Deceived: Devon Brothers, #2, page 10
“Why?”
“Because it was expected of me to be affluent. I’d gotten the ivy league degrees and landed the impressive job, I just didn’t feel I had anything to show for it.”
“How could you think that?”
Sawyer shook his head, seemingly a bit angry at himself..
“The sightline in my circle is very narrow. Everything is based on your net worth and your agenda.”
“But your brother doesn’t feel like that, does he?” she asked, genuinely concerned.
“Not at all, then again, this wasn’t the life he signed up for. The farm was always his future. And just like he knew that was his path, I knew this would be mine. I never wanted to work on the farm, never felt like I was myself there.”
“But I mean to go from that to this?” she asked. “Kind of a wide swing don’t you think?”
“Not really. We all went to prep school. Cade was just the only one that strayed out of that lane. Parker and I were the ones that stayed where my parents planted us.”
“I can’t think your father or mother would have foreseen this though, do you?”
“My parents wanted us to thrive. They knew my head was made for business and so they paid for the best business schools. Just like they knew Parker was the creative one and sent him to the best art school.”
Avalynn raised her brows at that.
“I didn’t know he went to art school. What was his field of study?” she asked.
“No idea, he bounced around quite a bit. Along with being creative, he’s definitely ADHD. He could never stay on one path long enough to know if he liked it.”
“And he graduated?”
“He did, eventually,” Sawyer said with a chuckle. “I think he got a degree in digital media.”
“And what’s he doing now?” she asked.
That made Sawyer laugh, and he stepped down off the stool and headed to the living room where he sat and patted the cushion next to him with a grin. Avalynn grinned and followed along, sitting next to him on the massive couch. It was definitely much more comfortable than it looked.
“Parker is.... Parker. Last I heard he was DJing at some club in Aspen.”
Avalynn gawked at that.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. He told me he does some art on the side, making event posters and stuff like that. Kind of a waste of a perfectly good degree, but who am I to judge, right?”
“And he makes money doing that?”
“Quite a bit from what he says, though I don’t know how much of that’s true. He inherited just as much as I did, and I know he burned through a chunk of it trying to impress his friends.”
Avalynn smirked and gave him a pointed look before she looked around the room and Sawyer smirked.
“Yes, some of this was to impress people, colleagues mostly, but I saw it as an investment as well. I paid a huge amount of money for this place because it’s rare that a property like this ever comes on the market. So when it’s time for me to sell and eventually I will, it’ll be worth double or more.”
“Nice,” she said with a nod. “But impressing your colleagues? What’s the point of that?”
And Sawyer shrugged again.
“It’s a thing. It’s all about the impression. I don’t hold much importance in the practice, but I have to play the game.”
“For not holding much importance in it, you sure did spend a lot of money to fit in.”
“Well, you got me there,” he said, nudging her knee with his.
“And what do you hope to get out of it?” she asked, genuinely curious.
“What do you mean?”
“You spent all this money to play along and impress people, to what end? What do you hope to get out of it?”
He opened his mouth to speak and then pressed his lips together tightly, his eyes searching hers.
“For someone without an ivy league education, you certainly know how to get to the heart of things, don’t you?”
“It’s common sense, really. I mean, for me, my only goal is to be self-sufficient and happy. They kind of go hand in hand. I’ve never really had any lofty goals because I guess it was never expected of me... not that I would ever comply with that kind of pressure.”
“Then you’re one of the lucky ones. I’ve had expectations on my shoulders since I could walk.”
“I don’t know if I’d call being abandoned at 17 lucky. Fortuitous maybe, but not lucky.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I mean, that whole grass is greener bit holds a good bit of truth.”
“To some extent, yes. I mean, to live like you do... I can’t even imagine it. What I wouldn’t give to have just one month when I’m not counting pennies but being where I am affords me a whole lot too, so I can’t complain.”
“Is it really that bad for you, that you’re living paycheck to paycheck?” he asked. This time he was the one who reached out but instead of placing a hand on her knee, he set his warm hand over hers and something about the feel of it made her relax in a way that was completely foreign to her. The comfort and care she felt at that moment were almost overwhelming and for no apparent reason, the question brought tears to her eyes.
“Yeah,” she said with a sniff, trying to nonchalantly brush them away, but he noticed in an instant and moved closer, taking her hand in his.
“Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you,” he said, wiping the tears from her cheek with his thumb.
“No, it’s ok, I guess I’m just embarrassed to have to admit that.”
“But you shouldn’t be,” he said, squeezing her hand and wiping another tear away. “I’m the one who should be embarrassed, bringing you here trying to impress you.”
Avalynn blinked at that, the feel of his hand on her cheek making something shudder inside her.
“Why on earth would you want to impress me?” she asked, almost choking on a laugh. It was preposterous to even think he would do that, but then he gave her hand another squeeze.
“Because I’m impressed by you. And I’m intrigued by you,” he said and for a moment he bowed his head before offering a soft chuckle. “And I’m surprised I didn’t see this in you all those years ago.”
