Tempting (The Tempting #1)
Page 22
“Interesting choice.” I pulled my hand away and she cursed, which made me smile again. I did that so often now, every single day. But she stopped when she heard the sound of me dropping my belt onto the floor next to us.
“I was thinking about you when I took it. What you’d do to me when you got home.”
“Good girl,” I said and opened my pants, flipping the small skirt up. “I have exciting news for you.”
“Yeah?” she asked, voice ragged.
“Mmhmm. But I don’t know if I’ll tell you just yet. Even though it means you can stay here. All the time.”
Her head whipped to the side to look at me, eyes wide. “What?”
I chose that exact moment to thrust into her and we both groaned. As always, she met me move for move, my equal, always pushing me to go faster and harder until we both slumped with exhaustion.
It wasn’t until we were tangled up on the floor, her head cushioned on my chest, that I actually told her that Harvard had offered me a job.
“It’ll be a huge change, no doubt about that. More money, more prestige, but probably a lot more stress, too.”
“And this, this change will make you happy?” she asked, drawing a slow finger under the curve of my pectoral.
“Hmm. It means no more dealing with my father, right?”
“Yes.”
“And I’ll no longer be teaching at the same school where you will be a student for the next two years.”
“Uh-huh.”
The skin on her spine was so soft when I coasted a hand up it. “And that means you’ll get to stay here. Every night. As long as you want.”
Adele propped her chin on me and met my gaze so directly that my heart halted.
“And what if I want forever?”
“Well then,” I said and gathered her closer, even though it still wasn’t close enough, “far be it from me to try to get in between you and what you want. I’m helpless in the wake of your desires.”
The smile that spread across her face stole my heart, it was so full of elation. And truthfully? I was perfectly okay with that.
I didn’t want it back anyway.
The End
More releases from Alex Lucian are coming in 2016, including Leo’s story, Beguiling, which will release early spring. Nathan and Adele’s story will continue with Provocative in the summer. Follow Alex on social media so you don’t miss them!
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First and foremost, I give thanks to my parents. Even though they don’t know that this book exists, without them I wouldn’t have the drive to write, the acuity to see where I needed help, nor the intellect to string words together. Thank you for these brains. Petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid.
While this endeavor was kept secret from those I loved, there are a select few of you who have entrusted me with your secrets—may they stay buried at the bottom of the Charles River—and you know mine. Thank you for your advice and discretion.
I’d like to extend a most heartfelt thank you to Jena Campbell with Indie Girl Promotions, for taking me under her wing and guiding me along this process. You are profoundly underpaid for everything you do.
To my beta readers: Christina, thank you for your quick proofreading and your praise; Leigh, for your thorough notes and eagle eye; Anna, for giving me the first feedback as a reader.
To the number of people who have gone out of their way to help me through this process via Facebook: Tammy, Jacquie, and Kimie—your support has been a most welcome surprise. Thank you for sharing my posts and teasers; it means a great deal to me.
Paula-Flossie, ah. You’ve been wonderful. I hope you don’t hate this book, because that will make things very awkward between us. Heh. Thank you for being a ray of sunshine armed with animal gifs.
To Jade, with The Write Assistants. You are phenomenal. Thank you for being willing to work with my tight schedule and for guiding me through this process.
To Jamie. You’ve provided me with endless amounts of inspiration. And you’ll never know about this book—a blessing and a shame. But you deserve every bit of acknowledgement that I can give you, no matter how insignificant. You haunt me still.
And finally, to the reader. Thank you for purchasing this novel, for leaving a review (if you do), for sharing with your friends. This book would serve no purpose if it weren’t for you.