The desire in his eyes was humbling, if not a bit unsettling. She bit her lip as he stared down at her in silent contemplation. She could almos
t hear the wheels in that intelligent mind churning.
“Strip.”
Her breath came in a shallow exhale. Numb with a combination of desire and fear, she slowly peeled out of her clothes. His gaze traveled over every inch of her skin with the lingering effect of a brand. She could feel it caressing, exploring, and probing just as surely as if it had been his hands. Confusion flooded her as he grabbed a scarlet throw pillow and tucked it beneath her head. Snaring another, he lifted her legs and took a seat, shoving the second pillow under her hips. Sebastian turned slightly, resting his back against the corner of the couch. A slow smile curved his lips as he took in the sight of her sprawled naked and exposed before him. Taylor colored with shame as he parted her thighs, and taking a shaky breath, tried to clamp her lids shut.
“No,” he murmured. “Look at me.”
Her eyes locked with his, and she tamped down a whimper as he slowly forced a finger inside her. Her tender body protested at the intrusion, and she fought the urge to squirm away when he pushed deeper. A gasping moan parted her lips as a second finger worked its way in. Gripping the cushion beside her, Taylor thrashed her head from side to side, all too aware of the sound of creaking leather that filled the room. Sebastian’s low chuckle washed over her.
She jerked as he turned his hand and the soft pad of his thumb pressed against her, stroking back and forth across her clit. Panting, her breath broke on a whimper, and she felt a sudden surge of moisture flood her insides, slicking the way. His fingers probed harder and
faster, forcing her back to bow. Sebastian’s low, throaty rumble told her he approved. She threw her head back with a lofty cry when a third digit stretched her open and thrust deep.
“P
lease,” she whimpered. She wanted to say it was too much, but he knew. She could see it in his eyes. They glimmered with the same unspoken challenge as the night before. Her body throbbed, pulsing around the rhythmic drive of his fingers as agony and ecstasy battled for control.
“Cum for me
, and I’ll stop.”
“I can’t.”
“You’re going to,” he said. “Stop fighting it.”
Any
argument she might have posed died as he thrust deeper. His fingers swirled inside her, doing delicious things. A thick knuckle grazed her sensitive bud, grinding into her until she gasped. His other hand trailed over the taut drum of her belly, making it flutter in his wake. Nimble fingers flicked across her nipple and teased it into a rigid peak. Her breath came faster, and her hips arched off the couch.
Sebastian drove faster, rocking her body
between the relentless drive of his fingers and the pull on her nipple, each play seeming to increase the other until she shattered. Release tore through her without warning, wringing a hoarse scream from her throat. She thrashed her head pleadingly, clawing at the couch as the wave after wave of pleasure battered her without mercy. Through it all, he never stopped—he kept plying her with the same steady rhythm until she came again and sagged into a limp, breathless heap.
Taylor was only dimly aware of Sebastian’s movements as he stood. The soft rustle of clothing filled the room and she groaned as he scooped her off the couch.
Cool wood pressed against her knees, and her eyes widened with realization as he pushed her down, bending her over the leather cushions. The hard muscle of his thigh wedged between hers, nudging them apart. His hands seized her hips, jerking them into place and she screamed as he drove into her, burying himself to the hilt. Taylor groaned as warm breath fell across her back in spurts while his lean body shuddered with the strain. She could feel him struggle, throbbing inside her as he fought for control. A menacing growl tore from his throat and his fingers tightened into a bruising hold. Her wavering cries bounced unchecked as he pounded into her, stabbing deep and hard until he threw his head back with a roar of release.
The couch scooted as he slumped over her. Sebastian’s breath came in shallow pants
, mirroring her still labored efforts. After giving them both a minute to recoup, he slid from her body with a reluctant grunt. Taylor sagged into his embrace as he wrapped his arms around her and laughed, pulling her to the floor with him.
