Smut University: The Complete Series

by Kahlen Aymes

  “Get your book done, and then maybe I can concentrate on your little girlfriend’s.”

  “She isn’t my girlfriend, Gloria,” I protested over my shoulder.

  “Fine,” she acquiesced. “Flavor of the month, then?”

  I felt heat flush the skin of my face as my anger increased. I stopped walking but only for a beat, then continued up the stairs. “Whatever Addison is, or isn’t, is none of your business. Other than she’s a writer and one of your clients. Remember that.”

  17

  ~Addy

  I was still fuming when I slammed into my apartment. “Guh!” I grunted as I fell down onto my bed, dropping my bag on the floor next to it. As mad as I was, I was a basket of mixed emotions. I cared about Jax and the last thing I wanted was for something like this to come between us. He was more important than the book and surely undoubtedly more important than helping Luke with his.

  The entire cab ride home, I was replaying the scene with Jax in my mind over and over.

  Michelle emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered, and ready for the day.

  “Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked. Her perkiness made me feel worse. Her blonde hair and makeup were perfect, and she was dressed in black leggings and an oversized cream sweater. I felt like an ugly slug beside her. I was sure my face was all pinched and my eyes puffy from crying. I still wore my sunglasses and sat up on the little bed, unwilling to take them off. She sat down on the edge of the bed beside me and put a hand on my back. “Did you have a fight with Dr. Michaels?”

  I cringed when she referred to him as Dr. Michaels, when he was Jax to me. It just made it all that much worse. A tear pushed out of my eye underneath my glasses and I reached up a finger to brush it away. My head dropped and I stared at my lap while both hands clutched at the old comforter on my bed. “Yeah.”

  “What about?” Her voice was comforting but held a hint of curiosity.

  “You know Luke, right?” I finally pulled the glasses off and looked at her, certain that my face shone of the misery I was feeling.

  “That cute T.A.?” Her eyes widened.

  “Yes.” I nodded.

  “Oh, my God! Did he ask you out and the professor was jealous?” She seemed almost giddy at the prospect.

  I huffed, pissed off at her assumption. As if that would ever happen. “Yeah, I’ve been screwing him on the side, sure,” I mocked. “Get real, Michelle! I’m seeing Jaxon Michaels, remember? Sex God, and talented as hell… how could I even look at anyone else?” I pushed off the bed and started digging around in one of the old milk crates we used as storage for canned and boxed goods positioned on one side of the refrigerator. I was intent on making some tea, but more, I just wanted to stop talking about it.

  “Good point, but then, what’s the matter? And what does Luke have to do with it?” she asked perplexed.

  “It’s nothing, really. He wants me to critique a manuscript he’s writing, but he doesn’t want Jax to find out, and wanted me to ask I replace the other assistant so we could work together.”

  “So, what’s the big deal? Why doesn’t he just ask the professor to look at his book?”

  I found the tea and ran some water into an old copper kettle, put it on the hot plate, and turned it on. I’d never complained about living here with Michelle; in fact, I’d loved living here for my college years, but the opulence of Jaxon’s penthouse screamed how above me he was. I felt defeated and sad. I sighed heavily, getting a mug from another milk crate Michelle’s brother had mounted on the wall above the refrigerator for us when we moved in three years earlier. “Luke thinks Jax would blow a gasket because he wasn’t devoting all of his spare time to his teaching assistant duties.” Luke was a graduate student, and his class load already makes assisting difficult.

  “And what do you think, Addy? Would Dr. Michaels be upset about the time, or about you working together?”

  I rolled the ceramic mug around between my hands, waiting for the water to boil. “I think he’d be upset that I lied about it more than anything else.”

  “Ah,” she said knowingly. “Well, it will make it look like you are screwing Luke if you don’t explain the real reason. My opinion.”

  “Yeah,” I said, sitting down on one of the two chairs that sat near the small table in our studio apartment. “But Luke doesn’t want Jax knowing he asked for help from a student, or that he’s even working on a book.”

