The Barter System (6 page)

“First, because she had
always had a thing for my father and I guess she was irritated she hadn’t been
slipped into the role of his second wife.  Second, because my father wasn’t
some callous person who could just ‘get over’ twenty years of marriage and the
sudden and painful death of his wife.  When his drinking started, I wanted to
know how to help him.  He deserved help…he needed empathy not stereotypes.  He
eventually started carefully inserting himself back in the world.  It sucked
for all of us.  At first, he thought there was a chance of replacing Mom.  He’d
bring home women he thought were ‘perfect’ and none of those closest to him could
see the draw. 

“Then, when the cold reality
hit home he wasn’t going to find another Mom, he brought home younger women to
satisfy the physical – and very real – need he had without committing anything
emotional to the bargain.  He’s a good looking man.  Successful in life and
business.  He satisfies the only true need he still has, to his way of
thinking.  He’s the perfect gentleman, he doesn’t lie or date more than one at
a time.  Some thought they were going to stay, but I could usually tell which
ones would last a night or a week.  Never usually longer.”

Sean added cheese, folded
the omelet, and turned to face her.  “I’m most like your father, aren’t I? 
It’s why you chose me.”  His look was grim.  “I don’t know if I’m flattered or
insulted.”

“Before you jump to
conclusions, let me say this: my father is the single most wonderful man I’ve
ever met in my life.  He’s kind, funny, loyal, and true.  There are few better
to be compared to, I can assure you.  The sexual drive in men is considered
more pronounced than in women.  I want to understand where that stereotype
comes from and in what way emotions affect the sexual habits of the typical
man.  The general opinion is that men can’t bear to go without sex while the
majority of women need an emotional component involved.”

One eyebrow arched, “You
already used yourself as a subject, didn’t you?  How long did you submit to
self-enforced celibacy?”

“Far too long.  Where most
women probably would have been fine, I suffered.  My last sexual relationship
was almost three years ago.  I’m telling you it hurt.  At first, it wasn’t
intentional.  I broke up with the college boyfriend and decided to take a break. 
After six months, I was going through serious withdrawals and thought about a
casual hookup.  Then I had the idea to use my current single state as part of
my dissertation and it made the situation worse…once I denied myself sex, it
was all I thought about.  But I did it.  I had chances and I let them just slip
away.  I bought every toy and DVD sold online and hoped it would pass.  I was
scared I’d forget what little I knew.”

A sharp exhale and a small
shake of his head before he murmured quietly, “No.  Issue.  There.  You are
phenomenal.”  Sean plated the food and set it on the bar, coming around to join
her, forks in hand.  He stopped as if he’d hit something.  She instinctually
looked behind her before she realized he was staring at her. 

“Let me paint you a picture,
Riya.  You’re sitting in my kitchen, the sliding doors behind you giving you a
backdrop of sun and water, your hair is tousled and everywhere…down your back
and over your shoulders, you’re wearing my shirt with only three buttons done…giving
a gorgeous view of the slope of your breasts and tight abdomen, and though your
lovely legs are crossed like a perfect lady, I can see the tiniest section of
your mound above your lap.  It is heart-stopping.  Like a fantasy come to
life.” 

He seemed to will himself to
move, setting her fork next to her plate.  He cupped her chin in his hand and
stared deep into her eyes, “But I’ll tell you the absolute sexiest part…you
aren’t even trying.” 

He bent and kissed her
gently before perching stiffly on the stool next to her. 

Riya wasn’t sure what to
say.  She adjusted the shirt so it was a little more decent and a blush blazed
up her cheeks.  “Eat…please,” was all he said. 

He finished his food in
record time, moving to clear and clean as he waited for her.  Keeping busy -
and distracted, which proved difficult - so she could enjoy her food. 

She was keyed up and halfway
through her omelet when she said, “I can’t even remember how to
chew
. 
Can we…?” 

The question trailed off but
he practically leapt the bar to get to her.  He pulled her off the stool and
into his arms, her legs curling around his waist.  He shed the gym shorts
impatiently and laid her back on the low counter.   

He was almost inside her
when he remembered the condoms with a colorful curse.  He carried her through
the house and back to the bedroom, kissing her and nibbling her the entire
way.  He destroyed the package trying to get the rubber out and over his
throbbing dick. 

When it was in place he
yanked her up to him again and entered her fast and hard.  He sat on the bench
at the end of the bed, her in his lap with her legs wrapped behind him.  Seated
so deep in her body Riya thought she could feel him in her heart.  Hands were
all over her, she wasn’t being shy about touching him either, as he lifted her
up and down, impaling her on his cock from beneath.

“Ah, Riya, you’re going to
be the death of me.  We need to keep hydrating.”  They laughed together.  Then
she tucked her knees on either side of his thighs and started riding him.  His
laughter dried up and he gritted his teeth as she made circular motions with
her hips. 

After three minutes of a
slow, sensual ride Sean moved them to the bed, laying her on her back and
following her down, his cock still inside her.  His strokes slowed even
further, pulling back, taking him all but completely out of her, stroking in
all the way to her womb.  Slow and easy until she was in an agony of want. 

“Sean, that feels
amazing…almost painful it feels so good.”  In answer, he repeated the circular
motions she’d used on him.  Riya’s eyes went wide with surprise. 

“I’m going to come, Sean…I’m
coming!”  She dug her nails into his ass and gripped him with her entire body. 

