by Roni Loren
“Like I told you, I enjoy games of control. And I will push you, but you have the right to stop things. If something is too much, you tell me. You always have permission to say so. But if you need something to stop immediately or you’re truly frightened or hurting, you use your safe word. It’s the emergency parachute cord. Not to be used lightly.”
Oh yeah, she was totally in over her head. And maybe if this had only been the stranger Kade Vandergriff telling her this, she might have chickened out. Heck, she was alone in the woods with this powerful man with no one around to save her if she needed help. If she’d been watching this in a movie, she’d be screaming at the imbecilic woman to steal his keys and book it out of there. But knowing it was Kaden had her battered trust wanting to rise up and rally. He wouldn’t hurt her. He’d had the chance and good reason to do that back when everything went down in high school, and he’d kept her secrets anyway. “What word should I use?”
“The most common one is red. Like a stoplight.”
She nodded. “Okay. Red.”
“Take off your dress,” he said again, but this time the words had soft edges. “You’re safe with me.”
The promise smoothed the last ripples of worry moving through her. Safe. After pulling in a deep breath, she tugged off her cardigan and then reached behind her to unzip the dress and unhook her bra. The clothes fell to the leaves at her feet, and she stepped out of the puddle of fabric. The trees rustled around them and the soft song of night things filled the air, but all she could focus on was the sound of her own quickening breaths. She was naked. In the middle of the woods. The number of times she’d had sex with the lights on could be counted on two hands, and now she was standing bare in the moonlight.
Kade’s gaze moved over her like a physical touch. Anywhere his focus landed, her body tightened in response. But self-consciousness ate at her. Yes, he’d seen her naked already but it hadn’t been like this. And now she knew that he was very aware of what she used to look like. Her teenage body had been thin and athletic, firm. Standing here left her acutely aware of how much had softened and rounded. Doug had reminded her regularly of how her body had changed. Her arms instinctively moved to cover her chest.
“Don’t you dare,” Kade said, the words like bullets in the quiet. “Let me look at you.”
She lowered her hands to her side with marked effort, but her cheeks heated with embarrassment.
He took a step closer. “You are so goddamned beautiful, Tess. “
She deflected the comment with a shake of her head. “You’re good at flattery.”
His eyes narrowed with censure. “Is that what you think? You think I’m someone to feed you stories. Unzip my pants.”
“What?”
“I think you heard me.”
The shift in his demeanor had her springing into action. With fumbling fingers, she reached for the fly of his pants and unfastened them. Before she could pull away, he grabbed her wrist and tucked her hand inside. His erection pushed hot against her palm, making her fingers instinctively curl around it and her sex clench in response.
“Do you feel that?” he asked, wrapping his hand over hers. “You think I’m not enjoying the view, that I’m giving you empty words to make you feel better?”
The weight of him in her hand had her thoughts fragmenting. She closed her eyes. “We both know I’m not a sixteen-year-old, bounce-quarters-off-her-belly cheerleader anymore.”
“No, you’re not. And I thought you were pretty in high school, Tess, but the woman in front of me makes that girl pale in comparison.”
She huffed a sound of disbelief, unable to stop herself.
His hand tightened around hers. “From the moment you walked into my restaurant, I couldn’t stop watching you and imagining what you’d feel like against me. I’m not easy on a woman. Some size four twig would break under what I enjoy. Your body is built for the things I crave.”
He moved her hand away from him and guided her fingers to the curls between her thighs. His fingers intertwined with hers and stroked over her clit with slow, deliberate motion, his thick warm fingertips alternating with her cold ones. The sensation had her biting her lip and tilting her head back. “Kade . . .”
“So if you insult your body again or try to hide it from me, I’ll turn you over my knee and redden that pretty round ass of yours. Understand?” He pressed his fingers inside her and she gasped both at the feel of it and the threat.
“You’d sp-spank me?” she asked, having trouble grabbing onto words as he pumped his fingers inside her with slow precision.
He chuckled softly against her ear. “Now who’s the stutterer?”
“Cocky bastard,” she whispered, no ire behind it.
“Yes, and a kinky one—spanking included.”
She lowered her forehead to rest on his shoulder, needing him for balance. His admission had her blood moving faster, fear of the unknown warring with ravenous curiosity. “How kinky?”
He cupped the back of her head with his free hand and touched his lips to her ear. “So kinky that there’s probably not a fantasy you can tell me that I’m not willing to make happen for you. And a thousand filthier ones that you haven’t even considered yet that I can introduce you to.”
Guh. Her belly dropped to her toes and a hefty dose of oh-God-YES dumped into her bloodstream. Fantasies. Lord, she’d harbored many over the years, illicit images weaved late at night while reading naughty romance novels and lying awake next to her uninterested husband. Secret desires filed away in the darkest recesses of her psyche and never spoken aloud. Things Doug would’ve called her a slut for even considering.
Kade must’ve noticed her reaction because she could hear the smile in his voice at his next words. “The question is . . . where do we start?”