  “Why?” Michelle asked thoughtfully. “Why doesn’t he want it known he’s working on something of his own, I mean?”

  “I don’t know.” The kettle began to whistle, and I got up to retrieve it and pour it over the Earl Grey tea bag now sitting inside my mug. “I want to help Luke; I feel guilty if I don’t, but it feels wrong to keep a secret from Jax. I was trying to figure it out, but it all got confused when Luke texted me this morning when we were still in bed, and Jax saw it.”

  “Oh shit,” Michelle said incredulously. Her mouth curved into a smile. “Why were you texting some other dude when you were in bed with him? Are you nuts?”

  “It was nothing! It only said; ‘have you spoken with Dr. Michaels?’”

  “Was he jealous?”

  I shook my head, reliving his livid expression in my mind. “No, he was pissed. I mean, yeah, maybe a little jealous.” I bobbed the tea bag in the hot water impatient for it to steep.

  “Girl, you are so lucky! The Jaxon Michaels is jealous over you. What did he do?” she asked anxiously.

  My head popped up and I paused, the gravity of her statement sinking in. Maybe Jax was jealous. Warm happiness filled my heart and started to radiate out to the rest of my body. I smiled gently. “Well, he lost his shit, I guess.” A laugh pushed its way up my chest and out of my surprised mouth. “He said Luke wants to get into my pants.”

  “Doesn’t he?” she asked with a short laugh, her head cocked to one side and one brow arched skeptically.

  I sipped at my tea and shook my head. “He genuinely wants my help.”

  “Does Luke know about your book?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “He just said he admired my work and asked if I’d help him.”

  My best friend looked at me, her expression sympathetic. “Well, if it were me, there would be no choice at all. I think you know where your loyalties lie. You don’t think Luke will tank your grade, do you?”

  It hadn’t even occurred to me. “I don’t think so, no. Where are you headed?” I asked, noticing again she was dressed to go out.

  “Mark is picking me up, and we’re going shopping. Do you want me to stay in with you, instead?” she asked, concerned.

  I frowned at her wryly, surprised she’d even consider it. “Of course not. I’ll be fine. I’ll just take a shower and then clean up a little around here. Maybe do some laundry and do some homework.” It wasn’t the way I’d hoped to spend the weekend and my heart hurt a little. “Do you have anything you’d like me to throw in with mine?” Lugging baskets of dirty clothes down four flights of stairs into the basement of the building and back up again filled me with dread. It had to be done, and hopefully, it would keep my mind off of Jax.

  Michelle’s face lit up. “Really?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Yes.”

  “You’re the best, Addy!” She went to the closet and pulled out a white plastic basket overflowing with the weeks’ worth of laundry and tugged it into the center of the room.

  I dumped out the remaining tea from my cup in the sink and started to rinse it out when there was a knock on the door.

  I glanced at my roommate as I finished the task. “Did you give Mark the combination to the building?”

  “Yeah, he has it, but I don’t expect him for fifteen minutes.” She walked to the door and looked through the peep hole. “Um…” Michelle turned to me her expression incredulous. She pointed twice at the closed door. “It’s Dr. Michaels.”

  “Oh, shit!” I exclaimed in a desperate whisper. My heart started to race, and I was overly conscious of how my makeup w
as smudged by sleep and tears, my hair was a mess, and the meager studio cluttered, and bleak compared to his lush penthouse. I launched into action, shoving Michelle’s laundry back into her closet and pulling at the curtain that served as a closet door to cover it. I turned almost a complete circle, unsure of what to clean up next.

  “Shit?” Michelle asked. “I’d say it’s more like incredible!”

  I used my hands to silently ask her to lower her voice, and she complied.

  “He is here, Addy! That means something! Open the door!” she whispered furiously, exuberance filling her expression.

  “Um….” I ran a hand through my hair. “You aren’t supposed to know about us. Go into the bathroom!”

  “No! Mark will be here any minute. What then? The professor knows you have a roommate and he’s here anyway. If he didn’t want me to know, he shouldn’t have just shown up.” Her logic was pretty hard to argue with, however I didn’t really want another confrontation with my handsome professor.

