Swallowing a large gulp of wine, Sydney sighs, “That’s not good. What do you think is going to happen?”
“Nothing is going to happen to you or anyone. I will make sure of that. I am here to protect you at all costs, Angel.”
“But what about you? What if something happens to you?” Sydney questions in alarm, her eyes wild with fear.
“Come here, Syd,” he commands, and she scoots under his arm, then sets her legs across the top of his. “Nothing is going to happen to me.” The sweet scent of her shampoo greets him as he tenderly kisses her head. “And here I thought you didn’t even like me,” Dylan adds with a smile, hoping to lighten the mood.
“Shut up, Mr. FBI,” she jokes as she snuggles closer to his body.
Dylan tightens his arms around her, knowing the closeness would bring both of them the comfort that they are seeking.
“I just got you, sweet girl. I’m not going to let anyone take you away from me.”
Sydney straightens suddenly, then looks over at him with a gleam in her eye.
“I want to show you something. I’m just going to change into something more comfortable really quick.”
He nods as she scurries off, contemplating what things she could be wanting to show him as he awaits her return. Even though she looked excited, nothing of note comes to his mind.
Back in record time, sporting gray pants and a long-sleeved shirt, she grabs her keys and scurries towards the front door.
“Come on, lazy bones. I want to show you something. Oh!” she exclaims and rushes back to the kitchen.
He hears a few cabinets opening and closing, then the light of the refrigerator glowing against the wall.
“Ok, let’s go. I’m driving.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Dylan replies as he dutifully follows her to her car.
Her excitement is palpable in the confined space and he feels his excitement growing alongside hers, even though he doesn’t know why.
They drive a good while in silence, smiling at each other periodically as her nineties rock station plays a song they both enjoy. If he were a girl, he would swoon at the fact that she remembered his love of the late nineties, and as a man he would put a ring on her finger that instant…if he didn’t think she would run away, terrified that they were moving too fast.
Forty-five minutes later, Sydney pulls her car up to a winery that is already closed for the evening.
She glances over at him as she cuts off the engine and explains, “I know what you’re thinking, but I know the owners. They’ll be fine with it.”
Sydney hops out of the car, grabs her basket from the back seat and waits for him to join her at the front of the vehicle, bouncing on the tips of her toes the entire time.
As he takes his time exiting from the passenger’s side, Sydney shouts, “Dylan, come on!”
Not wanting to shadow her excitement, he smiles at her and takes long strides to where she stands. When he catches up to her, she grips his hand and hauls him towards the large, barn-like building before him. She bypasses the edifice, following the well-worn path on the grass that leads to the back of the property.
When they turn the corner, Dylan has to stifle his gasp of amazement as the wide space yields way to an oversized lake. He notices a dock leading a great distance out into the water, a gazebo set up along its side.
Sydney never halts or falters in her excitement as she drags him the entire way, to the very end of the dock, where she dazzles him with an incredible smile before plopping herself onto the wooden slats.
He quickly follows suit, staring at her as she sits, mesmerized by the night sky. She doesn’t begin to speak until he trains his gaze in the same direction as hers, a small puff of air escaping from his lips at the glorious sight before him.
“This is where I come when I need to find myself, to feel connected.”
“It’s a remarkable place. I can see why it means so much to you. Thank you for bringing me here to join you.”
He can feel her eyes boring into him as he speaks. As he turns his head to gaze at her once more, she tilts her lips in a small smile before reaching into the basket she brought along, retrieving a bottle of white wine and two glasses.
She pours the liquid quickly and hands him a glass. Just as she brings her own glass to her lips, he coughs lightly to get her attention.
“I want to make a toast… to you, Sydney. For trusting your gut and opening The Grill. For being the sweet, kind, and generous woman I’ve come to know. And for giving me a chance to prove myself to you,” Dylan finishes.
