I try to lift my arm, but it falls when it is halfway in the air. Shadow laughs, his body bouncing under mine as he holds the mirror in front of me. I can’t believe it. The skin around my neck is a slight red, but there is no blue or black. I tilt my head back and look at him. “I have no words,” I say as I wrap my hand around my neck. It is barely even tender to the touch. How in the hell did he do that? “When did you untie my hands and lay me down?”

“When you were in subspace. I must admit, Tea, I’m very pleased to learn that your mind trusts me enough for you to even go there with me.” He looks extremely satisfied with the outcome of it all, so I smile at him. “You can do better than that,” he teases me.

I can, but I am so damn sore. “I hurt,” I mumble.

His lips press down on my forehead as he gently moves me onto the mattress, freeing his body from mine. “Close your eyes, darlin’. I’ll take care of you,” he murmurs as he gets up from the bed.

My eyes flutter for a few moments as he disappears into my bathroom, and that is the last thing I remember before succumbing to sleep.

***

Chapter Fifteen

The morning after

Tatiana

The morning light blazes through my open curtains. When I stretch, my sore muscles pull and force a yelp to escape me. I slap my hand over my mouth when I realize Shadow is still in my bed. Oh, shit. When I turn my head to look at him, he’s awake and staring at me with a look I don’t quite understand. It is blank. Great, watch him start the whole spiel of why this was a mistake. Blah, blah, and more blah. I climb out of bed as he begins to sit up. Hell no, I’m not about to get the dreaded morning after talk. I have never had one, and I don’t plan on ever having one. This fucker has turned me into a kinky one-night stand. If only I could get away with kicking him in the balls.

“Morning, darlin’,” he drawls in a sexy voice as he yawns. His stretch reveals his delicious, muscular physique.

I scramble over to my dresser, open the pajama drawer, and throw on some sweats and a tank before I turn to face him. When I do, his face is laced with that sexy smirk he is so good at doing. It makes my heart beat jump, and I hate it. I fucking hate it!

“Mornin’,” I mumble as I all but run to my bathroom to brush my teeth and hair. I must look like a tragic mess, and my ass fucking hurts! He could have used some lubricant or something. Shit. And then, I remember this is what I wanted. This is what I want to teach my body. The thought of learning how many spurts of pain I can handle excites me, and I grin in the mirror as I remember the all mighty high I got last night. The feeling is addictive, and now that I think about it, I crave more of it, but I will not dare let Shadow know this. He’s about to give me the speech, and I am not humiliating myself by asking him for more of what happened last night. I’ll wait, learn more, and seek it from someone else. I need to stop this hanging on by a thread feeling he gives me. Yesterday morning, I had forgotten all about him while having breakfast with Haden. I need to have more mornings like that one.

I leave the comfort of my bathroom, and Shadow still hasn’t moved. Okay, what do I do with this? He is trying to stay comfortable before reminding me that we can’t let something like last night happen again.

“Have a handful more nights like last night, darlin’, and you’ll be ready to scene for real.”

Seriously! What a fucking jerk! He fucked the shit out of my ass last night, and he’s already talking about me doing scenes with other men? Jesus! Could he make me feel more like a slut?

“Gee, thanks, that gives me the warm fuzzies,” I smart off. “My pussy tingles at the thought of other men doing what you did to me last night. Seriously. I’m dripping wet,” I purr sarcastically.

If he can be a prick, I can be a bitch as well.

Shadow sits up all of a sudden with a confused look on his face.

“I wonder if I could get two different men to do me at the same time.” I pretend to enjoy the very idea of it, even though I already know it isn’t for me. “Damn, I can’t wait for the club to take over Euphoria.”

He hops up from my bed, shaking his head back and forth as if he is confused at my sudden behavior. It is a show. He’s going to use my attitude as his excuse.

Come on, Shadow, give it to me so I can forget all about this shit.

“Tea, what the fuck is going on with you this morning? I’m startin’ to think I gave you brain damage last night.”

What in the freaking, flippity fuck!

“What?” I ask in disbelief. He can’t be serious. I think my mood is very normal for this type of situation. I have never had a one-night stand. I don’t count the asshole that almost killed me. I’m distancing myself from him with this conversation. Isn’t that what he planned to do as well? Tell me how it shouldn’t have happened, and how we can’t let it happen again? I’m so confused.

“You’re kinda bein’ a bigger bitch than normal,” he says while putting on his jeans.

I can’t even enjoy the sight of him being naked and out of the bed. I should be able to appreciate watching him get dressed. Instead, I’m still hanging onto the bitch comment.

“I never knew you thought I was a bitch.” Wow. I can’t even be around him after that comment.

His mouth opens and shuts several times before he can back himself out of the hole he dug. “I didn’t mean it like that!”

How else am I supposed to take that comment?