Reaching down, he cupped a hand behind my thigh, prompting me to bend my leg at the knee and allow him to sink even deeper inside me.

“Caine…” My body began to tremble.

“I know…”

He took his time, but the intensity just kept building. Each thrust went deeper as we began to move in unison, rocking back and forth. I felt him inside me in so many ways.

I moaned through my orgasm, struggling to keep my eyes open but wanting to share how good he made me feel. When I’d started to come down, Caine sped up, driving into me faster and harder as if he were chasing my release with his own. I loved the way he said my name over and over as he climaxed inside of me. It was more therapeutic than any music had ever been for me.

We held each other as Caine continued to move in and out of me for a long time after—lazy, unhurried strokes as we caught our breath and shared easy smiles. Eventually, though, he had to stop to deal with the condom. When he lifted from the bed to go into the bathroom, a chill rushed over my damp skin.

I hoped it wasn’t a sign that once the heat was over, things with Caine would be getting cold again.

 

 

Rachel

 

Caine surprised me by returning to the bed with a warm facecloth and gently washing me up. No man had ever been so tender in aftercare with me. The way he took the cloth to my sensitive skin was so intimate and thoughtful, it made my shoulders—which had tensed when he’d gotten up—relax again.

“Good?” His voice was low and soft.

“Yes. Thank you.”

He disappeared back into the bathroom, and I heard the sink run for a few minutes. Then he emerged again. He was quiet as he picked up his clothes, slipping on his boxers and then jeans. Perhaps I’d relaxed a bit too prematurely.

“What are you doing?” I tried not to sound too snarky, but didn’t quite hit the mark.

He was looking down, zippering, and stopped to look up at me. “Getting dressed.”

“I can see that. But is there a reason you’re running out the door so fast?”

Caine’s brows furrowed. I realized he hadn’t even given any thought to what he was doing. He was on autopilot.

“This is what you do every time after…you’re with a woman, isn’t it?”

His jaw flexed. “It’s late.”

“Whatever. Go.”

I looked away, not wanting to let him see the disappointment I knew was impossible to hide on my face. The rustle of clothing pissed me off more and more each second. Five minutes ago he’d been so sweet and tender, and now it was back to Professor Asshole.

I couldn’t help myself. I was, after all, feisty. “You’re really an asshole, you know that?”

Caine froze, buttoning his shirt. “I believe you’ve told me that before, so yes, I’m aware I’m really an asshole. What I’m surprised about, though, is that you don’t seem to be as aware of it as I am, yet you’re the one who likes to remind me of my asshole status.”

The man could get me so damn angry. It was like a switch flipped inside of me and I turned into some psycho bitch I didn’t recognize.

“Are you going to leave cash on the end table?”

His eyes blazed. He was silent as he glared at me. I braced, waiting for the response I saw coming.

“I don’t think you’re a whore, Rachel. In fact, I think you’re just the opposite—a nice girl. That’s the problem.”

“What are you talking about?”

Caine finally looked me straight in the eyes to answer. “When things end, or better yet, when I fuck things up, I’m going to hurt you.”

“You don’t know that.”

He scoffed. “Yes, I do, Rachel.”

Deep down, a part of me knew he was right. But I couldn’t let him see that. “You’re so full of yourself, you’ve already decided you’re going to break my heart. Did you ever stop to think maybe it’s me who will break your heart someday? Maybe I’m just using you for your body.”

Caine’s brows rose. I was completely full of shit, of course, but he didn’t need to know that. All he needed to do was stay. I wasn’t ready for him to leave me. Not tonight…not yet.

When his eyes dropped to my breasts, I was reminded that the one thing Caine couldn’t deny was his attraction to me. So, I’d have to capitalize on that until I could figure out the rest. Reaching up, I cupped my breasts and gave them a good squeeze. Unbridled lust flared in Caine’s eyes, and the control in the room shifted. If sex was the way I could get that right now, so be it.

Moving one hand down my body as seductively as I could, I shut my eyes and reached between my legs. When I opened them and saw the way Caine was looking at me, I knew I’d won this round—even if it was only a small battle in what I guessed was going to be a long war.

“Is that a problem?” I asked. “If I use you for your body?”

He answered by unbuttoning the shirt he’d just put on. “Not at all.”

While he was making quick work of his clothes, I knelt on the bed. He was fully aroused again, even though he’d come less than fifteen minutes ago. In fact, it seemed even bigger now. If I hadn’t been so turned on, I might’ve been a little scared of that thing.

Caine was watching me, so I went for it—gave him actions to go with my bold words. Turning to face the headboard, I got up on all-fours and looked back over my shoulder at him. My voice was hoarse. “I believe you said something about my hair and wanting me on all-fours?”

 

 

It was two in the morning by the time we’d finished rounds two and three. Or was it three and four, since technically round one had started in the living room earlier? Either way, I learned something about Caine this evening—his fight to keep me out was weakened when he was physically exhausted. Considering the method for getting him physically exhausted was pretty damn spectacular, I’d say the discovery was a pleasurable one.

My head nuzzled his bare chest while he stroked my hair in the dark. When he spoke, his voice was low. “How did you get that scar on your back?”

“Fell out of a tree when I was a kid and took some branches with me on the way down.” I’d told the same story for so long whenever anyone noticed my jagged, three-inch scar, I almost felt like it was true.