Chapter 3 #2
And even if he was wrong, Chase wasn’t going to waste this opportunity.
“Take me home,” Chase said quickly. It hadn’t been a question, so he tacked on, “Please.” And then, for good measure, “Sir.”
Burke watched him for a long, long moment. Chase held his gaze steadily, without speaking. He wasn’t going to waste his time trying to talk Burke into anything, not when the alpha clearly knew his own mind better than most.
Eventually, Burke pushed his empty glass away. “This will be one time only. And if I find myself the subject of campus gossip afterward, you will regret it. Do you understand?”
The butterflies that had been subdued in Chase’s belly exploded into activity. Fuck fucking fuck, he was going home with Burke. “Understood,” Chase said quickly. “But, um, you’re already the subject of a little gossip, sir. That’s how I knew to come here.”
That leather-cherry scent flared in the air, sharp as a bite, and Chase realized his mistake a moment too late. He’d just admitted to Burke that he’d come here for him.
Burke rose from the table, something unreadable in his gaze again. He nodded toward Chase’s drink. “Pay your tab, Chase. I’ll be waiting outside. You’ll drive with me.”
The house they pulled up to fifteen minutes later was a single-story further from campus than Chase might have expected, with a walled-off yard like most of the houses in these neighborhoods. It no doubt had a pool in back, something small but no less refreshing in the summer heat.
It could have been considered modest, but as Burke led him inside, Chase clocked the furniture immediately—antique, sturdy, expensive as hell. Either the university paid its professors better than Chase had thought or Burke had other means of wealth.
Chase stood on the threshold, the door now locked behind him, as Burke set his keys and wallet neatly on a dark wooden entryway table.
They hadn’t touched on the car ride—they’d barely spoken—but the lack of contact hadn’t done anything to dampen the heat simmering in Chase’s belly, or quiet the nervous energy of his anticipation.
Burke turned suddenly, grabbing Chase’s hand, and Chase had only a moment to register the zip of electricity at that first touch before his cap was tugged off his head and he was being slammed against the wall, a hot mouth on his.
Fuck. Fuck.
Chase had been kissed before. Touched before.
Fucked before. But never in his life had he experienced anything like having his mouth claimed by Professor Burke.
Burke’s kiss wasn’t a question, or an offer, or even a seduction.
He just … took. Devoured Chase’s mouth and grabbed hold of everything he had to offer, those strong hands firm on Chase’s waist.
The kiss was confident. Arrogant, even. The scent of cherry-sweetened leather rose in the air, tearing through any remaining shreds of Chase’s defenses.
Chase maybe should have met that energy, battled against Burke in turn. Instead, he just … surrendered. Melted against the wall, muscles limp and mouth open, letting Burke tilt his head the way he wanted, lick into him the way he wanted, claim him however the fuck he wanted.
He was rewarded with a deep, primitive growl, and then Burke was nipping Chase’s bottom lip sharply before pulling back, those dark-blue eyes of his heavy-lidded.
Chase was gratified to see that Burke was at least just as short of breath as he was, panting as he stared at Chase, his massive erection pressed firmly against Chase’s hip.
“I enjoy taking control in the bedroom,” Burke said, that smooth voice of his huskier than Chase had ever heard it. “I enjoy when my partners submit to me. I think you’d be very good at that, Chase Adler.”
Living with alphas for as long as he had, Chase could have taken that as an insult, but Burke let the words fall from his lips like they were the highest praise.
“But if you don’t want that—if you don’t want to play those games—we can easily have a satisfying, energetic, vanilla fuck and call it a night.”
Chase didn’t have to think over his answer. “I want it,” he said.
“Do you know about safe words?” At Chase’s nod, Burke pressed, “How about the traffic light system?”
“Green for good,” Chase said immediately, although he would be keeping the reason he’d done this research in the first place to himself. It was bad enough he’d admitted to Burke why he’d shown up at the bar. “Red for stop. Yellow for … slow down?”
