21. Phillip
21
PHILLIP
“ I never knew that color psychology was a marketing strategy. That's absolutely wild.”
“It's true. That's part of the reason packaging is so important. Different colors can send messages about your brand. For example, purple evokes the idea of luxury and creativity.”
“So if I rebrand with purple, I'd be more likely to have people think my creations are luxurious?”
“That’s a bit of an oversimplification. It varies by culture and even person to person. However, there have been studies that show the general associations that people have with certain colors. No, it won't automatically make your brand immediately luxurious. You still have to put work into it, but using purple in your color scheme can be part of how you establish that reputation for yourself.”
“I'm not sure I completely understand, but I'm starting to get it.”
That smile of hers is going to be the death of me.
We agreed nothing on campus, remember?
“There's a book on my shelf that might help you understand it better. Why don't you take it home, read what you can, and we can have a discussion on it as part of our lesson next week?”
“Where is it, exactly?”
“Third shelf from the bottom. Author's last name is Nguyen.”
I thought sending her across the room from me would help me control myself until I got to her place later tonight—our usual routine on nights we had class together.
When she reaches for the book, I realize how flawed my plan was.
She doesn't crouch down to get it like she normally would.
Of course not. That would be fair.
Instead, she bends at the waist, pushing her ass out toward me. Her skirt is short enough that I can see she's completely bare underneath it.
“You're bound and determined to drive me mad tonight, aren't you?”
“I have no idea what you mean. All I'm doing is looking for the book you've assigned me for homework. It's not my fault your shelves are so poorly organized that I haven't found it yet.”
I join her at the bookshelf so we won’t be overheard by anyone who might still be in the building.
“You know exactly what you’re doing and you’re enjoying it.”
Avery straightens and leans into me. “I’m just giving you something to look forward to this evening.”
Keep it together, Phillip. You’ll have plenty of time tonight once Leo’s in bed.
“Do you know what I find most appealing about you?”
“What?”
“The way your eyes sparkle when you figure things out. I swear it makes sapphires look dull. Don’t get me wrong, your body is gorgeous, but your mind is exceptional.”
Before I can register what’s going on, she’s grabbing me by the lapel of my shirt and pulling me to her. The feel of her soft curves pressed against my body makes my brain short circuit.
She hooks her leg around my waist as my hand slides down to grip her ass. The feel of her pussy rubbing against my dick has me grinding harder against her.
This isn’t even close to enough. I drop to my knees before her and push her skirt up around her hips. Her legs shake as I press teasing kisses everywhere except where she needs me to.
I chuckle at her growl of frustration and pull back to meet her eyes.
“Are you going to be quiet?”
She nods.
“Good, because one sound from you and I stop.”
Her back hits the bookshelf with a soft thud, and she claps her hand over her mouth.
I flick my tongue against her clit.
Her knees buckle, but she doesn’t make a sound.
“Good girl,” I whisper.
Her breathing comes in bursts as I continue to tease that sensitive bundle of nerves with my tongue.
When her hips start to buck in a desperate attempt for more, I suck her clit into my mouth, giving her the pressure she’s asking for.
The muscles in her legs tense up, and I hear her head drop back against the shelf.
She’s close.
I slide a finger into her, brushing it against her G-spot.
Fuck, she’s so wet.
By the way she’s squirming under my touch, I can tell it isn’t enough. I add a second finger and start pushing her closer and closer to that edge.
I wish we were somewhere I could hear her moan my name.
The way she tastes, the way she feels makes my dick ache. With my free hand, I stroke myself over my pants just to feel a little relief from the effect she has on me.
Her pussy clamps down on my fingers and she comes. Her whole body trembles from her effort to not make a sound.
She looks about ready to crumple to the floor, so I stand up and let her lean on me until she catches her breath.
I pull back just a little when I feel her get steadier on her feet. When I look into her eyes, they’re nearly navy with desire.
Her mouth finds mine, and she kisses me with such passion, I forget how to breathe for a moment.
“Fuck me.”
“But we’re?—”
“I don’t care where we are. I need you to fuck me against this bookshelf.”
“I don’t have a condom.”
Not that I actually need one, but I haven’t been able to tell her that yet.
“I’m on the pill. I trust you.”
My common sense and self-preservation fly out the window at those three little words.
I trust you.
Such a simple sentence, and yet it’s heavy with meaning.
I’m too drunk on her to dwell on it long.
I spin her around so she’s facing the bookshelf.
“Grab the edges. They’re sturdy enough.”
I press on the small of her back to bend her over further, and her hands fly out and grip the shelf on either side.
She trembles when I notch myself at her entrance.
“You sure about this?”
“Yes.”
I thrust hard into her, and her back arches into a near-perfect C shape.
My hand grips her hip, fingers digging into her soft skin. With the other hand, I wrap her hair around my fist and give it a tug.
A low moan escapes her lips.
I tug on her hair harder.
“Quiet.”
When she nods her assent, I fuck her hard and fast against the shelf. Fucking her completely bare is an entirely different sensation. I’m not sure I could ever go back, I’m that lost in the feel of her.
Seeing her writhe against me as I take what I want from her pushes me right up to the edge.
I need her to come with me.
“Touch yourself,” I demand. “I want to feel you coming around my cock as I spill my seed in your tight little pussy.”
The soft sounds she makes as she plays with her clit are better than music.
It’s not long before she’s coming hard around my dick.
The force of her orgasm draws out my own, and soon, we’re both slumped against the shelf breathing hard as we try to recover.
The clacking of heels in the hallway makes us both freeze.
“What’s the chance that they pass us by?” Avery whispers.
“None. We’re the only people who have class this late.”
The clacking gets faster.
Hastily, I tuck myself back in my pants as Avery adjusts her skirt.
