W hen I went back in to the school, I felt like every eye was on me, like everyone knew what I'd spent my lunchtime doing. It was ludicrous. No one had even been in the parking lot when I'd gotten in or out of the car. No one was in the hall when I swiped my card to go inside. In fact, I didn't see anyone the entire walk to my classroom, but Mindy was sitting at my desk waiting for me when I entered the room .

“Decided to step out for lunch?” A smirk played over her lips .

I glared at her but didn't respond. I wasn't the best liar, especially not to my friends .

“Might've helped if you actually took your lunch with you.” She gestured toward the container I'd put in the fridge that morning .

I glanced up at the clock and opened my fruit salad. The lunch period would be ending in just a few minutes which meant Mindy would have to leave for her next class. I stayed standing as I began to eat, grateful that Mindy was in my chair so I didn't have to try to explain myself if I happened to wince when I sat down. The spanking hadn't been bad, but combined with Cade’s roughness, it was probably going to make sitting for the next couple hours a bit awkward .

“You were with him, weren't you ?”

I chewed on a piece of cantaloupe and refused to answer, though I was sure my face was bright red and answer enough .

“Damn, girl.” Mindy shook her head as she stood. “I just hope this guy isn't ruining you for real men. Because, trust me, this whole fairy tale thing is not realistic. Soon, you're going to have to come back down to the real world with the rest of us .”

Mindy's words stuck with me for the rest of the day. Was it possible that Cade’s instructions would make it harder for me to have a relationship because he’d become what I'd expect from a boyfriend? From a lover? Would anyone be able to measure up to Cade? And I didn't just mean sexually, though there was that. The question that really hit me as I was walking to my car, however, was: did I want anyone else to try to measure up ?

When I got home, I went to my closet and pulled out the clothes I'd packed away. I set the box on my bed and opened it, my heart hammering in my chest. I wasn’t sure why I was so nervous, but my hands were trembling. The first thing I'd thought when Cade said we were going away for the weekend was the contents of this box. Now, I wondered if I had been thinking about wearing these clothes not because I was ready to move on but because these were the clothes I would want to share with a boyfriend .

Those were dangerous thoughts. Especially when Cade was concerned .

I took out the garment on top. A brand-new, dark purple bikini I'd bought specifically for lounging around the cruise ship pool. I set it aside and went on to the next. A sheer black teddy with a series of laces down the sides so that it could be unlaced and easily removed. The deep blue dress I'd planned on wearing on the plane to the coast where Ronald and I would board the ship. Under that was the matching bra and panty set I'd intended to wear under the simple, but cute dress .

I felt a pang of sadness as I remembered how I'd picked out these items, wondering what Ronald would think of me in each one. I remembered how pretty I'd felt. These were clothes I felt comfortable in, not because I thought they hid me, but because I genuinely liked the way I looked in them. And I hadn't gotten to wear them for anyone .

They were special and the fact that I'd thought of them first meant I was thinking of this weekend as something more than just sex. Cade hadn't said or done anything to make me think that spending a couple days together was anything but business, but the idea of uninterrupted days and nights with him had me thinking along lines that were best left alone .

Problem was, my brain didn't want to leave things alone. All Wednesday night, all day Thursday and into Friday, I found myself wondering about the non-sexual things Cade and I would do together, the things we would talk about. Would I finally be able to get beneath that mask and get to know the man? Would we talk about things that had nothing to do with my sex life? More than once, I imagined what it would be like to fall asleep in his arms, to wake up next to him. Almost like we were a real couple .

By the time I was staring at the clock and wishing the bell would just ring already, I was forced to admit that I was in deep. I tried to convince myself for the past couple days that the only reason I was fantasizing about this trip was because I'd been so excited about my honeymoon and I hadn't gotten to take it. I told myself I wanted to know more about Cade because he was actually a decent guy. But while there was some truth to that reasoning, I knew it wasn't all there was .

Despite what I'd told Cade, despite the warnings I'd given myself and the promises I'd made that things between the two of us would only be business, I could no longer deny that I was falling for him .

I'd always known this was a possibility. For me, sex and emotion had always been linked. This arrangement with Cade had been, in part, an effort to change that for me. But I couldn't say I was surprised I was having a problem separating the two. Even after I'd learned what Cade was, I'd been drawn to him. Sure, I was physically attracted to him, but it had always been more than that. It was his confidence, the way he was so sure of himself. But there was also a part of him hidden, a part of him I wanted to know more about. I'd glimpsed that man on a few occasions, usually when I'd done something to catch him off guard, and what I'd seen just made me want to know him more .

I knew I couldn't act on it. First, because I knew he didn't feel the same way. He didn't do love or emotions. There was physical attraction and pleasure, but nothing more. And, second, because any mention of my feelings would result in Cade ending our arrangement .

Eventually, the way I felt would either go away or they'd reveal themselves, but for right now, I was going to pretend nothing had changed, that I was emotionally unattached. I knew that meant I'd end up getting hurt in the long run, but I couldn't help it. If I confessed, he'd leave me, and I didn't think I could handle losing him. Not yet .

