Craving Sugar (Sugar Daddy Romance)

Chapter 22

Beau

“…and then, he had the nerve to tackle the rival team’s mascot into the coaching staff. Expelled on the spot, but Hendrix was a legend within the halls of our High School.” Everyone laughed at Jax’s embarrassing story of Hendrix, everyone, but the man himself.

He stood beside his friend in a defiant pose, hands crossed over his bare chest. A bare torso I was fighting like hell not to look at. Tried to ignore the thick cords of taut muscle—the deep V of his waist, and how low those godforsaken black board shorts sat.

So, while Jax carried on with the fifth installment of his miniseries aptly called let’s make the asshole suffer, I sat stone still. Kept my thighs closed tightly and begged my body to cooperate.

To not squirm at the sight before me. To stay still and play it cool.

“He came out from the visiting side of the field looking like a drowned rat. Gatorade had been thrown all over him. Cocky grin in place, the bastard thought he was God’s gift to women.” Jax winked at me, and a tiny giggle escaped. At the sound, Hendrix looked at me and those hazel orbs narrowed in mock anger. I didn’t miss the way his eyes strayed to the bikini top with fringe I’d put on, or how he licked his lips while he watched the tips of my nipples harden from his perusal.

He was being cheeky in his blatant eye-fuck, and for a miniscule moment, it felt as though we were a normal couple entertaining people in our home, sharing embarrassing stories about my significant other while I got to know his best friend.

Jax and Crystal were a riot.

He was an overgrown frat boy—she brought to the table her poise and a great rack. He made crude jokes—she rolled her eyes and pretended that he wasn’t hysterical.

Our introductions were easygoing and pleasant. His first words were: I’m a Sugar Daddy, sweet thing. Want to ditch the brooding snore fest and come live in sugary bliss with us? All the while Crystal, his girlfriend, stood next to him, nodding with a smile.

If looks could kill, he’d be dead. That vein in Hendrix’s forehead throbbed, while I bit my lip hard in order not to laugh. A snort still escaped, and my pain-in-the-ass Daddy softened a bit.

They made me feel at ease.

Were a godsend for the dark madness looming over me.

Those “words” you earned it were like a bucket of acid being poured over my head. It exposed my flesh and tore at my muscles. Burned a hole in my heart.

Just when I thought we were making progress—when he brought me home and showed me another side of him…made me feel a tiny bit important—he said those words.

You earned it. I couldn’t get them out of my head. I felt cheap.

Pathetic for thinking this was anything other than what it was.

A contract.

My name on a dotted line where it said in invisible ink that I could be treated like a whore, in exchange for a chance to graduate college and pursue my dreams. However, I think that the final price I’d pay would be too steep.

“Laugh it up, asshole. Don’t forget that I still own copies of your dark ages.”

Jax’s laughter ceased, his face holding shock. “I’ll cut up your Bugatti,” he threatened, which only served to make Hendrix smile. Not scared in the least.

Crystal sat forward and batted her lashes. “Do share with the class, Mr. Parker.”

For some reason, his hazel eyes looked toward me as he spoke. “Two words…” Jax stood, and Hendrix backed away with a beer in hand, eyes still on mine. Searching, but I had no clue what he was looking for.

I made sure to keep my expression neutral.

“Cut it out, jackass.”

“Jerry—”

“Last warning.” Jax took his boat shoes off and tossed his shirt aside. I won’t deny that he was an impressive man. Very hot for a forty-year-old, and he knew it. Typical all-American hottie, and still, he could not compare to the man who held my attention no matter how much I wanted to kill him.

Make him feel one tenth of what I did.

“Hey, Crystal?” Hendrix called out from across the deck, his foot on the small staircase that led to the shore.

“Yeah?”

“Curl. Jerry curl.” Moreover, with a final glance in my direction, he took off with an angry Jax hot on his trail. There was something about the way he looked at me that made my insides flutter. Caused me to almost forget the emotion of being beneath he evoked.

“So, what did he do? Tell me, so I can have Jax kick his ass for you.” Crystal’s words brought me back to the present and away from my thoughts. Her face showed concern, genuine care, and I had to swallow hard past the lump in my throat. “That bad, huh?”

“Not so much the action, but the words he used when presenting me with a gift I never asked for.”

“Receiving gifts is part of the deal, babe. They like to lavish—”

“He said, and I quote ‘you earned it,’ as if I were some cheap tramp.” Once again, my eyes watered, and I had to look away, take in a deep breath or two to calm down. “When I came into this lifestyle, all I wanted was help with my schooling…nothing else. I never expected gifts or lavish weekends away, just help with tuition.” Crystal opened her mouth to interject, but I held a hand up. “And while I understand that it’s the norm to receive presents and let them take care of our every need, don’t make me feel less than while doing it. Don’t judge, or act like you are without reproach when you followed me—stalked me—while on the same site. He signed up for the same reasons I did. He needed me to be his crutch for the next few months, and I accepted. Not once have I called him or insinuated, he’s pathetic for doing so.”

