The Professor's Mate Clause

rked outside my building

ore than everything I owned combined. Maybe more than the entire building

one b

he

eeting. No pleasantries, wait why

ere shaking again. They had been shaking on and of

hould not be able to hear. Smells were stronger. My emotions kept swinging from anger to something else I co

d it on

a dark gray shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. No tie. The first two b

from the classroom. Like he could see through my clothes. T

s voice was

ave a c

He opened the passenger door

and dark wood. It smelled expensive. Like money and so

engine purred to life. We pulled away fr

" I asked after a fe

You need to

e gotten rea

ot." He glanced

any of this. But I was already in t

ormen and the restaurants did not list prices on their menus. Adrian pulled into

o an elevator that required a key card to operate. We rode up in

ened directly i

apartment.

ve. Open. Modern furniture in blacks and grays. Art on the walls that probably cost more

?" I stepped out of

st me toward a hallway. "Come

y entire apartment. The bed was huge. Black sheets. More window

bed was

een that seemed to shift in the light. It was beautiful. The kind of beautiful that made

e?" My voice c

it on the bed next to the dress. Shoes. Black heels with red soles. Another box. S

ook my head. "This is too

. "You are going to that wedding looking like you c

I c

name like a command.

like I was making a deal I did not understand. But I also wanted to see Kelvin's face

oward the bed. "B

not quite a smile. "I will be in the bathroo

rough the door be

e now. I stripped out of my jeans and tshirt. Left them in a pile on the floor. The dres

t per

perf

y size? How did h

hind me and managed to get it halfway up

?" I ca

ned immediately. Like

hing different about the way he moved. Predatory. Purposeful. H

His voice was

he pulled it up. Inch by inch. His knuckles dragged against my skin th

d the top and he

h was warm against

nds were still on my waist. Firm. Possess

to sound firm. It c

n ar

stepped away. But my body obeyed before

arker. The blue was almost

it quietly. Like he w

," I corrected. My voic

air back from my face. His fingers l

red different lines. But I did not pull away. Did not tell him to s

etting ready." I fi

k. The darkness in his eyes faded a

oing to do

erything or do you want to mak

sa

e was gentle. Surprisingly gentle. Gathering the strands and twisting them. Pinning them. I could see us

learn to do t

ve si

ave si

ickered across his face. Gone befo

rls pinned up with a few strands framing my face. It l

did

ple pendant on a delicate chain. He moved in front of me and

he necklace. His fingers brushed against my throat as he fastened the clasp. I

His mouth was righ

brea

h." His hands slid down from my

hing me like this? When every brush of his f

and held out his

hands were shaking so b

at dark intense stare. When I finished h

look longer. The jewelry caught the light. I looked like someo

lowly. His eyes dragged over e

ing at me

e wh

t to..." I st

He stopped in front of

uld go. The wedd

e neckline of the dress. His fingers brushed against

breathe ag

. "Makes me want to see what is underneath. Makes me want to p

face. My chest. Lower. "You

ur heart is racing. I can see your pulse right here." He pressed

You are my professor. This i

hand and stepped back. His eyes were complete

to stop looking at me like he was about

I will be in the living roo

flection stared back at me from the mirror. The dress. The hair. The

Freya Reed who worked two jobs and could barely make r

eel like that girl. I felt like something e

g out at the city. He had put on a jacket now. Black. Perfectly tailored.

e turned t

as I wil

Kelvin what he lost.

re hard under the fabric

e through the city as the sun started to set. The wedding venue was outsid

Adrian gl

rifi

o my thigh. Just rested there. Warm. Heavy. Possess

ou

o me. Do not wander off. There are people

oes tha

ys you do not understand yet. So stay. Close

es

d to take the car. Adrian got out and came arou

air. The dress shimmered in the fading ligh

side. His arm went around my

e murmured ag

elt like walking into a trap I did not understand. B

d music floated out

I saw

ntrance talking to someone. He

went pale

waist. I felt him lean down. H

. Let him know exa

me. This was fake. Just pretend. But the wa

elvin a small wave. A smile

ke he had been p

e sound vibrated against my side. "G

ether and I realized

a what I jus

part of me wan