Breaking Gravity (Fall Back Series #2)

by Autumn Grey

  My student. The girl stealing pieces of my heart. “Elon Blake.”

  “Annndddd?” Izzy asks, looking unbelievably happy. “Stop being stingy with the info, bro. Lay it on us, Romeo. I can’t remember the last time I saw you glow.”

  I scowl at her. “No, I’m not glowing.”

  “You so are,” she sing-songs, a mischievous look on her face. She studies me with narrowed eyes, as if she’s trying to figure out what’s going on.

  I shut my eyes and inhale a deep breath, rein in my frustration and force my expression to neutral, before peeling my eyes open.

  My mom snaps her fingers, her face lighting up. “That’s it! I knew I had seen that face before.” My eyes go to her. “The Swan Girl.”

  “The what?” Izzy and I ask at the same time.

  “The Swan Girl,” Mom repeats again. “Caroline Turner.”

  I blink.

  Mom’s gaze scans my living room before asking, “Where’s your laptop?” She doesn’t wait for the answer. She digs her phone out of her bag and hands it to me, literally vibrating with excitement. “You two are better at this than I am. Type her name. Caroline Turner or The Swan Girl.”

  I walk over, take the phone and hand it to Izzy, who seems as curious as I am.

  Moments later, Izzy’s brows shoot up as she looks up at Mom, then me and mutters, “Wow. I wish I could do that.”

  Frowning, I take the phone from her and glance at a girl who could pass for Elon’s sister, apart from the green eyes. She’s dressed in a white ballet outfit, long elegant neck arched to the side with eyes staring into the camera, arms stretched above her head.

  “I could never forget that face or the performance,” Mom says fondly. My head twists to her, taking in the reminiscing look on her face. “Your father took me to New York to attend the opening of Swan Lake on our fifth wedding anniversary.” She frowns, lips pursed. “She got married and stopped performing after that. Last time I heard, she had two children and was living in Ohio.”

  Just then I feel the hair on my arms curl in awareness. My heartbeat accelerates like it always does when Elon is close. My body is so attuned to her. Whenever she walks into a room, every part of me gravitates toward her.

  She’s like my personal satellite, signaling me and drawing every part of me into her radius.

  She halts and adjusts the strap of her bag on her shoulder, her gaze going to my mom and Izzy before those eyes find me. She’s back to Perfect Elon: perfect bun with not a single hair out of place and a face that doesn’t reveal a lot.

  She clears her throat and smiles at me. “I’m heading out. It was great meeting you.” She says this to my mom and Izzy.

  I nod, my throat tightening. My gaze moves from her face to her fingers curled tightly around the strap on her shoulder.

  Fuck. I’m crushing hard on this girl.

  “Wait!” My mom shoots up from her chair when Elon takes a step toward the front door. “You don’t need to leave. Izzy and I were just about to go.”

  “No, we were not,” Izzy protests. “We just got here.”

  Mom ignores my sister and asks, “Are you Caroline’s daughter by any chance?”

  Elon’s eyes widen in shock. “Yes. You know my mother?”

  “I once saw her perform in New York years ago.”

  At those words, Elon’s shoulders seem to relax a little, and something like longing flashes across her face. She never talked a lot about her mother, so I got a feeling they were not close.

  They continue talking about The Swan Girl for a few minutes. Izzy keeps tossing me curious looks, and at one point, she mouths, “I like her.”

  I roll my eyes, my lips twitching.

  Of course she would. She’s been worried about me since Camille’s death, so I imagine how seeing a woman in my house makes her happy.

  “So, how did you two meet?” Izzy finally asks, waving her hand to the space between Elon and me.

  The smile on Elon’s face drops as her eyes snap to mine. Subtly, she shakes her head, a panicked look on her face.

  I take in Izzy and Mom’s expectant looks, then back at Elon, holding her gaze.

  “At Rushmore,” I finally say, breaking the heavy silence.

  “Oh, you teach, too?” Mom asks, although she’s frowning now. “She looks so young to be a professor.”

  Elon’s chest rises and falls with quick breaths, shoulders raised, ready to take flight. My heart clenches as I watch her as if she’s waiting for hell to break lose.

