Sweet Seduction Read online

  She smiled, clearly moved by his kiss. “You kids have fun.”

  Chas started to reach for the picnic basket, but Sydney turned quickly, refusing to relinquish it. He followed her to the driveway.

  “I’ll drive,” she offered.

  “Okay. Where are we going?”

  “It’s a surprise.”

  They climbed into the car.

  “Sydney—” he started.

  “Don’t.”

  He frowned. “Don’t what?”

  “Don’t apologize. In fact, don’t ever mention it to me again.”

  Chas’ lips curled up in a grin. “Ever? That’s kind of a long time.”

  She glanced his way, sensing the change in his demeanor. She’d clearly been expecting the distraught, out-of-his-mind man she’d left last week. Mercifully, she picked up his teasing tone. “Ever,” she repeated.

  “Tell you what. I’ll agree to that on one condition.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You let me apologize one last time.”

  “Chas, it was an accident. Seriously, I—”

  “That’s not what I want to say I’m sorry for. Well, I mean I’m sorry for that too, but mainly I want to apologize for afterwards. I shouldn’t have yelled, shouldn’t have told you to leave. I won’t push you away again, Sydney. I’ve missed you like crazy this past week.”

  Her smile blossomed, a full-blown beauty that lit her entire face. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

  She turned her attention back to the road, and then fiddled with the radio. She stopped when she found the Zac Brown Band and started singing along to “Knee Deep”. He let the upbeat music and Sydney’s infectious happiness soak in and soothe all his dark places. For the first time in a long time, he felt as if he were turning a corner.

  He rolled down his window and let the fresh warm air wash over him, his toe tapping in time with the music. For a moment, he was taken back to high school, the two of them riding around with no particular aim, just happy to listen to the music, feel the wind in their faces and be together.

  He was surprised when Sydney took the turn to her house.

  “Thought this was a picnic.”

  She grinned. “It is.” She pulled into her own driveway and turned off the car.

  Chas looked at her suspiciously, then lifted the lid to the picnic basket. “It’s empty.”

  “The food is in there.” She pointed to her house.

  “Why do I get the feeling you’re trying to lure me into your house, Miss Sparks?”

  Sydney feigned shocked innocence. “What? I have no idea what you could be talking about.” She pulled the keys from the ignition and dropped them down her bra. “Should we go inside?”

  Chas laughed. “If I decide I want to escape, do you really think I won’t go for them?”

  She gave him a flirty wink. “I’m hoping you will. Because the only way you’re getting my car key is if you take it yourself.”

  His eyes drifted to her blouse, but it certainly wasn’t a car key he was looking for. Sydney had worn a tight t-shirt that was cut just low enough to display a mouthwatering amount of cleavage. Clearly she wasn’t above using the girls to get what she wanted.

  And—hallelujah—it appeared she still wanted him.

  Sydney got out of the car and walked into her house. Chas couldn’t help but notice her relieved look when she turned and found him following. Did she really think he didn’t want this?

  He glanced at her empty dining room table as they walked inside, his grin growing. “Picnic in the kitchen?”

  She shook her head and continued on toward her bedroom. “Nope. Back here.”

  “Dammit, Sydney.” He loved where she was headed, but he really wanted to talk to her first. They had a lot to discuss, resolve, set straight. That would be impossible in a room that contained her and a bed. His cock was already thick, erect. It had been since the second he’d climbed the stairs at his house to find her there.

  As they entered her room, he looked around and joked, “No food here either.”

  “Maybe not,” she said with a seductive smile, “but this is still my favorite place to assuage my hunger.”

  He crossed his arms and shook his head, though it was impossible to hide his grin. “You damn Sparkses never act like you’re supposed to. You never do what normal people would do.”

  “Careful, Chas. You and Gran and Julian have been honorary members of the family ever since you started coming to Christmas dinner. That means you’re lumping yourself in with that putdown.”

  “I didn’t mean it as an insult.”

