Chapter 6
I’M GOING UPSTAIRS
TEDDY
“Dance with us,” one of them said.
“It’s my bachelorette party, he should dance with me,” said a different woman.
“You’ve got your man—”
“Still single for two weeks.” The bachelorette winked at Teddy. “Not married yet.”
Greystone joined him. “She’s here.”
Teddy craned in all directions. “Are you sure? I haven’t seen her.”
“By the bar, talking to Caroline. Caroline’s Belle from Beauty and the Beast—”
Teddy chuffed out a laugh until his gaze homed in on Sydney. “That’s Sydney?”
“You got yourself a wild one,” Greystone said.
“Come dance with us, Tank,” called out one of the women.
“Sorry, ladies. I’m out.”
Sydney was rocking her skintight Dominatrix outfit, her long, dark hair flowing like a mane. Her four-inch boots had him eyeing her shapely legs in the leather costume, but it was the black mask framing her eyes and the whip in her hand that had him moving in her direction.
Jesus, I’m a goner.
His brother fell in line, said something, but Teddy was completely mesmerized by Sydney.
“Theodore,” Greystone said, snapping Teddy from his trance. “Drink?”
“Uh, sure,” Teddy said. “I’ll have a beer.”
Greystone took off toward the bar while Teddy made his way over to Sydney.
Their eyes locked, and the intensity in her gaze took his breath away. It was as if she was unleashing her energy into him, and a growl rumbled from the depths of his chest.
Stopping inches away, he peered down at her. The pull to touch her was so strong, he placed his hands on her shoulders, leaned down and kissed her cheek, relishing her soft skin and flowery scent. Then, he kissed her other cheek, this time lingering an extra beat.
He was holding back… big time. In truth, he wanted to eat her alive, ravage her until she surrendered to the tsunami of ecstasy, then do it all over again. The effect she was having on him had turned him into a savage beast.
“Jesus,” he murmured. “You look incredible.” His hands were glued to her shoulders. “You can boss me around anytime.”
A smile lifted her bright red lips while desire blazed in her midnight eyes. “I can’t wait.”
The air sizzled with untamed energy, the desire humming through him so fast, he hoped his junk wouldn’t turn to lead.
Easy does it.
“Happy Halloween, Tank,” Caroline said.
When Sydney shifted toward her sister, Teddy removed his hands from her shoulders. Hated separating, so he ran his hand down her back, before removing it altogether.
Damn, she feels good.
“Happy Halloween, Car.” Then, he homed in on her costume. “You’re definitely Belle. Why isn’t Greystone Beast?”
“He is a beast,” she replied as Greystone joined them, handed Caroline a glass of sparkling water, him the bottle of beer.
“Thanks,” Teddy said and raised his glass. “Here’s to a hauntingly good night.”
They all clinked glasses. Teddy chugged down several mouthfuls, letting the chilled drink quench his thirst.
When his gaze found Sydney’s, he knew that only she could quell the demons that lurked within him.
“Let’s dance,” Caroline said as she waggled her finger at Greystone before they vanished into the crowd.
Alone with Sydney—and seventy others—but as far as he was concerned, they might as well be alone.
After Sydney set her wine glass on a nearby table, she stepped close and began loosening his tie. “What happened to your costume?”
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Admiring her beauty up close was something he could get addicted to… and fast.
“Why the suit?” she asked.
“I had a meeting.”
As he soaked up her beauty, nothing but Sydney mattered. Not the White House meeting, nor the terrorists hunting them down. All he cared about was the badass Dominatrix standing inches away.
He snaked his arm around her, pulled her close. “Dance with me.”
She moistened her lower lip with her tongue, and his pulse kicked up. She was sexy and beautiful, but the fire in her gaze reminded him why he was drawn to her all those months ago.
“Lead the way,” she murmured.
He clasped her hand, led her onto the crowded dance floor. He stroked her soft skin with his thumb, then lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it before wrapping his other arm around her and pulling her close. Despite the upbeat tempo, he was not letting her go.
Instead of breaking away from him, she draped her arms over his shoulders and peered up at him. “So, who was your meeting with?”
He couldn’t tell her, though he wondered if she already knew.
As he stared into her eyes, the desire to kiss her rumbled through him like rolling thunder. “I don’t have a fucking clue,” he murmured. “All I see is you, Sydney, and all I want to do is kiss you.”
He waited for her to object, to step away. She pushed onto her toes and whispered, “No one’s stopping you.”
He pressed his lips to hers and his blood rushed through him at a maddening pace while he tightened his hold.
When the kiss ended, she said, “You make my knees go weak.”
“I can help with that,” he said.
A sly smile tugged on her sexy lips… lips he’d kissed, but not tasted.
“I’d be interested in that,” she whispered.
