I paused as the waiter brought out our salads and water. We ordered the same thing without thinking about it, a reminder of how connected I'd always thought we were.
“That's one of the reasons I was so angry with you when I found out what Cade was, too.” I picked up my train of thought. “Did you really know me so little that you thought I'd actually want you to pay someone to have sex with me?” I ignored the irony of how I'd ended up doing just that. “It was more about how you seemed to think I'd be okay and accepting with all of it.”
She reached across the table and put her hand over mine. “I am so sorry, Bree. I do know you better than that. I was just thinking of what I wanted instead of you.”
I covered her hand and let us have a moment before I continued with my confession. She deserved to hear it all. “It wasn't all your fault,” I said. “A big part of the blame is mine, especially this last time.”
She gave me a puzzled look, but didn't ask me to explain. She knew I would.
“The reason I was freaked out by the idea of you and Cade sleeping together while he and I were still having sex is because I was scared he'd compare me to you.”
The look on her face was real. She was surprised, shocked even, to hear this confession. I could tell she'd never had a clue how things had always been for the two of us. I had to smile at that. She was completely confident in who she was and how she looked, but she'd never seen herself as more desirable than me.
“That doesn't matter.” I waved my hand dismissively, while her open mouth continued to find words of rebuttal. “The point is, I was upset with you for something that was, in large part, my issue. Not yours. And I'm sorry I took it out on you.”
Adelle got up and walked around to where I was sitting. She crouched down and wrapped her arms around me. “Let's never do this again, okay?” She sniffled. “This has been awful, having you mad at me.”
I nodded and felt my own eyes welling up with tears. I'd decided to be with Cade because of how my friends treated me, but I could see now that I was partially responsible too. And none of it was worth losing my friends over. “Never again.”
Her arms tightened around me for a moment, and then she stood up. She wiped at her eyes as she went back to her seat and I took a moment to compose myself as well. After a few seconds of silence between us, Adelle took a bite of her salad and looked thoughtfully at her glass of water. “Do you think it's too early to order wine with lunch?”
I chuckled and the tension between us disappeared as if it hadn't ever been there to begin with. By the time I left the café, the weight I'd been carrying since the end of August was gone. Adelle and I were okay. Cade was still going to teach me. And I was going to show everyone that I wasn't who they all thought I was.
When I went back to school on Tuesday, more than one of my students commented on how much happier and more relaxed I looked. Even the other teachers noticed and I got quite a few knowing looks from the staff. Well, knowing in the sense that they suspected I had a new man in my life. Mindy was the only one who knew the whole truth.
By the time Wednesday came around, I found myself wondering if it was the sex that had made the difference… or the companionship. I constantly found myself thinking about Cade, which was nothing new. From the moment he'd rescued me from that horror of a date, I'd been unable to stop thinking about him. The thing was, it was less and less the sex that popped into my mind. More often, I found myself thinking about his smile, the way his hair fell across his face. The artwork in his loft and the way he'd talked about the painting at the gallery.
And, of course, what he'd said to me on Sunday, how there was no comparison to me. I told myself that he was speaking professionally and with an artist's eye. Each person was beautiful in their own unique way. He'd told me before that he never took on a client he didn't find physically attractive. He was all about beauty and confidence. His statement meant all of that.
By mid-morning, however, I asked myself if the problem was that I wanted what he'd said to be real. Did I want it to be a declaration of feelings? Was I reading so much into it because I was doing what I knew I shouldn't do? Was I falling for Cade? As the morning progressed, I told myself that wasn't the case. It was physical attraction, an enjoyment of his company and mind-blowing sex. No emotions involved. I was safe.
Shortly before the bell rang for lunch, I heard my phone buzz with an incoming message. The students in the front row giggled and exchanged looks. I always made a point of making sure all of my students followed the rules about no phones on in the classroom. Catching me with my phone on, even on vibrate, was a reasonable source of amusement. Despite my curiosity, I waited until I finished the lecture and the students were either working on their homework or wasting time chatting before pulling out my phone. I kept it under the desk, not wanting to set a bad example, and hoped it wasn't an emergency, though I couldn't imagine why anyone would text me when they knew I was in class.
My heart skipped a beat when I saw Cade's name. Then my eyes skimmed the first sentence and heat rushed to my face. Fuck! I turned off the screen and shoved my phone back into my bag. What the hell was he thinking sending me a text starting with “Take off your panties...”?
“Are you okay, Miss Gamble?” One of the students, a cheerful girl named Tracy, spoke up.
All eyes turned toward me and my flushed deepened. “I'm fine, Tracy.” I forced a smile, reminding myself that there was no way any of the fourteen juniors sitting in my classroom could know what I'd just read. “Just overly warm.”
She gave me a look that said she didn't believe me, but fortunately didn't press the issue. As soon as the bell rang, the kids hurried away and, as the last one left, I put my forehead down on my desk and breathed a sigh of relief. My phone buzzed again and I pulled it out, double-checking to make sure I was alone before opening the message.
You have three minutes.
What? I frowned at the screen, then scrolled up to read the previous message in its entirety.