  She laughed loudly. “Oh good. Because I didn’t take it as one.”

  He sighed, his hands falling to his sides in defeat. “I was hoping we could talk first.”

  “I don’t want to talk. We have the rest of our lives to talk.”

  He considered pointing out they had the rest of their lives to have sex too, but he wasn’t an idiot. He’d offered as much resistance as he could muster. So what if it was token at best? He wanted her.

  “Fine. Then I’m just going to say this for now. I called the psychiatrist Tyson suggested. I have an appointment set up.”

  She tilted her head, pleasure suffusing her face. “I’m glad.”

  “Take off your clothes, Sydney.”

  Her hands went to the button on her jean shorts and without hesitation, her clothing began to fall away. They laughed when she removed her bra and her keys jangled to the floor.

  He made no effort to join her. He wasn’t going to miss one second of this show. Besides, if his pants came off, it was game over. It had been a long fucking week.

  But he still had something to make up to her. If she wouldn’t let him do it with words, he would do it with his hands…and lips…and tongue.

  “Lay down on the middle of the bed. Hands above your head.”

  Sydney licked her lips as she complied. She was made for him. As she climbed onto the bed, he went to her dresser and opened the top drawer. He’d been in her bedroom enough to know where she kept her things. The drawer yielded exactly what he wanted. Tugging four scarves from the piles—Sydney owned an ungodly number of scarves—he approached the bed.

  “Chas.” She spoke his name softly, a plea in her voice. But not for him to stop…it was an invitation. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, drawing his attention to her full breasts, her hard nipples betraying her arousal. She started to press her legs together, but he gripped her ankle.

  “No. Wait for me.” He didn’t release her ankle. Instead he tied it to the corner post of her bed. Then he secured her other ankle to the opposite post, leaving her spread eagle, open. “I think I promised to tie you up.”

  Her breathing came even more rapidly and she started to lower her hands. He narrowed his eyes, shaking his head in warning, and she placed them over her head once more.

  “I don’t think I can take too much foreplay,” she admitted, her grin rueful. “I swear to God, I feel like I’m going to explode already.”

  He chuckled. She never held back her feelings in bed, but her confession didn’t help her. It only made him want to push her higher, further than she’d ever gone before.

  Chas walked to the side of the bed and secured her wrists to the posts, same as he’d done to her ankles. She was stretched out on the mattress, a goddess, his to claim.

  “You’re not going to play nice, are you?” she asked when he returned to the foot of the bed.

  He gave her a wicked grin. “Of course I am.” He climbed onto the mattress, kneeling between her outstretched thighs. “I’m going to play very, very nice.” Leaning over, he caged her beneath him, kissing her softly at first. When he felt her begin to relax, he nipped her lower lip. She jerked, her closed eyes flying open.

  He captured her gaze, held it for just a moment, and then he kissed her once more. This time, he took her mouth hungrily, his tongue delving into hers, tasting…chocolate?

  “You’re sweet. Delicious.”


  She sighed. “Hot chocolate.”

  Sydney had a sweet tooth. “I should have known.”

  He gave her one more quick buss, then his lips traveled along her cheek, her jaw, before drifting lower. He took his time, exploring all the soft, hidden hot spots around her neck, below her ear. He soaked in her quiet moans and sighs.

  Once again, he let her lose herself in the moment, her body becoming pliant beneath him, before he yanked her back to the present. He closed his lips around one of her nipples, sucking softly, then building the pressure until Sydney cried out, her back arching.

  She didn’t close her eyes again. Instead her gaze locked on his face, watching every move he made, trying to steel herself for whatever surprises lay in store. He made sure to keep her on her toes. Licking a long line between the valley of her breasts, he turned his head to her other nipple. He didn’t suck on this one; rather, he pressed his teeth into the sensitive flesh, tightening them slowly as if he were attaching a vise. He waited for the telltale sound—her loud cry—that told him he’d hit the mark. Sydney didn’t disappoint.

