House of Payne: Styx Read online

  Obligingly she did so. “Why do you want my hands?”

  “I need to show them what they should be doing—namely, undressing me just enough to get my cock out. I can't wait to show you what I want you to do with your mouth.”

  “I think I can guess.” Her delighted smile dismantled something vital in him while simultaneously putting him back together in a completely new way.

  With just a smile, she had the power to reshape the man he was.

  He was so far gone he didn’t even give a fuck.

  “That's what I love about you, baby,” he murmured, pressing her hands to the hardness of his dick now throbbing within the confines of his clothes. “You know me so well.”

  “That's because I made up a questionnaire.”

  “You and your questionnaires.” The sound of his zipper seemed loud in his ears, and he sucked in a hissing breath when her hands snuck past the barrier of his clothes to reach his cock. “The only thing I needed to know about you I figured out all on my own the first second I laid eyes on you. I clocked you as my personal wet dream, and that you needed to be banged so thoroughly you’d think you were a damn drum.”

  “You really thought that when you first saw me?” Laughter lurked in her tone as they worked together to free his dick from the prison of his clothes. “Now I'm sorry I didn't approach you weeks ago. Think of all the time I wasted.”

  “Still working on forgiving you for that. Go down on me, Syd.” Just to make sure she understood his instructions, he dived a hand through her thick hair and urged her closer. “It's time for me to fuck that pretty little mouth of yours.”

  Her smile was the hottest damn thing he’d ever seen. “If you insist.”

  God, what a woman.

  Avidly he watched as she wet her soft lips before placing them around the purple head of his dick. Simply watching her was almost enough to make him come. But this was too beautiful a moment to screw up with a lack of control, so he mentally tamped the brakes while still allowing himself to be riveted by the sight of her mouth making love to his cock.

  “I wish I could live in this moment forever,” he gritted out between clenched teeth. The sensation of the wet chamber of her mouth on his shaft was extraordinary, beyond pleasure. This was a connection so profound he had no choice but to believe they were two halves that made up a perfect whole. “You make me want to stop time, Syd. I want to spend eternity enjoying you.”

  She pulled back to run her tongue along the side of his penis, and the feel of it nearly broke him. “Sounds good, as long as I eventually get my turn. Fair’s fair.”

  “You know it.” He stopped breathing as she once again closed her mouth over his cock, this time rising up on her knees to take him in so deeply he jolted when he hit the back of her throat. He groaned softly and brought his other hand up to thread it through her hair.

  Hell, yeah.

  She would most definitely get a turn.

  But now was his time, and he was going to enjoy every damn second of it.

  With increasing urgency his hips rolled, pumping in to that sweet, wet chamber he couldn’t get enough of. At the same time, he helped her slide over his throbbing shaft, rocking her head up and down as he thrust into her. Her mouth was hot and welcoming, her lips like silk, and he wanted to fill her in an increasingly mindless pursuit of the bliss that was becoming his world.

  “Fuck,” he grated as the control he’d fought for began to slip through his fingers. “Play with yourself, Sydney. Get yourself off and come when I come. Don't make me wait for you.”

  She kept one hand at his base, while the other slid under her jeans skirt. He felt her breathing change as she worked herself, and he forced himself to concentrate on that instead of his own building pleasure. In a way it even deepened the feeling of absolute oneness, imagining how she stroked that sweet pussy he now knew so well.

  Her fingers sliding through her hot slickness.

  That wild moment when she first caressed the pulsating nub of her clit.

  The pleasure surging through her as she teased that cluster of nerves, making herself moan with anticipation before giving herself what she wanted—the merciless stroking of a clit now so engorged, the merest pressure would make her explode…

  The tingling at the base of his spine hit him before he was ready for it. A growling breath of surprise escaped him even as his balls tightened, and he thrust faster into her face.

