W e 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 started 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 .

“Would you let me fuck your ass?” Another inch and he pressed against my g-spot .

I swallowed hard, nodding before I knew how I was going to answer .

“Say it .”

“I'll let you fuck my mouth, my ass. I'll do anything you want, just please let me come.” I struggled against his hands, knowing that if I said a single word, he'd let me go. I didn't say it though. As much as I wanted my hands free, I wanted him to fuck me more .

“Are you ready to scream, Aubree?” Another inch and he was almost half-way inside .

The tension inside me felt like it was going to tear me apart if I didn't get a release soon. “Please, Cade,” I begged .

“Imagine,” he said as he slowly pushed the rest of the way into me. “If I'd denied you four or five times. If I'd taken you to the edge so many times that you lost count .”

“Fuck,” I groaned as he filled me. The stretch and burn of him inside me wasn't enough to make me climax, but it was enough to ratchet up the pressure another notch. My nails dug into the bedspread .

“You can come whenever you want,” he said .

I started to say something, but the thought was lost the moment he leaned forward, bending my legs so far back my knees almost touched my chest. His hands tightened around my wrists as his arms bore most of his weight and he began to move .

His thrusts were hard and fast, each one pounding into me with enough force to make me cry out. Or they would've been if I'd been able to get enough air. Cade shifted slightly as he pulled back and my legs slid partially down his shoulders, giving me enough room to breathe. This time when he slammed into me, I keened, a high-pitched sound I'd never made before. He hit something deep inside me that sent sparks of pleasure and pain racing across my nerves, the last little bit I needed .

My body began to shake as I tipped over the edge. I cried out his name and Cade responded by fucking me harder and faster, sending wave after wave of pleasure over me until it was almost too much and I couldn't do anything but try to scream. The sound was breathless, every muscle in my body straining to find a way to release what I was feeling. There was no end to it. I couldn't tell if I was having multiple orgasms or if it was just one that kept going and going, but whatever was happening, my brain decided to shut down. My eyes rolled back and my vision began to gray. Then Cade was saying my name, his hips jerking against me. He slumped down and I wrapped my arms and legs around him, instinctively holding on to something solid as my surroundings seemed to have liquefied .

I hovered there on the edge of consciousness, waiting for my world to normalize. At some point, Cade rolled off me and then, a few minutes after that, I watched as he got up, gathered his clothes and walked out. He didn't go into the bathroom and he didn't say a word .

I frowned as I pulled the blankets around me, but I was too exhausted, both emotionally and physically, to dwell on it. There was always tomorrow .