  I inhaled a steadying breath as another knock followed, making me jump. “Addison, it’s Jaxon. Open the door.”

  Suddenly, the walls closed in, and my cozy little apartment felt like a matchbox. After a second or two of hesitation, I put a hand on the doorknob and turned it, pulling it open. There was nothing to be done about how I looked. Michelle backed further into the room as the door swung wide. Jax was sexy as hell in fitted jeans and a midnight button-down with a stylish black leather jacket over it, he leaned one hand on the doorframe. His dark hair was combed back and still damp from his shower. He was perfection from his stance, his casual smile that made the dimple in his left cheek appear, down to his Tom Ford Chelsea boots.

  I squared my shoulders. “What are you doing here?” I asked, pretending to be composed.

  “I think that’s obvious,” he dismissed with a smirk. “May I come in?”

  I didn’t respond but simply moved aside so he could pass.

  “Michelle,” he greeted her nonchalantly.

  “Hello, Dr. Michaels,” she returned hesitantly. Her eyes met mine and then glanced back to the striking man who’s imposing presence dominated the room. “Um…” she grabbed her coat off of her bed and slid it on. “I think I’m just going to wait for Mark downstairs. See ya later, Addy.”

  “Bye,” I raised a hand in an awkward wave.

  After she’d gone, I met his gaze. “If you didn’t want her to find out about us, I’d say that’s blown.”

  “Pfft,” he huffed. “As if she didn’t already know. She ran out of here like a frightened bird. I’m many things, Addison, but I’m not stupid. Why didn’t you just tell me you told her?”

  My eyes widened, and my temper flared again. “Because I didn’t tell her! She figured it out the morning after our first night together. She’s not mentally challenged.”

  “Clearly.” He closed the space between us and reached for both of my hands. “You still should have told me. It seems I’m batting a thousand.” His deep blue eyes were mesmerizing, and I felt myself giving in the minute he touched me. His thumbs began stroking over both of my hands as he held them in his. “I’m sorry. I overreacted this morning. It’s not your fault that Luke would want to spend time with you or get your help. You’re gorgeous and brilliant. What pisses me off is that he wanted to keep it from me by tricking you into asking to be my T.A.”

  “He’s intimidated by you.”

  Jax huffed, perplexed. “That’s stupid.”

  “Is it?” He was so smooth, sophisticated, and just… everything. Anyone would be. I was still torn between my need to be completely honest with Jax and honoring Luke’s request that I keep the fact he was working on a manuscript secret. It wasn’t my story to tell, but it put me in an awkward position.

  Jax stood looking at me until his eyes dropped to my mouth, stepping even closer. He smelled amazing, as he always did and my body reacted to his nearness, the solid wall of muscled chest in front of me, his sensuous mouth, and the warmth of his breath rushing over me. Jax dropped one of my hands and slid his fingers over my cheek to reach behind my head to tangle in the curtain of my dark hair.

  “Didn’t you hear me say I’m sorry, Addison?” His voice was low with the sensual tenor it always carried.

  “I did. Thank you.” I pulled free and surprised him when I stepped away.

  “So, then?” His expression was laced with confusion. “Are we good?”

  I could feel his eyes watch my every move, but he didn’t immediately deny it. “I didn’t want you to see this place,” I admitted, rinsing out the cereal bowl and spoon Michelle had left in the sink. I grabbed a dish towel and started to dry them.

  “You don’t have to be ashamed of your apartment. Columbia University is expensive. I’m proud of you.”

  “I’m not ashamed. It’s just so different than what you’re used to.” I put the dish and silverware away in our makeshift cupboard. “I guess it is humbling.” He was successful on his own but came from money so I couldn’t imagine him ever living in a place like this.

  “My father made us work our way through college. I lived in a frat house.”

  “Oh.” I wasn’t sure why we’d never spoken of it before.

  His hands settled onto my shoulders and slide down my arms, then back up again in a gentle, sensual caress. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not here to see your apartment. I’m here to see you and to take you out for the day. I had plans, and I didn’t want to let my little outburst to ruin the day. Don’t be mad at me.”

