by Liza James
His forehead dropped to mine and his hand slid up to the back of my neck as he pulled me against him. “You sure are a pain in the ass, you know that?”
“Definitely. But you are too.” I pressed a hard, fervent kiss to his lips once more and we were both immediately thrown into our usual passionate exchange. He kissed me like he was angry, frustrated at our conversation and refusal to do what he thought was best. But he also kissed me with need and desire, completely split between feeling like I should be there and I shouldn’t. His tongue slid out and into me, dancing with mine and sucking on my lower lip until we were both left panting and begging for more. But he knew how important this presentation was for me, so he pulled back and stepped away to put some distance between us.
I stood silently for moment in order to catch my breath and watched as Cade slid on a long-sleeved, midnight blue thermal and then gather a few of his things for his own classes today.
We said our goodbyes and I darted out of the room, knowing I only had twenty or so minutes left before I needed to be at the theater. I knew Jake would be waiting outside for me, so I grabbed us both a coffee on the way and raced across campus to our final performance before the big showcase.
Chapter 43
The heat from the auditorium’s huge, overhead lights above me were sizzling across my skin as the adrenaline from my final performance coursed through my veins. I couldn’t make out much of any individual person in the small crowd of my class in the audience, but I could hear them. They were clapping, hooting, and I heard the chairs slap upward as some of them stood up when I had finished.
The entire experience was affecting all of my senses. Losing myself in my piece, in another character, another life, hearing the celebratory yells from my fellow classmates, feeling the hard, scratched wood underneath my feet from the stage, it all filled my body with a passion that I had never found in anything else. I had tried a million different things, I was constantly bouncing from one hobby to the next. But when I had decided to take an acting class, give that hobby a go, I had found something I truly loved like nothing else.
The only other thing I had recently experienced that rivaled this feeling at all, was when I was with Cade. And luckily, neither one cancelled out the other. They were two passions that could coexist in my life in the best ways possible. I felt like I truly had a knack for acting, for theater, and I wanted to see where this new journey could take me. But I also had this coursing, electrifying heat I felt whenever I was with Cade. His touch sent jolted tremors shooting through every inch of my body. This year was turning out to be everything Savannah and I had hoped for. Exciting new adventures, risks and new discoveries.
I stepped down off the stage and hurried back to my seat, murmuring a few thank yous on the way. Mine was the last performance of the day, so our professor gave a few last-minute announcements, reminding us to continue practicing and preparing for the showcase, which was only a few short weeks away.
Thanksgiving had come and gone quickly this year, and Savannah and I had made a quick trip back home. We got there Wednesday evening and left Thursday night, so that we could be back to campus for all of Friday. It went smoothly and was a great day all in all, but I usually struggled through the holidays because of what I knew I was missing with my parents.
Savannah’s family never pushed it though. They always let me have my space through this season. It was nice to have some time to myself to read, practice and relax in a completely comfortable space free of judgement and expectations.
Now, I knew the next few weeks were going to fly by with different events. We were only about a week from Christmas. Savannah and I were planning on going back home again as well, but this time Jake had begged to come spend the day with us, too. He loved Savannah’s parents and they always welcomed him with huge, open arms as if he was one of their own. We had mentioned the possibility of Cade and Logan coming home with us, but nothing was set in stone just yet. Then we had the New Year’s party that Theta Chi was holding at their frat house and then the showcase a few days after.
Jake and I gathered our belongings and began walking toward the main doors of the auditorium when I heard our professor call my name.
“Could you stay back for a few minutes? I just want to have a quick chat.” A sweet smile touched her lips as she motioned for me to come toward her. I looked at Jake and let him know I’d meet him at the café when I was finished and turned on my heel back to our professor.
She was an older woman, in her mid-fifties, but had spent many years on Broadway and had several guest star roles on different television shows. She had stark red hair that glistened with strands of silver. I thought it suited her incredibly well as she pulled it up and tied it into a loose, wavy knot on top of her head.
I gave her a smile as I came to stand in front of her, and she pulled out a notepad that I noticed had a few words scribbled across it.
“I just wanted to talk to you about your plans after you graduate, Emma. What are you hoping to do?” She tilted her head a bit and looked at me with bright, questioning eyes.
“I haven’t decided yet. I know I need to do that soon though. Nothing has really stood out to me until I started theater here.”
“I see. Well, I just wanted to encourage you to really think about the performing arts. You have a natural talent, Emma. One that a lot of people wish they were born with. Your showcase piece is phenomenal, and there will be a lot of eyes from the industry watching the event.” She nudged the bridge of her glasses farther up on her nose before reaching out a hand and patting my shoulder.
“Oh really? I didn’t realize that. That’s great to know, though, thank you. Acting has really given me something to be truly passionate about, and I have you to thank for that.” I didn’t realize how much I had loved acting and performing arts until I started this class. A future in it was something I had absolutely thought about, but her words of encouragement really settled something in me that I had been thinking about for a while.