  “Oh my God.” Her voice was breathless, but she was nowhere near the place he wanted to take her.

  He spent several minutes playing with her breast, using his hands, lips and teeth to tantalize, tease, even to provoke tiny pricks of pleasurable pain. She responded to the soft touches with sweet sighs; the rougher ones were met with louder cries and hungry pleas for more.

  Chas’ cock pulsed, too full, too ready. He’d been smart to keep it confined in his pants.

  When Sydney began to writhe beneath him, her words a continual litany of please and oh my God and—his personal favorite—if you don’t fuck me now, I’ll kill you, he moved away from her breasts, traveling lower.

  Sydney sucked in a loud breath and held it. She was waiting to see what he would do and—no doubt—hoping for a reprieve. She’d have to keep waiting.

  He lowered his head and sucked her clit into his mouth.

  She reared up. “Yes.”

  She’d shown her hand too soon. She was close. Damn close.

  He released her clit and looked up, waited until her eyes met his.

  “Do that again.” Her voice was strong, demanding, her gaze filled with the perfect combination of rage and desire.

  He shook his head. “No.”

  She swallowed heavily. “Chas—”

  “You don’t give the orders, Sydney. I do. Your job is to obey.”

  “Fuck that! I need to come!”

  He scowled, though he felt far from angry. He was elated, horny, and working overtime for the patience required to tame his wildcat. “I know what you need, but you’ll get it when I give it to you. And not a second before.”

  She opened her mouth to continue to berate him, but he cut her off with a stern look. “Say another word and I’ll leave the room. Leave you tied up in here alone to cool your heels.”

  He watched an internal battle wage behind her beautiful brown eyes. She wasn’t a woman who would be easily commanded. In fact, he’d never try to assert this kind of power over her outside the bedroom. She’d emasculate him.

  But here…she wanted it. Hell, she needed it. Badly. Even if it was hard for her to accept.

  She remained silent, so he rewarded her restraint. “Good girl,” he murmured as he stroked her clit with his tongue. Just like that, she was on fire once more. Unable to resist adding more fuel to the blaze, he pressed two fingers inside her pussy. Her inner muscles clenched down on them tightly. She was so wet, so fucking hot.

  Chas forced a deep breath through his nose, hoping to calm his own overwrought needs. Unfortunately, the air was filled with the sweet scent of her arousal and it worked against him. He never had trouble remaining in control of his body before Sydney. He’d prided himself on his ability to play with his lovers for hours before slaking his own needs. It was impossible with her.

  One touch, one taste, one smell and it was as if she were a Siren leading him to his doom. He was helpless to resist the draw.

  Pressing his lips against her clit once more, he sucked on the distended flesh as he pressed his fingers deep inside her.

  “God,” she cried. “Please.”

  Chas repeated the motion three more times, then he added another finger to her pussy. “Come for me, Sydney.”

  She flew apart beautifully. Her back arched, her eyes closed, her pussy pressing hard against his fingers.

  He let her ride out the storm, then he began the game again. He continued to stroke inside her as he alternated between sucking and biting her clit.

  Her second orgasm came mere minutes behind the first. She trembled, a slight sheen of sweat coating her skin. Little beads of sweat hung on her long chestnut hair.

  Sydney was gasping for air, but still managed to make the request he was helpless to deny. “Make love to me, Chas.”

  He released the scarves at her wrists and ankles as he rose from the bed to undress. She watched him in silence, then lifted her arms to draw him back over her body once he was naked.

  She parted her legs, moaning softly as he pushed his cock to the hilt in one quick thrust.

  He gritted his teeth and fought the instinct to come immediately. “God, Syd. I don’t think this is going to last long.”

  She giggled. “Thank God. If I was a bigger bitch or had even an ounce of control, I’d make you suffer. As it is…” Her words faded away with a gasp when he hit her G-spot with a hard thrust.

