The teacher was the last to come in and her heart stopped when he walked in the door. “Hi, everyone, I'm Professor Stone and I'll be your teacher this semester for American History.”
Professor Stone was none other than Drake, the man she'd been tangling tongues with barely two days before. Grace felt the color leave her face and she dipped her head down, hunching over her notebook. Oh, dear God, don't let him see me. Flicking up a quick glance, she couldn't stop the frisson of pleasure that blossomed through her as she watched him. Drake was even sexier in the daylight, if it was possible. His dark hair was cropped short on the sides with a little wave to the top and it looked as if he'd been mussing it while preparing for the lecture, perhaps.
His eyes were the color of the ocean, a deep and limitless blue that Grace wanted to get lost in all over again. He'd shaved since Saturday night and only a slight stubble touched his cheeks. He wore fitted black trousers and a pale dove gray button-down shirt. Grace swallowed and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. As he turned to survey the class, she ducked down a little lower, grateful that the guy in front of her was at least six foot five and built like a linebacker.
“We will run through attendance right quick and then jump into the American Revolution, okay, guys?”
Grace panicked as he called names, starting with the A's and working down the list. As he said her name, she closed her eyes and quickly squeaked, “Here!”
“I can't see you, Miss Evans. Will you be able to see the board?” His voice curled through her and she squirmed.
“I'm fine.”
“Maybe you should sit in front of Mr. Barnes?”
Grace prayed harder than she had ever done and she realized that the whole class was waiting on her to move. “Oh, sure,” she mumbled, grabbing her book and backpack to move.
As she stood, she avoided his eyes, but as she sat, she couldn't help but look up and their eyes locked. His widened with what seemed to be awareness and he busied himself with the next name on his list. Grace watched the clock, praying for the hands to move faster as Drake gave his lecture.
When time was up, she was the first to jump from her seat. No notes had been written, and she had plans of going to switch classes so she would never have to see him again. As she moved into the aisle and hurried to the door, his voice made her pause. “Miss Evans, a word, please.”
She bit her lip and turned. “Sure.”
He pointed at a desk at the front of the room and Grace slid into it. The rest of the class left, tittering at her for having to stay back on the first day of class. Drake ushered the last students out and closed the door. Grace jumped as he threw the lock and pulled the shade down on the little glass insert of the door.
“So, what happened to you being a psychologist?” Drake stalked back to his desk and sat down.
Grace swallowed. “I-I don't know.”
“How old are you, Grace?” She watched as he rubbed his forehead and ran a hand through his hair.
“Eighteen and a half,” she squeaked out.
“Shit!” Grace jumped as he slapped a hand down on the desk. “I bought you a drink.”
Grace shrugged. “It's okay.”
“No, Grace, it's not.” Drake sighed. “I bought an eighteen-year-old girl a drink at the bar, kissed her, and God...I almost did more.”
Grace gulped. “Eighteen and a half,” she finally whispered.
Drake snorted and ran his hand through his hair again before standing and pacing behind his desk. “Like that half a year makes a difference, Grace. If the dean found out what I did...my tenure here would be over, just like that.” Grace jumped again as he snapped his fingers.
“We didn't do anything wrong. We're both consenting adults,” Grace started, as she stood from the seat.
“So you're a consenting adult?” Grace shivered as Drake came around the desk and came to stand in front of her. “Consenting adults don't lie and say they are what they aren't.”
“I'm sorry,” Grace choked out as tears filled her eyes.
“Dammit, don't cry.”
Her throat closed as his hand came to cradle her cheek. “Drake,” she whispered.
“Don't look at me like that.” Drake demanded.
“Like what?” Grace breathed.
“Like you trust me.” Drake pulled back and Grace stumbled a little as she righted herself. Whenever he was around it was like gravity suddenly was gone and she couldn't hold herself upright without his touch. It unnerved her.
“Maybe I do, and that's what scares me,” Grace admitted. She watched as Drake paced, then came closer.
“You're a fool. Still a kid.”
Grace held her chin high and whispered, “Kids don't feel like this.”
Drake laughed roughly and Grace closed her eyes even as her body responded. “Feel like what?”
“Like I want to finish what we started in the bar. No drinks involved.” She kept her eyes closed and silence filled her ears for a few moments. “Drake?” she finally whispered.
“This is wrong.”
“Why?” Grace opened her eyes and found Drake leaning against his desk, his arms crossed over his chest.
“Because you're eighteen.”
“And a half.” She smiled, hoping to ease the tension.
“Do you know how old I am, Miss Eighteen-and-a-half?” Drake drummed his fingers against the maple desk and Grace couldn't help but imagine his fingers on her skin again.
“Twenty-two? Old enough to teach.”
Drake laughed again. “Try again, sweetheart.”
Another chill coursed through her at his use of the endearment sweetheart. “Twenty-four.”
“Nope.” He stepped closer and Grace felt her chest tighten.
“Twenty-six?” Her voice came out in barely a squeak.
“Negative.” Another step closer and Grace was drowning in the scent of his cologne.
“Twenty-eight?” she squeaked out when she found the words to speak.
