by Caisey Quinn
I grinned, just to piss him off. “If you see a man around anywhere that wants to have a go at me, you let me know.”
“That’s enough,” Coach Beck’s loud voice boomed between us. A hand jerked my collar backward. “Go home, fellas.”
He let Derek walk past but held onto me. “Hold up, Singleton. We need to have a chat.”
A sinking feeling landed in the pit of my stomach as I dropped my gear and followed him to his office. I was Team Captain. Derek was a freshman and a lowlife so this behavior was typical from him. He practically lived in the penalty box. Coach expected better from me. I expected better from myself.
Emersyn Tyler was a weak spot I needed to get under control.
Once inside, I stood, folded my arms and leaned against the door.
“What’s up, Coach?”
Brian Beck glanced at the trophies on his desk and sighed. “My whole life I wished for the kind of talent you have. The speed. The strength. Do you know how rare it is for a guy your size to move as fast as you do on ice? Hell, anywhere?”
I nodded. “Yes, sir. That’s why I was glad that the university allowed graduate students to play on collegiate teams. Some colleges don’t.”
“I can’t say I agree with your decision not to go pro, Aiden. I understand it, but I don’t agree with it. Which is why I feel I have to say this.”
I braced myself for whatever was coming.
He frowned. “That girl, the blonde one. Up in the bleachers today. Who is she to you?”
Fuck me. There was a loaded question I’d been trying to both answer and avoid for weeks.
She was jail bate. Temptation, sin, need, and hell on Earth mixed with a beautiful, irresistible pain in the ass that I felt drawn to in ways neither me nor my dick could fully figure out.
“She’s a student of mine. In Elksboro.”
She was so much more than that. But I couldn’t tell him that the moment I saw her, I wanted to fuck her. I could admit that to myself. When I saw her in my art history class this summer, I’d hoped we’d hook up.
She was gorgeous and perfect and every straight member of the male species with a functioning dick would want that. But after that night, after getting to know her and being inside her sweet body, I wanted to put her in glass case and protect her. From everyone. Even me. I wasn’t worthy and I knew it. Not to mention, I was her damn teacher.
“At the high school?” He sputtered. “When you said you were teaching, I thought you meant here, at the university.”
I shook my head. “I teach history at the high school and coach their hockey team.”
“Jesus.”
“Look, I checked her file. She’s almost eighteen. I know that’s not necessarily a free pass, but it could be worse.”
He closed his eyes as he spoke. “Think, Singleton. Do you believe, honestly, for one second, that any reporter is going to stop and check her age before running the story on a high school teacher screwing a student? Trust me, they won’t. And if you think they will, I’ve got some ocean front property in Arizona I’d love to sell you.” He shook his head. “Elksboro is a small town and a close-knit community. Your reputation around here will be destroyed. I’ll probably have to cut you loose. And where will she be? Moving on with her life, that’s where. Because hers won’t be over. But yours will. In many ways.”
I lowered my gaze to the floor. He was right. I knew he was right. But something inside me still fought against the idea of never having her as my own.
“Wait a year,” he pleaded. “She’ll graduate. No one will care what the two of you do.”
I swallowed hard, refusing to make a promise I couldn’t keep. “She and I aren’t…It’s not really like that.”
We weren’t fucking. Weren’t dating. So I wasn’t technically lying—except maybe to myself.
“I saw you looking at her and I saw her looking at you. You’re both thinking about doing a hell of a lot of something. I’m not saying don’t, son. I get it. Young people and all that. I’m just saying wait. Get through the rest of the year, Aiden. For your own sake and hers. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
When I left the locker room, I fully intended on heeding his advice.
But by the time I made it to the parking lot, that was already impossible.
8
Emersyn
“Fucking quit, Derek. I’m not playing.”
Camille was playing, actually. Playing grab ass with her obnoxious slimy boyfriend or whatever he was this week. Drew ignored them, texting someone furiously on his phone.
