Bad Professor (An Alpha Male Bad Boy Romance) (63 page)

"I want you right here with me. I
ordered us a bunch of goodies. How about a long meal and a nap?" I pressed
against her hold and gripped her hips tightly as I bent down to consume her
mouth. She didn't need to forget for one second how much passion lay between
us. I couldn't seem to shake it, so it only seemed fair to make sure she
couldn't either.

Chapter
19

Vivian

His kiss was deliciously overwhelming and
only helped to make the struggle within me rage harder. Fear over having lost
Casey in Miami to some drug lord or sex trafficking unit left me weary and
almost unable to hold my head up. The right thing to do would have been to get
back to my hotel room, but everything was fine, and being with Easton was a
diminishing commodity. I'd be lying to myself if I didn't say I wanted to spend
most every day getting to know him better.

"Food sounds good, though I can't
promise that I'll be great company. I'm so tired all of a sudden." I
pressed my cheek to his chest and scraped my nails down the back of his thighs
over his jeans. He smelled divine and felt even better.

"I'm sure you are. It's been a
long-ass night. Let's eat and then you, Missy, are due for a nap." He
kissed the top of my head and moved back.

I walked to the over-sized white leather
couch and sunk down into the comfort it offered.

"So before you doze off, tell me
about your dreams and aspirations of being a food critic. What are you planning
to do when you graduate to ensure you get a job in the right area?" He
glanced over at me as he draped a blanket over my legs.

I curled up and studied him, his dark
features combined with his perfect balance of muscle and smooth skin left me
not wanting to talk at all.

"I figured I would have to get a
regular job working at a hotel or corporate restaurant chain while I continued
to work on submitting my articles." I shrugged. "Casey is the
go-getter who has the next ten years planned. I care about the future, of
course, but it doesn't consume my thoughts like it does hers."

A yawn left me, and I was grateful for the
knock at the door. Sleep was pulling at me hard, and I had a few more minutes
of watching the dreamy guy in front of me before I willingly succumbed to
sleep.

"There's breakfast or lunch?" He
smiled, and I forced myself to sit up as he spoke with the hotel attendant.
Three large trays were delivered into the room.

I got up from my comfy position and moved
to take the tops off as the smell of cinnamon, sugar, and cheese brushed by my
senses. Picking up a blackberry, I popped it in my mouth and turned in time to
watch Easton close the door and move toward me.

"It's far too much food, but there’s
a full kitchen in here. We'll pack up the leftovers and heat them back up for
Casey when she's up and moving." He stopped beside me and slid his hand
along the small of my back. "Let's have a little bit of fun with this, if
you're up for it."

"What kind of fun?" I wanted to
sound more energetic, to show him how grateful I was that he'd been the kind of
guy to get up far too early to help a frantic stranger, but I couldn't muster
much more than a monotone response. I couldn't remember the last time I'd
stayed up all night, but it had been a while. It would seem my 'up all night'
days were dwindling fast, if not completely over.

"Go sit on the couch, and I'll bring
over a dish for us to try together." He smiled warmly at me and nodded for
me to follow his lead.

"Okay." I turned and walked back
to the couch, grabbing the blanket and cuddling up as I worked my tennis shoes
off of me below the covers. My eyes were drawn to the sexy swell of his butt in
his jeans, his body a sensual delight that I hadn't had a chance to really
enjoy as thoroughly as I wanted to. Too bad the trip was almost over and we
would have to go back to our lives apart from each other.

"Alright. This one is a fruitful
delight. Should be fun." He sat down on the coffee table in front of me
and reached out, brushing his strong hand up my thigh and squeezing softly.
"You okay?"

"Much better now. I can't thank you
enough for going with me." My eyes burned, and I pressed my fingertips to
them. "I'm sorry. I'm just not real good without sleep."

"None of us are." He squeezed my
leg again and released me. "Close your eyes and tell me what fruit I've
put in your mouth. You ready?"

