Casual Encounter: The Complete Series Box Set (21 page)

By the time I was staring at the clock and wishing the bell would just ring already, I was forced to admit that I was in deep. I tried to convince myself for the past couple days that the only reason I was fantasizing about this trip was because I'd been so excited about my honeymoon and I hadn't gotten to take it. I told myself I wanted to know more about Cade because he was actually a decent guy. But while there was some truth to that reasoning, I knew it wasn't all there was.

Despite what I'd told Cade, despite the warnings I'd given myself and the promises I'd made that things between the two of us would only be business, I could no longer deny that I was falling for him.

I'd always known this was a possibility. For me, sex and emotion had always been linked. This arrangement with Cade had been, in part, an effort to change that for me. But I couldn't say I was surprised I was having a problem separating the two. Even after I'd learned what Cade was, I'd been drawn to him. Sure, I was physically attracted to him, but it had always been more than that. It was his confidence, the way he was so sure of himself. But there was also a part of him hidden, a part of him I wanted to know more about. I'd glimpsed that man on a few occasions, usually when I'd done something to catch him off guard, and what I'd seen just made me want to know him more.

I knew I couldn't act on it. First, because I knew he didn't feel the same way. He didn't do love or emotions. There was physical attraction and pleasure, but nothing more. And, second, because any mention of my feelings would result in Cade ending our arrangement.

Eventually, the way I felt would either go away or they'd reveal themselves, but for right now, I was going to pretend nothing had changed, that I was emotionally unattached. I knew that meant I'd end up getting hurt in the long run, but I couldn't help it. If I confessed, he'd leave me, and I didn't think I could handle losing him. Not yet.

So, after the final bell rang and the last of my students left, I packed up my things, reminded Mindy that I'd miss dinner because I was going on a trip, and then headed home to finish packing and grab a bite to eat.

I dressed in the outfit I'd intended to wear to the ship, knowing it would travel well. I was also wearing the matching bra and panty set I'd bought to surprise Ronald. I just hoped Cade would like what I'd picked. The dress was more conservative than what he'd had me wear before, but what I had on underneath was sexier. It reflected who I was more than anything I'd ever worn. An attractive exterior that didn't get much attention, but with desires that were a bit on the wild side. Just how wild, I was still figuring out.

Cade knocked on my door at five till eight and I was ready to go. He gave me an approving once over as he stepped inside the apartment.

“I forgot to tell you to bring your passport.”

My stomach flipped. My passport. I knew where it was, of course. It was in the same place it had been since the end of the second week in August when I'd learned I didn't need it after all.

“I'll go get it.” I went back into my bedroom and opened the top left drawer of my dresser. It was empty except for my passport. It had seemed fitting to put it in that specific drawer, the one Ronald had used when we'd been together. I'd packed his shit up after I'd received a box delivered with all of my things that had been at his place.

“Is there something wrong?” Cade's voice came from the doorway. “You do have a passport, right? When I made the arrangements with Adelle, she said you had one.”

“I do.” I picked it up and pasted a fake smile on my face. The anticipation I'd felt about this trip had been dampened by the memories. “Let's go.”

Cade crossed his arms, the expression on his face saying he wasn't going to move until I talked.

“Ronald and I were going on a Caribbean cruise for our honeymoon,” I explained. The words came out in a rush. I just wanted to get it over with so we could get on with the weekend. “That's why I got it. I didn't have one before.” A pain went through my heart as I remembered how excited I'd been when I'd seen it for the first time. “I've never even been out of the state before.”

Cade came into my room and took the passport from my hand. His eyes locked with mine as he tucked it into the outside pocket of my bag. His fingers curled around mine. “Let's see what we can do about that.”

I nodded, willing myself to ignore the way my heart skipped a beat when he took my hand. He led me back through my apartment, pausing only to pick up my bag. The town car that was waiting for us looked like the one from earlier that week, and even though I knew the chances of it being the same car were slim, I still flushed at the memory.