“Yes, of course. Just work hard, show them what I know you are capable of. You’ll do great and maybe catch some of their attention for the future.” She smiled again and I nodded another thank you before turning around and heading out of the auditorium.
A wave of cold air slapped against me as I stepped outside and noticed the ground was covered in a little bit of white frost. Tiny snowflakes were falling, and I couldn’t help but wonder where Cade’s fight was going to take place tonight. I hurried across campus and pulled the glass door open to the busy café.
I scanned the crowd for my two friends and quickly found them when I noticed Savannah’s hands flailing back and forth in the middle of the room. Jake was covering his face in embarrassment and Logan was sitting on the other side of Savannah, laughing.
I gave them a quick wave before heading toward the counter and ordering my lunch. After the attendant called my name and I gathered my club sandwich, I stepped toward the table filled with my friends and took a seat next to Jake.
I filled them in on the conversation with my professor and Savannah couldn’t stop squealing in excitement. Jake was excited for me as well and was also incredibly thankful to know that there would be important people watching the showcase.
“Where’s Cade?” I asked Logan, who was being quiet but attentive to our conversation.
He glanced at me with concerned eyes and I immediately felt a prick of anxiety hit my stomach. “He’s still at the gym, getting ready for tonight.” He reached an arm behind Savannah and let it rest across the back of her chair.
“Good. I hope he’s ready to kick ass tonight.” Savannah dipped a French fry into her chocolate milkshake.
“He will, he’s ready.” Logan spoke the words as a statement, but I felt like it didn’t hold all the confidence he normally had.
“Are you nervous?” I asked Logan point blank. I needed him to be honest with me. I needed to know if there was something I should worry about.
“No, I’m not nerv
ous. But I know Devon and Cade have history, especially with the last fight that happened. I’m just not thrilled for them to go at each other’s throats tonight, and I hope that Cade can leave any emotion outside the ring and focus on skill.” He voiced the exact same concerns I had been having for this fight. I knew Cade was still livid about what happened last time, and I worried that would cloud how he fought tonight. But I was choosing to give Cade the benefit of the doubt and focus on the fact that he really was an amazing fighter and knew what he was doing.
“I get that. It worries me too, but we have to trust him.” I felt like I was trying to convince myself more than anyone else. Savannah reached forward and gave my hand a little squeeze while Logan met my eyes with a focused gaze. He nodded silently and gave me a quick, comforting a smile.
“He’ll do great tonight, Em. And we’ll all be there to cheer him on.” Jake’s voice brought me back to the moment and I leaned in to him with a smile.
Jake changed the subject and the tension in the air immediately lightened. The four of us finished our lunch and decided we would meet back up tonight at the fight. Whoever learned of the location first would contact the others, but they all assumed it would probably be me since Cade would be the first to know.
There was a light blanket of snow on the ground now, but thankfully nothing too heavy. I was hoping we could get through tonight before any serious weather hit our little campus. I headed back to my dorm because I didn’t have any more classes for the rest of the day while the three others left for the ones they still had to attend.
Chapter 44
I was only in my dorm for maybe fifteen minutes when I heard a loud knock on my door. I hurried to the door and, as soon as I cracked it open, Cade’s large hand was pushing it forward and stalking toward me. He kicked the door shut behind him and had his arms around my waist, guiding me backward until my legs bumped up against the back of the couch.
“Woah there, big guy. What’s going on?” Not that I didn’t love what was happening, but I wanted to understand the motive behind it. His eyes met mine in a hard, dark gaze that had my blood boiling with desire. His hands were gripping into my hips as he pressed his hard body against mine. He moved his leg to spread my thighs and I instantly felt that achy need as I rubbed against him.
“I’ve spent the last several hours at the gym working out every frustration, every nerve, every determined thought about tonight through punching bags. But I’m still frustrated in other ways and there’s only one person who can help me work that out.” His hands slid underneath my flowy sweater and skated up my ribs. I felt shivers slide up my spine and spread across my shoulders as I moved my hands up around his neck.
“Well, in that case, I’d be happy to help.” I let a small smirk tug at my lips as I pulled his face down toward mine. His lips crashed against me in a hungry, devouring way, and his tongue immediately pushed its way into mine. I bit his bottom lip, tugging it and sucking it into my mouth in a way that made him groan against me. His hands were already working my sweater off and over my head when I glanced at the door and back up at him.
“What if Savannah and Logan show up?” I asked between panting breaths. My hands moved down to the hem of his shirt and I began lifting it up, letting my fingers slowly trace the valleys and dips of his abs.
“They won’t.” That was all he said, no explanation, no concern or worry for what might happen. He was completely immersed in that moment, and I couldn’t help falling right in after him.
He reached behind his neck and pulled his shirt the rest of the way off and tossed it to the side.
His hand slid around my hair as he wrapped it around his fist and yanked my head to the side, giving him the best position to assault my neck with his lips. His aggressive, dominating nature was lighting me up in every sense possible. I loved the idea that in this moment, I was at his mercy for whatever he had planned. I moaned against him as his lips nipped at the tender skin along my collar bone, and he gripped my hair tighter.
