  It felt thicker and longer than she would have imagined a tongue would feel and then she couldn’t think about anything but the fact that the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen was fucking her with it.

  Back to her clit as his fingers resumed their thrusts and Theodora wondered if anyone ever died from pleasure.

  Then Kiefer started to talk and she figured she was going to be the first.

  “I knew you’d taste good, Teddy. So fuckin’ delicious.” He planted sucking kisses over her folds. “I knew I’d enjoy time with you. My balls are tighter than they’ve ever been with the need to come and all I want to do is drive you up again and again.” His fingers went deep and she felt him turn his hand palm-up. “You know what I didn’t know?”

  He kissed her inner thigh and she realized he was waiting for her to look at him. She prayed he wasn’t expecting a rational response.

  Opening her eyes, she stared down the length of her body at his face poised just above her glistening skin. The evidence of her pleasure coated his skin and he grinned.

  “I never dreamed you’d be so fuckin’ responsive.”

  Then he curled his fingers and raked them over a spot she’d never been able to find as he sucked her clit between his lips.

  She screamed…possibly more than once…as the most powerful orgasm she’d ever felt slapped her over the edge of ecstasy. Her body was out of control, spasming, and shaking as she rode the climax.

  Through heavy eyes, she watched him go up on his knees, his fingers still inside her. The other hand reached for a condom and Kiefer ripped it open with his teeth.

  He was shaking as he rolled it over his cock. It was almost purple. Dropping over her body with his arm holding him up, he said, “Look at me, Teddy.”

  Eyes wide, she stared into his and the green looked like it was glowing. Without looking away, he dragged the head through the cleft of her body and she held her breath.

  The sound of his voice was almost unrecognizable. Low and gravelly, he told her, “All I want to do is ram deep inside you. Fill your pussy as much as I can, as fast as I can.”

  She enjoyed the way he felt stroking her and she could feel the way it throbbed with need. Going up on her elbows, she kissed him and he growled into her mouth. The kiss was almost violent and she was shocked at the way it made her feel.

  Reclining back against the mattress, she whispered, “Do it. Fuck me right now, Kiefer.”

  It was fascinating to watch him still. Only his fingers moved to position his cock where he needed it.

  Then he fulfilled her demand.

  At almost thirty, Theodora had been with the opposite sex. In college, she’d even dated a woman she thought was pretty and smart. She hadn’t had many lovers nor had she ever been very good at the act itself.

  Nothing in her past had prepared her for Kiefer Johannson. Nothing in her future would ever be the same now that he’d touched her.

  The man fucked her deep, hard, and thoroughly, holding back twice by gripping the base of his cock when he would have come. He’d murmur to himself, “Too damn good to stop yet. I can wait…I can wait.”

  Both of them were covered in sweat, in saliva, and she felt her own release slipping out of her body to coat her ass and inner thighs. Still he drove on and on, making every stroke count.

  “You have the tightest, hottest, and wettest pussy I’ve ever felt, Teddy. I’m desperate…fuckin’ desperate.”

  She was exhausted, spent. Finally understanding the meaning of a word she’d read a hundred times in books without a personal frame of reference, she reached up with trembling hands and cupped his face.

  Through gritted teeth, he managed, “You need…”

  She shook her head. “You’ve already given me more than every lover I had before you. Let me see your pleasure, Kiefer. Show me it was good for you. I want to see what you look like when you come.”

  A look of near-pain crossed his face and she smoothed his damp hair away from his face. “It’s alright to let go now. You aren’t a machine. You don’t have to perform for me.” She stroked his face, wiping away beads of sweat, down his neck to his shoulders. “Come here, Kiefer.”

  He lowered his upper body until they were skin to skin. She trailed her hands over the skin she could reach. At his ear, she whispered, “What a beautiful man you are…inside and out. Come for me. Release all that control you don’t need and fill me up.”

  A sound between a roar and a sob left his chest and he thrust so hard against her that he drove them across the bed. Then he came, pushed as deep as he could go, with his arms holding her hard enough to leave bruises. He murmured her name repeatedly as his hips continued to thrust in reflex, ensuring he gave her everything he could.

  It was only when he lifted his face to stare down at her that she realized he’d had his teeth clamped over the muscle of her shoulder. It gave her a clenching feeling in her womb that he’d held her, marked her, much like an animal with its mate.

  Tamping down the thought, she cupped his cheeks and allowed him to simply stare at her. Lowering carefully, he gathered her close.

  For a long time, he didn’t say anything. She felt his fingertips gently stroking through her hair.

  “How did you know?”

  Not pretending to misunderstand, she gave him a smile. “You seem to be striving for some perfect representation of manhood, when you accomplish the reality of being a caring man with little effort.”

  Rubbing her thumb across his lower lip, she let her heart open to a man who had no clue what to do with such a thing. “You are intelligent, kind, talented, and absolutely beautiful, Kiefer. Cut yourself some slack.”