“Men are idiots, Beau. Tragically moronic when it comes to the women they care about.” She sighed, and for a moment, I suspected she was talking about more than just my problem. “When I met Jax, he was an asshole who had been burned by his ex-wife. Bitter. Uncaring. He compared anything with a set of tits to the bitch who made him miserable.”

“Then why did you stay?”

“For the same reasons you are…we care.” Crystal looked past me and toward the shore where the guys were talking. Jax was waving his hands in the air like a madman, while my Hendrix looked on with an annoyed expression. “It took me nearly leaving for Jax to see the damage he was inflicting on me. How I was paying the price for the dishes his ex-wife had broken. His change wasn’t overnight, but he made moves in the right direction, and I gifted him my patience.”

“It’s not the same for me and Hendrix, though,” I mumbled just as the men walked up the stairs and back in our direction. “I’ll be replaced in a few short months.”

Crystal laughed. “Mutual attraction turned into affection which morphed into love. Give him time. Hendrix is just a sad man that needs guidance.”

“Not that easy. He’s going to break me.”

“His story isn’t all rainbows, sweetie. There’s a reason he’s the way he is.”

Before I could ask just what she meant by that, Hendrix walked straight to me and pulled me out of my chair, hugging me to him while kissing the top of my head. The act was symbolic—a silent apology, or so I hoped.

Did he understand the why now?

Did it matter that he hurt me?

“Break it up, you two, I’m hungry,” Jax interrupted a second before a smack was heard; I turned my head in his direction. He was rubbing the back of his head while Crystal raised a brow, giving him the I dare you to say something stupid again look.

I loved her.

Burying his nose in my hair, Hendrix exhaled. “I’m guessing it’s time to cook, huh? I can’t kick them out?”

“Yes, and nope.” I laughed and pulled out of his embrace. Gave him a shy smile, just something to take the somber look out of his eyes. We weren’t a hundred percent okay, but I would drop it for now. I’d talk to him after they left.

It took every bit of my strength to get him over the entryway’s threshold and toward the kitchen. Our guests laughed, didn’t lift a single finger to help.

He was heavy. All muscle.

“Quit it before you hurt yourself, nymph.”

“Then feed me.” Giving him a cheeky grin, I batted my lashes. “I’m in the mood for meat.”

“Motherfucking dangerous woman,” he growled almost too low for me to hear, but I did, and fought hard to contain the flutter in my womb. That wasn’t meant to be heard by me, and it brought me back to what Crystal had said into focus.

I needed to be patient. He cared, or would in the future.

Just hoped that my heart wouldn’t be destroyed in the process.

XXX

The moment they were gone, I found myself overwhelmed and in the need of getting away. Sure, Hendrix was being nice, some would even venture to say sweet, but with the yo-yoing he dished out daily, I was confused.

One minute, I wanted to hug him.

Then the next, toss him from a cliff.

So, after saying goodbye, I retreated into the bathroom and took the fastest shower known to man. Didn’t give him a second of my time, or he’d try to invite himself along.

Ten minutes of waiting him out—I combed my hair and put on lotion— while the man was slamming drawers on the other side of the door. By the fifteen-minute mark, he called out that he’d shower in the guest bathroom down the hall before stomping out in haste.

I could hear the annoyance in his tone, and it made me smile.

“Thank you, Christ,” I breathed while poking my head out the door. The coast was clear. “Now to get dressed before he comes back.”

In a past life, I must’ve been a ninja of some sort, because I was dressed in a tiny pair of sleep shorts and tank within the span of four minutes. Sans panties, but I was covered, and ready to head into my hiding spot for the night.

His shower was still running when I made my way down to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water.

Then I remembered my book and made a tiny detour into his office to grab it.

A picture album near a photo that had been turned around caught my attention. My fingers itched to investigate, but I couldn’t risk suffering his wrath for snooping.

Something within me begged that I look. Like I would learn something about the grouch if I did. Why else would it be facing away from the room?

Hidden.

“Stop it and go before he finds you in here.” My eyes traveled toward the mystery photo once more before walking away. It nagged at me all the way to his library, but then another thought crossed my mind. A reality check.

This room is just another way for him to keep his distance. He has a massive library, and yet, makes sure that anything belonging to you stays out of the way and in a tiny corner.

Stung, but I ignored the pang and closed the door behind me. Locked myself in.

The library was massive. Just gorgeous, with its floor-to-ceiling custom built-ins on the far left, while the siting area was two steps below in a sunken den. Hendrix seemed to like that feature throughout his home. Made for a cozier atmosphere.

A water fountain ran through the center of the multi-story home; it stopped between the long couch and the two armchairs. A shaggy rug and a large vintage trunk served to tie in the room. Splashes of soft blues, greens, and grey gave the space a relaxed vibe that helped calm my nerves once I was inside.

Paradise. I’d found my nirvana.

With the romance novel in hand, I settled down on the comfortable-looking suede couch he had in here. Sighed, as my tired bones melted into the cushioned seat and opened the book with plans to get lost inside its pages.

A naughty story about men who shifted into dragons and fought a demented warlock alongside their mates. It had it all: sex, action, and the all-consuming devotion of these men toward their women.

