Elvie
I lifted the mug of hot coffee to my lips, taking a slow sip as I settled back to focus on the open book in front of me. Gemma sat across from me at our usual corner table in Mrs. Eleanor’s bookstore. After three straight hours of back-to-back lectures, we had ducked in here to catch up on reading and unwind.
Literally, I needed this break more than anything. Gemma had been completely invested in her reading, her eyes glued to her pages, while I tried my best to do the same.
"By the way... do you have plans this weekend?" Gemma asked, suddenly breaking the silence.
I blinked, lifting my gaze from the book and raising a brow. "Why?"
Gemma closed her book with a heavy sigh and leaned back. "I wanted us to visit an art museum. I can’t afford that insane private gallery your ridiculously hot professor took you to, and I really need to get my creative spark back. Besides, I’m sure you’re already done with your main canvas piece by now."
A sudden, sharp wave of heat rushed straight to my cheeks. If only she knew. If only Gemma had any idea what had actually transpired between Cassian and I last night. If only she knew how crazily good it was having him fingered and fucked me right then and there on his studio desk.
Painting had long been discarded the moment his hands were on me, every thought completely wiped from my head. I didn’t know that man possessed a dangerous beast in his body. He fucked me and left me whimpering and screaming for more.
Thinking about it now had my core twitching. Damn Elvie!
"Elvie? Are you even listening?"
Gemma’s voice snapped me out of my trance. I pulled the mug back up, forcing a nod. "Yes. I’m listening."
Gemma narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Wait... you’re blushing. Spill."
"Spill what?" I retorted instantly, getting defensive as I took another hasty sip of coffee. My eyes flicked over to the counter, where Mrs. Eleanor sat peacefully behind her glasses, completely invested in her own world as she knitted and read a book, oblivious to us.
"Don’t ’spill what’ me," Gemma whispered, a sly smile spreading across her face. "Your face is bright red. What’s going on?"
My heart gave a heavy thump against my ribs. I looked at her, my throat suddenly dry.
Gemma wasn’t a stranger. She was my best friend, the one person I trusted with everything. There’s no harm on telling her about Cassian...right?
"I... okay, look," I whispered, leaning in closer."Cassian and I....last night at the studio... we....had sex."
"What?!" Gemma squeaked out, her voice spiking higher across the room getting the attention of Mrs. Eleanor.
I glared at her, kicking her under the table. "Keep it down! This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you!" I hissed.
"Sorry, sorry!" Gemma bite back, clutching her hands over her mouth and looking around frantically, her eyes sparkling with pure, unadulterated shock. "Elvie, are you out of your mind? You and Professor Reed? The ultra-intimidating, ridiculously gorgeous art authority? What do you mean you had sex?"
"I mean..." I took a shaky breath, the heat burning up my neck all over again. "It just...I don’t know but I didn’t stop him, Gemma."
And I don’t regret crossing that line with him. If anything I wanted him to break me more.
"Oh my god," Gemma breathed out, a grin spreading across her face as she leaned in even closer. "Elvie... what was it like? Tell me everything! How does it feel to—"
"Nope!" I cut her off instantly, pulling back and crossing my arms. "I am not telling you another thing."
"Come on! You can’t just drop a bomb like that and shut down!" Gemma groaned, slapping her hand on the table.
"I’m serious, Gemma. Not another detail," I said, trying to keep a straight face despite the blush burning my face. "This is why I shouldn’t have told you in the first place."
Gemma shook her head, still grinning like crazy. "Fine, keep your juicy secrets. But you are insane, Elvie. Totally insane."
**
As ridiculous as it sounds, telling Gemma my little dirty secret had actually helped in some way. Even though I knew whatever was going on between Cassian and I was completely wrong and insanely risky. But knowing I had my best friend support was definitely soothing.
I shook my head, a small smile tugging at my lips as I recalled how she had kept pestering me for more details even after we left the bookstore. She had practically walked me all the way to the street corner, begging for a play-by-play until I finally forced her to head home.
