Page 82 of Forbidden Professor

“I’m fine,” he shrugs. “He takes it however he takes it.”

“Do you want me to join you?”

“No, I think I’ll do it alone, if you don’t mind. Mano to Mano, if you will,” he says, puffing out his chest. I can’t help but laugh.

“Right, then. Good luck with that,” I say. “Let me know if you need me to bail y’all out of jail, if things go badly.”

“You’ll be the first person I call,” he admits, laughing, as he reaches across the table and grabs my hand.

It feels like the most natural thing in the world to be sitting here with him.

It feels right.

“I guess I should talk to my father soon,” I offer.

“There’s no rush about that,” he says.

“I was thinking I would wait till all my paperwork for my financial aid went through,” I say.

“That does sound like the smart thing to do, actually,” he agrees. “I can ask Aiden not to say anything to him, if you’d like.”

“Yes,” I reply. “Aiden can’t stand him, so I doubt that will be an issue, though.”

He nods, smiling over at me. I can’t help but think about everything he’s lost, though.

“What about your mother?” I ask. “Will you talk to her again about me?”

“I mean, she knows already, pretty much. I don’t see anything I say changing her mind.”

“It’s that bad? She hates me that much?”

“My mom just hates, period. Mostly, she hates herself. And she takes that out on everyone else, indiscriminately.”

His reply makes me hurt for him. I know his mother’s behavior is a giant source of pain for Carter. I want to gather him in my arms and hold him close. Since I can’t do that without everyone in the bistro staring at us, I squeeze his hand and hope he can see the understanding and empathy in my eyes.

“She’s a fool for sacrificing her relationship with you over such nonsense,” I say. “You don’t deserve that.”

“Hey, it’s her loss, right?” He shrugs.

“Definitely,” I agree. “I mean, just look at you.”

I wink at him, hoping to lighten the mood a little. I don’t want our first real date to end on such a sad note.

“Just look at you,” he said, his voice laced with lust, his gaze raking down my face and landing on my cleavage. Slowly, he shakes his head with appreciation and my nipples pebble under the heat of the storm brewing in his eyes. “I can’t wait to get you home.”

“Yeah?” I prod. “What are you going to do to me?”

He takes the bait, much to my delight.

Leaning across the table, he whispers just loud enough for only me to hear.

“First, I’m going to leave that dress in a pile on the floor. And then, slowly, but surely, I’m going to devour every inch of your flesh, Princess. Inch by inch, I’m going to taste you. Until I reach your center, and then I’m going to fuck you with my tongue as deep as it’ll go, until you’re squirming and screaming out my name.”

I can’t breathe. His words have stolen the air from my lungs like a thief in the night, without warning, effortlessly.

I bite my bottom lip, overwhelmed with desire for him. He sits back with a satisfied smug, stealing a drink of wine from the glass like he just stole my breath. He looks like he thinks he’s won, like he’s left me sufficiently squirming under the weight of his erotic words.

And he’s right.

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