Maintaining a steady rhythm
until she came again, their bodies glistening with sweat.  He was running his
hands from her neck to her hips, taking in the feel of her, the texture of her
satin skin.  Studying every contour and hollow accessible.  The sensation of
his own orgasm was built slowly, torturing himself.  When he couldn’t hold back
another moment, he pumped several times hard and fast and came with a growl at
her neck.

Eventually, Sean recovered
enough to lift himself to his elbows and look down into her eyes.  She glanced
between their bodies, her breasts plastered against his hard chest and smiled. 
They were both sweaty and smelled like sex…unusual that she wasn’t finding that
gross.  “I probably need to shower.  I’m a mess.”

He ran his palm down her
throat, over her shoulders, and across her collarbone.  He kissed the tip of
her nose and pushed the damp hair away from her face, scooping it from the back
of her neck and fanning it out above her.  She sighed in relief. 

“You have a lot of hair.  I
imagine that would be hot.”  She nodded sleepily.  “I’m going to get you some
towels and let you shower.  Neither of us would be pleased if I gave myself a
heart attack.”  Her snort of laughter made him smile smugly then he kissed her
again and bounded from the bed. 

Sean was more fit than most
men half his age with a high energy level and many interests keeping his brain
active.  After several hours spent in his company, she already had pages of
data.  She couldn’t have asked for a better subject. 

She experienced a slight
moral twinge when she thought of her dissertation.  In a few days, she’d have
to move on to the next leg of her journey.  No way in hell was there going to
be any chickening out now.  She’d been working toward this for too long.  She
simply had to maintain detachment. 

He put extra towels in the
bathroom and said he was going to put on more music.  She stretched and felt
soreness in her muscles and joints.  Her lower body, far too accustomed to her
celibacy, felt tender.  Nothing would work out the kinks like a hot shower, and
perhaps, she thought with a smile, a little ‘hair of the dog’. 

In the bathroom, she turned
on the jets and allowed the water to warm, listening as Fleetwood Mac filtered
through the house.  Gathering her toiletries, she stepped under the spray and
sighed.  She didn’t need to shave, having undergone laser hair removal on her
legs, bikini, and underarms with Tawny.  She washed then conditioned her hair
and scrubbed her skin down. 

The room was enveloped with
the smell of grapefruit.  She was rinsing the last soap from her body when
there was a tap on the shower door.  She peeked out and saw Sean standing in
shorts with a garment bag in his hand.

At the questioning look in
her eyes, he said, “I’m taking you out for dinner.  I think I estimated the
sizes right.  I called my assistant, Alyssa.  Had her pick up a dress I had The
White House hold for me and I’m hoping to god you like it.”  He looked so
nervous she had to laugh.  “There are accessories but I had no idea what you
liked so I had her get a lot.”

“Thank you, Sean.  I’ll be
out in five minutes…unless you’d like to join me?”  She did her best to look as
though she had no ulterior motives but she doubted she was remotely convincing.

“I would love to, but I have
to give Alyssa some files before she heads back to my office.”  He looked her
over from head to toe in obvious appreciation.  “We’re going to avoid nakedness
and being in close proximity for three hours.  I refuse to act like a barbarian
who dragged you to my cave for sex.”

The pout she gave him wasn’t
even faked, “Ah but I like wild caveman sex.”  She turned off the water and
took a towel he held out to her.  Once it was securely wrapped around her, she
began drying her hair.  He hadn’t moved and she was getting self-conscious. 

“Your every movement is so
sensual.  So casual and unintentional.  Very hot.”  With that, Sean left the
room. 

She heard a woman’s voice in
the living room and peeked around the door to see a very pretty blonde about
her age gazing at Sean like an ice cream cone she wanted to lick. 

He was bent over signing
papers.  He said something and she jumped, worried he’d notice she’d been
distracted.  “Thanks, Alyssa.  I really appreciate you running errands.  When I
get back to the office next week, I’m sending you on vacation for a couple days
to the spa.  I know you have one you go to with your sister.  I won’t forget. 
You’re a lifesaver.”

She carefully cleared her
throat, “Your…guest will be gone so soon?”  Riya slipped on her robe and
smiled.  Before her stood a woman head over heels in love with her boss. 

Sean nodded, “Yup, I’ll have
to return to the real world next week.  We’ll go to lunch and catch up on all
the goings-on the day I get back.  I don’t know what I’d do without you,
Alyssa.” 

The poor woman looked like
she was going to pass out from pleasure at the compliment.  “I’m always happy
to help you, Sean.  With, you know, anything you need.”  At that, she grabbed
up the files and her laptop bag and headed for the door. 

“I’ll bring all the checks
by for you to sign tomorrow, will that be alright?”  Good girl, gauge his
schedule, Riya thought.  Feel out the situation.  At Sean’s distracted nod, she
smiled and left. 

Sean headed straight for the
bathroom and reached into the shower.  Riya noted it was solid cold.  He
climbed in, gasping loudly. 

Riya peeked through the
still open door and asked, “Why on earth did you do that?”

Sean began soaping himself
quickly, “Because I feel like I did when I first realized I had a dick and
pretty teenage girls who smelled like shampoo made it necessary for me to carry
my books in front of me for an hour.”  He ducked his head beneath the cold
stream and emerged with his teeth chattering, “I have no idea what happened to
my famous control.”   

“Interesting…that pretty
young woman has you very worked up.  Why aren’t you dating her?”  She wasn’t
surprised when Sean went still. 

His eyes met hers and he
said carefully, “It is shockingly bad manners for me to discuss another woman
after the way we spent our afternoon, Riya.  I…I’m ashamed to have even had a
reaction.  My apologies.”