Burke made a small hum of approval, then pressed his thumb to Chase’s lower lip, eyeing his mouth hungrily again.
Chase laid a hand on Burke’s wrist. If Burke kissed him again, they weren’t going to get much talking done. “Um. You haven’t told me what you like, exactly. You want to tie me up? Hurt me?”
Burke shook his head, dropping his hands back to Chase’s waist. “I’m not particularly sadistic. Nor am I that into bondage. Although, I may require you to push through some … discomfort for my pleasure.”
At Chase’s questioning look, Burke gave him what some might consider a mean smile. “Forced orgasms, sweet boy.”
Sweet boy.
Burke’s thumbs rubbed against the bare skin above Chase’s waistband as he shrugged. “Some submissives find me too vanilla as a dom. If you were looking for whips and chains, you’ve come to the wrong place.”
Chase thought of Burke telling him what to do, calling him “sweet boy,” forcing him to come. He swallowed through a dry throat. “I don’t think that will be a problem for me.”
“Good.” All at once, Burke released him, stepping back.
“My bedroom is the second door on the left. Undress and wait for me. I’d like you sitting at the edge of the bed when I arrive.
I’m going to pour myself another whiskey.
” He grabbed Chase’s chin, tilting his head up to meet his eyes.
“I’ve only had one, and I’m not impaired.
I will never be impaired when playing with you, do you understand? ”
“Yes, sir.”
Burke shook his head, clucking his tongue. “Try again.”
“Yes … Professor?”
Nothing. Chase racked his brain, then licked his lips, trying a third time. “Yes, Alpha.”
Burke’s eyes gleamed. “There it is.” He dropped Chase’s chin and tilted his head in the direction of the bedroom. “Go.”
Chase was supposed to wait naked in a bedroom he’d never set foot in before while Burke poured himself a leisurely drink.
A drink he most likely did not intend to finish.
It might have been an insulting request, if not for the heat in Burke’s eyes, the way he looked like he wanted nothing more than to rip Chase’s clothes off right there and fuck him against the door.
It was a game, Chase realized. A test of both their willpowers, as well as Chase’s obedience.
Well, fuck it. Chase was an athlete. He was good at games, well practiced in self-denial in pursuit of a higher cause.
He slipped past Burke and walked down the hall, listening to Burke’s footsteps heading in the opposite direction, presumably to find the kitchen. Or maybe a bar cart—he seemed like the type.
The bedroom Chase found was large but uncluttered, the bed neatly made with a dark-gray comforter and cream sheets. It had more of that heavy, dark antique furniture. A matching set—dresser, bed, bedside table, and wooden chair with a brocade seat.
Burke had elegant taste as well as money. If not for the age gap, the inappropriateness of their respective positions, and the fact that Burke was about to introduce Chase to the world of kink, Chase’s parents might even approve.
The room smelled like Burke, too, and Chase inhaled greedily. He was grateful he couldn’t catch any underlying omega pheromones. Chase knew what this was—the “one time only” had made it pretty clear—but he didn’t need any sensory reminders of it.
He toed off his shoes and stripped, folding each article of clothing neatly and setting it on the bedside table, where the only other occupants were a phone charger and a novel. Chase didn’t recognize the title, but it had the look of a spy thriller.
Cute.
Naked, Chase sat on the foot of the neatly made bed. He was almost surprised to find he was still hard. He’d thought maybe his nerves would kill his boner, but if anything, they just seemed to … enhance it. Was that a thing? Boner-enhancing anxiety?
Any moment now, Burke would be in here with him. He was going to touch Chase, kiss him again, make him come—possibly more than Chase wanted to. He was hopefully going to fuck him with that alarmingly large erection.
Chase’s belly tightened, his cock jerking in the air. He wanted to wrap a fist around it, to relieve some of that ache, but he had the feeling that wasn’t allowed, even if Burke hadn’t expressly forbidden it.
So Chase sat with his hands gripping the edge of the bed, his feet flat on the floor. The air was cool but not cold. He was comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time.
He waited for his alpha.