"Yes. If I start snoring, cease the
tasting game. I don't want to choke and die." I chuckled and finished
wiping at my tears before settling back and letting out a slow breath as he
chuckled.

"Open your mouth, Viv." The
sound of him shifting toward me caused my stomach to tense.

I opened my mouth and jerked back a little
at the cold, odd texture. Taking my time to chew the sweet goodness, I quickly
realized that he'd started with a tough one.

"Kiwi." I opened my eyes and
smiled at him as he licked at his fingers.

"Good. I won't ask for a descriptor
on what you tasted. You're too tired for that, and as sexy as you are when
you're critiquing, I'd want you naked and in my bed once again." He wagged
his eyebrows once before giving me another command. "Close your eyes
again. Next fruit."

"Oh no. It's your turn." I moved
to the edge of the couch, pressing my knees against his inner thighs and
waiting patiently until he closed his eyes.

"Feminist," he mumbled
playfully.

"Equal opportunist." I picked up
a piece of pineapple and lifted it to his beautiful lips. "Open for
me."

He growled low in his chest, but opened,
licking at my fingers as I put the fruit in his mouth. "Delicious.
Pineapple."

"Good." I moved to my knees on
the floor between us and snaked my way between his thighs, lifting up and
letting my lips hover over his as he opened his eyes. "I wanna taste
it."

"You should." He slid his
fingers into my unruly hair and leaned down, pressing his lips to mine and
sliding his tongue deep into my mouth. The tangy flavor of the pineapple rushed
over my taste buds and caused a moan to leave me. The sound only seemed to feed
his aggression.

His fingers tightened around my face as he
explored every inch of my mouth graciously. By the time he pulled back, all the
air had escaped from my lungs and I was a bit lightheaded.

"Wow. Where have you been all my
life?" I mumbled and moved back to the couch, hating to break the moment,
but knowing I didn't have much left in me.

"I was just thinking the same
thing." He got up and walked to the fireplace across the room, and worked
to start it up as I reached for the fruit platter and sampled various treats
from it.

"Let's try all these cheese and meats
next." He grabbed another platter and sat it on the coffee table before
pushing the table toward me and reaching for the fruit tray. "Give me that
and we can just snack on it as we like."

"Get the desserts too. I love
sweets." I smiled playfully at him, though I doubt it was much of a
come-on. My eyes were growing heavy, and with the fire and the sunlight playing
along the closed blinds in the living room, I was extremely comfortable.

He chuckled. "Hey, before you pass
out, I have four tickets to Imagine Dragons tonight at the Amphitheater
downtown. I got them via courtesy of the hotel. I rarely go to these things
just because I travel alone, but maybe if you and Casey–”

"We'd love to, or I would. I'm not
sure how she's faring. I need to go check on her soon, but I'll go tonight with
you." I patted the couch in front of me as I stretched out. "Come
here and snuggle up with me. Our time is running out."

He tugged his shirt off, leaving a
beautiful display in front of me. "We can still hang out some in New York
when I'm home. It's just rare."

I reached for him as he dropped down on
the couch and worked on his shoes. My fingers traced the wickedly hot curves of
his back and played with the curve of his ass as it poked out the top of his
jeans as he bent over.

He yelped as I pinched him, and turned,
tickling me as he moved down to stretch out beside me. His expression shifted
from playful to loving as his fingers brushed sensually down my cheek.

"I want to push this thing with us,
but I know it would only lead to heartache. I don't want any more lonely
nights, but I'm afraid that's all I'd have if we decided to be more than
friends."

"Hush. I'm too tired for this
conversation right now. My heart is locked away as best it can be. Let's just
enjoy our brunch, the concert and we'll see what happens when we get home.
There's no reason to plan every detail of what might happen. You lose the
spontaneity of making a split second decision that could change everything for
the better." I ran my hand along the side of his head, playing with his
raven's colored hair before pulling him down for a series of soft kisses.

