Chapter 53
Payton
I WAS NAKED and waiting, as per the instructions, and my body was primed. God, it was primed. Alex found ways to slip his hand under my skirt that were beyond stealth. The first had been in the kitchen when we were pouring drinks for everyone. We were alone, albeit only hidden from the waist down by the large kitchen island. From behind, he’d run his hand between my thighs and slipped a finger inside me before lightly touching my clit. Then he was gone.
The next time was the classic “under the table” move, where his hand slid up my thigh, his pinky connecting with me before laughing at something my brother said and looping his arm around the back of my chair. There had been several more, but thinking about them just made me crazy. I was forced to keep my expression as impassive as possible, but it grew increasingly harder as the night wore on, and all I wanted to do was get him alone.
I had to go through saying goodnight to everyone, except Brock and Bailey who were staying the night, and then had to muddle through nightcaps and polite conversation.
I turned in as soon as I possibly could, feigning exhaustion, and sequestered myself in my bedroom to get ready for him.
Alex had kissed me at the top of the stairs and ordered, “No touching yourself.”
“Well, don’t make me wait.”
He pulled me closer and slid his hand between my legs, leaning against my ear and whispering, “This is mine tonight. Only I touch it. Get me?”
I swallowed and nodded. He ran his finger through me again and smiled. “Good girl.”
I’d walked woodenly down the basement stairs, checked in on Lily who was sound asleep, and then headed to my room.
And now I waited.
I had to leave my bed and pace a few times otherwise, I was sure I’d whip out my vibrator and take care of myself, but as frustrating as this little game was, it was also sexy as hell and I couldn’t wait for Alex to join me.
I was lying on my bed, the covers partially over me when my door slid open and Alex slipped inside. He closed and locked the door, and I bit my lip. He wore a pair of pajama bottoms and wife–beater that showcased his muscular arms, and he was delicious.
He yanked off his shirt and made his way to the bed. Without a word, he threw the covers off me and settled himself between my legs. “Spread.”
I spread.
And ohmigod, I was so glad I did. What that man could do with his mouth was surely illegal in several countries. I felt my body building and he smiled against me. “Come, but no noise,” he whispered.
I nodded, and he resumed his assault. If you have ever been forced to climax in silence, it is both almost impossible and sexier than anything I’d experienced to date. Okay, being tied to the ceiling of a boat was pretty amazing, but this was a close second. I threw my pillow over my face so that my panting breaths couldn’t be heard.
Alex slipped it away and smiled down at me. “Deep breaths, baby, or you’ll hyperventilate.”
“I don’t know if I can,” I whispered.
He chuckled quietly. “Try.”
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I nodded and did what I could to keep from passing out.
“Good girl,” he said. “You liked that.”
“I loved that,” I corrected.
Alex grinned again, climbing off the bed and removing his pj’s. “All fours, Payton, edge of the mattress.”
Holy crap, yes!
I moved into position and he stood behind me, running a palm down my back. “No noise.”
I nodded and took a deep breath. He slid into me and I dropped my head to the mattress, face to the covers, because not making noise when he was taking me from behind seemed like an impossibility.
He reached his hand between my legs and ran a fingertip over my clit as he surged into me again and again.
“Ohmigod,” I breathed into the bedding.
He slammed into me one more time and I came around him. It took him a few more thrusts to join me, but then we fell onto the bed and I was once again left without breath.
“I’m very proud of you, baby,” he whispered, and slid out of me.
And then he was gone.
Okay, that part sucked. I was all for a naughty game of forbidden sex, but him leaving me right after… hell, no. I still hadn’t fully caught my breath, but I washed up in the bathroom, pulled on a pair of shorts and a cami, and headed to his room. I pushed open the door to find him grinning at me from the edge of his bed.
“I was about to come to you,” he said.
I slid into his arms and squeezed him as hard as I could. “Everything was amazing up until the you leaving me part. That sucked.”
“Yeah, that went a little differently than I expected.” He kissed my temple. “No more leaving.”
“Deal.” I smiled up at him. “I don’t know how I’m going to sleep without you.”
“I’ll come sleep with you for a bit. I’ll set my alarm in case I fall asleep.”
“I doubt anyone will come down here, honey.”
He smiled. “When your mother put us in separate rooms, baby, it sent a message.”
“It’s not like she doesn’t know we’re having sex.”
“But knowing it and knowing it are two different things,” he pointed out.
“Whatever. Come with me fiancé. We’re gonna have a little more fun and then I’m going to fall asleep on you.”
