Page 104 of Due Diligence

She did this thing where she rotated her head gently at the neck so she could shake her hair off her shoulders. The ends of her hair tickled my arm behind her. I floated my hand up to toy with a lock of it, tugging it gently. She smiled sweetly. “Record me then.”

The thought shot right through me, igniting every part of me with want. Need. Desire.

“Yeah?” I pulled on her hair a little harder, holding it gingerly but firmly like I was stretching silk. “So I can watch you later? You’d love that, wouldn’t you? You want to show off for me.”

“I’m serious,” she responded, tightening her eyebrows. Her eyes connected with mine, assessing my expression. “You don’t believe me?”

For some reason, this felt like a trap. I released her hair and leaned back, canting my head to the side as I attempted todecipher if she really meant it. If she did, I wasn’t even sure I knew how to process the suggestion. Filming her…it was one part a lifelong dream fulfilled and one part taboo. Exhilarating and forbidden all at once.

I grappled with one feeling: It was potentially a disaster in the making. I wasn’t necessarilyimportant, but I was notable enough that if my sex tape were to hit the internet, millions of people would probably watch it.

On the other hand, if she didn’t mean it and this was a put-on, I didn’t think I could handle the disappointment.

She raised her hand and began to rub the backs of her fingers along my abdomen, tracing the ridges with her knuckles. “I want you to film yourself fucking me.” Her voice came out slow and sultry. When she raised her gaze to look at me once again, her eyes were hooded, but determined. I knew that look. It was that look of beautiful stubbornness. She was going to have me fuck her and it was going to be on camera—and it was non-negotiable. That look alone had me on the verge of losing all resolve and flipping her over before shoving into her without hesitation.

“Really?” was all I could stammer. Of course, my tone broke at the end, betraying what little confidence I had mustered.

Luckily, Cass smiled when she heard it. “And you can watch it later,” she went on as she came closer to me. Her nipples tickled my chest as she pressed herself against my body. Seconds later, I felt her lips against my throat. A soft trail of kisses followed, working towards my ear. “Think about how hot that would be. Think about howriskythat would be.”

“You’re sure?” I asked, using one hand to run my fingers through her hair. For some reason that act felt necessary—like I needed to remind both of us that no matter what I said and did, I adored her. No matter how filthy my words were and no matter how roughly I handled her, she was precious to me.

“So sure.” Cass reached her hand into my pocket, where my phone was practically waiting for her. “I’m game if you are.”

She held my phone loosely in her hand and passed it to me, nodding at me to encourage me to take it.

My entire body was aching with want.

Fucking hell.

“And you’re positive,” I asked as I took my phone. My thumb unlocked it as I spoke. “You’re completely sure you want me to—”

“You have my consent and then some.” She shifted her hands from my abdomen to rest them on my shoulders. She shook her head side to side, like she was about to get down to business. Cass raised both eyebrows and blinked before she stared deeply into my eyes. “Marcus Fitz, do I have your consent?”

“Of course. I’m just…” I shook my head before I allowed a breathy exhale to release. A note of disbelief escaped me simultaneously. “How are you real, Cass? How is it possible I could find a woman like you and I didn’t even have to go looking for you?”

Her eyes lit up at my response. She let out a soft laugh and said, “Look, if I weren’t sitting here, clothes off andwetfor you, I would want to dig into this disbelief. But I’m a woman on a mission. You deserve me. Don’t ever question that.”

“You too.” I hesitated for a second before I scooted myself higher where I sat. “Cass, I know you don’t like it when I talk like this, but really…nobody has ever made me feel like you do.”

To my relief, she eased her countenance. One hand moved from my shoulder to my cheek. “Really?”

I nodded. “I like the fact that you hate pickles, but inexplicably like to eat salt and vinegar chips. You know that makes no sense, right?”

Cass brought her hand up to her lips, covering her smile as she beamed at me.

I pulled her closer in my lap as I went on. “I like that you think my eyes are beautiful and that you love horror films. I like that you focus on what feels good, even when most of us don’t know how to.”

Pausing, I studied her expression. For the first time in my memory, I could practically feel the joy radiating off her. She removed her hand from her lips and she allowed herself to just smile as she watched me. It was infectious. I grinned back before I said, “I like that you’re not perfect, Cass. I’m not either. And I’m so good at pretending I am…”

“I know.” She brought her other hand up to my cheek so she was cradling my face in her palms. Her touch was delicate in the same way she handled her own body.

My hand went to her waist, stroking smooth, irresistible skin. She was slender and warm, made to fit in my hands. “I’ve waited so long for someone to just get it. I never,everthought it would be you—but it makes the most sense in the world to me.”

“I feel the same way.” She kissed me, her lips grazing mine faintly…almost lovingly.

“Okay, I’m done,” I assured her. “Thank you for indulging me and letting me release the backlog of sweet shit I’ve been storing for a couple of weeks. We can get back to the sexy stuff now.”

“Oh dear,” she mused, an eyebrow raised with mock intrigue. “What kind of sexy stuff do you have in store for me tonight?”

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