Page 31 of Crave

“I believe you, Mia.” The dimple showed itself. “You never said a word in class last year, but you’ve talked my ear off the past few days. Practically broke my phone.”

“No, that was you.” Her cheeks flushed.

“You didn’t wear makeup back then, did you?” He traced a finger over the dark lipstick on her full lips. “Your hair was much shorter. Definitely not purple. And you favored…turtlenecks.”

His warm brown eyes dropped to the glimpse of cleavage, creamy and full, peeking from her fuzzy jacket. She shivered. Her nipples ached, feeling the force of his eyes through her tight shirt.

“So you can’t really blame me for not recognizing you.” His smile was relaxed now. Wicked. “I don’t know what your excuse is. Or do you have one?”

“I swear I didn’t recognize you, Aaron.”

“Really.”

“Really! No glasses now. Longer hair.” She dared to run her fingers through the sandy blond locks. “Completely different context.”

He was calm now. In control. Pinning her to the spot with his gaze, making her squirm in the most delicious way.

“You were so quiet in class, but I could tell a lot was happening under the surface. And the papers you turned in were beautiful. I don’t get to read a lot of beautiful papers.”

Thank you,she was about to say. What came out instead was, “I don’t want to hear about my beautiful papers right now.”

His eyebrows shot up.

She slipped her hands under his coat. His wool sweater was soft yet prickly under her palms. He caught her wrists in a tight grip. The suddenness made her gasp.

“Dinner first,” he said firmly. “We’ll talk.”

“I don’t want to just talk.”

His hand tangled in her hair and closed in a fist. She inhaled sharply. “Brat.”

“We can have dinner afterwards.” Her heart beat madly, stunned at her own forwardness.

“And do what beforehand?” The hand in her hair twisted, pulling her head back, forcing her to look at him.

She hesitated.

“Tell me, baby girl.” His eyes narrowed. This was the Aaron she’d come to know over the past week. Dirty, dominant, soaked in lust.

Her cheeks bloomed red. “Right here in the bar?”

“You want it, I expect you to ask for it. Explicitly.” He wasn’t smiling now.

Her courage was about to flee. She swallowed hard. For Aaron, she could do this.

“I want you to take me back to your place.” Her voice came out a whisper. “And I want you to teach me.”

He exhaled, and his eyes turned to slits. “Teach you what?”

“Everything.”

“Mia…” He drew her name out in the sweetest caress. “What a little slut you are. You’re even naughtier than I thought.”

Her chest rose and fell, too excited to respond. She managed to squeeze out one sentence. “Does that mean you’re okay with it?”

He raised his eyebrows.

“With us?” she pressed.

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