“I did,” Harper replied with her own firm stare as they made their way through the parking lot and into the dorms. “And I must say I’m impressed you took my advice.”
“Well, sorry to break it to you, but Rose had a lot more to do with it than your advice.”
“That hurts.” Harper held her hand over her chest in mock pain. Her false grief was replaced with excitement over the upcoming weekend. “But I can’t wait to meet her. And Luke and Deacon.”
“I think you’ll love them.”
“If you do, I’m sure I will.” Harper’s warm smile twisted until her lips pinched together and her nose scrunched up like she caught a whiff of something awful. “But I can’t believe Corin Sander goes here. He was such a tool in high school.”
Clara nodded, her face reflecting the same distaste for the guy. Harper may have been a freshman when the three of them attended the same school, but Corin was the type who made himself known to everyone whether they wanted to know him or not.
“I don’t think he’s changed,” Clara said with a snicker.
In the weeks apart, Clara spent hours on the phone with her younger sister, sharing everything from her new friends, what classes were like, and even her side job as a tutor. Well, almost everything. Clara artfully avoided talking about Adam, but she was not sure why. They were just friends, despite Adam’s flirtatious efforts. With him, no topic was safe. Even Clara’s attempt to discuss their next creative writing assignment turned into a big joke when Adam charmingly suggested Clara write erotica. He was even generous enough to offer to be her inspiration.
Harper was deep in conversation about her own boy troubles when they entered Clara’s room. At the sound of the door shutting behind them, Rose hopped off her bed and welcomed Harper with open arms.
“You must be Harper,” Rose said with a huge grin. “I’m excited to finally meet you.”
“You too! I’ve heard so much about you, I feel like I already know you. And thank you for making my sister get out once in awhile.”
“Hey!” Clara snapped. “You make me sound like a shut-in.”
“Well? How many times did you go out during high school?”
“Just because I chose to study instead of going to the movies or mall or wherever … doesn’t mean I didn’t have a social life. I had plenty of friends.”
“Uh-huh.” Harper’s perfectly plucked eyebrows met her hairline as she stared back at Clara. “And how many do you still talk to?”
Clara replied with a glare. They both knew Clara left the majority of her friends back in Trousdale. When they moved halfway through Clara’s high school years, she lost contact with most of them, and since their new school was plagued with more cliques than the latest Hollywood melodrama, Clara chose to spend her time reading and studying. It was the only way to ensure a future outside of the dull, little town of Kleinbrook.
“So, Harper,” Rose began, breaking up the light taunting between sisters, “how long did it take you to get here?”
“I left shortly after school let out, so about an hour.”
“Yeah, if you have a lead foot,” Clara teased as everyone settled around the room.
“Well, the sooner I got here the sooner I could brighten your weekend.” Harper flashed a giant grin. “So, what do you have planned?”
“Someone has to tutor the Oh-Spoiled-One.” Rose answered before Clara could. Her blue eyes filled with humor as Clara turned her daggered stare from sister to roommate. “But after, everyone will meet up at Corin’s place to hang out. They have a few people over. Nothing too crazy, but it’s always a good time.”
Harper nodded in approval but asked, “Who’s the Spoiled One?”
Rose glanced at Clara whose cheeks burned from the heat. Rose must have been messing with the thermostat again because the room felt like a thousand degrees.
“Adam Beaumont,” Rose replied. Laughter danced around her voice. “His family founded the college, although they were rich before that. Old money.”
She said it like it answered everything about Adam. In a way, it did. All one had to do was look up the family name and a whole history of generations would come flying through any search engine. But there’s more than that. The moment the thought crossed her mind, she shook it away. It was much easier to keep Adam in the Don’t-Even-Think-About-It category.
“So when do you tutor him?” Harper asked.
“Uh … at six,” Clara replied, still trying to shake him out of her mind.
“Seems kind of late.”
