Sugar

by Seressia Glass

  Siobhan glanced at him before dropping her gaze to her water glass. Charlie had taken her to a small upscale seafood restaurant and charmed her with stories she was sure his siblings would be horrified about her knowing. Though it was still early, the restaurant was dark and romantic, and the hushed atmosphere only heightened the intimacy. A candle danced merrily in a cut crystal holder, its light darkening Charlie’s blue-green eyes but also underscoring the temptation, intent, and heat in every glance he gave her. If she’d been trying to resist him, she would have failed miserably.

  “There’s a dance studio to the east of the square, called Motions. They offer a bunch of different classes, and I registered for beginner’s yoga. I was looking for something that would occupy my free time—not that I have a lot of it—and help with my flexibility. I thought yoga would do it, and I’d get the benefit of calming my mind as well.”

  “Do you still do it?”

  “No.” She laughed. “I hated every moment of it, which upped my stress instead of eliminating it. Didn’t last a week. Lucky for me there was a pole dancing class going on at the same time and I decided to sign up for that. That’s where I met Lola.”

  Candlelight accented the delight in his eyes. “You pole dance too?”

  “Easy there, tiger. I haven’t danced on a pole since that class. At the end of it, Lola asked me if I’d be interested in learning burlesque. I went to one of their shows and got hooked. The rest is history.”

  She twirled the stem of her wineglass. “I’ve been doing it for a couple of years now and I love it, but I think it’s about time for me to look for another hobby.”

  “Why would you give it up?”

  “For me it’s just a hobby. A very expensive hobby, but a hobby nonetheless. I’ll always love vintage lingerie and fashion, but the Crimson Bay Bombshells is Lola’s business and Sugar and Spice is mine. The café takes priority, which means I’m not always available for some of the things Lola wants to book for the troupe. Besides, if I step down, Lola can give my spot to one of her younger apprentices.”

  He bristled. “Is Lola asking you to step down because of your age?”

  “No, she’d never do that.”

  “Then I don’t get it. What does your age have to do with your ability to dance?”

  “I’m thirty-five, creeping up on thirty-six,” she reminded him gently. “Also, I’m not flat-chested.”

  Her nipples pearled as Charlie’s gaze dropped to her cleavage, lingered. “You most certainly are not, thank God.”

  She deliberately drew in a slow deep breath before exhaling. “The girls aren’t going to defy gravity forever. I’ve been lucky that they’ve stayed as perky as they have for as long as they have.”

  “No, I’d say I’m the lucky one. Me and everyone else who watches you perform.”

  “You’re the luckiest and you know it. After all, you get to go home with me.”

  “That I do.” Masculine pride filled his answering grin, and she again had to look away.

  “Hey.” He reached over, gathered her hand. “Are you afraid I’m going to hypnotize you or something?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You look at me, then you look away quickly,” he explained. “We both know you’re not shy. Either I have something stuck in my teeth or you’re suddenly afraid to look at me. Which one is it?”

  “I’m not afraid.” Heat seeped into her fingers from the warmth of his hand, snaking up her arm to curl up inside her chest. “Sometimes though, when you look at me—I feel myself slipping.”

  “Slipping into what?”

  “I don’t know. I also don’t know if I should hold on tighter or let go and if it should bother me that I don’t know the answer to that. It’s like you’re hypnotizing me, putting me under some kind of spell.”

  “Really?” He turned her hand over, tracing his fingers over the staccato beat of her pulse. “Does your pulse start racing? Do you feel as if you’ve just run as far as you could for as long as you could and your heart’s threatening to burst out of your chest? Do you feel like there’s a static charge building up along your skin, and all it will take is one small touch to set off sparks?”

  “Yes,” she breathed, her heart pounding at the branding touch of his fingers. “How do you know?”

  “Because I feel like that whenever I see you. That first day when I delivered those flowers for Nadia, I felt like I was at the top of a roller coaster looking down this long drop where you waited. I knew I was in for the ride of my life and I was going to enjoy every twisting, turning, exhilarating moment of it.”

