by Mia Knight
She was pleased to see her mother’s friends from cha-cha with their grandkids. Alice flitted from here to there with Maddie in tow. There was happy madness everywhere she looked. She ran into Shonda and Keenan from the salon and chatted with them for a minute. Keenan adopted a black cat with mesmerizing blue eyes. She pointed them toward the free stuff and was happy to see that the pregnant waitress and her boyfriend had adopted an old, gray-faced Chihuahua who sat docile in her arms.
Mom and Marv arrived holdings hands. Her mother was glowing. It was hard to be stuck in the doldrums when her mother was so happy.
“Carmen!” Marv boomed as if he hadn’t seen her in days when it had been less than two hours.
He hugged her tight. If she’d had any doubts about her mom’s relationship, they were put to rest after spending time with the Armstrongs. Marv and Maddie were amazing, and she felt as if she had known them all her life. She’d been so absorbed by the brutal tragedies that plagued their family that she couldn’t see past that to anything clean or normal until now. It took Marv almost a decade to recover from losing his wife, so he didn’t think her inability to move on after two years was odd in the slightest.
“Levi’s here,” Marv said.
Before she could ask who that was, a brawny arm slid over her shoulders. She looked up at a handsome guy with Maddie’s hazel eyes and dark hair. “So you’re my new smoking hot sister?”
Marv sputtered. “Levi, don’t talk like that to your stepsister!”
“When’s the wedding?” Levi asked without looking away from her.
“We’re not sure yet. Why?” Marv asked suspiciously.
“I want to take her out before she becomes my sister.”
Carmen grinned as Marv made a choking sound.
“Show some respect, son,” Marv admonished.
“I had to try. Is that Aston yours?” Levi asked.
Carmen pulled the keys from her pocket and held it up. “Knock yourself out.”
Levi dropped the flirtatious act. “Are you kidding?”
“Nope.”
“You’re smoking hot and have good taste in cars? Where have you been all my life?”
Marv shoved his son good-naturedly. Levi and Maddie raced toward the car as she headed toward a group of pit bulls that most people were giving a wide berth. They wagged their tails as she approached. She went on her knees and was immediately rushed by eager to please dogs. She fetched a handful of toys and handed them to the dogs. When they began to gnaw on squeaky toys, it drew the attention of a small crowd. Alice gave her a thumbs up.
One dog, a beautiful rust-colored one with bright green eyes, was flat on her belly. As she approached, the dog turned her face away. She was shaking and clearly in distress.
“What happened to her?” she asked a volunteer.
“Don’t know. She was found on the streets. Looks like she’s been in a few scrapes.” The volunteer pointed at some scarring around her neck and rump. “She’s terrified. She won’t even eat.”
Carmen lay on the ground a good two feet away. The dog wouldn’t meet her eyes, although her ears twitched in her direction. Her tail was curled under her body.
“She has to get adopted, or she’ll be put down,” the volunteer said quietly.
Carmen got to her feet. “If no one adopts her, let me know.”
She gave the volunteer her number and looked around the gathering. Everyone was having a good time. Her heart swelled when she saw families or couples walking away with new pets. A familiar figure caught her eye. Marcus was dressed in a light gray suit and white button-up shirt, no tie. He looked suave and cultured, but she knew what lay beneath the clean-cut image. She’d always had a soft spot for a good guy who had a dark streak and fucked like a bad boy.
He spotted her and stopped in his tracks. Memories of their hookups made her palms tingle. She took a step toward him but had to stop when a group of kids ran in front of her. He made no move toward her. After the week she had, the Kody Singer thing seemed inconsequential in comparison. Marcus couldn’t still be mad about that, could he? As the little crowd passed and Marcus continued to watch her, she realized he was definitely still mad. Before she could figure out how she wanted to handle this, a man slid an arm over her shoulders and gave her a squeeze.
“That was amazing,” Levi said as he handed her car keys over. “I think you’re my new favorite sister.”
“I’m standing right here,” Maddie said.
“You smell that new car smell on me?” Levi asked.
He was drunk on the Aston and nearly euphoric. “You smell like grease,” she said, but it wasn’t unpleasant.
He shrugged. “Inevitable when you work at a garage.”
“How many of your clients are women?” she asked.
He winked at her and was about to say something flirtatious when he was interrupted.
“Carmen.”
She turned her head and locked eyes with Marcus who was standing two feet away. He gave her a long look through cool green eyes before he extended his hand to Levi who still had an arm around her.
“I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Marcus.”
Levi took the outstretched hand. “Levi.”
“You’re the COO of Pyre Casinos,” Maddie piped up.
“He is,” Carmen said. Maybe he wasn’t so mad after all. “Marcus, this is Maddie. She’s a freshman in college and taking courses in hotel management.”
“I took the same courses,” Marcus said, making direct eye contact with Maddie who blushed furiously. “If you’re interested in an internship at Pyre Casinos, let me know.”
“T-thank you,” Maddie said.
Marcus switched his attention back to her. He eyed her expectantly, obviously waiting for her to say something. She clapped her hands and gestured to Maddie and Levi. “Our parents are getting married.”