Alex chuckled and followed me to my room.
I woke the next morning to an empty bed, but the smell of Alex still clung to the sheets. I checked my phone and discovered
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it was nine a.m., so I forced myself off the mattress and dressed quickly, before looking for my fiance. I loved saying that. He was my fiancé.
I found him at the kitchen table with Lily and my brother, and he pulled me onto his lap for a kiss. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”
Lily climbed on top of me with a giggle. “Morning, Pay–Mommy.”
I pulled her close, even though her hands were sticky from syrup. “Morning, baby. How did you sleep?”
“Good.” She bobbed her head up and down, and then quickly jumped off my lap so she could go back to the pancakes my mom had made.
“Gotta run somethin‘ by you, babe,” Alex said. “Let’s get coffee.”
He patted my bottom and I climbed off his lap. In the kitchen, I poured coffee and he leaned against the counter. “I’ve got some club business to take care of. Not sure how long I’ll be.”
“It’s Christmas.”
Alex smiled. “Technically it’s not, which means I need to take care of this.”
“Can I keep Lily?”
He laughed. “Yeah, baby, if you want to. It means I don’t have to drive her down to Kayla.”
“Us girls always go shopping today, so I’d love for her to join us.”
“That would be great,” he said. “I’ll leave the car seat.”
“Just text me when you know when you’ll be done. You’re welcome to stay here, obviously, or I can drive down to your place.”
He pulled his wallet out and pulled out a wad of cash… yes, a wad.
I pushed his hand away. “I have money, Alex.”
“Babe, take the money.”
“Nope, I’m good.”
“Payton,” he said, his voice dipped low.
“Alex.” I mimicked his voice. “Put your money back in your wallet. If I want to buy something, I’ll buy it. You pay everything when we’re together anyway. Now it’s my chance to feel like I’m not a kept woman.”
He slid his hand to my neck. “We’ll play that game next time.”
I shivered and smiled up at him. “Can’t wait.”
He leaned down and kissed me quickly and then we walked back to Lily. “Daddy’s gotta go to work, baby girl. Payton’s gonna take you shopping.” “Okay, Daddy.” She hugged him and then went back to her pancakes.
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Chapter 53
“Thought that would go different,” Alex whispered.
I grinned. “I’ll walk you out.”
“Watch her, Payton. She sees something shiny and walks away and you won’t hear her
I rolled my eyes. “Wonder who she gets that from?”
He pulled open the door and smiled.
“You’re not doing anything dangerous are you?” I asked.
“I’m not doin‘ anything I don’t do every week.”
“That doesn’t actually answer my question.”
He leaned down and kissed me. “Love you, babe.”
“Love you too.”
He headed to his truck and, after he handed me the car seat, I raised up on my tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Have a great day at work, honey.”
Alex laughed and took off.
I made my way back to the kitchen to find Bailey sitting at the table with Brock and Lily. “Good morning.” I said.
Bailey smiled sleepily. “Hey. What time are we leaving?”
“I think in about an hour. Anna’s going to be here around eleven.” I sat beside Lily and slid her hair behind an ear. “How were those pancakes?”
“Yummy.”
“Make sure you tell Nana and thank her, okay?”
She grinned. “K.”
“Let’s get you cleaned up and then we’ll get dressed for shopping, sound good?”
Lily nodded her head and pushed away from the table.
“Go ahead and carry your plate into the kitchen and I’ll rinse it off for you.”
She grabbed her plate and I tried not to giggle as she gingerly carried it into the kitchen. Granted, it was kind of a big plate for a little girl, but still, cute as a button.
“Oooh, these are awesome,” I said, and pulled two of the twelve–inch nutcrackers off the shelf. “They’re only seven bucks.”
Anna grinned. “Grab me one, please.”
“And me,” Mom said.
“I only have so many hands,” I said with a laugh. “Lily, can you-” I glanced down and she was gone. “Crap! Where the hell
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did she go?”
I dropped the nutcrackers in the cart and left it where it was. Anna watched the carts while Bailey, me, and Mom were looking for Lily.
I walked down the third aisle to see her talking to a man hunkered down in front of her. I don’t know why, call it my new mom intuition, but I pulled out my cell phone and snapped a photo of him. “Lily!”
“Hi Mommy.”
“Come here, baby,” I said, but the man rose to his feet and laid a hand on her shoulder.
“Lily and I were just getting acquainted, Payton.”
“I believe you have me at a disadvantage.” I held my hand out to Lily. “Come here, Lily.”
