Chapter 7 Cade
SEVEN
CADE
She feels far too good in my arms, fitting against me almost perfectly. It shouldn’t be so damned good holding her. And yet my heart is crashing hard against my ribs, chest warm not from the heat of the fire, but from her proximity.
The war that’s been playing out between us since she got here seems to be tipping to one side, and I’m not sure if I should feel relieved…or fucking terrified. Not when she has so much power over me.
“I, uh, I’m sorry,” she says quietly, looking up at me with those stormy grey eyes. “That was so inappropriate of me.”
And yet, she doesn’t leave my arms. Doesn’t pull away.
She’s giving me the opportunity to do it first—to put some distance between us and take a breath.
As her boss, I should. I should be setting down some obvious boundaries that should never be crossed again so we don’t repeat what happened this evening. I should let go and ensure she’s warm and do something else to keep busy—like go back down to the garage and fix the fucking generator.
But when her lips part and her eyes soften, I do the only thing that’s been on my mind for the last couple of hours.
I kiss her.
Lydia makes a sound in the back of her throat, cut off only by my tongue sliding against her lips. She grants me access with a groan, her arms winding around my shoulders, bringing us closer.
Beneath the layers, I feel how soft she is, especially against my hardening cock. My hands move to her hips and grip her hard, almost like I’m terrified she might be ripped away from me.
She meets my kiss with a heat I don’t expect. Her lips mould against mine, tongue battling for dominance, challenging me just like I knew she would.
I walk us backwards to the sofa and guide her into my lap as we sit, feeling her snuggly against my bulge. Lydia gasps as I press into her, ripping her lips away as another moan falls from her lips.
“You like that, cowgirl?” I ask, thrusting into her. “You like how my cock feels?”
Her hands grip my shoulders as a blush darkens her cheeks. “Cade—”
“Answer my question,” I demand, stopping. “Tell me what you like.” Those last five words fall from my lips desperately before I can stop them.
Lydia tugs her bottom lip between her teeth and chews it before answering. “I don’t know,” she replies, fingers digging into the burn on my shoulder. The pain should knock me out of this, but instead it lights something in me. Burns through the last of my resolve.
I skim a hand up her side before I palm her breast, earning another soft gasp from her. “Are you a virgin, Lydia Sterling?”
The blush deepens, embarrassment flaring in her eyes. “Does it matter? I—”
I cut her off by kissing her jaw. “It matters because I want to know how well you’ll listen when I tell you to take my cock,” I say, voice low. “I want to know if you’ll be better riding me, or under me.”
It’s a challenge I don’t know she’ll accept. Lydia Sterling has a fire in her I want to play with; not tame, not stoke. But I wouldn’t mind being burned by her. Wouldn’t care if she left me to crumble into ash after we were done.
I’ve accepted that she’ll be my total undoing. There’s no way to escape her now.
Lydia visibly shudders, breaths coming faster. “We shouldn’t be doing this,” she whispers.
“I don’t see you getting up,” I reply.
For a moment, her eyes harden, like the challenge has been accepted. She rolls her tongue in her mouth as she considers it; the repercussions, the consequences. Analysing how badly this could screw her up—her work, her life.
“One night,” I promise, rolling my hips into hers. Another sharp intake of breath and her eyelids flutter. “Then you can go back to being my perfect little assistant, and none would be the wiser. It won’t affect your job with me.”
Her eyes find mine again, hesitant and unsure. “You definitely can’t promise me that,” she says, grinding her hips into mine, stealing my breath from me as my cock goes incredibly hard beneath her. “And I don’t get why you’d want to cross the line, Mr Abernathy. Why risk it?”
“Cade,” I growl, flipping us so she’s on her back and I’m hovering above her. “If we get this out of our system now, we won’t be tempted later.”
Her hand moves to cover my heart, eyes wide with surprise. “Or maybe you won’t be able to get enough,” she teases.
“Oh, I know I won’t.” I hover over her, situated snuggly between her thick thighs. “But at least if I fuck you now, I won’t be thinking about doing it later.”
Lydia sucks in another sharp breath. “Are you sure you want to do this…with me?”
“You’re the one giving something up,” I reply easily, even though it’s a lie. If she allows me to go through with this, then I know I’ll be forever trapped in her shadow. There’ll be nothing else for me.
And that’s exactly why you shouldn’t be doing this, I tell myself, gritting my teeth. She deserves fucking better.
It’s that reminder that has me pulling away. Lydia stares up at me in confusion before anger fills her features. “What the hell?”
But I shake my head and scrape a hand through my hair. “I’ve been incredibly inconsiderate about how you would be feeling, and I’ve realised you deserve a hell of a lot better than whatever…this is.” You deserve better than me, I say silently, unable to look at her.
Lydia throws her legs over the side of the sofa and stands, her hands going to her hips. The red flush darkening her cheeks isn’t the beautiful flush I’ve been trying to tease from her anymore—now it’s angry, and I can tell immediately just how badly I’ve fucked up.
“Seriously?” she says, rolling her eyes.