Reaching up, Sydney wipes a stray tear from her cheek and clinks her glass against Dylan’s before taking a sip. Dylan watches her over the edge of his glass as she returns her gaze back towards the twinkling sky. Taking a risk, he sets his glass aside, then reaches out and wraps his arm around Sydney’s waist and legs, tugging her over into his lap. Luckily, she settles back against his chest and sighs contently.
Glass forgotten, Dylan finds himself becoming drunk off of Sydney as she rests against him; he feels light headed, dizzy, hot, and he wants nothing more than to take her home and strip her bare.
“Did you know that this is where Avery and Logan got engaged?”
“No, I didn’t. That must have been very romantic.”
“From the way Avery describes it, it was the happiest day of her life.”
He places a gentle peck on the top of her head before turning his attention back to the sky, where a miraculous burst of light flashes across the sky.
Dylan closes his eyes tightly and makes a selfish wish just as Sydney turns around in his lap.
“Did you see the shooting star? Did you make a wish?” she asks, excitement sparkling in her eyes.
“Of course,” he replies. “Did you?”
She doesn’t answer, just cocks a single eyebrow in his direction as if he has just asked the most absurd question in the world.
He chuckles, uttering his apologies.
A gust of wind picks up, swirling the chilly air off the water around them. Sydney shivers from the coolness and Dylan takes that as his cue to head back.
“Come on, Angel. Let’s get you somewhere warm.”
Even in the darkness, he can see her cheeks redden slightly and Dylan wonders what she indeed had wished for upon the star.
At his insistence, he drives them back to Carson, peeking over every few minutes until he realizes that Sydney has fallen asleep. Removing one of his hands from the steering wheel, he reaches over and pushes the hair off of her face that had fallen over her like a mask.
He smiles to himself as he whispers, “This is the life.”
As Dylan pulls up to Sydney’s home, he contemplates waking her up to head indoors. He grabs her keys from the ignition, then moves around to the passenger side and tucks his arm under her legs he lifts her up. Dylan walks her to the front door, where he maneuvers the keys in his hands to unlock the door and then carries her to the bedroom, gently placing her body on the bed. He takes a moment to roam around the house, checking all the locks on the windows before heading back to find that Sydney hasn’t moved.
Dylan watches as she burrows under the covers and he has to hold back a chuckle. The darkness under her eyes hints to the fact that she is exhausted, so Dylan is happy to see her get some sleep.
He moves over to her dresser, across from the bed, then takes off his watch and the majority of his weapons. Then he works to remove his shirt and pants before turning to face the bed.
He pulls up the covers on the opposite side of the bed and slides his large body under the blankets, then wraps an arm around Sydney’s waist and tugs her body flush with his. She wiggles slightly to adjust herself closer to him, and Dylan sucks in a breath when his dick thinks Sydney wants some attention.
Down boy. Not tonight.
As her body settles, Dylan lifts up slightly and moves her hair to the side to expose her neck. He missed this, this connection with someone, with her. He places a soft kiss against t
he skin before lying back on the pillow and drifting off to sleep.
YDNEY STRETCHES HER ARMS above her head as she moves to a seated position in her bed. Beside her Dylan grumbles in his sleep, an arm still wrapped around her waist, and attempts to pull her closer.
Sydney chuckles and glances at the clock. Her alarm is set to go off in a few minutes, so she shuts it off and moves her legs to get out of bed without waking Dylan, who, she has recently learned, is not a morning person. But as she makes her move to get out of bed, she quickly finds herself pinned under a wall of muscles.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asks her as he begins peppering kisses along her jaw line, and Sydney can’t help but sigh in pleasure.
It had been a week since Dylan staked his claim in her life. She had woken up to him wrapped around her every morning since then and it is the best feeling in the world.
“Mmm,” she responds before barely getting out the words, “I need to meet with the contractor today so we can restart the construction.”
Dylan leans up on his elbows and glares at her condescendingly.
“What?” she asks.
“It’s Sunday, Syd.”
“Yes, I know.”
