Just an answer. A way to move on from a path in the woods with blood soaking into the dirt.

But, at this point, she’d be happy for even that.

Caleb normally stayed in his apartment in the city during the week, but he’d been driving out to his house in the evenings instead—she assumed because of her. At twenty after six, she saw his Mercedes pull in through the gates, and she put down her book.

She knew what she was going to do.

She was already dressed strategically, in a cream-colored camisole, sheer sweater, and a long, soft skirt. He’d teased her on Saturday about her bohemian appearance, but he’d also seemed to like it, so she figured she’d work with that. He thought she looked pure, innocent, untouched, like a blossom, so she would use that to her advantage too.

Her hair was hanging down long and loose, and she was barefoot.

She went up to his bedroom, sat on the edge of his bed, and waited, her heartbeat speeding up from growing nerves.

Last night, he’d issued a challenge, and she was going to meet it. He believed he had the upper hand when it came to sex, but he was wrong about that. He was the one who was going to be begging.

And, if her body enjoyed itself along the way, then there was no help for that.

Caleb blinked in surprise when he walked into the room and saw she was waiting for him. “What are you doing here?”

He didn’t look annoyed. In fact, as she watched, she thought she saw a spark of interest and pleasure ignite in his eyes. He was surveying her appearance with leisurely possessiveness.

She cleared her throat, trying to look grateful and a little shy. “I was afraid I might not have conveyed appropriate appreciation yesterday. Or even this morning. I was kind of shaken by everything, but I’m feeling better now. So I wanted to thank you.”

His eyes had been lingering on the outline of her nipples through her thin camisole, but he raised them to her face to meet her gaze. “So, this is a thank-you?”

“Not this, exactly,” she said, a lilt in her voice. She stood up, hiding a little smile. “You’ll see.”

“Ah.” He smiled back, obviously reading her intent. He started to take off his suit jacket. “What did you have in mind?”

“I thought I’d help you—unwind—after a hard day of work, if that’s of any interest to you.” She smiled again, letting her own gaze crawl over his fine body in its expensive suit and tie. She focused on the front of his pants and was pleased that he was already getting aroused. “I see you like that idea.”

“I think it’s possible you might like it yourself.”

“Sit down,” she said, gesturing toward the side of the bed. “And let me thank you.”

He cleared his throat.

“Sit down,” she repeated.

He moved to do as she said, murmuring, “You’re going to try to make me beg, aren’t you?”

Damn the man. He was way too clever for his own good.

The teasing in his voice and the way he seemed to read her motivations unsettled her, so she gave him a quick disapproving look. “Of course not. I just said I’m here to help you unwind. So you sit there quietly like a good boy.”

He chuckled, low in his throat, but he didn’t object. When he’d settled himself on the side of the bed, she lowered herself to her knees on the floor in front of him. She made sure her hair was hanging prettily over one shoulder and told herself this wasn’t going to be a problem.

This was going to be much easier than the sex she’d had last night.

Kelly pushed his knees apart some and reached to unfasten his belt and pants. When she’d freed his cock, she brushed her fingertips along his length. She heard him suck in his breath, and massaged him until he was fully erect.

His thighs were soon tense on either side of her body, and he was already breathing heavily. She reached over to where she’d left the condoms and tore open the packet with her teeth.

She adjusted herself more comfortably, took his hard cock in one hand, rolled on the condom with her mouth.

Caleb was leaning back on his hands, which were splayed out on the bed behind him. She could feel that his belly, underneath the shirttails of his white dress shirt, was getting as tense as his thighs. He was obviously staying quiet on purpose, proving that he wasn’t going to lose control in this little power play.

But she was good at this. And she hadn’t even started.

She glanced up to check his expression. He was slightly flushed, and was staring at her with a hot possessiveness and an undercurrent of dry amusement.

Perfect. All of him was enjoying this—body and mind.

She let her own eyes meet the amusement for just a moment before she slid her lips down over his cock, twirled the head with her tongue.

He made a wordless huff of sound, his body jerking a little.

She let the damp shaft slip out of her mouth and licked a line down the underside, making sure he could see as well as feel what she was doing with her tongue. She kept her eyes directed up at his face, checking his reactions.

He was staring down at her, his jaw clenched and cheek muscles quivering occasionally.

“How is it?” she asked huskily, licking her way back up his cock.

“You told me to sit quietly like a good boy,” he drawled, gasping a little as she fluttered her tongue in circles over the tip of his erection. “I’m nothing if not obedient.”

She almost laughed, and then hated herself for responding to his sharp wit. But she ignored the feeling and grinned up at him briefly before she focused on the task at hand again. “We’ll see if you stay that way.”

Continuing the motion of her tongue, she slid the shaft back into her mouth. She applied some suction.

His leg twitched, and he released a hoarse grunt.

She moved one of her hands to the base of his cock, pumping it up to meet her mouth. She sucked some more, and kept twirling her tongue.

“Fuck,” he muttered, his hips jerking slightly toward her mouth. His eyes never left her face, and she’d never seen that particular expression in them before.

She checked to make sure her body was still attractively posed, then straightened her back to display her cleavage more prominently. Her hair brushed against the bare skin of his inner thigh.

He was still panting, but she pulled her mouth off him again. He let out an incoherent sound she thought was disappointment. She teased his cock with her lips and tongue and reached down with her free hand to cup and gently massage his balls. She kept teasing until his body was so tense, he was shaking.

He wasn’t just panting now. He was making breathless, incoherent sounds. She knew he was trying to stay quiet on purpose. It was part of the challenge she’d issued, and he would always take up a challenge. But he was hard-pressed. She could see that.

Kelly took his cock in her mouth again and began bobbing her head, gradually taking the shaft deeper.

His fists clenched in the bedding, and his pelvis began to make little thrusts. She let him fuck her mouth, began relaxing the muscles of her throat so he wouldn’t gag her.

Caleb was grunting soft and steady now. And one of his hands moved to the back of her head. His fingers curved around her skull, tangling in her loose hair, applying slight pressure that she used to find the tempo that would please him the most.

“Fuck,” he choked out as she increased the pressure of her mouth. “Oh, fuck.” There was a slight sheen on his face, and he was still staring down at her as his pelvis pumped more uncontrollably.

Kelly relaxed her jaw and throat. She took him in all the way, then reached down to squeeze his balls again.

“Oh, fuck!”

She could feel his cock shuddering in her mouth. So she moved the hand on his balls back a little, found the very sensitive spot just beyond. Rubbed little circles against it with two fingers.

He let out a loud, wordless sound. His hips thrashed and he came hard.