Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
MONDAY NIGHT, I FINISH SETTING up the smart panel in my classroom and check my watch again.
Alex should have been here by now. After he left yesterday, Millie commiserated with me while we devoured the best artisanal ice cream LA has to offer.
And as much as I tried to deny it, she vehemently insisted that things were not just in my head.
She also told me she could feel his annoyance when she showed up.
Her resolution gave me the courage I needed to approach him tonight. Which is why I’m beside myself that he’s late. I was hoping to connect with him before class, but more than half the students are here already—both mine and his.
Maybe it’s better this way. I wouldn’t want to throw off his game by making things weird between us. Especially if it’s only one-sided again.
But it’s not. I know it’s not. And so does Millie.
The door opens and my breath catches.
He’s here.
My heart swells as I wait for him to cross the threshold.
Subconsciously, I bite my lip, wondering if he’ll be wearing his glasses tonight or if he’ll be back in his contacts.
A few students block my view, and I can only catch a glimpse of his shoe as he finally sets foot inside the class. Except it’s not a brown Oxford.
It’s a red stiletto.
Savannah Adler saunters into my classroom, swaying her voluptuous hips, her heels clicking in time with the rolling black trunk behind her.
Between her wild mane of wavy blond hair, cherry-red lipstick, and matching red V-neck highlighting her impressive breasts, she looks like a modern reincarnation of Marilyn Monroe.
And she’s here to talk about sex toys.
Educational presentation, my ass.
Like the rest of my class, I have to close my gaping mouth. All eyes are on her perfect backside in the black miniskirt as she struts to the front of the room to set up.
She leans across the table I positioned up front, giving me a come-hither finger.
I step forward, lowering my head.
“I thought Alex was coming.” She flips a heap of hair over her shoulder. “He’s not here.”
I swallow past the lump in my throat. She’s dressed this way for him. She’s going to seduce him. And next to her, I won’t stand a chance.
I glance at my watch again. “He should be here any minute.”
As if on cue, Alex strides in and drops his messenger bag on the table between us.
Before I can say a word, Savannah steps in front of me. “Well, if it isn’t the renowned Dr. Cardoso,” she croons, and it takes all I have not to audibly gag. “It’s nice to see you again.” She lifts her hand as if she expects him to kiss it.
To my relief, he doesn’t. Awkwardly, he wraps his large palm around her dainty one, giving it a single shake.
“I’ve read all your publications,” she says, batting her long lashes. I roll my eyes. Yeah, I’m sure she has a subscription to PubMed.
But his eyes light up. “You have?”
I bite my lip, praying she’s bluffing. I doubt she has any interest in infectious disease research.
“Oh, yes.” She brings a hand to the swell of her breasts. “Your paper on acute viral respiratory illnesses in Peruvian children inspired me to do a medical mission.”
My stomach drops. She did a medical mission? Now I really don’t stand a chance.
“Oh, yeah?” He leans against the table. “Where did you go?”
“Well, I haven’t gone yet. I was thinking this summer.” She smiles sweetly. “Depends where you’re going.”
Fuck this. Not in my classroom. “We really need to get started.” I tap my watch a little harder than I intended.
“Right.” Savannah runs her fingers along the black trunk. “Dr. Cardoso, could you give me a hand?”
Alex nods, squatting down. “You want this on the table?”
“Yes, please,” she says with a saucy giggle.
After Alex props the enormous case on the desk, she utters a sultry, “Thank you.”
He grunts something in reply, then says to me, “I’m going to sit in the back. I have a few rowdy ones I want to keep an eye on.” He makes his way to the last row and settles in an empty desk near the door.
“Hi, everyone.” I wave and the conversations fade out. “We have a very special guest this evening. Savannah Adler is here to talk about the benefits of masturbation, and she’ll be demonstrating some different toys for sexual pleasure.”
“Demonstrating, huh?” One of Alex’s students rubs his hands together in the back. “Can’t wait.”
Damn. I really set him up for that one, didn’t I?
Alex raps his pen on the desk. “Tyler,” he says sternly, “show some respect.”
A chill runs through me. Strict Alex is hot as fuck.
Tyler nods, slumping down in the chair, and Alex turns his attention back to the front of the room. Or rather, to Savannah.
“Thanks, June,” she says, nodding toward an empty desk in the front row. “You can take a seat now.”
June? He’s Dr. Cardoso, but I’m June?
I force a smile as I sink into the vacant chair.
“Let’s start with an icebreaker.” Savannah stretches her arms over head, linking her fingers, then brings them down and shakes out her hands.
