Page 89 of Teacher's Pet

Affection.

A slow breath leaves me as I pull her closer, guiding her between my knees as I sit on the rim of the tub.

Her body trembles, but she doesn’t pull away.

She lets me hold her.

"There is nothing you need to work on," I say, voice rough, edged with something I don’t quite recognize.

Her breath catches.

"If you’re waiting for me to look at you differently after what we did, I won’t."

I don’t give her time to protest.

I lean forward, pressing my lips to the soft skin of her lower stomach, right above the bruises, right where I know she’s sore.

Her fingers hesitate, hovering above my head, before finally, they touch me, drifting into my hair, barely applying pressure.

"You don’t need to do that, Noah-"

"Yes."

The word leaves me sharper than I intended.

I tilt my head up, meeting her gaze, what I see there nearly unraveling me.

Hope.

Fucking hope.

"I do," I murmur, my hand sliding down to her thigh.

"I won’t allow anyone to disrespect you in my presence." My fingers tighten slightly, just enough to ground her. "And that includes yourself."

Her lips part.

She doesn’t look away.

And for the first time since this entire night started, neither do I.

Guiding her toward the warm bath, I help her step in, my hands steadying her trembling frame.

She tries to mask it, tries to pretend she’s fine, but the way her body flinches, the way her breath hitches, tells me just how sore she really is.

Fuck.

I force my eyes away from her marked skin, from the bruises and nail marks that shouldn’t turn me on, but somehow still do.

She settles into the water, eyes fluttering shut, and I take a seat beside the tub, keeping just enough distance.

For her.

For myself.

"Tell me about Cole." My voice is quiet, edged with something colder than before.

I watch her tense, her fingers gripping the porcelain rim. "And don’t leave out any details."

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