Page 48 of Hideaway

“That’s one word for it,”Kara responded breathlessly, her chest still heaving irregularly from the exertion.

“Truly, I give it top marks. I really should endeavor to engage in make-up sex more often,” he teased as he brushed her sweaty hair away from her cheek.

“Or you could just have sex without the argument,”Kara countered.

“But where is the fun in that?”

Kara enjoyed the tenderness of Cade’s caresses before she gathered the courage to ask the question at the forefront of her mind.“You…you said that you didn’t punish me for your pleasure, but I’m pretty sure you enjoyed getting to take a belt to my ass. How am I supposed to reconcile those contrasting facts? Do you get off on hitting me or not?” Kara bit her lip nervously as she suffered the long silence before Cade composed a reply.

“The answer to your question is complicated. But, putting it simply, I would never hit you purely for my pleasure. I am willing to be a corrective force if your behavior warrants reproach, but I would never hurt you to satisfy my own personal needs. The pleasure I experience while punishing you is a byproduct of the experience of exacting total submission. It is much like the pleasure associated with sex, with the act of overcoming another body with your own and eliciting their release. It is an intoxicating adrenaline rush steeped more in power than pain. Though, if you ever wanted to explore the two together, I would be more than happy to oblige.” Cade stroked Kara’s cheek thoughtfully. “How did you feel when you were hitting me?”

“I didn’t like it,” Kara answered immediately, having no need to consider her response. Even though she thought she hated him at the time, she felt no pleasure in causing Cade pain. She had a hard time imagining how anyone could enjoy inflicting pain, even when a small voice in her head reminded her that it wasn’t exactly logical for her to enjoy receiving pain from Cade’s hands as much as she did. She supposed they were both fucked up in their own ways. Or perhaps the kinky bastard was rubbing off on her.

“That’s because you don’t crave power like I do,” Cade answered darkly.

Kara had a premonition that she hadn’t even begun to comprehend Cade’s need for power and control.

Chapter Twelve

CADE entered the dining room, momentarily glancing up from the work email he was reading on his tablet. He was startled to find the room much altered from its usual state as an orderly space of both business and sustenance. Tall candles lined the length of the table; their flames flickering against the darkness lent a warm, unequivocally romantic haze to the room. Instead of the usual fullness of dining company, the table was set for only two, Cade’s usual place at the head and the place beside his. An arrangement of flowers, roses from the garden in shades of blush and burgundy, adorned the center of the table. The unmistakable scent of wine, lamb, and root vegetables wafted from the direction of the kitchen; it was a nostalgic smell, reminding him of Yorkshire and autumn and long walks in the countryside that ended with a hearty meal beside the fire to banish the damp cold. Cade was shaken from his reminiscing as the coordinator of the evening’s welcome deviations entered from the kitchen.

“What’s all of this?”he asked casually as Kara walked in from the kitchens, an oversized apron wrapped around her waist. They had spent the last few days in undisturbed peace, enjoying each other’s company, christening about half of the manor with the most sinful fucking they could contrive,evenin the library, and finding an easy rhythm of living alongside each other. Kara never used her own bedroom anymore, having moved into Cade’s room without so much as a discussion. It had just happened organically, much as Kara was growing into a natural part of Cade’s everyday life. In fact, he was beginning to forget what his existence had been like before she crashed into his life like a raging hurricane and destroyed everything in her wake. But nothing had prepared him for such a display of utter domesticity. The sight of Kara in a fucking apron sent all of the blood in his body rushing straight to his suddenly hard as hell cock.

Kara’s cheeks flushed with the tinge of embarrassment. Or perhaps it was the rather large glass of wine she had downed as she waited for Cade’s arrival.“I thought it might be nice if we had dinner, just the two of us,”Kara responded shyly.

“Like a date?”he inquired teasingly.“Why, Miss Caine, are you trying to seduce me?”

“Do you require seduction, Lord Ashford?”Kara replied, the slightest smile breaking through her attempt to maintain a countenance of complete seriousness. She tried to conceal the slip with a hand to her lips, managing very much to look like a guilty child stifling giggles after sneaking a sweet.