“Ding. Ding. Ding. Little Red Riding Hood figured it out.”
Grace blew out a breath. “So are you saying you're the Big Bad Wolf?”
Drake shrugged. “I'm saying you should leave now.”
Grace stepped forward, closing the gap between them. “I can't.” She watched the muscles in Drake's jaw play as he closed his eyes and gritted his teeth.
“This is your last chance, Grace, or I'm going to kiss you.”
Grace stood still, without saying a word. Her heart hammered in her chest and she longed to scream, “Please kiss me,” but she didn't. She waited instead. The change in Drake was subtle, but even someone as naïve as Grace could pick up on it. He opened his eyes and within the space of a breath pulled her to him. His mouth crushed over hers and Grace drowned in the feeling.
His lips were firm but soft, and the rasp of his beard against her cheek was more than she could handle. Grace grasped his shirt, needing something solid to hang on to. His arms suddenly encircled her waist as she sagged into him and he pulled her up tighter against him. Grace groaned as his mouth ravaged hers. She opened her mouth slightly, hoping he would kiss her again with his tongue, and she was thrilled as it swept into her mouth.
The world stopped as Drake kissed her and for once in her life, Grace felt like she was in the right spot. Finally he pulled back and rested his head against hers. “Grace, this can't happen.”
“What do the rules say?”
Drake laughed. “I can't be in a relationship with you.”
Grace nodded and pulled away from him. “What does a relationship constitute?”
Drake frowned. “I assume it means boyfriend/girlfriend and sex.”
“Okay, so what is the definition of sex?” Grace paced the room, only pausing when Drake laughed.
“We aren't doing this.”
Grace propped her hands on her hips. “Tell me you don't feel it when we kiss.”
“Feel what?”
“Like everything stops and nothing else matt
ers but the touch of your mouth on mine. Like being burned alive and the only balm for it is more of what's setting me on fire. Tell me you don't and I'll leave now and change classes.” Grace picked up her backpack and her chest heaved with emotion. “Tell me.”
She watched as Drake closed his eyes and those muscles in his jaw played again. “The definition of sex would be intercourse,” he said, his voice hard as if he spoke between clenched teeth.
“So you feel it.” A secret thrill coursed through her and she clenched her hands together.
“Hell yes, I feel it, Grace. It doesn't make it right.”
She stepped up to him and brushed an errant lock of hair away from his brow. “Okay, then how do we make it right? Because I want...I want you to teach me something. If we can't have a relationship, and we can't have sex...I want you to do something for me.”
Drake looked up at her. “You want me to do what?”
Grace stepped back and rubbed her forehead. “So my roommate Christina has been trying to teach me how to flirt with guys and I need someone to teach me how to have a healthy relationship with a man.”
“You want me to teach you how to have a healthy relationship with a man.”
Grace stared at him for a minute before nodding. “Yeah. Then that way if someone would report it, we can say it's not a relationship, and we won't have intercourse. I mean, I've heard of other things that can be done. You can teach me how to do that and then I'll get you out of my system and no one will be hurt.”
She watched Drake as he processed what she said. Finally, he spoke, “It's not that simple.”
“Well, what do you want to do, risk your career?”
Drake sighed. “You don't know what you're asking for, Grace.”
“Maybe not. Maybe I'm just a crazy, hormonal teenager. But you admitted what you felt when we kissed.”
“Yeah, it's called lust. I want to rip those clothes off you, bend you over my desk and fuck you until I can't anymore. I want to see those incredible breasts bare and bouncing as I take you. Is that what you want to hear, Grace? That I want to lick you until you come and feel you quiver at my touch?”
Grace backed up a step and gulped. “I see.”
“Good, sweetheart, because if you come to a grown man, asking for him to do things to you, you need to be prepared for his answer. Isn't that what you want me to teach you? Do you want me to teach you how to suck my dick until I come? Hmm? What do you want, Grace?” Grace backed up another step as Drake came toward her, his blue eyes flashing with something she couldn't identify.
“I-I-I...” she stuttered as he came closer.
“That's exactly what I thought. You’re a kid, and you don't know what you want. Get out of here, Grace.”
As he withdrew, Grace shivered and tears filled her eyes as she stumbled to the door and unlocked it. She glanced back at him, and saw only his back facing her before she ran.
Chapter Nine
Grace ran until she could run no longer, which frankly wasn't too very far, only outside Yale to the edge of the trees. Sliding down the trunk of a tree, she curled her arms around her legs and sobbed into her knees. Her lips were still swollen from the assault of his mouth against hers, and even after his warning her away, she wanted him.
She blushed thinking of the things he'd said to her, the crass, rough, harsh things he'd said. Her innocent mind played through some of the words he'd said. Ripping my clothes off and um...doing me across his desk...oh my. My boobs bouncing as he takes me. Heat seared through her even as she cried and her nipples tightened.
As her tears subsided she leaned her head back against the trunk of the tree. I guess I don't really know what I'm getting myself into here. Isn't this what growing up is, though? Taking risks? Not being afraid?