“You kiss me, dry hump me to test whether I’ll fuck you, and then you suddenly realise this isn’t what I deserve?
” She puts deserve in air quotes, before grabbing the hem of her hoodie and tugging it off completely.
For a moment, I’m in awe of her; soft, creamy skin.
Breasts that are beautiful and large enough to fit into my hands.
A stomach that I could one day see full with a baby.
“What is it about me that suddenly has you thinking otherwise?” she demands, suddenly pulling her pants down until she’s standing naked in front of me. “Am I not good enough for you Cade fucking Abernathy?”
She’s stolen my breath with how fucking beautiful she is, but she’s wondering if she’s the problem?
Her question has me chuckling before I can stop myself. “Oh, cowgirl, you have no fucking idea,” I mutter, leaning back, enjoying the view too much. “You aren’t the problem here.”
Lydia makes a frustrated sound. “Then what is? One second you want to know if I’ll be better under you and the next, you’re, what, flaccid?” She says the last part like she’s mocking me, but I recognise the challenge.
“Fine.” I shift, pull my jeans down, and allow my cock to spring free. “Flaccid enough for you?”
Heat flares in her eyes as they dip to my crotch. I watch, heart pounding, as her tongue flicks out to wet her bottom lip. Slowly, Lydia steps towards me and lowers herself to her knees.
This is not the vision that’s been playing in my mind since our kiss. I’m supposed to be the one on my knees.
And yet my sweet little assistant palms my dick and strokes it lightly, gaze flickering to meet mine. “When was the last time you weren’t in control, Mr Abernathy?” she asks, head cocked.
I tense immediately, breathing hard. “The moment you entered my cabin,” I reply honestly.
Shock flickers in her eyes briefly before she tampers it down. “Trust me,” she says, voice hard. “Give me control.”
I have a feeling she means more than just sex. She wants me to give over all control; my life, my work, my peace.
She’s already taken control of my life. She’s stolen my peace. And now she wants me to relinquish control over something I don’t even want.
I swallow hard and cup her cheek, which gives her the answer she wants. Her soft lips circle the head of my cock, hesitant at first until her tongue flickers over the slit, licking away precum. Her moan should not make me want to cum, and yet I grit my teeth.
“Lydia,” I warn, holding her hair back as she takes me completely in her mouth. “This is not how this is supposed to work.”
She makes a small sound that reverberates through my dick, and yet she pulls back enough to show me her smile. “How is it supposed to work, then?”
“My head between your thighs,” I hiss, jerking as she strokes me with her hand, tongue sliding up my shaft. “Not you on your knees.”
“What if I like being here?” she teases my tip with her tongue, still smiling. “What if I’m enjoying this?”
My chest heaves with each breath I pull in, and my balls tighten with my impending release. Shit. I used to have stamina. Used to be able to hold out for a while. And yet a couple swipes of her tongue and seeing her naked has me ready to explode.
“Lydia.” Her eyes find mine as she licks her way up my shaft again.
“Yes, Mr Abernathy?” she asks sweetly.
“If you don’t stop now,” I say through gritted teeth, “I’ll be forced to finish on that pretty face of yours.”
She hums under her breath, but she doesn’t stop. It’s enough to have my control slip entirely.
I finish hard, biting down on a groan as she works me through it, hands stroking me softly while her lips remain suctioned around my tip. Those storm-grey eyes are locked on mine as she works me until there’s nothing left.
When she swallows, I lose every last ounce of control I have.
I slam my mouth against hers and taste myself on her tongue, not caring at all as I guide her onto the rug, lying her out beneath me.
As badly as I want her coming on my mouth, I palm my still hard cock and wipe myself through her arousal.
“You have no idea what you’ve done,” I growl against her lips as I line myself up perfectly. “God, you’ve got no idea. You’re mine.”
Lydia’s arms go around my neck. “Then mean it,” she replies quietly, hooking her feet behind me.
Our eyes meet as I inch inside her. Pain flares in her eyes, but she bites down on a cry, pressing her lips together.
“That’s it,” I murmur, pausing to give her a chance to adjust. “You’re going to take me so well, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” she gasps when I continue, arching into me. “God, yes.”
I chuckle, sheathing myself inside her completely. “I knew you would look perfect under me.”
Her eyelids flutter on a silent cry as I start moving. Long, gentle strokes, thrusts that keep us completely connected. I’m glued to her expressions, watching every breath, admiring each little movement she makes. Lydia writhes beneath me, whimpers, eyes wide and locked on mine.
Her pussy flutters around me, her impending climax drawing another from me. “That’s it,” I coo, cracking one hand by her head while the other goes to her clit. “You’re going to come with me, Lydia. Strangle me with this perfect cunt of yours.”
“Yes,” she whispers, fingers digging into my burn again. “Fuck.”
I cover her mouth with mine to drown her cries as she clamps hard around me. The walls of her pussy pulsate, forcing another orgasm from me.
We fall over the edge, locked together, our breaths harsh and heavy as the storm rages beyond the protected windows. There was never any point in trying to get her out of my system. I was fucked the moment she entered my property.
Tonight just proves that.
It showed me she is mine.