  “You don’t trust me, Jax.” I was fidgeting, nervously trying to tidy the room.

  “It isn’t that I don’t trust you, babe.” I did my best not to fall prey to his touch so I could say what I needed to say.

  Tears flooded my eyes. I desperately wanted to spend more time with him. I was so happy when we were together; it still felt like a dream, but he hadn’t said he trusted me. “Why don’t you trust me?” I asked, sadly. “I’ve never done anything to make you doubt me.”

  “I know.” He pulled me back against his body as his head bent to nuzzle at my neck. “I’m feeling things… I’m not used to feeling.” Jax pulled the hair back to give him full access to the sensitive place he knew drove me crazy.

  Butterflies started in my stomach at his admission and the low ache that always took purchase deep inside me whenever he touched me began to burn. His fingers ghosted over the skin of my neck, followed closely behind by his hot, open mouth. It would be easy to give in and just move past our little spat, easy to melt into his arms and let my heart and body drown in him.

  “What are you feeling?” I asked in rapt anticipation of his answer, but needing to hear it I leaned back, letting him take most of my weight, arching my neck to give his hungry mouth more access. I could feel his erection pressing into my bottom, and my back arched automatically pressing into it.

  Jax groaned, his hands starting to roam the front of my body; cupping my breast with one, his other moving below my waist to begin kneading my sex over my jeans. “I want you. In my life and my bed.”

  “God,” I breathed. “Jax, we should talk about this.”

  “Why? Talking is overrated.” He continued to work his magic. I longed to turn in his arms and find his mouth with mine.

  I should just shut up and let him make love to me. It was what my body and heart wanted so why couldn’t I just go with it?

  “I have to tell you something,” I persisted. If this was getting serious, it was important to be honest.

  It was Jax who turned me in his arms so he could meet my eyes, sobering. “What is it?”

  “Yes, Luke wants me to be your other T.A. to alleviate some of the workload, but there’s more to it.”

  “Of course, there is.” His brow dropped low, and his eyes narrowed. I could see jealousy and anger flaring deep in the depths of his magnificent blue eyes, though he didn’t let it loose. His head cocked to one side; his ardor from a few minutes before suddenly cooled. “In what way?”

/>   I mentally chastised myself for even mentioning it. I could have just told Luke I couldn’t help and left it alone. He’d be making love to me, and I wouldn’t be twisted in knots. “You have to understand that I want to tell you, but he’s asked me not to share the details.”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  “I hate being in this position.”

  “He put you there, not me, so what is it? Addison?” he almost demanded. “You want me to trust you, so tell me. Whatever it is, just spit it out. You’ve got to decide where your loyalty lies.” There was no question, but still… I felt like I was letting Luke down.

  “Do you promise not to confront him?”

  Jax was standing back from me now, all contact was cut off. “No.” He looked ominous, his stance alone demanding an answer. “And, you’re going to tell me anyway.”

  I should have known that would have been too much to ask for and something I shouldn’t have expected. I started clutching my hands together and blurted out in a breathy rush. “He admires my writing and he wants help with a book.”

  His expression relaxed, and a smile slid across his handsome face. “That’s it?”

  I was flabbergasted and so relieved. “Yeah. But… Luke thought you’d be upset. He said you’d think it took away from his job as T.A.”

  One shoulder lifted in a casual shrug. “It could, but I’d like to think I’m not a tyrant. If his work begins to suffer, then yes, I’d address it, but if anyone knows what it’s like to have a story inside you and the need to get it out… it’s me. Did you tell him about your book, and that we’re working on it, together?

  “No. Of course, not.”

  “Okay. It’s better if you don’t.” He nodded, moving slowly closer and grinning. His arms slid around me and beneath my butt, lifting me easily into his arms. My legs went around him, and my arms wrapped around his shoulders. His forehead touched mine and our faces were close enough that I could inhale his breath. Just like that, we were back to normal. “I don’t want to argue about him.”