  She’s begging me with her eyes to lie.

  I can’t do that.

  I won’t lie.

  Not when I’m standing in front of the first woman that has made me feel something else other than guilt, grief and self-loathing.

  I’m not ashamed of my feelings for her.

  Plus this is my family. They know me.

  “She’s in my class.” I pause, watching shock wash across her face. “Elon’s my student.”

  Someone gasps. I can’t tell if it’s my mom or Izzy because I’m too busy being sucked into those eyes of my little wolf staring back at me.

  “What?” Mom asks. Finally, I look away from Elon and meet my mom’s stunned gaze. “What did you just say, Nathaniel?”

  I blink at her, not repeating my answer.

  “Are you out of your goddamn mind?” she yells, causing Elon to flinch and inch toward the door.

  I pin Elon with my gaze, and she freezes mid-step.

  “Please tell me you’re joking,” Mom whispers, shutting her eyes tight and inhaling a sharp breath.

  My lips press into a thin line, and my jaw clenches. Seriously, doesn’t she know me by now?

  Izzy bursts out laughing, holding her belly. We all turn to look at her, her body shaking and tears running down her face.

  Trust Izzy to diffuse a tension-filled situation.

  When she’s calm enough to talk, she looks at my mom. “Don’t you know your own son by now?”

  Mom glares at her daughter, then gives me the same look. “This is preposterous! What do you think people will say if they—”

  “I don’t give a fuck about what people say,” I clip out, and Mom’s face turns red. “I’m sorry for the language, but I’m not sorry for the way I feel about her.”

  Izzy laughs once more and shakes her head. “You don’t do things half-assed, do you? Does Bennett know?”

  I don’t answer, just stare at her.

  “That bastard!” she groans, struggling to get on her feet while Mom protests about all the cursing going on. I reach down and help my sister up and only let go when I’m sure her footing is steady. Then I reach down, pick up her purse and hand it to her. “I’m going to kill him. Mom, call Gladys and tell her to say the last prayers for her son. Lord, I’m going to murder his ass.”

  Mom doesn’t even blink at this threat, obviously used to Izzy’s melodramatic ways.

  Izzy lumbers toward the front door before turning to seek me out, winks at me with a huge smile, then says to Mom, “Gladys mentioned she had a thing at her church to attend to at eight thirty.”

  Mom huffs and mumbles under her breath as she moves toward Izzy. She pauses where Elon is standing, holding her ground—damn, I’m proud of this girl—and glares at her.

  I expect my mom to rip Elon a new one. Instead, the anger on her face disappears as her eyes cut back to me. She shakes her head, returning her gaze to Elon, and says, “I suppose you know what you’re doing. Both you and my son.”

  Elon swallows nervously, then nods her head.

  I join them at the door, hug my sister and my mom, pressing a kiss on their cheeks. “I need this to stay between us,” I warn them.

  They nod and walk out the door, pulling it shut behind them.

  Elon lets out a huge breath, the weight of it almost knocking her off her feet.

  “Shiiiiiittttttt!” she exclaims, giving me all her weight as soon as my arm slides around her shoulders. “Oh man. That was just intense. Oh my God! My stomach f
eels funny.”

  I chuckle under my breath, which results in her swatting my chest. “I’m panicking here,” she whispers in a shaky voice.

  I move back and tug her chin up to meet her tear-filled gaze. “Are you okay?”

  She shakes her head and sniffs. “It’s just a little overwhelming. Do you know how amazing and badass that was? You stood up for me, Nate.”

  Christ. The way she’s looking at me right now, like I gave her a reason to breathe. To live. I’d gladly do it all over again.

  I kiss her forehead, then brush my nose against hers. “I stood up for us.”

  Her mouth forms an O. Her eyebrows scrunch up seconds later. “Us?”

  Since I decided to go all in, I nod. “Us.” I take a deep breath and forge on. “You were so brave. For some insane reason, I like you more than it’s legal for a professor to like his student. You are afraid, but you don’t let that stop you from pursuing whatever this is between us. You make me laugh. I’ve been a dick the past weeks after that trip, yet, you helped me today and refused to leave my side.” I pause, trying to read her. I can’t tell what she’s thinking.

