Page 18 of The Wolf Professor

“I admire his brilliant mind, that’s all.”

“And those ripped muscles under his jacket. We know.” Gina smirked.

“Honestly, I hardly notice what he looks like anymore,” Charlie lied.

Truth be told, her crush had only intensified. Every time Max came into the room, her heart skipped a beat. When he flicked through a book to show her some of his notes, she imagined those long, expressive fingers touching her body. She’d cast covert glances at his mouth, wondering as he plucked seriously at his lip, deep in thought, what that mouth wouldfeel like capturing hers. Thinking about kissing Max Hunt made her nipples harden against the silk of her blouse (she’d given up wearing a bra since she’d gotten here, it just felt too constrictive).

Could he smell her arousal, she wondered? Sometimes she sensed his gaze on her, dark and brooding, and once she definitely saw his nostrils flare, but whenever she caught his eye, he quickly glanced away.

Each evening when she got back, she noticed the light around the edge of the snug door as she tiptoed past to the staircase. Each time, she wished she had the courage to invite him to share a nightcap, a hot chocolate maybe, by the light of the fire.

As she stripped off her clothes and got into bed, she fantasized about how he’d regale her with fascinating stories of Motham’s past while she sat at his feet… or better still, in the crook of his thighs as he stroked her hair and told her of those wild early days. She imagined his fine-boned fingers moving down her neck, to her breast. She’d arch into the pinch of his fingers on her nipple, as he murmured about danger and intrigue in that deep, baritone rumble.

And that’s when her hand would creep under the covers, and she’d find that little nub between her thighs and pleasure herself into a sharp, swift orgasm before falling into very pleasant dreams of the sexy professor.

Now she glanced at her friends a little sheepishly. “Really, I’m too engrossed in the work to even notice the guy.”

“You’re a lousy liar.” Gina scoffed. “You always look up and to the right when you fib. Apparently, that’s a sign. I’ve got this book on body language, though I guess it differs depending on the species.”

“I wouldn’t know.” Simone shrugged. “Snakes never lie.”

Everyone laughed at that.

Gina said, “Talking of guys, I saw Tod the other day. He said he’d invited you to his birthday party this weekend.”

“Yeah, it was nice to bump into him. Are you both going?”

“Sure. You’ll come, right?” Gina said.

“I guess…”

“Unless you get a better offer from the Prof,” Simone teased.

“That won’t happen.” Charlie shook her head so hard her curls bounced. “He’d never let himself mix work and pleasure, he’s way too controlled.”

“Butyouwould…”

Charlie rolled her eyes. “Oh goddess, you guys, leave off, will you? Okay… I might be tempted.”

“I mean, he’s only your temporary boss. In three weeks you’ll be free to do what you like,” Gina pointed out. “Maybe even take him home for Christmas…”

Charlie laughed. “Can you imagine my mom’s face?”

“Charlotte, oooh, Charlotte, don’t bring a nasty wolf into our home,” Gina mimicked. They’d all met her mom and knew what she was like. They’d met her dad too, but all her friends loved him.

Glancing at the Christmas decorations around the venue, Charlie wondered what she would do after these three weeks were up. She guessed she’d go home and spend Christmas with Mom and Dad. Would Max be alone for Christmas? He said he was a loner. Maybe sheshouldinvite him… Mom would hate the idea, of course, but Dad would talk her into it. In the end, Mom always gave in to Dad’s charm.

Dad would welcome anyone, even a lone wolf into their home. Perhaps especially a lone wolf.

Stop daydreaming, you idiot,she scolded herself. Max would go back to Selig and write his book, and if she was lucky, she’d see him once more at the book launch. And that would be that.

Deliberately, she changed the subject. “What about you, Si? Any development with the hunky centaur?” Simone was hot for a centaur who worked with her at the Motham cinema, but it had been slow progress to say the least.

“I’ll shed another skin before he makes a move,” Simone grumbled, staring into her cocktail.

“Why don’t you invite him into the back row of a movie?” Charlie suggested.

“I’ve thought about that.” Simone smirked, and leaning over, she coiled around Gina’s neck, flicking out her forked tongue and licking slowly down Gina’s cheek. “Would that work on you?”

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