Campus Hottie (Campus)

My eyes widen. Holy shit. Did she really say that to me?

My arms fall to my sides as I eat up the distance between us. “Fuck right off, huh?”

Her gaze stays pinned to mine. Instead of cowering, she draws herself up to her full height as if preparing for battle.

“Yup.”

Even though there’s a slight waver to her voice, she shows no sign of backing down.

“I don’t need you.”

The fuck she does. “You’re so naïve. You have absolutely no idea when a man wants you.”

Every muscle goes still. When her tongue peeks out to moisten her lips, my cock stirs in my boxer briefs. A groan fights to break free, and it takes every ounce of self-control to force it down and regain the upper hand on my lust.

“That’s not true.”

Her answer is laughable. She doesn’t have a clue.

Not a single one.

I shake my head. “Yeah, it is.”

She blinks as her brows pinch together. A suffocating silence falls over us as she searches my eyes. That’s all it takes for understanding to dawn in hers.

I clamp my lips shut, wishing I could stuff the words back inside.

What the hell am I doing?

Dragging her in here and then locking us inside this room was a huge mistake. But I couldn’t help myself. Seeing the two of them together—especially the expression on his face when he thought no one was looking—sent my temper skyrocketing and my vision turning hazy. You’d think after all these years, I would be used to controlling my baser instincts where this girl was concerned.

Turns out that’s not the case.

Elle’s gaze sharpens as she tilts her head and studies me carefully, almost as if she’s trying to sift through all the secrets buried in my eyes. “What are you trying to say?”

“Nothing,” I mutter, hoping she’ll believe me as I attempt to backtrack from this dangerous conversation. “The last thing I want to see is some asshole professor take advantage of you. It’s nothing more than that.”

She takes a tentative step in my direction. “Are you sure?”

I remain silent in hopes the glare will speak for itself.

Her expression turns contemplative. “Maybe you’re right and I don’t know when a guy wants me.”

Fuck.

What I need to do is put an end to this disastrous conversation and get the hell out of here before she figures out the truth. When I remain still, she slowly inches toward me. Every bit of space she swallows up has my heart hammering harder. Faster. Until it feels as if it might explode from my ribcage. Already I know there’s only so much more I can take. She needs to keep her distance.

Hasn’t she figured out that I have very little self-control when it comes to her?

“Carson?”

I blink and realize she’s no more than a handful of inches away. She’s so close that the delicate scent of her perfume is able to tease my senses. Her palms rise before settling on my chest. I steel myself as their warmth burns holes through the material of my shirt straight down to my flesh. There’s never been a girl who has affected me this way. And it’s doubtful anyone will ever make me feel these kinds of out-of-control emotions again. I wish it were possible to douse everything brewing dangerously inside me.

“Have I misinterpreted the situation?”

Almost desperately, I shake my head. “No.”

She presses into me, tilting her chin to hold my gaze. “I think that’s exactly what I’ve done.”

I clear my throat and force out the lie. “You’re wrong.”

With deliberate strokes, her hands drift from my chest to my shoulders before reversing direction and sinking lower. Her fingers leave a trail of nerve endings sparking to life in their wake. With every stroke, it becomes more of a challenge to keep all of the desire and need from breaking loose inside me.

Her gaze drops, tracking the lazy movements. “Do you know that I’ve always wanted to touch you like this?”

The muscle in my jaw tics as my molars grind together until it feels as if they’ll shatter.

What she’s doing is both heaven and hell. All I want to do is squeeze my eyes closed and immerse myself in her tentative touch. And yet, at the same time, I need her to back off before I say fuck it and take what I’ve been salivating over for years. It’s a dangerous line she’s forcing us to walk.

When she sucks in a sharp breath, I realize that my body has betrayed me once again. My attention stays locked on the crown of her head as she stares at my groin.

For a heartbeat, neither of us moves a muscle. The air in the room turns thick and oppressive as her hand descends, drifting over my taut abdominals before hesitating at my fly. Before I can find the willpower to knock her away, her fingers wrap around my throbbing length through the material and squeeze.