“You like it when I pull your hair, don’t you?” His words were rough and low and I felt them vibrate across my neck as he said them. His voice graced my ears and intoxicated my blood. It made that ache between my legs throb, and I moved to push against his leg even more.
“Yes,” I said breathlessly, and that was all he needed to reach down and unbutton my jeans before he pushed them and my panties all the way to the ground. My hands moved to his waistband as I did the same, and his hard thickness fell into my hand, hot and ready.
Instinctually, I began moving my hand down the base of his cock and back up to the tip. I felt Cade shudder against me and his fingers slide to my back, unclasping my bra and pulling it off in one swift motion. His other hand stayed in my hair as he moved me exactly where he wanted me to be. The tiny sting of pressure against my head was something I never would have thought would be erotic in any way, but every single movement he made sent jolts of electric need flowing straight to my core.
His free hand moved down in between my legs, and the light touch of his fingers sliding through my wetness had me moaning and shifting against him. I arched my back, trying to get as close to him as possible when he pulled his hand back and left me whimpering at the sudden emptiness.
“There’s only you, Emma.” He whispered the words as he gripped my hip and twisted me around in one motion. Instantly, he was behind me and his hand had fisted even deeper into my hair, pulling my head backward and against his shoulder. My heart was thundering in my chest, uncertain of what he was doing but also because of the thrill that was just as apparent as the nerves building in my stomach.
He stated the words so factually, and I knew that he was staking his claim. It was just the two of us, him demanding that I was his and he was mine. Suddenly, I had to decide how far I wanted this to go, if I was willing to risk losing him to be with him. If I continued forward, I knew I’d be lost to the emotions and desires I had for him. I knew what I wanted and, in that moment, what I needed. I wanted it to be just us, I wanted to be with Cade and see where this thing we had would take us. But I was also terrified of what would come of that. Was it worth the risk?
“Only you, Cade.” The words fell out of my mouth on a moan as I pushed back against him and his fingers dug into the skin at my hip. I made my decision, this was it for me. Cade was it for me and I knew he was saying the same. I felt his hard erection pressed between us, and I ached for him to be inside me.
He used my hair to twist my head backward just an inch. Enough so that he could clamp his mouth down on top of mine. He kissed me in the hungriest way he ever had, like he was conveying every thought, every desire for us to be together in that one action. He broke away for a quick moment and reached for the condom in the back of his jeans that were on the floor next to us and suited up. His lips were back on mine in a second and he slid one hand up to the center of my back and gently pushed me forward so that I was gripping the edge of the couch.
His leg slid up and in between mine, urging me to spread my legs farther apart before he gripped his cock and moved it up and down my slick center. His lips moved to the crook of my neck as he readjusted his hand in my hair and got a better grip. I gasped in response, and I felt him smile against my skin. He aligned himself up with my entrance and tortuously inched inside me. I arched my back and tried pushing against him, but he pulled my hair tighter and forced me to stay still.
“Patience, Bambi.”
I whimpered against the throbbing need my body had when it was so close to what it was craving. “Cade, please. Now.” My voice was quiet, needful and higher than I thought it would be when I spoke. He pulled my head back so that my chin was tilted toward the ceiling as he lightly bit my neck before he finally thrust all of the way inside of me.
We both groaned at the sudden feeling, and I knew he was deeper inside me than he had ever been. This position made him feel even larger than usual as he slowly pulled himself back out before moving to slide inside me again.
&nbs
p; He held me in place with the hand tangled in my hair and began moving in and out at a quick pace that had me bracing myself tightly against the couch. I felt the waves of pleasure whipping through me, building in my stomach and working their way down to my toes and up to my head. Every thrust sent new electric shocks through my limbs and I felt his arm tighten around my waist when my knees began to weaken. I fell farther forward over the couch and his hand left my waist to snake between my thighs, searching for that swollen clit that was craving his touch.
I was already nearing the edge, so when his finger did one quick circle over my clit, I came completely undone beneath him. I yelled his name and gripped onto his hand to steady myself.
He was following behind me and I knew he was just as close to his own release. I lifted myself up so that I was pressed up against him, raising my hand to reach behind his neck and pulled his mouth to mine. I let my fingers tighten in his hair, just like his had been in mine, and that was all it took to have him groaning my name against my lips as he came.
We were both catching our breath when he slid both of his arms around my waist and pulled me tightly against him, kissing my neck and moving down to my shoulder.
“Can we both go relax in orgasmic bliss in my room? You know, so we don’t give Sav and Logan a show.” A smile tugged at his swollen lips when I took one of his strong hands and brought it up to my mouth, kissing his palm before I pulled away from him and led us to my room. I made sure to grab our clothes on the way so that we wouldn’t have to sneak back out when we were ready to get dressed.
“If you say so. But I don’t think they’d mind a show.”
We collapsed on my bed and Cade laid on his back. He reached for my hips and pulled me up against him, so that my head rested against his muscular pec and my leg laid across the tops of his thighs.
