“I’ll call on you when I need you. For tonight, let’s just get you home.”
I took her hand and pulled her through the crowd trying to decide how best I could use her to my advantage. She was beautiful, and I wanted to have her, but I needed to get in touch with Baxter first.
Business, then pleasure.
I wasn’t surprised to see Lawson near the door, waiting for his part of whatever deal he thought we were doing. But I wouldn’t share the photo with Lawson.
“Owen, my friend. Now, this is the Owen I know and love! I knew you would get involved.”
I could only stand there and take it. I didn’t mind. Lawson no longer concerned me, at least not for a while. I was using this time to think.
What to do with the gorgeous blonde… what to do.
“Tell me, what’s so special about that girl? Maybe next time I’ll take part in the auction myself.”
“You think you can outbid me?”
“Oh, no way, I’m just messing with you, buddy. Like I said, I don’t want to fight with you, I want us to help each other.”
“But do I want to do business with you?” I asked.
“In a way, you already have, Owen, isn’t that so?”
I eyed him carefully, I didn’t want Sydney involved in any of this.
“I got what we wanted, now I’m taking the girl home. Understood?”
He nodded and let me pass.
When we got outside Sydney looked me over. “What was that about?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s what people say when there’s something going on. Usually something terrible.”
“Not for you, Sydney.”
She raised an eyebrow at me, but seemed to accept my response.
“So where to?”
She smiled, genuine and beautifully. “Anywhere but here.”
“Done.”
Chapter 9
Sydney
Standing outside the bar waiting for Owen’s driver, we stood silently next to one another.
I was confused. On the one hand, I wanted Owen to like me and to want to take me back to his place. I felt our connection, and thought he felt it as well. But at the same time, he had just bought me at an auction! I still couldn’t quite comprehend that this had really happened, and still had my doubts about the whole affair.
I felt like I owed him, and that maybe this passion I felt for him was just that. But I trusted him. Out of everyone I had met that night, Owen had been the only one to grab my attention. He was funny, charming, and open with me. Not to mention insanely rich and willing to pay huge money just to spend a night with me.
Was that fair? Or were my feelings misguided? I told myself it was part of the game – an innocent exchange. Only we were no longer in the comfort of the luxury club. Standing in the street at night felt awfully close to reality, and it was not as pretty.
But one thing I knew for sure was that from the moment he blocked my view on the stage and our eyes met for the first time, there had been electricity between us. It was like nothing I had ever felt for any other man.
I wanted to be with him; to get to know him better than anyone. I wanted to sleep with him. What I wouldn’t give for a night with this man…
Owen’s driver finally arrived, double-parking the town car and stepping out to open the door for us.
“Sorry it took me so long,” he said.
Owen didn’t reply, just helped me get inside, and then sat next to me. The driver shut the door and went around the car and back behind the wheel.
The cabin smelled strongly of new leather. I took a deep breath and exhaled. Holy shit this was a nice car. “Is this yours?”
“Nice, isn’t it?”
We sat in silence for a moment as the car sped up.
“This was something, huh?” Owen said. “I’ve never been to an auction before. It’s…”
“Wrong?” I offered.
“In a sense. It’s just an odd practice. Legal prostitution.”
“Is that what this is?”
He moved closer to me. “It can be whatever you want it to be. I did pay for you after all.”
I couldn’t breathe. Yes he had paid for my company. Was this what he wanted? Me?
I wanted him, that was for sure.
He dragged his finger along my leg and let his eyes lock with mine. “Do you want to go home?”
“No,” I admitted honestly. He sent a text on his phone and I wondered what was so pressing that he needed to do so at that moment.
Then he sent another, a smirk crossing his face.
“Okay then, are you hungry?”
For so much. “Yes.”
“Perfect, there will be food…” he said mysteriously, his lips parting in a smile, showing his white teeth.
I played along. “Owen, where are we going?”
I turned to look out the window and realized we were driving away from Chicago, heading northwest. Of course, there were many potential destinations in that direction, but I could think of only one that would be crazy enough for Owen to have picked.
We were heading for O’Hare International Airport.
I swallowed hard. I had been ready to go to a restaurant or a late showing of a movie, but flying somewhere? That was something else, and I wasn’t sure I was onboard with that.
But I was excited too. It would be the adventure I had always dreamed of – to be swept off my feet by a prince and fly to Europe or Asia, somewhere so far away that no problems at home could ever catch up to me. Somewhere I could take a break from bills and playing nurse. It had been so long.
“I’m not telling.”
“So, it’s a surprise?”
“As a matter of fact, it is a surprise. Where would you like to go?”
I considered it. I had been to France and some neighboring countries during my gap year in college, and they all looked about the same to me, beautiful old ruins. I would’ve liked to go somewhere warm, where we could spend our days on the beach or by the pool, eating fruits and drinking wine all day. Maybe we could rent a convertible and cruise along the coastline, the ones shown in TV commercials. People in those shows always looked happy. But that didn’t really matter. I knew I would go anywhere with him.