Clara shrugged. She was sure he would rather spend the time pre-gaming with the guys, but he insisted and so Clara went along with it. But only because he paid her well and she needed the money. Yes, that was the only reason.
“He chose the time,” Clara said with another shrug. “But don’t worry. We’ll still have plenty of time to hang out.”
Harper looked pleased, and to Clara’s relief, the girls moved on to other topics. It seemed natural to have her sister at college with her. Harper had a year left of high school, but they both knew she would never have the grades to get a full ride to Beaumont like Clara did. Clara was the brain of the family. Harper was the beauty.
As dinnertime approached, Clara dug through her closet for something more appropriate to wear than sweats. Behind her usual clothes hid a pale blue sundress she almost forgot she owned. She was surprised it hadn’t collected cobwebs. Feeling bold, she slipped it on and paired it with her flats and a light sweater.
Stepping out of the bathroom, she faced the judgment of her most trusted fashionistas as she asked, “How do I look?”
“You look gorgeous!” Harper cooed. “But since when do you care?”
“Since her pupil is a gorgeous playboy,” Rose replied with her I-know-exactly-what-you’re-up-to smile.
“No,” Clara replied. She hoped the panic in her voice didn’t sound as obvious to them as it did to her. “I just figured since we were going out after that I’d put in a little effort.”
Rose rolled her eyes. Her ruby smile was still splashed across her lips, but she didn’t push it further.
When Clara arrived at the library, Adam was already waiting at their usual spot. Her heart almost beat right out of her chest as his eyes raked over her with pure desire.
“Dress up just for me?” he asked as Clara took her seat. His deep voice was filled with heat.
She suddenly wished she picked something else to wear or a more public space to meet. Their small corner of the library, hidden behind the fiction shelves, seemed too intimate. She tried to ignore the warmth that rose from every inch of her body. They should have chosen the reference or biology section. Students were always flooding those areas. For a moment, she thought about asking him if they could move, but with her luck, he would start asking a thousand questions why. She was not going to give him the satisfaction.
“No,” she lied more to herself than him. “If you must know, my sister is in town and since we are going to Corin’s after, I figured I’d dress up a little. Is that a crime?”
“Not at all.” His smooth voice pulled her in like a moth to a flame. “So your sister’s here. Harper, right?”
Clara stopped pulling out her materials and glanced up at him. His gray eyes were still shaded with the same lust they held when she waltzed in. The air around her cranked another twenty degrees. Clearly, the librarians were as cold-blooded as Rose, because the library was beginning to feel just as scorching as their dorm.
“You remembered my sister’s name?” she asked, averting her gaze. She tried to remember when one of their sessions trailed off into a discussion about Clara’s family.
“Of course. I can’t wait to meet her.” His voice turned teasing again as he asked, “Is she just as gorgeous as you are?”
Clara met Adam’s playful smirk with an icy glare. She could not tell if he was serious or just trying to rile her up. For safe measure, she said, “Stay away from my sister.”
Adam’s grin grew wider. “Don’t worry. I promise my only intention is to get on her good side. I have so many questions to ask about you.”
Clara folded her arms across her chest. She chewed on her bottom lip, trying to keep her stubborn mouth from betraying her amusement. “Why do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Say things just to rile me up.”
Adam leaned forward, making sure to push himself right in the middle of her personal space. Other than their first tutor session, he always kept his distance even when he teased and taunted her into a giant ball of sexual frustration. Now, he invaded her area. A mischievous smile pulled at his lips. “Because I love the adorable shade of pink that covers your cheeks when I do.”
The gray in his eyes blended with shades of light blue, pulling her in. The hairs around her neck rose from the electricity that emanated from those stormy depths.
“Well, stop it. It’s annoying,” she replied and rejected the effect he had on her. Damn librarians, she thought and demanded her cheeks return to a normal temperature. She needed to direct his attention to the main reason they were there.
His classes.
