“Oh. That’s fine. I could stand or-”
“Absolutely not. You can take my desk until it comes. Hopefully, that’ll be by sometime today, or else you’ll be forced to share the space with me.”
I could live with that.
His laugh draws the attention of every girl, and even some of the boys, in class. Their horrid stares flick between the two of us, and if I thought the looks were nasty before, they're fucking vile now.
“I don’t mind sharing,” I whisper, sucking my bottom lip into my mouth when I feel the flood dampening my panties. I can smell my arousal, can feel it wanting to seep past my seams and onto my thighs. I rub my legs together to prevent that, but it just makes the throbbing that much better.
“Well, that’s very kind of you. I don’t know how far you got in your previous school’s lessons, but we’re examining the events that led to the progression of southern states and the Civil War for this session.”
I nod my head and pretend to follow along, but my facial muscles are twitching.Why the fuck would they put me in advanced history?!His eyes bounce over my features, studying me until he realizes I’m full of shit.
“Well, just do your best to catch up. I’ll go slow today.”
“Thank you.”
Grinning, he rises to his full height, stunning me silent once again. Well over six feet and built like Adonis himself, with biceps the size of my head and forearms corded with protruding veins to complement his lean muscles. Height has never been something I paid too much attention to, but as he towers over my petite five-three frame, I can’t stop myself from admiring every inch. His sandy brown hair is perfectly styled, which only makes me want to tangle my fingers in his golden waves that much more.
We shuffle so as not to be in each other's way, but at the very end, his chest brushes against mine anyway. I knew his arms were strong, but when his torso glides against mine, I feel the solid abs that hide underneath his crisp, baby-blue dress shirt.
“Ahhh fuck. I was hoping you wouldn’t be one of them,” Chris says as he takes the seat next to mine, his head shaking in disappointment.
“One of who?” I laugh, brushing the strands of hair away from my flushed face as I sit on Mr. Ellis’s chair.
“The fallen.” He groans, making his tone ominous and foreboding. “Every girl here is in love with Mr. Ellis, to the point of obsession. I was hoping you weren’t going to be one of them!”
He looks to the heavens and mouths,why,why, before laughing and groaning dramatically again.
“Yeah, well… you’ll never see me out in the hall grooming.”
“I better not. You’re far too pretty for that,” he remarks softly before taking a stack of papers off the table and starting to grade. His compliment rolls around my head as I pull a notebook out of my bag to take notes, but I forget it in an instant when I lift my gaze and collide with Mr. Ellis.
He takes my breath away and doesn’t release it.
That’s okay. I don’t need it anyway.
Scarlett Dane
CHAPTER III
“Okay, class! Next Friday is the last midterm before finals, so please don’t start studying on Thursday night. Tonight! Tomorrow! Study, study, study!”
The students all mutter their agreeances and promises, but Mr. Ellis tells them all to shut up before kicking them out of class with a chuckle.
I’m packing up all my belongings when he pulls up to Chris and me. “Wasn’t too bad, right?”
“Nah, she’ll be fine,” Chris says, nudging me with his elbow as he inputs his number into my phone. He asked in a hushed whisper during Ellis's lesson, but I laughed him off.“I don’t give my number to strangers. But I’ll take yours.”
“I will be fine, but uh, the test… I don’t think I’ll be ready for that.”
He contemplates my response for a moment before looking over at Chris. “Well, Chris tutors every Tuesday and Thursday, so-”
“Sorry, Mr. Ellis, matches pick up again next week, and you know how Sanders is about missing practice. I won’t be able to tutor again until the season is over, remember? I posted it on the bulletin in the library.”
“Ah, you’re right. Damn… well…” He hesitates, his stare falling to the floor while his hands brace on his tapered waist. I spot the pulse in his temple beating erratically, but his breathing remains calm. Still, there’s distress marring his chiseled face.
“That’s no problem. I can stay for about an hour after school on most days, so I’ll help you catch up. Sound good?”
