by Dawn Ryder
“That was selfish of me.” He’d flattened his hands against the wall, his body shaking.
“Maybe it was selfish of me.” She stood up, feeling a glow of accomplishment. It was a subtle shift in power between them. A moment when she felt like she had at least a smidgen of control. A time when he was hers.
He slowly grinned, the expression full of promise. “In that case…”
He scooped her up and took her across the suite. He kicked open a bedroom door and deposited her on a bed. That fast, the power shifted back. The bed hadn’t even stopped rocking before he had her dress pushed up and her underwear down her legs.
“I’m going to enjoy proving myself to you, baby.”
So was she…
Anticipation tingled down her body. He stroked her thighs, the feeling of his hands on her bare skin insanely good. She writhed, already on overload.
“I love seeing you spread out on a bed.”
She looked up and caught him studying her. Pleasure tightened his features, a dangerous glint of possessiveness in his eyes. It stole her breath, making her insides churn. She shifted her thighs farther apart, feeling vulnerable, but there was something about the way he watched her that made her yank her dress completely off.
“Yeah…” he growled approvingly.
She fingered the front closure of her bra, unsnapping it and letting the elastic in it pull it off her breasts.
He nodded, reaching down to cup one breast. She stiffened, sensation flooding her. It was always so intense.
He reached farther down, trailing his fingers along her inner thigh. All her nerve endings were snapping with awareness. Her clit was pulsing, but he made her wait, teasing her inner thigh and then the sides of her slit. He pushed her back on the bed, shucking his pants and crawling up to join her.
She purred, savoring the feeling of his bare skin against hers. He lodged his shoulder against her right leg and settled himself on one elbow.
“I want to play with you…”
He rimmed the opening of her pussy with a fingertip, sinking into the puddle waiting there as she arched with delight.
“Watch you come…”
Her mouth went dry. “Sounds…great.”
It was almost impossible to keep her eyes open. But she watched him smile at her, flashing his teeth as something flickered in his eyes.
He was suddenly gone when she blinked. He disappeared into the bathroom as she sat up, frustration biting into her.
But he was back just as suddenly, pushing her onto her back and lodging his shoulder under her right leg so she was almost helpless again. He teased her belly, rubbing his hand up and down it.
“Let’s have a threesome.”
She stiffened. “What?”
He reached down and lifted something off the bed. She gasped as recognition set in.
“No.”
He chuckled at her horror, holding her vibrator without a hint of squeamishness. “Oh yes.”
“How did you even know where that was?”
Why had she even packed it?
He chuckled. “I’m obsessed with you. I notice every little detail.”
“So you went through my bag?”
He waved the sex toy in the air. “Actually, I saw it when you opened the bag once because the team had hung up all your clothing. We need to get you a modesty bag for it.” His expression changed. “But that’s not what I want to do with it right now.”
He pressed the power button, and the toy started to hum gently on its first setting. The rabbit part of it vibrating while the shaft turned. Syon looked down at her spread body. “I want to watch you come, Kate.”
His tone was husky but full of demand. He turned the toy toward her, and she swallowed as her belly tightened unbearably. A little moan got past her lips before she sealed them tight enough. She was torn. Excited but feeling horribly exposed too. She worried her lower lip, and his caramel gaze honed in on the little telltale motion.
“Exciting…isn’t it?”
He touched the tip of the vibrator to her, and she jumped, the soft vibration ultraintense.
“I want you to think about me…even when you’re using B.O.B.”
“I’ve been ignoring him since I met you.”
Syon trailed the tip of the toy through her slit, pausing at the top and pressing it lightly against her clit. She gasped, shuddering as need yanked her away from conscious thought. She just wanted to let her eyes close and sink back into the storm of sensation.
But…she couldn’t…really.
“Making a woman climax is a skill.” He moved the toy down to the opening of her pussy. Teasing her with an inch of penetration. “I want to prove my worth to you. A lot of guys just get lucky because their partner is humping them back and it happens. I want to do more to you.”
“You have,” she rasped out. “You always make me…”
He raised an eyebrow when she had trouble getting the word out.
“This time, I’m going to watch, without any interference from my own body.” He’d trailed the vibrator up to her clit again. “Isn’t that what you just enjoyed doing when you sucked me off?”
She licked her dry lips, realizing she was unmasked. Hating how easily he read her, but at the same time, feeling like it was the most intimate thing she’d ever experienced. “It was.”
He pressed the toy forward, giving her a full taste of the vibration against her clit. Her breath caught, a soft sound of delight coming from her.
“So now it’s my turn.”
She shivered, his words setting off a slow burn, like a fuse she knew was going to set off an explosion. He teased her clit, pushing against it to let her feel the vibration from the sex toy, and then trailing it down to the opening of her pussy. He’d give her an inch, never more, before moving it back up to her clit.
“You’re so damned wet…”
She jerked, trying to move, but he had her pinned better than she’d realized. He had his left arm around her thigh and his hand flattened on her belly. She could move her left leg, but it wouldn’t do her much good.