  “Gotta do it, baby,” he gritted out, hoping to God he'd held back long enough. If not, he'd make damn sure she got her share in ways she would never fucking forget—

  An anguished moan vibrated from her mouth to his cock, and belatedly he realized her body was writhing with the intensity of her pleasure.

  Yes.

  Control slipped from him as her orgasm hit her, and he let his body go into the freefall of coming right along with her. Pleasure sprinted through him like wildfire, an insane rush unlike anything he'd ever known, because he was free with her. She took his cum like she took the rest of him—without judgment or hesitation or doubt, and that was the greatest gift anyone had ever given him. As his orgasm rocked through him, knowing that she accepted him for who he was just added another layer to the heaven she gave him.

  And it was beautiful.

  Ultimately the last spasms of lush pleasure played themselves out. He slumped back into his chair with Sydney’s head still in his lap, her breath coming in gasps as he handed her a tissue box from the supply tray beside him.

  “My God.” The aftermath of pleasure rippled through his mind, body and soul, dissolving his bones and muscles into well-sated goo. If he and Sydney could stay exactly where they were for the rest of the day, he’d be a happy man. “There are moments in life when a man knows his world has forever changed. Your mouth on my dick is one of those moments.”

  “I wonder if Hallmark has a card for that.” Setting the tissues aside, she looked up at him with a smile in her eyes. “So…are you relaxed enough now to give me the beautiful gift of your art?”

  What a woman, indeed. “Let’s get you back up on the table and see what happens.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “You can thank global warming for all this warm weather we’re having in October,” Zemi muttered, hauling in a box of new yoga mats with OMMniscience’s logo on it. “I wanted to start advertising some Bikram yoga classes to get more traffic in here. But selling the idea of hot yoga when it’s almost ninety damn degrees out is like trying to sell ice to Santa Claus. I can’t wait for fall weather to finally kick in.”

  “It can kick in just as soon as Styx gets us safely back on solid ground tomorrow.” Joining her friend at the newly opened box, Sydney grabbed up a couple yoga mats. As she did, she stifled a faint wince when her new tattoo prickled uncomfortably beneath its protective layer of gauze. “Until then, give me all the bright sunshine and calm winds this sunny weather has to offer. The last thing I want to do is get seasick and barf all over his super spiffy cruiser boat thingy.”

  “I’m sure you’ll be having too much fun to even think about getting sick.” Zemi smiled as she showed Sydney her diagram of how she wanted the mats laid out before grabbing up some mats herself. “What time are you guys heading out tomorrow?”

  “Styx mentioned nine in the morning, but we’re not locked into any set schedule.” What Sydney didn’t mention was that Styx had reminded her that he loved morning sex, so leaving for their excursion out onto Lake Michigan would depend on just how horny the man was. If past history was any indication, they might not ever get out of bed. “He’s having the boat serviced now, so that’s why he dropped me off to be babysat by you. I hope you don’t mind, Zemi.”

  “Mind? Are you kidding? I need the company to keep me out of freefalling into panic-slash-depression.” With a heavy sigh she looked around the lovely, serene space. As Sydney watched, tears began to sheen her friend’s eyes. “I just don’t know see how I’m going to be able to keep my lease here without sharing this space with
someone else, Sydney. I'm starting to think I'll have to teach at some other studio or spa, maybe even put my name out there for private instruction.”

  Sydney stopped dead. “You’re not thinking of shutting down OMMniscience, are you?”

  “It doesn’t make sense to keep a business open when it’s slowly draining me dry. It was great when I only paid half the rent, but unless I can find someone to share this space with me, I’m going to have to either move to a cheaper place or close my doors. Which sucks,” she added, sniffling. “Because these new mats are really freaking gorgeous.”

  “Don't decide on anything yet, okay?” Abandoning her mats, Sydney came to give her friend a hug, and couldn't help but feel she was holding her together. “I’m not sure what the future holds, but I so know one thing—I know I’m not destined to be a secret shopper for the rest of my life.”

