I wasn't sure what to expect the next morning, but at the very least, I assumed things would just go back to the way they had been… a professional relationship without emotions involved. A part of me hoped, no matter how much I tried to tell myself not to, that things would be different, that what had happened meant Cade cared about me, at least somewhat .

As I came out into the main sitting area, I realized something had changed, but not for the better. Cade stood by the door, his bag on the floor at his feet. He glanced at his watch .

“We need to leave for the airport in thirty minutes.” His face wasn't just blank; it was cold. I didn't see a hint of warmth, not even the lust I'd grown accustomed to when he saw me. Considering I was wearing only a robe and it wasn't even belted, his lack of attention spoke volumes .

I frowned, puzzled, but didn't say a word. He didn't seem in the mood to talk and I didn't want to overstep the boundary that seemed firmly back in place. I nodded and went back into the bedroom .

“I'll meet you in the lobby,” Cade called after me. “Don't be late .”

Now I was really confused. Had I done something to upset him? Or was he embarrassed for having told me about his past? I could understand that. But this coldness seemed more significant than that. If he'd felt like his actions had been unprofessional, why hadn't he just apologized or owned up to the mistake? Or simply told me it was a lapse in judgment to share something so personal? Why act so distant? Or, the thought struck me, had I been too obvious? Had he been able to tell that my feelings for him went beyond the physical ?

The questions nagged at me as I packed my things and got ready to go. I was done with time to spare and headed down to the lobby, hoping Cade would be in a better mood when I arrived. Instead, I found the lobby empty and I looked dumbly down at my phone. No text messages, no calls. I was five minutes early, so maybe he'd gone to the restroom or stepped out for something, but not finding him here made me nervous .

I considered asking the front desk, but I didn't want to seem like the kind of girl who was checking up on her boyfriend. Cade was not my boyfriend. I knew that .

So I waited and tried to appear calm, not wanting him to see how upset I truly felt. I wasn't so sure I succeeded, but when I saw Cade walking toward me from the direction of the hotel restaurant, I was pretty sure he didn't suspect I'd been worried. I hadn't thought to check to see if he was getting breakfast. I didn't have much of an appetite .

“Our car's here .”

As Cade walked by, I caught a whiff of alcohol and frowned. He hadn't been eating. He'd been drinking. And it was way too early for that. I held my tongue though. It wasn't my concern. He was an adult and we weren't together. But while both of those things were true, neither of them stopped me from worrying as we climbed into the car .

The ride to the airport was tense and silent, but not the good kind of tension, the kind that meant once it was unleashed, amazing things were going to happen. I kept glancing at Cade out of the corner of my eye, trying to will him to look at me, but he kept his gaze straight ahead. I'd expected at least a hint of a smile when I winced as I sat down, but there was nothing. My ass was still tender, my pussy sore, and sitting wasn't exactly the most comfortable thing in the world – all things that should've been of interest to Cade. Instead, I was getting the cold shoulder .

By the time we landed back in Chicago, I was a bundle of nerves. Something was wrong and I didn't know what it was. I promised myself that as soon as we got in the car, I'd ask him, and I wouldn't let up until he told me the truth. Whatever it was, we'd get past it. He'd told me he wasn't done with me yet and I intended to hold him to that .

As we walked out of the terminal, however, he handed me my bag. “You'll be taking the car back to your place .”

“What about you?” I hoped I sounded much more casual to him than I did to myself .

“I have some business to attend to.” He didn't meet my eyes. “The driver's waiting .”

I stared as he walked off. The entire time Cade and I had been together, he'd had his moments where he'd kept his distance, but he'd never been rude. And he'd never made me feel cheap. Until now. I lifted my chin. I wasn't going to let him do this to me. I would go home, spend the rest of the day relaxing and grading papers. I wouldn't think about Cade until the next time he called. And I certainly wouldn't spend the time in between worrying over him .

That resolve lasted exactly three hours. As much as I tried not to, I wasn't able to stop myself from being distracted. Every so often, I found myself staring at a test and realizing I'd been looking at the same question for five minutes. Sometimes it was a specific thought that caught my attention, or a theory about what could've happened. Other times, it was just a general feeling of unrest .

I waited for him to call, to set up a meeting for the upcoming week, but he didn't. Monday came and went with nothing. Mindy asked about my weekend and I gave her a few unimportant details. Good food. Good sex. Nothing much else. I didn't like lying to her, but until I was sure what was happening with Cade, I didn't want to speculate. There were too many variables in play, too many things I didn't understand .

I considered calling him, but every time I took out my phone and started to tap on his number, I began to wonder if maybe this was a test. Maybe he was teaching me patience. I remembered his lesson on orgasm denial and wondered if this was just another way for me to learn delayed gratification .

Even the idea that this isolation was intentional didn't mean any of it sat well with me. It was one of a dozen scenarios, each one with its own sets of pros and cons. I didn't know what to hope for, which meant I didn't have a single possibility on which to fix my mind. Instead, I jumped from scenario to scenario .

When Friday rolled around, I was more than ready for a night out with the girls. Adelle and I were good again, which meant there wouldn't be any awkwardness. Neither she nor Mindy would expect me to give them details about my weekend since they both knew the whole Cade thing was a sensitive subject. Whatever I did share, they'd take at face value. Plus, there'd be alcohol, which was always a good thing. Okay, not always, but in this instance, it would be. Plus, I was hoping Adelle and Mindy would be able to provide me with some distraction .

When I arrived at L20, the other two were already there and Mindy was practically bouncing in her seat. That was good. It meant she had something exciting she wanted to share. Whatever it was, I hoped it would be big enough to keep us going most of the night .

“I'm so glad you're here,” Adelle said. She sent a pointed look in Mindy's direction. “I think she's going to burst if she doesn't get to share her news soon .”

I smiled as I sat down. Mindy didn't even wait for me to get my coat off before letting loose .

“I met someone !”

“That's great!” The enthusiasm in my voice was genuine. Mindy wasn't quite like Adelle when it came to the love 'em and leave 'em mentality. She enjoyed her flirtations and her one night stands, but she also wasn't opposed to having a relationship like Adelle was. Not that I could really blame Adelle for not wanting to get into anything serious. Losing Morgan had been tough on her .

“All right, then, spill.” Adelle signaled to the nearby waiter. “Champagne, please. The best you have .”

“Well,” Mindy began. “I met him two weeks ago ...”

“Two weeks and you're just sharing now?” Adelle shook her head. “What's his deep dark secret ?”

Mindy rolled her eyes. “It was a chance meeting a coffee shop one morning before school, and that turned into a second meeting and then a third. We chatted in line, waiting for our orders and he confessed that after our first meeting, he'd deliberately gone back at the same time, hoping to see me again .”

I really was interested in what Mindy had to say, but I found myself having to concentrate to pay attention. Random things made me think of Cade, and I didn't want that. I focused on each word, occasionally following Adelle's lead and putting in a comment or two. I let the atmosphere of friendship and warmth surround me and began to relax .

By the time I was walking out to get a cab, I was feeling better than I had all week. I could do this. I didn't need Cade .

As I slid into the back seat of the cab, my phone rang. My stomach flipped when I saw his name on the screen. Maybe I wasn't as completely over him as I thought. I answered the call, keeping my voice cool and clipped. I didn't want him to know how worried I'd been. Better he think I was either annoyed or indifferent .

“Yes?”

There were no apologies, no explanations. He didn't even bother with a greeting. All that came were instructions. We had a date for tomorrow night, and it was going to be a surprise .