I stood next to her vehicle waiting anxiously for her to take us home.
We’d hung around by the locker room until it got awkward, but Aiden hadn’t come out. Clearly he was in no big hurry to see me. Derek had been one of the last to leave and immediately started being pushy about going to a party on campus at a house some of the guys on the team shared.
He was still trying to talk her into coming to the party.
“I have to have Em home soon so she can check on her mom and stuff,” she’d argued, throwing me right under the bus.
“Aww, does Cinderella turn into a pumpkin at midnight?” He fingered a long blonde, now frizzy, strand of my hair. I jerked my head backward.
“No, but I can see the rats are all accounted for, should I need them.”
“The only rat here is your teacher friend.” Derek smirked. “You in his class, Em? Does he try to peek at those pretty pink panties under your desk?” He moved close enough that I could smell the alcohol on his breath. “I bet you get off on him wanting you, don’t you? Do you tease him like the rest of the boys? Strutting around and making him suffer?”
“That’s enough, Derek,” Camille snapped. “You’re being an ass. She’s never going to hang out with me again if you don’t cut it out.”
I was thankful she intervened, but when I looked at her, she had the lion-gazelle look in her eye I recognized from my own moments of female jealousy. God if only she knew how much I despised Derek. He literally made my skin crawl.
“Sorry,” she mumbled. “Sometimes he’s a creep when he drinks.”
“I’m pretty sure he’s a creep without the liquid assistance,” Drew broke in. “Come on, Em. I found us a better party to go to. It’s within walking distance.”
I wavered between them. “Um, I should probably skip the parties and get home. I can take an Uber.”
I don’t know why I expected Camille to tell me it was no big and that she’d run me home, but she didn’t. An Uber from Southeastern to to Elkboro would cost me forty bucks or more.
“Okay, cool. I’m going to take him to this party for a few then get him home and in bed where he can sleep it off.”
Derek grabbed her roughly around the waist. “Yeah, babe. I bet you’re ready to get me in bed.” He kissed her sloppily and I almost vomited in my mouth. I couldn’t understand what she saw in such a vile creature.
I really didn’t have the money for an Uber but I wasn’t getting in the vehicle with him and going to any party where he’d just drink more and get more repulsive.
“You sure you don’t want to come with me?” Drew gave me his infamous pleading puppy dog eyes but it was getting late and I was tired.
“Sorry. Not tonight. It’s been a long day and I’m beat.” I pulled out my phone and stepped back.
Camille gave me a small one-armed hugged and told me to get home safe and call her tomorrow.
When she stepped around to the driver’s side to talk to Drew, leaving me alone with Derek, I turned to leave, figuring I’d be safer back near the ice rink since it was dark and the parking lot was clearing out.
The white hot flash of pain struck my ass so quickly I was stunned and disoriented.
Derek had slapped me. Hard. Too hard.
Now he was grabbing me, pulling me by my ass to him. His fingers dug so deep into my flesh, I was certain I’d be bruised. I stumbled trying to escape his grasp but he was stronger. Much stronger.
My back was flush to his chest with his hand now firmly gripping my hip when Camille cranked the engine.
“Listen you little cock tease,” he growled in my ear. “I know what you’re doing. Acting all high and mighty. Keep it up and you’ll find out just how much I don’t like to be teased.”
“Let me go, Derek,” I said, flailing my right arm backward to try and catch him where it counted. But before I made contact, he was a foot away from me. I swayed on my feet, leaning against the 4Runner for support.
“What did I fucking tell you, Owens? I’m pretty certain I was perfectly fucking clear.” Aiden’s eyes were blazing as he slammed Derek against the SUV.
In the next moment, Camille was out, tiny and panicking, shrieking like a hysterical chicken. “What’s going on? Derek? What happened?”
She looked at me and I gaped at her, unable to articulate the events that had just occurred.
