“I love her, man.”
Taken aback, Austin gazes at him with wide eyes.
“You do?”
“I do. You don’t have anything to worry about.”
Chuckling, Sydney’s oldest brother says, “Well, this went better than I expected. Nikki was afraid I’d come home with bullet wounds or a broken nose.”
“I’d be happy to break your nose to please the little lady.”
“That’s ok, man. I like my nose the way it is.”
The duo walk back through the plastic cover that separates the two sides of the shop, and look to find Sydney at the wooden counter. Dylan approaches first and her face lights up as she sees him, then she stops kneading the dough in her hand as her brother comes around the display case and enters the kitchen.
“So, did you get everything figured out?” she questions.
“I think we have some good stuff to go on. I’ll get the drawing to you in a week or two.”
“Sounds great, Austin. Thanks for meeting us today.”
“You’re welcome, Dylan. I’ll see y’all at dinner tonight.”
“Dinner?” Dylan asks, turning his attention to Sydney.
“Yes, every Sunday we meet for dinner at Angie’s. The past week we didn’t because of the wedding, but the entire family will be there tonight. I’d like if you came with me,” she proposes softly as she wraps her arms around his waist.
“I’d love to.”
“Ok, y’all are making me sick and I want to go find my wife.”
“Bye, Austin,” Sydney sings as Austin heads towards the door.
He waves absently over his shoulder, making his way to the exit when all of a sudden, he stops suddenly and turns his head, sniffing the air with a frown. In a split second, his confusion turns to horror and he screams, “Outside NOW!” before pulling his phone from his pocket and rushing out the door.
Sydney and Austin are hot on his heels, the fresh dough long forgotten.
“What’s going on?” Dylan demands as he stalks towards Austin, maintaining a tight grip on Sydney’s hand.
“I messaged my foreman to get here with our masks, and I’m not positive, but I think we have a gas leak in the building. I’m not sure why I didn’t smell it before, but as I was leaving I caught a hint of it.”
“Oh no!” Sydney exclaims in a horror filled cry. “Can’t that be deadly?”
“Yes, it can. The smell is usually undetectable until it’s too late. I’m surprised none of us were feeling woozy or light headed.”
“We have the exhaust fans on for the kitchen while Sydney’s baking. That most likely kept the scent minimal,” Dylan explains. “I need to go in there with you.”
Squeezing her hand around his arm, Sydney pleads, “Dylan, no!”
“This is my job, Angel. I know enough that if there is a spark, the leaking gas will blow up this building and possibly the ones surrounding it.”
Though he isn’t sure how, Sydney’s eyes widen even further.
“Angel…”
Austin speaks up, “I have the gas company cutting off the natural gas line and then we’ll go inside. Everything is fine, Sydney, and I agree that Dylan should go in and check it out.”
Sydney simply nods her head and tucks herself against Dylan’s body while they wait.
Ten minutes later, Austin’s foreman and two crew members arrive, along with the gas company who were called to shut off the service while the team investigates.
“Please be careful, guys,” Sydney worries, fear for her brother and her love clear in her eyes.
Dylan gently kisses her forehead and then follows Austin into the bakery. The group searches the parameter before they locate the broken pipe. It is jutting from Sydney’s gas stove, back in the original part of the bakery.
Austin looks over at Dylan and asks, “Why do you think this happened? Look closely at the pipe, it’s clearly been purposely tampered with and cut, and I’m going to guess that you may have an explanation, Mr. FBI.”
Dylan shakes his head and stares at the pipe, broken and covered in small heat markings.
“I know why, I just don’t know who.”
“Care to explain why someone is after my little sister.”
“No, not really, nor am I at liberty to discuss,” Dylan adds, pulling out his phone to text his boss the new information that someone is messing with the gas line in Sydney’s building.
Ignoring Austin’s questioning glare, Dylan goes in search of Sherriff Fitzgerald, who has just entered the bakery.
“Sherriff, thanks for coming by. It looks like someone has come in and tampered with the gas line in Sydney’s kitchen.”
