The tiled wall was cool against her overheated skin, but it didn’t help in cooling her down. Perspiration dotted the valley between her breasts and moved down the length of her spine.
“God, what am I doing?” She knew, deep down, that she couldn’t keep her feelings for Alex buried deep. She’d already tried that and they couldn’t be controlled. Because every time she saw him they rose up, as if laughing at her, reminding her that no way was she stronger than what she felt for the BMU resident bad boy.
It was the sound of the door opening that had her opening her eyes and snapping her head in that direction. Because she knew exactly who’d followed her in here and it wasn’t Darcy.
Alex stood right inside the bathroom, and without looking away from her face, he reached behind him and turned the lock. Her heart rate jackknifed in her chest and her breathing increased.
She slowly turned to face him, but didn’t move closer.
He was still shirtless, still sweaty, and God dammit did he look good. “What are you doing here?” His voice was low, deep, and it sent shivers throughout her entire body until the throbbing settled right between her thighs.
“Isn’t it obvious?” I’d meant to be a smartass but the words held no heat and were breathless.
He took a step closer and she took one back. He moved another step forward and a slow smirk covered his face. She held her hand out to stop him.
“What are you doing?”
Alex was so close that her palm was now flat against his damp chest, the feeling of his rapid heartbeat traveling up her arm and right into her chest.
“You hide it well.”
She licked her lips and shook her head. “What are you talking about?” Mary let her hand fall away from his chest and placed her palms flat on the wall behind her, something to try and stabilize her, but it wasn’t helping. In the blink of an eye he had her hand in his and placed right back on his chest, right over his heart.
“You know what I mean,” he murmured and looked at her lips. “But not well enough.” He slowly trailed his gaze from her mouth to her eyes. “The way you want me is written all over your body.”
“You are so damn arrogant.”
He leaned forward, that smirk still on his face, his body heat seeping into her, the scent of his clean, very male sweat filling her nose and driving her arousal so high she’d never reach it.
“Am I, or am I just honest?” He was close to her, and with the wall behind her, there was no escape.
Not like I want to run right now, even if that is the smart thing to do.
“I’m not a gentleman, Mary, have never been.” He stared so intently into her eyes. “But God… I want to be so good for you, Mary. I want to be the gentleman you deserve.” He lifted a hand and cupped her cheek, his touch so gentle. So, so gentle. “You make me care about everything, because I’ve never cared about anything more than I do about you.”
Something in her heart became heavy. After the hours of being next to him, tutoring, and fighting how she felt, she was tired, so very tired, and not wanting to fight anymore. And his words were said with such reverence, such sincerity, she knew he meant them.
“I see the way you look at me when I should be paying attention to what you’re teaching me.” She was transfixed at the sight of his blue eyes. “And you know I see you watching me.”
She found herself shaking her head.
“Because I can’t stop staring at you. I can’t help myself, Mary. As much as I know I am not good enough, and how I am likely to ruin you in the worst kind of way, I want you, Mary. Fuck, I want you, more than I have ever wanted anything in my life.”
She parted her lips to say something, anything, but before a single word left her, his mouth was on hers, taking over in every sense of the word.
She should have pushed him back, but he felt so good against her, his taste addicting and spicy. His tongue slipped along the seam of her lips, demanding entrance, and not waiting for her acceptance before he was delving right in. The flavor of him was like nothing she’d ever tasted, slightly salty from his sweat, but sweet and all male.
He broke the kiss, but his lips were still pressed to hers, his forehead resting against hers. “It’s good, Mary. God, it is so fucking good.” His hands slammed down on the wall by her head until she felt caged in. “You taste like perfection.” He kissed her again and again, so thoroughly. “You taste like mine.”