She was so fucked.
And not in a good way.
The studio fell silent.
Arianna waited until the slam of the door stopped echoing and made her way to Grant’s office. He sat at his desk, staring sightlessly at the piles of paper. His hair fell loose around his shoulders, the ebony strands gleaming in the low light. The official school t-shirt in black and gold molded to his carved chest muscles, accenting the endless inky depths of his eyes and his craggy features. She stood framed in the doorway and waited.
His casual tone contradicted his face. “She quit the school.” Arianna held back a knowing sigh and nodded. “I figured.”
“I told her to think about it. I talked to her in a calm, reasonable manner. I explained our relationship had absolutely nothing to do with the school, but she used my own rejection of her against me.”
“When she made a pass at you, you originally told her you didn’t date students. It was your code.”
“Yep. She said I couldn’t be trusted as a teacher. Hannah will quit next. She’s Missy’s best friend.”
“Shit.”
“That about covers it.”
Silence fell between them. Arianna struggled to contain her own emotions and fought the urge to touch him. A mountain stood between them and she didn’t know how to scale it. “Are you pissed at me?”she asked.
A laugh escaped his lips. He finally looked up. “No, of course not. This isn’t your fault.”
“It kind of is. If we hadn’t started an affair and let the news go public, you wouldn’t have lost students.”
He seemed uncomfortable with the train of thought. “I was the one who decided to tell Missy the truth. I’m sure it won’t be a big deal. Hannah and Missy may leave, but none of the other students will have a problem.”
Arianna decided to push his comfort zone. “I think Missy and Hannah will do their best to whisper in everyone else’s ear. Missy is mad you didn’t break the rules for her. Hannah will follow. She could decide to open up her own classes and smear your name. Steal your students.” Now, he seemed flat out annoyed. “Why are you making more out of this? Did you want to aggravate Missy? Did you want her to quit because you were jealous?” Bingo.
“Is that what you think?”
“I don’t know what to think!” Grant raked his hair back with his fingers. “I don’t know what’s going in that head of yours.”
“Why don’t you just admit you’re freaking out? The past is back. The secret affair, the students leaving, all of your hot buttons. And I’m the cause. Why don’t you just end it right now? I’m leaving anyway. Why risk what you’ve built for two more weeks of sex?” He pushed himself out of the chair and faced her with full fledged masculine temper. His muscles clenched. Dark eyes shot furious sparks of aggression across the room. Violence and attraction mingled in a horrifying and exciting reaction. Arianna was done playing with him.
Gloves were off and they were stepping up to the major leagues. No more Tee ball.
“What the hell are you trying to do?” he asked quietly. A gleam of warning shone from his eyes.
“Make you tell the truth. You can breathe and pretend to be calm all you want. You can accept the situation and give her a warm send off full of love and best wishes. But she screwed you, just like your ex-wife once did. You’re scared and you don’t want to admit it.” He took a step toward her. “Listen, Arianna, you may be a great student but I’ve been studying yogic principles for years. Just because I choose not to get angry or lose my temper, doesn’t mean I’m denying my feelings.”
“Nice speech. You just happen to be full of shit.”
A low growl escaped his lips and excitement fluttered down her spine. Arianna knew she needed to push him past his comfort zone. She needed to know if this was real between them, or just a convenience until she left. Would he be willing to risk his school for a short affair about to end? Or did she mean more?
She refused to analyze why it was so important to know Grant’s true feelings right now, tonight, but her gut twisted and she always went with her instinct. Instinct had sold accounts over and over. Instinct had gotten her out of Iowa and to the top of her game.
Instinct would hopefully give her the truth.
Arianna flung her head back to glare up at him in her own feminine temper. “You talk about letting go, but you live for control. Control the students. Control your love life. Everyone and everything has a neat and tidy compartment, and if it doesn’t fit, you get rid of it. Or at least, the thought of it.”