Page 32 of Big Bad Academy

“That’s unfortunate,” he smiles, but it’s sort of a half-sneer. Finally, he sighs and goes to the door. He locks it and comes back to me. “We have to talk,” he tells me.

“About?”

“About what you know. About all of this.”

“About you kidnapping me?”

“Look,” he ignores my question and instead gestures to his bed. It looks big and comfortable. It’s covered with a light blue comforter and more pillows than I can count. Honestly, it looks kind of like a nest, and I’m very tired. I want to climb into it.

“Yes, it’s your bed.”

It’s his bed that we aren’t having sex in.

I shouldn’t have sex with him.

Even if he’s very handsome.

Even if he’s very sexy.

“Heather, you look exhausted. It’s time to take a nap.”

“What?” I look at him sharply. “You can’t just send me to bed.”

At that, he laughs.

“Try me,” he shrugs.

“You’re seriously going to make me take a nap? I’m a grown woman.”

“And you spent the day traveling,” he points out the obvious. “You’ve hardly slept at all. I’d try to force you to eat, but I don’t think you would.”

“What time is it?” I ask.

“That’s not important.”

Somehow, I think it’s the middle of the day.

Maybe noon.

“Get into the bed, Heather.”

“I, um...”

“What?”

“I need to pee,” I blurt out.

He chuckles and gestures to a little door next to the bed. It’s kind of strange that he lives in this tiny little room and not in a suite or an apartment, but whatever. It’s cozy, and I like it. It smells like him, too. I can feel his eyes on me as I move quickly across the room, into the bathroom, and do my business. When I come back out, he gestures at the bed again.

“I want to see my cats.”

“No more demands, writer. Get in bed.”

I sigh and listen. I stand next to the bed, but I can’t get over the idea of sleeping in my clothes and I’m not about to ask him for any. Quickly, before I can talk myself out of it, I pull my clothing off and toss it on the floor. I take off my bra, too, but I leave my panties on. I cover myself before he can get a glimpse of my breasts, and then I slide under the covers.

I don’t want to tempt him, but I also don’t want to be sleeping in uncomfortable clothing.

“What are you doing to me?” He mutters, but he covers me with a blanket and kisses me on the forehead.


Tags: Sophie Stern Fantasy