Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
“After what happened with Ericc and my mother, I decided to get away for a while. I dipped into my trust fund and went overseas. I traveled around to places like Malaysia and Polynesia. And I know I come from a place of privilege in that I could afford to get away. Not everyone can. But I had to. I couldn’t stay around her anymore.”
She rubbed at her chest. Great, now thinking of her mother was giving her indigestion too.
“Bebe, I’m not judging you for needing to escape,” he soothed. “Anyone would in that situation.”
She breathed out a sigh of relief. “Right. Well, I tried to discover myself, I guess. What I saw over there . . . the people were so kind and welcoming. Some of them had nothing, but they were happy. I just . . . it changed the way I’d always thought about things. My mother was never happy unless she had more. More things, more money, more fame and power. I decided I didn’t want to be like her or be in that world. What I wanted was to make a difference in other people’s lives, to help people.”
“That’s my baby. Always thinking of others.”
She swallowed heavily. “Am I? Sometimes I feel so selfish and stupid, so stupid.”
“Bebe,” he said sternly. “You’re not to call yourself stupid, understand me?”
“When I tell you the next part, you’ll think I am.”
“That is not true and I’m insulted you’d say that. I could never think you stupid. I promise you that.”
“Um, I hope you’re right.” She took in a deep breath. “I wanted to help people. Then I thought about what I was really good at and interested in. So, I thought I could become a social worker. I could start working here at home and maybe volunteer abroad as needed. I really thought I’d make a difference.”
God, she’d been so full of hope. For the first time in her life, it’d felt like she had a purpose.
“What happened? Why did you quit college?” he asked.
“He happened.”
Yep. There went her indigestion again. And her hand was aching at the thought of him. She stretched her fingers out.
“Who is he? Another student?”
“Ahh, no. That would make life a lot simpler.” She raised her gaze to his, needing to see his reaction. As bad as it might be. “It was my professor. My professor is the asshole.”
32
Her professor?
What the hell? That was wrong on so many levels. What the fuck was a professor doing getting involved with a student? And what had he done to her?
He was in a position of power already . . . if he’d then tried to dominate her in the bedroom too . . .
“Your professor?”
“I know it was wrong and stupid, and saying I was young and vulnerable is no excuse.” She put her hands over her face as though hiding herself from him.
Did she think that he was blaming her?
Like fuck.
“Hey, look at me.” He tugged her hands away from her face. “I need you to look at me while I explain something.”
“You have so many rules,” she grumbled.
“Baby, I barely have any rules. If you were with Hayes, I bet your life would be rule after rule.”
She shuddered. “Hayes and I wouldn’t work together.”
“No,” he said, jealousy rearing its ugly head. Shit. He’d brought up Hayes and now was upset at the idea of the two of them together.
Get your head together, man.
Deep breath in. Let it out.
“Hey.” Her cool hands touched his face. “I’m not interested in Hayes. He’s like a grouchy older brother. A pain in the butt. I’m not attracted to him. I’m attracted to you.”
He let the last of that ridiculous jealousy fade away. “I know. Sorry, I’m being an idiot.”
“Yeah. You are.” She smiled.
“Hey. You don’t have to look so happy about it.” He tickled her sides until she giggled, screaming and wriggling around on his lap.
Shit. That probably wasn’t his brightest idea.
Corbin stopped tickling her, his cock now hard and aching. He eased her back slightly, so she sat farther down his legs.
“Is everything all right?” she asked breathlessly.
“Fine,” he replied in a strangled voice.
“You shouldn’t tickle me. I might have peed myself.”
“Well, you shouldn’t be happy about me being jealous.”
“Sorry, I wasn’t really. I know how twisted and dark jealousy can get.” She shuddered.
“Hey, I’m right here. Nothing is going to hurt you. And I wasn’t seriously jealous. I know you and Hayes aren’t interested in one another.”
“Are you sure?” Now there was an anxious note in her voice. “Because I’m really not into him. He’s just a friend.”
Yeah, that anxiety was growing and he had to put a stop to it. Did this have something to do with her ex? Some leftover trauma?
Had she been holding all of this back?
“Easy, baby. Take a deep breath for me. Hold it. Now out nice and slow. That’s a good girl. Do it again. That’s it. You’re doing such a good job. I don’t think that you and Hayes are into each other. And I’m not really jealous. It’s just that I don’t want you to be with anyone but me. Did the asshole use to get jealous?”