  “I know you're up in the air right now,” Zemi said, backing up just enough to frown in bewilderment at her. “But I don't see what that has to do with me making this very personal and very important decision. I know what the numbers are telling me, so I think it’s best for me to face the fact that unless something changes, I can’t swing staying here all by myself.”

  “That’s exactly what I’m getting at,” Sydney insisted, giving her a little shake. “I'd like to take a look at those numbers, because all this upheaval in my life has shown me two things. One, I'm not happy where I am right now career-wise, and two, life is too short to spend even a day not being happy.”

  “Sydney—”

  “Dance was the one thing that always made me happy, yet I allowed someone else to take that happiness away from me. I was a child then, but I'm an adult now, and there's no reason why I can't at least teach the next generation the love of ballet.”

  By degrees, Zemi’s eyes widened until they looked ready to pop out. “Wait. Are you saying you’re interested in sharing this space with me?”

  “We'd have to figure out a schedule we can both live with without wanting to kill each other, and I need to see the numbers, of course,” Sydney nodded, thinking it through. But as she did, excitement ballooned inside her until she could hardly contain it. “I would also want a Sheldon-level contract made up, because we're friends. More than anything, I want to protect that friendship, so we need to agree to whatever terms and boundaries our respective businesses are going to require. Which is a long-winded way of saying… yes.” Sydney couldn’t stop from grinning from ear to ear, because finally saying what she truly wanted out loud felt so damn good. “It's scary, and I'm not sure yet how to run a business, but yes. I want to open up my own dance studio.”

  “Oh, my God.” With a joyous laugh, Zemi threw her arms around her and squeezed hard. “I'll get you the monthly expenses just as soon as we're done here. Wow, this would be such a great fit if we can make this happen,” she added, at last letting Sydney go to wipe away tears. “I know you've been going through absolute hell, but right at this moment I could kiss the bastards who made you decide it was time for a career change.”

  “They definitely did.” Sydney laughed in agreement. If her life hadn't been threatened, she would have missed out on so many things. She never would have found her way into Styx’s life, and she never would have found out that love can strike as fast and furiously as lightning.

  So yes, she owed her attackers a great big thank-you. And she couldn't wait to give it to them, once they were behind bars where they belonged.

  “First thing you need to know,” Styx said as they walked down the wooden dock, boats on either side of them gently bobbing in their slips. “It gets cool out there on the water. That's why I had you bring a jacket.”

  Sydney held up the jacket she had looped over her arm, while a huge canvas tote was slung over her shoulder. “Check.”

  “Sunburn’s another issue. You can’t even feel it happening, since it's cooler out there and you’re not even thinking about getting broiled. Not to mention everything’s reflecting back on you out there on the water, magnifying the glare, so any part of you that's not covered up gets a layer of sunscreen, yeah?”

  “I brought enough sunscreen for everyone in the harbor.”

  “Fuck ‘em, they can burn. You’re the only one I worry about.” A smile touched a corner of his mouth as he curled an arm around her shoulders. “I want you to enjoy every second of today, Syd.”

  “You certainly set that tone right from the very beginning this morning,” Sydney said, and she couldn’t stop a blush that went from her face all the way down to the juncture of her thighs. Apparently he hadn’t forgotten his promise that she would get a turn. She figured this, because she’d awakened with him between her thighs as she lay on her back. His big hands had smoothed over her pelvic region before diving lower to part her intimate folds, and he lowered his head so he could lick along her cleft. He changed position as her hips undulated, sliding his arms under her thighs and curling them around her hips to hold her exactly where he wanted her.

  For a full second she hadn’t known whether she should be more frustrated or thrilled at being his captive. Then the sensations sank into every cell of her body, and that became the only thing that mattered. There had been nothing left for her to do but enjoy the way he feasted on her. By the time he was satisfied enough to slide his cock into her awaiting depths, she had already come twice, then managed a third and final climax with him buried deep inside her.

  If she lived to be a hundred, she would never forget it.