“Well now,” the older man questions, “What would make you think it was tampered with?”
“Because it has clearly been heated and cut,” Austin chimes in. “I want to know what we’re going to do about it. Someone is unmistakably going after my sister.”
The Sherriff cocks one of his bushy gray eyebrows at Austin’s accusation.
“Now why do you think something is going on in my town? Maybe this is all a chance to claim insurance money for the expansion.”
Dylan growls at the Sherriff’s claim and chances a look at Austin to find him doing the same. Hatred spews from both sets of their eyes.
“Calm down boys, I’m just messing with you, Austin. Your sister is one of the most honest people I know. Don’t worry about her. I’ve called in a few other investigators from Asheville to assist Dylan with his work here. Obviously trying to catch this crime ring is more than a one-person job.”
“It was never about catching them; it was always about protecting Sydney. And now you’ve let more people know about what’s going on,” Dylan shouts exasperatedly.
“We’re going to help you, Dylan, so everyone should know what’s going on,” the Sherriff adds.
Austin stares at Dylan and then back at his sister, who is still standing guard outside the door, before returning his gaze to the Sherriff.
“Tell me everything.”
Dylan sighs, rolls his eyes in frustrated exasperation, and launches at last into the whole tale.
It takes roughly ten minutes, with all of Austin’s outbursts and questions along the way, but once explanations have been made, Austin just nods, grimly. Dylan watches as he follows his crew out of the bakery and hugs his sister tightly.
“That’s a fine fella’ there. Always has been protecting that kin of his,” Fred the Sherriff adds. “He’s gonna make a good father. I know that’s been botherin’ him.”
Dylan doesn’t respond, instead he watches Fred gaze out the window. The silence passes quickly and soon the Sherriff heads out to his patrol car, ducking into the driver’s seat.
Sydney comes back into her store moments later, acting as if nothing has happened. She heads towards the dough she had left on the butcher block counter and begins kneading it again, albeit with more force than necessary.
Dylan strolls into the kitchen and stands behind Sydney, watching her closely.
Needing to break the dour tone of the room, Dylan jokes, “What’s that dough ever done to you?”
Instead of the giggle he anticipated, he watches as Sydney’s body hunches over the counter and she dips her head. Unsure of what to do, Dylan stands there motionless. After she takes a few deep breaths, she turns her head to gaze at Dylan.
“Why is this happening to me? I’ve never done anything wrong. All I want to do is live a peaceful life and make cupcakes, bread, and muffins.”
Dylan simply nods his head before pulling her towards him and wrapping her in his arms.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I’ll even call in a few favors to have extra agents here.”
“You promise?”
“I promise, Angel. Now, I’m not a baker, but I’m pretty sure that dough has been kneaded to its end. Why don’t we head home for today and I can do any and everything you need me to do to keep your mind off this.”
Dylan
holds back a chuckle as he witnesses Sydney’s cheeks turn a rosy shade of pink.
“Aren’t you tired?”
“I’m never too tired for you, Sydney. If I ever say that I am, just put me in an early grave.”
At last, the laughter he had been hoping for escapes from her lips and he smiles back as he tucks her hair behind her ear.
“I feel like you’ve issued me a challenge. Let’s go see if we can wear you out.”
Pretending to tug on the brim of an imaginary hat, Dylan answers, “Yes ma’am,” before following her swaying hips out of the building and back to her home, where he plans to keep her mind fully occupied for the rest of the day.
T HAS BEEN A week of constantly checking over her shoulder and Sydney is completely fed up. If someone is coming after her, she wishes they would go ahead and make their move, because she is getting tired of jumping at every noise.
On the bright side - if there could be one - Dylan never leaves her side. He is with her every morning when she opens her shop, until she climbs into bed at night to sleep. Of course, that is only after he makes mind-blowing love to her body.
Like right now, Dylan’s hand lazily traces up and down her bare spine as she rests on her stomach, hugging her pillow to her chest. The sun has yet to rise, but with both her and Dylan having been on her schedule during the week, he has started transitioning to waking up early like she does.
