“Sit.” I motion to the other end of the booth.
“Oh, um, can I get you anything?” the server looks confused at her then me.
“No, we’re not staying long, thank you,” I inform her, then hand a wide-eyed Alexandrea my water, waiting until she’s out of earshot.
“Have you been drinking, Ms. Carter?” She has. I can tell.
“Just stop.” She slaps her hands on the table, causing the couple to my left to look over.
“Excuse me?” My eyes narrow as I lean forward. “Did you drive?” My voice is almost a caress, yet my heart rate spikes.
“No.” She looks insulted. “I got a cab. But I’m here to discuss my C—”
I stand. No way am I having this conversation here. “Let’s go. I’m taking you home.” I take her arm and pull her out of the booth.
“Wait. What? I just got here.” She stumbles into me.
I grind my teeth, her fucking tits burning a hole in my chest. Turning, I look down at her.
“You’re intoxicated, which is fine. I don’t care. But I’m not having a discussion with you on how I asked my students to write a simple paper on ideas they are passionate about. To think out of the box, not give me a textbook-perfect paper.” Placing my hand on her lower back, I move her forward.
“But…” Her voice trails off. Frowning, she bites her lower lip. “I gave you passion,” she hisses, trying to move away as we exit, the ocean making the night air cooler. I hand the valet my ticket.
“No. You gave me the same shit ninety percent of my students give me.”
“Look, that is not true. I worked my ass off to give you a perfe… an excellent paper. You’re being—”
“I’m being honest.” I cut her off, handing the valet a twenty when he steps out of my vehicle leaving the driver’s door open.
“Is this your car?” Alex stares at my matte black Audi RS e-tron.
“Stop talking and get in.” I open the passenger door for her.
“O-kay…” She rolls her eyes at me, then drops into her seat while I walk around to the driver’s seat.
“Put your seat belt on,” I grit out, not even trying to psychoanalyze myself. Nothing good can come out of this. I’m rationalizing that she needs a ride. That, and I’m trying to ignore my erection.
“I’m taking you home,” I growl. “Make an appointment on Monday during my office hours if you want to cont—”
“To Ohio?” she interrupts loudly, leaning back into my leather seats.
“What?” I pull out of the parking lot.
“Ohio. That’s my home, not your girlfriend’s house.” She props her two feet on my black leather dashboard.
Stopping the car, I stare at her, then smile. Gotta hand it to her, she’s got fucking balls.
“Forgive me.” I turn right. “I’m dropping you off at the place you’re currently staying.”
“Don’t bother,” she snaps, then looks out the window. “You know what? Stop here. I’d rather sleep on the beach than see Skylar tonight.” She drops her feet and reaches for the door handle.
“Baby doll, I’m all for thrill seeking. But I’d think twice before jumping out of a moving car.” My hands tighten on the steering wheel as I watch her hesitate before turning to me.
“Then pull over,” she spits out.
My hand almost tingles when I consider swatting her ass. She needs it. She’s drunk and being unsafe. Goddammit, has my cock ever been this hard?
“I’m not pulling over.” I shake my head, eyes glued to the road, because if I look at her…
“Well, I refuse to sleep there tonight.” She brings her purse out and sets it on her lap, pulling out her phone.
“I’ll see if I can stay with Jordan tonight. You can drop me off there.” And my jaw clenches so hard that my eye twitches.
“Or I can stay with you…” she says slyly, bringing the phone to her ear.
I glance over at her. “Put your phone away, Alexandrea.”
“Sorry, Dean Powers. I refuse to be in the same house as your girlfriend—”
“Don’t test me on this.” I glance at her, noticing the way her full puffy lips are parted, then look back at the road. “I warned you not to play with me.”
“So you don’t want to eat pie? I thought you could eat it ‘any time, all the time’?” She almost sings it.
I do a U-turn, my hands clenched so tight I could snap the steering wheel in two.
Lowering her phone, she looks out the window. “Wait. Where are we going?”
“My place.” I stare straight ahead at the dark street, nothing but the lights from storefronts on one side, and the moon bouncing off the ocean on the other.
“What?” Her voice goes up a notch as though she’s shocked.
I raise an eyebrow at her. “I’m going to fuck you. So if you’ve changed your mind and want to go home, speak now.”
“Oh… well, I haven’t.” Her voice cracks, and all this pent-up energy, this white-knuckling, is over. I’m gonna fuck her, saturate myself in her.
Because if I’m going to break the rules, I’m fucking shattering them.
I pull into my garage. “Let’s go.” Stepping out, I walk around to open her door.
She sits, biting her bottom lip, then takes my hand.
“Brett?” I look down at her. That’s the first time she’s said my first name, and I like it.
But not tonight.
I smile, reaching under her chin. “I expect you to call me Dean Powers until I say otherwise.”
She swallows, her neck almost beckoning me to suck it. Maybe it’s the full moon or the way she likes to battle me, but I want her naked on my lap while I spank her ass. Then when it’s nice and fucking hot, I’m gonna ruin her cunt for all other men.
“You understand, right?”
“Yes, Dean Powers.”
Christ, she’s gonna be my downfall, but at this moment, I almost relish it. Opening my door, I watch her walk in.
“Strip,” I demand, shutting my door and walking past her to my liquor cabinet, where I pour myself a bourbon. She stands frozen, her big eyes traveling around.
“Alexandrea.” She jumps when I say it.
My eyes narrow. “I said strip.” Dropping down onto the couch, I rest one hand on the back as I bring the whiskey to my lips.
She nods and kicks off her Converse. “Aren’t you going to get undressed?”
Even with nothing but the full moon’s light, I can see her cheeks pinken, but her fucking scent makes my nostrils flare.
“Ah, my beautiful Alexandrea. As usual, you’re not understanding.”
Her chest rises and falls in a pant. She holds tight to one shoe.
“I said strip, or don’t. I can always jerk off in my bedroom and pass out watching the news.”
She drops the shoe with a loud thud.
“I listen fine. Have you ever thought it’s the way you instruct?” She pulls off her shirt in quick, angry movements, and I hide my grin behind my glass.
I shouldn’t play with her like this. More than likely, she’s only been with high school boys. But she seems to bring out the best and worst in me.