Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
IRIS
Over the next few days, Archer and I spent every moment we could together.
The weekend ended and classes resumed, so we had to go back to being careful, but honestly, I no longer cared that it wasn’t allowed – that we weren’t allowed.
If anything, that only made it more thrilling. More exciting. More dangerous.
We visited our greenhouse most nights, where we would lose ourselves in each other beneath the stars glistening high above the domed glass roof.
We stole kisses amongst the plants and flowers, met in his classroom between lessons and during breaks, and exchanged lingering stares and the occasional hidden touch in the halls.
We ate lunch together when we could, and he even began tutoring me in Science. He had some… interesting ways to help me with my biology studies in particular.
I’d still seen plenty of Adora, who had gotten back to her normal self in no time. In fact, she’d gotten so sick of me asking her if she was okay, that eventually she’d made a sign that read, “Yes, Iris, I’m fine,” and would just hold it up in the air every time I’d asked, instead of speaking.
One day after lunch, Dora and I were walking down the hall. Rain hammered against the windows, and the corridors were packed with students avoiding the dreary weather outside. She was telling me about something hilarious Rory had said the previous day.
As we turned the corner, I spotted Archer talking with Professor Graves and another teacher.
My gaze locked onto him immediately. He stood there in a navy-blue suit that complemented his skin tone perfectly, his arms crossed as he leaned casually against the wall.
The fabric of his shirt stretched across his chest, and I could see the muscles beneath it.
One look at him was enough to send my heart pounding.
‘Iris?’ Adora said.
‘Huh?’ I dragged my gaze away and turned to look at her.
She let out a short laugh. ‘I said, do you need to go over those chemical equations again tonight?’
‘Oh.’ I tried to steady my voice and sound normal. ‘Sorry, I zoned out,’ I said apologetically. ‘Yeah, that would be great, thanks,’ though I groaned slightly at the thought of more science revision.
‘No problem.’ She laughed. ‘Do you want to meet in the library? Six o’clock?’
‘Yeah, sounds perfect.’ I linked my arm through hers. ‘Appreciate you.’
‘I know,’ she chirped happily.
But no matter how hard I tried to keep my gaze lowered, it always drifted back to Archer, as though some invisible tether was drawing me to him. He’d finished his conversation, and I watched him nod goodbye to the two other professors.
He was weaving through the students towards us when he noticed me. He paused for a split second, his eyes locking onto mine, before glancing down and allowing himself a slight smirk.
It was too busy. Too risky. I forced my gaze back to the ground, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other as he drew closer.
‘Miss Blackthorne,’ he said casually, calmly.
My heart stuttered as I looked up.
What was he doing?
He’d stopped a few feet away, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
‘Hey,’ I said, unconsciously mirroring it. Then, catching myself, I added quickly, ‘Professor.’
I turned to my friend. ‘Dora, I’ll catch up with you.’
‘You sure? I can wait.’
‘No, it’s okay,’ I said, a little too quickly.
‘I told Miss Blackthorne I’d get her some additional reading material for a project,’ Archer added smoothly.
‘Okay!’ Dora said lightly. ‘I’ll see you at six, then?’
‘Definitely.’
She nodded happily and slipped back into the crowd, her blonde head bobbing as she disappeared amongst the other students.
‘How may I help you, sir?’ I asked, my lips twitching as I tried to keep my face straight.
He tilted his head slightly, his eyes shining with a hint of something mischievous. ‘Follow me, Miss Blackthorne,’ was all he said, gesturing towards a side corridor that was quieter than the one we were in.
He started walking at an unhurried pace, and I fell into step beside him as we rounded the corner.
‘Where are we going?’ I whispered, eyeing a couple of students disappearing around the bend at the far end of the hall.
‘You’ll see.’
A moment later, he glanced over his shoulder, and before I could so much as yelp, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me into a storage cupboard, quietly shutting the door behind us.
‘Archer!’ He was still holding my wrist. ‘What are you doing?’
‘I wanted to see you,’ he said, his voice low and rough. He turned away and slid the latch across the door, locking us inside.
‘We can’t do this here,’ I whispered urgently, my voice barely more than a breath. ‘It’s far too risky. Someone could walk past… someone could hear us.’
He stepped closer. The already limited space shrank to nothing, the air suddenly warmer, harder to breathe.
‘Well,’ he murmured, leaning in just enough that I could feel the heat of his words against my skin. ‘I guess we’ll just have to be quiet, then.’