I unlocked the front door and stepped inside. The familiar warmth of the house greeted me, washing over me the moment the door shut behind me. Over the past few weeks, I had grown so used to this cozy heat that every time I came back, I feel at home.
I slipped off my shoes by the entryway and was about to wear the comfy slippers only for me to stop right in my tracks as footsteps emerged from the stairs.
Cassian was coming down, a white towel held in one hand as he rubbed it over his damp, dark hair. He was wearing only a simple fitted vest and low-slung sweatpants.
My eyes traitorously trailed down his body taking in the broad cut of his shoulders, the thick flex of his biceps, and the defined outline of his abs glistening under the hall lights. Heat crept straight up my neck, my throat going dry as my gaze slipped even lower.
"Done staring, Elvie?"
His deep, rough voice broke right through the quiet, instantly bringing me back to reality.
I swallowed hard, my cheeks burning as my eyes sprinted right back up to his. Cassian had stopped on the bottom step, holding the towel loosely over one shoulder, a slow, knowing smirk playing on his lips.
Damn! He had caught me red-handedly checking him out.
"I wasn’t staring," I lied, the words coming out a little too fast to be convincing. I forced my hands into my jacket pockets, praying the hall light wasn’t throwing my burning blush into full focus.
Cassian’s smirk only widened. He stepped off the bottom stair, his bare feet making no sound against the polished floor as he closed the distance between us. The heavy, clean scent of his body wash—sandalwood and slate hit me before he even reached my side, completely overpowering the cozy warmth of the entryway.
"Is that so?" he purred, stopping just inches away. He was taller than me to begin with, but in simple sweatpants and a vest, towering over me in the hallway, his presence felt completely crushing. "Because from where I was standing, you looked like you were appraising every inch."
My pulse did a frantic little dance against my ribs. "I was just... surprised to see you down here like this. You’re usually still in a suit or locked away in your study."
"I live here, Elvie. I’m allowed to dress anyhow I want in my own home." Cassian tilted his head, his dark eyes trailing lazily over my face. "Or does it distract you?"
I swallowed, the air in my throat suddenly feeling thick. The memory of last night—of those same hands gripping my hips, of his voice whispering dark, possessive commands into my ear rushed back so hard my knees felt weak. He knew exactly what he was doing to me.
"It doesn’t distract me," I muttered, shifting my weight and trying to step around him toward the stairs. "I’m going up to my room."
Before I could take a single step past him, Cassian’s hand shot out. His fingers wrapped firmly around my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. His skin was warm, damp, and possessive, sending a spark straight up my arm.
He pulled me back half an inch, lowering his head until his lips were right beside my ear.
"You’re a terrible liar," he murmured, his deep voice vibrating against my skin. "And after last night, you don’t get to pretend you don’t want to look and have a taste again."
A shudder of arousal ran down my spine at his words. I tried desperately not to unravel right there in front of him, fighting to keep my composure intact when every nerve ending was screaming at his proximity. Wanting his hand to move to the sensitive part of my body.
"Cassian, let me go... I need to go change," I managed to say, though my voice lacked any real conviction.
"Make me," he murmured smoothly, his thumb rubbing slow circles against my wrist.
A quiet gasp threatened to spill from my lips, but I bit it back just in time, swallowing down the sudden surge of heat pooling in my pussy.
He knew what he was doing because the corner of his lips twitched up as he took in my helpless reaction with pure, dark satisfaction.
"Go upstairs and change," He instructed softly, his voice dripping with absolute authority as his free hand moved to rest against the curve of my waist, pulling me just a fraction closer before releasing me. "Then come down to my study. We need to talk."
I raised a brow, trying to catch my breath as I looked up at him. "Talk about what?"
Cassian leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he whispered, "When you come down, I’ll tell you or show you."
His large hands found my behind and he spanked it nudging toward the staircase. The sharp electricity of his touch lingering long after his hand dropped away. It certainly did nothing to help my rapid heartbeat.
"Ten minutes, Elvie." He called out walking towards the couch.
I stood at the bottom of the steps for a second, watching as he backed away. This hot brooding man is going to be the end of my sanity.