Marcus blinked. “Excuse me?”
“My mom’s marrying their dad, Marv, so we’re getting to know one another.”
Marcus focused on Levi. “Looks like it’s going well.”
Something about his tone made Levi drop his arm. Carmen gave her future stepsiblings a sunny smile as she went to Marcus and linked her arm through his.
“We’ll catch up later. I need to talk to Marcus about something,” she said before she pulled him into the crowd.
“Your mom’s getting married?” Marcus asked.
“Yes.”
“You’re happy about it?”
“Of course. I don’t want her to be alone.” Like me, she thought.
“You seem comfortable with your stepbrother.”
They stopped on the path leading up to the school, a good distance from the happy ruckus taking place. “I let him drive my new Aston, and he’s a car nut, so he’s dubbed me his new favorite sister.”
With the sun highlighting his features, he looked chic and unattainable. His cool demeanor made her want to provoke him, but that would have to wait.
“My stepdad asked for my mom’s hand in marriage an hour before you saw me in the casino with Kody,” she said bluntly.
His expression revealed nothing. “I see.”
“I was on my way to your office when Kody stopped me.”
“What?”
That caught him off guard. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mickey and Frederick milling around. They were keeping their distance but observing every move she made. She looked around and focused on the open door of the school. Without a word, she started walking toward the building after shooting her guards a warning look.
“Where are you going?” Marcus asked as he followed.
She didn’t answer as she walked down a hallway lined with pegs and cubbies. The walls were covered in crayon artwork, and the smell of Play-Doh and tiny, sweaty humans filled her nostrils. She walked into a classroom filled with tiny desks. A guinea pig burrowed into shredded newspaper while the burble of the aquarium filled the room. A map of the world covered one wall and a dry erase board littered w
ith math problems hung on the other.
She strolled around the classroom while Marcus watched from the doorway. He didn’t step into the classroom, of course, because he liked rules. Even as a child, she didn’t acknowledge rules. That was partly her father’s training, and she continued the practice in her adult years since it got her what she wanted in life.
She sat in the tiny plastic chair, which felt as if it had been made for a doll rather than a human. She propped her chin on her hand, clamped her knees, and angled her feet together in the classic schoolgirl pose. Maddie’s shoes really got her into character. She pouted as Marcus watched her suspiciously. He was a wise man. She was definitely going to fuck with him.
“Did you ever have a student/teacher fantasy?” she asked.
“Excuse me?”
“Did you ever fantasize about a teacher?”
“Not that I can remember.”
“That’s a shame.” Carmen rose and sauntered to the teacher’s desk. She perched on the edge and crossed her legs. “Did you ever want someone who worked for you?”
Marcus leaned against the wall just inside the classroom. His pose was casual, but his eyes were alert and held a tinge of heat. Warmth pooled low. He wasn’t walking away. He was willing to play her game, which made her heart skip.
“Several employees have dropped hints, but I’m not interested in someone who wants to use me to get ahead.”
“In all fairness, she could really want you.” That was probably more likely. Anyone who worked for Marcus knew he was a slave driver, so he wouldn’t promote anyone who didn’t deserve it. “You’re hot.”
“You think so?”
She took her time examining him. She imagined what was beneath the tailored clothes and saw his pockets bulge as he fisted his hands. She hid a smile.
“Did you ever do anything about your teacher fantasy?” Marcus asked, breaking the taut silence.
“Yes.”
His brows drew together. “A teacher took advantage of you?”
“I took advantage of the college TA.”
He shook his head in mock regret. “He probably didn’t know what hit him.”
She leaned back on her hands. It was a provocative pose, and Marcus responded beautifully. He took a step forward before he caught himself.
“Did you ever seduce an employer?” he asked.
“No, I only had one boss, and she was a friend of mine.”
“What did you do for your friend?”
“I stripped.”
Marcus took another step forward. “I’m sorry?”
“My friend owned a club. I did it right out of high school.”
“You were a professional stripper? That explains a lot.”
She swung her foot idly as he approached. “What does that mean?”
“It means you know how to exploit every weakness a man has.” He stopped so close that she could smell his cologne. “So you were on your way to me, but got sidetracked by Kody and ended up kissing him. How did that happen?”
“I was sad.”
“So you kissed him?”
“I was in shock. I had just found out about Mom and Marv.”
He placed a hand on her bare thigh. She couldn’t help the goose bumps that erupted over her skin and hoped he didn’t notice. Despite the sexual tension, Marcus was waiting for an answer. She hadn’t explained herself to any man for years. It was uncomfortable, but the fact that she was sure she would be getting fucked soon was a great incentive.
“Kody said things I should want to hear …” She shrugged. “I wanted to have feelings for him. It would have made things simpler.”
“You let him kiss you.”
“Yes.”
He planted his hands on either side of her and leaned in. “If you need kisses, you can come to me.”
She smiled. “I’ll remember that.”
“What do you want, Carmen?” he murmured as he dragged her to the edge of the desk, forcing her to open her legs so he could fit between.
He stared at her with an intensity that made heat blossom in her belly and spread. She straightened, so their faces were a hairsbreadth apart. Classy sin teased her nostrils.