“What did I tell you?” Aiden repeated. “Don’t talk about her and don’t talk to her. Sure as fuck do not put your fucking hands on her. Did I stutter? Were the words too big for you to comprehend?”
Derek probably would’ve answered if Aiden’s forearm hadn’t been crushing his windpipe. His face was turning purple and spit was gathering at the corners of his mouth.
“Aiden,” I breathed. “It’s okay. Stop. Please. He’s not worth it.”
Camille gaped at me again, then stood beside a gasping Derek once Aiden released him.
“Not to be a bitch, Em,” she bit out, “but you should probably stay away from him.” She jerked her head toward Aiden. “He obviously has some serious anger issues.”
Aiden scoffed at her. “Yeah, I get angry when I see someone I care about getting fucking assaulted. I must be a real psycho.”
He turned toward me, dismissing the two of them completely as Camille helped Derek into the car. I was starting to think they deserved each other.
“You need a ride?”
I nodded, still unsure as to how steady my voice would be if I tried to speak.
“Come on.” He led me to his black Jeep with the big tires. The same one we’d driven to pick up pizza in, the one we’d ridden in to find Drew, and the one he’d driven me to the hospital in. The memories surrounded me. My legs felt liquid as I tried to follow him. I was still shaking from the dramatic turn of events. No way were my wobbly knees making that jump.
“I’ll help you,” he informed me as I attempted to do the math on the probability of falling on my ass.
His words played back in my mind. Louder than the ugly ones from Derek. I glanced at him over my shoulder.
“I’m someone you care about. You just said so.”
He expression was complacent, like he’d finally accepted whatever this was.
“Get in the Jeep, Emersyn.”
I had more to say though. Just to be clear so I would know where I stood. I turned to face him.
“You didn’t say ‘see one of my students being assaulted’ or ‘a young woman being assaulted,’” I pointed out. “You said someone I care about.”
“I did. Yes, I was there, Miss. Tyler. Thank you for the recap. Get in the Jeep.”
I felt drunk. Maybe hysteria was setting in. “It’s Miss. Tyler now? Like at school. What determines whether I’m Emersyn or Miss. Tyler to you?”
I felt his body heat intensify behind me as he stepped closer. “Miss. Tyler told me to go fuck myself the first day we met.” His breath tickled my neck and I shivered. “Emersyn gave me her virginity. Begged me to fuck her.”
My knees nearly gave out and I leaned back on his solid firm body for support. “Aiden,” I whispered, testing it out for the second time in his presence.
“Tell me, sweetheart, what determines whether I’m Aiden or Mr. Singleton for you?”
My entire body was electrified from head to toe. It was dangerous, dancing so close to an open flame. Like Drew said, an explosion was inevitable.
His hands encircled me from behind and caressed my thighs. “Is it the classroom?” he murmured against my neck as his hands rose higher. “Is it whether my good girl is having dirty girl thoughts about me?”
“I-it’s how you’re looking at me. How you’re talking to me. Touching me,” I stammered out, knowing I should be embarrassed of the obvious affect his touch was having but unable to care. “When you’re harsh with me, strict and stern, I think of you as Mr. Singleton. But when you’re sweet, protecting me, taking care of me, you’re Aiden.”
“Perfect answer.” He turned me in his arms and I found my mouth mere centimeters from his.
“I need,” I whimpered. “I need you to—”
His mouth came down onto mine and I was lost in a swirling sea of lust and need and confusion. His lips were firm, but soft. The entire kiss was a contradiction. Rough, penetrating strokes of his tongue, following by gentle closed mouth kisses that turned back to nipping, biting. Giving and taking. Soft and hard, in equal measure.
Like him.
He tasted so good. Sweet like sugary gum and minty as if he’d brushed his teeth or used mouthwash recently. The deeper he kissed me, the faster the world spun around us.
His hands gripped below my ass, the sting of Derek’s assault nearly forgotten, and lifted me from the ground. I wrapped my legs around him and held on for dear life.
