Trusting Sydney: The Temptation Saga: Book Six (10 page)

Sam raked his fingers through his hair. The taut muscles in his forearm tightened.
Good. Dallas had made him think.

“Without the court involved, I have no way of knowing they’d keep any agreement we made between us.”

“My parents are good people,” Sydney said. “They would keep their word.”

“And just how do I know that? I don’t know your parents. How do I know they’re trustworthy?”

After all, their daughter sure isn’t.
A knife sliced into Sydney’s heart as she heard the words Sam didn’t say.

And it was the truth. She hadn’t been very trustworthy. She hadn’t told him about Rod. And way more importantly, she hadn’t told him about Duke.

Dallas took a sip of his coffee. “This is clearly getting personal between the two of you. I think I should leave.” He stood.

“You don’t have to go,” Sam said.

“Yes, I do,” Dallas said. “You two need to come to some kind of understanding. If you don’t want to do it for yourselves, do it for Duke.” He left.

“Damnit, Sydney!” Sam gripped the edge of the table with both hands.

“What?”

His eyes blazed. “It’s not a crime to want to be a part of my son’s life. Why can’t anyone understand that?”

“It’s not that we don’t understand…”

“What then? What is it?”

She tried to smile. Didn’t quite make it. “We just all love him so much.”

Sam seemed to soften a little. “I know that.” He sighed. “I really do know that, Sydney.”

Reality hit her. He did understand. Just like she understood how he was feeling, how he wanted to be a part of Duke’s life. If only she had handled the situation differently from the beginning. Then he wouldn’t think her untrustworthy now.

She reached forward and covered one of Sam’s hands with her own. His brown gaze shifted to hers

“I’m so sorry,” she said, “about all of this.”

He nodded. “Yeah, me too.” He ungripped the table, moved toward her, and helped her to her feet. “Sydney.” His voice was rough as it cracked.

“Yes?”

“Will you come to bed with me?

She nodded.

H
e picked
her up and carried her to the other bedroom, presumably his, and tossed her on the bed. Fire burned in his eyes. He was going to be rough.

But she was ready for it. She wanted him to take her. Make her his.

He ripped off her clothes quickly and with a vengeance, until she lay nude upon the bed. Sam, still fully clothed, rose and went to the dresser. He returned with two red bandanas.

“Grab the headboard,” he said.

Sydney jerked. “What?”

“Did I stutter? Grab two of the bars on the headboard. Make sure you’re comfortable. You’ll be in this position for a little while.”

The bandanas.
Oh God, he’s going to tie my wrists to the headboard.
Fear rushed through her, accompanied by a strange arousal.

“Sam, I don’t think—”

“I don’t recall asking what you thought. If you don’t want to do this, you can leave.”

“You mean I’m free to go?”

“Of course you’re free to go. I’d never keep you against your will. What kind of man do you think I am?”

Up until now, she thought she’d known. She’d never imagined him tying her up. Had he been a calf roper? She couldn’t remember.

I should go. I should run like the wind out of here.
But a force like the strongest magnet kept her supine on the bed.

“So you’re staying?”

She nodded. She most likely needed her head examined, but she was staying.

“Good.” His voice was husky, stern.

He would not hurt her. She trusted him.

She understood now. He didn’t think she was trustworthy.

He would prove to her that
he
was.

He regarded her, his eyes blazing. He sat down next to her and blindfolded her with one of the bandanas.

She was not expecting that. She thought he’d use them to tie her wrists to the headboard.

The cotton fabric brushed against her skin as he tied first one and then the other wrist to the headboard.

His lips brushed her ear. “Do you trust me?” he whispered.

Warmth flooded her veins. “Yes. I trust you, Sam.”

“Good.” He tightened the fabric around both wrists.

Her body burned. Electricity crackled between them and her veins popped with energy. Excitement overwhelmed her. She was scared, her nerves hopped within her skin, but she was turned on. Oh, so turned on.

She lay still for several minutes, wondering what he was up to. When she thought she could stand it no longer, coldness touched one nipple.

Ice. He was rubbing an ice cube over her nipple.

“Relax, baby,” he said softly. “I won’t hurt you.”

She nodded. “I know.”

“Enjoy the sensations.”

She breathed in, breathed out, willed her body to relax.

The ice on her nipple melted, and droplets of water tickled the flesh of her breasts as they oozed downward. The ice touched her other nipple, and this time the sensation wasn’t so abrupt. It was cold and harsh, yet her nipple hardened and strained upward. She wanted the warmth of his lips to soothe the cold.

But his lips didn’t come. Only the ice melting and drizzling down her breast like the frosting on a hot cinnamon roll.

