I felt my heart thump wildly against my palms. He loved me. He didn't just care about me or want to be with me. He hadn't even said that he was falling for me. He'd said he loved me .

My head jerked up, tears streaming down my cheeks. The door was open and he was stepping into the hallway, but I couldn't move. I couldn't even speak. He was going to close the door and disappear. I'd never see him again and he'd never know that I loved him too ...

“Cade!” His name ripped out of me and I saw him freeze. “Don't leave me .”

A shudder went through him but he didn't turn. The fingers curled around the doorknob tightened until his knuckles turned white. “Aubree .”

The agony in that single word, in my name, the name only Cade used, it broke through my paralysis and I ran to him. He must've heard me move because he started to turn, getting enough around in time to catch me as I threw my arms around him and buried my face against his chest. His arms closed around me, tentatively at first, as if he was still trying to process what had happened, then tighter .

“Please don't leave me.” I was crying, as the realization of how close I'd come to losing him hit me .

“Shh,” he murmured as he smoothed down my hair. “I'm not going anywhere.” He moved us both so he could shut the door and give us privacy, but we didn't go more than a couple steps. He rested his cheek on my head as his hands moved up and down my bare back, but there was only comfort in his touch, nothing sexual .

Slowly, I calmed down. He'd stayed. I hadn't said those words yet, but he'd stayed because I'd asked him to. I pulled back until I could look up at him. His expression was blank and I understood why. He'd opened himself up to me and I'd been the one who'd fucked up this time. Well, I wasn't going to wait any longer to fix it .

“I love you, Cade.” I reached up and put my hand on his cheek. “I was just too scared to say it. I didn't think you felt the same way .”

I saw cautious hope in his eyes and vowed that I'd never again do anything to make him think I didn't care .

“You don't have to say it,” he said. “It's okay. If you want me to stay, I'll stay.” He ran the tip of his finger just under my bottom lip. “You can have as much of me as you want and I won't ask for anything in return .”

“I want all of you, Cade,” I said firmly. “My Cade .”

I had a moment to see desire and love blaze across his eyes and then his mouth was on mine. His tongue pushed at my lips and I parted them willingly, running my tongue out to curl around his. His teeth scraped against my lips and I moaned. He buried a hand in my hair, cupping the back of my head as he deepened the kiss. I could feel the desire radiating out from every part of him and knew it was so much more than physical. I pressed my body even closer, rubbing my hip against his crotch until he moaned into my mouth .

I didn't know how long we stood there, only that when he finally broke the kiss, we were both gasping for air and my knees were trembling .

He rested his forehead against mine. “My Aubree?” He made it a question, so tentative that it tore at my heart .

“Your Aubree.” I smiled and pulled him down for another kiss .

Any hesitation that had lingered must've been chased away by my answer because I felt him shift back into that confident, dominating man I'd first met less than two months ago. His hands slid down over my ass as his tongue plundered my mouth. I tugged at the hem of his shirt, eager to get my hands on bare skin. When my palms skimmed across his sides, his muscles twitched and he groaned. His hands moved further down and he picked me up. Without breaking our kiss, I wrapped my legs around his waist, my arms around his neck .

He began to walk us back towards my bedroom as I moved my lips down his jawline, the light stubble there rough against my mouth. He swore as I latched on to a spot just under his jaw, sucking the skin into my mouth and worrying at it with my teeth until blood came to the surface .

“Mine,” I whispered fiercely in his ear .

Cade spun us so fast that I barely processed it. Suddenly, my back was against the wall and his mouth was on my neck. My head fell back, granting him easier access as he nipped and sucked every inch he could reach. I was sure he was leaving hickeys all over, but I didn't care. In fact, I wanted him to mark me, something to remind me that I was his .

“Mine,” he growled as he ground himself against me. “My Aubree.” His hands ran up my sides and squeezed my breasts. “Only mine .”

“Yes,” I gasped as his jeans rubbed against me, the thin material of my dress instantly soaking through. When he pulled down one strap of my dress, baring my breast, his fingers immediately went to my hardening nipple, rolling it and sending a ripple of pleasure through me .

“Come again,” he demanded. He tugged at my nipple and rotated his hips, rubbing against my already sensitive clit .

He didn't have to tell me. I was already there. My head fell forward and I called out his name as I came. Even as I was still riding out my orgasm, he pulled away from the wall and finished carrying me into the bedroom .

We fell onto the bed and he twisted so that I landed on top. Not that I would've minded. I only cared that he never stopped touching me. His hands tore at my dress, pulling at the zipper and tugging it up over my head. I winced as it caught in my hair, but didn't let it distract me from trying to get his shirt off .

Before I could, however, he flipped me over onto my back and went up onto his knees, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it behind him. I greedily ran my eyes over his sculpted torso. Damn, he was hot. I had the sudden desire to run my tongue over every inch of him. Then I saw the look in his eyes and knew that would have to wait. We may have had a bit of give and take, but I had no doubt that was over for now, and he was taking charge. My stomach twisted. I definitely wanted that .

My eyes dropped as his hands went to his jeans. He undid the top button and pushed the jeans down his hips, revealing a pair of gray boxer briefs and an impressive bulge that made my pussy throb with anticipation. He gave me a wicked grin and stood. He stripped off the jeans and then reached down into the pocket. He pulled out a condom and tossed it up by my pillow .