“We're not going on a cruise,” he said as we settled into our seats. “And Toronto might not be as exotic as the Caribbean, but I think you'll enjoy yourself.”

“I'm sure I will.” If he was with me, I wouldn't have cared if we were just going down the street.

“The flight's only an hour and a half.” His voice took on that business tone he had. “And a car will be waiting to take us to our hotel. It won't be very late when we check in, but I hadn't planned on us going out tonight.” His last few words warmed.

I smiled, a genuine one this time. “That sounds good to me.” I glanced at the divider and hoped the driver wasn't listening. “Because I followed your directions on what I was supposed to wear.” I took the hem of my skirt, waited until Cade's eyes dropped, and then quickly flashed my sheer lace panties.

Cade's hands curled into fists against his thighs and the way his eyes darkened made my heart skip a beat.

“And the bra matches.”

He made a sound in the back of his throat and my panties went from dry to wet in seconds.

“If we didn't have a flight to catch, I'd make you strip for me right here.” Cade's voice was rough. “And if we have any delays, I can't promise I won't fuck you on the plane.”

I tightly pressed my lips together. A part of me said there was no way I wanted any of that, but another part, the newer part, said it might not be such a bad idea.

Fortunately – or unfortunately depending on how I wanted to look at it – everything went smoothly. We got through security with plenty of time and didn't have to rush to board. We departed on schedule and had an uneventful flight. We made small talk and Cade ignored the flight attendants who flirted with him, keeping his attention solely on me.

This was the kind of thing that would spoil me for a real relationship. I'd never had anyone listen so attentively to what I had to say or carry on a conversation where they didn't seem the least bit distracted. I didn't know how Cade managed to keep things from getting too personal, but still allowed us both to talk about things we loved. Great sex wasn't the only thing that made him so good at his job.

The ride from the airport to the hotel was relatively quiet though. I kept my attention focused on what was outside the window, enjoying the skyline of a new city. I'd seen other cities in movies and on TV of course, but it wasn't the same as actually being here.

Then we pulled in front of this massive building with the kind of stone architecture that reminded me of a medieval castle. In fancy script, above the large front doors, were the words Windsor Arms Hotel.

Cade left our bags for someone to carry in and offered me his arm. The doorman gave us a polite smile and nod as we walked past. The inside was gorgeous. A massive chandelier hung in the center of the lobby and, as I looked up, I could see the second floor. My low heels clicked against the gleaming tile, sounding loud in my ears. This was the kind of place that made me feel like I needed to whisper.

Less than fifteen minutes later, we were getting off the elevator on one of the top floors and Cade was opening the door to our suite. Two bedrooms, two beautiful bathrooms, one with a walk-in shower and separate tub. A sitting room and small kitchenette. One of the bed rooms had a massive floor-length mirror with an ornate frame, as well as elaborate landscapes covering the walls. The other had a piano. In the bedroom.

Oh, yeah, he was definitely spoiling me for other men.

Chapter 7

After I'd freshened up, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do next. I stepped out of the bathroom and found Cade stretched out on the bed, his shoes and socks gone. At least that answered one of my questions. I'd already taken off my shoes and the carpet was soft and thick beneath my feet as I walked further into the bedroom.

Cade folded his hands behind his head. “Lovely room isn't it?”

I nodded, looking around. After all this time with Cade in these fancy hotels, I'd never feel the same about staying in some three-star place.

“Let me see what you wore for me.”

I reached behind me and lowered the zipper. Without taking my eyes off Cade, I slowly let my dress slide off. Remembering what he'd told me during our first lesson together, I ran my hands over my breasts and then down to my hips, warming as Cade's eyes followed the movements. I waited for him to tell me what to do next.

Instead of giving me instructions, he climbed off the bed and stripped down to a pair of tight, dark gray boxer briefs. He walked over to where I stood at the foot of the bed and looked down at me.

“Turn around.”

I did and found myself face to face with the mirror. It framed us perfectly, almost looking like a picture. Cade's eyes met mine in our reflection. He ran his hand down my arm and then back up again, his touch feather light against my skin.