Again, he dipped down, kissed her, desire quickening through him.
“You’ve got the sexiest, rumbliest voice I’ve ever heard,” she rasped out.
As they stared into each other’s eyes, the song ended and a slow song began. With her gaze cemented on his, she kissed him, slipped her tongue into his mouth, and he tasted her for the first time.
And that’s when his engine roared to life. Everything in him rocketed into the stratosphere. He couldn’t hold her close enough, couldn’t stop caressing her back.
Sydney Austin tasted like more.
Their kiss turned him hard as fucking steel, which was not gonna fly in the middle of an ALPHA event, so he slowed them down and ended the make-out sesh. “I’m gonna get arrested for something lewd if we don’t take this down a few notches.”
“Not a risk taker?”
He chuffed out a laugh. “My junk’s about to bust outta my pants, so if that’s how we’re measuring risk, then no, I’ma play this one safe.”
She laughed, then squeezed his ass. “Fine, but it’s Halloween. The crazies are out, the building is being guarded by an entire squadron of SWAT ghouls, and I can feel your weapon against me.”
“Mr. Johnson?”
She laughed as she ran her fingers over the holster, tucked in the front of his pants. “No, your actual weapon.”
He backed away. “Sorry.”
After tugging him close, she ran soft fingers through his hair as she studied his face with unblinking eyes. “It’s one of the most comforting feelings in the world. Mine is in my boot.”
Sexy, alluring, and stunningly beautiful Sydney Austin intrigued the hell out of him. “I look forward to getting to know you, Sydney.”
She shot him a little smile. “I think we got the big stuff covered.”
“Like?”
“I’m hella attracted to you—like the groupies who’ve been stalking you all night—and you’ve been eye-fucking me like a boss—”
He chuffed out a laugh.
“I’m very, very comfortable with guns.” She squeezed his biceps. “The bigger, the better.”
Teddy wasn’t expecting that. He wasn’t expecting any of that.
“Looks like we’ve got a lot on common,” he said, his voice dropping an octave. “I’m crazy attracted to you too.”
“But I gotta tell you… the verdict is still out on the kissing.”
“No good?” he asked.
“I’ma need to kiss you a lot more before I’ll know for sure.”
“Grab the bull and ride him.”
She laughed, then her expanding pupils filled her eyes, and her breath hitched. “For real?”
He tightened his hold. “Yes,” he rasped, the need pulsating through him.
Just as he was about to kiss her again, Greystone and Caroline joined them.
“Hey!” Caroline said. “I was wondering what happened to you two.”
“Grey, who’d you meet with today?” Sydney asked, trying to sound chill.
“Tank and I had lunch with my mom, Evelyn Baker. Why?”
“Did you meet with the President?” Sydney asked.
Greystone glanced from Teddy to Caroline.
“Eyes on me,” Sydney said.
“You’re pretty bossy, you know that?” Teddy pushed back.
Sydney’s face split into a grin. “Yes, I am.”
Damn, she’s got it going on.
“I’m dressed like a boss woman, so I gotta act like one,” Sydney replied. “Look, we’ve got SWAT patrolling outside, and the place is crawling with LEOs. I have some idea what’s going on, and it’s not good.”
She retrieved her glass of wine and Teddy’s beer, handed Teddy his bottle, then tapped her glass against his.
After sipping her wine, she said, “Let’s have fun.
Car, I can tell you and Grey are under a shit-ton of stress, and I’ve only been home twenty-four.
” She regarded Teddy. “I don’t have deets, but I’m guessing this includes you.
Tomorrow, you three can take care of biz like the baddies you are.
But tonight, I’m the boss and I say, let’s get craaay-zeeeee! ”
The song had changed, the fast tempo had the crowd rocking. Sydney started dancing, Caroline too, so he joined in. It took a little coaxing from Caroline, but Greystone started moving.
Sydney might not be BLACK OPS, but she’d homed in on their mental state. For months, they’d been wound tightly.
Time to let loose.
He was going to spend the evening with the beautiful, intriguing woman who’d hijacked his thoughts from the moment he’d set eyes on her. After chugging down a few mouthfuls of beer, he moved closer to Sydney. To his surprise, she started grinding on him pretty good.
Damn woman. You’re gonna give me blue balls.
SYDNEY
Sydney’s panties were soaked. She was gonna get laid, and she could not wait. She was one-hundred-percent sure she was doing the bump-n-grind with the gorgeous blond by her side. Life was complicated. Her job was hella stressful, but it was moments like these where everything became crystal clear.
She had it bad for him. Months earlier, when she didn’t hear from him, she didn’t think he was interested. Turned out, she’d messed up. Miscommunication resolved. Nothing but two consenting adults on a night when it made sense to go all-out wild.