“I want to play.”
He searched her eyes. “Play?”
She had a thing for role playing. Not all men were game for this kind of thing, but it definitely got her going. She waited to see what Marcus Fletcher would do. “I’ll be the student; you be the teacher.”
His hands flexed on her, but he didn’t move. She could almost hear the wheels turning in his head. She kissed his chin.
“Mr. Fletcher, don’t you want me?” she asked in a high-pitched voice.
She ran her hand down his chest.
“I know I haven’t been doing well in class, but”—she looked up at him and made her eyes as wide and guileless as possible right before she cupped his hardening cock—“I’m sure I can make up my grade by doing something really special for you.”
Marcus was rigid as a board. She wasn’t even sure he was breathing.
“I really need to pass your class,” she continued.
“You pick the damnedest places.”
Disappointment coated her throat. She dropped her hand. Maybe he wasn’t—
“On your knees.”
“What?”
Marcus sat in the teacher’s seat and pulled her backward across the desk before settling her on her knees in front of him. Her heart pounded as she spread her legs, so her dress rode up her thighs. Excitement drowned out all other thoughts. He was really going to let her do this in a classroom. Either he wanted her fucking bad, or he had a secret kink. She hoped it was both.
Marcus raised a brow. “If you want an A, you have to work for it.”
“Yes, Mr. Fletcher,” she said in a meek voice and reached for his belt.
He watched her with an unwavering focus that made her fumble with his slacks for real. She pulled down his zipper and bit back a moan when she saw his Calvin Kleins. He could be a serious contender for an underwear model. Jesus. She took a deep, audible breath and made a big show of touching his dick through the smooth material and then pulling him out of his boxer briefs. She made an O with her mouth and looked up at him through her lashes.
“It’s so big!”
He gripped the peeling arms of the desk chair. “It’ll fit in your mouth … and other places, I promise you.”
“Is it painful?”
“Yes,” he growled.
“Maybe a kiss will make you feel better?” She kissed the head and made an ooh sound when it jerked. “Did that work?”
Marcus glared at her. “If you want an A, you need to suck me.”
She made her eyes as wide as they could go. “I’ve never done this before.”
“Christ,” he bit out. “Carmen, I’m gonna come on your face if you keep talking like that.”
She gave a little shrug. “That’s fine with me.”
He shuddered and ran his hands down his face. “You’re killing me.”
She gave a theatrical gasp and grabbed his thigh. He jolted. “I don’t want you to die!”
“Then suck me.”
The order, said through gritted teeth, satisfied her immensely. “I heard I’m supposed to lick it like an ice-cream cone.” She lapped at it and watched a muscle in his cheek flex. She licked the base of his cock and then kissed her way to the tip. “Am I doing okay?”
“It’ll be better if you put it in your mouth and suck it.”
“I really want an A. My dad will kill me if I get a B so …”
She closed her mouth around him. His feet moved restlessly, knocking into her legs before dropping to the floor with a soft clap. Kneeling in front of him suggested that she was the submissive, but she had him by the balls, literally, and could turn the tide whichever way she wished. She always liked giving blowjobs and now had the opportunity to push Marcus Fletcher over the edge. She kept up the innocent schoolgirl role, peeking up at him shyly.
; She pulled him out of her mouth with a pop. “How’s that, Mr. Fletcher?”
“Do you want an A plus?”
“Yes.”
Marcus yanked her to her feet and placed her on the edge of the desk. She gasped as he forced her legs apart and stepped between.
“How badly do you want that A?” he asked, face less than six inches away.
He was completely still, like a predator waiting for the right moment to pounce. Her heart pounded double time in her chest. She resisted the urge to lick her lips in anticipation and tried to stay in character.
“I really need an A,” she breathed.
“How far are you willing to go?”
He placed his hand high on her thigh. It was her turn to jolt. Her body was revved up and begging to be used. She was breathless with anticipation to see what he would do next.
“A-as far as I need to go.” Her shaky voice wasn’t an act. Her throat was dry and dusty.
His hand slid beneath her dress and between her legs. His fingers touched her, and she had the pleasure of seeing his eyes dilate with desire. “You’ll let me fuck you?”
“Yes,” she said hoarsely. If this hadn’t been her idea, she would have ordered him to get on with it. Instead, she had to play the game even if it killed her.
“You let any other guy touch you?” he murmured against her cheek as he slid one finger in.
“No,” she moaned as she squirmed.
“I saw you kiss that boy in the hallway, the most popular boy in school,” Marcus hissed as his thumb rubbed her clit.
She broke character. “What?”
“You kissed him. I saw you.”
He was weaving Kody into the storyline? Hell. “He said he really liked me,” she said plaintively as her legs began to quiver.
“Boys will say anything to get this,” he said as he dragged his fingers out and slid them deep. “You’re not going to give it to him, are you?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because he can’t give me an A?”
He yanked her off the desk, whirled her around, and bent her over. Her breath whooshed out as he kicked her legs apart, fit himself against her, and slammed home. She gasped at the unexpected intrusion and then bit back a delighted laugh as he stretched her.