THIRTEEN
Kade could feel the shudder go through Tessa’s body at his words, and he had to hold back the groan of satisfaction. There were nerves there, anticipation. Her pulse was beating hard at her throat. But he didn’t sense fear in her. He knew he was coming on strong by making her strip out here. She wasn’t his submissive. She probably wouldn’t even know what that meant. But he needed to do something to push her boundaries to see how she’d react. He had no intentions of letting this be their last night together, but he had to make sure she wasn’t turned off or freaked out with how he liked things. Because he could make a lot of accommodations, but smothering his dominance wasn’t an option. He’d tried in the past, trying to convince himself it was something he could take or leave. Epic fail.
But now he could breathe a bit. Tessa had protested out of surprise at first, but as soon as he’d assured her he’d keep her safe, she’d complied. And when he’d mentioned fantasies, she’d gone so hot and wet that he’d damn near spread her out on the hood of the car for a taste. But it was way too chilly for a Whitesnake video reenactment. He needed to get her inside.
He pulled a strip of silk from his back pocket. “Lift your head. I’m going to blindfold you.”
She raised her head, her gaze startled, but she didn’t move away when he fastened the black strip over her eyes. She reached out and gripped his biceps. “I feel like I’m going to fall.”
“Shh, take a breath. The first few seconds can be disorienting, especially in unfamiliar surroundings, but trust that I have you and won’t let you hurt yourself.” He moved to her side and grasped her elbow. “Now walk.”
Tentatively, she put one foot out in front of her and tapped as if to make sure a trap door wasn’t going to open up. Kade bit back a smile. Soon, he hoped to have her trusting him so much that she’d sprint ahead blindfolded if he told her to. But he knew that’d take time and he still didn’t know if she’d agree to see him for more than a two-night stand, so he let her do her little herky-jerky steps forward while he kept her steady. When he guided her inside the cabin, he made sure
she was holding onto the door frame, and then stepped back a moment to soak in the sight of her. The cabin was still dark and the moon backlit her form, highlighting every curve in silver.
Never in his life could he have imagined that the girl he’d so lusted over—maybe even thought he loved at one point—would be beautifully naked, waiting for his command, in the same place she’d spurned him after he’d tried to kiss her so long ago. It was a gift he wouldn’t take for granted. If a teenage Kaden Fowler had hopped into Doc Brown’s DeLorean to visit the future, he would’ve never made it back because this vision would’ve made his brain implode.
Tessa reached out to find the other side of the doorframe. “Where are you?”
“Just looking at you, Tess,” he said, taking her hand again and leading her all the way inside. He pulled open the curtains to let some moonlight flood in. “And wondering how best to rechristen this cabin.”
“I have a few ideas,” she said, a shy undercurrent in her voice.
“Tell me.”
She rubbed her lips together. He got the impression that she wasn’t someone who was used to voicing her needs or fantasies. That would change quickly if he had anything to do with it. He wanted to know every sordid thought that had ever gotten her hot. But to her credit, despite her obvious qualms, she answered him. “When we used to come here, even after I’d promised myself that I’d only think of you as a friend, I’d catch you watching me with this look that . . . I don’t know . . . it was so intense. I remember wondering what you would do to me if I gave you the green light. And even though I knew it was wrong, part of me was desperate to know. I’d lie in bed at night and imagine me saying yes to you, imagining what your hands would feel like on me. I’d . . . touch myself and imagine it was you doing it.”
Christ. The words were painting a picture straight out of his teenage spank bank. How many times had he gone home with the same thoughts? Tess saying yes, Tess choosing him, Tess being his. He was surprised he hadn’t developed a chafing problem with as much as he was jerking off that year. “I would’ve given you whatever you wanted.”
She squeezed his hand. “I know. I used you as my emotional crutch. You were more my boyfriend than Doug was after a while, but I wouldn’t grant you the right to act as such. You got the tough stuff without the fun benefits. So maybe the best way to rechristen this cabin is to right that wrong. You have all the green lights you want now. Take what I wish I would’ve given you back then.”
“Tess,” he said, pulling her against him, an ache in his gut . . . and decidedly lower. “Are you giving me your virginity?”
She gave him a heartbreakingly sweet smile. “Second time’s a charm.”
He pulled off her blindfold at that, needing to see her eyes. “I wouldn’t have known what to do with you back then. But I would’ve done my best to make it good for you.”
“I know,” she whispered, her gaze a little wistful.
“If we hadn’t had consequences back then and we were back here for a study session, what would you have done?”
She tugged his hand and led him toward the couch. The furniture had changed, but the arrangement was the same, like stepping back in time, the vortex sucking him through the portal. When they reached the couch, she guided him to sit. Though he wasn’t used to being directed to do anything, in this situation, he was more than happy to oblige. The woman had definite intent in her eyes, and he loved a woman on a mission.
“You always sat in this corner with your knee hiked up,” she said, her voice timid in the dark. “And I couldn’t help but . . . look. And when some moment would pass between us, you’d grab one of the throw pillows and put it over your lap to prop your book up. I knew why you did that. You weren’t always quick enough, so I saw your reaction to me.”
He chuckled, remembering the embarrassment of his defiant hormones. “I was a seventeen-year-old virgin. The thing had a hair trigger around you.”
