Page 7 of Teach Me To Sin

“Gladly.” When I step forward, he refuses to move, leaving us chest-to-chest with our foreheads almost touching. “I’m a lawyer, not a babysitter for bored, rich children.”

After a long moment, I push past and stride for the hall. A bang echoes behind me like he knocked something over, but I don’t turn around to check. Offering the confused Willow a curt wave, I shove the front door open and pull in a breath of fresh air. Halfhearted, pissing rain pecks at my hair and skin, leaving dark dots on the pavement.

I’m so busy continuing the vicious argument in my head that I almost don’t notice the lanky young man with his forehead pressed to the passenger window of my car. “Excuse me?” My voice comes out harsh with pent-up irritation.

He straightens up casually, without a hint of guilt. My heart stutters for a second at how gorgeous he is–a delicate neck, wild auburn hair, and a capricious, sweet smile. “Sixties, right? Is the interior original?”

“Yes.” I survey the restored sports car with its gleaming, dark green paint. “Everything but the seats. They were unsalvageable.”

Eyeing me up and down shamelessly, he hops onto the curb. “I was imagining the kind of guy who drives a car like this. It tracks–you’re both sexy and…vintage.” His eyebrow quirks slightly on the last word, his smile widening. He has some balls on him.

I consider flirting back, seeing if he’ll come home with me tonight. I’m bored to death of the men in my social circles–everything is about mansions and watches or acid reflux and knee pain. The sex flows together into a repetitive blur of nothing. This one looks like he’d be a really fucking good time, but for some reason I don’t rise to the bait.

“Is Alek in there?” he asks after a beat, pushing his hands into the pockets of his tight blue shorts and nodding toward the building.

“Alek Simmons?”

He purses his lips, trying not to laugh. “No, the other Alek.”

When I snort in disgust, his eyebrow goes higher. “Good luck. He’s a stubborn, delusional fool.”

His green eyes dance with amusement. “Oh, is he?”

“See for yourself.”

Studying the building one more time, he purses his lips. “Alright.”

“Are you going in?” When I move toward my car, he steps out of the way. If he asked me to take him for a ride right now, in any sense of the word, I would. I need to blow off steam.

“I hadn’t decided,” he says cryptically.

“Do you need something?” I furrow my eyebrows at him.

He shrugs one shoulder, face blank. “Nope. Do you?”

You on your knees with your pretty mouth open?I unlock the driver’s door. “No.”

“Bye then.” As I get into the Porsche, he leans against the side of the building with his back to me, cocking his hip to show off his tight ass. I stare openly for a minute, because that’s clearly what he wants, then start the engine. At the throaty purr, he glances over his shoulder and offers me a lazy salute.

When I’m most of the way home, Gray calls. “Alek yelled at Ethan, who then yelled at me for some reason. So I’m assuming it went well.”

My grip on the wheel tightens. “Watching paint dry would have been less of a waste of time. He’s just a delusional brat who can’t be satisfied with what he has, and that’s all I have to say on the matter.”

“Tell me how you really feel,” he goads me. I can picture him in his cozy Iowa farmhouse, his feet up on the couch, surrounded by his family. It’s a strange feeling to envy someone for something I don’t even want.

“That was a twisted thing to do,” I snap, watching the gate to my community roll back in response to the sensor in my car. “You know I’m not like you, Gray. I went into law to win, not to coddle lost causes.”

“Of course,” his dry voice rumbles.

“I just don’t get it. What does that boy think is going to happen?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Is he really that stubborn, or does he somehow not understand?” Gray just grunts occasionally as I barrel along through my thoughts. “If he won’t listen to advice, he needs someone to fuck the bad ideas out of his head.”

“He has a girlfriend, I believe.”

“Well then, I don’t think she’s doing her damn job.”