He pulled his mouth away, leaving me gasping for breath far too soon.
More, I wanted much more.
“I know what you need. Get in the back.” He opened the door and sat me inside as if I weighed nothing.
I climbed in the backseat of my history teacher’s Jeep without hesitation. There was no time to think. I cut off communication to my brain and forced my body to function and do what it was told.
I heard him toss his gear behind the seat just before he climbed in beside me. His strong hands reached for me just as I launched myself at him. I was wet and throbbing, adrenaline fueling my body, causing it to run a million miles ahead of my brain.
All my mind could process was this is happening, this is happening, holy shit, this is really happening.
For a split second, Aiden’s eyes met mine and the full weight of what we were about to do, the line we were about to cross, slammed into us both.
Shadows of doubt clouded his gaze.
It was the moment where I could put the brakes on this. Where I could remain safe from whatever the aftermath of the oncoming onslaught would be.
There were two clear paths I could choose and he was waiting for me to make the choice—reigning in his own need to be sure we were on the same page. I took a quick glance at the two roads dividing before me. The one where I handed over everything I was and risked him shattering me into a million pieces. And the one where I didn’t, where I laid in bed tonight wondering what if.
The second road would be smarter. Safer. Easier.
I reached for him instead.
With a growl of appreciation, he took my mouth again.
At some point, we worked together to removed my jeans. With them, came my panties. While his tongue explored my mouth, my neck, and my breasts, his fingers grazed my bare thighs, causing me to jerk violently against him. I moaned loudly as he slid his hand up my clit, back and forth against the heat inviting him inside. Muscles constricted inside me, muscles that were strong from wanting, from clenching on emptiness so often.
When his fingers plunged inside I made a noise that was new to me. Half pleasure and half pain, he pulled back and I thrusted forward to get more.
“Please,” I begged, unsure of what exactly I was begging for. There was a delicious pinch of pain but beyond that, a promise of intense pleasure like I’d never known.
“Please what, sweetheart?”
“I don’t know. Just please. More. Don’t stop. I need…” My voice was desperate, low and breathy. Foreign to my own ears.
“Shhh. I’ve got you. I promise.” His warm hands radiated heat as they spread my thighs open wider.
I watched wide-eye
d and awestruck as he folded himself into the floorboard and lowered his head. When he placed his mouth between my thighs, I flinched at the contact of his warm, wet tongue against me.
He used his left hand to hold me in place, while the other hand stroked and dipped inside of me. Once my body relaxed a little, he licked me again. Gently at first. Tender and tentative until I was aching for more friction.
“Damn you taste good.”
All I could manage in response was a moan.
His expert fingers began what felt like a pulling motion while his tongue circled, stroked up and down then left to right, and teased me relentlessly. The pressure built to a combustible point and I finally understood what he was pulling from my willing body.
My orgasm hit like a category five hurricane, rattling my teeth and turning my bones to jelly.
I heard noises, mine and his. Mewling. Growling. Pleading. Thanking.
I wanted him closer, then closer was too much. Way too much. I felt like I might shatter from the inside out.
I think I praised God, or at least called on Him once or twice out of pure shock and gratitude that I’d survived.
When I was completely drained, slumped over and unable to move, Aiden slid his fingers—maybe one maybe two, I wasn’t entirely sure—out of me. He placed them in his mouth making my eyes grow wider.
“You taste so damn good, sweet girl. I missed this. I need this. I don’t know how I’ll ever get enough.”
I ducked my head. Something uncomfortable was creeping over me, casting a dark shadow over my blissed out moment. I had the strangest urge to curl up in a ball, pull my knees to my chest and hide.
“Hey,” he said, using his free hand to tilt my chin up. “Don’t retreat on me now. That was amazing, Emersyn. You are amazing.”
He climbed up on the seat beside me and pulled me into his lap. I tucked my head under his chin, unable to face him after what we’d just done.
Insecurities began to swarm me like a hive of angry bees buzzing.
