I jerked my knee up, but Jason shifted at the last moment, taking the blow against his thigh. He pulled back, his hand coming down before I could register it heading my way. The slap caught me across the cheek with enough force to snap my head back. I cried out, more from shock than the pain. My eyes filled with tears as the sting quickly followed.
Jason glared down at me, his face red. “You little bitch!” He raised his hand again and I tried to remember the self-defense moves I'd learned in college.
A hand wrapped around Jason's wrist and he was spun around, just as a fist connected with his jaw. I silently cheered as the creep’s head swung to the side then Jason stumbled backward, and I saw Cade swing again. This time, the blow was accompanied by a crunch as bone yielded to the blow, followed immediately by a shriek of pain.
Cade stepped in front of me, but not before I saw his face. Gone was his usual calm demeanor. He was enraged as he spat in Jason’s face, “Get out of here before I seriously fuck you up.”
My eyes widened. I'd heard Cade's voice with an edge before, but I never imagined he could sound so fierce. He meant it, there was no doubt and I wondered if that was the real man behind the mask. I couldn't stop myself from flinching as he turned toward me and a flash of pain went across his face. He reached out and took my arm, pulling me to his side.
“Come on,” he said, looking around. “We don't want to make any more of a scene than we already have.” He led me away from the elevators, carefully stepping over the drops of blood on the pale tile.
There were people moving toward us, hotel guests and a few people I assumed were security. Before I could get a good look at any of them, Cade ducked through a doorway, taking me with him.
“Sir, we're not open–” A young man hurried toward us.
“Here.” Cade stretched out his free hand, a bill folded between his fingers. “We just want some privacy.”
The young man looked at me, and I saw doubt cross his face. I could only imagine how we looked. My cheek had to be red and I could feel it starting to swell. Cade's knuckles were bloody and neither one of us looked very happy.
“I'm fine,” I said and forced a smile. “I had a misunderstanding with someone who didn't take it well.” I jerked my chin at Cade. “He protected me.”
The young man nodded. “This way.”
We followed him through what I now realized was the Courtyard Cafe. It was light and airy, the kind of place I would've enjoyed coming for a light meal. The young man motioned to a table that was tucked behind a heavy curtain. It would shield us from view of anyone who might happen to glance in here.
“Cade,” I asked as I took a seat. “Are you okay?”
“Am I okay?” Cade let out a bitter laugh. “Are you kidding me?” He pulled his chair around until we were just a few inches apart. He reached toward my cheek, stopping just before his fingertips touched it.
“Thank you,” I said. “For what you did, but why are we hiding in here? We didn't do anything wrong?”
Cade dropped his hand and I saw it was shaking. I met his eyes and saw the storm still raging inside. “We're hiding because I'm not sure if I want to report him to the police or go find him and beat the shit out of him.”
I put my hands over his; something in my stomach twisting as his hands jerked under the touch. He was almost more rattled by what happened than I was. “I'm okay,” I said softly. “We can just let it go.”
“Let it go?” Cade's hands curled into fists. “Sure. Just forget it ever happened. Put it behind us until it happens again and again.”
His voice was shaking and, with a start, I realized it wasn't just from anger. What happened triggered something in Cade, something he'd hidden for a long time.
“It's my fault,” he said. His expression was raw and open as he looked at me. “I'm so sorry, Aubree. I didn't know he was that kind of man. I should've seen it. Stopped him.”
“You couldn't have known,” I said.
He shook his head. “I should have. I spent seventeen years watching a man like him charm my mother one minute and beat her the next.”
My hands tightened over his, but I didn't make a sound.
“She married the abusive bastard when he knocked her up with me. And she stayed with him because she loved him.”
The anger and bitterness he put into that single word made me wince.
“Stayed with him and loved him right until he beat her to death for burning dinner.”
“Oh, Cade.” My heart broke.
“I couldn't stop him. I tried, but he beat me up and locked me in a closet. I listened to her scream and beg him to stop. Every time she told him she loved him, he hit her harder.” Cade shuddered, his head dropping. “By the time I broke through the door, he was gone and she was dead.”
I put my hands on Cade's cheeks and raised his head until we were face-to-face. I didn't try to tell him that it wasn't his fault. He'd heard it a million times, I was sure, and he'd never believe it, no matter who said it. I did the only thing I could do. I gave him a distraction, something he could lose himself in.
I covered his mouth with mine, teasing at his lips with my tongue. I felt him stiffen in surprise for a moment before he took what I offered. His arms wrapped around my waist as my tongue slid into his mouth. I kissed him to forget what happened to me. To help him forget what he'd been through. I kissed him because my heart was aching for him and it was the only form of comfort I could offer for us both.
When I broke the kiss, his hands flexed on my back and I saw desire in his eyes. I stood and held out my hand. “Come on,” I said quietly. “Let's go to bed.”
Chapter 2
We managed to avoid the crowd still gathering around the spot where the fight had occurred. The ride to our floor was silent, but this was different from other moments of quiet between the two of us. Something had shifted, at least for the moment, and I wasn't going to risk breaking it. I doubted it would last, but I was going to enjoy what I had as long as I had it.