  The arm around her tightened. “Glad you enjoyed yourself. Just wait until you find out what sex on a boat is like. You'll never want to return to land again.”

  Slowly she raised her brows at him. “I thought we were going to fish.”

  “We can do both. How's your back?”

  “Good. A little prickly.”

  Another squeeze brought her closer to him even as a harbor attendant headed their way, tablet in hand. “It’ll start to itch pretty soon, but try not to scratch it. It’s healing, so the best thing to do is leave it alone.”

  “Got it. Which boat is yours?” They were almost to the end of the dock, and she looked around at all the boats moored on either side of the wooden structure. Beyond the harbor stretched the seemingly endless expanse of Lake Michigan. As the ever-present gulls squealed and called above them, she could well understand how the first explorers of this new territory thought it was some sort of inland sea.

  “Aye Calypso, the one on the very end on the right. I named it after a John Denver song my uncle used to sing incessantly when Trey and I started working for him,” he added wryly when she shot him a curious glance. “By the way, if you ever meet my uncle, don’t get him started on anything John Denver. He’ll sing to you until your ears fall off.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” she drawled, then moved to the side when the harbor attendant stepped up. Her cell phone went off just as Styx was handed the tablet, but as she fished her phone out of her tote bag and began to walk back up the dock, Styx’s voice stopped her in her tracks.

  “Stay by me, Syd. Keep your eyes open and stay close.”

  “Gotcha.” Well aware that he’d outright follow her if she tried for a little privacy, she cleared her throat and put the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

  “Sydney, this is Wesley W. Newburg, calling from Market Place. How are you this morning?”

  “Wesley?” Her brows shot up, and she caught Styx’s quick glance her way. Quickly she waved a hand to show him everything was all right, but she wasn’t so sure about that. Never, in all the weeks she’d worked as a secret shopper, had her boss ever called her. “Good morning, Wesley. I’m fine, thanks for asking. Uh, is there something wrong? This is my usual day off, yes?” Maybe he’d forgotten and was wondering where she was.

  “Of course you have today off, Sydney,” came the calmly measured reply that was quintessential Wesley. She could just picture him with his thick glasses, monogrammed sweater vest and spectacular combover, seated at his neatl
y ordered desk. “Consider this a quick wellness check. I was just calling to make sure you were all right. Also, and this is just an aside, I was wondering if you are still determined to resume your duties tomorrow. I’m working on the schedule now, so if you’re not certain about, well, continuing as a secret shopper—which is more than understandable—I just need to know about it.”

  Ah. “I’ll be in first thing tomorrow morning, Wesley. You can count on me.”

  “I’ve always been able to rely on you.” He cleared his throat in that delicate way of his whenever he had to broach a subject he found unsavory. “Of course, I don’t want to pry, but I was just wondering if the authorities have shared with you any hint of when all this hullabaloo might be wrapped up. I’m sure you understand how difficult it is to plan things like schedules when there’s so much chaos going on.”

  She winced at that. “I am sorry about the chaos, Wesley. For what it’s worth, it’s not my fault.”

  “Oh, I never meant to imply that—”

  “Furthermore, none of this chaos, as you put it, has occurred within the walls of Market Place, so our customers have no idea there’s been a problem. There might be a bigger police presence whenever I’m in the store, but that can only be a good thing, for the store and our customers.”

  “So the authorities have assigned a police detail to you?”

  “I wouldn’t go that far. I just happen to, uh, have a lot of friends with badges.” She glanced Styx’s way when he handed over the harbor attendant’s tablet. “I have to go now, Wesley. But I can assure you that I’ll be in to work tomorrow at my usual time. See you then.”

  “All set?” Styx again looped an arm around her shoulders as she tucked her phone back in her tote bag.

  “Absolutely. My boss just needed to be reassured that I’d be at work tomorrow.”

  “My brother and my old man have already decided they’re going to be hanging around Market Place tomorrow, just to be on the safe side. Wouldn’t surprise me if they decided to drop in on you and generally drive you up a wall.”