  She was just as close as he was. Sydney wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs encircling his waist. The new position allowed him to go deeper, a fact lost on neither of them as they groaned in unison.

  Chas decided to hell with it. He’d make it up to her next time. Moving his hips faster, he thrust over and over, stars flying behind his eyes.

  “Sydney. Jesus. Baby.”

  Mercifully her climax hit a split second before his. His control completely gone. They came together as Chas fell to his elbows, kissing Sydney. Then he pulled back just so he could see her beautiful face.

  She smiled. “I love you too,” she whispered.

  As he fell to his side, Sydney was there, curling into his arms, her cheek pressed against his still rapidly thudding heart. She fell asleep almost instantly, but Chas didn’t dare close his eyes, didn’t give in to the exhaustion trying to tug him into slumber.

  He still lay there, staring at her ceiling, when Sydney stirred an hour later.

  She lifted her head to look at him, her smile fading when she looked at his face. “You didn’t sleep.”

  He shook his head even though her words weren’t a question. “No.”

  She didn’t ask why. She didn’t have to. Sydney knew him inside and out. A lifetime of friendship had allowed them both time to build an arsenal of knowledge about each other.

  She licked her lips nervously, then asked the question she’d asked so many times before. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  He understood her hesitance, her fear. He’d always rejected this offer, driving a wedge between them. Chas couldn’t do that anymore. Not if he hoped to keep Sydney in his life.

  “Yeah. I do.”

  She seemed surprised by the request. And pleased. She pushed herself up to a seated position. Chas followed suit, propping a pillow against the headboard to lean against it. Once he was settled, he drew her closer, feeling the need to have her in his arms.

  Then he told her all of it. Sharing everything and holding back nothing. He told her about Scott and Jeremy, the way the three of them had met in boot camp and become inseparable.

  And while he’d previously shared a bit about the day they’d died, this time he held nothing back, sharing the sheer terror he felt, the devastation afterwards when he realized they were really gone. He tightened his embrace when Sydney cried on his shoulder and he didn’t bother to hide his own tears from her.

  Then he talked about the little girl and her mother and the child soldiers. He shared every pain
, all the anger and fear. It all came out in a rush of words and tears. Through it all, Sydney held on.

  As the words ran out, so did his energy, and he drifted to sleep, unable to stop it from taking him.

  He was home now. He’d wanted to protect Sydney, but it turned out he was the one who needed safety, security. And he’d found it at last.

  In her arms.

  ***

  When he awoke, Sydney was lying next to him, still holding him tightly, her gaze on his face.

  Chas was surprised to glance at the clock and discover hours had passed. He hadn’t slept so deeply, so peacefully in years.

  “You were out cold. Put a mirror under your nose a few times to make sure you were still breathing.” He appreciated the humor in Sydney’s tone. After the heaviness of the past few hours, he loved how she always found a way to drag him back into something lighthearted, fun. “Feel better?”

  He nodded. He felt great. Amazing. “Yeah. I do.”

  “Shower?” Sydney asked.

  He shook his head. “How would you feel about taking that picnic down to the lake? I sort of like the idea of skinny-dipping with you. It’s one of the things we never did when we were in high school.”

  “I love that idea.” Sydney hopped out of bed and started rifling through her drawers, then pulling on her bathing suit. She seemed surprised once she’d put it on to find him still lying on the bed.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Enjoying the show.”

  “You realize that just gives me a head start to the lake. Race you!” she yelled as she sprinted for the bedroom door.

  Chas laughed as he hopped out of bed and reached for his shorts. He was jumping around on one leg trying to put them on hurriedly when he called out to her, “Wait for me!”

  She stopped and turned at his request, grinning wildly at his none-too-sophisticated attempts to tug on his shorts while rushing toward her.

  She put her hand out when he reached her and he took it, allowing her to pull him close enough that she could reach up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

  “Always,” she whispered.

  Sparks Fly: Excerpt