She chewed her bottom lip for a moment and wiped her eyes before standing and walking back to the school. Her last class had already started and she didn't see any point in going to it with it halfway over. Walking past his classroom, she peeked in quickly and found him teaching another class. A mailbox was next to his door with a sign saying,
If I'm teaching or out of the room, leave me a note and I'll get back to you.
Grace pulled a sheet of paper from her notebook and a pen from her purse. Hastily scribbling on the paper, she folded it and slid it into the mailbox before she had a chance to change her mind. The note simply said,
I'm not afraid. (203) 665-4345.
She left and moved through the halls with a small smile on her face. Her feet carried her along even as her mind wandered. Drake filled her thoughts. He only said those things to scare me away, to make me afraid. Maybe I should be afraid, but instead I want it even more. She realized she stood in front of her dorm room and she fumbled through her purse for the keys. Unlocking the door, she stepped inside and found Christina sitting at her desk, reading from a textbook.
“Hey,” she said softly, and Christina glanced up.
“Hey...” Christina closed her book and cocked her head to the side. “You look...different.”
Grace grinned. “Oh, um, it's just that I have my hair up.”
“No, your cheeks are red and your lips are all swollen. You've been making out with someone.”
Grace shook her head and rubbed at her lips. “No.”
“Oh my God, you have been!”
Grace slipped her backpack off her shoulder and shook her head. “No.”
“I think you are protesting just way too much. Who was it?”
Grace finally turned and snapped, “It was no one, okay? Mind your business.” She felt bad as her friend recoiled and turned back to her book.
“Excuse me, then.”
With a sigh, Grace flopped on the bed and buried herself in her homework. Over the rest of the night she checked her phone a hundred times. He never called. Her night was filled with restless dreams, thoughts of him touching her, kissing her filling her mind through the dark hours. Dawn broke and she found that she had barely slept.
She pulled herself from between the covers and readied herself for her classes. It's obvious he doesn't want to risk anything, so I'll make it easier for the two of us. I'll just withdraw from his class and join another. After breakfast she hurried to the office and switched for another history class, groaning as she realized it would now make her busy week busier. She also applied to work in the library with a heavy heart.
Her day moved around her quickly, even though she felt like time stood still. Dragging herself through her classes, she barely took notes and forgot most of what the teachers said. After her classes were over, she realized she hadn't eaten, so she moved to the cafeteria to find something gooey and cheesy and ridiculously bad for her to eat.
Four slices of pepperoni pizza and a slice of cake later, she felt marginally better. She walked through the halls and couldn't help but pass by his room. It was dark. His classes were over for the day. Standing on tip-toe she peeked into his mailbox. It was empty. He had gotten her note.
Sadness filled her and she hurried to her room, ignoring Christina as she collapsed into bed, covered her head with a blanket and cried. She slept for a while, waking up at two in the morning. Pulling her diary from under her pillow, she began to write.
Dear Diary,
I understand his fear, and maybe I was stupid for trying, but now we won't have to see each other anymore. He can go on with his life, and I can go on with mine. Or try. This is insane and I feel like an idiot. I should have known better. But then again, I'm just a kid and I don't know what I want...right? Then why does it hurt so damn much? If I was just a stupid kid, it shouldn't hurt, not a bit. I should be able to shrug him off like a wet raincoat and forget him. Instead, he and his rejection have permeated into my skin. I can't slough it off fast enough. If only I could be a snake and shed myself, reinvent who I am. Hah. I tried that and look where it got me? Feeling hurt and stupid after only a few days.
Grace
* * *
The next six weeks passed in a blu
r and Halloween was only a few days away. Grace had learned to keep moving. Drake had never called, and she was trying to bury herself in schoolwork instead. She had been one of the lucky students picked to work in the library, so between classes she kept herself busy with books.
Christina had tried several times to make their relationship work, but Grace had found herself unable to get close to her again. Thanks to her she had met a man she really wanted, but he didn't want her, and as foolish as it was, she sort of blamed Christina for it.
Her parents had been worried about her, but she had become adept at telling lies. Yeah Mom, I'm totally fine. My roommate is awesome, we're best friends, and about to study for our midterm together. Yes, Dad, I'm totally going to church every Sunday just like you asked. What did the preacher talk about? I sat in the front pew and listened to him preach about Luke. Me look up the sermons online? No! Never! I'm sweet, good girl Gracie! Yeah, my life is perfect and I totally know where I am going. I'm not sitting here floundering, lost.
Skipping class had become a normal thing and her grades were hanging in the C category. She had been warned if they got much lower, she wouldn't be allowed to work at the library anymore, which was a decent amount of money she was able to stick away for the future that had once seemed so bright but now looked bleak.
Grace snorted at her thoughts as she walked into her shift at the library. If only Mom and Dad knew about Drake, I would be home in less than six hours. For good. But I guess what they don't know won't kill 'em, right? It's not like I did anything wrong. Boy, how I wanted to, though...
Silence filled the library as she worked. Students in there plagiarizing their term papers were long gone and so were the nerds. There was half an hour until closing and no one had been in since seven. Everyone was out at bonfires and bars, gearing up for a long Halloween weekend.
Saving Grace (Wild Rose Book 1) Page 7