Which was crazy.
Instead of a reply, I asked, “Where would you like to go, Owen?”
He took no time to think. “Away. I want to just leave and never come back to this… life.”
“I wish I could do that. I have family to look after.”
“Of course,” he agreed. “You’ll have to introduce us sometime.”
“Sometime, I will.” Would I? What the hell would Declan say? “What’s stopping you? From leaving, I mean.”
“Work, mostly, but let’s not bring that up. If I can escape even for a few days, I’ll take it. And you’re off right? For summer?”
I wasn’t going to tell him about my crap job at the supermarket, that I was using to pay Declan’s bills. He would be okay for a few days, I needed a break.
I took out my phone and sent out several texts. One was to Julia, telling her that the date night went well, and I would be out of town for a few days. The other one was to my brother, with a similar message, minus the details. And the third one was to my job, calling in sick. Given how many extra hours I had worked, they wouldn’t mind too much. Last time I had checked, I was the most productive person at that place.
“Yes,” I said. “It’s all taken care of, but I don’t have clothes or anything.”
“Where we’re going, you won’t need them.” Warmth crept up my cheeks before he added. “Anything you can’t live without we’ll buy.”
Of course, he would buy it, he had just paid two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to whisk me away.
Would Declan have approved? Never. My younger brother had always been my defender. He wouldn’t let any man close to me until he had gotten to know them. But I was no longer a little girl, and we no longer had a plethora of options. Some co
mpromises had to be made. The same way I had made the leap of faith by going to the auction, Declan would have to accept that I’d done it for him - if he ever found out.
And that was big if.
I was doing this for the family. Had already done it, for that matter. The money would start flowing into my account in equal amounts over the period a couple weeks, which would easily pay off Declan’s treatment bills.
We arrived at the airport after midnight, but the driver didn’t take us to any of the major airlines terminals. Instead, we bypassed them altogether, driving along the tall wire fence until we reached a security checkpoint.
I didn’t understand at first, but as Owen spoke to the officer, I got it. They were heading straight to Owen’s plane, which he kept in a private hangar at O’Hare. The officer had no further questions.
We arrived at the hangar and boarded a small private jet. It was a beautiful navy-blue color and white on the inside. I could hardly believe what was happening to me.
Owen sat down in a far seat and instructed a stewardess to leave us alone for the flight.
“What if we need something?”
“I only need you.”
As I felt the rumble of the plane beginning to take off, he pulled me onto his lap.
Chapter 10
Sydney
“I’m sorry, what?”
“I bought you, and unless you protest, I’d like to see what I paid for. All of it.” His eyes traveled up and down my body.
Oh. My. God. I
Sex wasn’t a must, it wasn’t supposed to be. But what if I wanted it to? Sex with a millionaire, practically a stranger. No strings attached. It made it that much more exciting.
“And if I do, protest that is.”
“We won’t take off, I’ll let you go home, end of arrangement.”
I looked into his steely blue eyes. Who was I kidding? I was in a private plane with a sexy millionaire going to some undisclosed location. And he was right, he paid for me. In a way that turned me on even more.
To hell with that. I needed a release, and Owen was the perfect kind.
“I don’t want this to end,” I admitted as I kicked off my shoes and stood.
My hands trailed down my body, the dress hugging every curve.
“So gorgeous.” He stood up unzippered my dress, slowly pulling it off of me. Then he turned me around, his fingertips playing on my skin.
I couldn’t believe I was doing this! But I didn’t care.
It just felt so good.
He stopped for a moment to take my whole body in, drinking in every line and curve of it, and I felt sexier than ever. I took my breast in one hand and stroked it slowly as I gauged his reaction.
“Jesus,” he gritted out and fisted his hands, his chest rising and falling rapidly. “You’re such a tease.”
I lowered my other hand and pressed it against my swollen mound, moving my fingers all over my clit.
“Sydney.” He growled and pushed me onto a chair. “Touch yourself, baby. I want to see you come.”
“Owen...” I moaned, surprised and delighted with his request.
He removed all his clothes and sat in one of the chairs, his eyes following me closely. I came to the edge and separated my legs, massaging my pussy.
“Put your heels on the edge and separate your legs wider.”
I did what he’d told me to do, completely exposing my mound to him. I watched him as I rubbed my clit, building tension in me quickly, and moaned when the pleasure grew stronger. He was jerking his cock, his eyes glued to my pussy, and it was too sexy masturbating like this for him. My heart was thumping loud in my ears, and blood rushed through my veins when the pressure started approaching its bursting point.
“Put your fingers inside your tight pussy and fuck yourself.”
“Ah...”
I writhed on the oversized chair, quick to obey him. When I inserted two digits into my dripping wet passage, I convulsed hard around them, my walls embracing my fingers greedily. I was so hungry for this intrusion, increasing my speed as the juices gushed out of me.
He was jerking fast, our moans traveling through the air as one, and I was about to come so hard.
“I’m coming, Owen.”
