Need You Tonight

FOURTEEN





Tessa’s heart was about to burst from her chest and take a holiday. She’d put it through too much in the last week. But she refused to let her nerves take over. Kade was offering her the chance to try things she’d never done before without worry of critique or judgment. He wanted her to be dirty. And the idea was damn liberating. When she’d gone down on him and ventured into what she dubbed in her mind as the forbidden zone of touching, she’d been braced for Kade to recoil or tell her to stop. But when he didn’t, she realized Kade would’ve probably let her do whatever she wanted. Doug would’ve shoved her away with some ugly name and would’ve asked if she thought he wanted to be touched like a fag.

And now she’d asked Kade if he would spank her. The request sounded ridiculous in her head. She was a grown woman for God’s sake. But when he’d mentioned the possibility outside, it’d sparked something in her and now that curiosity was gnawing at her. Kade stood, tugged his pants back on, and looped his belt to hang around his neck. “I know you won the bet, but are you okay with me doing this my way?”

She’d remained on her knees, so she had to crane her neck to look up at him. The belt sent a glimmer of worry through her, but she took comfort in knowing she still had that safe word if she needed it. “Well, since I have no idea what I’m doing, I think that’s probably a good idea.”

His eyes lifted at the corner briefly, an almost smile, but then his jaw set in determination. “Good. The couch is too low. Stand up and come with me.”

She pushed herself up from the floor and followed him into the small dining area. He pulled out a chair, the legs scraping along the wood floor with an ominous grind. Then he sat down with spread knees and leveled a gaze at her, looking like a prince taking his throne. The room seemed to shrink around him in supplication. She felt the urge to make herself smaller, too. Plus, the fact that he was fully clothed and she didn’t even have her shoes on anymore made her feel more like a servant girl being brought before the royalty for some crime. Guards dragging her in, chains around her ankles, her clothes stripped off as they planted her at his feet. That image wasn’t altogether unpleasant.

“What are you smiling about?” he asked, lifting a brow.

She put her hand to her mouth. Was she smiling? What the hell was wrong with her? That’s it, her trips to the used bookstore were a liability. She was definitely reading too many old school bodice ripper novels. She shook her head in a never mind gesture.

“Tell me.”

The softness of his tone didn’t undermine the iron in the command. A little shiver worked down her neck and spread outward. “It’s nothing. I’ve just been reading too many historical novels lately and had a silly image pop into my head of you being some prince and me being dragged into court as a captive. Ridiculous, I know.”

The heat that flared in his eyes would’ve shown up on a thermal camera. “You’d make a lovely slave girl, Tessa. Maybe we’ll have to try that some time.”

She tried to wet her lips, but her tongue had gone dry, and she barely managed to eke out her reply. “Too bad you lost the bet and we don’t get another date.”

The corner of his mouth lifted and the sheer confidence of it nearly knocked her down. “Over my knees, Tessa. Now.”

And in that moment, she knew then that he’d won anyway. That look said it all—when I’m done with you tonight, you’ll be begging me for another night. The quicksand that was Kade Vandergriff had engulfed her ankles and now he was going to pull her right under. But she couldn’t stop herself from walking to him and letting him drape her over his lap. She braced her fingertips on the floorboards, her hair sweeping down to curtain her.

The clink of the belt had her stiffening and lifting, but he pressed a soothing hand to her back and eased her down again. “Hands behind your back.”

With no small amount of trepidation, she raised her arms behind her. Kade gripped her wrists and wound the leather belt around them then cinched the belt tight. The move put her off balance and made her even more vulnerable, something she didn’t think possible. “Kade.”

“Shh,” he said, running a finger beneath the belt and checking how tight it was. “My way, remember. I won’t let you fall.”

She pulled a deep breath into her lungs, held it, and released it, trying to calm herself.

“Are you scared, baby?”

“A little.”

“Good.” His palm caressed over her backside, raising goose bumps on her skin, and tracked lower. He tapped her thigh. “Open wider for me.”

She did as she was told, the commands falling right into the slave girl fantasy she’d conjured. She was at his mercy. It probably shouldn’t turn her on, but already her body was melting like ice on hot pavement. Kade’s fingers moved along her spread sex and easily slid inside, the state of her arousal embarrassingly apparent. Her body clamped around him, and she couldn’t stop a whimper from escaping.

“God, baby, you’re so hot and wet. You’re going to get me hard all over again just thinking about how your p-ssy would feel around me.”

She shuddered in his hold. Normally, the word p-ssy would make her cringe. It sounded so crude, but somehow the way he said it made it sound reverent. Like it was some mysterious wonder of nature to be worshipped.