I led the way off the elevator and down the hall, and I was the one who unlocked the door. This whole thing with his past had taken something out of Cade. I kicked off my shoes and urged Cade to do the same. We walked back toward my bedroom and, once inside, I took charge.
The shirt came off first. Cade lifted his arms like a little boy and allowed me to pull it over his head. He looked down at me as I tossed the shirt on the floor and reached up to brush his hair away from his eyes. For a moment, I almost forgot that this was business, that while I might have been offering him my body for comfort, it was, at most, a friendly gesture.
I looked down at his chest, running my hands over the solid muscle, exploring the dips and curves. I scraped my nails over his nipples and he hissed. The darker flesh wrinkled and I bent my head to cover it with my mouth. Cade moaned as I sucked on his nipple and I ran my hands up and down his back, enjoying the feel of his smooth skin. I flicked my tongue across the tip and dropped my hands to his ass, squeezing the firm muscles until I felt one of Cade's hands in my hair. I bit down on his nipple.
“Fuck, Aubree!”
Cade's body jerked and I smiled. When he pushed down on my head, I let him guide me to my knees. I wasn't sure if he was completely taking control back, but as long as I got what I wanted, I didn't care. I tugged down his pants and boxer briefs together and he stepped out of them, leaving him gloriously naked. I ran my hands up his calves, then his thighs, until I was right at the level he wanted me.
I looked up at him through my lashes and he tugged on my curls, an encouragement to take the thick shaft in front of me into my mouth. I gave him a wicked grin and darted out my tongue, licking along his full length, then stopping. He applied pressure to my head again and, this time, I shook my head.
His eyes darkened and something low and deep inside me twisted. It wasn't until that moment I realized what I'd been doing without even knowing it. I wanted him to be in control because that's what he needed. I needed to be what he needed. And at
this moment, it wasn't slow, gentle lovemaking that would help him. And it definitely wasn't what I wanted either.
Something flickered across his eyes and he touched the cheek Jason had hit. I could see the question in his eyes. He needed to know I understood the difference between what Jason had done and what Cade wanted to do to me. My pussy throbbed in response and there was no doubt in my mind that I knew the difference. And I wanted what Cade had. I nodded, letting him read the desire in my eyes. I couldn't let him see the emotion behind it, but the lust…that I could allow.
Something clicked in Cade's face and he was back. He took half a step closer to me and let the tip of his cock brush against my lips, but I didn't open my mouth. He tugged on my hair, half pulling me to my feet. I caught my breath at the heat in his eyes and then he was pulling my dress over my head.
He made a sound in the back of his throat as he saw what I'd been wearing underneath. The black lace was so sheer that my nipples were clearly visible, as was my freshly waxed pussy.
“You were wearing this for him?” The question came out in a near growl and my stomach flipped at the possessive undercurrent I could hear. I didn't let myself read too much into it. That was dangerous territory.
“I wore it for whoever got to undress me.” The words didn't come out quite as cocky as I'd meant them to, but I knew he got the gist of what I meant. I slowly turned, letting him see the way the back of the garment exposed most of my back and barely covered my ass.
“Bend over.”
I didn't even consider disobeying. I knew what was coming. I put my hands on the edge of the bed and planted my feet shoulder-length apart. I shivered when Cade's hand ran over my ass, but it was all anticipation.
“You disobeyed me,” Cade's voice was soft, but far from gentle. “Do you think you should be punished for that?”
I nodded, then yelped as his hand came down on my ass.
“Do I need to repeat myself?” he asked sternly.
“No,” I said. A smack to my other cheek made me gasp.
“Then I believe you need to answer me.”
“Yes. Yes, I should be punished.”
I flinched as his hand came down again, this time across both cheeks. I closed my eyes, absorbing the sting and heat as he spanked me again. My ass began to burn and I lost count of the strokes. Just as it threatened to become too much, when painful pleasure would lose itself to pain alone, he stopped. I let out a shuddering breath, my body trembling as he ran his hand over the too sensitive skin.
“Are you wet, Aubree?”
I nodded, crying out as he smacked my ass again. “Yes!” I blurted out. “Yes, I'm wet.”
His hand slid down between my cheeks, then underneath me to rub across the crotch of my panties. “Oh, yes, you are. You're soaked.”
I moaned at his touch, the heat from my skin merging with a different warmth spreading inside me. His fingers slipped beneath the thin material and my head fell forward as a single digit slid inside. I made a sound of protest when he slid it out again, but then stiffened as his finger trailed up between my burning cheeks.
“Fuck,” I swore as his finger lightly traced over my asshole. I hadn't had that in mind at all.
“Don't worry,” Cade said, a hint of amusement in his voice. “That doesn't happen without preparation.” His hand moved and air hissed from between my teeth as his hands slid over my burning skin. “But it will happen. I will have your ass.”
The thought sent another rush of arousal through me. I'd never considered anal sex before, but I remembered what Cade had told me, that he'd make sure everything we did was to my benefit.
“Tonight, though,” he continued. “I'm just going to fuck you until you see stars, until your legs buckle and your eyes roll back.”
Oh, I liked the sound of that.
