Page 117 of Awakened by Sin

“That’s a shame.” Carmen rose and sauntered to the teacher’s desk. She perched on the edge and crossed her legs. “Did you ever want someone who worked for you?”

Marcus leaned against the wall just inside the classroom. His pose was casual, but his eyes were alert and held a tinge of heat. Warmth pooled low. He wasn’t walking away. He was willing to play her game, which made her heart skip.

“Several employees have dropped hints, but I’m not interested in someone who wants to use me to get ahead.”

“In all fairness, she could really want you.” That was probably more likely. Anyone who worked for Marcus knew he was a slave driver, so he wouldn’t promote anyone who didn’t deserve it. “You’re hot.”

“You think so?”

She took her time examining him. She imagined what was beneath the tailored clothes and saw his pockets bulge as he fisted his hands. She hid a smile.

“Did you ever do anything about your teacher fantasy?” Marcus asked, breaking the taut silence.

“Yes.”

His brows drew together. “A teacher took advantage of you?”

“I took advantage of the college TA.”

He shook his head in mock regret. “He probably didn’t know what hit him.”

She leaned back on her hands. It was a provocative pose, and Marcus responded beautifully. He took a step forward before he caught himself.

“Did you ever seduce an employer?” he asked.

“No, I only had one boss, and she was a friend of mine.”

“What did you do for your friend?”

“I stripped.”

Marcus took another step forward. “I’m sorry?”

“My friend owned a club. I did it right out of high school.”

“You were a professional stripper? That explains a lot.”

She swung her foot idly as he approached. “What does that mean?”

“It means you know how to exploit every weakness a man has.” He stopped so close that she could smell his cologne. “So you were on your way to me, but got sidetracked by Kody and ended up kissing him. How did that happen?”

“I was sad.”

“So you kissed him?”

“I was in shock. I had just found out about Mom and Marv.”

He placed a hand on her bare thigh. She couldn’t help the goose bumps that erupted over her skin and hoped he didn’t notice. Despite the sexual tension, Marcus was waiting for an answer. She hadn’t explained herself to any man for years. It was uncomfortable, but the fact that she was sure she would be getting fucked soon was a great incentive.

“Kody said things I should want to hear …” She shrugged. “I wanted to have feelings for him. It would have made things simpler.”

“You let him kiss you.”

“Yes.”

He planted his hands on either side of her and leaned in. “If you need kisses, you can come to me.”

She smiled. “I’ll remember that.”