There was soft laughter from above her. “I love how when I say dirty things to you, your skin turns the sexiest shade of pink. I can’t wait to see how it’s going to look red.”

Before she could process what he was saying, a hard smack landed on the left side of her ass. She yelped at the sharpness of the sting, the unexpected pain. Sonofabitch. She’d asked if it was going to hurt, but it’d been almost in jest. She’d hadn’t really expected it to be painful. Wasn’t spanking like a play thing? A pretend game where it was more about the role play than the actual hitting? But when another stinging swat hit her right side, she realized quickly there was nothing faux about this. It freaking hurt.

“Kade,” she protested. “I’m not sure . . .”

“Breathe through it, Tess. Trust me,” Kade said, without any sympathy in his voice. “You have a safe word, but I suggest you give me a minute before you tap out.”

Trust me. That seemed to be a recurring theme with him. And though she wasn’t quite there yet, she managed to say okay. She was determined not to pull the plug too early. The pain wasn’t fun, but it wasn’t unbearable. She’d just hoped this would be more of an enjoyable thing than a painful one. So much for this being a reward for winning.

Kade’s hand came down again and hit the back of her thigh. Holy hell. That was even worse than on her butt. She reared up, but he kept her against his lap with his free arm. “Stay still.”

“I’m trying,” she said through gritted teeth.

That spurred him on more, and she regretted talking. His hand smacked her other thigh then went on a rapid trip across her ass again. Smack. Smack. Smack. Her body began to sweat and hum with restless energy. Her thoughts blurred around the edges. The pain was turning into something else, numb at first, then a weird buzzing sensation—like having one too many shots of alcohol. She tried to say Kade’s name because the feeling was so disorienting and unfamiliar, but the word wouldn’t come out. Then he landed a blow right against her sex. A million nerve endings gathered at the point of impact and exploded into currents of sensation, rippling out like a backdraft. A cry tore from her throat and everything went burning hot and needy inside her. Skin that had stung was now tingling and aching for more. Her heels came off the ground, her body offering itself to Kade.

“That’s it, beautiful,” Kade said, running a warm hand over her tightening skin. “Let it kick in and enjoy the buzz.”


He spanked her again and she moaned, shameless at this point. Her body was throbbing and desperate for release in a flash, the soft fabric of his pants rubbing against her * and adding to the mix. From pain to near bliss in mere minutes. “Kade, please.”

“You want to come, Tessa?” he said, gravel in his voice, as if he were riding his edge, too.

“Yes,” she said, squirming against his lap, seeking more contact. She was right there on the brink but needed more. She needed him. But she doubted he was ready for round two yet. “Please.”

Instead of reaching beneath her to touch her like she expected, Kade slid her off his lap and onto her knees. Frustration flooded her at the delay. What was he doing? He stood and shoved the chair out of the way, then he hooked her beneath her armpits and lifted her to her feet.

She struggled to stay steady with her arms still bound and her head rushing from being upside down one minute and right-side up the next. She braced her hip against the edge of the table. “What are you doing?”

He unbuttoned his pants and shoved them down, pulling something out of the pocket before he straightened. “Come ’ere. I’m not done with you yet.”

She glanced down, finding him fully aroused again, and her stomach clenched low and tight. Oh, thank you, God. Kade tore open the little foil packet with his teeth and rolled the condom on.

Without another word, he was helping her climb onto the table. He grasped her hips and positioned her over him. The tip of his cock teased along her entrance, drawing shivers from her as she looked down to where their bodies met, fascinated by the vision.

“You like watching,” he said, though his voice was so gritty she could tell it was costing him something to delay the moment. “You want to watch my cock disappear inside of you?”

If she hadn’t already been flushed from everything else, she would’ve gone crimson. But instead of watching him slide in, she looked up and met his gaze right as he lowered her down and entered her. The satisfaction that crossed his face as he seated himself deep was far more erotic than anything she could’ve seen by looking down. Her muscles tightened around him, the invasion blissful after so much buildup. “Man, that feels good.”

“Back at ya, beautiful,” he said, giving her a quick but potent kiss. “Now, f*ck me, Tess. I won’t let you fall.”

He braced a hand on her waist to keep her steady and then tucked the other between their bodies, giving her * a teasing stroke. It was like the starter gun going off. She rocked her hips, lifting off him then gliding back down in one fluid, toe-curling motion. The stretch of her body around him was almost too delicious to bear, mixed in with the still tingling heat of her backside. Everything felt alive, vibrating. Kade strummed her hot button again, this time with more intent. An ocean-like roar filled her ears. “Oh, God.”

