Page 50 of Apparently, I’m Torture

Another small laugh. Victory. Some things really never changed.

“You passed the basic Praxis exam requirements, so you’re not that bad.”

“But that was, like, six years ago. You know what they say. If you don’t use it, you lose it. I can honestly tell you I haven’t had to use algebra in my classroom once.”

His smile was so wide, I could feel my chest expanding to match the size of it. “My point was about the test scores. You might be able to kill it at this fundraiser and finish that… module he has you signed up for, but applying those strategies to raise your student’s test scores is the other half of the battle. Do you have a plan for that?”

And just like that my smile was replaced with tight dread. I swallowed and shifted on my feet. “I don’t have a plan… exactly.”

I ran my fingers through my bangs and ruffled them as he calmly said, “It’s okay, you have time. I’ll help.”

I shook my head and put my hands on my hips, feet still moving from side to side. “No. You shouldn’t have to help me. I can do it myself.”

He shifted into a scowl and I flung my glance to the carpet. “So, you’ll run yourself into the ground helping people, like usual, but you won’t take my help?”

Now I was pacing. “You’re busy. You have important things to do. Why would I want to waste your time?”

“Lilly,” he growled, a warning. “Just accept the help.”

I shook my head, my heel caught on the carpet, and I stumbled forward. Shawn caught me as I yelped, and my hands squeezed his thick forearms. Ugh, now I was perving on his forearms? This was getting tragic.

But I didn’t have time to think about that, because Shawn lifted me, sat me on the table and leaned his thigh between my legs as he pressed his palms against either side of me.

I breathed in as he leaned over me, taking in the heady smell of him. “One thing that’s never changed is how fucking stubborn you are. I spent the past few years perfecting my assessment strategy, my student exam numbers are higher than any other Classical branch, and you don’t want my help? Tell me why.”

“I just…” I didn’t know what to say. He was leaning over me, pushing me against the tabletop, looking so incredible that it flustered me, and that tell-tale throb was back, pulsing between my thighs. I was wet. And… well, that was kind of embarrassing. Flushed from head to toe, I whispered, “I’m sorry. I just… don’t like the thought of putting people out.”

His jaw tightened and he lifted away from me, giving me a chance to clamp my legs shut. It just barely dulled the pounding, but I’d take it.

“You don’t like the idea of putting people out because you let people put you out, and you know how shitty that feels. You know that, right?”

He watched me, waiting for the nod of my head, but I was only half-listening, so all I did was stare. He let out a breath and ran his hand through his hair, exasperated.

“Lilly, trust me when I say helping you wouldn’t put me out. If you won’t let me call Trevor, at least let me help you put a plan together.”

I flung one leg over the other, crossing them and giving an intense squeeze as I rolled my hips against the wooden surface. I was too turned on now. My nipples were poking through my bra, I could feel it. What I wouldn’t give to be able to run my hands over them as I slid something hard and thick against my clit.

Shawn watched me, and I didn’t know what he could see, but he stopped pacing as his dark eyes turned an inky black. “Lilly,” he said, his voice low as he stepped closer. His tongue darted out, licking his upper lip as he closed the distance between us. “Are you–”

“Cake’s ready. Come grab a slice.”

Sharon’s head popped in and out so quickly, it made both of us jolt. Then Shawn shut his eyes and flared his nostrils as his chest rose and fell.

I’ll probably never know what he was going to ask me. Because instead of shutting the door and trailing his hand up my thigh, like I wanted him to, he nudged his chin toward the exit and said, “Come on. We better get you a piece before it’s gone.”

I swallowed as he took my hand and lifted me from the table.

Chapter 20

Lilly

Saturday Night

Lilly’s Apartment

Lying on my bed, I slipped my hands under the covers. Naked, I skimmed my fingers across my skin, touching the crease where my ribs met the swell of my breasts, tracing circles until I found my tight nipple. I sucked in a breath as I pinched it, and slid my other hand along my stomach until it met my parted thighs.

Probing and teasing, I slid a finger along my slit.