Page 56 of Old Money

I lead her down the south hallway to the old servants’ door that leads to the side of the garden. When we get outside, she pauses to take off her shoes. I bend down in front of her, and she stares at me.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m not having you walk a half-mile barefoot. Get on,” I say. She laughs.

“There is no way I’m?—”

I don’t give her another minute to argue. I throw her over my shoulder instead, walking through the garden as she giggles behind me.

“Julian! What if someone sees? You’re supposed to be all important and serious,” she says. I laugh.

“I know. Imagine my father’s surprise when he has to explain this,” I say, laughing as I make it around through the other end of the garden. We get to the eastern side of the house, and I set her down. I take off the gold watch that I wear every single day and flip it over. I press the small button to the compartment in the back, and it clicks open, spitting out a foldable key that my grandfather had specially designed eighty years ago. I walk toward the door in front of us, and I look up at her.

“This is the only entrance to the house that doesn’t open by retina or fingerprints anymore,” I tell her. “This was my grandfather’s favorite part of the house. It was off limits to everyone except for him, me, and my brothers. Not even my cousins had access. When he was dying, he made us promise to keep it to ourselves. So we never updated the entry. My brothers and I each have the same watch with the key.”

She smiles as I unlock it. Inside, I scoop her back up, carrying her up the swirling staircase that leads to the tower, which was really just a glorified study that my grandfather spent any free time he had in. His desk still sits in one corner, a huge sofa in another, and then in the adjoining room is a huge four-post bed.

“This is so cool,” she whispers, looking around.

“Tyler is going to get our things from my suite and bring them up here. We’ll hide up here tonight and be out first thing in the morning.”

She nods, walking toward the large square window that faces the ocean, my grandfather’s telescope still pointed at the sky.

“I’m sorry for what I said tonight,” she says as she stares out over the water. I untie my tie, tugging it off, and walk over to her. I slink my arms around her and kiss her temple, then her jaw, then underneath her ear.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Sawyer. I’m the one who should be apologizing to you. He tried to make you feel small, but the only thing he did was humiliate himself. I’m so…I’m so grateful that I get to even know you, let alone love you.”

I spin her around to face me.

“He deserved every word you said. And if you hadn't given him a verbal beating, I’d have done it for you,” I chuckle, and a little smile shows on her lips. I bend down to kiss them. “It’s kinda hot, actually. The way you can bring a grown man to his knees.” She smiles against my mouth.

“Oh, yeah?” she asks. I bite her lip gently, and her tongue dances across mine as we kiss softly, slowly.

“Yes,” I say. I gently nudge her toward the French doors at the back of the room that open to a small balcony. It faces the water, away from the rest of the property. The perfect spot to feast. I open the doors and lead her outside, and she shivers when the cool breeze hits her skin. I know she’s cold, but she won’t be for long.

I slink down on my knees in front of her, reaching for the hem of her dress as it drags along the balcony floor.

“I have wanted to tear this off of you all night,” I tell her.

“Don’t you dare,” she moans as she leans back against the railing. “This cost more than I make in a year at the mini-mart.”

I smile as I look up at her, then I slide my hands up her legs slowly, raising the fabric up her creamy skin that’s glowing in the moonlight.

“Do you know how sexy that was tonight, Sawyer?” I tell her as I trace soft kisses up from her knees to her upper thighs. “Do you know how badly I wanted to take you right there in that hall? How badly I wanted to show everyone what you do to me?”

“What do I do to you, Julian?” she breathes. I smile as I slide my hands up to her ass, my eyes widening when I realize she’s got no panties on.

“You make me ravenous,” I say, and then I dip my head under the fabric, hoisting her up by her thighs. She leans back on the railing, clutching onto it as I dive in, tongue first. I lick her slit up and down, tasting every drop she has ready for me, urging more. I suction my mouth against her clit, massaging it with my tongue while it swirls in my mouth, and she writhes against the stone behind her. I feel her hand clutch my hair, and I plunge two fingers inside her pussy while I eat her.

“Christ Almighty,” she pants. “Julian, I?—”

She can’t finish her sentence, and I take that as my cue to continue driving her out of her fucking mind. I fuck her with my tongue, in and out, while my fingers massage her, her legs draped over my shoulders.

“That’s a good girl,” I say between licks. “Take these fingers, baby. Fuck my hand.”

“Oh, fuck,” she moans.

“Mm-hmm,” I say then dive in for another taste. “That’s such a good girl. Come for me now, baby. Let go and come.”

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