  Chapter Seven

  Kiefer stared into the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen and felt his heart – something he’d thought was barren – reach for her.

  He crushed it down.

  Everyone who knew him knew he was a bad risk. He’d only had a couple of long-term relationships and they hadn’t ended well. They got demanding, he got bored, and then he started flirting with their friends.

  It would destroy Teddy to be caught up in his shit. Instead, he focused on the way her hands felt on his body.

  “Do you like touchin’ me?” he asked her quietly. She nodded, never breaking the rhythm of her movements that reminded him of a curious kitten. “I love the feel of you touchin’ me. Are you alright?”

  “I think this kind of alright has its own zip code. I didn’t know orgasms like the ones you gave me actually existed.” She tugged her lower lip between her teeth. “You’re…very good at this.”

  “Thank you. So are you.” Bracing his forearms at her sides to hold his weight off her, he pulled back and left the sweetest haven his cock had ever experienced. “Be right back, Teddy.”

  He climbed off the bed and walked into her bathroom to remove the condom, wash his face and hands, and gather his composure for a minute. After several deep breaths, he wet a washcloth with warm water and returned to her.

  The sight of her sprawled across her bed almost stopped his heart. She turned her face and smiled at him and Kiefer knew he’d made a horrible mistake in suggesting such an arrangement to such a woman.

  Theodora loved
to her core. No matter their agreement, she’d be heartbroken when he left. He knew it with every fiber of his being. Right now, he was already breaking her heart.

  She noticed the change in him and went up on her elbows to watch his face. “You’re thinking too much. We’re friends, remember?” He said nothing as he knelt on the bed to wipe her skin of their fluids.

  She blushed but he pretended not to notice as he took in the bruises, the scrapes, and the bite mark that were beginning to darken on her skin.

  “I hurt you.”

  “No, you didn’t. I bruise easily but they don’t hurt. Kiefer?” Finally, he met her eyes. “I know you have to leave. It doesn’t matter. That’s in the near future but right now, I’m so glad you got in the cab with me. I will always have this time with you. The memories are worth it. I intend to enjoy every moment and worry about missing you later…okay?”

  After a pause, he nodded then went to the bathroom, hanging the rinsed washcloth over the edge of her tub.

  He stared at his reflection in the mirror and wondered when he’d become the sort of man to use such a decent person.

  At the side of her bed, he helped her to her feet and waited as she used the bathroom. He heard her wash her hands and brush her teeth. She was shy about walking across the room naked.

  Holding the covers, he smiled as she climbed under them and more at her surprise that he joined her and took her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head.

  “I’ve never been so exhausted after sex.” She chuckled and he ran his palm down the soft skin of her back. “Your body seems made for me. I love everything about you.” He hesitated before saying, “Teddy…”

  She put her fingers to his lips. “Don’t talk about it now. I don’t want to waste a minute of our time together.”

  He held her tighter, both of them dropping into exhausted sleep within moments. It was the best sleep he’d ever had with a woman in bed.

  * * * * *

  Kiefer opened his eyes as the smell of bacon made his stomach growl. He took a moment to get his bearings and knew exactly who was cooking. Sitting up on the edge of the bed, he pulled on his jeans and walked to the other end of Teddy’s apartment.

  She was wearing his shirt and heavy white socks on her feet. He could tell she wasn’t wearing a bra and he wondered if she was wearing panties.

  Across the counter were platters of pastries, pancakes, bacon, and cut up fruit. When she turned wearing her little glasses and gave him a smile, it felt like his heart stopped beating.

  “Good morning, Kiefer.”

  “You’re even prettier first thing, Teddy.”

  “So are you…I told you so.” She winked and made his coffee just the way he liked it.

  He felt off balance and moved around the counter to hug her. She smelled amazing. “You’ve been busy. Not sure how long you’ve been up but…are you expectin’ company?”

  That made her laugh. “No. It’s just you. I wasn’t sure what you liked for breakfast so I whipped up a few things. It didn’t take long.” She reached out to rub her palm over his stubble. “That’s lovely.”

  Leaning in to the touch, he closed his eyes. “Thanks.”

  “Did you sleep alright?”

  His hands moved down her sides and around to her ass, gradually lifting the hem of his shirt until he reached bare skin. No panties. He squeezed gently and she sighed.

  The sound sank deep and he wished either life were simpler or he were a more complicated man. He pulled her firmly against him.

  “I want to make you come. I need it.”

  Her eyes met his and she whispered, “I want you to eat. Then you can have anything else you want.”

  Unable to stop the sigh, he slowly released the cheeks of her ass one finger at a time. Stepping back, he picked up his coffee. “What do you normally do every day?”

  She pulled out a barstool and he settled into it. A delicate hand raked through his hair, smoothing it away from his face, and his eyes drifted closed. “How tactile you are. I don’t believe you’re touched enough.”

