"You can and you will."

Slower thrusts, deep and powerful, her body trembling beneath me.

"I'm going to die from pleasure," she stuttered.

I buried my face in her neck to hide my smile.

"Now?" she said.

"No." I rubbed my pelvis against her sex with each glide.

"Oh God."

"Obey."

"Yes, sir."

I gave her this nice and slow fucking she deserved. I withdrew all the way out, followed by a long steady thrust. Holding off, holding her back, I kept her lingering on the edge and moved slower still when she neared.

On and on, until her moans echoed around us.

Her eyelids grew heavy, and there was a sprinkle of moisture on her upper lip. Her stare glazed with concentration as she tried to obey.

This slow torture of pleasure made my cock ache for release, yet seeing her obey and restrain from climaxing intensified my own mind-blowing orgasm that I could no longer hold back.

"You may come."

Her cries fractured the silence. Her body went rigid in ecstasy and her orgasm took her over. Eyes closed, she shuddered. Her rare mixture of innocence and passion was impossible not to crave.

My meaning to life.

I followed her over into the abyss and the world disappeared around us. Nothing mattered, only her. We lay like this for a while, me above her staring down into her eyes.

I collapsed beside her, all drama having dissipated from my mind like a foggy memory "Good morning," she said at last.

"Good morning."

"That's kind of a cool alarm clock you've got going on there."

"Have you reduced me to a technological device?"

"That's the most amazing way to wake up." She threw herself onto my chest and rested her head against my heart. "How's your friend?"

"Doing better."

"I can't imagine what it must be like. All that responsibility."

I raised my head to look at her. "Tavon will be fine."

"Amazing how one person dedicates their life to saving others and other people out there think nothing of taking lives."

"My little philosopher."

Her breathing softened and she fell back to sleep.

Despite wanting to savor every second with her, sleep could have me for now. Exhaustion dragged me down.

Dreams rolled through until there was nothing.

"Cameron."

Birdsong rose from outside the window.

I blinked awake.

"Cameron?" Mia said again.

I reached for her. "Get back in."

"I can't."

I raised my head to look at her.

She'd dressed in one of the floral Elie Tahari dresses I'd bought for her. I knew how much she loved that designer and it made me happy she'd chosen a Sunday morning to wear it. She looked gorgeous, her outfit flawless, her hair golden curls of perfection.

I reached for her.

She jumped back. "I have to entertain your parents."

"They don't fly in until six." I glanced at the bedside clock. "What's the time?"

"Eleven."

It was still morning, at least.

"They moved their trip up," she said.

I scrambled for my phone and read the texts, all of them from my mom.

I shot up. "They're here?"

"They kind of are."

"What does kind of mean?"

"That's my way of breaking it to you slowly they're here."

I scrambled out of bed. "At the front door?"

"No, inside. Well outside now. I've been chatting with them. I've gotten them settled in the garden. I made tea and croissants."

Frozen to the spot, I stared at her. "How long have they been here?"

"Couple of hours."

"And you didn't wake me?"

"I wanted to, but after I told your mom you'd had a late night at the hospital she wanted to let you sleep in."

The thought of Mia being left alone with my parents without my deflecting the conversation made me inwardly cringe. There was no doubt my parents would take full advantage of Mia's sweetness to inquire about my life. As well as ask questions about us.

Mia was wearing the pumps I'd bought her. My gaze quickly broke from that hummingbird tattoo on her ankle.

"You look pretty." I hopped into my PJs. "What's been the general gist of the conversation?"

"Maybe you should put pants on?"

I blinked at her, the heaviness of sleep lingering. "I should shower."

"Do you want to borrow some of my makeup?"

I traced my fingers along my lower lip. "No, but thank you for the offer."

She turned to go. "I'll keep them entertained."

"Good, yes, that's one plan."

Mia paused by the door and faced me. "Don't worry, Cameron. I survived the awhich university did you attend,' question from your dad."

I merely arched my brows in interest despite my heart rate taking off. "What did you tell them?"

"The truth. That I'm your sex slave and was initially hired at Enthrall-"

"Not funny."

She grinned. "I'm more than capable of protecting you."

"There was no mention of Chrysalis?"

"No, but I did sign your mom up for a session at Enthrall."

"Humor's not your strong point." My blood pressure spiked and my head felt twice the size. "Where are my PJs?"

"You're wearing them."

"I know that." I bit the inside of my cheek.

"Can I get you anything?"

"A time machine."

She gave a salute. "I'm on it, boss."

"I'll be right out." I headed into the bathroom.

My reflection in the mirror made me flinch. That late night didn't look good on me, even if my bruised lip was less swollen. The cut healed, but I still looked like I'd been in a fight. I ran through all the explanations that might get me off the hook and they all led back to idiocy.

Standing under the faucet, I woke up further beneath the pounding hot water. It felt good and eased my headache. Mia really was beautiful and I couldn't be prouder to show her off, but my mother's interrogation might very well break her. They'd be the kind of questions that came laden with judgment. I wasn't sure Mia was ready for that level of inquiry from my mom on a mission. Though surprisingly, Mia hadn't appeared too shaken from having hosted without me so far.

Having navigated time spent with my parents with the precision of a Cold War diplomat, I felt a dreadful loss of control that my father would have been provided unfettered access to all aspects of my life through Mia, and without me policing the content. After running through several scenarios for damage control, I got out the shower, wrapped a towel around my waist, and made my way back into the bedroom.

Not having gone for my morning run was throwing me off.

Mia was gone.

My throat tightened when I realized she'd disobeyed and returned to my parents. Yes, I might be considered a deviant rogue, but lately I'd been pulling back on my high wire kink. I hadn't visited Chrysalis in days. This woman was changing me. And I'd changed her, giving her the confidence to navigate life's tricky paths.

I dressed in black slacks, a white shirt, and even went out of my way to wear a tie. A little formal for a Sunday, but no doubt my parents would be elegantly dressed and they might even add my lack of jacket to the list of criticisms they'd chastise me about later.

The damage was done, and Mia returning to spend time with my parents wasn't going to reverse the fallout. I almost forgave her for not waking me when I saw the mug of coffee and a bottle of Advil she'd placed on the bedside table.

Those tablets and that coffee were my consolatory prize for the equivalent of experiencing the seven levels of Dante's Inferno, and upon reflection Dante had been writing about having brunch with my parents.

Several gulps later and mug in hand, I made my way down.

The cool morning breeze hit me as I stepped outside.

A stray leaf floated on the surface of the swimming pool and I peered up with an accusatory glare at the tree, wondering if my dad had caught nature's faux pas. The garden was perfect other than that.

To my surprise, my parents appeared to be happily chatting away with Mia at a poolside table. I braced myself for that look.

Instead, I was greeted by Mom's unusual chirpy demeanor and my dad's seeming calmness. Mom looked flawless in pink Chanel and Dad's dark suit oozed formal. I was underdressed.

"Mia should have woken me," I said by way of apology.

"Nonsense," said Mom. "Mia explained you'd spent the early hours at the hospital. We're glad you caught up on your sleep."

"What happened to you?" Dad rose to greet me.

"It's nothing," I said, circling the table to kiss my mom on the cheek.

"Doesn't look like nothing," he said.

"Can I get you anything?" I patted his back affectionately when he hugged me.

I was almost thrown by the way his hold lingered.

He gestured to the table. "We have everything we need."