With both nipples cold and hard, the ice disappeared.

“Oh!”

It had reappeared within in seconds…on her clit.

“Easy, sweetheart,” he soothed. “Hold still.”

Her knees buckled.

“I said hold still.” His voice was stern this time. It left no question that he meant to be obeyed.

She obeyed.

Images of him tying her feet to the foot of the bed swirled through her mind. And her nipples hardened even further at that thought.

The ice cube smoothed back and forth over the folds of her flesh.

“Mmm, it’s melting fast. You’re so hot down here.”

Again, the icy coldness made her long for the heat of his lips, his mouth.

Again, they didn’t come.

She needed to be touched by a human hand, mouth, lips. No more ice. She wanted human contact. Sam contact.

The ice melted into oblivion, and then…ah, yes. His tongue found her. Finally.

He flicked it over her hard bud and she wrapped her legs around his muscular back. His skin was warm and smooth, and though she couldn’t see, she knew it was glowing and beautiful.

“Sam, yes, yes.” Her voice seemed to come from without her. Funny how taking away her vision made her voice seem distant. He continued licking, and then fingers closed around each of her nipples. He was playing with them while he pleasured her.

Holy Christ, it felt good. Not knowing what he’d do next was oddly exciting. Oddly arousing.

His tongue darted in and out of her wetness. When he clamped his lips around her clit, an orgasm burst through her.

Crazy bursts, like fireworks. No build up this time. She was coming, just coming, out of nowhere. And God, it was good.

“Yeah, baby, come for me.” His fingers continued to work her nipples as he soothed her clit with his tongue after her climax. “Come for me again.”

And as though he demanded her obedience with mere words, she burst into flames once more.

Once more he brought her to climax, until she was begging for him to let her go. “Please, Sam, I want to touch you.”

Soon his warm hands fumbled with the bandanas at her wrists. “Oh, thank you.” She breathed. “I need to touch you. Feel you.”

She reached upward when her hands were free, but he was nowhere. “Can I take off the blindfold?”

“No,” his stern voice said. “Turn over.”

“On my belly?”

“Yes. Turn over on your belly and then grab the headboard again.”

Her body thrumming, she did as she was told. He retied her hands as she lay prone on the bed.

“Sydney, you have one beautiful ass.”

“Thank you.”
I think
. What else could she say? He had one fine backside too, but not being visually aware of it at the moment, she didn’t state that fact.

One finger breached her wet channel.

“Ahhh,” she moaned. Perfect.

In and out he stroked her, so slowly she thought she might go mad.

“Pull your knees up under you,” he said.

She obeyed, and he added another finger. This position allowed him to go deeper, stretching and probing, filling an emptiness she hadn’t known existed.

She thought she might come right there.

Again.

“Oh!” Cold again, this time against her secret opening.

No one had ever touched her there. Yet no fear consumed her. She trusted Sam.

It was another ice cube, and as it melted and the tiny rivers of water trickled between her cheeks, tickling her, she sighed. She’d never known this kind of play could be so fulfilling.

If her hands were free, she could reach between her legs and stroke her clit. She’d come for sure.

But her hands weren’t free. Desire to touch herself, to touch Sam, built within her until she thought for sure she’d explode.

“Sam, please! Let me go. I need to…I need…”

“No.” Still stroking her with his fingers, he replaced the ice cube with his tongue.

Ah God, soft warmth
. He licked her there, in that private place, and she was thrilled. Electricity sizzled through her veins. How could this feel so good? So right?

“Mmm.” His voice vibrated against the sensitive skin of her crease. “You’re sweet.”

The feelings coursing through her were entirely new, things she’d never imagined feeling. Images swirled through her mind’s eye, of Sam taking her in her ass. Would he? She didn’t know. Would she let him if he wanted to?

Oh, yes. She would.

“Ah, God!” The fingers of his other hand found her swollen clit. Only a few strokes, and the sparks coursed through her again.

How many orgasms could her body take before it shut down and couldn’t take any more? She had a sneaking suspicion she would find out today.

Swirling images funneled through her mind. She and Sam riding horses together across the sprawling acres of the ranch—she and Sam making love in her hotel room at the Windsor that first night five years ago—kissing and licking Sam’s cock until he exploded against her tongue—a Colorado sunset with Sam, the pink-and-orange clouds forming a heart over the mountains as they held hands, kissed, vowed to love each other forever.

All from being blindfolded, sensory deprived.

“More,” he said to her. “Come for me again.”

“Sam, please, I—”

“Come!” he commanded.