After reading his first draft of his creative writing assignment, Clara was sure his failing grades had more to do with lack of trying than anything else.
“I don’t get it,” she said as she passed back his rough draft with a surplus of notes spilling over the margins. “The idea is good. Development is decent. The spelling and grammar are impeccable. But it’s like you gave up with the rest. There’s hardly any depth to it. Why?”
Adam shrugged. “Better things to do with my time.”
“Like drinking with the guys?”
“Exactly.” Adam flashed a wide smile so dizzying Clara almost lost her train of thought. Her eyes rose to the ceiling as she shook her head. What was she going to do with him?
“Oh come on,” he said, sensing her annoyance. “It’s just an elective.”
The crease in her forehead deepened. She never thought of a class as ‘just an elective,’ especially a writing course. It happened to be her favorite part of the week, and it had nothing to do with a particular spoiled heir who enjoyed trying to distract her every waking moment.
Her mouth set in a hard line as she tried to figure out what could motivate him into giving his best. If he put half the amount of work into his paper as he did honing his skills as a relentless flirt, he would have been top of his class.
“Fine. I’ll add more depth to it,” Adam said, breaking the silence. She didn’t appreciate his mocking tone, but she was satisfied nonetheless. With a crooked smile, he added, “That’s not fair, you know.”
“What’s not? The fact that I want you to get an A, rather than just a passing grade?”
“No,” he replied, pausing until he had her full attention. “The way you get exactly what you want from me without saying a word.”
Clara snickered. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Sure you do. You’ll have to teach me that little trick.”
Clara tried to muffle her laugh, but the quick intake of air almost caused her to snort. “That would be like giving liquor to an alcoholic.”
“Are you saying I couldn’t handle it?”
“Oh no,” she said, trying to keep her eyes on his papers. “I’m saying it would be stupid, and I’m not going to be your enabler. I’m sure you already know how to get exactly what you want.”
“Not everything I want.” The rough sound of his low voice sent small vibrations across Clara’s skin. She was well aware of the effect he had on her, and it didn’t sit well with her conscience.
Stay focused, she stubbornly told her overactive imagination, but it was already jumping at the possibilities he presented and none of them were good. Needing a distraction she asked, “What do you say we wrap this up and head over to Corin’s? I’m sure my sister and Rose are already there.”
“Whatever you say, Teach,” Adam replied as they gathered their things and headed towards the apartment.
Under the moonlight, Clara felt the familiar sense of freedom flow through her. She never thought of a library as being confining, but with Adam around, every enclosed space turned stuffy. The night air was just the fresh breath she needed to focus.
“So, is it ever weird for you?” she asked. “You know, walking around a campus your family built?”
“Never. I like being a part of something I know took generations to build.”
The pride in his voice warmed right through to her heart. Don’t go there, she reminded herself. An occasional fantasy was one thing, but combining it with anything else would be foolish. They were friends and only friends. Keeping herself in check, she smiled wide as she said, “And walking around like a mini-celebrity must be nice.”
Humor flashed through his eyes. “It has its perks.”
“Well, make sure you wrap it up,” she teased, feeling bold. “Or you’ll start the next generation sooner than planned.”
Adam’s surprised laugh echoed around the campus trees. “You sound like Luke. And don’t worry.” His voice softened as the corner of his mouth rose to meet a very suggestive wink. “I always do.”
Her heart skipped two full beats, but she shook it off with a laugh, trying not to focus on the image his heated words created. Her nerves danced around her stomach and she caught herself wondering what it would be like if he were the dating kind. At times, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. He made her want to be carefree and experience everything life had to offer without the fear of consequences. If it wasn’t for the Grade A jerk he became when the masses arrived at any party, it might be worth a chance. But Clara knew better. His need to be Big Man on Campus trumped everything else, and that was not a chance her heart was willing to take. This good-humored, sometimes sweet, beautiful version of Adam was only available during their slow walks through campus.
