She eased herself from his warm embrace, rolling away from him. Her stomach clenched as she thought about how horrible it was going to be when this relationship ended. This breakup would be a million times worse than when Trent dumped her because Evan had burrowed deep into her heart. Tearing him out was going to leave a gaping hole.
Having gotten to know Evan over the past several weeks, she understood what kind of man he was. How could she not have fallen in love with him? He was intelligent and ambitious with great leadership abilities, but he also had a more sensitive side that he’d shared with her.
He still carried guilt for staying away from the family business while he’d chased the checkered flag. Even though he’d been away from his parents most of his adult life, he had a tremendous love for them and a deep sense of responsibility to make them proud of him.
Yes, the longer she stayed with Evan the harder it would be to walk away. When they broke off their engagement, she would lose everything in her life again, the man she loved and her job. She was such a fool to let her emotions lead her down this same path.
The only thing for her to do now was to start planning how she was going to get out of this with minimum damage. She and Evan needed to start talking about an evacuation plan, but no amount of planning the logistics was going to ease the emotional pain.
She groaned softly at the impossible situation she’d gotten herself into.
Evan rolled over to spoon against her back. With a gentle touch, he brushed his fingers across her cheek. “What’s wrong?” he whispered.
“Nothing. Sorry I woke you.”
“Why aren’t you sleeping?” He kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear.
She fumbled with an excuse, but she must have taken too long.
“What is it, Cassie?” Evan pulled on her shoulder to roll her toward him, so he could stare down at her face in the dim streetlight shining through her blinds. “Tell me.”
When she realized he wasn’t going to be satisfied without a good answer, she reluctantly spoke the truth. “I was projecting ahead to the end.”
“The end?” His voice was rough with sleep. “What end?”
“Of us.” God, she hated saying it.
“What if there didn’t have to be an end?” he asked in a quiet voice.
She stared at him, trying to read his expression in the faint light, but the glow from the window behind him cast his features in shadow. “You better spell this out for me, so I don’t misinterpret anything here.”
“What if we continue our engagement? I like you, Cassie. I like having you as mine. Why do we have to call an end to this?”
“For how long?” she asked, refusing to get too excited by his words until she got more details.
“Are you asking for an expiration date?” He chuckled softly. “I don’t think we can know that right now.”
“I mean, how long do you plan to be engaged to me? Won’t the media be expecting us to set a wedding date soon?” The vultures had backed off a little in the past four weeks, but there was still a small flock always circling when she and Evan left a restaurant. She didn’t think she’d ever get comfortable with the attention or the personal questions they shouted out.
He shrugged. “Then we’ll give them a date.”
Her heart raced at the thought of marrying him, making her wonder if she’d actually fallen asleep while she’d stared at her alarm clock, and now she was merely dreaming this conversation.
“How about in one year?” he continued. “Do you think you’ll be able to decide in the next twelve months whether or not you’d like to marry me?”
Cassie’s mouth gaped as she struggled to comprehend his proposal.
“Is that a yes?” he prodded.
She nodded. “Yes.” The word came out on a breath of air. “I’d like to spend the next twelve months with you.”
“Just to be clear. That’s not our expiration date. That’s merely a suggested timeframe for renegotiating our relationship, agreed?”
Laughing with relief, she nodded. “Agreed.”
“Good, now let’s see if I can find some way to wear you out, so we can both get some sleep tonight.” He slipped his large, warm hand under her chemise and…tickled her belly.
Giggling, she grabbed his wrist and yelped, “Stop! Stop!”
His palm cupped her breast, and he tweaked her nipple with his fingers as his mouth came down to cover hers.
Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she surrendered to the love warming her heart for this man as she reveled in the heat he generated in her core. They were an amazing match in bed, their passions equally intense.
He broke their kiss and flipped her on to her stomach, shoving her chemise up to her armpits. “I think I’ve been neglecting this ass lately.”
Without warning, he delivered a stinging slap to her naked butt. She yelped softly then relaxed into the next several spanks. God, he made her so wet when he warmed her bottom. Her clit throbbed as her pulse pounded harder.
“Who do you belong to?” he asked gruffly.
“You, Sir. Only you,” she managed to say between gasps as his hits grew in intensity.
“Count down from ten.”
“Ten,” she panted with his next smack. Then nine…eight…seven…six. By five, she was having a hard time staying focused on the numbers as her mind teetered on the edge, ready to take flight.
She missed three or maybe it was two.
“Cassie…” he growled.
“Two,” she mumbled with the next one, hoping she was correct. Then, “One,” with the final smack.
“Do you want to come?” he demanded.
“Yes, Sir. Please, Sir,” she begged.
“Not without me.” He flipped her over to her back and pinched her nipples while his mouth captured hers.
She trailed her fingertips across his chest and down his ridged abs to the dark hair that led the way to his hard length. She circled him with her hand and stroked him up and down. He was thick and ready.
