“Don’t touch me.” I shook him off me, ignoring the tingles that ran through my body.
“Leave my brother alone.”
“Excuse me?”
“He’s young and impressionable, and I won’t let a gold-digger get her hooks into him.”
“A gold-digger?” My mouth fell open in shock. “Are you joking? You’re really going to stand there and start insulting me again?”
“I’m not insulting you. I’m just letting you know that I have your number.”
“You have my number?” I repeated, dumbfounded.
“I know what sort of girl you are, Lola Franklin,” he sneered, and he moved his face closer to mine. “I’ve got your number all right.”
“There is no way in hell I’m staying around to listen to you insult me, Professor Van Romerius.” I quickly turned around again and walked towards the door.
“Wait.” His voice was commanding, and I stopped involuntarily, a part of me hoping that he was about to apologize.
“What?” I watched as he walked up to me casually. He looked like a lion about to attack his prey. I swallowed hard as I realized I was the prey.
“I just wanted to do this.”
He stopped in front of me, and before I knew what was happening, his lips were crushing down on mine and his hands were on my lower back, bringing me into him. My breasts crushed against his chest and I felt as if my soul were leaving my body as his tongue consumed me roughly, as his hands caressed my back. My hands found their way to his head and I ran my fingers through his silky tresses, allowing myself to forget how much I hated him as my hunger took over.
He tasted so goddamn delicious—even better than I had remembered. His lips were sweeter somehow, plump and sweet like ripe grapes. My brain was screaming at me to pull away, to stop his invasion of my mouth, but I couldn’t. My body didn’t want to run away from his touch, even though my mind did. But Xavier did it for me. He broke off the kiss slowly and pulled away from me. I waited for him to say something scathing, something that would make me hate him again, but instead he lightly touched my lips with his fingers and stared at me consideringly.
“You really shouldn’t let strange men kiss you.”
“I don’t think I let you. You didn’t really ask.”
“No. You are right. I didn’t.” He nodded slightly and a harried expression crossed his face. “I do suppose you are right.”
“You shouldn’t be kissing your students.” I started getting angry, wanting to show him that I had some power as well. “I’m sure it could get you fired.”
“Perhaps.” He nodded and the humor was back in his eyes. “But I’d rather kiss you than have you try to trap my brother.”
“How do you know I wouldn’t be trying to trap you?” I snapped, annoyed again.
“You could never trap me.” He laughed, a slow, long, dry laugh. But there was no humor in his eyes. “I’m older and smarter than Sebastian. That is why I need to protect him.”
“And when you fucked me the other day, who were you protecting then?” I tried to keep my voice strong as hurt course through me.
“I fucked you because I wanted to feel myself inside of your sweet body,” he murmurred as he looked me over slowly. “No other reason.”
Our eyes stayed locked for a few minutes as we just stood there staring at each other, and I felt my knees start to tremble. It was almost too much. He was too much.
“I’ll leave your class.” I took a step back.
“And go where?”
“I can join the literature program.” I swallowed. “My friend Anna is in it. She told me they need more people.”
“You didn’t even know who Nabokov is,” he sneered. “I don’t think the literature program will be a good fit for you.”
“I can’t stay in this class if you’re going to insult me.” I shook my head to clear my thoughts. My brain was starting to get cloudy from being so close to him.
“I didn’t know I had insulted you.”
“What?” I looked at him in disbelief. “You’ve basically called me a whore and a gold-digger, and you don’t know that you’ve insulted me?”
“Your skin is too thin.”
“Can I go?” I sighed and waited for his response. I didn’t want to deal with him. I needed time to think.
“I haven’t interviewed you for the position as yet.”
“Forget it.” I shrugged. “I don’t want it anymore.”
“Come, now. Surely that’s not true.”
“I don’t want to work for or with you.”