“Take what you need, baby,” Kade said, watching her with rapt attention. “I want to watch you break open.”

She didn’t need any further encouragement. She plunged down on him and tilted her hips to rub her * against his fingers with each thrust. Sensation snaked over her skin like lava flows, everything going hot and sweaty and achy. Kade whispered dirty things to her about how f*cking hot she looked, about how he couldn’t wait to taste every part of her again, about how sexy she’d been with his handprints on her ass. Before long, she’d lost all sense of decency and was riding him with singular focus.

“Come for me, Tess,” he said, his voice no longer cajoling but commanding.

Stars filled the space behind her eyelids and the building mass of tension inside her unraveled in one spine-melting explosion. She tilted her head back and moaned his name, almost losing her balance. But as promised, he didn’t let her fall. He held onto her as she came hard and long, sensations crashing over her one after another, and then soon his own sounds of pleasure were melding with hers.

When she didn’t think her body could bear another second of holding itself up, she tipped forward and landed against his chest. He wrapped his arm around her and lay back on the table, cradling her to him as their labored breathing struggled to return to normal.

Minutes passed without either saying anything. Her hands flexed behind her back, her fingers aching to touch him, to unbutton that shirt and have her cheek against the man beneath, to explore. But she’d have to wait another day for that.

She closed her eyes. Another day.

“Cocky bastard,” she muttered.

“Hey,” he said, reaching behind her to unfasten the belt. “What was that for?”

She stretched her wrists once they were free and pushed herself up and off of him. “You win.”

He lifted his brows, feigning innocence, as he unbuttoned his shirt and handed it to her. “Whatever could you mean?”

She tucked herself into the too long sleeves and wrapped the shirt around herself. “You have me thinking about a next time. What are you trying to do to me, Kade Vandergriff?”

He smiled and pulled on his pants, the quick sound of the zipper like punctuation marking the end of their night. “Just trying to see you again. Is that so bad?”

She looked to the ceiling, the thought both tempting and terrifying all in one. “Yes.”

He closed the space between them and wrapped his arms around her waist. “All these years, and you’re still shooting me down. A guy could develop a complex.”

She sighed. “It’s not that. Being with you is . . .” Intense. Overwhelming. Addictive. “Great. But you know this is complicated. I’m working for you now. Plus, you’re who you are, and I’m the former trophy wife. Think how that would be perceived if we were seen in public. And I don’t want to even think about what would happen when Doug got wind of it, especially when he figured out it was you.”

Kade’s expression turned hard. “That a*shole couldn’t do a damn thing.”

She shook her head. “You don’t understand. I think part of him still thinks I’m going to come back. You heard him on the phone tonight. He’s not going to let it go if I start dating someone as high-profile as you. I don’t want to bring drama into your life.”

Kade’s hands coasted up her back in a soothing motion, but his jaw twitched with old anger. “He can’t get to you or me anymore, Tess. Yes, he has power and money. But so do I, and I have more of it. He can’t touch me now, and I definitely won’t let him mess with you. He’ll regret it if he tries.”

His words were resolute, but anxiety rolled around in her stomach.

“In fact,” he said, leading her to the couch to sit down. “This could be the ultimate f*ck you to him. Show him and the world that you’re not broken and in hiding after all those accusations he threw out to the press. You’ve moved on with your life.”

She sent him a smirk. “Now you’re just waving Eden apples at me. The thought of putting him in his place like that . . .”

It was almost too delicious to contemplate.

His eyes were pale but bright in the moonlight. “So why not go for it? I know you’re scared of what people will think, but f*ck them. And f*ck Doug. You and I spent almost a year hiding in this cabin because we were worried about what people would say. I’m done with that shit.”

Her throat tightened at the fervent words. “I’m not ready to date anyone, Kade. I have enough going on. I’m a freaking mess right now.”

“No,” he said, utter conviction rumbling through the word. “You are not a mess. You’re adopting his labels for you. You got a divorce, started fresh on your own with none of his money, and are about to start a job that you’re passionate about. That woman is not a mess. That woman is someone who deserves to get what she wants. And whether you’ll admit it right now or not, you want this. You want what happened tonight and more of it. I’m not asking you to be my girlfriend. I’m asking you to let me give you the experiences you’re craving. Give yourself permission to have that with me.”

She looked down, folding back the cuffs of his shirt to give her hands something to do. Factions were warring in her mind with daggers and arrows, tearing at each other’s arguments.