His hands slid up my sides, working open the laces that held the lingerie together. I stayed bent over until he cupped my breasts and pulled me into a standing position. He pressed his lips against my neck as he worked down the teddy, no finesse or sensual caresses. Instead, he was rough, practically manhandling me as his lips and teeth sucked at the skin of my throat until I knew I was marked. I had the tenuous thought that I’d have to wear a scarf; a hickey wasn't a good example to set for my students. Then Cade's hands were squeezing my breasts, his fingers rolling and twisting my nipples, and everything else dropped away.
“One of the things most men truly love is knowing they can bring their lover to climax.” Cade sounded in control once more. “Multiple orgasms are, of course, a wonderful thing for both partners. But, there is the opposite end of the spectrum as well.”
I had a feeling I wasn't really going to like where he was going with this.
“Orgasm denial.”
Yeah, definitely not going to like this.
“Having control over when your partner comes is a heady thing.”
My nipples were starting to ache from how rough he was being and each new pull or twist added to the pressure building inside me.
“Lie down on the bed.”
I started to climb on the bed and then realized I had a choice to make. I glanced over my shoulder and from the smug smile on Cade’s face, he knew exactly what my problem was. If I laid on my back, my ass would feel every movement. If I laid on my stomach, my nipples would chafe on the bedspread. Ass or nipples… which one would win?
I sighed and stretched out on my back, wincing as I tried to make myself as comfortable as possible. I hadn't chosen this position because I thought it would hurt less. I'd chosen it because whatever Cade was going to do, I wanted to watch.
He crawled onto the bed, spreading my legs as wide as they could go without causing discomfort. He kissed the inside of my thigh and then looked up at me.
“Sometimes, the longer a person is made to wait to reach their pleasure, the more intense it is when it's finally achieved.” He ran his tongue along my slit but didn't dip inside. “It's not about hurting the other person or leaving them wanting, though some dominant partners enjoy prolonging the experience to days or weeks.”
“Weeks?” I nearly squeaked the word.
He grinned. “I never go to that extreme,” he assured me. “But you are going to get a little taste of what it can be like.”
I opened my mouth to ask him to be more specific, but that was when he chose to bury his face between my legs and all the air rushed out of me at once. His tongue danced around my pussy, delving into my core before moving to my clit. Around and around it went. Light little flicks. Short thrusts. Long licks with the flat of his tongue. Each one pushing me closer and closer to the edge.
It didn't take long before I was writhing against him, desperate for that last little push. He laced our fingers together so that I couldn't do anything with them but cling to his hands. I was so close.
And then he raised his head, stopping just before I could get to where I needed to be.
“No,” I groaned. “Please, Cade. Please.”
“The trick is,” he said “to know how to read your lover so well that you know right when they reach the point where they're ready to explode. Too far, and they come. Not far enough, and it's not quite as effective.”
Effective? Effective for him maybe, but not for me.
“And, of course, you have to know how long it takes them to lose that edge so you can start the process all over again.” He lowered his head again, his mouth resuming its previous ministrations.
I moaned as he sucked on my clit. I wanted to be annoyed at him for stopping, but it was difficult to feel anything but pleasure when his talented tongue was at work. I tried to pull my hands away from his, wanting to bury my fingers in his curls, make sure he didn't stop until the job was finished, but he held tight.
I was almost there and I bit down on my bottom lip, desperate to keep back any sounds that would tell him how close I was, but it didn't matter. Just as I was ready to tip over the edge, Cade's mouth was gone and he released my hands. On instinct, I sta
rted to move them, ready to give myself the last nudge I desperately needed.
“No.” Cade's voice was sharp and I froze. “Tonight, that's mine.”
I looked at him with wide eyes. There was that edge again, a note of possessiveness that almost made me think he felt the same for me as I did about him. He was half-turned away from me though, picking up a condom from who knows where and tore the wrapper open.
“Tonight,” he continued as he rolled the condom over his swollen shaft. “I'm going to make you come.”
I nodded in agreement even though I was only half-listening. All I wanted was for him to fuck me and give me what he'd promised.
He settled himself between my legs again, but didn't enter me right away. Instead, he lifted both of my legs, stretching them out until my ankles were at his ears, my calves on his upper chest and shoulders.
“Do you want to come?” he asked as the head of his cock pushed against my entrance.
I nodded, my breath coming in short pants. This position was going to make things even tighter than usual and my body was still recovering from earlier today and last night. He'd essentially promised to make me come harder than I'd ever done before and I had no doubts about whether or not he could do it.
“Aubree.” My name held a warning note.
“Yes,” I said, immediately understanding that he wanted me to speak. “I want to come.”
“How badly do you want to come?”
The tip of his cock entered me and I whimpered. “Please.”
He smiled and leaned forward. The backs of my thighs burned a little as they stretched, but another inch of him slid inside. “Tell me, Aubree, what would you be willing to do if I let you come?”
“Anything,” I answered automatically.
“Would you let me fuck your mouth?” he asked. “Make you take me deeper than you thought possible?”
“Yes.” I nodded. I started to reach for him, but he grasped my wrists and held my hands at my sides.
Casual Encounter: The Complete Series Box Set Page 20