Her body suddenly stilled beneath his as he held her back to his chest and breathed in her ear.
“If you recall, my lady, I did not do that of my own accord. Now, I apologize if it hurt you in some way, but I had no other choice. I was not toying with your emotions.”
Cassian knew he had been right when she began to struggle again.
Fearing that someone would walk in and get the wrong impression, he lifted her with ease and carried her across the hall despite her kicking. He only placed her feet back on the ground when they were safely behind the screen that had been set up for changing during club activities.
“Do you understand what I was saying?” He hissed in her ear again.
Isabella stopped fighting, but said nothing.
“I did not want to say that I… that, ahem, phrase. Not under those circumstances, and in front of anyone else…”
Her body grew deathly still again.
He released her then, feeling the cool rush of air where her body had been pressed against his chest.
Taking the opportunity, she whirled, glaring at him with her fists raised.
Cassian was quicker than her and caught them right before she could touch his chest.
“I hate you,” she cried, struggling against this grip.
“That is perfectly acceptable, and welcome even, as long as you understand that if I ever do say that phrase, I will mean it then. I could not mean it when being forced to say it.”
Her tears stopped flowing as her mouth opened, her wrists going limp in his hands.
“Do you understand that I had no choice but to lie? I am not a man that would have said that if I had been granted any other choice.”
A strange look of satisfaction floated across her gaze, and everything suddenly made sense to him. She had not been angry that he had said it, but that he had not looked at her or even attempted to clarify the matter after the fact.
Isabella simply wanted to be treated as an equal. She resented being pushed around or having her emotions toyed with. He could respect that.
“Very well. I… I understand,” she told him. “I simply… I didn’t know if…”
“Isabella,” he exhaled, his hand tracing her cheek.
Her lips came crashing down on his before he even had time to think.
Their tongues jousted and parried hungrily in each other’s mouths. Each fighting for dominance far more aggressively than they had been doing with their foils.
Spinning her around, Cassian pulled her close to his body, feeling his own arousal pressing into her buttocks.
Isabella moaned at the contact, whimpering loudly when his lips sought the nape of her neck, and his hands moved to squeeze her breasts. Without protest, she moved back into him, grinding her buttocks against him.
“You little minx,” he growled hungrily into her collarbone and reached down to her skirts, pulling them up with a great amount of effort until her upper thighs were exposed to the cool air.
Soft whimpers of pleasure filled the air when his fingers dipped into her warmth, exploring the depths until he found the place that made her quiver with pleasure.
“Tell me to stop if you do not want this,” he kissed his way hungrily up her ear and nibbled the edge.
Pushing against his fingers, Isabella shook her head, unable to utter a single word as he continued to rub and stroke in even motions.
It did not take long before she was shaking, her legs unable to hold her up.
Withdrawing from between her thighs, Cassian spun her around and lifted her with ease, carrying her over to a table laden with garments before spreading her legs and continuing what he had started.
He started slowly at first, inserting the tip of his little finger before daring more.