“What are you doing to me?” he asked. She blinked as he brushed the hair from her eyes. His expression was tender, if not a bit bewildered. “I can’t keep my hands off of you.”
“I noticed,” she murmured. “I can’t…I don’t think I can move.”
He
grinned and kissed the freckled tip of her nose. “You don’t have to, baby.”
She woke up very much alone. Blinking against the sleep and confusion, Taylor stroked the plump pillow beneath her head. Feeling the telltale rub of carpet fibers beneath her skin, she knew she was still naked, but at some point Sebastian had moved her onto the plush throw rug and covered her. A quiet groan rose in her throat as she stretched and unfurled. It took a moment, but she finally managed to push to her feet. Outside the sun hung low in the sky, painting it with vivid strokes of pink, purple, and orange. Vibrant hues danced over the thin layer of snow blanketing the ground, infusing the crystals with color. Frowning, she wondered how long she’d been asleep and why he’d left her.
After wrapping the silky
cream chenille around her body, she padded through the house in search of Sebastian. Soft flickering light spilled from an open door at the end of the hall and she followed the welcoming glow to his study. Decorated in deep browns, rusty reds and oranges, the room was another extension of the quiet opulence that stretched through the rest of the house. A potted tree sat nestled in one corner and a thick fern spilled in disarray over the mantle, adding a touch of wilderness and life. Smiling, she leaned against the doorframe and watched him.
He
sat behind a rich mahogany desk with one hand firmly entrenched in his wild curls as he studied the computer screen in front of him. His sage eyes narrowed slightly, reflecting both the light from his monitor and the writhing flames of the fireplace. A tense frown crossed his features, stamping them with brief lines of displeasure. For a moment, he looked like he was going to be sick. Blowing out a loud breath, he cupped his chin and leaned back in his padded leather chair. She offered a shy smile as his gaze darted to the doorway.
“Hey,
doll,” he said, returning the gesture. “Did you have a nice nap?”
“Yeah,” she said
sleepily, her nose wrinkling with her grin. “Why didn’t you wake me?”
He shrugged. “I had some work to catch up on and you looked like you could use the rest. I’
ll be with you in a minute. If you’re still feeling up to it, we’ll go get the rest of your things when I’m done.”
“Would you like me to make you something to eat while you finish?”
Sebastian shook his head and gave her a tender smile. “No, baby, we’ll grab something on the way.”
“Okay.” She wrung her hands, resisting the urge to cross the room and curl up in his lap. He seemed to sense her struggles and winked.
“Just give me a few more minutes, darling. Then I’m all yours.”
Taylor
nodded. After pulling the door mostly shut again, she wandered through the house alone. The place was so huge without him beside her it felt like it threatened to swallow her whole. She wondered how Sebastian had managed to live there so long on his own. The sense of loneliness and isolation the walls radiated would have driven her mad. She straightened up the pillows in the great room before trekking upstairs in search of her phone. It had been a few days since she’d talked to Bryce or her uncle, and she didn’t want them to worry.
Flopping back on the bed, she scrolled through and dialed her cousin’s number. The phone only rang twice before Bryce’s crackly voice answered on the other end.
“Tay?”
“Hey, Bryce.”
“Oh thank God. Where the hell have you been? We saw what happened on the news and we tried stopping by. We couldn’t find you, and we didn’t hear from you. My dad’s eight shades of flipped out over here!”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m okay.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, more than okay, really. You know that guy I’ve been seeing?”
“The mystery man?”
She laughed, nodding even though her cousin couldn’t see her. “Uh huh. Don’t tell your dad, but I’ve been staying with him. He wants me to move in.”
“This is the guy that lives in some crazy ass mansion, right?”
“It’s a nice house, yes.”
“Lucky,” he muttered. “So when do we get to meet this guy, Tay? Better yet, when do we get to check out these fancy new digs you’re living in?”