“Hm…that feels nice,” she moans into the down-filled cushion before turning to face him.
Dylan’s beard is typically quite thick, but was trimmed short last night. He explained this to her as more just maintenance to keep it from getting scraggly than out of any need to chop it off. It gives him an over-grown five-o’clock shadow that makes him look much more mysterious and dangerous, and she hasn’t decided which look she preferred on him; the mountain man, or the dark and dangerous. She is currently opting for the latter.
Reaching out, she traces her fingers along the intricate tattoos on his ribcage that wrap around his shoulder and lead down to his wrist.
“You keep that up and we’ll never leave your bed,” Dylan implies as he splays his large hand across the naked skin of her back.
“I have that visitor for a week, remember?” Sydney chuckles as she reminds Dylan of Mother Nature’s visit. “And since we ended up missing last week’s family dinner, we won’t be able to skip out again or I can guarantee you the entire family will show up at this house.”
“Definitely don’t want that,” Dylan adds as he moves towards Sydney and brushes his lips against hers.
Sydney buries a giggle as she feels Dylan’s length grow against her thigh. Reaching down, she wraps her hand around his cock and strokes it a few times before gently squeezing at the base.
Pulling her lips away from him momentarily, she whispers, “Just because I can’t enjoy much doesn’t mean you can’t.”
Sydney melds their lips together once more in a heated kiss before sliding her mouth down, nibbling along the skin of his jaw line and neck as she moves down his chest, making her way to his erection. As she comes eye to eye with the reddened tip, she can’t help but lick her lips in anticipation. She is hungry for him.
Sydney presses her tongue against the underside of the velvety skin and smiles when she witnesses his body shuddering in response.
“Fuck, Syd,” he mumbles under the arm that he casually places over his face.
She licks and glides her hand up and down his cock a few more times before her hunger takes over and she places Dylan’s erection fully in her mouth, sliding it towards the back of her throat. As she bobs her head up and down, tantalizing him with soft licks of her tongue and savoring his flavor, he strokes his hand through her hair and grips the back of her head, guiding her movements.
“I won’t be able to last long, Angel.”
Sydney moans with him still in her mouth and she feels him lengthen even more. She lets his cock spring free momentarily as she continues to slide her hand up and down his soft skin.
“I want to taste you in my mouth.”
Not giving him the chance to reply, she grips the base of his shaft again and positions his dick back in her mouth, sucking slightly, caressing his balls with her free hand.
“Holy shit,” Dylan whispers as he begins thrusting in small movements.
Moments later, his hand tightens in her hair and she feels the salty release in her mouth. Sydney relishes in the taste and milks every last drop before freeing him from her mouth.
“Well, that was definitely unexpected this morning.”
Slightly nervous, Sydney sits up before asking, “Was that ok?”
Turning his silver gaze to her, he pins her with a combined look of confusion and love.
“Angel, do you really need to ask that?”
“I just, you know… I wanted it to be good for you. I don’t have a lot of experience doing it. I kind of lost control.”
“Angel, come here,” Dylan gently commands as he holds his arms open to her as he rests against the headboard. Once she curls her body into him, he wraps his large arms around her body, holding her close. Tight. Safe. She lifts her chin to gaze at him and once her vulnerable brown eyes meet his dominate silver ones, he continues.
“You completely took me by surprise, and I loved every second of it, if you couldn’t tell. You can’t really give a bad blow job unless you bite me. And even then, because it’s you, I’d probably forgive you. Don’t ever hold back when you want something, Syd. It’s incredibly attractive and sexy. Understood?”
“Yes.”
“Good, now let’s see what I can do for you,” Dylan smiles mischievously as he slides a hand over to her left breast.
She moans as his lips nibble at her neck, then a sudden knock at her door has them jumping apart like teenagers caught in the act.
“Are you expecting someone this early?”
Shaking her head, she says, “No. No one.”