“Ow,” she squeaked, and I saw red.
I advanced on him. “You need to let my daughter go.”
“We’re not done.”
“Lily, honey, close your eyes.”
She did and I slammed my palm to his nose, pushing up, not enough to jam his nasal bone into his brain, but hard enough to draw blood.
“Fuck,” he bellowed, but released Lily.
I grabbed her arm gently and pulled her to me.
“There you are,” my mom exclaimed, and I spun to face her.
“Take Lily, Mom. I need to take care of something.”
She frowned, but held her hand out to Lily. “Come with Nana, honey. We’ll go find your aunties.”
Lily rushed to my mom and I pulled out my phone again, video on.
“You fucking bitch,” the man hissed.
“I don’t know who you are, but I will find out and if you ever come near my daughter again, you’ll have to deal with Hawk. No one wants to deal with Hawk, so heed my warning.” I turned and walked away, hoping the people milling around didn’t try to find out why I left a man bleeding from the face in the middle of the aisle.
I fired off the video and photo to both Alex and Brock, and then called Alex.
“Not a good time.”
“Sorry, honey, but I just sent you a photo and a video. That man hurt Lily.”
“What the fuck?” he snapped. “Hold on. Be back, Booker.” There was silence and then I heard a door close. “What happened?”
“I lost her for about a minute and she was talking with that man. He knew her name and mine… Lily could have told him I guess, but I don’t think so.”
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“He hurt her?” he said, carefully, like he was holding back rage,
“He squeezed her shoulder when she tried to come to me. She’s with my mom. I think he scared her more fun anything
“Fuck!”
“She’s okay, honey, but you need to find out who he is.”
“Fuck.”
“Alex, she’s okay. I’ve got her. You’ll see the guy’s face on the video… I took care of him for now. You get to do the follow–up
“I want to talk to her.”
I nodded and went back to the aisle I’d left the carts. Lily was in my mom’s arms, her arms around her neck. She looked a little shaken up, but surprisingly okay.
“Daddy wants to talk to you, baby.”
Mom set her down and she took the phone from me. “Hi, Daddy. I’m okay. Unh–huh. Payton bought ewackers for nuts” She smiled. “Okay.”
Lily handed the phone back to me. “Hi.”
“She’s fine.”
I smiled. “I know.”
Alex sighed. “Thank you, baby. If you hadn’t… well, thank you.”
“You can thank me properly later.”
“Promise.”
“I’ll let you go. I’ve got our girl, honey, so you find out who this bastard is and deal with him.”
“Yeah.”
“Love you.”
“Love you too,” he said, and hung up.
“Payton,” my mom whispered as she pulled me away from Lily, Anna, and Bailey. “What is going on?”
“I don’t know yet, Mom. Alex is going to find out.”
“Did you do that to that man?”
“Yeah, Mom, I did.”
She smiled. “Brock did a good job teaching you how to fight.”
Okay, not the response I expected. I giggled. “Yeah, he did.”
“Should we get Lily home do you think?”
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I shook my head. “No, I don’t want her to get scared, and I think if we run home and hide, it’ll worry her more.”
“Whatever you think, honey.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
We walked back to the group and I noticed Bailey was on her phone. “Lily, can you stay with Nana and Anna for a bit? I want to show auntie Bailey something.”
Lily nodded.
“I mean, it Lily. You stay with Nana. If you run off again without telling an adult, you’re going on time out.”
She wrinkled her nose, but nodded again.
“Mom, we’ll be right back.”
Bailey ended her call and followed me around the corner.
“Was that Brock?” I asked.
“Yeah, he got your texts. I guess he tried to call you, but you must have been on with Alex.”
“I’ll call him back.” I nodded toward her purse. “Do you have your gun with you?”
Bailey grimaced. “Always, but please tell me I’m not going to need it.”
I smiled. “I hope we don’t. But if we do, I’ll take it from you.”
She let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you. I know Brock wants me to carry at all times, but I still get nervous at the shooting range. I can’t imagine pointing it at an actual human being.”
“It’ll get better. I remember being nervous as well.”
“Where’s your gun?” she whispered.
“Locked up tight at home.” I bit my lip. “I haven’t had the ‘I own a gun and know how to use it‘ conversation with Alex yet. Plus, I didn’t think I’d be in a position where I’d need it, especially shopping with my family.”
“Seriously.”
“I’m going to call Brock really quick and then I’ll find you guys.”
Bailey nodded and walked away. I took a minute to fill my brother in on what happened and then rejoined my family.
AD
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