“And the contractor is your brother. He isn’t going to be there at five AM the day after returning from his honeymoon.”
“Humph, you don’t know that,” Sydney adds in a snarky tone.
Dylan doesn’t reply, just cocks an eyebrow at her and waits for her to reach her own conclusion.
“Fine!” she huffs as she bucks her hips, trying to get Dylan to move aside. Instead, his mouth transforms into a sexy smirk as he shifts one of his hands to rest along her hip, savoring the feel of her white lace panties nestled against her bare flesh. She swallows a gulp of air as his fingers swirl around the sensitive skin. “I always wake up early, Dylan,” she purrs.
“Well I don’t.” He smiles, “But I’m sure you can find a way to keep me awake for a while,” Dylan explains as his fingers trail the edge of her panties, coming closer to the place she yearns for him most.
Lost in the feeling, Sydney confesses, “I’m sure we can come up with something to entertain you.”
“Hm…I find this very entertaining. Don’t you?” Dylan queries as he slips his hand down the front of her panties and slides his fingers across her slick folds.
“Oh, yes,” she answers breathlessly as she loses herself to him.
Three hours later, and completely spent, Sydney emerges from the bathroom and moves towards the bed, falling back onto the unkempt heap of blankets.
“Oh, Angel. Again?” Dylan invites and Sydney watches as his erection grows in excitement.
“No. Oh my gosh, turn your dick off. If it comes near me again, I’m going to slice it off.”
“Ouch!” Dylan answers as he uses his free hand to cover his manhood. “What do you expect him to do when he sees you lying so perfect like that?”
“Isn’t he tired or something? Isn’t six times enough?”
Dylan comes to stand above her and bends down to place a kiss on her lips.
“It is never enough with you, Angel,” Dylan provides between kisses.
Just as she wraps her arms around his neck to sink further into the kiss, Cassidy walks into the bedroom and shouts, “Holy Fuck! I didn’t think anyone was home.”
“Cassidy!” Sydney shrieks as she jerks away and grabs a blanket to try to cover up her exposed body.
Dylan stands proudly, hands on hips, as Cassidy stares at his naked, and fully erect, body.
Sydney grabs another blanket and tosses it at Dylan.
“Please, cover yourself.”
“Why? I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of,” Dylan explains.
“Yes, but…”
“Yea, Sydney. Why does he need to cover up?” Cassidy requests teasingly.
Sydney glances back and forth between the two of them as they both have their eyes trained on her.
“Because he’s my…,” she tries to explain. “He’s my…my…”
Leaning closer to Sydney, Dylan repeats, “I’m your what?”
Burrowing her face into her hands, Sydney sighs before barely whispering, “You’re my boyfriend?”
Dylan steps up to her fully, and places both of his hands into her thick blonde hair, tilting her face upwards toward him.
“I’m so much more than your boyfriend, Angel.”
Grabbing his wrists with her hands, Sydney asks quietly, “You are?”
“I’m in love with you, Sydney. I am so much more than your boyfriend.”
Tearing up, but smiling joyfully, Sydney responds, “I love you too, Dylan.”
Kissing her more firmly, Dylan whispers against her mouth, “Ask your sister to leave.”
Sydney’s eyes go wide and she pulls away, peering around Dylan’s shoulder to gaze at her sister, who has her hands clutched to her chest and tears streaming down her perfectly made-up rosy cheeks.
“Cassidy,” Sydney begins.
“Oh my, that was…that was the sweetest damn thing I have ever seen. It was like watching a movie.”
“Cassidy!” Sydney whisper shouts, but her sister just stares on.
“It’s fine,” Dylan assures as he bends down and presses his lips to hers once more before turning around and heading back towards the bathroom.
“Oh man, where can I get one of those?” Cassidy responds in awe as they both watch Dylan’s ass as he moves past the bathroom door.
“I don’t know, but you cannot have mine.” Turning her attention back to her sister, she hikes up the sheet to cover her breast some more and then she asks, “What brings you by?”
