Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
A hiss of pain escapes from my lips as my cock turns to steel beneath her touch. If I could dig deep and muster even a kernel of strength, I’d take a step back and get the hell out of there before any more damage can be inflicted. But that’s not possible. I’m frozen in place as a tidal wave of pleasure crashes over me.
“Don’t you realize how wrong this is?” My teeth clench as I wage war against every instinct to reach out and drag her into my arms.
She flicks her gaze upward, assessing me from beneath the thick fringe of her lashes. “Actually, I don’t.”
The fight inside me recedes. “We shouldn’t be doing this. And you certainly shouldn’t be touching me.”
Instead of letting go, her fingers tighten around my throbbing erection. The sensation is enough to leave me feeling lightheaded. If I don’t put the kibosh on this now, I won’t be able to. In two minutes, it’ll be much too late. I’ll force her against the wall and take her the way I’ve dreamed of doing for so long. I can’t begin to imagine what it would feel like to sink inside her warmth.
I shove that image from my head. If I focus on it, I’ll explode in my jeans. And just to be clear, that’s never happened before. It’s yet another telltale sign as to how different my feelings are for this girl.
My fingers shake as I reach down and grab hold of her wrist before wrenching it away. It’s only when I’m no longer able to feel the burn of her touch that the thick haze clouding my brain clears enough for rational thought to once again prevail.
Holy fuck.
That was close.
Too damn close.
With her wrist held captive between us, her gaze locks on mine. There’s an unexpected steeliness in her dark eyes that takes me by surprise. This is not the same stunned girl I’d dragged in here a handful of minutes ago.
“Why?” Her voice turns sultry. The deep cadence of it goes straight to my dick. It’s the last thing I need.
“What?”
“Why shouldn’t I touch you?” There’s a pause. “Don’t you like it?”
Refusing to touch the second question, I focus on the first. “You know the reason.”
When she attempts to break free, my grip tightens. There is no way I’ll be able to survive if she lays her hands on me for a second time. My self-control is already in tatters. Anything more will shove me right over the edge.
“Because of Bray?”
Barely am I able to force the words through clenched teeth. “He would fucking kill me. That’s exactly why nothing will ever happen between us.” I search her eyes for understanding. “Period.”
Instead of arguing the point, she examines me with more care than is comfortable. “But you want me.”
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck.
She needs to do us both a favor and let this go.
I smash my lips together, refusing to engage in this conversation.
Hasn’t she figured out that it doesn’t matter what I want? It never has. My grip tightens on her delicate wrist before I force myself to release her and take a giant step in retreat, giving us both some much needed room to breathe.
When she doesn’t spring forward, I put even more distance between us until I’m halfway across the room. Only then does my head clear. Warily, my gaze stays pinned to hers as I make my way to the door before turning the lock and pushing it open.
As I cross over the threshold, I hesitate. “Stay the hell away from that guy. Whether you realize it or not, he wants to do more than tutor you.”
“That’s going to be difficult given the fact that he’s my professor and I need his help with stats.” Her attention stays fastened on me as she lifts her chin a notch. “Are you offering your assistance in his place?”
After this fiasco? “No.”
A challenging light fills her eyes. “Then I’ll take the help where I can get it.”
My hands tighten as a growl rumbles up from deep within my chest. It’s so tempting to march back inside the room and kiss her into submission. I have to ball my hands until the short nails bite into my palms so I don’t do exactly that.
“Don’t push me, Elle.”
Before she can come up with a way to detain me, I swing around and stalk down the empty corridor. For reasons I can’t explain, the power balance has shifted between us. There’s a clock ticking in my head, and when the alarm goes off, time will be up.
What I can’t allow is for that to happen.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Elle
“There’s an empty table over there,” Madison says, leading the charge with her tray in hand.
The three of us follow suit as she winds her way through the thick crowd of students who are busy grabbing something to eat before settling at a booth in the back of the union.