She imploded into the bed, her body sinking downward, floating on the bottom of a lush green sea. She was a mermaid, swinging her tail and laughing at sea creatures as her body moved inward, outward, in and out of itself.

Throbbing, pulsing, convulsing, materializing and dematerializing.

“Sam, please. I have to touch you!”

He thrust his cock into her.

He started slowly, rocking back and forth into her tight channel. In. Out. In. Out.

Oh. My. God.

She wouldn’t come again. She couldn’t. She knew that. But still, he felt so wonderful inside her, filled her, completed her.

“You feel so good on my cock, sweetheart,” he said. “So damn good.”

She moved her hips back and forth as best she cold, trying to take in more of him.

“God, I could do this forever,” he said. “Your body takes mine so perfectly.”

Her head sank farther into the pillow, her eyes clenched shut under the blindfold. How she loved this man.

How she trusted this man.

Trust
.

She needed to find a way for him to trust her.

She needed to be with him, but it would never work unless he trusted her. She’d betrayed his trust twice. Now, as he made love to her while she lay at his mercy, thrusting into her and giving her pleasure, she vowed he would trust her again.

Somehow.

“
I
didn’t know
you were into that kind of sex,” Sydney said, resting her head on Sam’s chest.

“Truthfully, neither did I.” He chuckled. “But I liked it. It was a real turn-on.”

“What made you want to try it today?’

“I wanted to show you that you can trust me.”

She nodded, his skin warm against her cheek. “I trust you, Sam.”

He didn’t say it back, and she didn’t expect it. She’d have to earn that.

She’d find a way. She had to. She loved this man, and she damn well was not going to live without him.

“I want to help you, Sam.”

“With what?”

“Trusting me.”

He sighed. “Sweetheart, I want to trust you more than anything in the world.”

“What if I helped you work it out with Mom and Dad so you could see Duke?’

He sat up, pushing her off his chest. “You still don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what?”

“I don’t want to just see Duke. I want to raise Duke. He’s my son.”

Sydney’s heart sank. Nothing had changed. He was still determined to take Duke from her parents.

“They love him.”

“Of course they love him. They’re his grandparents. I fully expect them to be a part of his life. But your father is not his father. I am.”

“Oh, Sam. Please.”

“Please what? Give up my child? I can’t, Sydney. I can’t.”

“I want you to be part of his life. And so do they.”

“Part of his life isn’t good enough.”

“You heard what Dallas said. The court will consider what’s in the child’s best interests. They won’t uproot him. They’ll probably give you some kind of visitation, but they won’t take him away from the only parents he’s ever known.”

“I don’t care. I have to try.”

“Why? Why can’t we just talk to my parents?”

“Because if I don’t try, I’ll never forgive myself. I’ve always wanted kids, Sydney, and here I find out I actually have one. A beautiful little boy. I love him, Sydney. I loved him as soon as I found out about him, but last night, seeing him lying in that hospital bed, possibly dying, I knew he was mine. My heart cried out for him. I wanted only to protect him. To take away any pain he might ever feel.”

What a wonderful man. He would indeed have made an amazing father. But she had to clue him in on something. “Sam, you can’t take away every pain he might ever feel. No one can. Your parents couldn’t do that for you, could they?”

Sam sighed. “You’re right. They couldn’t. They didn’t.”

“No parent can.”

“But I should be there for him. I love that child. I don’t even know him yet, but I love him.”

Sydney summoned all her emotion, all her love for Sam, and met his gaze. “Then please don’t hurt him.”

He looked away from her, rose, walked out of the room, and then back in. His eyes were wet, and a streak ran down each of his cheeks.

“All right, Sydney,” he said. “Let’s talk to your parents.”

Still naked, she jumped off the bed and ran into his arms. “Thank you, Sam. You won’t regret this, I promise you. You can trust me on that.”

S
am drove
Sydney back to the hotel so she could get over to the grounds and work Sapphire. They had a race the next day. Sam agreed to wait a day or two before talking to her parents. He wanted Duke to get over the virus he had, and he wanted to wait until the DNA test results came in. They could be in as early as this afternoon, though he figured tomorrow was a safer bet.

He worked his horse a little, thinking he might actually compete tomorrow as planned. After all, he’d already missed one competition. His heart wasn’t really in it, though. He had other stuff on his mind. Besides, with the new job he was taking with Zach, he no longer needed purse money.

Then, out of the blue, it hit him—what he wanted to do this afternoon. He went to the main house to talk to Dusty.

“Is Seanie home?”

“Yes, he’s outside having a riding lesson with one of the hands.”

“Good. When will he be done?”

“In a half hour or so. Why?”

“I’d like to spend the afternoon with my nephew.”

