Page 57 of Rope Me In

“That’s it,” he soothes. “You did that so well.”

The combination of how he feels and his gentle praise has those dang tears threatening to come back. I try to hold them in, but I’m failing. Why is this so emotional? I’m going to blame the whiskey because this shouldn’t be making me cry. This should only be hot. I mean, it is, but why do I feel like I want to cry at every word he says? At every touch?

“Lemon,” he says gently. “Look at me.”

I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping that what I’m feeling doesn’t show before I turn my head to him. He shifts his arm under my chest so I’m more supported, the small movement doing nothing to help keep my emotions at bay.

“Feel whatever you need to feel. Let me take care of you.”

Now Kade is the one surprising me. Isn’t something like this supposed to be a few swats, then it’s over? Why does it feel like so much more than that when we haven’t even started?

Despite the swirling thoughts in my mind, I nod.

“If I spank you too hard, tell me to go lighter. If you want me to stop, I’ll stop. Do you understand?”

I nod again, but apparently, that’s not good enough for him.

“Use that smart mouth of yours, Lemon. Do you understand—yes or no?” He grins, his eyes smiling with it.

I instinctively squeeze my thighs together at how he speaks to me. It’s still commanding, but the light flirting I’ve come to know as uniquely Kade is there, too. It lightens the mood a bit, making everything we’re doing more comfortable.

“Yes.”

“Good girl.” He squeezes my hip then moves his palm to my ass, holding it there. “I’m going to start light. Breathe through it, and just let yourself experience it. Don’t think so much. You understand?”

“I’ll try not to.” His palm comes down on my ass lightly, and I jump in surprise. His hand under my chest holds me tighter.

He swats me again. “Only try, Lemon?”

“Okay! I won’t think so much.” I squirm, every nerve ending in my body buzzing.

He rubs his hand over my legging-clad ass and hums. “Attagirl. I like it when you follow directions.” He lifts his palm off my ass, and I think he’s going to spank me, but then I feel his fingers lightly stroking over my covered skin in a teasing motion. “Fuck, your body is so beautiful. This ass.” He punctuates his point by squeezing it a bit. “It’s a work of art.”

Blood rushes to my cheeks. Oddly enough, I find his compliments more embarrassing than what we’re doing. I want to protest his words, to tell him he doesn’t have to lie to me, but when his hand comes down on my butt again, he swings it in an upward motion so only part of his palmspanks me.

I cry out, but before I can recover, he does it again and again, switching cheeks as he swats. The barrage of sensations clears all my thoughts from my mind until all I can think about is the way his hand feels against my body and how his erection gets harder as I shift against him from the force of his spanks.

I’m not sure how many he’s done—and they aren’t very hard—when he suddenly stops. After a pause, he lays his hand on my heated backside, causing me to jump, but instead of spanking, he goes back to rubbing his palms over the stinging skin.

“How was that?” His voice sounds different, huskier. My thighs rub together of their own accord, and I can’t help but notice how wet I am. I hope I don’t leave a wet spot on his pants—that would be embarrassing.

A strike on my ass, one a little harder than before, has me turning to meet his intense gaze. His hazel eyes are almost brown in the darkened loft as he waits for my answer.

“I liked it.”

A sly grin plays at the corner of his lips. “Do you want more?”

“Yes,” I say, not having to think about it. Maybe it’s the endorphins talking, but I want whatever he’ll give me.

Kade hums, the hand under my chest moving. His forearm now rests between my breasts, and his rough hand comes to gently grip the column of my throat. The action has me thinking of what I witnessed in the back room, how he’d held that woman’s neck as he kissed her.

It turned me on then, and now that it’s me, more arousal floods my sex. I become highly aware of every inch of my body. My nipples are hard, pressing against the thin cups of my bra. My breasts feel heavy, like they’re aching to be touched, and the same goes for every inch of my skin as if all of my nerves are on fire and only Kade can put them out. Even my clit pulses with need, a sensation I’ve never had.

“Is this okay?” His fingers press softly into my neck.

“More than okay,” I breathe out.

He hums again, and I swear he looks proud of me. His chest is puffed and broad, and a sure, closed-mouthed grin is on his lips. His eyes are soft and sparkling.

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