“Watch,” he said and pressed his lips against the hollow under my ear.

Out of all of the instructions he'd given me, this one seemed deceptively easy to follow. My stomach tightened as Cade's hands slid around my waist, his palms burning against my bare skin. When they moved to cup my breasts, I shivered. Even through the thin lace, my body responded to his touch.

“Your breasts are absolutely exquisite,” Cade murmured in my ear as he ran his thumbs over my nipples. They hardened instantly. “Every man has his preference, but believe me when I say yours are perfect.”

He pressed an open-mouthed kiss on the side of my neck and I moaned, my eyes closing. They flew open again as he tweaked my nipples, sending a little jolt of pain through me.

“Watch,” he repeated firmly. His fingers found the front clasps on my bra without fumbling. He made short work of them and slipped his hands under the loose fabric to palm my bare breasts. “I want you to look at yourself and see how beautiful you are.”

I swallowed hard as I watched our reflections in the mirror. It was different, seeing myself being touched in the mirror rather than just looking down at my body. In a way, it was almost like watching someone else, like it wasn't me.

Cade let my bra fall off of my shoulders and onto the floor. His fingers rolled my nipples and I moaned. I watched a pleased smile flicker across his face. “Do you want me to pull on them?” His voice practically dripped sex. “Do you want me to make these pretty little nipples of yours stand out, make them sensitive to the slightest touch?”

“Yes.” The word was little more than a whisper, but I cried out when he did what I wanted. His fingers twisted my nipples, tugging on them until I was squirming against him. Each pull was just the right combination of pain and pleasure and I started to feel that familiar pressure building up inside of me. The moment he touched my clit, I was going to come.

“I'd love to see how you'd react with nipple clamps,” Cade said. “I bet I could make you come from just those. The sharp little teeth bite into your flesh, and then, when they're taken off, all the blood rushes back and it's like thousands of tiny little pinpricks.”

I made a sound. I wasn't entirely sure I'd like that, but when Cade said it, I was game for pretty much anything. He'd proven time and again that he could make me see stars.

One of Cade's hands settled between my breasts while the other dropped lower, sliding down my stomach and over my panties. I parted my legs as his fingers ran along the lace.

“You're soaked.” He pressed his fingers hard against me and I moaned. “So aroused.”

He released me long enough to slide my panties off, pausing only to press his lips against my left cheek. I wondered if he was thinking about how red he'd made my ass when he'd spanked it. The color had faded by the time I'd gotten home, but I'd been pretty sure it had at least been a deep pink when he'd finished.

“Do you see yourself?” Cade asked as he took his place behind me again. “Do you truly see yourself?” He ran his fingers through my hair and then moved his hand between my legs again. “Too many people are ashamed of the human body, of the way it's made.” He ran his finger between my lips, brushing against my clit and making my hips jerk. “Look down.”

I dropped my eyes to where his fingers were spreading me apart. My face flushed. I knew what things looked like down there, at least in a general sense, but I'd never had this view.

“See the beauty in yourself.” His middle finger made circles over my exposed clit and I moaned. “Every part of you is beautiful.” When he slid his finger inside me, my knees almost buckled and I came.

He kept steady, even strokes as waves of pleasure washed over me. Just as I was starting to come down, he added a second finger, sending new tremors through me. He twisted and scissored his fingers, stretching me for what was coming next. Then, suddenly, his fingers were gone and he was taking a step backwards.

I wanted to turn toward him, but he hadn't told me to do that yet and I had a feeling he had something very specific in mind for tonight. In the mirror, I watched him climb onto the bed, pull off his underwear, and rolled on a condom. How he managed to do any of it with that much grace, I didn't know. Practice, I supposed.

“You can look away to get on the bed,” he instructed.

I walked toward him, feeling a rush of power as his eyes were drawn to my breasts. He really hadn't been lying when he'd said he liked them. When I reached him, he held out a hand to stop me from getting any closer.

“Turn around.”

Not really a surprise there. I wondered if he'd specifically requested a room with a mirror across from the bed. I did as I was told.