“That’s sweet, Sam. I’m sure he’d love it.”

“We could go fishing. Or I could take him up to the rodeo to watch some of the competitions.”

“He’d love that. Why don’t you plan on it? Are you hungry? I can make you a sandwich.”

“Yeah, as a matter of fact.” Sam sat down at the kitchen table.

Dusty grabbed some deli meat out of the fridge. “It’s such good news about Duke. I was really scared.”

Sam nodded. “I was freaked.”

“I was worried that our stupid DNA was going to make his life hard.”

“You know you didn’t need to worry about that. We’ve heard it a hundred times. There’s no indication anywhere that leukemia is hereditary.”

“I know, but first Mom, and then me.” Dusty shook her head as she spread mustard on two slices of bread. “It sure seems to be in our family.”

“Luckily, you are cured. And Duke is clean. Thank God.”

“I shook all last night till we got your call.”

“I know, Dust. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s part of my life. Every time I take Seanie in for a sick visit, I’m scared to death they’re going to say he has the damn thing.”

“Sean is fine. He’ll always be fine. And so will Duke.”

“God, I hope you’re right.” She set the sandwich on a plate and placed it before him.

He smiled. “Of course I’m right.”

“Eat your sandwich. Sean’ll be done soon, and you can have your uncle’s outing.”

Mmm, good old McCray roast beef.
And a date with his nephew. Just what he needed. Some five-year-old boy time.

If he couldn’t lavish his love on his son, he could lavish it on his adorable nephew.

S
ydney ached with exhaustion
. She and Sapphire had had a good workout. She’d gone back to hotel, taken a long hot shower, and decided to check in on Duke.

She walked down the hall and knocked on the door to her parents’ hotel room.

No response.

Had they gone out? Hmm. Duke was surely still not himself. When Sydney had called this morning, her mother said he’d slept well and was doing better, but Sydney had assumed they’d be staying in today.

She called her mother’s cell phone. No answer. Her father’s. No answer. Well, if they were at the rodeo, no doubt they couldn’t hear the phones over all the commotion.

This was good news. Duke was obviously feeling better. Sydney checked her watched. Nearly dinner time. No wonder her tummy was putting up a fuss.

She had a great idea. She’d call Sam and invite him for dinner. They could go to the Blue Bird on Main. Too bad she didn’t have a kitchenette in her hotel room. She’d love to cook for him.

But wait, he had a kitchen in his guest house. Would it be presumptuous to invite herself over to cook him dinner? Heck, they’d shared stuff a lot more intimate that a home-cooked meal this morning in bed.

She dialed his number and her pulse raced when he answered.

“Hi, Sam. It’s me.”

“Hello, Sydney.”

“I was wondering…well, Duke’s doing better and Mom and Dad took him out, so I was thinking… Would you like to have dinner with me?”

“I’m afraid I have company right now,” he said.

“Oh.” Her heart sank. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You’re not interrupting. I was about to cook a great meal of mac and cheese for my nephew. We would love to have you join us.”

“Oh.”
Thank God. He’s not with another woman.
“I don’t want to intrude.”

“Who’s intruding? Sean and I had a fun afternoon riding horses together. And now we’re famished, aren’t we, buddy?”

Childish laughter rang in the background.

“Well, then, I’d love to join you. But I was hoping I could cook you dinner.”

“I’m afraid Seanie has his heart set on Uncle Sam’s famous mac and cheese, but you could make dessert.”

“Perfect,” Sydney said. “I’ll pick up groceries on the way. What would you like?”

“Let’s ask the guest of honor. What would you like for dessert, bud?”

“Something chocolate!”

Sam laughed. “Did you hear that?”

“I sure did. I know just what to make. One of my specialties. I’ll be there in an hour.”

“Mac and cheese should be almost done by then.”

They hung up and Sydney headed to the grocery and purchased ingredients for chocolate mousse. It didn’t take long to make, and it could chill while they ate.

“Oops,” she said out loud. Chocolate mousse had raw eggs in it. Not the best for a five-year-old. Now what? She’d promised chocolate. She grabbed cocoa, eggs, sugar, and a pint of premium vanilla ice cream.

Flourless chocolate torte to the rescue. All she needed was a round cake pan. Hopefully the guest house had one. On second thought, she headed to the housewares section and grabbed a disposable foil pan just in case.

And off to Sam’s.

She found herself humming a lively tune as she drove, looking forward to spending time with Sam and his nephew. It would be almost like—

Almost like she and Sam making dinner for Duke—had she told him and had they decided to raise him together, of course.

She’d made what she thought was the best decision at the time. No use crying over spilled milk.

