Page 39 of Teach Me Your Ways

17

GRADY

The indoor pool echoed with the gentle splash of water and the hiss of pressurized air from tanks being tested. I didn’t believe Cece and Lina were friends, but they seemed to work well together. Scuba diving required teamwork. Buddy system and all that. They had no choice but to get close. Real close.

Cece adjusted the straps like she had done it a thousand times. I watched as she helped Lina, who was a little less familiar with the gear. My tongue was practically stuck to the roof of my mouth. She could’ve been a model for a dive gear catalog—if the catalog also wanted to feature the sexiest damn woman alive in a skintight wet suit.

The neoprene clung to her body and left nothing to the imagination. I’d had my hands on those curves and I had to walk away. It was the worst kind of torture to see that luscious body on display and know I could never have it.

If I didn’t move, my body was going to start telling on me. My cock was already semi-erect. I needed relief. The blue balls I’d been sporting for the last several weeks couldn’t be healthy. Yeah, I’d jacked off in the shower a few times, but it wasn’t the same as being buried inside a willing woman. That wasn’t right. It wasn’t just a willing woman I needed. I needed just one in particular.

“Professor Stone,” Dean Carver said.

And just like that, my cock deflated and ran for cover. I turned to find her standing a little too close, arms crossed, watching the girls with narrowed eyes and a pinched smile.

I gave a polite nod, trying not to flinch when her shoulder brushed mine. Why in the hell was she standing so damn close? It was freaking me out.

The woman was a half-second from licking her chops. I didn’t want to insult her, but shit, it was a little much. I felt naked. I thought about pulling on my shirt but it was sitting about ten feet away. If I moved away from her, she would notice. I didn’t want to insult her, either. The dean was not an enemy I wanted to make. Although I thought she might see me as an enemy already.

Dean Carver clicked her tongue. “Lina’s mother is very important to the university. Very.” Her smile stayed fixed, but the warning in her tone was unmistakable. “She’s been a generous donor for years. Helped fund this entire program, actually.”

I nodded. “I’m aware.”

She leaned closer, her perfume nearly choking me. Flowers and chlorine did not go well together. “So you’ll understand how seriously I take Lina’s safety.”

“Of course.”

“And her happiness.” A pause. “You understand?”

Lina had finished adjusting her gear. She waved at us before she gave me a look that hovered somewhere between smug and predatory.

“I do,” I said tightly.

The Dean patted my arm. “I’m glad. She’s precious to all of us. Just make sure she comes back from this trip glowing. Lina is not someone who appreciates being told no. What she says goes. Pissing her off, offending her or hurting her feelings would certainly be the end of your career.”

It took everything I had not to raise a brow. I sidestepped her next touch with all the subtlety of a man ducking a sniper bullet. “I’m here for the research. I don’t intend to hurt her feelings but I can’t guarantee I won’t piss her off. I’m a professor and there will be moments when I’m sure to irritate her.”

Dean Carver’s smile turned razor sharp. “Oh, I think you’ll find ways to keep her happy. You’re very... creative in your teaching methods, aren’t you?”

“My teaching methods are professional and appropriate,” I said firmly.

“Of course they are.” She stepped even closer, close enough that I could see the fine lines around her eyes beneath all that makeup. “But sometimes students need extra attention. Private tutoring. One-on-one guidance.” Her voice dropped to what I assumed she thought was seductive. “I’m sure a man with your experience knows exactly how to give a girl what she needs.”

What the actual fuck was happening right now? Was she seriously suggesting what I thought she was suggesting? And was she hitting on me while doing it?

I took a deliberate step back. “Dean Carver, I think there’s been a misunderstanding⁠—”

“Has there?” Her eyes raked over my bare chest again, lingering in a way that made me want to dive into the pool just to get away from her. Her phone beeped, breaking the tense standoff. “I have to go. Just remember what I said. Lina is important.”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head as she walked away. The woman was telling me to fuck Lina to keep her happy and warning me against touching her all while openly hitting on me. It was enough to make my head spin.

With her gone, the air seemed a little easier to breathe—even with the thick humidity of the pool deck. I watched Cece adjust her mask strap. Even submerged to her hips, she moved like the water was where she belonged. I hadn’t expected that. Hell, I’d worried she’d be awkward in the pool. But now?

Now she was gliding across the surface like a damn otter.

Lina, meanwhile, struggled with her harness. I walked over and crouched beside her, keeping my voice low. “Strap’s twisted.”

“Oh,” she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Guess I need help.”