Taming His Tutor(53)

This wasn’t supposed to mean anything, and didn’t for Joe. This was his usual easy deal. And she hardly knew him anyway, right? He’d been back in her life less than a week. All that crazy, intense feeling she had for him was infatuation. It had to be. She thought he was the best thing since sliced bread just because he knew how to give her the best orgasms ever…

But her heart puckered. Because it wasn’t just that. It was Joe himself—funny, warm, loyal, caring Joe. And she needed to build herself some better defenses quick.

This is just another lesson. Nothing but another lesson.

Abbi Hayes was supposed to have been one of the most brilliant students of her year. Now she knew she was the biggest dunce.

She’d fallen in love with her tutor.





Chapter Sixteen

“Restore your femininity—take a long bath, wear lace underwear, apply lipstick with a brush…”

Joe reluctantly pulled out of the warm haven that was Abbi.

“You were right.” She sighed and rolled to her side, her eyes closed. “I wasn’t ready for lesson number four back at the beginning.”

Joe turned away, tilting his shoulders to hide his expression. Lesson number four? Hell, he’d forgotten all about the damn number of times she’d said they’d work on her stupid sex coaching. He’d forgotten this was the fourth. He’d forgotten it was any kind of coaching at all—that everything that had transpired had been all about her. It wasn’t practice for him any longer. It was real—the pleasure he got from being with her.

Did she really think they were going to have only a couple more nights together?

Maybe that’s all she wanted. Of course it would be. He was her stud. Her practice pony. She’d move on from this all sexually confident and ready to meet the man of her dreams. Some guy way better than him.

Joe sucked in some air, but his lungs hurt like he’d inhaled chipped glass.

Stupid. Because this was only a few screws for him too. He didn’t want anything more, didn’t have time for anything more. Truthfully he didn’t have time for this as it was. He should be completely focused on opening the second gym and expanding his fitness chain, not dreaming up different ways to screw Abbi.

“Yeah, well.” He threw back the coverlet and gave her a playful slap on her ass. “Wait ’til you see what’s on the table for number five.”

He had no fucking idea what number five was going to be. Or even if there was going to be a number five. He was just getting the hell out of here now while he could still fake a smile. “You get some sleep. I’ve just gotta catch up on a couple of things on my computer.”

“Now?”

Hell yes.

…

It was three days before Joe allowed himself to go back to her. He enforced his usual distance and space to help restore perspective. They were three long, interminable days in which he covered classes, interviewed prospective instructors, ran the financial analysis, decided on a new payroll system, met with the builders who were going to do the refit, and managed another photo shoot for his next feature in the magazine.

Even so, he spent the bulk of his time fantasizing about ways in which he could make her come. And ways in which he could make her talk. Often the two plans overlapped, which was pleasing, though perhaps not practical.

He spoke with her on the phone a couple of times—kept it brief even though he ached to hear more of her laughter. But she was busy, he was busy. This was a mere sideline in their lives.

She was still shy of talking much about anything personal. Jokes were fine. Discussion of news events. All good. But anything about Abbi herself? Blocked.

Joe was frustrated. And mad at himself for being so.

This shouldn’t matter. Couldn’t matter.

In the end he handed a class to one of his other instructors and jogged to Abbi’s place early Tuesday evening. He’d surprise her again. As he rapped his knuckles on her door, he sure as hell hoped she was home.

Less than a minute later, Abbi opened the door. Joe was instantly hard. Instantly hungry. Fuck, he wanted to be inside her.

Now.

Her eyes widened when she saw it was him. Widened more as she studied his face. “I wasn’t expecting you tonight.”

No, he hadn’t called ahead. Maybe he should have. “You have other plans?” That thought pissed him off.

A prickle dug into his spine when she hesitated. But then she answered. “No.”

“Then am I welcome to come in?”

Her blue eyes lanced through his. And hell yes he meant that innuendo, and she knew it. All he wanted to do was pick her up, get her on her bed, and be inside her.

Talk could happen later.

“Of course.” She stepped aside so he could walk through the door. “But my place is a bit of a mess. I was sorting some stuff.”