Page 37 of Taming His Teacher

No, not rabid or anything bad. She’s tiny. Sweet. She smells like fucking lilies. I’d figured it out. They’re Kaiser’s girlfriend’s favorite and he got her a huge bunch of them when he proposed at graduation. The olfactory impression almost knocked me on my ass, the scent memory of Erin so strong. Lilies.

“Please. You’d rather face down a pack of slavering wolves than talk about this girl you’ve been in love with for years. I’ve seen that sketchbook of yours. She’s the only thing you draw. Don’t deny it.”

I couldn’t. Obnoxious fucker. Even though I wasn’t looking at him, I knew he had the same insufferable smirk on his face he’s had since the day I met him.

“Shut your fucking face, demon spawn.”

He’d snorted, enjoying getting as much of a rise out of me as he ever does. “So, what are you going to do? You clearly don’t have a plan.”

No, I didn’t have a plan. Except to show up and then see what happens. Didn’t work for Napoleon and I doubted it would work for me.

“If she’s still married, I don’t need a plan. I’ll need a shotgun and a shovel. For me, not him,” I’d clarified at Mordecai’s raised brows. “I couldn’t stomach watching them.”

“And if she’s not?”

“If she’s not? Fuck if I know.”

“You want her. Badly. Why don’t you give it a try? Sounds like she’d be game.”

“Not for everything. She might be totally vanilla and then where would I be?”

“Right. That.”

I shot him a glare.Yeah, that.

“You don’t think she’d try it?”

“Maybe, but I don’t want to push her into it. What if she thinks I’m a sick freak? I couldn’t handle that.” It had made my guts churn thinking about it. Hurting her, disappointing her, scaring her? Not an option.

“You’re good. I’ve watched a lot of people come through those doors. You wouldn’t force her into anything, and you’re good with the newbies. They like you. They trust you. You’re not some criminal out to corrupt her and eat her alive. Maybe she’d love it. Maybe she’s into it already. You don’t even know.”

I’d closed my eyes like it would block out the image I got of Will dominating Erin. I hoped not. Will’s a dick. An irresponsible, insensitive, self-absorbed asshole. Unless he had a total personality overhaul, he’d be a terrible Dominant and I wouldn’t wish him on anyone. Especially not Erin. That would make this even worse. “I feel like a predator. Like a fox in the fucking henhouse.”

“A wolf in sheep’s clothing?” One of these days I’m going to punch that smirk right off his face.

“Worse. I’m a wolf in shepherd’s clothing.”

At my confounded outburst, Mordecai had laughed. Asshole.

“Why don’t you clean up? Club’s opening in half an hour. Lydia’s supposed to come in and she’s going to ask for you. Is your head on straight enough to play?”

I threw down the cuff I’d been working on and pushed back from the table. “It will be.”

“Better be.”

“You know I’d tell you if it’s not.” It’s happened twice in the three years I’ve worked for him that I wasn’t in any shape to do my job. Today wasn’t going to make three.

“I know.” When I’d turned around, the jackass started humming “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” I’d reached up and slapped the top of the doorframe so hard my hand hurt. The sting in my palm and Mordecai’s mocking tune followed me down the hall to the staff locker room.

Now I’m here. I decided on the long drive from Chicago that I’m going to leave Erin alone. I don’t want to hurt her or scare her. Even if she is interested in me. It wouldn’t be the me of now, it would be the me of three years ago she wants. I don’t look that different—my hair’s longer, I’ve gained some muscle from the hard training I did year-round to keep in shape for lacrosse, but it wouldn’t be so hard to understand why she’d think I was the same. But it would be a lie.

She’d walk into it like a trap, find herself stuck with another monster she wouldn’t know how to handle. No, I’m going to stay the fuck away from Erin Brewster even though in the second she looked up and I saw her empty ring finger I wanted to throw her over my shoulder, drag her into the kitchen and pin her down over one of the cold metal prep tables and have my way with her.

Christ, Shepherd, you are a sick, sick fuck.Fantasizing about something that would scare the living crap out of her. You can at least be man enough to leave the poor little lamb alone.

* * *

Erin

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