“I want you to picture your sexuality as an ice cream flavor. What have your experiences been? Bold? Plain?” A cunning smile crosses her face. “A little nutty or kinky?”
The word vanilla flashes through my mind like a fifty-foot neon sign, complete with a blinking arrow pointing down at me.
“Now,” Savannah says, perching on the table next to her trunk. She crosses one bare leg over the other. “Does anyone want to share?”
The room falls silent, then a hand shoots up.
Savannah grins. “Yes, the gentleman in the back. With the dimples.”
The student blushes. “Uh, rocky road.”
“Mmm,” she says. “Interesting. Anyone else?”
Another hand, another guy. She nods and he says, “Peanut butter cup.”
I chew the inside of my cheek, trying to figure out what the hell that even means. But Savannah rolls with it.
“Delicious,” she purrs.
My heart hammers as I consider the possibility she may call on me. I can’t say vanilla. Strawberry? Mint chip? Fuck me, this is stressful.
One by one, students call out random flavors and she validates them all. As I expect, no one dares to say vanilla.
Or maybe I’m the only vanilla one in here.
After a few minutes, Savannah glances at the clock. “We’re going to pause here.” She shimmies off the table and smooths down her black skirt.
A cacophony of shifting and adjusting breaks out behind me. Good lord, does every guy in here have a boner? I force myself to keep my eyes forward.
“Now,” she says, “I want you to think about your ice cream flavor and what it means to you when we look at the toys. Some are a little more bold than others.”
“Ms. Adler?” someone asks.
“Hmm?”
“What flavor are you?”
The whole class erupts in an oooooh.
Shit. Should I intervene?
But she doesn’t even glance in my direction. Without missing a beat, she says, “I’m all thirty-one flavors combined.” She winks and the room falls silent.
Wow. The whole damn shop. Well played.
“All right.” She pops open the box and pulls out a purple rabbit vibrator. “Let’s begin.”
After the lecture, a crowd of students swarms Savannah, placing orders for various toys, lubes, and sexual enhancement creams.
Alex joins me as I gather my laptop and cords from the smart panel in the corner.
“So …” He adjusts his messenger bag over his shoulder. “Are you going to get anything?”
A hot blush creeps up my neck. Alex wants to know if I’m going to buy a sex toy.
Does that mean something? Is he trying to find out what I like?
Maybe he’s just asking to make conversation.
I don’t want to misinterpret anything and embarrass myself.
“I’m going to buy something as a thank-you.
” Especially since my Womanizer has lost its zing.
But I’m not about to tell him that. “How about you?”
He grins. “Nah, I’m old school.” He waves a hand at me, and I can’t help but laugh. But then my cheeks heat at the thought of him being old school with that shapely hand later tonight.
The last of the stragglers trickle out, and Savannah shuts her trunk with a loud thunk. “Well, that was fun.” She sashays toward Alex, tapping him on the chest. “But you didn’t participate at all, mister.”
He shrugs. “I’m not a student.”
“I bet I could teach you a few things.” She bites her lip, creeping closer to him like a lion stalking a gazelle. Slowly, she brings her hand to his shoulder, brushing off nothing. “Sorry,” she whispers, mere inches from his lips. “You have a little lint.”
Lint? Holy hell. This woman could teach a master class in seduction. In fact, it’s probably her side hustle. I should be taking notes.
Alex clears his throat, tightening his grip on the strap between his pecs. “You ready to head out?” he says to me.
“What?” Savannah pouts her lip. “You didn’t even buy anything.” She swipes at her phone, then flashes us a QR code.
I step forward and scan the screen with mine. “I’ll take a look tonight. Thanks again for coming out.”
She doesn’t even acknowledge me. She’s completely focused on Alex. Well, there goes my philanthropy. I’m officially spending my money at Adam & Eve instead.
“What about you, Alex?” She pulls up the website and clicks on the Toys for Men tab. “Anything stand out to you?”
“Yeah, actually.” He zooms in on the screen and my breath catches.
What’s he looking at? A sleeve? A cock ring? A fleshlight? It’s taking every ounce of self-control not to grab the phone out of her hand.
“The prices.” He whistles. “A hundred and fifty bucks? For something I can do for free?”
My laugh bubbles up, and Savannah shoots daggers at me.
“It’s about elevating the experience.” She swipes some more, then hands her phone to Alex. “I bet you’d love the sexual enhancement gel. Increased pleasure, guaranteed.”
His brow creases as if he’s considering it.
Then she leans forward, going for the kill. “I have a sample at my place if you want to try before you buy.”
Acid churns in my stomach, making its way up my throat. I need to get out of here.
“I’ll see you later,” I say to Alex. “Thanks again, Savannah.”