  His hand tightened on hers. “So look at me, Siobhan. See me. I can’t put a spell on you when you already hypnotized me.”

  “Charlie . . .”

  “I like when you say my name like that, like I’m balls-deep inside you giving you everything you want.”

  He looked at her, and everything fell away, leaving nothing but him, her, and the connection that hummed between them. “I can, you know.”

  It took her a moment to swim up from the depths of his eyes. “Can what?”

  “Give you everything you want.”

  A tremble swept her and for just a moment, just for one heartbeat, she allowed herself to believe that. That Charlie could take every one of her hopes and dreams and wild fantasies and make them all come true. She allowed that hope to live for just one shining moment, then locked it away, buried it deep. Hope was a dangerous thing, as seductive as drugs and just as deadly.

  He sat back, the potent atmosphere seeping away and leaving her floundering. When he glanced her way again, mischief had replaced the ferocity in his eyes. “However, if it’s dessert you want, I suggest we postpone that until we get home.”

  “Oh?” She arched a brow, recovering her footing. “Are you thinking of serving up something with chocolate sauce or honey?”

  “It’s possible.” He signaled for the check. “Do you mind if we make a stop before we head home? It won’t take long.”

  “Of course not. Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see soon enough.”

  After paying their bill, Charlie guided her out of the restaurant to the valet stand where his SUV already waited. He waved off the valet’s eager help to hand her into the vehicle himself, then crossed to the driver’s side.

  Siobhan fastened her seatbelt, then settled back against the leather seat. “The poor guy was just doing his job,” she said as he closed the door.

  “A job that doesn’t entail slobbering down your cleavage.” He shifted into gear. “That job belongs to me, and I intend to be employee of the month from here on out.”

  Siobhan hid a smile as Charlie left downtown and made his way to the interstate, heading southeast to the suburban sprawl that had surrounded Crimson Bay like a besieging army in the past few years. She’d never admit it or encourage them, but she liked his casual displays of possessiveness. Liked the fluttering feeling he caused in her belly even as it made her nervous.

  She shook off her thoughts as Charlie turned into a parking lot that fronted a nondescript whitewashed building with no windows. The only indication of what lay inside was the purple-blue neon that wrapped the door.

  “This is your detour?” she asked in surprise.

  He grinned as he shut off the engine. “You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Mind? No. I’m just surprised that you not only know this place exists but how to get here.”

  “You mentioned visiting here with your friends, so I figured we could make a trip as well. Ready to go shopping?”

  “Shopping in an adult novelty store with my boyfriend?” Siobhan unbuckled her seatbelt. “Why the hell not?”

  They made their way inside the brightly lit store. “You brought us here, any particular area you’d like to start?”

  He grabbed a shopping basket, handed it to her. “Let’s start with something easy, like the flavored lube section. How do you want to proceed? Like kids in a candy store or more M
asters and Johnson?”

  Siobhan smothered a laugh. “You are not going to make me snort in the middle of a sex shop,” she warned. “You do, and you’ll owe me two apologies.”

  “All right.” He winked at her, but did nothing to erase the wicked glint in his eyes. “Well-behaved kids in a candy store it is.”

  They started their exploration in the lubrication section. “Flavored lubes,” Charlie said, holding up two brightly colored bottles. “Should we go with bubble gum or tropical punch?”

  “That depends on where you plan to use it.” She gave him the side-eye. “Exactly where do you plan to use it?”

  “Good question.” He leaned close. “You get more than wet enough for me and I love the way you taste on my tongue. Lately though, I’ve been fantasizing about that gorgeous ass of yours.”

  She drew a slow breath, trying to regain some of the equilibrium he constantly upset. “I’m an anal virgin, at least when it comes to cock,” she informed him. “Given the award-winning caliber of yours, I’m going to need some practice before I’m ready for the main act.”

  He reached for her, then clenched his hand into a fist. “Dammit, Siobhan, we’re twenty minutes away from your house in light traffic. You can’t say stuff like that to me when I can’t do anything about it.”

