Chapter 13
Sydney
I woke up in Owen’s bed, exhausted, but warm and relaxed. Sunlight was filling the room, and through the cracked open window I felt light breeze. Seagulls were screaming over crashing waves, and for a brief moment I forgot where I was, expecting to find myself in a hotel room of some resort.
Reality was much better. Owen’s master bedroom was the biggest I had ever seen, with more paintings on its walls and odd sculptures in the corners. There was a huge flat screen TV on the wall with tall speakers on either side of it. The bed itself seemed to be as big as my room back home!
How in the hell did I get so lucky?
I turned, and saw Owen still asleep, his body half-covered by a bedsheet. I considered sneaking downstairs, because I was thirsty, and letting him sleep a little longer, but the sight of his body turned me on. I would die of thirst before leaving his naked body in bed without getting some first.
I put my hand under the sheet and gently grabbed his cock. I felt it twitch in response. He opened one eye and yawned groggily.
“Ready to go this morning, are we?”
“Only if you are.”
“Baby, I’m always ready.”
He was right, his cock was already hardening in my hand. I climbed on top of him, still kissing his face, and he slipped into me. Deep and strong. I moaned and bit my lip. He held me tight, one hand on my ass, the other wrapped around my back. I felt his fingers squeezing my skin, and I loved it.
I moved back and forth, not getting enough. I wanted it deeper, longer.
Finally, we rolled over, and he was on top of me, moving inside me, his lips on my neck. I dug into his back, scratching it, moving together with him, watching him sweat, my body tense and pulsing. I held onto his biceps, as he went slower and deeper with each thrust, making me feel every inch of his cock.
Fuck he was huge!
It felt so good.
He slowed down and leaned in to kiss my neck. His stubble tickled me, in the best way possible. His hand was on my breast, playing with my nipple. I wanted more. I held onto his neck as he kissed my chest, and my breasts. He reached down then, his strong hand sliding down my belly.
His fingers found my clit and began rubbing it gently, up and down. He certainly knew what he was doing. I moaned from pleasure and moved with him, feeling him thrusting with passion and force, and his fingers were getting me closer and closer to sweet climax.
I came first, almost screaming, my body shuddering, as he kept fucking me, harder, making me come again.
“I want your cum…” I whispered into his ear.
He didn’t reply, he only slowed down a little.
I pushed him back, and reached down. I took his cock in my hand, and stroked it, watching Owen close his eyes. His hands were holding my legs up, fingers squeezing my thighs. My hand moved back and forth, until he came on my breasts.
“Fuck Sydney!”
His body shuddered the way mine had just moments before. He grunted and leaned forward. I took his face and kissed it, my other hand still stroking his cock.
“You get what you paid for,” I whispered against his lips.
He took a shower, alone this time while I laid in bed listening to the ocean’s sounds.
“I’m making you breakfast,” he said, with just a towel wrapped around his hips.
“Sounds good to me.”
I threw on my bathrobe, and joined him in the kitchen, where he was making pancakes. I climbed onto a chair at the counter and watched him.
“We’re out of whipped cream, but there’s plenty of maple syrup,” he said. “And we have some raspberries left over from yesterday.”
“I love pancakes,” I replied.
Now that I’d come down from my high, I started thinking. The past day had been so surreal, I couldn’t believe any of this had really been happening. Things were moving fast. Too fast. It was one of the reasons Owen attracted me so much – the way he got what he wanted, no matter how crazy or ridiculous it sounded. And it was exactly the thing that scared me. Was he honest with me?
Did he really like me, or was I just another peak for him to climb? Another conquest to chat about with his buddies? I had met men like that, who had been with me for the bragging rights.
Owen was totally one of those guys and if I wasn’t careful, I’d just be another notch on his bedpost. But this was business, wasn’t it?
The connection between us felt real.
Too real.
Besides, I had to remind myself that I was there for Declan. I was on a mission! Or had been, before the plane.
The island.
All the sex.
I was falling for Owen, and that made me feel terrible. What right did I have to have all this, when my brother was back home, sick and alone? I didn’t deserve this!
“Are you okay?” Owen asked. “I thought you said you loved pancakes, but I can make something else.”
“No, of course not. You’re wonderful. Too good, in fact.” I looked aside, trying my best not to break down, not to show him my weakness.
He sat the pan aside and walked around the counter and stood next to me, a little too close. I could feel the warmth of his body. Just one tug at that towel and he’d be naked.
I could have him right here in the kitchen if I wanted.
He put a hand on my face and made me look at him. My eyes were wet.
I was being ridiculous.
“What is it?” he asked, concerned.
I couldn’t keep it together any longer. I hugged him and hid my face in his chest, tears streaming down my face. It felt good to finally let go, to finally relax. Crying helped. It’d been so long since I had broken down like that.
I had to be strong.
For Declan.
And before him, for Mom.
“It’ll be fine,” he said, putting my arms around me and stroking my hair. “Don’t worry, Sydney, I got you.”
I cried for a few minutes, until my throat was hurting and tears would no longer come. I was embarrassed at first, but he was so good, so caring, that I forgot all about it and just let myself be vulnerable.
When I finally caught my breath and wiped my eyes, I said, “Thank you. I needed that, apparently more than I realized.”
He nodded once. “Tell me, what’s going on? I’ll do whatever I can to make you not want to cry like that again Sydney, just let me help.”
I was silent for a long moment, deciding whether or not I could make this last small leap of faith in him. I had only known him a day.
But I had to tell him the truth. It helped that we were on an island, I realized. Owen had said there was no one around in a mile radius, so nobody was watching. No one would know my secrets.
No one but Owen.
After a few more minutes of doubt, I said, “It’s my brother, Declan.”
“Is he alright?”
“No.” I tried to force on a smile, and couldn’t. It pained me to speak about it, as if suddenly Declan’s illness was becoming more real than it was.
Owen was motionless, frowning, waiting patiently for me to speak, before asking any more questions.
I took my time.
“It’s cancer, of all things. Kind of cliché, I know, but…” I shrugged. The tears were clouding my vision again. “I don’t know what to do. I shouldn’t be here. I thought… I thought I was doing this for him. I thought I was on a mission for my brother! But it just feels like I’m doing this for myself. Like I’m taking a vacation from him. I’m being so ridiculous.”
“No, no, you’re not.” He was dead serious, as if the news hit him just as hard as it had hit me when I first heard it. “I think you are very brave, and selfless. It takes balls to do what you did, Sydney. If I knew from the start, I wouldn’t have made you come here. I’m sorry.” He kissed her.
“Don’t be,” I said. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”
“Neither have you.” I looked out the windows, at the beach in the distance, thinking. He said, “Do you want to go back to Chicago?”
“No. That’s the problem.”
“I see. I have another idea, and I’m not sure how you will take it, so… Either way. I really enjoyed our time together. I know it was short, but I feel really good when I’m with you, and I don’t just mean the sex.”
“Although that doesn’t hurt, does it?” For the first time, I could smile.
“Hell no it doesn’t. So, what would you say if I offered you to stay here with me for a while longer?”
The idea excited me, which is why it hurt so much to refuse. I was speechless for a moment, then said, “I’d love to, I, really, but I can’t. I have work, and I can’t afford to miss any more days. I have to take care of Declan!”
“I’ll take care of everything baby. I’ll call your work right now and handle it. And don’t worry about Declan. Just stay here, and I’ll take care of it. I have friends at the Mayo Clinic. And let me worry about the bills. It’s not a big deal.”
“What do you get in exchange?”