“Always prepared,” he said as he pulled off his underwear. His cock curved up towards his flat stomach, thick and swollen. He crawled back onto the bed, his eyes darkening as he ran them over my body. He stayed on his knees next to me as he spoke again. “Up on your hands and knees .”

I sat up. Before we started this, there was something I wanted to tell him. I got onto my knees facing him and reached out to wrap my fingers around his cock. He groaned as I lightly stroked the hard flesh. “If you go get tested, preparation won't really be a problem .”

His eyes narrowed and he grabbed my wrist. “That's a naughty thing to tease about .”

I winked at him, my stomach clenching. “I can't wait to feel you inside me, nothing between us .”

His fingers flexed around my wrist, not hurting, but enough to remind me of just how strong he was .

“Feel you come inside me, filling me ...”

Cade grabbed my waist and spun me around. A hand between my shoulder blades bent me towards the bed and I caught myself on my elbows. I'd barely settled when a hand came down on my ass with a loud crack .

“Ah!” My body jerked. I closed my eyes as I let my body absorb the sensation. A second blow made me gasp. This was harder than it had been before and my ass was already stinging, but my pussy was throbbing and it wasn't from pain .

He ran his hand down between my legs, fingers probing at my pussy. He slid a finger inside and I shivered .

“All I can think about now is being inside you, skin against skin.” He removed his hand and smacked my ass again. “Now I need a distraction. Can you distract me ?”

I nodded, then yelped as he slapped my ass again. “Yes!” I said, remembering how he'd always insisted I speak, not just nod .

“How?”

My brain raced through all of the different things Cade and I had done during our time together and decided to keep it simple. I rolled onto my back, grimacing as the sheets rubbed against my sensitive skin. He sat back on his heels, his hand wrapping around his cock as he waited to see what I'd do next .

I ran my hand over my stomach and then down between my legs. I moaned as I rubbed my fingers on either side of my clit .

“Oh, fuck .”

A thrill went through me as Cade swore. I loved that I could make him do that. His hand dropped to the base of his cock and I saw him tighten his fingers around it. I dropped my hand lower and slid my two middle fingers into my pussy. I worked them in and out, avoiding putting any direct pressure on my clit. It was still sensitive from the elevator and I had a feeling it was going to get more attention before the night was over .

“Lick your fingers clean.” Cade's voice was rough .

I raised my hand to my mouth, my eyes locking with his as I licked my juices from my fingers. I'd never tasted myself before, but it was strangely erotic, knowing that this was what Cade had tasted when he'd gone down on me .

He slid his hand up over his cock, nice and slow and I watched, remembering how it had been to have his dick in my mouth, the way it had felt when it slid over my tongue .

“Turn over,” he said, his voice hoarse .

I rolled onto my stomach .

“Grab the headboard .”

My stomach fluttered. I wrapped my hands around the cheap wooden rails. I heard the condom wrapper rip, then felt the bed dip as Cade moved behind me. He stretched his body out on top of mine, not putting his full weight on me, but enough pressure that I felt it .

“Have you ever done it like this?” His tongue traced the outside of my ear .

“No.” My fingers flexed around the headboard .

He raised his hips and, a moment later, I felt the head of him nudge against my soaking wet entrance. We both groaned as he slid inside me with one smooth motion .

“So perfect,” he said. He slid one arm under me until his hand rested at the base of my throat. “We fit together so perfectly .”

My eyes closed as he pulled back, then slid forward. Fuck. I sighed .

“You okay?” He sounded concerned .

“Just never thought I'd feel this again,” I admitted .

He pressed his lips against my temple. “I love you, my Aubree .”

“And I love you, my Cade.” I tried to push back against him, but the position didn't allow me any leverage against the larger body covering me .

He chuckled, the sound sending a shiver through me. “Is there something you want ?”

“You,” I said. “I want you .”

“You've got me.” He kissed my shoulder and then began to move .

His thrusts were slow and deep, pushing me forward so that my clit rubbed against the sheets, sending ripples of pain and pleasure through me. His fingers twitched against the base of my throat and his breath was hot against my ear .

“I'm not going to last long,” he said. “You had me too worked up, watching you come in the elevator, then playing with that pretty little pussy of yours .”

“I'm close again,” I panted. And I was. My clit was so sensitive that the friction was almost painful. I was going to come again, and if he kept going after that, it was going to hurt .

He scraped his teeth against the place where my shoulder and neck met. “What do you want ?”

“Bite me,” I answered automatically. “Mark me .”

“Fuck,” he groaned. “You're gonna be the death of me .”

He began to move faster, pushing deeper than he had before, reaching places inside me that made me see stars. I began to shudder, ripples of pleasure washing over me. Then Cade's teeth were in my shoulder, not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to make me cry out. And then he was coming, crushing me against him .

It was different this time, not just a physical joining of two bodies fit perfectly together. This was more like I couldn't tell where he ended and I began. Like every cell in my body was merging with every cell in his. I'd never felt anything like it, not once. And, as I heard him saying my name over and over again, I knew he felt it too .

He wrapped his arms around me and rolled us onto our sides. “Thank you.” He pressed his lips against my neck and I shivered .

“For what?” I was still half-floating .

“For loving me, despite everything .”

I picked up his hand and kissed the back of it. “You're mine,” I said simply .

“Yes,” he said as he nuzzled behind my ear. “I am .”