“Do you have any here?” he asked.
She nodded and pulled away. “Upstairs. I’ll be right back.”
Quickly, she jumped off his lap and dashed off.
Never in the years she’d owned her house had she ever streaked through it naked. Up the stairs she went, searching her panty drawer for the condoms she kept there.
Keeping a small stash didn’t feel so ridiculous now, did it? They’d been a gag gift, a joke, poking fun at how little sex she actually had. Sadie was glad she kept them. Wouldn’t her neighbor Brenda eat crow over that?
As she hustled back down the stairs, she wondered what Lincoln had done while she’d been gone. Had he just laid back and waited? Had he touched himself to stay hard?
The last thought had her smoking in her skin, the image too much for her brain to handle.
When she nearly skidded into the doorway, it was impossible not to laugh at her desperation.
He’d dimmed the lights in the room, just the lamp on the dresser illuminating the room in a soft glow. Sadie crawled up the bed, resuming her place on his lap, her lips immediately back on his. The arc of electricity between them hadn’t dissipated in her absence and he pulled her to him, the globes of her ass filling his hands. She dumped a handful of condoms on the bed next to him.
“Feeling optimistic?” he asked with a laugh when he saw the pile.
“I just grabbed a bunch. Take your pick.”
He did, barely paying attention. She pulled it from his fingers, ripping it open as he watched. Their eyes held, watching each other in something that fell between passion and challenge, a childish game of who would look away first.
It was Lincoln. When she rolled the condom over him, her hands caressing his length, his eyes closed and a deep groan came from his throat.
The small win was enough for her.
Using his shoulder as support, she pointed him toward her entrance and slid down.
Not expecting the wave of contentment that washed over her, Sadie’s chin dropped to her chest, a wobbly sigh falling from her mouth. Lincoln filled her with more than just his physical body. There was a tangible weight tethering them together, something that made her eyes hold his as she moved. Something that made his fingers lace together with hers as he supported her motions, and she was sure it was coming from inside of her.
His blue eyes scalded her with the heat of his passion. He didn’t look away from her gaze. There was no embarrassment or confusion at the electricity between them.
Sadie wasn’t sure she felt the same.
As physically pleasing as the sex was, the intimacy was unexpected.
Lincoln pulled her closer, forcing their hands, still entwined, behind her back.
“Stay with me,” he murmured, his eyes never wavering.
He was mesmerizing, captivating her as they moved together, working to please each other and themselves. His hips moved under her as she undulated above him, rocking in unison, cresting the waves of pleasure.
Unwilling to let her hands go, Lincoln took the tip of her breast in his mouth, suckling hard enough to make a surprised squeal eek out of Sadie’s throat.
Still, his eyes watched her, hot and insistent, a pleased smile stretching his lips.
It was more of a turn-on than finally sleeping with her childhood love. The attention he paid her something she hadn’t considered, the confidence he exhibited in pleasuring her a complete surprise.
He switched sides, dragging his tongue along her sternum as he went, and pulling her other nipple in his mouth. At the same time, he increased his pace, bucking powerfully upward, her body sizzling in anticipation. Lincoln let her hands go, grabbing her hips and squeezing as he plunged into her. She threaded her hands into his hair, something she’d always wanted to do. Her mouth took his, pleasure rippling through her body, her thighs shaking, her core tightening.
She was on the precipice, toes on the edge of a cliff, somewhere between falling and jumping. At some point, she’d closed her eyes. When she opened them, Lincoln still watched her face, his teeth bared and gritted, his neck strained.
Seeing him barely holding it together, waiting for her to finish, pushed her off her safe perch, and she fell. Hard.
Her arms wrapped around Lincoln’s neck as she held on, her body spasming in a dizzying explosion of pleasure. Her skin prickled as he pulled her down hard one last time, losing his valiant fight for control, his forehead dropping to her chest, sweaty and out of breath.
His grip loosened on her, his hands sliding to her behind, holding her gently but still squeezing and exploring her body.
