Chapter Three
Asher
“Fuck.” I curse, stripping off my soaked shirt. I open the coat cupboard in my office and pull out a spare shirt, pulling it on in a haze od confusion.
What the fuck just happened? One minute I’m walking through the door, and the next, I’m covered in coffee and staring into the eyes of the sexiest fucking woman I’ve ever seen. She was fucking mesmerising. Wide brown eyes threaded with honeyed gold, framed with long thick lashes and hair like spun gold, falling over her shoulders in waves.
I had to storm off so I wouldn’t give in to the urge to pick her up and slam her against the wall, letting her pretty little pussy cradle my cock. I run a hand through my hair, pushing the dark strands back behind my ears as a frustrated groan pulls out of me. I’m harder than I’ve ever been, throbbing like a teenager who’s just seen their first playboy mag. It’s pathetic.
I look at the time and curse. It’s almost eight a.m. which means my new TA will be here soon. Maybe I can cancel and reschedule, using the next hour to rub one out so I can banish this little vixen from my thoughts. But then, if she was at The Bean Queen she’s probably a student and I cannot be jerking off to the thought of a student. I shake my head. I cannot fucking be in my head over a student. Not only could that get me fired, but it’s also pathetic. Though, the job doesn’t mean a thing to me, my reputation does.
How have I gone from fucking supermodels in New Orleans, where my gallery is, to fantasising about students? Like I said – pathetic.
Shoving my soiled shirt into my gym bag, I pull out the folder for this meeting, praying it goes fast, and push all thoughts of my little beauty away … or I try to. I think of calling Layla, my usual hook-up, but I doubt the raging need that’s pulsing in my balls is going to go away that easily.
At eight on the dot, a knock rattles against the door and my mood darkens at my assistants punctuality. Any other day, it would have impressed me, but today I really needed a few minutes to breathe through the ache in my balls.
Stalking to the door, I take a deep breath and pull it open, only to be faced with the very person I’ve been trying to rid myself of.
The vixen from the coffee shop stares at me open mouthed, her lips forming a perfect O and my mind instantly thinks of how good those lips would feel wrapped around my cock. I grit my teeth against the thought.
“No fucking way.” I snap as something in my gut tugs, urging me towards her. I ignore it. She squeaks and I wonder if that’s the sound she’d make if I shoved my cock inside her, and once again, I slam down on that thought. I cannot be having thoughts like this about a student.
She straightens her shoulders and lifts her chin. “Are you Professor Callaway?” She says, her words firm and coloured with something biting and angry. Something inside me perks up at that, the anger, intrigued at the idea that this little sprite of a woman is angry at me.
“Yes.” I open the door wider, resigned to my fate. Her scent, a mouth-watering mix of cherries and vanilla, envelops me as she passes by. The urge to bury my nose in her neck is overwhelming, like my senses are stirred by some primal instinct that wants her.
I take a deep breath and sit at my desk. “So, you’re Evelyn Hart?”
“Yes. Is that a problem?” She says the professional tone she’s forcing sharpened by anger.
I want to take her and bend her over my desk for that. Spank her until she’s wet and needy and my handprint is a brand on her ass, marking her as mine.
I breathe through the desire, slipping on a smirk. “Well, after this morning, I think I have the right to be disappointed. I was told that I was getting someone who was as competent as they are knowledgeable.” I lean forward. “It was the only reason I said yes to a sophomore TA.”
Her cheeks flush a pretty shade of pink. “Yes, well I thought I was getting a professor who wasn’t such a jackass.” She gasps, her hands shooting to her mouth as if to grab back the words. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry.”
If anyone else were to speak to me like that, I’d have them barred from my class in a second, but her words only make me harder, something ancient inside me excited at the prospect of her.
My gut tugs and I smirk harder. “No, please, tell me what you really think.”
Her hands cover he eyes, her cheeks flaming. “I’m sorry. Look can we please just start over and pretend everything up until now didn’t happen?”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” Her blue eyes peek out from her fingers.
I shrug. “I’m not one to hold a grudge.” Which isn’t true, I can hold a grudge better than anybody but for her, I’ll make an exception. “And anyway, you’re my TA. We’re going to have to work closely together.” And isn’t that the truth. I’m going to have to see her and resist the urge to fuck her over my desk, on my couch, against the wall … so many options.
My cock throbs.
She bites her lip, worrying the plump, tender skin and I’ve never felt so envious. “Thank you,” she whispers. “I’ll be the best TA you’ll ever have.”
“Good. I expect that.” I slide over a folder of papers. “Here’s my class schedule for this semester. I expect you to make yourself available to me whenever I require you to be.” She nods and takes down notes as I talk. “I also expect you to be available after every Friday seminar for a two-hour briefing for the following weeks classes and to catch up on grading papers or preparing class materials.” The words pass my lips before I can bite them back, before I can consider how unnecessary it would be. In reality, we could meet briefly meet once a week and she could do all the other stuff in her own time, but I don’t care. I want more time with her.
She nods, a thoughtful expression on her face. “Do you need me to prepare anything for this week’s class?”
“No. You can observe for this week, and we’ll go over everything on Friday. It’s mostly all introductory bullshit anyway.” My brows furrow at her shocked expression. “What?”
“I’ve never heard a professor swear before.”
I laugh. “Well, you should get used to it. My mother says I swear like a sailor.”
She smiles and something clenches at the sight of it which is … new. I shut that shit down real fast. It’s one thing to want to fuck her, it’s another to get all soft over her.
I stand and she follows. “Anyway, that’s all I have to give you for now. I’ll see you on Friday for our first class.”
She holds out her hand. “Thank you, Professor Callaway.” She says, her voice gentle and soft like the tender kiss of silk against my skin.
“It’s Asher.” I say, unable to resist bringing us that little bit closer. When I take her hand, I hear her breath catch and my heart pulses faster, like every reaction is tethered to her, mine reacting to hers.
“Asher.” she says and then drops my hand, taking a step towards the door. “See you Friday.” She whispers and then she’s gone and I sigh into the empty room, savouring the scent of her.