“Well?” he snapped, the cold glare of his sunglasses making her answer harder. “Which one are you going to do?”

“Go on the bus.” Sawyer lowered her gaze from his.

“You understand, Sawyer, just how our relationship is going to work? I expect you to obey me in the bedroom at all times, and when we’re not, then you will continue to obey me in matters that I consider important.”

“How will I know the difference?”

“You find out the difference when my paddle is on your ass,” he said unrelentingly.

Sawyer almost changed her mind about leaving. The only reason she didn’t was her body craved his. Surely this first rush of excitement would soon be over. She remembered her first and only sexual relationship, and how it had quickly ran out of steam.

Her relationship with Kaden should fizzle out about the same time as their deal expired. She could spend the next two months exploring the country and enjoy a kind of sexual relationship that she’d thought never to experience.

“Okay.” Sawyer made her voice firm and controlled her speech until she didn’t stutter her reply.

“Now, you can go upstairs. I’ll send your lunch and dinner upstairs.”

“But I thought we could go out again today before we’re cooped up on the bus,” Sawyer protested.

“Why should I spend my day pleasing you when you didn’t spend the night pleasing me?”

The bastard kind of had a point.

“Have you finished your breakfast?”

“Yes.”

“Then there’s no need to stay any longer. You can return to your room. I’ll see you tonight. Oh, and Sawyer, I haven’t forgotten you disobeyed me about shaving yesterday.”

Sawyer nodded before leaving.

Going back to her bedroom, she heard Alana yelling from the room down the hall and R.J.’s voice soothing her anger.

Sawyer threw herself down on the bed, landing on an object she hadn’t seen. Pulling the box out from under her, she opened it to find a small reading device. She spent the next few hours downloading samples and books, enjoying her surprising present from Kaden.

She only took a break from reading when Lucy brought her lunch. She read while she ate and then dozed off with it still in her hand.

She woke just as it started to get dark. Jumping out of bed, she took a bath, using another of the bath bombs. If she didn’t quit going through them so fast, she would have to sneak them out of the other bathrooms. When she finished, she rubbed the body lotion on her body.

Going into the bedroom, she was going to slip on one of her gowns when she stopped. Instinctively, she knew how Kaden wanted her when he opened the door.

* * *

Sawyer stood by the bottom of the bed and held her breath as the door opened. His ruthless expression did not change when he saw that she was naked. The door closed with a snap behind him.

“I see you finally did as I requested.”

Sawyer nodded her head, unsure that she would be able to control her stutter. She had never felt more nervous in her life; butterflies were having a field day in her stomach.

Kaden came to a stop in front of her. “This isn’t going to stop me from punishing you for disobeying me twice.”

“I—I know.”

“Take off my clothes.”

Sawyer took a step forward. She was about to reach out when she hesitated. “May I touch you?”

“Yes.”

Sawyer could tell from his pleased expression that she had approached him correctly.

She reached out, unbuttoning the blue shirt that he had left un-tucked from his jeans. Meticulously pulling the shirt from his shoulders, she was about to let it drop to the floor; however, she caught herself, folding it and placing it on the chair next to the bed. She unsnapped his jeans after he voluntarily took off his expensive shoes. Kaden was such a contradiction, being a complete hard-ass rocker with the tattoos, while having expensive tastes in clothes.

Sawyer unsnapped his jeans, pulling them down his hips and off each leg. She again folded them, placing them on the chair next to his shirt. Sawyer went back to stand in front of him, waiting nervously for his next command.

“Where is the bag with your paddle?” Sawyer slowly went to the bedside table and opened the drawer, before removing the bag he had handed her after their day out together.

“Did you open the bag?”

“No.” Sawyer had been too wary of its contents.

“Good.” Kaden opened the bag, first pulling out the flogger she had purchased. He walked to the trashcan by the bed and tossed it in. Sawyer personally thought that was overkill. He could have at least kept it for when she was good.

Next, he pulled out a small tube of something and lay it on the nightstand, then a jar of lotion and two smaller objects that she had no idea what they were. They formed a line across the small table. Lastly, he pulled out the dreaded paddle.

“Why are you being punished, Sawyer?”