She looked down at him, her teeth dragging over her bottom lip. As if on cue, Kade could feel his cock hardening. “One of my fantasies back then was to take the pillow away and ask if I could touch you. I’d heard my friends talking about the things they did with their boyfriends. I wanted to know how that would be with you.”
His breath left him for a moment. If she’d asked that back then, he probably would’ve proven that death by spontaneous combustion existed. Boom. Done. Here lies Kaden Fowler.
She lowered herself to the ground, settling herself between his spread knees. Her gaze tracked down to his erection. “Can I touch you, Kade?”
He groaned at the soft plea in her words and pulled his belt all the way out. “Show me exactly what you wanted to do.”
She wet her lips and hell if his dick didn’t flex toward her at the sight. She reached out with pink painted fingernails flashing in the moonlight and tugged down his unfastened pants to his thighs along with his boxer briefs. The cool air of the cabin swirled over him, sending goose bumps along his skin. After getting his pants down past his knees, she took him in her hand, and the softness of her touch nearly pulled another groan from him.
She glanced up at him, all big eyes and long lashes. “Tell me how you like it. I wouldn’t have known then, but I’m not much better off now.”
Kade ran a hand over her head. Usually, he made a point to be with experienced women. They knew what they were doing and were more comfortable with his brand of sexuality. Plus, nothing was hotter than a woman who absolutely owned her desires without apology. But he couldn’t help but be endeared by Tess’s unsure approach. It called to the dominant in him, made him want to tutor her all over again but in things far more base than Shakespeare. He threaded his fingers into her hair, the strands like silk around his knuckles, and guided her forward. “Take my cock in your mouth, beautiful. And keep your eyes on me, I want to watch you as you suck me.”
She shuddered in his grip, her eyes going a little wide at first then dreamy as she obeyed his command and lowered her head. Her gaze stayed on his as her glossed lips parted and slid over the crown. His toes flexed in his shoes at the feel of her tongue tentatively flicking along the bottom side of his shaft.
“Fuck,” he muttered, his teenage ghost possessing him for a moment and stealing his normally unshakeable restraint. He grasped the base of his cock, taming the urge to rush, and guided her down further. “That’s right. You can’t do anything wrong, baby. That feels amazing.”
Apparently buoyed by the encouragement, she grew more bold with her tongue and hands. Before long, she was working him over with steady determination and enthusiasm, bathing him in slow, decadent heat and making his eyes want to roll back in his head. But he wasn’t going to look away from her and break the connection.
Her gaze stayed fixed on his even though he could tell it was a struggle to maintain the intense eye contact. He could see the insecurity there, the exposed vulnerability. The man she’d trusted had hurt her more deeply than she was letting on. There was a kicked puppy vibe that hadn’t been there when he’d known her before. She’d always had cracks in the veneer. Even by high school, she’d lived a harder life than anyone should be expected to. But this was different. It was almost as if she was just waiting for him to tell her that she was bad at this, that it wasn’t doing anything for him. It’d been the same when he’d offered her the job—the knee jerk lack of confidence. She couldn’t see her own strength. It made him want to gather her into his arms and rewind all those years they’d been apart. Change the course.
But before his mind could run away with him, Tessa’s hand slid beneath him, cupping his balls, and her lips kissed the fingers he still had around the base of his cock as she took him deep. Sparkling threads of pleasure raced up his spine. He tilted his head back with an expelled breath, finally breaking the eye contact. “Jesus, baby, you’re better at this than you think. Touch me wherever you want.”
She seemed to appreciate the compliment and used her free hand to follow the slick path back up as she moved toward the tip again. He peeked down through hooded lids as she licked at the head with long strokes. The move nearly undid him because in that moment, he got the real sense that she wasn’t just doing this to make him feel good. She was thoroughly enjoying the exploration.
“You’re like a kid with a new toy,” he teased. “Trying to see how many noises you can get me to make?”
She gave him a pleased little grin. “Three groans and a few sighs so far, if I’m not mistaken. I like that I can do that to you.”
“Mmm, someone likes her own slice of power,” he said, knowing the dominant in him should probably mind but only getting more turned on by the thought. He’d always preferred submissives who were naturally sweet and yielding. But the idea of Tessa trying to wrest a bit of the power and challenging him made his blood race and his cock harder. Maybe he wouldn’t mind that kicked puppy showing some teeth.
She kept her hand on him, stroking slow and steady, but looked up at him. “You made me lose it the other night. I want to do the same for you.”
“Think you can make me come, Tess?” he challenged, fingering one of her blonde locks. “I’m pretty good at holding out these days, especially when I put my mind to it.”
A little break in confidence flickered over her face but then she tilted her head. “What do I get if I can make you?”
“Besides a dose of protein?” he teased.
She sniffed.
His mouth curved. More challenge and fire trying to break through her surface. He so wanted to see what happened if it did. “You get to give the next command. Whatever you’d like me to do to you, I’ll be game.”
“And if you win?” she asked.
“Another date. In public.”
Wariness moved over her expression, but she nodded. Agreement made. “Can you move closer to the edge of the couch? I need your pants further down.”