“Oh, yes!” Cassidy explains, suddenly remembering she wasn’t actually here to ogle Sydney’s boyfriend’s ass, “I need to grab one of my dresses and I was going to stop by the bakery to say goodbye. You sort of saved me some time,” she retorts haughtily.
“Where are you going?”
“I’ll be on the road with the bands for a few weeks.”
Sydney cocks her brow in Cassidy’s direction, “Does Ryker know?”
Of the siblings, Cassidy and Ryker were the farthest apart in age with the exception of Austin and the twins. They loved each other fiercely, but also fought as if their lives depended on it. Their mother always claimed it was because, of her children, they had the most similar personalities, both extremely artistic and controlling.
“I don’t know if it is Ryker’s concern,” Cassidy lashes out towards Sydney.
“Hey!” Dylan shouts from the bathroom in Sydney’s defense.
“I’m sorry, Syd. I know you are just concerned. And no, he doesn’t know. The manager asked me to come so I could get some fittings done while they do a small tour. They’ve been extremely difficult to schedule and you know how I am about that. It will be fine. Ryker won’t even know I’m there.”
“He may not, Cass, but he’ll still be protective of you, even if you are his big sister. And you know how that crowd is. We’ve never even met his band members because he doesn’t want that part of his life coming in contact with any of us.”
“I can handle myself, Sydney,” she argues as she heads into Sydney’s closet to grab a few of her dresses. “Thanks for letting me keep some of my stuff here. Mom kept going through my things. I’m thinking of looking for a place the next time I’m in town. I need a place of my own.”
“Oh, that would be lovely, Cass. And you know you’re always welcome to stay here.”
“I know, but obviously, I would be intruding,” she adds, wiggling her brows, hinting at the little escapade she had just walked in on. “Anyways, I love you and I’ll see you in a few weeks.”
“Bye, Cassidy. Love you too.”
“Bye, FBI,” Cassidy shouts as she exits the house, not waiting for a response.
Peeking out from the doorway, toothbrush hanging from his mouth, Dylan makes sure the coast is clear before he turns and looks at her longingly.
“No!” Syd
ney exclaims as she removes the blanket and moves toward her dresser to pull out clothes.
“No?”
Sydney doesn’t respond as she digs through her drawer for some jeans and a long sleeve shirt. She yelps when strong arms grip her around her waist and pull her back.
“Angel, you can’t stand here like that. I have limited control as it is,” Dylan purrs as his hands squeeze and caress her breasts.
She reaches her arm up behind her head, tangling her fingers in his damp, unruly mane.
One of his hands snakes down lower on her body and he pleads, “One more time?”
“Mmm,” she moans.
Dylan takes that as confirmation and grips her body, spins it, then tosses her onto the bed as she yelps in surprise.
As his mouth lands on her nipple, she cries out, “Maybe more than one more time.”
Dylan chuckles as he efficiently places the condom on his shaft and then easily slides his stiff cock inside her.
“That’s my girl.”
YLAN’S BODY IS STILL buzzing as he walks through the expansion with Sydney’s brother, Austin. What was supposed to be one last sex-fueled session for the morning after their surprise visitor had intruded turned into three, and he and Sydney were truly spent.
Working to fight back another yawn, he nods his head at whatever Austin is saying before checking his watch again: only noon.
They continue to discuss counter and appliance placement before Austin tucks his notebook under his arm at last.
“So… you and my sister?”
Dylan proudly puffs his chest as he stares into Austin’s narrowed eyes.
“Yes, me and your sister. Is that going to be a problem?”
Austin swipes a hand through his cropped hair, which has just begun to grow back since his accident a month ago when a wall had collapsed on him at a construction site.
“I like you man, it’s just… she’s my sister. And I don’t know that she’s ever dated. I want you to be careful with her.”
Coming Consumed: Welcome to Carson, Book Three Page 10