Take off your panties and come to the parking lot. You'll be having lunch with me. A car will be waiting.
Shit. I stared at the message. He couldn't be serious, could he?
Another message came through.
Two and a half minutes. Better not be late. Tardy girls get spanked.
“Fuck,” I said softly. Things low inside me tightened. There was no way he meant any of this, right? He had to be messing with me, seeing how far he could push.
Two minutes. If you don't tell me you're on your way, I'll come in there, and I doubt you want to risk anyone catching me bending you over a desk.
Oh, shit. He was serious.
I quickly typed “coming.” I jumped from my seat and practically ran out of the classroom. I was halfway toward the exit before I realized I hadn't done the first thing he'd told me to do. I was still wearing my panties. I looked around and quickly ducked into the janitor's closet. I leaned against the door as I reached under my skirt and yanked them off. Cool air brushed against my bare pussy and I shivered. This was so wrong.
I reached for the door before I realized my underwear was still in my hand. I had two choices: hide my panties in here and hope no one found them before I could sneak back in. Or I could try to hide them under my clothes. I swore, feeling time ticking away with every second I hesitated. Swearing, I shoved my panties down the front of my shirt and folded my arms across my stomach. I felt ridiculous and exposed as I walked out of the closet, but that didn't stop the coil of heat inside me. As much as I hated to admit it, knowing I was in public without underwear was turning me on.
A gust of cold wind hit me as I stepped outside and I suddenly realized I'd left my jacket in my room. It was too late now to go back inside and get it. Besides, I could see the Bentley Cade used sitting at the edge of the parking lot. I hurried toward it, hugging myself now because of the cold. A particularly icy breeze went up my skirt and I gasped. My nipples were hard already, chafing against the soft cotton of my bra.
The back door of the car opened and I gratefully climbed in, keeping my knees tightly together even though my skirt was long enough that I probably wouldn't flash anyone. Cade sat less than a foot away, but didn't say a word as I closed the door. He reached up and tapped on the divider between us and the driver.
I smoothed down my skirt nervously as the car pulled out of the parking lot. “I only have a half hour for lunch, but I do have a planning period right after, so I can be a little late, but not too much.” I snapped my mouth shut, realizing I was getting dangerously close to babbling.
Cade still didn't speak. He wore that blank mask that meant he didn't want me to know what he was thinking. The car drove less than a quarter mile and then turned into the driveway of a small tech business. We moved around to the space in the back and parked.
When the silence continued for nearly a minute, I couldn't take it anymore. “What are we doing here?”
The mask cracked and Cade's eyes glinted. “Well, first, I'm going to have to punish you for being late, and I think you know what comes after that.”
Oh fuck.
Chapter 5
My heart was hammering against my ribs so hard I was surprised Cade couldn't hear it. My eyes darted from him to the divider. There was no way he was going to spank me, and definitely not in the backseat of a car with the driver in the front seat. Then his hand closed around my wrist and he pulled me to him and I realized that was exactly what he intended to do.
“Don't worry.” He pushed some hair away from my face. “The driver can't hear a thing up there.”
I wasn't sure I believed him, but I had the feeling I didn't really have much of choice in the matter.
“Now, for your punishment.” His free hand slid up my thigh and under the hem of my skirt. “Did you do as you were told?”
I nodded, unable to speak as I tried to accept what would happen next. The anticipation was nerve wracking and I was having a difficult time concentrating with Cade's hand on my bare thigh.
His hand moved higher and I parted my legs without having to be told. Cade chuckled and my arousal spiked. His laugh was quickly becoming one of my favorite sounds. His fingers brushed against my bare pussy and I sucked in a breath.
“I guess that means I only get to punish you for being late.”
“You sound disappointed.” I found my voice, breathless as it was.
“Oh, I am.” Cade's voice dropped. “Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to bend you over my knee?”
I tried to swallow but my mouth was suddenly dry.
“Remember your safe words?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Good.”
I let out an undignified yelp as he pulled me across his lap, easily manhandling me into place. I would've been completely mortified at the position I was in, but Cade was pushing up my skirt to expose my ass and my poor brain didn't know what to deal with first.
“You were five minutes late,” he said, running his palm over my bare cheeks. “So I think five swats would be fair.”
“Five?” Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I knew it wasn't much, but this whole thing was playing hell on my nerves.
“Would you prefer ten?”
I shook my head.
“Relax,” he said. “Close your eyes.”
I did.
“Let yourself feel.”
I took a slow breath and as I let it out, Cade's hand came down. I heard the crack of his palm before I felt it, and then pain blossomed on my behind. I made a sound the second time, my hands tightening as it hurt more.
“Give yourself over to it, Aubree. Don’t fight it. Surrender.” Cade's voice was firm, but hypnotic. “That's two.”
I cried out when his hand came down again, this time on the same spot as the first. I could feel the heat spreading across my skin this time, a warmth moving through me in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant. On the fourth, the contact made my pussy throb. The sound that came out of me was half-moan.
“Hmm, I think someone is enjoying this.” Cade sounded pleased. His fingers dipped down between my legs. “You're wet.”