His hand reached to my jaw, where his fingers tilted my head to the side. He began kissing a soft trail up my neck.
I shivered involuntarily at the feel of his lips on my skin, heat instantly pooling between my legs as his other hand reached around to cup my ass beneath my skirt.
He pressed into me, pushing me further back against the wall. I could feel his already hard length rubbing against my stomach, and the sudden need I felt for him surprised me. It gripped me like a vice, making every nerve in my body pulse with desire.
‘Archer…’
‘Shhh,’ he moaned into my neck. ‘You must be silent.’
I nodded.
He pulled away from me, edging towards the boxes beside us, searching…
Every small movement risked knocking something over.
In the dim light, there seemed to be countless storage boxes stacked one on top of the other.
They were overflowing with abandoned classroom equipment, maintenance tools, and cleaning products.
I followed his gaze, and my leg brushed a discarded broom I hadn’t seen leaning against the wall beside me. It tipped, then fell with a sharp crack, wood striking stone and echoing far too loudly in the cramped space.
Archer turned back to me, eyes darkening.
‘Did I not tell you to be quiet?’ he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. ‘Or, are you incapable of following instructions, Miss Blackthorne?’
My throat tightened as I swallowed.
‘Do you need help,’ he continued, stepping closer, his voice dropping further, ‘staying quiet?’
Somehow I felt more aroused at that question than I’d ever been – the effect of his words hit me all at once and a small whimper slipped out from my lips.
In the dim light, I noticed something in his hand – something he’d taken from one of the boxes – but I couldn’t make it out clearly.
‘Because I can rectify that,’ he said softly.
‘Wha—’ The word caught in my throat as I realised what he was holding.
‘If you can’t behave,’ he murmured, that faint, dangerous smile returning. ‘Then I’ll just have to make you.’ My pulse stumbled. ‘We can’t let anyone know we’re in here.’
He slowly unwound a short strip of duct tape, the faint rip of adhesive loud in the silence.
His hand came up to my face, but instead of the tape, he caught my chin, tilting it gently. And then he kissed me.
It was deep and passionate. Hard and fast. His tongue swept into my mouth, stealing the air from my lungs. I moaned quietly into his mouth as he bit my lip. I was leaning into him, my hands gripping at his shirt, the world outside disappearing completely.
Then, he pulled away.
His hand tightened slightly at my jaw – not enough to hurt, just enough to still me.
‘Arch—’
And then he cut off my speech.
‘No,’ he whispered, voice low and firm. ‘You don’t get to speak.’ The words sent a sharp shiver through me. I tried to open my mouth but the tape was strong and held firm. ‘Can you manage that?’
I hesitated.
‘I asked you a question.’
His eyes were wild, the silver and grey swirling around like the most dangerous of thunderstorms.
I nodded.
‘Good girl.’
His hand slipped from my jaw, only to catch my wrist again, guiding it down to my side, holding me still. His other hand did the same, his grip tight, bordering on painful, on either wrist.
‘Well done,’ he breathed. ‘Now…’ he commanded. ‘Stay.’
I did.
One of his hands pressed into the skin at my waist, holding me in place as his forehead brushed mine for the briefest moment.
My breath caught, my whole body on fire.
Outside, somewhere beyond the door, footsteps approached. Voices.
Getting closer and closer.
His grip tightened on my waist, just slightly.
‘Not. A. Sound,’ he whispered.
I nodded, my heart racing, as what sounded like a large group of students got nearer.
The footsteps slowed to a stop.
Right outside the door.
I went completely still, every muscle tightening as the sound of voices drifted through the thin wood – close enough that I could almost make out the words.
Archer didn’t move.
But, slowly, his hand slid from my waist to my stomach. He pressed into me, palms warm even through my thin blouse.
I breathed in deep through my nose as his hand travelled down. Further and further. He pressed into the sensitive part between my thighs and I tried to speak, only for my words to fail me.
I reached up towards him, desperately wanting to touch him, but he snatched both of my wrists in one strong palm, and lifted them above my head, locking me in place against the wall. I gasped at the sting and looked into his eyes.
‘I told you not to move.’
He tilted his head. He looked like a cat eyeing up a mouse. He smiled as he kept one hand gripping my wrists against the cold wall, while the other now travelled underneath the hem of my skirt.
The voices outside were loud, clearly right outside the door.
He jerked my skirt down, followed by my panties, so they pooled in a heap at my ankles.
I was utterly bare before him.