He stood up and crossed the room in two strides, kneeling in between my legs. I came with a scream, and my juices overflew from me. He lowered his head just as I took my fingers out, convulsing hard when the intense pleasure swallowed me, and started collecting my juices with his tongue.
“Owen!” I cried out, feeling too sensitive, but he didn’t move away. Instead, he latched onto my pulsating flesh, licking it like he was starving. “Owen! No...” I tried to move his head away, but he grabbed my hands and pressed them against the chair, continuing to pleasure me.
Soon all discomfort turned into ecstasy, increasing with each flick of his tongue, and when he sucked my clit into his warm mouth, I was in heaven. I let him eat me out, burning from the new-found pleasure.
He was rough, bringing me to the edge with the quick work of his tongue and mouth. I soaked his whole face, my wetness constantly leaking out, and the pleasure became too much. It had been too long since I had sex like this. Though I couldn’t remember a time I had ever touched myself in front of someone else.
“Ah! Owen! I’ll come! Yes! Please, don’t stop!” I pressed my pussy against his face, grinding like crazy, and just several seconds separated me from a huge orgasm... “Just like that... Yes!”
I screamed and thrashed against the chair, my body filling with the most delicious pleasure that overcame all my senses.
“Damn. You’re so wet. So perfect.”
He grabbed a condom out of his wallet and put it on him, already back in between my legs. He grabbed my ass and pulled it closer to the edge, and I placed my feet on the carpet. He stroked my mound with the head of his engorged cock, and it was too good. I needed him inside of me.
He circled around my entrance, building another wave of tension in me, and finally plunged inside, burying himself deeply.
“Owen!”
I arched my back on the chair and squeezed my breasts, screaming in pure pleasure. He grabbed my waist and moved my body, setting the fast tempo from the start. He was drilling into me, creating the most intense pleasure I’d ever felt, and I was losing myself completely. I couldn’t stop screaming, feeling as if my limbs were turning into a mush and I couldn’t control them anymore.
“You feel great, Sydney. I can’t stop thinking about you. At the club you were driving me crazy,” he gritted out, his breathing labored.
His pounding became stronger, ripping my pussy apart, and I was going to come again any moment...
“Yes! Oh Owen, this feels amazing! Please, don’t stop...”
He brought my ass up, entering me at an angle that sent him even deeper into me, and my orgasm exploded in me, the pleasure drowning me.
“Damn. You’re so good. So good... I’m cumming, baby.”
He accelerated again, furiously pounding me until he abruptly stopped. A loud groan escaped his lips as he ejaculated, his cock twitching inside of me with each spurt of his sperm.
He fell on top of me, caging me with his arms, and kissed me. He was a great kisser, sending all my nerves on fire with just a kiss, and my heart swelled with some unusual emotion. I hugged him, keeping him close to me as we tried to catch our breaths.
Chapter 11
Owen
I offered Sydney my hand and helped her down out of the plane.
The landing strip we were standing on was located on a hill that overlooked a tropical island. The island was green, with tall palms and a white beach surrounding a good portion of it. There was a car waiting for us, a Mercedes coupe that was my favorite to drive while I was on the island. I waited for her reaction, but she just quietly looked over everything.
“What is this place?” she finally whispered.
“A little piece of heaven.”
“But…”
“I
bought it a few years ago, this business needed an asset, so I chose this.” I had bought this island in the Pacific shortly after Lawson had left the firm and our business had recovered. It was terraformed and equipped with top of the line tech, so there were all the comfort and technology you could wish for, while it still being a fine getaway spot for a few days. It was peaceful and quiet, with very little wildlife. I hadn’t been here in at least a year, but other members of the firm came fairly often. Which was good, it was meant to be used.
I watched Sydney walk away from the plane and to the edge of the tarmac. She said, “I do love it.”
“Good. We can stay as long as you want.”
She didn’t reply, but I felt that preposition made her feel uncomfortable. Thinking it had something to do with the auction, I took her hand. “Hey, this isn’t about the money for me, do you understand? Sure this is a business arrangement of sorts, but I didn’t bring you here for that. I brought you here to get to know you better.”
And to run away, but she didn’t need to know that. The blackmail photo of the District Attorney was still burning a hole through my pocket. I had already sent it to Baxter, he would take care of it. One simple call and that whole issue would be dealt with.
“I’d like that, too, Owen.”
“Let’s go then.”
I led her to the car, and then doubled back to get some food from the plane. The stewardess handed me a picnic basket and a bottle of wine.
“Enjoy your stay, sir.”
When we were ready, I fired up the engine and took off, tires squealing on the tarmac.
I circled the plane in our vehicle and then drove off the landing strip, onto a nice road that took us around the island. I saw the beach and couldn’t wait to take Sydney there for a swim.
“Are we alone on this island?” I asked.
“Pretty much. Some staff fly in from California to take care of the place, make sure everything works. But I’ve grown used to it being just me.”
She took my hand. “I’ll keep you company for a few days.”
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