He broke their kiss with a groan. “God, you drive me crazy with your touch.”
Balancing on one forearm, he grabbed a condom from the bedside table and handed it to her. She tore the wrapper open and quickly covered him, loving the feel of him against her palms.
He slipped his free hand between them and skimmed his fingers over her bare mound, sending shivers up her spine. Then he was at her clit, rubbing around it lightly and teasing her by not touching it exactly as she needed.
She was close, so close. Her breathing was short and fitful, her stomach muscles shaking, but he wouldn’t give her what he knew she craved.
“And you,” she panted, “are driving me crazy.” She squeezed her hand harder around him.
He grunted and jerked out of her grasp. “Naughty sub.”
Before she could grab him again, he thrust inside her. She wrapped her legs around his hips, and he pinched her clit, finally giving her what she needed.
“Come,” he ordered.
She exploded with her climax, lights bursting behind her closed eyelids as her internal muscles clenched around him. He joined her with a shout, bucking erratically into her, sending her orgasm to new heights, and she rode the high like a bird on the thermals.
When it was over and their breaths had returned to normal, she snuggled against his chest thoroughly relaxed and nearly asleep.
And that’s when she thought she might have heard him whisper, “I love you.”
* * * *
Evan was in deep. His chest tightened as he held Cassie’s sleeping form curled into his body. What the hell was he doing offering Cassie a legitimate engagement? He wasn’t anywhere near ready to give up his membership at The Club. In fact, he was growing restless with the light scenes he’d been initiating Cassie with.
He stroked the top of her head and considered his options. She’d been doing so well in their private training. The independent, hard-headedness of her daytime personality peeked out when she submitte
d to him, but he enjoyed the challenge and the opportunities it gave him to discipline her appropriately. Something they both seemed to appreciate.
His dick pulsed at the memory of her tied to the bed with red silk scarves, wearing only lacy black panties and a blindfold. God, she was beautiful in her submission.
He’d love to strap her to a St. Andrew’s cross with her ass displayed to a roomful of admirers while he flogged her, watching her pale cheeks turn a deep shade of red as she begged for release.
He bit back a groan as his cock hardened, nearly painfully. Perhaps it was time to introduce her to his full strength Dom.
As he listened to her gentle breathing, he debated waking her for his pleasure. She slept so peacefully he almost let her be, but she belonged to him whether she knew what that fully meant or not.
He gently rolled her to her back and spread her thighs, positioning himself over her. With light touches, he stroked her labia, close but not touching her clit.
She roused with a soft moan, and he sunk his cock deep into her wet pussy.
“Mmmm,” she murmured as he slid in and out of her, taking his time.
Her inner muscles clenched around him as she woke more fully and responded to his thrusts. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and speared her fingers through his hair, drawing him down to her.
He gave in to her pull and claimed her mouth with vicious possession, pushing his tongue past her lips to assert his dominance. She moaned with her submission as she surrendered to his power and force.
He changed his speed and level of impact, slamming his cock into her hard and fast, over and over, until they both panted for breath.
“Come for me,” he growled against her ear.
She exploded under him with a sharp cry. Her vaginal muscles tightening around him, squeezing his orgasm out of him as he shouted with his release. He thrust and shuddered as he gasped for air.
As he returned to his senses, he dropped his head and kissed the tip of her nose. His sweet, sweet Cassie. She was such an incredible treasure.
Yeah, he was in deep.
And he wasn’t doing anything to reverse the situation. Instead, he took things even deeper when he ordered Cassie to his office the following day.
“Come in,” he answered the knock at his door at precisely five-thirty p.m.
“Hey, boss.” She sassed him, flashing him a grin she reserved for the privacy of his office. “Whatcha need?”
“Shut the door, Cassie.”
At the underlying dominance in his voice, she hesitated and studied him before she carefully closed the door. Then she clasped her hands behind her and bowed her head as she awaited his next directions.
Yes, her training was going quite well, and he paused a moment, taking pleasure in her submission.
Then he walked around his desk and picked up the black clothes box from the side table. “I have something for you.”
She peeked up at him from beneath her eyelashes. He considered briefly whether he should call her on it or not and decided to let it slide for now. He wanted to move on to the next part of this meeting. His own anticipation driving him to hurry, which he had to temper to stay in control.
“Tonight, I will pick you up at ten. You will put your hair up and wear this, only this, underneath a trench coat with your black stiletto heels.” He handed her the box, and she held it carefully before her as if something was about to jump out of it.
He stifled a grin and resumed his instructions. “You will not speak to me until I give you permission. Do you understand?”
She nodded. “Yes, Sir,” she said softly, keeping her head down.
“Look at me, Cassie.”
She raised her pretty blue eyes to meet his, and it was like a punch to the gut. She was so breathtaking as a sub.
He trailed a fingertip along her cheek, unable to resist the feel of her skin. “We are going to The Club.”
Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak.