My cheeks flamed, but I couldn't deny the way my body tightened when his hand came down for the last time. I dropped my head, embarrassed at how much I liked what he'd done.
Cade pulled me up, positioning me on my knees in front of him. He cupped my chin and raised my face so that our eyes met. “Did you like it?”
I tried to look away, but he wouldn't let me.
“Aubree, did you enjoy being spanked?” The hand not holding my chin pushed between my legs. “Don't lie to me. I can feel how wet you are.”
“I liked it,” I admitted. More heat flooded my face.
“Say it,” he demanded.
When I hesitated, he slid a finger inside me. I moaned.
“Say it.”
“I liked you spanking me.” A rush of shame washed over me. How had I gotten to this point?
“And I liked doing it.” Cade's voice was harsh. “Never feel guilty for what you enjoy.” He released my chin and removed his hand from between my legs. “Do you want me to fuck you?”
I nodded.
“Say it.”
“I want you to fuck me.” I blushed, but didn't drop my head so that was an improvement.
“And I want to fuck you,” he said. He pulled a condom from his pocket and set it on the seat next to him. “But I'm not going to touch you until you tell me what you like.”
I gave him a puzzled look. Hadn't I done that already?
“What are the things you enjoy that you feel like you shouldn't?” he asked. “The things that make you feel guilty when you fantasize or masturbate. The ones you'd always wished your ex-fiancé would do, but never had the courage to ask.”
After all the things we'd done together, this would be the one to break me. I couldn't do it. I couldn't confess those hidden things. My hands curled into fists.
He tilted his head, the expression on his face making me feel as if I was being studied. “Do you know what I would love to do to you?”
I nodded, hoping this meant he was being lenient about making me answer his question.
“I'd like to spend hours on your nipples.” His gaze flicked down to my plain cotton blouse. “Pull and twist and nibble on them until they were sensitive and swollen.”
I took a shuddering breath as my stomach twisted.
“Would you want me to do that?” he asked.
I nodded.
“And what else?”
I knew what he was doing, but I accepted it, let his question take me where he wanted me to go. I couldn't go back to work like this. I needed him. “I like it when you use your teeth.”
Cade's eyes darkened and he nodded, encouraging me to continue.
“And I like using mine.” It was the first time I ever admitted any of this out-loud. “I think I might enjoy toys. I don't want real pain, but a little edge...”
“Makes things more intense,” Cade finished the sentence.
“Yes,” I said.
“What about now?” he asked. “What do you want me to do to you now?”
“I want you to fuck me,” I repeated what I'd said before, but this time I went one step further, forcing myself out of my comfort zone. “Hard. I always felt like Ronald thought I was going to break or something. Everyone thinks I'm some fragile thing, but I'm stronger than I look. I'm not breakable.” I put my hands on Cade's thighs and felt his muscles tense. “I need you to fuck me like you're trying to break me. I want to feel you for the rest of the day.”
“Fuck, Aubree,” he groaned. He was reaching for me even as I moved onto the seat.
I sat on his thighs as my hands worked open his pants. By the time I'd freed his cock, he had the condom ready and rolled it onto his hard shaft. Before I could slide down on him, however, he flipped us so that I was sitting on the edge of the seat and he was kneeling on the floor in front of me. His hands gripped my hips so hard I knew there was a good cha
nce I'd have bruises, and then he was burying himself inside me with one quick, hard thrust.
I screamed, my back arching, hands scrabbling at the seat for some sort of purchase, something to hold or tear, an outlet for everything I was feeling. Every nerve was on fire, a blaze of pain and pleasure. He stilled inside me, and I could feel his muscles trembling with the effort it took to keep from letting loose. But I didn't want him to hold back.
“Please,” I begged. “Please, Cade.”
He drew back and snapped his hips forward, drawing another wail from me as another wave of painful pleasure washed over me, more pleasure than pain this time. He didn't wait for me to ask him before he began to pound into me, using my hips as leverage to pull me toward him as he surged forward.
“Yes!” I cried out, my eyes closing. I could feel an orgasm approaching, something big. Then Cade's thumb brushed against my clit and I came so hard that, for a moment, it felt like everything had stopped, like the world was nothing but white, blinding pleasure.
When I opened my eyes, Cade was leaning over me, his breathing heavy. I hadn't even felt him come. When he pulled out, a shudder ran through me. I'd asked him to make me feel it for the rest of the day, and he'd certainly complied. I was probably going to be sore tomorrow too, but the good kind.
After a moment, I pushed myself up, grimacing at the wetness between my legs. Cade reached over to a small bag I hadn't seen before and opened it. He tossed me a pack of wet wipes and then got one out for himself. We cleaned ourselves up in silence and then he tapped on the window. As the car began to move, he returned to the seat next to me.
We pulled back into the school parking lot and I knew there was something else I had to do before I could go inside. Cade was probably going to laugh at me for this, but it was better than walking into the school without underwear. I unbuttoned my shirt.
“What are you doing?” He sounded mildly curious.
Blindfold Vol. 3: Alpha Billionaire Romance Page 11
