Page 25 of The Lies Always Told (Baker Oaks #4)

“Twenty thousand dollars,” I all but shout, and after some murmurs from the crowd and nobody else outbidding me, she bangs the gavel with finality.

“Sold! Congratulations!”

I smile devilishly, the crowd erupting in a mixture of applause and murmurs.

I feel like a million minutes pass before the music plays, and everyone goes back to what they were doing.

I’m suspended in time, Gus’ searing eyes on me.

Gus steps away from the podium, a graceful pivot, as the lights shift again, and I’m left buzzing with adrenaline. Well, that was insane.

My phone vibrates softly on my lap, and when I look down, I see the text.

DLS: Meet me by the exit.

I’ve been summoned. I grab my paddle, the tiny purse, and the courage I mustered out of nowhere today and walk toward the exit, passing the big mahogany doors with my head held high even if I’m shaking inside.

I look around until I see Gus standing by the concierge in the lobby.

He keeps his eyes on me, searing, dark, and commanding.

I smile at him, a pep in my step that has his eyes roaming my body, stopping briefly where my tattoo rests instead of holding my gaze.

My knees feel like they might wobble at any point, but I know I look damn hot in the dress, so I don’t give him the satisfaction of showing him how his night dark eyes affect me. Two can play this game, Gus. Let’s go.

He opens the door to the baggage storage room, not uttering a word to me or the concierge, who’s suspiciously walking away as he ushers me in and slams the door behind me.

He pushes my back against the door, pinning me in place with his stare, and shows me a wicked smile before he leans in and kisses me.

His lips are on mine, and it doesn’t feel like this is still new.

The way he kisses me definitely doesn’t feel like we were only together for a long weekend.

The way his hands touch my body completely in sync with what I want and what I need feels like he has spent years getting to know me and an eternity away from me.

His tongue is pushing into my mouth, eager and starved.

I moan against his lips, and when his hand comes to my neck, holding me gently, I arch my back to get closer to him and practically whimper as I bite his lower lip.

He lets go, bringing his mouth to my neck, kissing and biting gently.

“You teasing little thing,” he whispers against my ear as I roll my hips against him.

He removes the mask from my face, and I do the same with his.

God, he’s stunning, all hard lines and a perfect jaw, dark intense eyes and the most perfect kissable lips.

“And you fucking love it. Did you miss me, Augusto?” I ask in a sultry tone, pausing deliberately as his name eases off my tongue, smooth like butter but lethal like venom.

He hates it when I call him that, and I want him to fuck me like he hates me right now.

I want him to fuck me like a man possessed. Like I’m his possession.

“Don’t call me that.” He bites with his dark eyes on mine, showing me his lust, want, and need.

“Or what?” I sass back, and his hands tighten around my neck harder. I moan again, and his eyes flare.

“This fucking dress. The fucking sass. The way you’ve been ignoring me for weeks, and now you decide to show up and make that giant display of what, Nellie? Affection? Jealousy? Lust? What was it, because I’m hella confused.”

“All of it, but you forgot possessiveness.”

“Oh yeah, please tell me how you go from not wanting to see me again to showing up here?”

“You really want to have this conversation now when I’m pretty sure my panties are soaked from the thought of you fucking me in this closet? With your rough, perfect hand forming the hottest necklace?” He groans, and I smile. “And let’s not forget your perfect dick pressing against my hip.”

“I’m not taking this further until you answer the questions, Nellie. I’m not.”

“Why? Why can’t you just fuck me? Why does it have to be complicated?”

“Because you’re driving me wild, Nellie. I can’t do anything but think about you. I will go fucking insane if I don’t fuck you right now, but not before you tell me what changed.” He takes his hand away from my neck and brings it to my chin. “Tell me.”

“I’m driving you wild? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because I can be a piece of shit sometimes, and because you scare the hell out of me. Is that enough honesty for you, baby girl?” He pauses, looking at me intensely before adding again, “ You kept me at bay too. So tell me: why now?” His voice is filled with an emotion almost like hurt.

The need. The want. All of it is present in his tone.

“Because I’m done pushing you away, at least for right now.

I thought I could be okay with only a quick getaway, but clearly, I’m not.

If I take this further Nellie, you need to promise me we’ll talk after.

I’m not giving in to momentary lust to be miserable for weeks.

” Jesus, he’s laying it out straight for me, and now, it’s my turn to tell him exactly what I’ve been too afraid to say, what I’ve been masking with walls and lies.

“Whatever you want. We can talk. I’m yours all night.

I’m done trying to convince myself I don’t need you, your hands, or your mouth on me.

Now, Gus,” I reply, my voice breathy and needy.

Our masks are off, both literally and figuratively, and this is all there is for him to see.

Just when I think he won’t do anything about it, he smiles at me and takes everything I have to offer.

His lips crash to mine, and his hands roam my body.

I pull him closer by the lapel of his jacket.

I want his hands on every inch of my body.

I want his mouth on my lips, on my neck, on my breasts.

I want the air he’s breathing and I want it now.

Like he can hear me, he brings his hand to the plunging neckline, sliding his fingers under the dress and over my right breast. He finds my nipple instantly, rolling it between two fingers as he squeezes gently.

His mouth doesn’t leave mine as he pulls moan after moan just by playing with my body.

His other hand continues down, past my breasts, over my hips, under the slit of my dress.