In spite of himself, Cade found her ineptitude for coyness endearing.“Not at all. Against my better judgment, I find myself completely beguiled already,”Cade answered with sincerity. The declaration, though true, troubled him. He could see his words jarred Kara as well, but she recovered her composure quickly.

“Well,”she responded after the slightest awkward pause.“Just wait until you try dinner. I’ve been told my true powers of seduction lie in the kitchen.”

Immediately, Cade conjured images of how he could make use of Kara in the kitchen, and it certainly was not for cooking. There was a sizable marble island in the middle of the kitchen that would suit his fantasies quite well. Thoughts of fucking her over the table were interrupted as Cade processed the entirety of Kara’s statement. She hadseducedsomeone in that manner before. Was it a past lover? A current one? Hell, she could have a fucking assortment of men for all he knew. And he didn’t likethatthought one bit. His pleasant thoughts of fuckery shattered by the treacherous blade of jealousy, Cade sulked as he dwelled on imagined adversaries for Kara’s attentions. He did not care to share his possessions, least of all her.

The shadow of disappointment that passed over Cade’s face was not lost on Kara, though she couldn’t have guessed what caused it. She tried to revive the air of happy banter that Cade’s curious mood change had dulled.“Would you like a glass?”she asked hospitably, gesturing with the bottle of wine in her hand that she had quite forgotten.“It’s an excellent year, or so Mrs. Hughes tells me. I relied on her considerable expertise for tonight’s menu.”

“Yes, where is our venerable cook this evening?”Cade inquired, just noticing that she hadn’t made her usual appearance to announce dinner.

“I gave her the night off. She works far too hard, and I thought she deserved an evening to herself.”

“You gave my employee the night off?”Cade asked incredulously with a raise of an eyebrow.“And under whose authority areyougiving orders? Perhaps we need to have a discussion concerning your position here, Kara. Ashford Manor has only one master, and you are looking at him.”

The sternness in Cade’s eyes left Kara feeling chastised and embarrassed.“I’m sorry,”she stammered.“I didn’t mean any disrespect. I’ve just missed cooking and didn’t see any harm in letting Mrs. Hughes have a break. I apologize if I overstepped.”

The wounded anxiousness in Kara’s face tugged at Cade’s heart, which seemed to be growing consistently softer since their acquaintance. Perhaps he had been too hard on her regarding Mrs. Hughes. The guilt of being the one to turn her happiness into distress was unsettling, and he longed to make amends.“Forgive my shortness; it’s been a long day,”Cade responded finally as he moved behind Kara, wrapped his arm around her waist, and placed a soft kiss on the side of her neck.“Here, allow me,”he said as reached for the bottle of Sangiovese.

“Nope,”Kara replied, pulling away from him.“I’m serving you tonight. Sit, please.”She pulled out Cade’s chair from the table and gestured for him to take a seat.

“As you wish,”Cade answered with a laugh, sitting as requested. The irony of his following her orders after the confrontation between them just moments before was not lost on him.

Kara reached for Cade’s wine glass and poured as professionally as she could before placing the glass delicately on the table beside him.“Your wine, sir,”she announced in a tone of false formality.

“That’s more like it,”Cade answered in amused approval. She had no idea how much he liked it.“So, what’s on the menu for tonight?”

“You’ll see,”she answered with a mischievous smile as she placed the bottle of wine on the table and whisked off to the kitchen.

Cade listened to the clatter of dishes and cutlery coming from the other room with curiosity. The whole playing house charade appeared to ignite a sort of giddy excitement in Kara. And it suited her quite well. There was something appealing about watching her bustle about the house in her apron and high heels, cooking for him and serving him, the perfect picture of a housewife. The scene was fun for a night, but a night only. He had a cook for cooking, maids for cleaning, and the only role in his house suited for Kara was in his bed. So, Cade had every intention of getting Kara out of that bloody apron—and the rest of her attire—as soon as possible.

---