  “Go on.” Elon nods and narrows her eyes. “Keep them coming. I like where this is going.”

  I laugh, holding her tightly to my body. “I’ve never met anyone like you. You’re like—” I dig around inside my head for the right word,”—this magical, mythical creature.”

  She arches her head back to meet my gaze, her lips twitching. “Mythical creature?”

  I smirk down at her. “Yes.” I press a kiss on her forehead, then tug the strap on her shoulder lightly. “Stay.”

  “Okay,” she agrees, linking her fingers with mine and guiding me to the kitchen. “I’m going to make you dinner, then thank you properly. In bed.”

  “I love that plan.” I slide the bag off her shoulder and toss it on the couch.

  “Are you feeling better?” she asks.

  “You’re here.” I smile down at her and run my knuckles down her cheek. “I’m feeling fucking fantastic.”

  “You needed me,” she says, her concerned eyes searching mine.

  There’s something else in her gaze, too, which makes me pull my hand away from her soft skin.

  “What is it?” I question, bracing myself for whatever it is that has her looking at me differently than usual.

  “Um. . .I saw the um. . .” She clears her throat and averts her gaze from mine.

  “Yeah?” I prompt.

  “The medication in your cabinet.” She rubs her forehead with her hand before looking at me. “I’m not judging you or anything. I just got a little worried when I saw them, there was just so many of them, and I wondered. . . if it was a little, um, too much and I am so sorry I don’t want to jump to conclusions and—my God! Please stop me before I say something stupid.” She slaps a hand on her mouth and covers her eyes with the other one. “Stupid traitorous mouth,” she mumbles into her palm, her ears and cheeks flushing in mortification.

  I take deep breaths, trying to leash the sting caused by her words.

  “Look at me,” I order in a soft, firm voice.

  She does, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

  “I would give anything to stop feeling the pain. Those pills are my salvation until my doctor finds another option.” Which means it could be a long time. Forever even. “It bothers you, doesn’t it?”

  Without a second thought, she nods. I exhale in relief. Right now, I’m not sure I could handle any lies. I love that she trusts me enough to be honest with me.

  “I’m worried for you.” Her features soften, the truth in those eyes.

  Finally, I kiss her forehead and say, “You care. You’re here. That means everything to me.”

  She raises up on the tip of her toes and gives me a closed-mouth kiss, then pulls me toward the kitchen.

  After explaining where everything is, I grab two wine glasses and open a bottle of Chardonnay. After a quick toast, I park my ass on one of the stools along the kitchen island and watch her ass as she makes herself comfortable in my home.

  We chat a lot about her family, my family, her life, my life. Just enjoying each other’s company. The tension between us builds, the heat off our bodies fusing, melting whatever lingering awkwardness my mother and Izzy left behind.

  At some point after dinner, my girl rises up from the couch and leaves the room with a little sexy sway in her hips and mischievous twinkle in her eyes. By the time she walks back into the room, my cock is hard and I want that naughty minx beneath me. She slides the black silk tie she brought back with her between her hands before throwing a leg over my thighs and straddling me.

  “I can’t stop thinking about you, Miss Blake. Your mouth. Your neck.” I flick my tongue along her skin, licking the vein thrumming wildly at the base of her throat. “And your quietness and smart mind, your stunning eyes when they catch fire, the freckles on your nose. . .”

  I rub my nose along her jaw and inhale deeply. “You smell like something I would gladly eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Scratch that. You smell like something I would gladly eat every second of the day. Baby,” I bite her earlobe, and I feel her legs tighten around mine. “You make me want to do things that will likely not earn me a place in heaven.”

  Her back arches as a whimper leaves her parted lips and her nails dig into my bicep.

  “You had plans to go to heaven?” she asks with a little snort, a little moan. “Imagine how disappointed the devil will be if you denied him your presence.”

  A laugh bursts out of my lips. Christ, I’d missed that smart mouth of hers.