She arrived to a smiling Sean on the front stoop. He had hair like his mother and light blue eyes. A beautiful little boy, just like her Duke.

“Are you Sydney? Uncle Sam said you were coming.”

“Yes, I am. And you’re Sean. I remember you from your mom and dad’s party.”

“You’re pretty.”

“Why thank you.”

“Come on in.”

“Thank you very much.”

Sean led the way. “She’s here, Uncle Sam, and she’s pretty!”

Sam’s laugher rang from the kitchen. “Yes, she certainly is.”

“Mmm. It smells great in here. The savory aroma of cheddar cheese wafted to her nose.

“It’s almost ready.”

“Okay. I just need about ten minutes to whip up my dessert. It can bake while we eat.”

“Have at it. The kitchen is pretty well-stocked. Sean and I will stay out of your way.”

Sydney put together her flourless torte with ease and got it in the oven. By the time she was done, Sam was spooning out globs of piping hot mac and cheese onto plates.

He poured a glass of milk for Sean and opened a bottle of Gewürztraminer and poured two glasses. He handed one to Sydney. “I hope you like white wine.”

“I like most wine,” she said. “Thank you.”

They sat down and dug in.

“Mmm, this is delicious,” Sydney said.

“My own personal recipe. I’ve been on my own up at the ranch for the last five years. I had to learn to cook. This is actually made with four different cheeses.”

“Let me guess. Cheddar, of course, Monterey jack, parmesan, and…”

“It’s the last one that always tricks people up.”

“Wait a minute, I’ll get it.” She took another bite. “Is it Roquefort?”

“You’re as smart as you are beautiful.” He grinned.

“What’s rockport?” Sean asked.

“It’s just a kind of cheese,” Sam said. “It’s good, isn’t it?”

“Yum,” he said, holding out his plate. “Can I have more?”

“You sure can.”

“I’ll get it, Sam.” Sydney stood. “You want more milk too, honey?”

“Yes, please.”

She rose a few moments later to take her torte from the oven. “This needs to cool for a few minutes. Then we’ll have it hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Does that sound good?” she asked Sean.

“Sounds great!”

She smiled. What a cutie! He was so much like Duke. They were cousins after all. She couldn’t wait for the two of them to get to know each other.

Sean got up to run around and Sydney asked Sam, “Did you hear about the DNA test yet?”

“No. Tomorrow, probably.”

“Well, you and I both know what it’ll say.”

“Yes, but I want to have it in hand before I talk to your parents. I agreed to do this, Sydney, but only if they’re willing to be fair.”

“They’ll be fair,” she said, hoping to God she was right. “They won’t want to put Duke through a lawsuit or anything.”

Sam shook his head. “I don’t want to do that either. I really don’t. I’m just not sure there’s any other way, especially if they won’t cooperate.”

“They’ll cooperate. The only thing is, you’re going to have to meet them halfway.”

“I just wish you’d told me five years ago. Then we wouldn’t have this problem.”

“We’ve been through that, Sam. I made the decision I thought was right at the time.”

“You made a mistake.”

“Yes, I can see now that I did. But that’s all hindsight and retrospect. At the time, I had no idea you’d want to know. I thought I was doing you a favor.”

“Yes, I’ve heard your side of it. We don’t need to go there again.”

She sighed. “Let’s have our dessert. Go on and call Sean in, and I’ll serve it up.”

Sean pronounced the dessert a success, and Sydney laughed as she wiped the chocolate off his cute little face.

“It’s getting about to be your bedtime, bud,” Sam said.

“No, I don’t wanna go.”

“Why doesn’t he spend the night here with you?” Sydney said.

“Now that’s a good idea. Would you like that, partner?”

“Eggs and hash browns in the morning?”

“Of course.”

“Then yeah! Can Sydney stay too?”

Sydney’s cheeks warmed. She’d like nothing better than to spend another night with Sam, but not with his little nephew in the house. It wouldn’t look right.

“Not this time, I’m afraid,” she said. “I need to be getting back to my hotel. I’m competing tomorrow.” She looked at Sam. “Aren’t you competing tomorrow?”

“I’ve decided not to,” he said.

“Really? Why not?”

“I’m moving here as soon as I get things settled at the ranch in Montana.”

“Moving here? Why?”

“Uncle Sam’s gonna live here with us,” Sean said.

“Zach offered me a job as ranch foreman along with a nice ownership interest. I couldn’t turn him down. Plus, I’ll get to see my sis and this little guy a lot more often.” He grabbed Sean and gave him a rough noogie.

Sean laughed, squirming. “Stop that!”