Grabbing his pants, he tugs them up his legs and buttons them quickly.
“Stay here. I’ll check it out.”
Sydney nods and moves on the bed, reaching down to grab Dylan’s discarded shirt from the floor. Tossing it on, she waits for Dylan to give her a sign that everything is alright.
Checking the clock constantly, at least five minutes has passed without his return and Sydney allows the fear take over.
Something is wrong.
Yanking on a pair of yoga pants, she makes a quick pit stop in the bathroom to ensure she looks somewhat presentable, then cautiously makes her way out to her living room.
She holds her breath momentarily until she hears the low murmur of Dylan’s voice as he converses with two others. As she peeks around the corner, her breath hitches in her lungs and she has to reach her arm out to grasp the edge of her couch before her legs give out.
Dylan is standing at her island with an older gentleman she assumes is his boss, the man’s aging frame bent slightly and draped in a black windbreaker. Beside Dylan, speaking animatedly, is a blond head of hair, styled in the same coif she remembered.
Caleb.
Dylan must sense she is near because his head jerks up just as she gasps and utters her ex-boyfriend’s name. His head jolts violently towards Caleb and then back towards her, confusion showing in his eyes.
“Sydney, this is my old partner, Preston. He and I were on a team together before I was assigned to you.”
Sydney’s eyes travel back towards the kitchen where she witnesses “Caleb”, or Preston as he is apparently known, cautiously strolling towards her.
Sheepishly, he tucks his hands into his pockets and stands before her, analyzing her.
“I guess I need to explain a few things,” he says, glancing between her and Dylan, his gaze lingering on Dylan’s undressed chest for a moment, then a frown forms on his face.
“This is him?” Dylan asks, fury growing deep within his eyes and turning them a dark pewter tone.
Sydney is still unable to form wor
ds, her mind lacking any control over her verbal skills, but she nods once in affirmation.
Under his breath, Dylan utters, “Fuck me,” as his hand shudders through his tousled hair. “You better explain fast before I fucking kill you, man.”
Caleb has the decency to swallow a gulp, in what Sydney assumes is fear. Dylan, with his six-foot-five frame and muscled build, towers over Caleb who has more lean muscle due to years of running and stands at only five foot, eleven. Of course, now Sydney begins questioning everything she knew about him.
Her ex moves around her and takes a seat on the loveseat diagonal to where she stands. She and Dylan follow suit, lowering themselves onto the couch that acted as her support earlier. The older man leans against the kitchen counter, snacking on one of her bananas as if he were watching a sitcom on television. If Sydney was in a better frame of mind, she might have actually laughed at the scenario.
“You better get to it, Preston,” Dylan growls to the man across from him.
Instead of shrinking back from Dylan’s commanding tone, Caleb leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees, casually bringing his hands together. Caleb’s informal stance causes the muscles in Dylan’s body to tighten and Sydney finds herself pressing her body against his, hoping to calm him down.
Her love looks down at her and places his arm across her shoulders, pulling her closer, staking his claim. She returns his gesture by resting her hand on his stomach and tucking her head against his shoulder.
Caleb clears his throat to gain their attention and then begins.
“I still love you, Sydney.”
YLAN STARES AT HIS old friend in amazement as he makes his proclamation. Of course he would still love Sydney - she is fucking amazing. She also happens to be all his.
“That’s not what needs explaining. Tell us why you lied and why these people are after her. The real reason.”
Preston releases a short breath of air, glances around the room and as the older man nods, he then dives into his tale.
“My real name is Preston Savage and I’ve been an undercover agent for Special Agent in Charge Rockwell over there for ten years. My first real assignment under him was to investigate and infiltrate a possible drug ring at a wealthy high school close to your college. We had intel that the principal was working as the middle man, providing to his own students, and keeping some of the profits. The drug king was mad, and the cops were mad, but no one had any proof in either situation. That’s where I came in. I was set up to play both sides.
Coming Consumed: Welcome to Carson, Book Three Page 11
