Page 16 of Ruthless Temptation
For a man that’s been caught in a lie, Professor Holmes looks rather impassive.
After a moment, he runs a hand through his hair, pressing the heel of his uninjured hand to his forehead. He lets out a deep sigh, then pins me with a harsh glare.
Oh, the nerve of him to be upset. I want to curse, but he speaks before I do.
“I’m offended you would think that about me, let alone disrespect me by saying it to my face.” His hand catches the backof my neck, pulling me so close to him we’re sharing the same breath. “Do you think I’m some harebrained college kid who fucks anything on two legs?”
His eyes are so intense, I look away from them but there’s evidence of his anger all over his face—the tick in his jaw, the vein bulging by his temple, even the hard line of his lips.
I’m speechless. My lips tremble as I try to get something out, but that only seems to upset him more. His grip on me turns painful. He’s pulling at the roots of my hair, and an icy tendril of terror snakes up my spine. But there’s the low hum of pleasure too.
Am I crazy for liking it a little?
“Do you know how fucking long I’ve tried to resist you?” he asks in a strangled tone, more to himself than to me. “I told myself that I could make it through the year, even when you waltzed into my classroom looking like you were just begging me to bend you over the table and fuck you senseless. I noticed every one of your attempts.” My mouth goes dry, but a wet heat pools in my belly. “This isn’t a fucking habit for me, Tara. It’s only you.”
My eyes burn. This is not how I expected this to go. Even though his words were so earnest, Professor Holmes’ eyes are still angry, his grip still agonizing.
“I don’t take disrespect lightly,” he says. “You will not ever do that again.” He doesn’t need to articulate his threat. Terror squeezes my chest. “If you have a problem with something, we can discuss it like adults.”
I suck in my bottom lip, taking a deep breath to steady the whirlwind of emotions.
“Yes,” I say.
He scoffs. “Yes, who?"
“Yes, sir.” I swallow thickly.
A small smile graces his features then, but it only makes him seem more sinister. Every inch of my body is riddled with tension. My nerve-endings feel like they’re sitting on top of my skin. His warm breath on my face clashes with the cool air filling the room and the heat inside me.
“You bit me,” he says, almost amusedly. “Like an animal.”
My shoulders start to tremble. In hindsight, that wasn’t the best idea.
“I’m sorry, sir,” I offer, but Professor Holmes shushes me with a click of his tongue.
“It’s too late for that,” he says, with a lilt to his voice like he’s just made a joke. “You’re fortunate that I like your fire.”
He bares his teeth in a smile but it looks more like a shark’s grin.
Professor Holmes’ grips my neck with his wounded hand, holding me even closer to him. He lets go of my hair, but the reprieve is short lived because that hand moves to the hem of my skirt. My breath hitches, and my eyes widen.
He wouldn’t.
“What is it, little one?” His fingers dance with the edge of my skirt before dipping beneath it to trail along my thighs. “Are you afraid we’ll get caught?”
I nod. His grip on my throat tightens considerably, until I’m getting just enough air.
“Yes,” I squeak out. Professor Holmes chuckles.
“You didn’t care for that when you were blowing up on me,” he says. His fingers are almost at the junction of my thighs. I try to wince away from his touch, embarrassed by what he’ll find, but the grip on my neck discourages me.
He squeezes just enough to make it hard for me to breathe. When I stop squirming, he eases up a little. The threat of passing out keeps me still even as I worry my lips and refuse to meet his gaze.
Professor Holmes’ fingers encounter my slick thighs and I gasp.
“No panties, again?” he asks, slipping his fingers between my folds. The rough pads of his fingertips against my sensitive flesh have my legs shaking. It’s just a touch, but I’m so ready for him that I find myself grinding against his fingers. “You’re such a little slut for me.”
My cheeks heat up. He rubs his thumb over my clit, and I shudder.