When she kissed the top of his head he nuzzled closer, kissing her chest and working his way up to her face. He finally reached her lips, and he did more than kiss her. He possessed her.
And even though she’d just had the orgasm of a lifetime, the feeling of finally being possessed by Lincoln Greene, sent a flood of yearning through her that had her squeezing her eyes shut.
They’d specifically talked about the rules of sex. Of having an affair.
What they’d just done hadn’t been just sex.
There was no conversation they could have that would have prepared her for what they’d just done.
There were no rules for that.
7
Senses dulled by booze, Mercedes didn’t even react when someone touched her breast. She was pretty sure it was the guy whose lap she was sitting on, but it could have been one of his friends. They’d been partying for hours, bottle after bottle emptied and lines of coke blown as if they didn’t cost a dime. It was a true rich-kid party, where money was no object and there was nothing they couldn’t buy.
Dani the Nanny, as Mercedes had taken to calling her, stood by the door, looking uncomfortable. A few guys had hit on Dani, pissing Mercedes off.
“Dani,” Mercedes slurred, holding out a hand, almost falling off the lap she was sitting on. “Why don’t you come over here and read us all a story?”
There were about two dozen people scattered around the living room, of whose house Mercedes wasn’t sure. Dani’s role as nanny had been talked about at length, however, and they all thought it was funny.
Mercedes laughed with them, taking the jokes in stride.
Inside, she was molten with rage. Having found out that the assistant her father had hired for her was really a nanny was a bomb to her ego. The insult would not stand. She’d find a way to get her father back for the slight.
Mercedes stood and weaved her way to Dani.
“I know what we all want to hear,” she sang, her confidence bolstered by the substances coursing through her body.
She reached Dani who, as any good nanny would, tried to help when Mercedes tripped and fell. Taking the opportunity, Mercedes slipped her hand in the other woman’s blazer and snatched her cell phone.
She turned to her friends triumphantly.
“Here’s our bedtime story, kiddies.”
However, she was disappointed when the phone needed a passcode and she didn’t know it. Frustrated, she smashed it on the ground, shattering the face of it.
“Cheap shit anyway,” she ground out. “Probably just some bullshit texts between you and your boyfriend about being a virgin,” she accused. “Isn’t that right, Dani the Virgin? Won’t even open your legs for your boyfriend. Wonder why he stays with you.”
“Because I’m smart,” Dani said with a sneer of her own. “Because I rely on myself and don’t need him for anything. Because I pay my own way and I’m not ashamed of who I am.”
Everyone in the room made an “oooh” sound, like Mercedes had just been burned.
“Well you should be,” she snapped. “You’re poor and ugly. Your teeth are crooked and you’re nothing but a nanny. No matter where you went to school you’re still just a nanny.”
“A nanny for a grown woman,” Dani pointed out. “I think that says more about you than it does about me.”
Mercedes felt a fury rip through her and before she knew what s
he was doing, she charged at Dani. If it hadn’t been for someone grabbing her around the waist, she would have clobbered her.
For her part, Dani looked startled. Like she couldn’t believe what almost happened.
“You know what, Mercedes,” she said quietly. “I think I’m going to pass on my final two weeks. I’ll let your father know. I quit.”
Dani turned her mousy brown head and strode out the door.
It took Mercedes a minute to disentangle herself from the arms wrapped around her, but when she did, she chased Dani out into the night.
She followed the sound of a door closing and heels clicking, down the stairs through the stairwell, until she was in the parking garage. Conveniently, her car was parked right in front of the doors, her driver Henri standing next to it. She slid into the driver’s seat, cranked the engine over, and stepped on the gas.
No one walked away from her.
She was Mercedes Charles. She was part of the upper echelon of society. People wanted to be her.
She navigated a corner as the garage sloped upward, changing floors. Determined, Mercedes pushed her foot down harder, the car surging forward.
“Little bitch,” she mumbled as she steered around another corner.