“It’s not about permission. This stuff is scary, Kade. This may be standard fare for you. But for me, it’s like falling deeper down the rabbit hole every time.” She glanced toward the dining table, replaying what had happened there in her mind. “I don’t even know who this person is. This girl who’s stripping in the middle of the woods and asking to be spanked.”

“Tess, maybe it’s you. The woman you could’ve been if Doug hadn’t made you feel wrong for your desires. Have you considered that?”

God, so much had changed, yet in many ways nothing really had. Kaden Fowler was still saying shit that made her question everything in her neat little world. She shook her head and groaned, putting her hands over her face. “Aren’t you supposed to be trying to get rid of me? You’ve gotten in my pants, now you can move on to your CEO groupies?”

He took her wrists in a gentle grip and lowered her hands from her face, a devilish little smile touching his lips. “Groupies? Come on, now. And newsflash: I’ve never been one to do the normal thing.”


Wasn’t that the damn truth. She huffed. “Freak.”

He laughed and grasped the lapels of her shirt, pulling her onto his lap. “Yes, I am. And I’m starting to suspect that you are, too.”

“God, you say that like it’s a good thing.”

“It is, Tess. Come on, be honest. Are you ready to go back to how things were before that night at the restaurant? Was a little spanking all that was on your sexual adventure list?”

She rolled her lips inward and nodded solemnly.

“Liar.” He teased. “This is the girl who didn’t want to be boring in bed. The girl who reads books about princes taking advantage of their pretty slave girls. I’m giving you the chance to try all the things that you’ve thought about when you’re alone in the dark.”

She closed her eyes, her body stirring to attention again. “Kade . . .”

“Let me show you how fun pushing boundaries can be,” he said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “We can be discreet. No one at work needs to know we’re seeing each other, and the press only cares who I bring to high-profile events. This can just be about you and me and dropping those rules you’ve had to follow all your life.”

She stared at him, knowing that she should walk away right now. This was Kaden. Not some random hot guy she’d decided to hook up with. This was someone who could get to her, make her feel things, want things. And that was something she couldn’t let happen. Regardless of the boy Kade used to be, the man he was now had all the warning signs. Too smooth. Too rich. Too good-looking. And single by choice.

How many women had he done the seduction thing with? How many had he talked dirty to? How many had gotten hearts in their eyes only to be dropped for the next?

But even knowing the risk, she couldn’t bring herself to form the words she was supposed to. When had she ever done something this out there? This daring? The thought of Kade guiding her through fantasies she barely had the nerve to admit she harbored was like being presented the most decadent piece of chocolate cake and someone asking if she wanted a bite.

“What do you say?” Kade asked, his gaze not wavering from hers.

She took a deep breath and leaned her forehead against his, letting the honest truth fall from her mouth. “You’re kind of hard to say no to, Kade Vandergriff.”

“Yeah?” he said, a hint of schoolboy hope in his voice.

“Yeah. As long as we keep it out of the public eye.”

He pulled back and pressed a kiss to her lips. “I can work with that. For now.”

For now.

The words reverberated in her ears like the aftermath of a ringing bell. But before she could think too hard on it, his eyes narrowed, like he was considering something intently.

“What?” she asked, disconcerted by that evaluating stare. She shifted off his lap and back to the couch to find some solid ground.

“What you said earlier about the prince and the captive . . . were you making a joke or is that a fantasy you find appealing?”

She put her hand to her forehead, feeling silly. “Kade, come on, don’t tease me—”

“No, I’m not, I’m serious. I want to know. This is going to be about exploring your desires. I need to know where they lie.”

She shook her head. “It’s just a silly thing I said.”

“But does it turn you on?” he asked, giving her a look like this was the most important question in the universe. “Does the idea of playing my captive or slave appeal to you?”

Did it turn her on? When the image had crossed her mind, her body had gone hot and liquid even though she’d felt ridiculous thinking about it. “Yes. I guess the taboo factor of it all. It’s so . . . everything we’re not supposed to want. Like the opposite of politically correct. I’m sure most women would find it kind of enticing on some level.”

He gave her a pointed look. “No, not all women, Tess.”

She blinked, the words stinging. “So you’re saying there’s something wrong with me?”

His lips curled upward. “Not saying that at all. Quite the opposite in fact.”

“Oh?” she said softly.

“Yes. I think this is all going to work out just fine. All it’s going to require from you is a little trust and an open mind. I’ll take care of everything else.” He grabbed her hand and lifted it to his mouth. “Say good-bye to the proper Southern belle, Tess. There’s no place for her in my world.”

Tessa swallowed hard. She was in so much damn trouble.