So, after the final bell rang and the last of my students left, I packed up my things, reminded Mindy that I'd miss dinner because I was going on a trip, and then headed home to finish packing and grab a bite to eat .

I dressed in the outfit I'd intended to wear to the ship, knowing it would travel well. I was also wearing the matching bra and panty set I'd bought to surprise Ronald. I just hoped Cade would like what I'd picked. The dress was more conservative than what he'd had me wear before, but what I had on underneath was sexier. It reflected who I was more than anything I'd ever worn. An attractive exterior that didn't get much attention, but with desires that were a bit on the wild side. Just how wild, I was still figuring out .

Cade knocked on my door at five till eight and I was ready to go. He gave me an approving once over as he stepped inside the apartment .

“I forgot to tell you to bring your passport .”

My stomach flipped. My passport. I knew where it was, of course. It was in the same place it had been since the end of the second week in August when I'd learned I didn't need it after all .

“I'll go get it.” I went back into my bedroom and opened the top left drawer of my dresser. It was empty except for my passport. It had seemed fitting to put it in that specific drawer, the one Ronald had used when we'd been together. I'd packed his shit up after I'd received a box delivered with all of my things that had been at his place .

“Is there something wrong?” Cade's voice came from the doorway. “You do have a passport, right? When I made the arrangements with Adelle, she said you had one .”

“I do.” I picked it up and pasted a fake smile on my face. The anticipation I'd felt about this trip had been dampened by the memories. “Let's go .”

Cade crossed his arms, the expression on his face saying he wasn't going to move until I talked .

“Ronald and I were going on a Caribbean cruise for our honeymoon,” I explained. The words came out in a rush. I just wanted to get it over with so we could get on with the weekend. “That's why I got it. I didn't have one before.” A pain went through my heart as I remembered how excited I'd been when I'd seen it for the first time. “I've never even been out of the state before .”

Cade came into my room and took the passport from my hand. His eyes locked with mine as he tucked it into the outside pocket of my bag. His fingers curled around mine. “Let's see what we can do about that .”

I nodded, willing myself to ignore the way my heart skipped a beat when he took my hand. He led me back through my apartment, pausing only to pick up my bag. The town car that was waiting for us looked like the one from earlier that week, and even though I knew the chances of it being the same car were slim, I still flushed at the memory .

“We're not going on a cruise,” he said as we settled into our seats. “And Toronto might not be as exotic as the Caribbean, but I think you'll enjoy yourself .”

“I'm sure I will.” If he was with me, I wouldn't have cared if we were just going down the street .

“The flight's only an hour and a half.” His voice took on that business tone he had. “And a car will be waiting to take us to our hotel. It won't be very late when we check in, but I hadn't planned on us going out tonight.” His last few words warmed .

I smiled, a genuine one this time. “That sounds good to me.” I glanced at the divider and hoped the driver wasn't listening. “Because I followed your directions on what I was supposed to wear.” I took the hem of my skirt, waited until Cade's eyes dropped, and then quickly flashed my sheer lace panties .

Cade's hands curled into fists against his thighs and the way his eyes darkened made my heart skip a beat .

“And the bra matches .”

He made a sound in the back of his throat and my panties went from dry to wet in seconds .

“If we didn't have a flight to catch, I'd make you strip for me right here.” Cade's voice was rough. “And if we have any delays, I can't promise I won't fuck you on the plane .”

I tightly pressed my lips together. A part of me said there was no way I wanted any of that, but another part, the newer part, said it might not be such a bad idea .

Fortunately – or unfortunately depending on how I wanted to look at it – everything went smoothly. We got through security with plenty of time and didn't have to rush to board. We departed on schedule and had an uneventful flight. We made small talk and Cade ignored the flight attendants who flirted with him, keeping his attention solely on me .

This was the kind of thing that would spoil me for a real relationship. I'd never had anyone listen so attentively to what I had to say or carry on a conversation where they didn't seem the least bit distracted. I didn't know how Cade managed to keep things from getting too personal, but still allowed us both to talk about things we loved. Great sex wasn't the only thing that made him so good at his job .

The ride from the airport to the hotel was relatively quiet though. I kept my attention focused on what was outside the window, enjoying the skyline of a new city. I'd seen other cities in movies and on TV of course, but it wasn't the same as actually being here .

Then we pulled in front of this massive building with the kind of stone architecture that reminded me of a medieval castle. In fancy script, above the large front doors, were the words Windsor Arms Hotel .

Cade left our bags for someone to carry in and offered me his arm. The doorman gave us a polite smile and nod as we walked past. The inside was gorgeous. A massive chandelier hung in the center of the lobby and, as I looked up, I could see the second floor. My low heels clicked against the gleaming tile, sounding loud in my ears. This was the kind of place that made me feel like I needed to whisper .

Less than fifteen minutes later, we were getting off the elevator on one of the top floors and Cade was opening the door to our suite. Two bedrooms, two beautiful bathrooms, one with a walk-in shower and separate tub. A sitting room and small kitchenette. One of the bed rooms had a massive floor-length mirror with an ornate frame, as well as elaborate landscapes covering the walls. The other had a piano. In the bedroom .

Oh, yeah, he was definitely spoiling me for other men .