around that mouth.
“You don’t even know me.”
“I know your writing.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“It’s more than enough.”
“Are you attracted to me, Mr. Campbell?”
“Ryan.”
“Ryan. Well are you?”
“Of course I am, Kate. What, are you not used to men finding you attractive? Do you need me to display it on a parade float for you? Do you want me to do a song and dance?” He spoke quieter now, an angry whisper. “I won’t screw you over like the other female students I have in the past, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“So it’s true.” I breathed, my eyes bouncing from his lips back to his smoldering, caramel eyes.
“I’m not proud of it and I can’t take it back. So take it or leave it.” He shifted forward and his fingertips grazed mine. “I won’t feed you lies and bullshit, Kate. I’ve messed around with my students and I was a complete asshole about it. But you’re too good for me. I wouldn’t hurt you. And from here on out, I won’t say or do anything that will make you uncomfortable. You can go to the conference without me, please just go.” Too good for him? What? Why is he talking as if he knows me? Damn it, where is this going?
The tips of his warm fingers sent a jolt through me and I involuntarily moved closer to him, understanding the weight of what I was about to do—right here in his classroom. A hypnotic thrall reeled me in, calling me to his touch, toward the current that passed from his fingertips to mine.
I peered up at him with frustration, trying to grasp his effect on me. It was so beyond my comprehension and yet so crystal clear. We shared similar defenses, just different mechanisms. He scared people off with his sleazy reputation and haughty persona, and I scared them off with the scars of my past and my workaholic nature. I could see right through him. Was I just as transparent?
“I won’t touch you unless you drop my class. And only if you want me to,” he shut his eyes and leaned in further, his lips barely touching mine as he tilted his head. “I can’t fuck up again, Kate. I won’t. Not with you.”
I rested my hand on his chest and felt it constrict, his heat pulling me in closer. “So if I’m not your student...” I whispered and brushed my lips over his, feeling his hand slip around and rest on the curve of my back. His stubble was so close and his heartbeat raced under the palm of my hand. He swept a few strands of hair away from my eyes and cupped my cheek in his palm, lightly brushed his lips against mine again, this time pressing down to capture a kiss.
The sound of the classroom door slamming against the wall caused us to jump apart.
“You son of a bitch.” There stood Alisha, the redhead, arms crossed and fury present. Damn. I thought I threw Ginger off the boat.
7. CATALYST
“Don’t do this, Alisha. Not now.” Ryan grabbed his jacket from the chair and glanced nervously between me and the door.
“Oh, what, Ry? Is it inappropriate? You seem to be perfectly comfortable with inappropriate things. Do I need to go to the dean? You’ve already almost lost your job once.”
“I said don’t .”
“Where’s the blonde, huh? What, you’re into brunettes, now? That’s new.”
“I was just leaving.” I rushed toward the door.
Alisha snatched my arm as I breezed past her and jerked me in front of her. “He’ll do the same thing to you, you little slut. He’s incapable of being a boyfriend, you know. Can’t keep it in his pants. I can tell you all about it over coffee sometime.”
“Alisha, back the fuck off.” Ryan charged toward us, his tone deadly.
I yanked my arm free and stepped closer to her face. “Don’t touch me. And don’t preach your slut speech to me. If you’ve been with him, you’re no different than all the rest, I’m sure. Sorry to hear he didn’t want you, but take that up with him, not me.” I flew through the door, hearing the screaming match begin before I even made it
“You don’t even know me.”
“I know your writing.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“It’s more than enough.”
“Are you attracted to me, Mr. Campbell?”
“Ryan.”
“Ryan. Well are you?”
“Of course I am, Kate. What, are you not used to men finding you attractive? Do you need me to display it on a parade float for you? Do you want me to do a song and dance?” He spoke quieter now, an angry whisper. “I won’t screw you over like the other female students I have in the past, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“So it’s true.” I breathed, my eyes bouncing from his lips back to his smoldering, caramel eyes.
“I’m not proud of it and I can’t take it back. So take it or leave it.” He shifted forward and his fingertips grazed mine. “I won’t feed you lies and bullshit, Kate. I’ve messed around with my students and I was a complete asshole about it. But you’re too good for me. I wouldn’t hurt you. And from here on out, I won’t say or do anything that will make you uncomfortable. You can go to the conference without me, please just go.” Too good for him? What? Why is he talking as if he knows me? Damn it, where is this going?
The tips of his warm fingers sent a jolt through me and I involuntarily moved closer to him, understanding the weight of what I was about to do—right here in his classroom. A hypnotic thrall reeled me in, calling me to his touch, toward the current that passed from his fingertips to mine.
I peered up at him with frustration, trying to grasp his effect on me. It was so beyond my comprehension and yet so crystal clear. We shared similar defenses, just different mechanisms. He scared people off with his sleazy reputation and haughty persona, and I scared them off with the scars of my past and my workaholic nature. I could see right through him. Was I just as transparent?
“I won’t touch you unless you drop my class. And only if you want me to,” he shut his eyes and leaned in further, his lips barely touching mine as he tilted his head. “I can’t fuck up again, Kate. I won’t. Not with you.”
I rested my hand on his chest and felt it constrict, his heat pulling me in closer. “So if I’m not your student...” I whispered and brushed my lips over his, feeling his hand slip around and rest on the curve of my back. His stubble was so close and his heartbeat raced under the palm of my hand. He swept a few strands of hair away from my eyes and cupped my cheek in his palm, lightly brushed his lips against mine again, this time pressing down to capture a kiss.
The sound of the classroom door slamming against the wall caused us to jump apart.
“You son of a bitch.” There stood Alisha, the redhead, arms crossed and fury present. Damn. I thought I threw Ginger off the boat.
7. CATALYST
“Don’t do this, Alisha. Not now.” Ryan grabbed his jacket from the chair and glanced nervously between me and the door.
“Oh, what, Ry? Is it inappropriate? You seem to be perfectly comfortable with inappropriate things. Do I need to go to the dean? You’ve already almost lost your job once.”
“I said don’t .”
“Where’s the blonde, huh? What, you’re into brunettes, now? That’s new.”
“I was just leaving.” I rushed toward the door.
Alisha snatched my arm as I breezed past her and jerked me in front of her. “He’ll do the same thing to you, you little slut. He’s incapable of being a boyfriend, you know. Can’t keep it in his pants. I can tell you all about it over coffee sometime.”
“Alisha, back the fuck off.” Ryan charged toward us, his tone deadly.
I yanked my arm free and stepped closer to her face. “Don’t touch me. And don’t preach your slut speech to me. If you’ve been with him, you’re no different than all the rest, I’m sure. Sorry to hear he didn’t want you, but take that up with him, not me.” I flew through the door, hearing the screaming match begin before I even made it
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