“But I want you wetter.”
Syon’s visage was hard. She could see the demanding side of his nature in control now. He teased her slit and pressed the function button on the vibrator so it started humming faster.
She cried out when he pressed it to her clit.
“Hmmm… I like that sound…”
She twitched; she was nearing that point where the sensation bordered on pain because it was so intense.
“Syon…”
“Not yet, baby.” He soothed her, stroking across her belly with his fingers before plunging the vibrator deep into her.
“Oh Christ!”
She was so wet, she heard the sound of the toy sliding into her body. And when it hit her G-spot, she was sure she was going to explode, but he pulled it back before the rabbit portion of it touched her clit.
She snarled at him.
He shifted his attention to her face, locking gazes with her. He plunged the toy back in, watching her as it connected with her clit and G-spot at the same time. She gasped, her mouth open as she felt suspended between heartbeats. She was bucking up toward the toy, Syon working it with short, hard thrusts, watching her the entire time.
“That’s the spot,” he said softly, menacingly, as he kept thrusting the toy at the same place. “Right there…like that.”
She was losing control, slipping into the vortex as the toy hummed. As he worked it. While he watched. She was on display, held down, and yet she didn’t feel alone. He was there with her, and when climax claimed her, she watched his eyes narrow with victory.
It was the last thing she noticed for a while. Orgasm burst through her, laying waste to every last thought. There was only the intensity of the pleasure, the twisting and wringing of her muscles before she was dropped into a pile of quivering limbs all warmed in the glow of satisfaction.
When she opened her eyes, Syon had pulled her into his embrace,
rolling over onto his back and pillowing her head on his chest.
It wasn’t enough.
She needed more.
More something.
She lifted her head and sat up, locking gazes with him. Somehow, the rest of the world was being held outside the door. She could feel it waiting for them, just waiting to suck him away.
“You’re mine right now.”
He lifted an eyebrow at her statement. Kate swung over him. His cock was hard, jutting up from his lean abs. All she had to do was lower herself. He reached down, making sure her aim was true, thumbing her clit gently as she lowered herself.
“The rest of the damned world can stay the hell on the other side of that door.”
“I like the sound of that.” He grasped her hips, guiding her, helping her set the rhythm. “I like the feel of it even more.”
She rode him, desire building slowly. They were bound together this time, their breathing increasing at the same rate. He sat up, and she twisted her legs around his waist.
“You want control.”
He grasped her hair, sealing her lips beneath his in a hard, deep kiss. “With you, I crave it.”
He turned her over, putting her on her back again. “I need to know”—his pace was increasing, the bed rocking as he pumped her harder—“need to know I do things to you that no one else ever has…or ever will…”
She gasped, moaning as words began to lose their meaning again. He ground himself deeply into her, their bodies straining toward each other.
“Or ever can.”
“You do.”
Her voice was only a hoarse rattle. Need had become a desperate thing, beating its wings inside her. They were covered in sweat, their bodies striving to feed their passions. It was a struggle, a hard meeting of flesh that reached a blinding pinnacle. She spun out of control, clinging to the only stable thing in her universe.
Him.
He wasn’t just a person. He was the foundation of her existence. The center of her being.
And it scared the absolute shit out of her.
* * *
“Chow’s here.”
Kate was still rubbing her hair with a towel but poked her head out of the bathroom. Ramsey had shown up as usual, but today, he was tapping on some of the metal covers keeping the food warm. For the first time, two of her dresses were hanging on the back of the bathroom door. She took a moment to snap on a bra and underwear and pull on one of the dresses before she walked out into the suite. Taz and Drake were also there, rummaging through the spread room service had delivered. They all looked at her, their expressions set.
“I haven’t had enough coffee for an ambush,” she informed Syon. He was leaning against the breakfast bar.
Ramsey offered her a mug of coffee, along with a smirk that sent a warning through her.
“We like having you on the team, Kate,” Ramsey began and offered her some half-and-half.
The members of Toxsin were spread out, making it impossible to keep an eye on all of them.
“Yeah, a lot,” Drake said before shoveling steaming scrambled eggs covered in Tabasco sauce into his mouth.
“Great.” Kate tried to shut them down.
“We can’t watch you when we’re performing,” Syon said. “You need a bodyguard.”
He said “bodyguard,” but she heard “babysitter.”
“No thanks.”
“I have a cousin.” Taz rolled right on without letting her denial land. “Taekwondo master. Total badass. He’s not bad on a bass either.”
“I said thanks but no thanks.” She started to turn around.
“You say no, and you have to call Percy,” Syon said.
Kate turned on Syon, trying to decide what he was up to, but he was holding out her cell phone like a challenge. “For what reason?”
Syon lifted his hands in mock surrender. “He made some very clear threats…and I think he means business. If we don’t take better care of you, he’s coming for us. Locked and loaded.”
“Yeah, I’m…scared,” Ramsey added. Kate shot him a “get real” look. He shrugged and poured syrup onto a mountain of pancakes.