The tires skidded, echoing in the cavernous underground structure. Faster she went, pushing the car to its limit in the confined space, a desperate need to find her nanny and give her a piece of her mind driving her on.
Mercedes turned the wheel, cutting around another corner, this time slamming on the brakes as Dani’s terror-stricken face appeared in front of her.
It didn’t happen in slow motion. If anything, time moved more quickly.
Both feet pressed on the brake pedal, Mercedes heard nothing but the screeching of tires on the concrete and the sickening thud of her car hitting a human body.
The only thing that registered was the look on Dani’s face as she went sailing over the hood of the car.
Sadie’s eyes popped open, Dani Page’s face still firmly in her mind. Surprised, she jerked backward, nearly knocking the back of her head into Lincoln’s face as Gordon smiled at her, his chin resting on the side of the bed.
He lunged forward, lapping her face and then trotted off. Sadie stretched, taking just one minute to luxuriate at waking up in Lincoln’s arms. He surrounded her, from head to toe he was wrapped around her. One of his arms was under her head, the other firmly resting on her hip. His legs wrapped around hers and when she moved, the scrape of his leg hair against her skin gave her goose bumps.
If there was one thing that might chase away her nightmares, it was Lincoln Greene holding her through the night.
Dani Page haunted her dreams regularly and Sadie didn’t see an end in sight. If she was honest, she could admit that she even thought she deserved the nightmares.
She’d killed the woman. Run her down in a fit of childish anger.
It had been an accident. She hadn’t gone after Dani to kill her. She’d been blinded by rage and immaturity, furious with her father more than anything. While she hadn’t meant to kill her, Sadie had never been able to explain why she’d chased after Dani in the first place. It had been impetuous and crazy.
She’d paid the price and done her time but no matter how she sliced it, Dani had paid more. She’d paid for Sadie’s mistakes with her life.
The nightmares were well-deserved and if nothing else, were a good reminder to Sadie of who she didn’t want to be.
After another minute, she extricated herself from Lincoln’s grip, slipped out of bed, and turned to take him in, her lips quirking into a smile.
He was still sleeping heavily, his face now smashed into the pillow she’d been using. His hair was sticking out at all angles, rumpled and matted. She could only see the top half of his naked body, but somehow just knowing he wasn’t wearing anything under the sheet, was enough to have her clenching inside, aroused.
Feeling silly for perving over him while he slept, she grabbed her clothes from the floor and hustled to the bathroom. She did her business and got dressed, then herded the four dogs outside. They’d been loose all night, none of them locked in their crates, but they’d stayed out of trouble. It made her rethink the need for the cages at all. Aggie liked her crate, while Lola wasn’t a huge fan. It was more to give them each a sense of their own space, but if they stayed out of trouble, she wouldn’t mind having them loose. She’d have to mull it over.
Certainly, it depended how long Gordon would be with her.
In turn, it would also depend on how long Lincoln would be with her, as well.
Lola trotted back to her, bumping her leg. Sadie squatted down and looked at the big dog, face to face.
“How’re you doing, my big girl?” she asked gently. “You like having Gordon around?”
Sadie had to admit to herself, trouble or not, she did like having Gordon around. He was a good fit for them, Cocoa finding a kindred spirit while the rest just took to him like he was one of them.
Maybe with the story Lincoln had told, about Gordon being found in an alley next to his dead mother, he was a good fit for their little band of misfits. Sadie already considered herself and her dogs to be a bit of a ragtag bunch of lost souls. Chewed up and spit out by the world, they’d found their own peace with each other. Gordon wasn’t much different.
Lola rested her head on Sadie’s shoulder, a gentle giant of a dog.
She could take a hint. Sadie wrapped her arms around Lola and hugged her. “I love you, too, Lola. You’re a good girl.”
The big dog tolerated a moment or two of gentle rubbing and then moved away, standing stoically by the back door.