* * *
The music from Adam’s old apartment was blasting through the walls as he and Clara entered the building. He wasted no time in getting them both a drink. As expected, Rose and Harper were already there. Adam took a long look at Clara’s sister. She was traditionally beautiful with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He immediately recognized the similarities between the siblings, not to mention the facial expressions.
The energy that buzzed from Clara to Harper was amusing. Harper had a charming presence, which captivated those around her, but it was nothing compared to Clara’s natural beauty and quick wit. Watching Clara prance around the party with her sister by her side only made Adam want her more. The duo played off of each other like a well-rehearsed skit, something he was sure they perfected at the expense of their parents’ sanity.
Double trouble, he thought, shaking his head.
“You’re not planning to seduce them both, are you?” Luke teased as he and Deacon joined Adam in the kitchen.
Adam laughed into his beer. “Yeah, like Clara would ever allow that.”
“And that’s stopped you before?” Deacon asked with a raised brow.
“Would you want to try?”
“To take on Clara?” Deacon’s brow arched higher. “Yeah right. It’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for. Something tells me she’s feistier than she lets on.”
“You have no idea,” Adam agreed before taking another slow sip of his beer, enjoying its spicy taste.
“You’re hooked,” Luke said, smiling like a damn fool.
“No,” Adam replied, but as the word left his lips, his eyes searched for her. “I just like a challenge.”
“Uh-huh.” Luke wasn’t convinced. His gaze followed Adam’s until they spotted Clara, Harper, and Rose in the middle of the living room, dancing without a care in the world. Deacon eyed Adam carefully. He seemed even less convinced.
“It’s not like I could date her anyways,” Adam said. “I’m still on lockdown, remember?”
“Oh come on.” Luke gave Adam’s arm a good nudge. “You already talked her into being your tutor. I doubt she would object to a little extra … anatomy lessons.”
“I didn’t tell her everything.”
“Why not?” Deacon asked, still shaking his head at his brother’s suggestion.
Adam shrugged. He wasn’t diving into that messy argument. Instead, he said, “It’s not like we know her very well.”
“Yet,” Luke finished before dancing his way over to the girls.
Adam watched as Luke took center stage, stealing Rose away from the sisters. When Corin jumped at the chance to persuade Clara to dance with him, something twisted in Adam’s gut. He almost dashed forward with some flimsy excuse about coming to her rescue, but Clara was already brushing Corin away. Adam relaxed against the counter, admiring the tact and elegance with which Clara could turn a man down.
Corin was left standing there, most likely thinking that Clara was too innocent or too buzzed to understand his intentions. The sight brought a smile to Adam’s face. Corin’s attention turned to the nearest group of victims, and Adam shook his head knowing that the guy had one more drink to go before pulling out his prized, piece-of-crap blade he received from his granddad. The story lasted longer than the actual history. Not that it stopped Corin from bragging to anyone who would listen, nor did it stop some dreamy-eyed chick from falling for the overstretched tale.
Adam’s gaze drifted back to Clara, but not before catching the annoyed look Harper continued to cast Corin’s way. Adam’s smile deepened. She didn’t care for Corin either, which meant the arrogant bastard didn’t stand a chance in hell with a certain brunette Wright sister. Music to Adam’s ears.
“So, what do you think?” Adam asked, turning to Deacon.
“About what?”
“Clara.” He wanted a straight answer, and Deacon was the only one who wouldn’t make it into something larger than it was. Luke would’ve teased him for days.
“I think Corin’s right. She’s too good for you,” he said, his brown stare fixed on Adam. “But why should you let that stop you?”
Deacon didn’t wait for a response as he left Adam alone to think. Why should it stop him? The words danced around his head. Deacon was right. Nothing stopped him before. Why would he let it now? Drink after drink, Adam thought about how he could get Clara alone, if only for a moment. The usual partiers were strolling in, and soon there would not be much room left in the apartment.
Tame the Beast (Ever After #1) Page 6