What the hell was he talking about? Impressed by her? For what reason?
“See what in me?” she asked with a nervous tremor in her voice.
His eyes searched hers again, but this time they seemed to look beyond her soul and into her deepest thoughts. Into the places where she’d locked away her secret thoughts of him. All her teenage dreams of being swept away by the handsome Devon brother who always smiled at her at the restaurant. The one she’d flirted with all these years knowing nothing would ever come of it.
“See that you’re special and so beautiful,” he said, giving her hand another squeeze, but this time he shifted and without warning, the hand at her cheek cupped her face and when Sawyer pulled her close, her world stopped spinning on its axis for a moment.
His lips were so warm and so soft against hers that it stopped her heart for a moment as she luxuriated in the feel of them. The taste of them. His kiss was gentle yet explorative, but not intrusive. Unlike so many men that she’d kissed in her life, he didn’t go in for the kill, coming aggressively out of the gate to devour her. It was as if he was savoring the taste of her just as she was savoring him. And she rejoiced in it.
Without thought, her free hand went to his neck, and she opened to him, welcoming him to take more because, who was she fooling, this was a dream come true. And in this simple gesture, he stepped in and coaxed the soul from her body with a kiss so deep she couldn’t breathe, and she was happy to die for it.
Pulling her body into his, the hand at her cheek dove into her hair, sending a wave of chills through her that made her gasp against his mouth. And when his tongue swept in, she was gone. Falling off that proverbial abyss of bliss. And with each pass, she felt herself become needier, more aggressive. In the back of her mind, this was a once-in-a-lifetime moment, and she was going to take all she could so she would have years of memories to sustain her lonely nights.
She pressed into him, her other hand going to the thick waves of his hair and she deepened the kiss until he gave in to her and fell back onto the couch. Now straddling this man who was so willing beneath her, it was not difficult to realize what he wanted. Feeling the hard evidence of him swelling against her in just the right spot, she couldn’t contain her need and she began to grind against him and Christ, did it feel wondrous. He ground against her in turn, his hands now diving beneath the fabric of her shirt playing against the hot skin of her back. His fingers began a slow, soothing massage of her skin, making their way beneath the confining elastic of her bra, smoothing over the creased skin and she sighed against him as his tongue explored deeper into her mouth, coaxing a soft moan from her.
She felt the giddiness in her stomach, the flutter of excitement that began stirring the heat rising in her core, the tingle of it spreading into her clit. It was then that his mouth began a slow, determined path down her neck, nipping and kissing as he moved. His hands had made their way to her sides and in one movement, he’d lifted them and in turn her shirt, up and over her head, tossing it onto the floor. His movements never stopped though. No, he was definitely a master here, knowing his mind and his path. His fingers played over the lace of her bra and easily released the front clasp, freeing her breasts which now hovered in the perfect range of his mouth. And she was a woman that knew what she wanted as well, so she leaned into him, grinding hard against him as he took one taut nipple into his mouth, and he suckled as hard as she ground into him. The moan that escaped her lips was a mixture of pain and pleasure, one of a release that was too long in the making.
And they seemed to be of the same mind now, their movements mimicking one another and before she knew what was happening, he had turned the tables on her, rolling her onto her back as he frantically removed her jeans. And before she could catch her breath, the feel of his mouth on her already swollen clit had her exploding and crying out, clenching the fabric of the expensive couch beneath her.
His tongue was relentless and there was nothing she could do to stop the sweet torture he was subjecting her to. She’d already lost count of her orgasms, and while she was writhing mindlessly beneath him he’d managed to keep his wits about him somehow, don a condom, and drive himself into her without ceremony.
Had this been any other moment, she would want to be in her right mind so she could savor and enjoy what he was doing to her body, but as it was, he’d already begun thrusting roughly into her, pulling another orgasm from her dry, panting lips before he cried out something gibberish and collapsed half onto her and half onto the back of the couch.
Moments later as her heart slowed to a semi-normal rhythm, he exhaled and wiped the sweat from his face, looking down at her with a look of both satiation and astonishment.
“Holy shit,” he gasped.
Avalynn did her best not to look bewildered, but her mind was still floating on some other realm.
“You could say that again,” she chuckled weakly. He chuckled as well and she could feel him twitching inside her, which made her giggle. Shaking his head, he leaned back and slowly pulled out of her, being careful not to lose the condom before he excused himself and headed into his room to clean up. Not knowing what to do, Avalynn sat up and searched for her clothing. She pulled on her shirt, forgoing her bra, and stood to stretch out her sore body. It felt good to feel this way. Again, it had been too long.
Avalynn heard the water running in the other room and went to see if she could clean up as well. She found Sawyer at his sink with a washcloth cleaning up his own mess.
“I was going to bring you a wet cloth,” he said. “If you want a shower, you can do that too.”
She looked over at what he pointed to as the shower, and she raised her brows. It was a huge area surrounded by glass walls and she counted no fewer than six shower heads. The entire space was tiled with a beautiful swirly brown marble that looked like melted caramel, and there were seats at each end built into the walls.
