Pushing the Limits(18)

CHAPTER EIGHT

ASPEN



Everyone starts packing up after class Tuesday night, but I stay put. My  mind is focused and centered, and I don't want to stop now.

"You know you have another week to work on this, right?" I hear him  directly behind me as I stand in front of my easel. But I don't turn  around and face him.

"Yes."

"You're very passionate." I smile but don't stay anything.

He steps to the side of me, just enough where I can see him out of the  corner of my eye. "You don't have to stay. I'll be done in a minute."

"It's fine. I've nowhere to be."

"Oh yeah?" I ask, glancing slightly to where he is. "No wife or girlfriend to get home to?"

A pleased smirk spreads across his face. "That's a pretty personal question."

Fear etches over my face and my fingers still. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"But … " he draws out slowly, averting my gaze back to him. "Class is over  now." Our eyes meet as he continues. "So there's no rule against asking  personal questions." He takes a step toward me.

"You made that up." He tries to stifle a laugh. "Even after hours,  you're still my professor and I'm still your student." He takes another  step closer.

"I'll answer it if you answer one."

I try to act unaffected by how close he is to me. I continue moving the  brush over the canvas, veering my eyes away to break the tension.

"No, I don't have a wife or girlfriend waiting for me," I answer flatly.  His crooked smile encourages me to keep going. "Although," I continue,  "I am known to get quite friendly after a few drinks."

He nearly chokes on his laughter, making the tension slip away.

He's even closer now, the only barrier between us the easel. But it's  situated more to my right so his body is in full view. He stares  intently at me, his lips in a firm line.

"Husband or boyfriend?"

"Why would you want to know something like that?" I feel the heat  building in between my legs, my breath uneven and raspy as I realize  we're nearly toe-to-toe.

"Because I want to know if I can kiss you or not." His voice is low and  steady, confidence radiating off him as he towers over me, his hand  resting on my arm.

I feel the thud inside my chest as I come to terms with what he's just said. He wants to kiss me?

I don't know how to react. My head is spinning, and I think perhaps I heard him wrong.

"That's hardly appropriate, Professor Hampton."

"Why? Because you're my student or because you've been thinking about kissing me, too?"

My brush freezes in mid-stroke. I swallow, trying to process his words.

He leans in close, grabbing my attention back to his eyes.

"Answer the question, Aspen."

"Which one?" I counter, feeling the rapid movements of my chest moving up and down.

Before he can respond, a soft knock grabs our attention behind us.

Professor Van Bergen.

I jerk back at the same time Professor Hampton takes a step backward, taking his hand off my arm.

"Am I interrupting?" The distaste in her tone doesn't go unnoticed as she eyes the space between Professor Hampton and I.

"Not at all," he replies smoothly. "What can I help you with?"

She steps in closer. "I saw your light was still on so I just wanted to  check and make sure everything was all right." Silence lingers in the  air, and I lower my head to avoid the awkwardness.

"Everything's fine." My head tilts up slightly to see that he's turned  his attention to me. "Aspen wanted some advice on her project."

"Oh, all right." She's not buying it for a second and the fake smile on  her face indicates her irritation. "Well, anyway. I'll catch up with you  later." She then shifts her eyes to me as she flashes a glare, almost  as if she's giving me a silent warning to back off her territory.         

     



 

We both watch as she walks out, and suddenly, it's just the two of us  again. I can hear my shallow breaths as he continues to stare at me as  if he's still waiting for my answer.

But I don't give it to him. I grab my bag and swing it over my shoulder. "I should get going."

"You don't have to leave."

"It's fine. It's late and you probably have to lock up."

I grab the painting and put it on the rack to dry and then quickly wash  my brushes before I take the easel and put it away. He continues  standing in the same spot, just staring at me. Except his gaze is  intense, deep and thrilling.

"You can stay if you want … to finish working." His voice is low, shakier than before.

I glance over at him, trying to read his expression. I scrape my teeth  along my lower lip and watch as his eyes linger on my mouth. I swallow  and reply with just a hint of hesitation, "Maybe next time."





MORGAN



No matter how hard I try, I still can't get the girl with the feisty  attitude, driven determination, and glossy cherry lips out of my goddamn  head. It makes me want to cross all the lines just to feed the intense  urge building up inside me. I think about her lips and how I want to  press mine to hers just to see if she'd kiss me back. Every time those  bright green eyes look up at me, I envision her kneeling down in front  of me with her lips wrapped around my cock while looking up at me, as  she tastes what she does to me.

As soon as I'd release inside those perfect swollen lips, I'd throw her  on top of the bed and wrap those red heels around my shoulders as I  sucked on her clit until she came screaming my name.

Yes … I've fantasized plenty of scenarios that all end with Aspen Evans naked in my bed.

Except, I wouldn't be able to stop there.

But it's more than just what she does to me …

I think about her paintings and how the world seems to melt away from  her as she focuses on the assignment with intense concentration. I think  about how beautiful and intelligent she is. About how humble and shy  she acts whenever I compliment her talent. I think about how moving and  emotional her painting pieces are and what they truly represent. I think  about how we've both suffered losses of people we love and how  differently we've handled it. She puts all of her feelings on paper and  the emotions just spill out perfectly. I've never met a student like her  before. Her talent is far beyond her years of schooling. But then I  think about her anxiety attacks and wonder what triggers them. For  someone who looks so put together, she must be hiding a much darker  secret inside.

As of late, I'm finding any excuse at all to see her.

I swing by the coffee house Thursday morning after my second class of  the day. Instead of ordering my usual house blend coffee, I order two  lattes.

I can't contain my smile when I walk into the art gallery and see Aspen at the information desk playing on her phone.

She looks up as soon as she hears the bell over the door. "You're  getting better at this job already." I set the cups of coffee down in  front of her.

"You're going to need a punch card if you keep coming in here." She  gives me a sideways glance that tells me she doesn't mind my visits.

"Well, I just came to force some caffeine on you. I don't need you falling asleep in my class again."

Her jaw drops. "I did not fall asleep!" She wraps her hand around the cup and takes a sip of the drink anyway.

"Don't think I can't see my students just because you all have easels in front of you."

She deadpans. "I closed my eyes for twenty seconds."

"It was two and a half minutes."

"You know, most students would've filed a harassment claim by now with the amount of time you spend staring at me."

The corners of my lips curl up in pure amusement, but the excitement in  her tone tells me she likes it when I stare at her. "The only way you  can know how much I'm staring at you is if you're staring at me, too."

"Well, I'm not. I mean, I don't."

"Right." I bring the cup up to my mouth and watch as her eyes linger on  my lips. "Think you can come to class early? I have a project for you."

"Just me?"

"Well, technically, yes."

"What do I have to do?" She narrows her eyes at me suspiciously.

"Show up and you'll find out."

A playful grin spreads across her face, and I know she's thinking  exactly what I'm thinking. "All right, fine, but you should know I carry  pepper spray in my bag at all times.

"Duly noted." I smirk and tap the bottom of my cup against the desktop  before taking a step back. "See you in class, Aspen." I wink, leaving  her speechless as I spin around to walk back out the door.         

     



 





Just as I'm reading over blog posts, Claire knocks on the door, grabbing  my attention. The moment I look up, she's once again asking me to go  out with her. She seems to do this randomly and without fail trying to  seduce me with her body and words.

"I actually have to pick my niece up in just a minute and drop her off  at my parents before my night class. But thanks for the invite." I give  my best sincere tone and smile without coming off too rude. I don't know  how many times I have to reject her invites before she gets the hint,  but apparently, she's going to keep trying.