Her lips vibrated as she blew out a forceful breath. “I don’t know to be honest with you. Let me talk to him and I’ll see what I can do
. Sebastian has a lot going on right now with work, and I just piled in on him.” She hesitated for a moment. “And you know how your dad is. I’m not too sure Sebastian would enjoy one of his lectures on morality and virtue.”
Bryce laughed. “Yeah, I get that, but we’re family and he’s going to have to suffer through it sooner or later. Hey, while I got you on the phone, I need a favor.”
“Anything,” she said, smiling. “You know that.”
A sigh of relief sounded on the other end. “My piece of shit broke down again and I have some stuff to pick up in town. Do you think I could at least borrow your truck? It would just be for an hour or so.”
“Sure, I have to swing by the diner for a little tomorrow anyway and clean out my apartment. You can pick it up then. Just don’t wreck it, okay? That rusted out beauty is all I’ve got.”
“Thanks, Tay. You’re the best. I love you
. I’m glad you’re all right.”
“Love you too, Bub.”
She hung up the phone, still smiling. It felt good to reconnect with her family again, even if just for a few minutes. Stretching her arms out behind her head, she startled when she noticed Sebastian leaning against the archway. Her lips pressed together in uncertainty as she regarded his folded arms and the narrowing glint in his eyes.
“Who was that?”
“My cousin, Bryce.”
She grinned as his shoulders shook with a slight laugh and the tension eased from his
stony features, bringing back the boyish smile she loved.
“I didn’t want them to worry about me, which they were. I should have called sooner,” she admitted. “He’d really like to come over sometime and meet you.”
Sebastian nodded and crossed the room. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed beside her, he traced the line of her jaw. She melded against him as he leaned in to steal a slow, lingering kiss. “Would that make you happy?” he asked, pulling back.
“I think so, yes.”
“Then consider it done. Set up a time over the weekend. Unless you would prefer to hold out another week or two and have them here for the holiday. It’s up to you.”
She felt her face light up with the bright smile his words elicited. Bouncing slightly, she tamped down a squeal and lunged up on her knees. “Really?”
Sebastian laughed as she flung her arms around his neck. “Yes, darling, really. Whatever makes you happy. Now go get dressed so we can grab a bite to eat. I’m famished.”
VII.
Guilt flooded Taylor as she pulled into the diner's parking lot. Cars and decked out semis crammed the tiny space, some of them spilling into the adjacent lot reserved for the shopping plaza. With barely a parking space left, the staff had to be pulling their hair out. Squeezing her truck in beside the dumpster, she took a deep breath and shook her head. She wasn't exactly looking forward to telling her boss she was quitting. Christmas was always their busiest season, and part of her was going to miss the worn down surroundings and familiar faces. Flipping down the visor, she double-checked her reflection. Part of her considered trying to buy more time, but Sebastian changing his mind seemed about as likely as her winning the lottery. Sighing, she rolled her eyes. What was wrong with her? Most people would be running through those truck stop doors without so much as a second glance. It was stupid to mourn something so trivial when she had so much to gain. She had the perfect man, the perfect house…the perfect life.
Steeling herself, she slid from the truck and eased into the soft bank of snow. A small grimace crossed her face as she
kicked the dirty slush from her boots and started toward the warm shelter of the diner. Bryce’s voice called out to her, stopping her short. Turning, she laughed as she found herself suddenly swept off her feet and into her hulking cousin’s arms. She grunted, giggling in his bear-like embrace. His scraggly beard tickled her cheek as he planted a rough kiss on her face.
“How’s my favorite cuz?” he asked, setting her back on her feet.
“I’m wonderful, but I think you might have just crushed a rib or two,” she scolded. His unrepentant grin earned him a hard slug to the shoulder. She immediately regretted it. Pouting, Taylor shook the pain out of her knuckles. She’d forgotten how big and solid her childhood playmate had grown. Bryce regarded her with a funny expression, his thick eyebrows quirking above the rims of his sunglasses.