Page 30 of Lessons in Sin

’No… of course.’

’See … tomorrow.’

‘… could we … looking forward to It.’

I can barely hear anything through the thick oak of the door, but from what I do hear, it sounds like she bought it.

Collapsing into one of the seats before his desk, I let out a sigh as Tristan slips back into his office.

He runs a frustrated hand through his hair, leaving against the door as if to keep out any danger of us being caught. ‘I hate this.’ He spits, his voice half caught between anger and frustration.

Walking to him I place my hands on his chest letting his warmth seer into me. ‘I know. If it’s any consolation I hate this too.’ Frowning, I add. ‘And I hate miss suck-ass too.’

A smile whispers onto his lips. ‘Miss suck-ass? That’s a new one.’

‘I’ve got to keep you on your toes some way.’ I wink.

His knuckles graze my cheek, and then he’s pulling me towards him, wrapping me up in his warmth. I inhale his scent, letting it calm my frazzled nerves.

‘No more sex in the office.’ He mumbles into my hair.

‘It was really hot while it lasted.’ I grumble. It’s not fair, I don’t even want to be a student, and yet it’s the very thing that keeps me from him, from pursuing dance full time, from being freaking happy! And all because my parents can’t stand the idea of me, their daughter, actually being my own person.

And that’s when it hits me.

My parents never let me get a job in high school, the idea that I might work in a fast-food place or grocery store appalled them, and it’s because of that that I’m in this situation.

But if, and it’s a big if, but if I can get a producer to notice me, sign me on at their dance academy, I wouldn’t need dearest mother and father for anything. Hell, I could get a day job to pay for accommodation since I’m no longer directly under my parents’ thumb.

The more I think, the more my plan surfaces, bobbing along in the waves of my mind, right there for the taking.

I open my mouth, the words right there ready to spill, but I stop. This plan of mine rests upon a lot of unlikely scenarios, and I don’t want to get his hopes up for nothing.

No, I’ll tell him only after its confirmed.

Smiling, I settle into Tristan, the plan silently forming as I let him cradle me in his arms, the danger of discovery still tying us together with an invisible thread.

Chapter 19

I have three weeks until the ballet performance, and I should be spending every spare second I have practicing for it … but Tristan invited me home with him for his families traditional early Christmas dinner. I just couldn’t say no.

‘So why do you guys have it early?’ I ask around the strawberry lace dangling from my lips, my feet kicked up on the dashboard of Tristan’s car.

‘My mother will tell you tonight.’ He lips part into a smile both silly and playful - the kind of carefree smile you can only have when you’re already thousands of miles away from discovery.

I raise my brows. ‘Cryptic. Is this the part of the movie where you tell me you’re really the leader of a cult and I’m going to be you’re traditional early Christmas sacrifice?’

Tristan gapes at me.

‘What?’ I slurp up the strawberry lace.

‘Where do you come up with these sorts of things?’

I roll my eyes, tapping my head. ‘This brain may look innocent but it’s harbouring a lifetime of true crime podcasts and horror movies.’

He shakes his head. ‘I know you hate school and anything to do with it, but with your mind you could come up with some suburb stories.’ I send him a long look. ‘Okay, okay, no going teacher on you I promise.’

Smiling, I turn up the radio, moving my feet to the beat. ‘Does your mum um … know about our … situation?’

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