by Desiree Holt
“Whoa!” She chuckled. “I didn’t realize you were such a two-fisted drinker.”
“I’m not, but today I might need to be.” He took another small sip before leaning back and stretching out his arm. “Come sit with me for a minute. I need that.” As if to emphasize his point, he set the glass on a coaster on the table.
Sydney curled up next to his body, leaning into the shelter of his arm, and rested her hand on his chest.
“Okay, tell me how everything stands at the moment. And how the expert Taylor Cantrell sent is doing. Did he find the problem?”
Liam shook his head. “Not yet. And if he’s having trouble, it’s a nasty, complicated little bugger.” He stroked her arm as he spoke, his touch warming her.
“Do you have any hint or clue yet who might have done this?”
He shook his head. “I wish. The sickening part is, it has to be one of my own people, because no one else had access to the files.”
“Oh, Liam.” She reached up and stroked his jaw. “How devastating this has to be for you. I wish there was something I could say or do.”
He moved both of them so in a moment, she was sitting on his lap, his arms around her, and he was stringing kisses along her jawline.
“I don’t want to talk about it right now. I put it out of my mind as much as I could when I left the office to come here. I want to have a great dinner, some fine wine and some outstanding sex. And not necessarily in that order.”
Beneath the cheeks of her ass, she felt the length of his cock harden as it pressed against her. She wriggled a little, just to tease him, and was rewarded with a slight groan. Just being this close to him, feeling the hardness of his shaft against her body, his mouth stringing kisses down her neck, was enough to set her body humming. He wound his fingers in her hair, tightening the stands and holding her head in place as—at last—he pressed his mouth to hers.
His lips were firm and warm, and the touch of them made her body tingle. Her nipples hardened, pushing against the flimsy silk of the top she wore, and the walls of her pussy contracted with need. When he teased her mouth again, she opened for him and scraped her teeth over his tongue. He moaned, a sound that made her hotter and needier.
His marauding tongue touched every inner inch of her mouth, licking and tangling with her own tongue. The kiss went on for so long she forgot to breathe and she didn’t care as long as he continued kissing her like that. Every part of her cried out for his touch, and when he shifted his arm to cup one breast with the warm palm of one hand, she pressed herself into his touch.
He took her mouth again, this time more gently but just as hungrily, while he pinched a nipple between thumb and forefinger. Heat streaked right to the center of her core, between her thighs, right at the heart of her pussy. Her pulse pounded erratically and need consumed her.
She shifted so she was now straddling Liam, pressing her sex against the swelling ridge beneath his fly. She tugged his shirt from the waistband of his jeans, nudging him to raise his arms so she could pull it over his head and off.
“I wouldn’t have thought someone who lives behind a desk would be so buff.”
She brushed her fingers over the sprinkling of dark hair on his chest, trailing them down over his taut abs. On impulse, she leaned forward and licked the hollow at the base of his throat then scraped her nails over his hard nipples. When he sucked in his breath, she did it again.
“I’ll give you an hour to stop that,” he teased, his voice thick with need.
“Oh, but I have other things I want to do, also.”
She flicked the tip of her tongue over each nipple, first one then the other. Liam’s breathing hitched and his arms came around her, trying to pull her closer to him. He groaned when she took a tiny bite at each hard nub before trailing her hands lower, over his hard abs to the waistband of his jeans.
When she shifted her body to move from her lap, he pulled her close to him again.
“Don’t move.”
“If I don’t, then you won’t get your treat.”
“My treat?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “I was going to give it to you for dessert since I have such a great dinner planned. But I think maybe you need it right now.”
She inched her way back until she slid from his lap and was kneeling between his legs. Then she went to work unbuttoning and unzipping his jeans. Easing his jeans and boxer briefs down past his hips, she wrapped her fingers around his now freed cock, squeezing gently.
Liam leaned back and sucked in a breath.
“Holy shit, Syd.”
“Mmm-hmm,” she hummed as she took him fully into her mouth.
He was solid steel beneath the covering of skin that was baby soft. The hair surrounding the base was dark and curly, and tempted her to sift the fingers of her other hand through it. A tiny bead of fluid sat atop the dark purple crown of his cock, and she collected it with one slow swipe of her tongue.
Liam groaned and thrust his fingers into her hair to grip her head, holding it as she continued to trail the tip of her tongue around the soft, purple tip and the furled flesh surrounding it. She squeezed gently with her fingers, feeling the pump of blood through the thick vein twisted around the steel shaft. When she took him into her mouth and began a rhythmic up-and-down pumping with her hand, he groaned again and thrust his hips upward.
“Shit, Syd. Fucking holy shit. That’s it. Don’t stop.”
Pressing his fingers against her temples, he tried to urge her to increase her pace, but she was determined she would be in control here. Slowly, steadily, she slid her fingers up and down his cock, her mouth busy with the head. When she nudged her free hand between his thighs and cupped his balls, his groan vibrated through his body.
He tasted so good to her, felt so good, that she could do this forever. Wanted to draw it out so he was shaking with need by the time his orgasm crested. With her hands and tongue, she licked and sucked and rubbed and tasted until his moan was one long sound of need.
