Expelled

by Claire Adams

  I have to. I can’t drag her down with me. I have to end it before it goes any farther. With my resolve set and my earlier happiness deflated, I called it a night and headed to bed early. There was nothing to stay awake for.

  Chapter 26

  Tessa

  I woke up panting, on the verge of a climax. My body had a film of sweat covering it head to toe. It was Ian. He was haunting me in my dreams. Most of the night was spent dreaming about the man who seemed to know exactly what my body needed. I found it shocking the man had kept those magical skills of his to himself for four long years. It was a crime! How could a man as introverted as Ian be that good in bed?

  I stretched away the last tingles of the almost-climax and got out of bed. I was looking forward to seeing him. It was going to be hard to keep my hands to myself. I needed him again. Another shiver of delight shot through me as I imagined his tongue tracing a line down my body, straight to my center.

  I want him again, but it needs to be done with extreme care. I can’t park my car at his house or vice versa. There is no way I can ignore the attraction and although it is probably wrong on about a hundred different levels—I don’t care. I want him and intend to have him. I’ll make him promise to be more careful. I could never live with myself if I were the one to get him fired. Even if the sex would be worth almost anything the dean could throw our way.

  After a quick shower, I headed for the kitchen, knowing Maria was waiting. We hadn’t seen each other since the night of the charity event, and she had been blowing up my phone, asking for details.

  “Don’t even think about denying me,” she greeted, handing me a cup of coffee. “I have waited too long. I want all of the dirty details.”

  I grinned. “What makes you think there are any details at all?”

  She rolled her eyes. “You can’t hide that glow. I have seen it before and even got to experience it myself a time or two. You got laid.”

  I laughed, admitting nothing.

  “That good, huh? Spill. Now.”

  I debated how much I should tell her for about a second before I dove in. I gave her plenty of details, enjoying the retelling.

  “He is the best I’ve ever had. My experience isn’t quite as vast as yours, but he is attentive, kind, and when it’s right, forceful,” I said, with a small shudder, thinking back to my night with Ian. The man had shown me a great deal about himself in that all too brief time together. I wondered if I would get the chance to learn more. I prayed I did. I can’t imagine going through life without getting a second chance at the man.

  “My God. Jake needs to take lessons from his big brother,” Maria said, picking up a magazine to fan herself. “I won’t be home tonight. Jake is going to be a busy boy. I am going to give him a few pointers.” She winked.

  I laughed before waving goodbye and heading out the door. I hoped Maria wouldn’t give Jake the play by play. I’m sure the last thing Ian wanted was his brother talking to him about his performance in the bedroom. Although, he should be mighty proud. He was a skilled lover.

  I steeled myself before entering the classroom. I knew the moment I saw him; I was going to have an urge to rip his clothes off and jump him where he stood. I felt a bit like a tigress. It was a new feeling and one I was actually enjoying, despite it being a bit torturous to be so close to him and not be able to kiss him or run my hands over his butt before grabbing his balls.

  “Stop it,” I scolded myself before I walked through the door.

  He was at his desk. The moment our eyes met, that earlier feeling returned and I had to force myself to walk by him.

  “Hi,” I said.

  “Good morning,” he replied in that husky tone that told me he was as turned on as me.

  Today, I had purposely dressed to tease him. I knew it was dangerous, but yesterday he had complained about my jeans. Today, I wore a flowing blue dress with no panties. I felt extremely daring, but realized it could have been a huge mistake. Looking at him got my juices flowing.

  I quickly sat down and crossed my legs, willing my body to settle down. I felt flushed and had to fan myself. I could feel his gaze on me. He knew. The man knew what he was doing to me and seemed very pleased with himself. I guess it was payback for yesterday. He hadn’t been able to leave the shelter of his desk for both classes.

  When he stood to begin his lecture, I had to look away. If I looked at him, I was sure I’d burst into flames. Then everyone would know.

  “Miss McShane!” I heard my name. He was yelling at me. Why?

  “Yes?” I said, trying to rewind the last couple of minutes. I had spaced out and not heard a word he said. My mind had been in the gutter since the moment I woke. It had only gotten worse with full-blown fantasies playing out in my head.

  “The quizzes from yesterday? Do you have them?” he asked, his tone irritated, but his eyes saying otherwise. He knew he had caught me. That little twinkle in his eye that said he knew exactly what I had been doing made me blush. It was only a little embarrassing to be caught fantasizing by the person you were dreaming of ravishing.

  I quickly looked away, stood, and grabbed the tests. I can’t look directly at him. I looked over his shoulder. “They’re right here. Did you want me to return them?” I asked in my best assistant voice.

  “Yes, please,” he said, stepping into my line of sight. I looked away again, but not before I caught him grinning.

  He was going to pay for the hell he was putting me through. I took my seat and managed to avoid looking at him for the rest of class. It was horrible. I wanted to look. I wanted to stare at his ass and imagine ripping the buttons off of his shirt in a state of furious passion.

  As soon as the last student left the room, it was I who slammed the door and locked it. He had been at the back of the room, putting away his props from his lecture.