She yanks a hair tie off her wrist and throws her hair up into a messy bun atop her head.
I chuck a box of tissues from my desk at her then turn my back as she rushes through cleaning herself up.
When I hear the knock on the door, I turn back to her anxiously.
I breathe a sigh of relief when I see her crouched down in front of the bookshelf, properly this time, pretending to look for the book that started all this mess.
“Enter,” I say to the intruder.
I’m not sure who I expected, but it certainly wasn’t the head of the school’s PR department.
“I was hoping I’d catch you.” She smiles.
You almost did.
“To what do I owe the pleasure, Dimitria?”
“Well, I was actually hoping to talk to the both of you.”
My eyebrows hit my hairline in surprise.
“Avery, can you come have a seat when you’re done? The Academy PR maven would like to speak to us.”
Dimitria smiles at the compliment, but I’d intended it as more of a way to warn Avery who she was.
“Of course. I actually think I’ve found it. This is it, right?” she asks anxiously.
“Yes.” I nod, settling into my teacher voice. “This is the one. I want you to read at least the first four chapters on color psychology so we can discuss it.”
I slide the book across the desk to her.
I turn to Dimitria, who has been watching the entire conversation with a gleam in her eye that makes me nervous.
“What can we do for you?” I ask with forced politeness.
“As I’m sure you’re well aware, next week will be the halfway point for this session and that’s when we start ramping up our marketing for the next one.”
Almost eight weeks already?
I guess it’s true what Einstein says about relativity—time with a beautiful woman does seem to go faster.
“I don’t mean to seem rude, but I’m not sure what that has to do with us.”
“Well, you’ve got the admin all abuzz—actually, all four of you do,” she says.
All I can do is stare at her with my mouth open like a guppy.
“You, Wesley, Jamie, and Avery, of course,” she adds at my puzzled look.
Worry flashes across Avery’s face.
“Nothing bad, I hope?”
Dimitria laughs. “Of course not. As admin was reviewing the course progress software, they noticed that Avery was blasting through the material in all her classes. That’s unusual for anyone, but for a scholarship student, it’s practically unheard of.”
Avery deflates at the backhanded comment, but Dimitria doesn’t seem to notice.
A muscle in my jaw starts to tic.
“So of course, we had to look at the portfolios to see what was going on, and they were thrilled to see the high-quality submissions in each of the course portfolios.” She turns toward Avery. “You write so well, I never would have thought you hadn’t been to a prep school if I hadn’t known already.”
Avery looks ready to bite her.
“Thank you,” she says flatly.
“You’re most welcome.”
For someone so good at branding, Dimitria has zero situational awareness.
“When Reginald suggested you all as the best candidates for our new promo video, I was surprised. I thought for sure he would have suggested the senator’s son.”
Gee, I wonder why he wasn’t asked…
“So I asked around campus, and everyone had such glowing things to say about the four of you. You are going to be perfect for the video.”
“Have you talked to Wesley or Jamie about this?” I ask.
“No, but you can fill them in. Here’s what I’m thinking?—”
“Excuse me, but what if we don’t want to do it?” Avery interrupts.
“Of course you want to. The Age Gap Academy has done so much for you already by giving you free tuition and letting you learn from the best of the best. Why wouldn’t you want to repay that goodwill by helping promote an institution you’ve significantly benefited from?”
I hate how small Avery looks right now. I don’t think I can ever forgive Dimitria for making her feel less than.
I have to say something.
“I’m not sure that?—”
“You’ll look good on camera?” She laughs. “Oh, please. When are you going to stop with all this false humility? I’m sure you’re well aware you and your friends are the best looking teachers on this campus. People will be applying in droves once they see the three of you on screen. It’ll be perfect. It shows off the assets of the university and hits that philanthropic note that tugs on everyone’s heart strings. Besides, you’re always pushing for more scholarship cases. This promo might be a step in that direction. I can’t see how you’d refuse if it might help the less fortunate.”
Her eyes slide over to Avery for a brief moment before returning to mine.
“You know, this could be a collaborative process since you’ve got some marketing knowledge. I’d love to have your input. Maybe over dinner?” she asks suggestively.
I know she has no clue that Avery and I are dating, but it still leaves a sour feeling in my stomach.
Does she really think insulting my student in front of her face is going to make me want to go to dinner with her?
The delusion is strong with this one.
“No, thank you,” I say firmly.
She falls against the back of her chair in exaggerated shock—for my benefit, I’m sure—but drops the issue.
“Well, I’ll have the waivers and releases put into your academy accounts before I leave tonight. Be sure to sign them before we start filming next week.”
All the air gets sucked out of the room as she bustles out.
“We don’t have to sign anything,” I say after a while. “I know she tried to make us feel like we don’t have a choice, but we do. You don’t have to do this.”
“She was right.” Avery hangs her head. “I do owe them.”
“She was completely out of line to say that.”
“It doesn’t make her less right. There’s no such thing as free, especially when you’re a charity case. As soon as you accept help from people like that, you become their little show pony to trot out and amuse people.”
Her defeated tone makes my heart ache.
“What happened to you, Avery?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“At least let me set things straight with Dimitria,” I beg.
“No. I know what I am and what I have to do. It would make me feel safer if you joined me, but you don’t have to. Either way, I’m doing it.”
The look in her eyes stops me from arguing.
“Okay. If you’re set on doing it, then we will too. I’ll make sure Wesley and Jamie are aware of what’s going on too.”
“Are you sure you’ll be able to get them to help? I’ve had to do things like this before, and it’s so much worse when you’re alone.”
What does she mean, she’s done this before? What isn’t she telling us?
“I—yes. Of course. Is there anything else I can do?”
“Give me some space? I just need to be alone tonight.”
“I will. I promise.”
Then just like that, she’s gone, leaving me with far more questions than answers.