“This fucking dress. If I knew you were going to look like this, I would have asked you to come to the gala a month ago. Hell, I would have thrown my own formal event to see you like this.” His mouth hovers above mine as he utters his praises, and his warm, minty breath caresses my lips, sending shivers across my body and all down my spine.

“Oh yeah, please do tell me exactly how I look in this dress,” I whisper, looking at him with the same intensity he’s looking at me.

“Royalty worthy. A goddess among mortals.” He wastes no time getting on his knees in front of me, slowly lowering my panties down my thighs.

His fingers brush the back of my legs, eliciting goosebumps as he lowers himself, whispering, “Your skin is so perfect. So soft.” He grabs my ankle and helps me step out of the panties as he leaves my legs spread wide.

He crawls back up my body, sliding his hand up my torso back to my neck, to the sweet spot he was holding me that had me shivering just from his touch.

When I tilt my head back, his eyes flare a darker shade of brown as he smirks at me.

He starts teasing, running his fingers in between my legs, hovering over my clit and brushing it softly.

He tightens his hand on my neck a little more, and I moan, “Gus.”

“Shhh, you’re going to get us in trouble.” He teases my entrance as he kisses my lips raw, and when I moan against him again, he slides two fingers in. Fuck, that feels so good. His eyes heat again before he brings his lips back to mine, pumping his fingers in and out, driving me wild.

“Fuck,” I groan, and he stops. He slides his fingers back out and lets go of my neck. The fuck?

He tsks. “Oh, I know a way your sweet, sweet noises won’t get us in trouble.

” He pulls something out his pocket—no, not something.

My panties. He drags them up my chest, up my neck, to my chin.

“I will put these pretty panties in your mouth, and if you drop them…I won’t make you come.

I want those sweet sounds, but they don’t belong to anyone but me. Open up. ”

He runs his thumb over my lower lip, and when my eyes widen, he cocks an eyebrow. “Relax for me and open up your mouth, Trouble.” I do as he says, and with a mischievous grin, he slides the panties in.

He kisses my chin, the sensitive spot right under my earlobe, then whispers, “You were right. Your panties were soaked, and you’re so wet, so ready for me.

I can’t wait to take a taste myself. Do you taste yourself?

Can you taste how fucking sweet you are?

” My moans are muffled by the lacy fabric, and I can feel his smile against my ear.

Gus looks at me before going back to his knees, his gaze on my pussy, making me clench just with his stare. Damn it; if he can make me feel this hot without even touching me, no wonder I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him.

He slides his hands from my calf to the back of my thighs. Even though his touch is feathery, his rough hands on my skin are bringing me to the edge of insanity. He grips my hips, spreads my legs wider, and says, “I’m ready to worship you, my queen.”

He’s pulling my skirt so tight, I can barely move an inch from the door.

As if I would move away from this man. His mouth closes over my mound, immediately making me buzz.

His tongue slides out, finding my clit and licking it as he groans.

The tingling and vibration intensify, and I know it won’t take long.

He knows it too, judging by the smile I see on his face.

“Fuck, you taste so good. You taste so sweet. I want to drown right here.” I whimper, biting my lip and rocking my hips against his mouth as he continues to lick and bite my most sensitive spot.

He doesn’t relent. He never stops, not until my legs are jello around his face and he uses his hands to keep me upright.

The warm, coiled sensation fills my belly, but I don’t want to let go.

I want to extend this for as long as I can.

I moan unrecognizable words. He hears it, I’m sure, when he groans again against me. This man is on his knees in front of me, driving me to the peak of my pleasure. The room right outside is full of women willing to pay thousands of dollars just to spend some time with him, and he chose me .

“Let go, Nellie.”

I shake my head no, not letting go of the fabric between my lips. I bring my hands to his head and hold him where I want him. He takes it as his invitation to press harder. To lick faster. To hum louder. To get impossibly closer.

He grabs my ass with his strong hands. “I know you want to prolong it. I know you want this to last. Me too, but I only paid him to stay away for ten minutes, and I fear our time is running out. We’ll have all the time in the world later, baby girl, but right now, I want to see how beautiful you look when you come for me, please. ”

Please? Did he just—oh, God. He asked with his words, and now he’s begging with his tongue.

He’s moving his mouth against me like his life depends on my orgasm, and there’s not much I can do when he flattens his tongue over my clit, pressing hard as his fingers dig into my ass when I feel the pool of desire spill everywhere. I moan his name.

He slows down, dragging out my orgasm until there’s nothing more to give. Until I have nothing more to give. His hand holds my hips in place as he stands and smiles at me. He runs his hands up my body and pulls the panties from my mouth, putting them in his pocket. “Good fucking girl.”

He kisses me again, but this time, it’s not frantic. It’s not erratic. It’s not wild. It’s composed and measured, but it brings life back to me.

“Come on, Trouble. Let me take you home.” He holds my hand and walks us out of the closet, fixing his jacket but not wiping my arousal from his lips.

“Wait, do I need to pay? I did win a date with you, after all.”

“I’ll take care of it.” He guides us through the quiet lobby into the elevator that will take us to the parking garage.

He opens the door to a dark SUV, letting me in before running to the driver’s side.

He smiles at me, backs out, and holds my hand.

He doesn’t talk. He doesn’t say anything.

He just lets the music play, giving me time to think, to realize that this is the moment everything changes.

I better start thinking about how the hell we’re going to make this work.