  He turned and looked at me stalking towards him. “Tessa,” he started in a voice full of warning. “The windows. We can’t.”

  I didn’t stop walking. I reached him, grabbed his hand, and dragged him towards the tiny door in the back of the room. It was a storage closet, smaller than my closet at home, but it was a door, and it would provide privacy.

  I swung the door open and pushed him inside with my hand against his chest.

  “Tessa,” he protested, but it was a half-ass attempt to stop me. We both knew it.

  I pounced. My lips pressed into his, grinding his teeth against his lips. I felt him jerk back in pain for a split second before he took over. I was out of control with need. His tongue was dancing with my own, our bodies pressed together partly because of the tight quarters and partly because I wanted to crawl on him.

  His hands squeezed my ass through the thin fabric of my skirt. I pulled back enough so I could speak. “I’m not wearing any panties,” I whispered.

  A feral sound escaped from his lips a second before they crashed into my own. Now it was me wincing from the pressure of the hard kiss. His hands were busy pulling my skirt up. Once his hands landed on my bare ass, the intensity of his kiss kicked up another notch.

  “Fuck, Tessa, you’re killing me,” he moaned, squeezing one cheek and moving his other hand down my thigh.

  Our kiss changed from passionate to one of ardent need. Neither of us could get close enough or touch enough. It was all roving hands and lips. I wanted to taste every inch of him, but the tiny closet brokered little room for true exploration. His hand was cupping me under my skirt, teasing me with its closeness, but he refused to give me what I was dying for.

  I rubbed against his hand, asking in the best way I knew how: without actually saying the words.

  I felt him smile against my lips. “What do you want, Tessa?”

  I kissed him back, gyrated again.

  He trailed a finger between the folds. “This,” he whispered. “Or this,” he breathed a moment before he pushed one finger in.

  Pleasure washed over me. I reached between his legs, gently running my hand over his pants before pushing harder.
I could feel him losing the little control he had left. It made me giddy to know he was hot for me and me alone.

  “Ow,” I muttered when he pushed me into a shelf with a thrust of his hips. I hadn’t meant to break the mood, but there was something poking me in the back. I’d get over it.

  “God dammit,” he muttered, dropping my skirt and stepping back an inch.

  “No,” I said, following him the short distance and pulling him into my grasp again. He wasn’t getting away so easily. I was only getting started.

  “Tessa, we’re in a closet—in my classroom. I almost bent you over right here,” he said, with a hint of embarrassment.

  I had to giggle at the situation. “There was no way I was bending over. There is not enough space for that.”

  I knew he was right. The moment had nearly spun out of control. Thank God for that shelf or we would have had sex right there in the closet. That was far riskier than either of us was prepared for.

  He grunted before reaching his hands around my waist one more time and pulled me in for another kiss. This time, he was slow and thorough. The passion was still there, bubbling under the surface, but it was reined in. My heart began to slow, and I cherished the slow loving he was giving me.

  “We better get out of here,” he mumbled, pulling away once more.

  I nodded and ran my hand over my skirt before doing what I could to calm down my wild hair. I opened the door and poked my head out, scanning the room. Neither of us wanted to risk someone waiting in the classroom for the professor.

  “All clear,” I said before stepping into the room.

  I quickly did another straightening of clothing before I looked back to watch him do the same. He was a mess. I smiled at the straining erection in his slacks and watched as he carefully adjusted, trying to disguise it.

  He met my eyes. “This isn’t fair,” he muttered.

  I winked. “Sorry.”

  I closed the distance between us and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “I have to go,” I whispered.

  “I’m going to explode,” he whined.

  I threw my head back and laughed. “Goodbye, Professor Dunlap.”

  I made sure I properly sashayed as I made my way out the door. I wanted him to remember I was commando under the dress. That should keep him perfectly miserable and aroused all day. It made me giddy. I’m sure he wasn’t quite as thrilled, but it made me feel powerful, desired. It was a heady feeling I could get used to.

  Chapter 27

  Ian

  “You’re going to screw everything up,” I said to my reflection in the mirror as I carefully ran the razor over my chin. I felt younger than I had in five years, but at what cost? Tessa had infused life into my very dark world—wasn’t that worth the price?

  I wanted her. I wanted her more than I had wanted anything in a very long time. She was always on my mind. Even when I was sleeping, she was always at the forefront of my thoughts. I smiled, thinking about the make-out session in the closet. I had nearly fucked her right there. I had been mindless with desire, willing to risk it all for a small taste of her.

  Dexter was sitting on the toilet, not-so-patiently waiting for me to finish so I could feed him.

  “You can wait,” I told him, quickly washing my face before brushing my teeth. The whole process of getting ready felt different. I was more into it. I wanted to look good. It was a foreign feeling. For four very long years, I had gone through the personal hygiene basics, but it had been a chore. It had taken a great deal of energy, usually more than I had, but now, I felt like a new man. I had a little extra pep in my step, and I was excited to clean up and get out the door every morning.