“Good thing he’s got a man, because I think Syon might be jealous. That dude has some serious passion for you,” Drake added. “He threatened to kick all our asses if we let anything happen to you again.”
“Somehow, I don’t think that’s what scared any of you,” Kate replied. “You guys thrive on drama.”
There was a flash of smiles before they closed ranks again.
“He did say he was taking the position himself if we didn’t get someone for you,” Ramsey admitted. “Besides, we don’t know who doped you.”
“So until we discover the source, you need a pair of eyes on you,” Syon finished.
“I’ll look out for myself, now that I know there is a problem.” And that was going to be the end of it. She picked up a plate and started filling it. The topic changed, turning to something lighter as they teased one another. But suspicion tingled on her neck, because she caught glances among them from time to time.
* * *
“Are you tired?”
Kate looked up to find Syon leaning against the sliding glass door’s frame. The door was open, letting the breeze in. The sun was starting to set.
“No.”
He looked at her skeptically.
“My internal clock is flipped. Besides, I slept most of the day,” she said. “I need my shop set up. I know you’re behind the crew not doing it.”
The crew had been holding her shop hostage, and none of the polo-shirted guys were willing to give her a straight answer when she asked to have it set up. Syon offered her only a shrug. “The doctor said rest.”
“I’m full up on resting,” she assured him. “We’re talking stir-crazy time.”
“Then get dressed. It’s date night.”
Kate sat up. “Really? Cid’s going to have something to say about that.”
Syon’s expression hardened. “Yeah. We all sort of came to that conclusion too. Get dressed.”
Kate disappeared into the bathroom, trying to decide what vibe was dancing through the air. She was no closer to pinpointing it when she finished dressing.
When she finished, Ramsey was lounging on the sofa, wearing a pair of black jeans for a change. He jumped up when she emerged.
Taz and Drake fell in with them on the way down the hall. Drake was grinning from ear to ear. “Pub night,” he exclaimed. “I need to hear English spoken correctly.” His voice had taken on a very British accent.
“Just to be clear,” Ramsey said to Drake, “I am not putting anything into my mouth called ‘spotted dick.’”
“This from the man who encouraged me to have octopus?” she asked.
Ramsey grinned at her as they started to pile into an SUV. “Octopus is good for you. Spotted dick, not so sure.”
“It’s custard,” Drake stated like a schoolmaster. “And I’ve seen some of the things you put your mouth on.”
“Only because you were behind me in line,” Ramsey answered.
Taz hooted.
Syon sat beside Kate, massaging her nape as they wove through the streets. She could tell when they were nearing the section of town were the restaurants were. The sidewalks were better lit, and more people were about. Their driver edged up in front of a place that had a mock shake-shingle roof and a red police call box outside it. Their driver paid no mind to the red curb, but pulled right up to let them unload in front of the door.
The pub was darker inside than most restaurants. A huge wooden bar stretched along half of it and people were sitting up at it as well as occupying small, round tables.
“We’ve got to grab a spot. Trivia night is popular,” Drake said. He dove into the section with the tables, managing to convince a pair of older guys to hop over a table so they could all sit together.
“Trivia night?” Kate asked.
Syon looked up from the beer menu and nodded. “Drake likes to think
he’s brighter than the rest of us.”
“Sometimes, we even let him win,” Ramsey added, “’cause we hate to see him pout.”
A waitress with a Scottish accent came by, taking down their orders. A man stood up and got everyone’s attention. Somehow, Kate had never realized that trivia could be such an intense competition. The air in the bar became thick with tension. Teams hunkered down over their answer sheets, guarding their knowledge. It seemed that bragging rights were indeed coveted. The topics ranged from science to mythology.
Ramsey threw his hands up in the air when they managed to pull off a tie with another team. He howled with the victory, until the waitress showed up with their prize.
“Spotted dick,” Drake said with a smirk. “How sweet victory is.”
Ramsey tossed a crumpled-up napkin at him.
“Oh…where’s your sense of adventure?” Kate demanded. She picked up a spoon and dove into the dessert.
“Are you really going to eat dick right here in front of us?” Ramsey asked.
Kate choked on the custard, shooting Ramsey a killing look. But she pulled the spoon out of her mouth slowly, making Drake snicker.
It was a low-key sort of night, but she discovered that she cherished being part of the moment . They made it back to the hotel and found Cid waiting for them. The road manager had a smile on his lips, but there was something about his eyes that made Kate think he was forcing a professional look.
Tension tingled on her nape as the members of Toxsin stayed close to her, making their way to the elevators and on up to the penthouse floor. They all pounded each other’s fists before breaking formation and going different directions in the hallway.
Syon had just closed the door to their suite when she asked, “What was that about?”
“Cid needs to be reminded that we’re more than a wild bunch of animals.” He captured one of her hands and raised it to his lips. “But I don’t want to talk about Cid.”
He lifted her hand and turned her around under her arm. Her skirt flared out as he did it a couple more times, twirling her across the suite until they were at the sliding glass door. He stopped and came up behind her, enclosing her in his embrace as they looked out on the balcony.