“Because twice you gave me the opportunity to—to—to shave, and I didn’t.”

“That has earned you five. What else?”

“I locked my bedroom door.”

“That earned you an additional five. What else?”

Sawyer’s mind went blank.

“I called you an asshole?”

Kaden’s eyes narrowed on her.

“No, but you earned yourself another one.”

Damn. She couldn’t remember anything else, and she wasn’t going to keep throwing misdeeds out, earning points.

“When you came out to the pool this morning, did you greet me?” Not giving her the opportunity to respond, he continued, “When Alana touched me, did you respond? No. As you are mine, I am yours, and no one touches what’s mine. If another man had touched you the way Alana touched me, do you think I would have just stood there?”

“N—n—no.” Sawyer could tell from the look on his face what he would have done. “I’m sorry.”

“That earned you ten.” Sawyer doubted she would be able to stand being paddled with so many strokes.

“Kaden.”

“Take your position, Sawyer.” His voice showed her no sympathy. “When I’m finished, I expect you to be properly apologetic.”

“Yes, Kaden.”

Sawyer moved to the side of the bed, bending over to place her hands on top of the bed, one on top of the other. She widened her stance, which arched her butt, giving him the perfect target.

“You will count each stroke, Sawyer. How many will I be giving you?”

“Twenty-one.”

The first stroke of the paddle almost had her breaking position. The hairbrush was smaller and couldn’t hit as much flesh; the paddle was wider and longer, having no trouble covering a larger area. The sting wasn’t bad, so Sawyer relaxed into the strokes, counting each one off.

Each stroke of the paddle had her becoming increasingly aroused. She couldn’t understand this part of herself, only knowing that each additional stroke ratcheted her arousal up another notch until she was burning for a more intimate touch from him. The more he withheld himself, the more she wanted him. It had become a challenge to her to win his approval so that she could win his touch as her reward.

The last two strokes were the hardest. Her butt was now warmer than when they’d begun. After he finished the last stroke, his hand rubbed over the tender flesh with a soft lotion that soothed the heated warmth and aroused her into almost breaking her position.

“Stay still,” Kaden ordered.

Sawyer heard him go into the bathroom and run water before he came back.

“Face me, Sawyer.” Sawyer straightened from the bed, turning around. His gaze searched her clear eyes. “You took your punishment. Now I expect you to show me your gratitude.”

“Thank you, Kaden,” Sawyer spoke quietly.

“You’re welcome.” The bastard was enjoying himself while her body was demanding he relieve the fire he had risen with each stroke of his paddle.

He waited, expecting more. His dick was hard and pointed upwards. Kaden wasn’t as unaffected as he pretended. Sawyer suddenly knew exactly what to do. She went meekly to her knees in front of him.

Her gaze went seductively upwards. “May I touch you?”

This time his voice was hoarse. “Yes.”

Sawyer reached out, touching his cock with the gentlest of touches as she stroked and explored the most intimate part of his body.

“Harder, Sawyer.” Her hand began stroking him with a firm grip as Kaden’s jaw tightened. She edged closer to him, opening her mouth to take him as deep as she felt comfortable, while her hand stroked and explored his heavy balls, and her tongue investigated every inch of him. She used her hand on his cock to control exactly how much she would take.

His hand burrowed into her hair as he began thrusting into her mouth with his cock. He was gentle with her as she became used to his length. Once he saw that she was having no trouble, he increased his thrusts, sliding more of himself inside.

Kaden’s hand left her hair and went to her breast, his hand finding her already beaded nipple. Pressing the tender nub between his fingers, the slight sting of pain had her hand leaving his cock to take his hand away from her breast. He didn’t let her hand move his, but he did stop pinching her breast and his other hand went to her hair, holding her steady as he slid another inch into her mouth. Her hand automatically went to return to his cock, but the pressure on her nipple increased.

Sawyer finally understood his message. Her hand dropped to her lap, letting Kaden have total control over the depth that he drove his cock into her mouth. She had to trust him, although it was hard to do. He was slightly rough, demanding more of her than she thought she could give him; however, when she relaxed and let him have the control he demanded, he eased the depth of his strokes, alternating so that she had ample opportunity to breathe.