  “Poor baby,” she cooed. “What’s the matter? Can’t handle your own game?”

  “Cock tease,” he shot back, the curve of his lips blunting the edge of his words. “Would you like me to slip my hand up under your skirt to see how wet you are right now? Maybe we should sample the bubble gum lube instead. Do you think the salesclerk would blink if I ask you for a taste test?”

  “He’s probably ready to record it to save to his spank reel,” she pointed out. “I’m just letting you know that we’re going to have to work up to a little what-what in the butt-butt.”

  He looked insulted. “Please don’t refer to my what-what or anything else as little.” He tossed both lubes into the basket she held, then added another water-based warming one that touted its slickness. “I have to say, I’m looking forward to warming you up. Should we add some edible body paint to our basket?”

  “Only if you let me toss in glow-in-the-dark condoms.”

  “Sure. You’ve got a high fence around your backyard. As long as we keep the moaning and groaning to a reasonable level, they won’t even know we’re out there.”

  Sex outside using glow-in-the-dark condoms. Siobhan tripped over her own feet. Charlie grabbed her elbow, concern darkening his eyes. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. You’ve had sex outside before?”

  “There’s a first time for everything.” The heat in his gaze would have melted her panties if she’d been wearing any. “I’d have sex with you anywhere.”

  It was a line, she knew it was a line, but the glint in his eyes combined with the low sexy timbre of his voice enticed her to take a dare to see how far he would go, how far he would take them.

  Charlie leaned forward and Siobhan parted her lips, ready for his kiss, ready for his touch, ready for everything. Disappointment swamped her when he leaned past her to reach for something from the rack behind her.

  He noticed her pout. “There are cameras everywhere, goddess, and I don’t want to give McSkeevy a floorshow no matter how good a discount he can give us. Think you can wait until we get home?”

  “If I have to,” she said with a long-suffering sigh.

  “Or you can wait until we get back to the SUV, and you can break this out.” He held up a slender rose pink vibrator. The naked brunette bent over on the package left no doubt of its intended purpose.

  “Hmm. I suppose some training will do me good. If we add this to the basket, though, we’ll need to add this too.” She handed him a vibrating cock ring.

  He looked at the package, his lips curving in a slow smile. Then he stretched his hand down to his groin to simulate palming his cock, then compared the circle of his fingers to the ring. “Does it stretch to fit?”

  “I’m sure it will, but you know it’s supposed to be snug, right? Increased satisfaction for me, delayed gratification for you.”

  He tossed the ring into the basket. “I’m sure if my circulation gets cut off, you’ll nurse me back to health properly. In fact, I think I see a nurse costume on the rack over there.”

  “Don’t need it. I already have one.”

  He froze, then swung to face her. “You’re just now telling me this?”

  Teasing him was so much fun. “Maybe I’m saving it for a special occasion.”

  “Labor Day? My birthday’s coming up. Or how about Just Because Day?” He waggled his eyebrows at her. “I’ll do something extra-special for you to earn my reward.”

  “How about getting us out of here and back home?” she suggested. “I really want my dessert now.”

  “Anticipation is part of the game, goddess,” he told her, the twist of his lips telling her that he knew exactly the predicament she was in. “Let’s see what else inspires us, then we’ll leave.”

  Slipping an arm around her waist, he guided her through the rest of the store, pausing every now and then to describe in excruciating detail how he would use a particular item on her. The more he talked the wetter she became. She could feel the moisture pooling, coating her inner thighs.

  “Charlie.” She clutched his arm.

  “What is it, sweetheart?” He asked the question as if he had no idea of the effect he had on her.

  “I’m not wearing panties, and I’m about to drip all over this questionable carpet. We need to go.”

  “You’re right. I’ve teased you long enough.” He led her to the front of the store, where the curious clerk waited to ring up their items. The clerk tested their battery-operated devices, they declined to join the mailing list, and Charlie paid cash for their purchases.