“Please, Syd,” he begged. “Fuck! Now! Please now.”
He was doing his best to match her rhythm with his hips, but she’d only drawn his jeans down to just below his knees, restricting his movements. That made it all the more delicious to her. Humming her satisfaction at his response, she increased the pace of her strokes, her mouth covering the head of his shaft, her tongue swirling around it.
She felt it when his body was near the point of cresting. His muscles tightened, his fingers increased their pressure on her head and his hips jerked as she stroked faster and faster.
“Goddamn!” he shouted. “Now.”
In that instant he erupted, his body jerking as he spilled into her mouth. Her cheeks hollowed as she sucked harder, taking in every delicious drop. She didn’t change her rhythm until she’d wrung the last drop from him. Then she gave his balls a light squeeze, slowly released him from her mouth and drew one last line from head to balls with the tip of her tongue.
Liam still cradled her head in his hands and he tugged on her, urging her to move up on his body. She crawled onto the couch with him and nestled against him, cupping his now semisoft cock with her palm.
He pulled her more tightly against him, stroked her arm lazily. When she placed the palm of one hand on his chest, she could still feel the erratic thundering of his heartbeat. Hear the stutter of his erratic breathing. At last she felt his body completely relax. He moved his head to place a soft kiss on her forehead.
“I don’t know what to say,” he told her, “except thank you.”
“No thanks necessary.” She placed a light kiss on his shoulder. “The pleasure was all mine.”
They sat there like that for a very long moment. Sydney was enjoying both the cocooning intimacy and the pleasure of being able to wipe Liam’s troubles from his mind even for a short period of time. He seemed perfectly content to just sit there, cock at rest, his boxer briefs and jeans down around his knees. At last she pushed herself up to a sitting position.
&nb
sp; “I think I need to check on dinner.” She kissed his shoulder. “Hope you like Cornish game hen.”
He continued to rub her arm in lazy strokes. “I’d like anything you fixed. In fact, right now, I don’t think there’s anything I wouldn’t like.”
“Want another drink while you’re waiting?”
He shook his head. “I’ll wait for the wine, with dinner.” He looked down at his clothing. “But I’d better get myself together before we eat.”
Sydney chuckled. “I don’t know. I rather like the view. Maybe you should take them off altogether.”
“After dinner.” He winked. “I have plans for us.”
A shiver of anticipation skittered over her. “I can’t wait.”
* * * *
Eight twisted the rocks glass around and around, needing something to disguise trembling fingers. The summons from Shan had not been unexpected but was dreaded just the same. Not even the finest whiskey could calm a stomach in turmoil or jittery nerves.
How the fuck did I get myself into this?
Oh, yeah. Betting on everything but the weather. And maybe that would come next. An addict is an addict is an addict.
“Well?” Shan looked across the tale. “Do you have news for me?”
Eight shrugged. “Nothing that I haven’t already told you.”
“So, the specialist is still there.”
Eight nodded. “Working away.”
“I thought you told me he and Liam were at the Hoffman office over the weekend fixing whatever the problem was. And by the way, what was the problem? You assured me that the code you added for the back door was undetectable.”
Eight nodded. “And I stand by that.”
“Well, then?”
Eight took a healthy slug of whiskey, then set the glass down. “Look. He told us that there was a problem when one of the design engineers at Hoffman tried to get back into his files. That’s entirely possible. He could have screwed it up himself. Or forgotten the correct password. Or there could have been a glitch in their system over there. That kind of shit happens all the time, believe me.”
“I hope you are telling me the truth, because if not, you won’t be around long to discuss it.”
Eight’s stomach knotted. Shit! Getting involved with these people had been such a mistake but damn it! The money had looked so good.
“Tell me again what happened when your people tried to access the files.”
“We received a message that said the system was down and to please try again.”
Eight relaxed just a fraction. “Okay. That’s fine. When—”
Shan pounded a fist on the table. “Fine? How can you call it fine? It locked us out.”
“If you’ll just let me explain.” Eight took a healthy swallow of the whiskey. “I believe that’s the same thing that happened to the people at Hoffman’s. That’s why Liam had to run over there almost in the middle of the night. And why he has this Eric guy working on the copies of the program we keep to see if the same glitch shows up in any of the others.”
Shan took a swallow of coffee and set the cup back down with careful precision. “So, let me make sure I understand what you are telling me. If we open your back door to the software again, we will not be blocked. We will not be told to try again later. We will not corrupt the software. Am I correct?”
Eight nodded. “Right on the nose. You use the codes I gave you, get into their software and you can begin downloading their files. Just one thing, though.”
“What?” Shan’s voice had a new edge to it.
“Do not try to download all the files at once. Space it out. The one thing it’s impossible to guard against is an overload signal.”
Shan lifted an eyebrow. “An overload signal?”
“Yes. This is the one failsafe I couldn’t work around. If you try to download too many of the files at once, the program shuts down.”
“Now you tell me? Why did I not know of this before?”
Eight leaned forward. “Pardon me for saying this, but I assumed that your people with all the expertise you claim they have would know something like this. I’m damn sure this isn’t the first time you people have done this.”
