Page 9 of Ruthless Temptation
A chuckle rumbles from his lips. He stands suddenly, and I flinch. With his hands in his pockets, he rounds the table to stand beside me. My nerve endings light up when he gets close. I crane my head to look up at him.
“Yes, punishment.” He puts a hand on either of the armrests of my chair and leans down so that our faces are closer. The smell of him disarms me. “I figure that I will have to punish you so that you start taking my classes seriously again. I owe you that,” he says with a dangerous smile. “You are my favorite student, after all.”
His breath splays over my face. It’s warm and minty, and I feel the urge to kiss him, just like earlier. I bite my lip and try to think ofanythingelse.
“So tell me, little one.” His smile grows. “Tell me how you want me to punish you.”
My hands are clasped in my lap, but even that doesn’t stop them from shaking. His gaze holds me captive, and with each passing second the thoughts in my brain grow more heated and chaotic. My eyes bounce from his eyes, to his lips, to the tuft of hair peeking out at the top of his unbuttoned shirt, and back.
“I don’t want to be punished,” I say, but my voice sounds weak even to me.
Another laugh.
“You don’t?” he mocks. “Then why did you wear this top?” He runs a hand along the swell of my bosom peeking out from the neckline. Goosebumps pebble my flesh. “You know it’s one of my favorites.” I nod without thinking and he chuckles. “And this skirt.” He tugs on the hem of it. “It’s so short you wouldn’t be able to bend over without flashing me.”
My mouth is dry, and my heart is rattling in my chest.
“Did you hope to tempt me?” he asks, pushing a lock of hair behind my ear. “Because it’s working.”
His words send a shiver down my spine.
Professor Holmes doesn’t wait for my response; I’m sure the truth is all over my face. I probably look like a tomato, as my cheeks are so hot I’m tempted to cover them with my hands.
His gaze rakes over my body.
“You know, I’ve thought about this moment before,” he says in a voice so low it’s little more than a whisper. “At first, I thought it was all in my mind. But then I heard your chatterbox friend, and it all came together.” He takes a deep breath, as if steadying himself from an internal turmoil I’m not privy to.
I’m still upset that Cassidy was so careless with something I told her in confidence, but I’m not entirely sure if I’m as angry as I should be. After all, it was her loose lips that finally got me the attention of the man I’ve been pining over since my first week at this school.
“I told you to come here so we could talk about your grades,” he says, his eyes settling on my lips. “I think we have something that the other wants. We can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement.”
My pulse quickens. Is he talking about what I think he is?
“You’re about to fail my class,” he says, moving a hand to grip my neck. My eyes almost roll back in my head. “And I’ve been fascinated by you for far too long, Tara.”
His words flood me with a high unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
I’ll always remember this moment. It’s like fireworks exploding in my chest and overpowering all my senses. Professor Holmes isfascinatedby me. By itself, that’s amazing. But with the thick tension in the room and the heat pooling between my legs, I can’t help but imagine where that would lead.
“Before I can make my proposition, though...”
He takes a step back. There’s a protest on my lips at the loss of his touch. My eyes track him anxiously. His expression is guarded.
“I’ll need to know that I can trust you,” he says.
I nod sharply. “Yes, Professor Holmes. You can.”
“You’re so eager.” He gives me a slight smile. “You cannot tell anyone about this. Especially your roommate.” His eyes darken. There’s a threat in them, and though I can’t be sure what exactly he would do to me, my heart rate picks up. “Do you know how scandalous it would be if anyone discovered our friendship?”
Oh, Idoknow how scandalous it would be. I’m as good as engaged to someone else. Someone so dangerous that he would kill us both if he found out.
“I know how to keep a secret,” I say. My life depends on it. “I promise, sir.”
He smiles, then licks his lips. My whole body reacts. I might as well be a puddle at his feet. I’m certain I could be, if he touches me the right way.
“Well then,” he says. “Let’s test that theory, shall we?”
He moves closer to me. I’m frozen in my seat, watching as he approaches me like a predator stalking his prey. His eyes are aflame with a hunger that kindles a similar desire in me. I can’t count the number of times I’ve imagined him looking at me like this.
