She whimpered and thrashed her head against the pillow as I gradually picked up the pace. The rope creaked as she strained against it, her body arching beneath me.
 
 "More," she begged. "Harder."
 
 I gripped her hips and gave her what she wanted, driving into her ass while thumbing the vibrator up another notch. The sounds she made...Christ, I'll never get enough of those little desperate whimpers.
 
 "That's it, baby. Take it all." The words gushed from my lips without conscious thought. "Such a good girl, taking my cock so perfectly."
 
 Her walls fluttered around the vibrator as she cried out. "El, I'm gonna?—"
 
 "Come for me, Princess. Want to feel you fall apart."
 
 She shattered with a scream that probably carried across the orchard. The pulsing of her orgasm combined with the thrumming of the vibrator was too much. My rhythm faltered as my balls tightened.
 
 "Where do you want me to come?" I growled.
 
 "Inside," she gasped. "Want to feel you fill me up."
 
 Fuck fuck fuck.
 
 Those words pushed me over the edge. I slammed deep one final time, emptying myself inside her with a bellow that left my throat raw.
 
 I slumped over her. For several moments, the only sounds in the room were our ragged panting and the persistent hum of the vibrator. Then she shifted beneath me with a soft sob.
 
 "Sorry." I eased out of her and carefully removed the toy. "Let me untie you."
 
 My hands shook as I worked the knots loose. Once her wrists were free, I gently massaged the marks left by the rope.
 
 "You okay?" I searched her face for any sign of discomfort or regret.
 
 "I'm good. So, so good."
 
 "Promise?"
 
 "Promise."
 
 Chapter Twenty-One
 
 TESSA
 
 "I know it's insane,"I said, swerving to avoid another pothole. These orchard roads were going to destroy my SUV's suspension. "But Lane, the sex is... good lord, it's incredible."
 
 "Better than Marcus Wellington?" Elena's voice crackled through my AirPods.
 
 I laughed. My college boyfriend had no place in this conversation. Our brief relationship ended when I realized that the only thing bigger than his trust fund was his ego. Sadly, the rest of him didn't measure up.
 
 "Marcus who? Seriously, I can't even compare them. Last night, hetied me up."
 
 I navigated another turn, remembering how Elliot had tied my wrists to the headboard. How he'd tortured me with that vibrator until I was writhing, begging. The way he'd driven me to the edge over and over again.
 
 "He what?!"
 
 "It was so fucking hot," I admitted. "He makes me feel..." I searched for the right words. "Safe. Seen. Like I'msomething precious and wild that he wants to both protect and devour."
 
 "Are you sure you remember why you're doing this?" Elena asked. "None of this is sounding very fake to me."
 
 "I know." I sighed, remembering how after we'd both come, Elliot had tenderly untied me, massaging my wrists and covering them with gentle kisses. He'd drawn me against his chest, one hand stroking my hair while the other traced patterns on my back. Wrapped in his warmth and strength, I'd never felt more cherished in my life.
 
 "The way he touches me, Lane, it's like he's memorizing every detail. Like he can't get enough." I swallowed hard. "Last night when he was inside me, he kept his eyes locked on mine the whole time. Nobody's ever looked at me like that before."