Aggie was right behind her, wagging her tail and eagerly awaiting her breakfast.
Sadie, deciding to keep the house quiet for Lincoln to get some sleep, fed the dogs outside. She drank her coffee while they were busy and headed to the small barn. It was a beautiful day and she had a few chores that needed doing. She dragged a few things out into the yard and contemplated what she would do first.
Her head snapped around when she heard the dogs barking. Gordon made a beeline for the driveway and Sadie charged after him. She didn’t know how Gordon would interact with strangers and she didn’t want any incidents on her property. When she made it to the front yard, she found Gordon happily lapping Brenda’s face.
At least her neighbor was laughing. Gordon could be a bit intimidating in size. Having him charge at you would, no doubt, be terrifying.
“Okay, you told me he was friendly but this is ridiculous.” Brenda laughed as Gordon lapped her face and nuzzled her neck.
“He’s a lover, not a fighter.”
“And the owner of this fancy car?” Brenda gestured to Lincoln’s car, her brows raised as she stood. “Is he a lover or a fighter?”
Sadie couldn’t hide her smirk. “The former.”
“A good one, I hope,” Brenda said as she walked with Sadie into the backyard. “Nice car like that might make a man look like they’re compensating for something.”
No, Lincoln didn’t have a thing to worry about in that department.
“I take it he’s the owner of this gorgeous creature?”
Gordon beamed at her attention, sitting next to the patio chair Brenda lowered herself into.
“He is,” Sadie confirmed.
“The old friend of your brother’s. How’s the training going?” The woman stuck her face out and kissed Gordon’s muzzle. “You’re a good boy, aren’t you? I bet you’re so smart, yes, you are.”
The dog’s tongue lolled out the side of his mouth at her loving attention.
“He’s smart. Taking to it well. Hopefully, some of the training will help keep Gordon occupied when he goes home. He just needs to keep busy.”
“Speaking of keeping busy, things are looking good over here. No rest for the weary.”
Sadie shrugged. “You know me.”
“Yes, I do,” Brenda agreed. “Which is why I thought I’d come check on you. Make sur
e you didn’t need anything. Make sure you weren’t working too hard.”
Sadie always appreciated Brenda’s neighborly attitude. Chalk it up to her newfound love of living in the country, but it was nice to have someone watching your back. Not like when she lived in the city and the only thing people did to your back was stick a knife in it.
“Can’t say I’m overdoing it too much. I’ve had Lucas here, giving me a hand. Though, I did consider going on a hiking trip. Trying to figure out logistics with the dogs.”
“I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again, I’d be happy to dog-sit for you. Your girls are no problem for me to handle and they’re well-behaved. It’d be no trouble.”
“I appreciate that,” Sadie said. “I haven’t made any definite plans yet but if I need a hand, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
“Good. Now, onto more important things. I’ve got my grandson coming next week, and all he’s talked about since his last visit is Lola and he wants to come visit.” She looked down at Gordon. “I have a feeling, if this guy is still here, Jackson will fall in love all over again.”
Sadie worried if Gordon stayed with her too much longer, she’d be a goner too.
Lincoln came awake slowly, meandering into consciousness with all the speed of cold molasses. He rolled to his side, dozing back into a slumber for mere seconds before reality tugged at him. He shoved his face into his pillow, jerking awake as the scent of Sadie Charles surrounded him. Sweet, like jasmine and some kind of laundry detergent, she filled him.
He cracked an eye open only to find himself in bed alone. A quick look around the room proved his theory that he was, in fact, alone in the guest room. Neither Sadie, nor any of the dogs, were anywhere in sight. He blindly grabbed for his phone and groaned.
Ten in the morning.
The early-riser thing had never stuck for him. While he’d never been a complete night owl, it was certainly the mornings that were hardest for him. He briefly considered rolling back over and closing his eyes but decided against it. Getting up and finding Sadie sounded far more appealing.
No Love Left Behind (Boston Billionaire's Club Book 1) Page 9