Oh crap.
Did the boys give in? Throw me under the bus?
Damn it, I wish I could check my phone for any warnings from them.
Then again, maybe he’s testing me. Maybe he’s bluffing. Maybe he doesn’t know anything and is just taking a guess. In that case, go with the evasive technique.
“Know what was me?” I ask, gripping the edge of the desk while I lean against it, trying to look as casual as possible, even though my heart is thumping rapidly in my chest and I can feel sweat start to accumulate on the back of my neck.
“Don’t fuck with me, Greer,” he says, his voice so menacing that I feel like all the air around us is being used to fuel his anger.
“I’m not fucking with you,” I say, my voice wavering.
And of course, he catches it as he takes another step forward, his intimidation tactic seriously outdated, but God is it wreaking havoc on my nerves.
Looking down at me, his chin still held high, he says, “Do you think it’s a good idea to poke the bear, Greer?”
“I mean, if this has to do with my teaching techniques—”
“You know damn well this has nothing to do with your teaching,” he says, pushing forward so his hands land on either side of the desk and I have to lean back so our faces don’t touch. My teeth roll over the bottom of my lip, keeping it from quivering while I hold my breath, attempting to show how unaffected I am by his closeness but failing miserably.
He’s insufferable.
He’s rude.
He’s brash and holier than thou.
But God, is he handsome.
Chiseled jaw, just enough five o’clock shadow on his face to leave a mark, but nothing that’s going to be bothersome. His eyes are downright devastating, especially when angry, and his body . . . even under a cardigan, I can tell just how carved he is.
With every second that goes by when I’m close to this man, I can feel my defenses lower, my intrigue spike, and my desire to drive forward causing me to forget all the reasons why he’s the most unbearable man I’ve ever met.
“The pranks stop now,” he says. “Do you understand me? They stop. Now.”
“I, uh, I don’t know what you’re referring to,” I say, avoiding all eye contact with him.
“What did I say about fucking with me, Greer?”
“Do it?” I ask, adding a cheeky smile.
He doesn’t flinch.
Doesn’t even consider laughing.
But instead, his jaw clenches tighter as he lowers his mouth to my ear, the scrape of his scruff barely grazing over my cheek as his lips hover right by my ear. My entire body breaks out into a wave of goosebumps as he speaks.
“This is your one and only warning. Fuck with me again and you won’t like what happens.”
My breath catches in my throat and I wait for him to lift up, to turn away and join his sister for lunch, but he doesn’t move. Instead, I feel our breaths sync, an unusual desire I wasn’t expecting swirling between us.
I pull back just enough to catch his eyes. They study me. Intense. Deep, with a hint of vulnerability. The type of vulnerability that isn’t offered over a cup of coffee, but the kind that’s spoken about once trust has been established.
There is no trust between us.
But inexplicably, a small piece of me wants to establish that layer of trust so I can dive deep into the vulnerability that lies just beneath his tough exterior.
“Are you planning retaliation?” I ask.
His eyes drop to my lips before focusing back on my eyes. “Retaliation? No.” He licks his lips. “Punishment . . . always.”
Oh.
My.
God.
I suck in a sharp breath as he pushes off the desk and stares down at me. Unmoving, put in my place, I’m unsure if I want to slap the man for invading my space, give him a piece of my mind and tell him exactly where he can put his punishment, or tear at his cardigan and shirt and dig my fingernails deep into his toned muscles.
Either way, I don’t have time to decide because he turns away and heads out of my classroom, leaving me breathless, annoyed, and unfortunately . . . horny. What the fuck was that?
When the door closes behind him, I scramble to my phone, pick it up, and read the text messages from Gunner and Romeo.
Gunner: Alert. Alert. Romeo cracked. Arlo is coming your way.
Great. I press my hand to my forehead. And here I thought I could trust these two.
Romeo: In my defense, he twisted my nipple. I had to go to the bathroom and try to eliminate the pucker of my shirt he made right over my nipple with some water and the hand dryer. It was not pleasant. I got my penance.
Romeo is such an idiot.
I can’t even think about him and Stella, because if he ever did make a move, I’m not sure he’d be able to handle her. She’s a firecracker, and apparently he cracks under the pressure of a nipple twist.
I guess if something does ever happen between them, I have some vital information for Stella so she knows how to get her way. A good nipple tweak and whatever she wants is hers.
I type them back.
Greer: He just left my classroom.
They must have been waiting for me to type back because they immediately respond.
Gunner: Oh shit, was he angry?
Romeo: Did he try to give you a nipple twist?
Greer: Was he angry? What kind of question is that? He’s always angry. And no, he didn’t try to twist my nipple. I think he knows better than to attempt to do something like that.
Then again, would he?
The way he said punishment . . . full of promise, full of dark, twisted thoughts, I wonder if he really would be into something like that. Just from his overall demeanor, I could easily see Arlo being the domineering asshole in bed you read about in books, the damaged one, the one with secrets that make you fall head over heels for him.
Not this girl.
Nope.
No way.
Never going to happen.
He may be handsome, but I’m not that easy.
Gunner: True, you’re feisty. I think he might be afraid of you.
Romeo: Was he afraid of you?
Greer: Uh . . . not necessarily. More confident in his intimidation tactics than anything. Brought his A-game.
Gunner: Oh shit.
Romeo: What did he say?
Greer: Let’s just leave it at there won’t be any more pranks. He’s made his intention clear.
Gunner: Although I haven’t laughed as hard in a long time as I have in the last few weeks, I think that’s smart. Arlo might be quiet, but he’s vengeful, and we’ve both seen it firsthand.
Romeo: Best to keep your distance.
Greer: Sure, that’s easy, with him being my classroom neighbor and the head of my department.
Gunner: Just steer clear and when we start practicing for teacher league, we can make sure we keep you two separated.
Greer: Uh . . . he’s on the teachers’ league?
Romeo: Did we fail to mention that?
Greer: Yep. Also, I’m not doing that league. You cracked. You didn’t hold up your end of the bargain, so I’m not going.
Gunner: Wait a second, we did everything we could to keep your name out of his mouth. If it wasn’t for Keiko, he never would have even sniffed around your classroom.
Romeo: Truth. Keeks was the leak. I just happened to almost lose a nipple because of it.
Gunner: You will be required to show up.
Greer: Really think I’m getting the short end of the bargain.