“Hush.” He rubbed his finger softly over her parted lips. “You are ready. It is time to take the next step in our relationship.” He leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss on her cheek. “Now, go home. Take a nap then prepare yourself for our evening.”
Her eyes darkened with her arousal, and like a good little sub, she left without demanding any answers.
He adjusted himself as he walked back to his chair, knowing he was going to be too distracted to make any important decisions for Mitchell Industries for the rest of the evening. But, it was good training for him as well to force himself to remain in control and refocus his attention on business.
He shuffled through a report from his new CFO concerning investment strategies for several accounts and another report with recommendations for consolidating a variety of outstanding loans. The man was brilliant, and Evan was extremely pleased Dan had snapped the guy up to fill the empty position left by a sudden retirement decision from the old CFO, but the new CFO’s reports were giving Evan a headache.
He set the papers down on his desk and glanced at his watch. Seven was a respectable enough hour to leave. He was going to take his own instructions and go home for a brief nap before preparing for his evening at The Club.
Chapter Fourteen
Cassie slammed her apartment door behind her and dug into her tote bag for the black box from Evan. She’d been dying for the half-hour commute home to see what was inside, but she didn’t dare open it on the subway.
Her hands trembled as she broke the seal and tossed off the top. The smell of leather surrounded her as she pushed aside the crinkly red tissue paper with one hand. Then she nearly dropped the box as she stared at the finely worked black leather bustier and matching skirt. She grabbed the two pieces and dashed for the bedroom and her full-length mirror. If she wasn’t mistaken, these garments were barely going to cover her private bits, if at all.
She stripped out of her business suit, bra, and panties and slipped into the bustier first. Damn, the bottom didn’t even reach her bellybutton and the top of the cups ended at the level of her nipples. If she kept her arms at her sides, her boobs were just barely covered. She suspected that wasn’t at all what Evan would be asking of her tonight. She raised her arms above her head and watched as her nipples appeared over the top edge of the leather. Her tummy fluttered with budding desire.
She snatched up the skirt and wiggled into it. The band of leather lay low on her hips and ended a scant half centimeter below her ass. She turned and looked at her reflection over her shoulder with Evan’s words echoing in her mind. You will wear this, only this, underneath a trench coat with your black stiletto heels.
She dove into her closet and grabbed the shoes. Slipping them on, she felt herself transforming into the sexy sub she wanted to be for Evan. Walking back to the mirror, she felt the sway in her hips and the slight bounce in her breasts.
Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at her image in the mirror. The clothes had indeed transformed her into her darkest fantasy. Gone was any resemblance to a boyish figure, and she felt powerful in her sexuality. She spent another few minutes admiring the effects of the fetish wear. Finally, she remembered Evan’s other instructions.
Time to take a hot shower to relax and then a nap.
After her shower, she lay naked beneath her cool, crisp sheets, revisiting the memory of falling asleep in Evan’s arms last night. She wished she’d have found the courage to address the three words she may or may not have heard him utter. She told herself it was enough to know—or think—he had said them to her. She didn’t need to say them to him or hear him say them to her when she was fully awake. At least, she tried to convince herself of that as she practiced her centering yoga breaths and drifted off into a light sleep.
Her alarm woke her abruptly from a steamy dream, and it took her a minute to get her bearings.
Right, The Club tonight, she thought as she sat on the side of her bed and wiped the sleep from her eyes. She glanced over at the two pieces of
leather on her dresser, and her stomach clenched.
Could she do this? Was she ready to dress in fetish wear and go into public as Evan’s sub? Her breaths came faster as she gnawed on her lower lip. Just as she was determining she wasn’t ready, her cell phone rang. She picked it up from the bedside table and caught sight of Evan’s name. Her Dom knew her well.
“Hello, Evan,” she answered with a smile on her lips.
“Good evening, Cassie. Did you sleep well?” His deep tones carried through the line, settling in her gut.
“Yes, thanks.”
“I look forward to seeing you in your new clothes. I’ll be out front at ten, and remember, you will not speak to me until I give you permission.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Good girl. I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon,” she echoed before ending the call. She glanced at the clock and jumped off the bed. She would have to rush to get her hair up like he specified and be out the door on time. She wasn’t very good with anything other than a tight ponytail or bun, and she wanted to do something special with her up-do for him tonight.
By the time the limo pulled up to the curb, Cassie’s nerves were dancing the fast step all along her skin. Tony stepped out, walked around the long black car, and held open the back door for her as she tiptoed carefully across the sidewalk in her stilettos. She didn’t think she’d ever feel truly comfortable in the killer heels.
The interior light of the limo remained off, and Cassie had a difficult time spotting Evan in the far corner of the darkened car. She opened her mouth to greet him then snapped it shut when she remembered his directions.
With her heart thumping wildly, she carefully sat without indecently exposing herself to Tony. Then she sat with her head slightly bowed, staring at her hands clasped in her lap, and waited for Evan to speak.
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