“That’s your shower?” she asked.
“It’s a sauna too,” he smirked.
“It’s bigger than my house.”
“Yeah,” he offered sheepishly, gave her an innocent look, then grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the shower. He guided her inside, removed her shirt, and tossed it onto the floor before closing the large glass door.
On the far wall was some kind of digital console and he keyed in something before he turned to her with a grin. And it was hard for her to take everything in. She was standing there, in Sawyer Devon’s huge shower, while he stood in all his gloriously spectacular nakedness in front of her. It was nearly too much for her to fathom.
As he stepped toward her, the ceiling opened up into a soft, warm rainfall all around them and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. Avalynn sighed at the feel of the soft water and the heat of his body mixing against her. It was surreal and she didn’t want it to end. Her hands moved up his chest, splaying against the lean muscle there as his tongue moved from her mouth to her breast. She felt limp against him, helpless, but his strong arms held tight and pulled her into him as his mouth took what it needed from her. He licked and nipped at one nipple and then the other, his teeth playing at the hardness it coaxed out of her until she was gasping again, begging for more, and she knew what he wanted because she felt his cock hardening against her.
Without hesitation, she slid her hand down and her wet fingers grasped the long, hard length of him, making him gasp as he suckled her, but she wanted more of him, much more than she’d already had and so she dropped to her knees, took him in both hands and slowly took him into the awaiting wet heat of her mouth.
His hands were in her hair then, gripping her tightly as he choked against the water pouring down on him, sputtering as she swirled her tongue on his swollen head. He tasted even better than he looked, like warm vanilla, smooth and silky. She licked the length of him and felt his legs tremble as she took him deep into her mouth once more and sucked hard. The power she felt while she coaxed loud moans from him was heady and she quickened her pace, licking and sucking until he was nearly stumbling, taking a seat on the bench so she could continue.
Looking up at him while he was in her mouth was just as heady and his eyes seared into her, the hunger there more than evident. He was panting now, his hips pushing his cock deeper into her mouth and she knew he was close. Her fingers were working him while her mouth took him in, but she couldn’t stand it anymore. She needed a release just as much as he did, and so she stood, put a leg up next to him and impaled herself up to his balls.
His eyes opened wide then and he cried out on a gasp as she pumped and ground against him.
“It’s OK,” she said as she kissed him, “I’ve been tested and I’m on the shot.”
And those were the words he needed to hear because he picked her up by her waist and helped her fully straddle him and he began maneuvering her against him until they were both crying out.
She didn’t want it to end. She held onto the peak of that orgasm for as long as she could, but he felt so good so deep inside her. So hot and slick. There was nothing she could do to hold back the torrent.
Coming one last time, she gripped onto his shoulders as his fingers dug into her ass and he pumped into her one last time before he shuddered and moaned, licking her nipple, and kissing it before holding his cheek there.
“Holy shit,” he said for the second time that day.
But she couldn’t answer him. With her insides throbbing and her clit still twitching, she wanted to relish the remnants of this bliss before it was gone.
Chapter Twelve
The shock of what happened, along with the thrill of the experience made Sawyer’s head spin. He hadn't meant for it to happen, hadn’t planned for it, but was more than pleased that it had. And to find that Avalynn, of all women, was the one to set him off balance.
And how could she not? He’d known her for years. Known her to be fun, exuberant, and full of life. And even now, after learning her history and how horrible things must have been for her, she still offered a smile and a friendly word to him no matter her situation. His respect and adoration for her had just grown threefold. She was the type of person that was an inspiration. She made him want to get off his ass and do things because she had for much less.
He watched as she finished dressing and ran a hand over her face as she checked herself in the mirror. She was stunning. Even with her sex-mussed hair and disheveled clothing, she looked like she stepped off the cover of some French magazine. He’d always known her to be pretty, but now it was as if a veil lifted, and her beauty radiated from every pore. It was breathtaking. He’d never seen anything like it.
“There’s a brush in the drawer if you need one,” Sawyer said offhand as he pulled up his pants and straightened his shirt.
“Nah, I’m good,” she said, shaking her hair through her fingers and turning to give him a smile that knocked the wind out of him.
“We should probably get going if we want to enjoy dinner at the farm. No telling how much would be left once Cade is set loose,” Sawyer offered, and she giggled at that.
“What was it like growing up with all those men in the house? Did you guys fight over food?” she asked as she followed him out into the living room and into the foyer where he hit the button for the elevator. The car arrived quickly, and he held an arm out for her to enter in front of him.
“Not usually. My mother would have smacked us upside the head if we acted like that at dinner. Besides the fact that she made great meals, and always laid out a ton of food so there was really no reason to fight over it.”
She gave him a nod, but her smile faded a bit. He could only imagine the thought of heaps of food on a table left little for her to be fond of given the fact that she was fending for herself when she was that age. It made him sick for a moment thinking about it.
