The sun was casting purple and orange shadows across the sky to the west. Soon it would be completely dark. The open laptop on the desk near the window beckoned. Should I try to get in?
My mind screamed; no. I shouldn’t invade his privacy, but my heart was dying to find out anything I could. I wanted to read his book, more than anything. I loved how his mind worked and somehow, reading his words made him feel closer.
I walked around the back of the desk and settled into the expensive dark leather office chair that swallowed me up. My heart started to race as I set the water down and my hand slid over the mouse pad on his laptop.
He’d only put it to sleep, still, the log on screen appeared. Clearly, my fingerprint wouldn’t unlock it, so I had to try to figure out his password. As complicated as Jax was, it wouldn’t be easy. I stared at the dark screen with the white password field pulsing with the cursor. I tried a few that came to mind. His birthday, the class title, our names.
Bestseller101
Jaxon0507
SexyArt101
ArtOfSex
Jax&Addy09
I huffed. No, he’d never use Addy. I wasn’t Addy to him. “Come on, Jaxon, what would you use? Probably something to do with writing,” I mused.
Dictionary0507
SmuttyWords!
Synonym
!Antonym!
I was getting frustrated and my fingers were pounding out various attempts. It was probably hopeless. I might as well give up. I typed in my name and birthday.
Addison0612
Nope. It didn’t work. I was probably flattering myself that he would use my name or birthday.
Addison0612!
What about the day we met? Would he pick the first day of class? We didn’t really meet that day, but I’d never forget that first time I laid eyes on him. My heart started to pound in hope.
0818
0818!
0818Addison
0818Addison!@#
Addison0818
Addision0818!
I watched, stunned, as the screen filled with light and color. The desktop files began to load over a background of deep blue ocean.
How Jax, I thought.
My eyes scanned the files. There was one labeled Writing, and inside it, there were hundreds of others. His book titles each had their own file. At the bottom was one titled WIP. “Work in progress. Bingo,” I said under my breath as I moved the mouse to click it open. It was a series of chapter files, one for pitch/blurb. I quickly clicked on it because it would tell me the main premise, though I was sure I’d be staying up late into the night reading the chapters. After all… what else did I have to do? It might be an invasion of his privacy, sure, but I wouldn’t be able to help myself. I was starving for any piece of him, and these were his most recent thoughts.
Pitch; Smut University
College student meets college professor in writing class and desire sparks. Ridiculously turned on by her first assignment, he can’t help but pursue her.
He was writing about us. Or at least he was, before I went and ruined everything. I was filled with a mixture of pride, humor, joy and pain.
Tears flooded my eyes. My heart did a flip flop inside my chest. Surely, this must mean he cared for me. One large drop tumbled from each eye and rolled down my cheeks.
I sniffed and decided his version needed a bit extra. He wasn’t giving himself enough credit in the scenario. I spaced twice and started typing.
Smut University Pitch
Addy’s Version
One Smoking Hot Professor.
A Brilliant College Senior.
Lessons in Writing Sexy Romance.
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION.
I laughed through my tears, wiping at my tears with both hands. He might disagree that I was brilliant, but surely it would sell more books.
“Like what you’re reading?” Jax’s deep voice resonated from across the room. I was startled and inhaled a huge gasp. I’d been so engrossed; I hadn’t heard him come in.
“Jax!” I said abruptly, getting up from the desk guiltily and stumbling around to the edge of the desk. “I- I’m sorry, I just wanted to read your book. It seemed the best way to… feel close to you.”
His features and broad-shouldered body were cast in shadows, the blue light from the computer the only light in the room as he approached me. His purposeful strides ate up the space between us and before I knew it, his strong arm was around the back of my waist and hauling me hard up against his body.
“I’m sorry.” Jax’s warm breath wafted over my face right before his mouth swooped and took mine. We kissed long, hard and deep. Our mouths giving and taking to each other, our breaths mingling into one source of oxygen. My hands slid up his strong arms and muscled shoulders until the fingers of one hand wound tight in his hair and the other held his jaw.
I felt like I was starving, and I couldn’t get enough. Jax lifted me and turned until I was sitting on the edge of his desk. He was between my legs and we were panting. I wanted nothing more than for him to make love to me, here and now, but he pulled his lips from mine. I was reluctant to release them, but was satisfied just touching him, having his forehead pressed into mine, his chest heaving next to mine.
“I love you, Addison. No matter what, I shouldn’t have left you in that hotel room. It was unforgivable.” One hand cupped my cheek before he placed a gentle and sweet kiss on my mouth.
“Oh, Jax…” I almost moaned.
“No, Addison, let me talk. Please. I was a jackass. I’m sorry. I should have been more understanding about everything. I should have known if I threw you to the sharks, you’d get eaten alive.”
My heart was shattering inside my chest. It was exactly what I needed to hear, but I couldn’t let him take all of the blame. “I’m sorry, too. I should have listened to you. I shouldn’t have signed anything with Gloria without you.”
He kissed me again, and what started out soft quickly increased in passion, both of us unable to help ourselves. His fingers clutched at my bare thigh and I arched into him.
Jax groaned against my mouth. “Addison, no. We have to talk, first.”
Both arms slid around and under me and he was carrying me bridal style over to the couch. I tilted my head and place my open mouth on the chord of his neck, gently sucking as he moved with me until Jax was seated and cradling me on his lap.
“Okay,” I responded reluctantly.
“I spoke to Marcia and she’s agreed to beg her publisher to hold your book, if I can get mine finished soon. She said she’ll rip up your contract, but you won’t get the fifty thousand dollars.”
“Won’t Gloria or the agency object? She said her contract was with them, not me.”
He shrugged slightly. “Jefferson handled that. Gloria is fired and the agency will agree to anything to keep this quiet.”
Leave it to Jax to make it all go away, but he’d still have the issue with reimbursing all of the publishing and promotional costs, plus damage to his reputation.
I smiled against his neck, my head resting on his shoulder, my forehead resting up against his jaw. I inhaled his masculine scent, my body buzzing at his nearness. My heart was full. I didn’t give a damn about the money or my book but wondered if he’d spoken to Marcia before or after I did. I could only assume it was before. “Marcia thinks we should publish both books together, but she said you didn’t want to do that.”