  Before he could censor the words, he murmured, “No one really touched me at all before you.” Realizing what he’d said, he met her gaze. Too late to change the admission, he shrugged. “As much as the women I…date tend to fit a certain criteria, it’s the same for them, Teddy. All I’m required to be is good lookin’ and fun to be around. Pickin’ up the tab doesn’t hurt.”

  “That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.” She squeezed his shoulder and returned to the inner kitchen to make him a plate. “Excessively beautiful women – the kind I would think are your usual choice – expect things to be a certain way because the world usually makes things happen for beautiful people.”

  He said quietly, “You’re beautiful, Teddy.” He meant it but he could tell she thought he was just being sweet.

  “I have interesting features but that is not the same thing at all. To qualify for the true beauty club, I’d need to be tall, thin, and have the ability to pose prettily for no reason.” She shrugged. “I’m aware that I’m very different from the type of women you date, Kiefer. On the up side, I don’t need you to pick up my tab and I prefer real over fun.”

  Putting the dish down in front of him, she added, “You are good looking and you’re aware of the fact. However, while I enjoy your outer shell as I do all beautiful things, it is not the first thing I noticed nor would it have mattered to me if you’d been unattractive.”

  “What did you notice first?” he wondered aloud.

  “Your accent and how strong your arms were.” She leaned on the counter with her coffee in her hand. “Kiefer. Why do you have this fixation in your head about who you’re supposed to be? Neither of your parents seem to care what any of you do as long as you’re happy.”

  He couldn’t tell her who he was on the inside. Someone like her would never understand. He was still reeling from her accurate evaluations.

  “I’m happy, Teddy. Right now, I’m real happy with the view.”

  Glancing down, she realized her position exposed a lot of her cleavage. Looking at him again, her eyes were sad. “Okay, Kiefer. I get it.”

  For the first time in a long time, he didn’t have an appetite. He stared at the back of his hand. “I’m going to call the family and see what time everything is supposed to happen today.”

  Taking a sip of her coffee, Teddy didn’t say anything. She walked past her bedroom to a hidden closet. A minute later, she came back out in yoga pants and a t-shirt. His shirt dangled from her fingers.

  “Here you go. I’m sure there will be some scrambling today. Your sisters will be grateful for your help. No need to call them.”

  Slowly, he lifted his hand and took his shirt. As he shrugged it on, she found the rest of his belongings and set them on the bar. Then she packed him a container of breakfast pastries.

  He wanted to say something, do something to bring back the way things had been the night before.

  When he was fully dressed, she moved to stand in front of him, smoothing her hands over his chest. “Thank you for last night. Your appetite will return with some distance.” On her tiptoes, she kissed his chin and started to turn away.

  He grabbed her and hugged her hard. Holding a fistful of her hair, he kissed her, drank her down, reminded her of every second, and then he let her go. Grabbing everything off the bar, he followed her to the exit that led to the street.

  As he moved to pass her, she gave him a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

  “Teddy…”

  “See you later, Kiefer. Be careful out there.”

  With a nod, he walked up the steps. The door closed and locked behind him. He stood on the street in front of her place for several minutes, arguing with himself over stupid shit he couldn’t change.

  Finally, he hailed a cab and returned to his hotel.

  * * * * *

  As Kiefer disappeared into a cab, Theodora sighed and walked away from the security panel. Over the next hour, sh
e cleaned up and thought about the time she’d spent with the sort of man who inspired envy.

  He hadn’t lied to her. He never pretended. Every word he’d told her was the truth.

  Despite their arrangement, despite the fact that she hadn’t shed a single tear in front of him, she doubted he’d get within ten feet of her the rest of the time he spent in New York.

  She never should have asked such a personal question.

  In the shower, as the water massaged muscles that were tender from unfamiliar use, she allowed herself to cry for things that could never be.

  Then she relived every sensual moment she’d experienced with him and came quickly by her own hand. The sound of her breathing was loud in the small space.

  “That’s why, Kiefer. The mere memory of you will get me through a lot of lonely nights in my future.”

  After a few more tears, she took a deep breath and started her day.

  * * * * *

  Theodora’s mother was deteriorating every day. Each morning, she sat with a woman who’d once had the energy to run the New York Marathon and care for elderly patients. All the while, she’d helped the aging members of her own family, kept an eye on all the younger set, and raised a daughter with special needs.

  The helplessness she felt was hard to hide from Bridgette Grove. Often, her mother called her on it.

  “Alice mentioned you have a gentleman caller.” Saying the phrase made her giggle despite the twisted, painful condition of her joints. “Tell me about him.”

  “He calls me Teddy. We’re just friends, Mom.”

  “Is that code for…?”

  “Yes. Yes it is.” Unable to hold it back, she started to laugh. Only when she had it under control did she add, “Not sure how I get myself in these situations but…I’m going to go with it.”

  “Deal with the fallout later?”

  “Yup.”

  “Excellent choice. Life is too short to avoid the great stuff just because it might have some consequences.”

  “You’re the best mother on the planet.”

  Focusing tired blue eyes on Theodora’s face, she replied, “You made it look pretty fucking easy, actually.”