“That’s enough, I think,” he said after the sixth strike, and she bit back the urge to cry out again in both relief and disappointment. His hands continued to caress away the last of the sting, leaving no spot on her backside untouched. She’d never been touched like that—with such force and care all at the same time.

Her body had completely relaxed when one of Seth’s hands journeyed lower, past the curve of her behind to the slick opening between her thighs. He groaned. “I think you liked that almost as much as I did. You’re dripping wet.” He slipped his fingers through her folds to the taut bud of nerves hidden within. Applying perfect pressure, he circled the spot with his thumb, teasing her to the brink of orgasm. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

She could barely concentrate. “What?” She had no idea what anything meant anymore. All she knew was an intense ache of need. A need that only Seth could fill.

“You have to make a decision now.” He continued to massage her nub and she bucked her body against his hand, wanting more, more, more. The light in the trailer seemed dimmer. She was close, so close.

“Do you want me to go?” Seth asked. “Or do you want me to stay? If I stay, I’ll f**k you, and you’ll remember it. You have to decide.”

She’d have to decide? She felt like she’d already conceded all her power to the man behind her, and now he was saying the decision was hers? A tiny voice in the back of her brain reminded her that letting him stay would erase all the distance she’d put between her and her past.

But the hum of her body, still singing from his hands on her behind and so on the verge of cl**ax, drowned out the sound of resistance.

It also made speaking impossible.

“Heather, I’ll give you whichever you want but you have to tell me. Go or stay?”

“I…I…” Why couldn’t she just say it? Yes, she was distracted with pleasure. But also, he had been right—she was maddeningly stubborn. Not even allowing herself to give into what she so desired.

“If you can’t say it, I can’t stay.” Seth pulled away, the sudden departure of his hands leaving her pu**y throbbing.

“Don’t go!” It was a desperate cry, a sound she didn’t even recognize as her own.

Seth returned to his position over her, his hand finding its way back to her core. He pressed himself against her back, covering her body with his, the hard length of his c**k digging into her hip. His breath, hot at her ear, sent a shiver down her spine. “What is it you want, Heather? Ask me.”

“I want you to f**k me.” She said it. The words tumbled out of her mouth as though they could no longer be contained inside her, and with them came her cl**ax crashing through her with acute ferocity.

“You have no idea what hearing you say that does to me.”

While she trembled through the remainder of her orgasm, she heard his zipper then the distinct sound of a condom wrapper being torn. He had a f**king condom. Thank the f**king Lord.

She was still inwardly praising the miraculous invention of prophylactics and that Seth had one with him when he plunged inside her. “Oh God!” she screamed. Jesus, was the man hung or what? Because she hadn’t yet gotten a peek at the goods, but damn, did he fill her. Filled her so full, she felt like all her nerve endings would combust from the simultaneous pressure.

And that was only on the first thrust.

He pulled out, almost to the tip, and she thought she might die from the loss of him. Then he plunged in again.

“Fuck, Heather,” he groaned and she was right there with him, lost in the amazingness of sensation.

He picked up his tempo, moving in and out with deep thrusts, their thighs slapping together as he rocked into her, the table jabbing into her legs with a surprisingly pleasing bite. And still she wanted him deeper. She lifted onto her tiptoes to meet his thrusts and that did the trick. Before she knew it, she was on the verge of a second orgasm. This one came on slower, but held as much strength. It rolled through her in big, wide waves, weakening her with pleasure.

As she seized with delight, Seth found his own release. He let out a near-feral grunt as he shoved into her, his fingers digging into her hips.

“Ah, Heather, that was…incredible. You were incredible.” He bent over her and kissed the back of her head. Then he pulled out and she heard him dispose the condom, then zip up his jeans while she still lay limp and boneless across the table. Little by little, her vision cleared and her heartbeat settled and sense began to return. With its return came something else—a dark feeling that she couldn’t name. Shame? Regret? Fear? It left her cold, despite the flush in her skin.

Standing, she kicked her panties off her ankles and pulled down her robe. Though she wouldn’t look at him directly, she saw out of the corner of her eye that Seth had returned to leaning against the counter. She could hear his breathing as it calmed to a normal rate.

“Let me clean you up,” he offered.

It was a nice gesture, but she was too cold for niceties. She just wanted to be alone so she could sort out her emotions. “No, that’s okay. I’m taking a shower.” Her tone was hard and guarded. Purposefully.

“Hey, Heather.” Seth reached out, pulling her to him. “Are you okay?”

She shrugged out of his arms and moved out of his reach. “Of course I am.”

“Are you sure?”

“I said I’m fine.” She wasn’t though. Not at all. Spankings and rough sex, and she’d liked them both. That was enough to confound her, but then add that it was with a guy that she’d never meant to get mixed up with. What did that make her? A whore? A hypocrite? Kink was fine and all, but with Seth… She couldn’t even be seen with him. He was blue-collar. He was not the kind of guy she planned to be with. Above it all, her father’s accusations ran through her head twisting and morphing until it was her own voice. You’re trash. Nothing but trash. All you’ll ever be is trash.

Heather could feel Seth’s eyes on her as she gathered her panties and put them in her laundry basket. She wanted to know what he was thinking, but at the same time was glad she didn’t.

“Ah,” he said finally. “I see.”

“What?” She spun to face him, her hands planted on her h*ps so he couldn’t see them shaking. “What do you see? What? There is nothing to see so what could possibly make you say you see anything at all? Nothing. That’s what. Nothing at all.”