  “Come on, you fat cat,” I said, leaving the bathroom with the cat on my heels. I quickly poured him his food, filled his water bowl, and headed out the front door. As I unlocked the car door, I realized I was whistling.

  When did that happen? I chuckled, thinking I was a cliché. I had gotten laid, and now I was whistling on my way to work.

  I strolled down the hallway, noticed the door to the classroom was already open, and the lights were on. She beat me here. I can’t wait to see her. I walked in and there she was, a beacon of light in my once very dark life.

  “Hi,” she said, looking up from what she was doing as she sat behind my desk. “You look—perky.”

  I walked towards her. “I’m very perky in more ways than one, and it is all because of you.”

  Putting my briefcase down, I pretended to be looking at what she was doing, but really, I wanted to smell her.

  “You smell delicious,” I whispered close to her ear.

  “Thank you,” she said, and I watched her blush.

  “We only have one class today. Come over,” I said.

  She turned her head to look at me. “You only have one class,” she said. “I have a full day.”

  It was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over my head. She was right. That age difference became glaringly obvious at times like these. She was a senior in college. Her life hadn’t even really started yet.

  “Sorry,” I winced, standing up and walking a few feet away from her.

  She shrugged. “Don’t be. I’m glad you only have the one class. You can take it easy today.”

  I nodded, but the issue was glaringly obvious. She was sitting at my desk, working on my assignments. She was my assistant. She was a student. I needed to remember that the next time I fantasized about bending her over anything.

  She stood, and I caught a glimpse of her blue dress. My mind instantly went back to the closet. Was she wearing panties under the dress? I was staring at her with a heated gaze, my mouth hanging open when she looked at me.

  She stalked towards me, holding my eyes. “Am I or am I not?” she whispered before brushing her breasts across my chest as she walked to her own small desk.

  I was frozen in place. I couldn’t move or breathe. My mind was stuck in a place it shouldn’t be. I wanted to drag her back to that closet and check for myself what was or wasn’t under that skirt. I watched as she sat down, opened her legs a brief second before she crossed them.

  The smile she had on her face was pure devilish delight. She knew what she did to me and was enjoying my discomfort. Now, I had to get through another class while sitting behind the desk. My brain seemed to have misfired, and I couldn’t remember what I was going to talk about. There was only one thought in my head, and that was certainly not one I could discuss.

  I managed to muddle through, but I know it was awful. I couldn’t seem to string words together in a coherent fashion. My lesson plan was all over the place, and every time I looked at Tessa, she seemed to be taking a great deal of pleasure in my inability to teach. I either needed to fuck her or forget her. I knew which one I wanted.

  After class, she waited around for the room to clear out before approaching me, “Sorry,” she said in a soft voice. “I won’t do that again. You looked genuinely miserable, and I don’t want this to negatively impact your teaching.”

  I smiled. “It wasn’t you. I mean it was, but I need to learn a little more self-restraint. I’ll figure it out,” I promised her.

  “Good. I have to run. I’ll text you later,” she said, rushing out the door.

  I watched as she walked away before snapping myself out of the trance she had put me in. Since it was Friday, there was a good chance Jake would be done early as well.

  With a quick call, I arranged to meet him for lunch. After that, we headed for one of the busy parks and strolled along the paved path.

  “Since you aren’t going to tell me, let me say I already know. Maria told me,” Jake started.

  I groaned. I had wanted to talk to him about what happened between Tessa and me, but felt slightly ashamed.

  “And?” I said, waiting for a lecture from my little brother.

  He shrugged. “I am really happy for you. I like Tessa. She’s great. Gorgeous, smart, and driven.”

  I waited. “But? I hear a ‘but’ in there,
don’t I?”

  “But, she’s a student. Aren’t you risking your job? Aren’t you putting your career in jeopardy by messing around with her?”

  “Yeah, I am, which is why it sucks. I like her a lot. She is the first woman who has made me feel alive. She’s given me a reason to get out of bed and look for the positive,” I explained.

  Jake stopped walking, forcing me to look at him. “Ian, she’s the first woman you have let yourself be around. What if it could have happened with another woman, one who is more your age? I mean, you’ve sequestered yourself for so long. The first woman you lay eyes on is of course going to look like a goddess sent from heaven.”

  I shook my head. “It’s more than that. I have seen and talked with plenty of other women. None of them do it for me. I mean that paralegal you brought to the barbecue. I had actually hoped there would be a spark, but there was nothing.”

  We started walking again. “There was nothing because you were already hooked on Tessa.”

  I mulled that over. Was it possible?

  “I want you to be happy, man, really I do, and if Tessa is the one who does it for you, then I guess you have to weigh the risk against the benefits,” he finally agreed.

  “I know, and I’m trying. It’s a mess, I suppose. I shouldn’t have ever let myself go down that road in the first place, but no matter how much I tried, it was like an invisible thread kept pulling us together.”

  Jake laughed. “I know, according to Maria, it is fate, pure and simple. She has been for this match from the very beginning. If I even try to be logical about it, she shuts me down. She is all for a happily-ever-after for the two of you. And bro, when Maria’s happy, I’m happy. Very happy,” he said, with a wink.