  She grinds her pussy against my cock. She pushes her hair back over her shoulders and arches her back, giving me a hooded look.

  I slide my palms under her skirt, brushing them up to cup her ass, then raise a brow at her. “No panties, Miss Blake?”

  “I thought I’d save you the time and removed them while I was in your room.” She grins sweetly at me.

  I laugh. “So considerate of you.” My hands skim along her inner thighs, trace my fingers along her wet opening, then slide a finger inside her. She sighs, biting her bottom lip between her teeth, whispering, “Yes, yes. Right there, Nate. Please make me come.”

  And I do, adding another finger, my gaze never leaving her flushed, beautiful face as she pants, grinding her hips against mine as soft moans leave her mouth.

  “Scream for me, Little Wolf. We both know how loud you can scream, sweetheart.”

  She obeys, screaming my name over and over, her body shaking as she comes down from her high. She collapses on top of me, quick breaths from her lips fanning my chest. We stay like this, my hand rubbing circles on her back as she comes down from her orgasm.

  “I’ve missed seeing this look,” I tell her when she raises her head to face me.

  Her fingers move down my abs and unzip my pants. I lift my hips as she slides them down my legs. Her hands are warm when she takes hold of my cock and starts to stroke up and down in firm strokes. I groan and a shuddering breath leaves me and my hips buck, my body strung tight with need. The way she’s looking at me right now, this is not a “whatever this is” relationship. I’m trying to figure it out, but all the blood has rushed down to my dick, my body bowing as her fingers slide, squeezing me. She lifts up and rubs the head on her pussy, and I almost explode.

  My gaze flits down, and I watch as she pumps her hand up and down my cock.

  “Look at me, Professor,” she orders in a husky voice. My head jerks up, and those eyes catapult me into another universe. “I love the way you’re looking at me right now. I love having your eyes on me, Professor,” she says, looking at me beneath her lashes. “Nevertheless, I’m going to blindfold you, then have my way with you.”

  I sink into the couch, my legs spread, and push my pelvis up. “God, I’m so wild for you. Take whatever you need. It’s yours.”

  The last thing I see before she blindfolds me is her saucy smile. Then I feel her lips wrap aroun
d my cock. The world falls away after that as Elon thanks me, rocks my world, burrowing herself deeper under my skin and stealing another piece of my heart.

  THE FOLLOWING DAY, I WALK in class wearing a secret smile and Nate’s silk black tie in a bow around my neck. The second he darts a look in my direction, his eyes grow wide when sees his tie, and I know he is thinking about last night and this morning. We are playing a dangerous game, but oh my God, it feels freaking amazing. He and I share a little secret. Well, Amber is in it, too, but yeah. What Nate and I have is dirty and sweet. It is us.

  Earlier today, I woke up with Nate’s lips on my neck and his hands skimming my inner thigh. Then he proceeded to make me come with his fingers. By the time he was buried inside me, every part of me was on fire. He made love to me quietly, intensely. The silence shattered when he shouted my name as he came.

  Right before I took a cab to my place to shower and change, Nate and I agreed to stay away from each other as much as we could. Today in class, he didn’t look in my direction except when he noticed I was wearing his tie. At one point, Amber asked me in a concerned voice if something happened between us, so I told her what our plan was. Apparently, Professor Masters had confronted him again three days ago and threatened to have him fired when she had proof that he and I were involved.

  Professor Masters has been watching me since practice started. So, as soon as my time is up, I make a quick job of packing my cello inside its case, then grab my bag and fly toward the door.

  “Miss Blake?” Her voice stops me cold in my tracks. Taking a deep inhale to steel my nerves, I spin around to face her, pasting a smile on my face.

  “Yes, Professor?”

  She folds her arms on her chest as she studies me, then takes a step forward. My brain screams at me to flee, but my feet haven’t gotten the memo yet. Plus I’m freaking terrified.

  “You are one of the most talented students I’ve ever tutored. With the kind of education you receive here at Rushmore, you could go places, Miss Blake. Take the world by storm.”

  I hope the smile still frozen on my face doesn’t reveal how nervous I am. I feel like I’m about to hyperventilate.