  Siobhan breathed a sigh of relief as Charlie assisted her into the passenger seat. She waited for him to pull out into the street to turn to him. “Do you consider yourself a safe driver, Charlie?”

  He nodded. “Not even a speeding ticket.”

  “Good.” She released her seatbelt. “As a business owner, I’m sure you’ve had to multitask often, right?”

  “Of course.” He darted a glance her way as he braked at a traffic light. “What’s going on in that devious mind of yours?”

  She bent over then reached for his zipper. “I suggest you concentrate on driving, Mr. O’Halloran.”

  He uttered a guttural curse but didn’t try to stop her as she reached into his boxer briefs to free his erection. Moisture already slicked the head, proving he’d been as affected by their shopping trip as she had.

  She stroked the pad of her thumb over the tip, spreading his pre-come. Charlie had a beautiful cock, and it complimented and complemented his beautiful body. Thick and veined, it made her swoon with the way it fit her hand, her mouth, her pussy. She couldn’t have designed a more perfect cock for her body.

  Leaning closer, she swirled her tongue over the head, rewarded by Charlie’s low groan of approval. She loved being with him in moments like this, perfectly balanced between having him at her mercy and being directed by him.

  If she wanted, she could push him, make him lose control. It was wrong to tease him like this, wrong and dangerous. He was driving, after all. Besides, she wasn’t ready for him to come quite yet.

  Instead she reveled in the taste of him, the feel of him in her hand and in her mouth. Lapping up every bit of his essence, she licked her way down his length as far as she could go before kissing her way back to the tip. Once more she swirled her tongue around the tip, then parted her lips to suck him in. Down, down, stretching over his thickness, slowly filling her mouth with his length then slowly backing off before repeating the movement.

  His loud groan filled the quiet cabin. “That’s it, sweetheart,” he encouraged, his voice gravel-rough as he caressed her hair. “Slow and deep just like that. God, babe, I love the way you do that.”


  Pleasure burned his words, sparking a simmering hunger inside her. Making him feel good hit one of her needs, echoing through her and ramping up her own desire. Pleasing him pleased her, especially when she knew she’d be the recipient of his sensual attention soon.

  Dimly she became aware of the vehicle slowing to a stop. Had they arrived at her house already? She hadn’t made him come yet and the need to do so gripped her hard. Wrapping her hand around his shaft, she increased her pace, bobbing her head as she drew him in. She reached her free hand into his briefs to cup his balls, her middle finger teasing along the soft skin behind them.

  “Babe.” Charlie’s voice, scraped raw with restraint, filled the cabin. “I’m almost there, almost ready to come. I wanna flood that sweet mouth of yours. Do you want that, sweetheart? You want me to come down your throat?”

  God, he had a way with words. She hummed in answer, unwilling to pause long enough to vocalize her agreement.

  “Good.” He killed the engine then sank both hands into her hair. “Suck me hard, babe, then drink me down.”

  Hollowing her cheeks, she sucked on him, taking him as far down as she could go. Whispering soft words of encouragement, he rocked his hips up, the seatbelt restricting his thrusts, preventing him from wildly fucking her mouth. He was hot and hard in her mouth, so impossibly hard she didn’t think he could blow.

  She should have known better. His thighs tensed as his hands tightened in her hair, his balls drawing up beneath her fingers. Her name fell like a curse from his lips, a split-second warning before he flooded her mouth.

  As he’d instructed, she drank him down, swallowing his come and licking along his shaft until he drew her away. She sat up, lightheaded with pleasure and need and want, ready, so very ready for him.

  “My beautiful, sexy girl, what you do for me.” He cupped her cheek and even in the dim interior she could see his wicked smile. “Now I get to do for you.”

  SEVENTEEN

  Breath rushed from her lungs in a whoosh of sound. When she reached for his still-hard cock, he grabbed her wrist. “Go inside, sweetness. Get ready for me. When I come in I want to find you in the middle of your bed, naked and spread, waiting for me.”