I was halfway through the first book in the series when I heard his footsteps padding against the hardwood floors. Felt his dominating presence when he paused at the door and let out a muffled curse when he found the lock engaged.

It took everything in me not to laugh and give myself away.

“Stubborn woman,” he grumbled loud enough for me to hear before walking away.

“Stupid jerk.” Looking down at the page I was on, I caught up with the couple flying high in the sky and toward a mountain. He’d shifted back into his human form after she was safely on the ground, and on her next inhale, he had her in his arms. Was just about to kiss her when Hendrix approached again.

Keys rattled in his hands, and the knob gave a small turn.

Shit. Fuck. Dammit.

Immediately, I laid back on the couch and closed my eyes. Fought to keep my breathing slow even as my heart beat like a war drum inside my chest. My book tipped forward and landed on my stomach as if I’d dozed off.

That was how he found me.

“Beau?” Hendrix stood over the couch, his shadow drowning out the little bit of light I could still see. My eyes—the tiny slits I allowed to remain open—watched as he picked up my book and laid it closed atop the trunk.

How the harshness in his expression softened when he thought I’d fallen asleep and had simply not heard his grumbling for attention.

Within seconds, I was picked up and pressed against a warm, just-out-of-the-shower chest. He smelled divine, and I snuggled in closer, not protesting when he walked us up the stairs, nor when he laid me down.

I was being lulled into a state of comfort that made it hard for me to keep myself lucid much longer. The day’s activities and the hurt he caused were beginning to weigh me down, so I gave in.

Hendrix shut off all the lights and covered us both with a soft, thin blanket. His body molded to mine with his thigh thrown over my own, pinning me down. I welcomed the weight, and let out a tired sigh.

“Sleep, nymph. We’ll talk in the morning…I promise,” was the last thing I heard before sleep took me under.

XXX

“I was thinking…”

“Shit!” I screamed, not having heard him. The towel wrapped around my dripping wet hair fell to the floor with a loud splat. My heart was up in my throat, the hell scared out of me, and I whirled around to face him with narrowed eyes. “Why would you sneak up on me, jerk? What the hell?”

I’d slipped out of bed this morning before he was up and had gone out for a swim. Needed to clear my mind from the craziness that existed within and how confused—angry—I was at his audacity to wrap me in his strong arms all night.

I woke up spooned, dwarfed by his frame. Made me feel dainty. Petite. I realized just how breakable I was.

Needless to say, my little swim did nothing for me. Hendrix was all I could think about.

His smile, and how it crinkled at the corners when he allowed himself to relax.

His eight-pack—the deep V that I’d wanted to lick since that day he took me back to his apartment.

His cock, which should have a monument erected in its honor.

But worst of all was the way my heart pitter-pattered whenever he was near me.

My limp hair hung down my back, wetting the small crop top I’d worn with a pair of sweatpants he had packed. With no bra on, he got an unrestricted view of my breasts.

“Sorry, nymph.” Hendrix tried and failed to look contrite. Instead, he looked amused by my reaction. So, in retaliation, I flicked his lip hard. “Violent little thing.”

“Your point?”

“Truce.”

“On what merit?”

“That I’m tired and just want to hang out with you.” Almost felt bad for him. He looked so uncomfortable telling me that. “No bickering or jabs, just junk food and some TV?”

“I’ll play.” Maybe it was the pathetic look in his eyes or the jutting out of his bottom lip, but I agreed. Walking past him, I moved toward the stairs, but before I could put my foot on the second step, I was tossed over his shoulder. “Hendrix, I swear to God that if you don’t…fuck!”

The ass pretended to drop me with a laugh. “Behave.”

“Can I change? I’m soaked and cold.”

“Nope. Want you just like this,” he stated, and then smacked the back of my thigh. “Now, please allow me to escort you into my favorite room in the house with no fuss. Okay?” My reply was a pinch to his ass. “Quit being so violent.”

“Quit being a Neanderthal.”

“Smart ass.”

“Do you want me to answer that?”

A chuckle escaped him, and I could feel the way his shoulder shook. “Shut up, woman.”

Hendrix walked us to the other side of the house and into a giant room that was pitch black. For a second, I thought it was one of those playrooms you read about in books and wished to have a night of debauched fun in. It wasn’t. With our bodies settled on a giant, sofa-like thing, he flipped a switch, and everything came into focus.

“Jesus.” To be rich.

A theater room with all the comforts of a real cinema.

He pulled me closer and laid his head on my lap, feet stretched out to the other side of that gigantic bed/sofa we laid in. It was so big that it could fit ten people, and everyone would still be comfortable. There was a popcorn and soda machine; legit with giant tubs and cups with the name Parker in bold letters across the center.

“Glad you approve, Beau. Now what to watch?”

Looking down at him, I widened my eyes and pouted. “Can I move into this room? You can keep the house.”

“Will you suck my cock for the rest of your stay? I could make it happen on those terms.”

I pinched his side, and he yelled out in protest. “Don’t be a baby.”

“Abuse. This is abuse.”

“Want me to leave?”