"Food or sex?" He kissed me
again and moved down, pressing his soft lips to my neck as his hand ran over my
breast and rested on my stomach.

"Food," I whispered with lust in
my voice.

"Yeah. It sounds like you want
food." He laughed against my skin.

Chill bumps raced along my chest and arms,
leaving me cold. I tugged the blanket up and turned toward him. "Give me
something new to try."

"What the lady wants, the lady
gets." He smiled and reached for something as I settled in. I could have
fun and not get too terribly connected. Besides, we'd only known each other for
a few days.

Then
why does it feel like a lifetime already?

*****

           
We finished up our food testing fun and Easton packed up the rest of the
goodies for Casey as I let my eyes grow heavy. I didn't remember falling asleep,
but waking up next to him was a treat. He was on his back on the couch next to
me, his large body spread out and his breathing deep and relaxed.

I snuggled into his side as his arm that
held me against him tightened. There was no doubt in my mind that I could have
stayed there forever wrapped up with him. We could have created a new life
together that would have long nights of hot sex and great mornings of making
breakfast together while we danced in the kitchen, but it was a pipe dream.

He was right about his career not allowing
for much more than a once a week tango, but I knew myself and that wouldn't
last long for me. I wasn't needy per se, but I did want to find someone to
share life with on a regular basis.

After kissing his shoulder softly, I got
up and put my shoes back on. I was itching to check on Casey, and it would have
been better to not be tucked against him when he woke up. I could tell he was
struggling as much as I was with our parting. One of us had to be mature about
it, and though I hated like hell that it was going to be me, it simply was.

I left him a note to text me a time to
meet up for the concert, and slipped out of the room. I'd have to get my grand
tour of the penthouse later that night if we weren't too tired after the event.
A smile brushed by my lips as I waited for the elevator to open. The evening
would be fun, and with any luck at all, I'd not see Jackson again on the trip.

I rode the elevator down to our floor and
walked languidly to the room as a million thoughts buzzed through my mind.
Easton was the culmination of everything I wanted in a man. He was driven,
intelligent, kind, and considerate, beautiful and a total beast in the sack. I
pressed my hand to my stomach as butterflies resurrected deep inside of me. I
couldn't remember having sex with Jackson and feeling the same elation as I had
the night before with Easton. Maybe it was because it was all new, or maybe it
was because he seemed genuinely interested in my pleasure, where Jack just
wanted to make sure he got off as many times as he could in a night.

I knocked and slipped my key in the door
as Casey called out.

"Come in."

"Hey." I crossed the room and
pulled her up from her seated position on the edge of the bed. After wrapping
her in a tight hug, I pulled back and gave her a scathing glare. "Don't
you ever do that shit to me again! You understand? I thought something bad
happened."

"I'm so sorry." She pressed her
cheek to the top of my chest and pulled me back into a hug. "I just got
drunk and couldn't find you guys. Paul is a great guy, I promise, but I get it.
I could have been hurt or raped. I promise it will never happen again."

"Alright." I moved back from the
hug and dropped down on my bed as I tugged my fingers through my wild messy
hair. "Easton has tickets to the Imagine Dragon's concert tonight if
you're up for it."

"Oh yeah?" She smiled and sat
back down on her bed. "How many?"

"Four I think." I dropped back
and pressed my hands to my face. "You want to bring this Paul guy with
you?"

"I'd love to, but if not, it's really
no big deal." She pounced on the bed next to me. "Either way, we
totally need to get something new to wear tonight. Don't you think?"

"Yeah, we could do that." I
rolled onto my side as she flopped down on hers and cuddled up toward me.
"Did you get any sleep?"

"Some. Enough. Did you sleep with
Easton?" She wagged her eyebrows as my expression softened.

"Yeah. It was fantastic." I
shrugged and shook my head. "I'm sure it was one of many mistakes to come
in this new single life, but it was well worth it."