Shan’s fists tightened around the coffee mug, the only sign of escalating anger.
“We must get those files before Hoffman can build and test their prototype and hand it over to the Department of Defense. And do not ask me any more questions. None of this is your business. You just have to get us into the software. We will do the rest.”
Eight had a sudden feeling of quiet terror. “You aren’t going to screw with their files, are you?”
Shan’s smile didn’t offer any reassurance. “We will do whatever we have to.”
“But—”
“Not to worry. You will have your money and can be long gone before any of that happens.”
Eight leaned back in the booth. Shit! This was going to be a fucking disaster. That money damn well better be ready.
“Are we through here? It’s Friday night. I’d like to enjoy a little of the weekend.”
“No.” Shan pulled out a cell phone. “My people are going to try getting into that software again. You will wait here to make sure your little back door works. Then you may go.”
Shan’s shrug was impressive enough to make Eight’s entire body cramp.
“Fine. Go ahead. I’m ordering another drink. And you’re paying.”
Shan’s smile was enough to stop a hurricane. “Of course.”
Eight sat quietly drinking while Shan made the call and gave the order. Then neither of them said a word, just waited in silence. After the longest ten minutes Eight had ever spent, Shan listened to her phone and smiled.
“Good. Continue the process.”
“It worked?” Eight slugged down another gulp of the whiskey.
“Do not get drunk, my friend. You want to be sober enough to enjoy the fruits of your labor.”
For the first time since arriving at the restaurant, Eight actually relaxed. Damn. The payoff was so close it was almost visible.
“So, when do I get my money? Half on delivery, remember?”
Shan lifted a small briefcase that had been almost hidden by the table.
“Half on delivery. The rest when we have completed the download of all the files.”
Eight took the briefcase with a hand that actually trembled.
“I should say thank you, but I earned this.”
Shan’s lips curled in the coldest smile Eight had ever seen. “Just be sure you use it wisely. We would all hate for you to fall into the same pit again. Your next partners in crime might not take such good care of you.”
“There won’t be a next time.”
“For your sake, I hope so.”
Eight grabbed the briefcase and slid out of the booth. “I’ll count this when I get home, but I’m pretty damn sure you wouldn’t try to stiff me.”
Again, that weird smile. “Enjoy the night.”
“I will. Believe me.”
And when I get the rest of the money I’ll never have to see your ugly face again.
* * * *
The woman could cook, for sure, although Liam wasn’t sure why that surprised him. Maybe because most of the women he’d dated thought cooking was heating up takeout. He had left his shirt off, at Sydney’s insistence, enjoying the way she looked at him and licked her lips. He gave thanks for her excellent blow job that had eased a lot of the pressure and allowed him to make sure his cock behaved during dinner.
He had to admit that she’d eased a lot of the tension gripping him and for a short while erased the whole Hoffman software debacle from his mind. Everything on that front seemed to be proceeding as it should and he had made up his mind on the way here to just enjoy tonight. If Hoffman’s computers got dinged one more time, there was no telling when he’d have this chance again. He closed his eyes for a moment and visualized putting his brain in a box and locking it away. When he opened them, Sydney was watching him
with an expression of concern on her face.
“You okay?” she asked.
He grinned at her. “If I was any more okay, it would be illegal. Why?”
“You had the strangest expression on your face.” She took a sip of her wine. “Like you were—I don’t know—changing gears? Did you want to leave?”
“Hell, no.” He hadn’t meant to shout the words. He swallowed. “I was packing away every part of my brain except the part that’s engaged with you.”
The tension eased from her body. “Good. That’s what you’re supposed to do.” She lifted the bottle of wine. “More?”
“Not right now.”
He stared at her, enjoying the casually mussed look of her. She hadn’t dressed up for tonight and he wanted to tell her how glad he was. He liked the casual look on her, the jeans and pretty pink T-shirt and the bare feet. Especially the bare feet. He planned to tell her she had sexy feet, maybe while he was carefully sucking on each toe as he worked his way up her naked body.
“You’re looking at me very strangely, Liam. What’s up?”
My cock.
“I’m just thinking how delicious you look and how I can’t wait to taste you.” He let his gaze roam every inch he could see. “Yeah, delicious and then some.”
“Um, let me just get these dishes cleared away…”
Liam rose and took the dishes from her hands. “These can wait. I’ll even clear the table myself.” He paused to let his gaze run over her from top to bottom. “Later.”
He lifted her in his arms and carried her to her bedroom, thankful that he’d been here before and knew the way.
She had left one of the bedside lamps lit, bathing the room in a warm, muted-amber glow. He swallowed a smile when he saw the covers on the bed had already been turned back.
Sydney saw where he was looking. “I just like being prepared,” she teased.
“For which I am eternally grateful.”
He stood her on her bare feet at the side of the bed, studied her face and nearly lost himself in her striking blue eyes. He touched his mouth to hers, brushing his lips back and forth before using the tip of his tongue to trace the seam. She moaned softly, which only ramped up his hunger and need. He’d never met a woman he felt this connection with before, or this strong a hunger. He wondered if he’d ever get enough of her.
