Page 46 of Give In

I’m just a puppet, and he’s pulling the strings.

He pulled away, and I braced for him to turn from Dr. Jekyll to Dickhole Hyde. Instead, his fingers tenderly combed through my hair before he gently cupped my cheeks. “I’m not saying I’m not an asshole, but what I did was for you. I don’t give a damn about the rules—I’d fuck you bent over the Dean’s desk if I could.”

At his blunt words and the visual they conjured, I had to lock my knees to keep fromliterallyswooning into him.

My panties could fix a California drought.

“But I do give a damn aboutyou. About not messing with your life.” He bent and pressed a soft kiss to my collarbone. “Go to class. Tell Ceaders a meeting with me ran long.” His voice was teasing as he smiled down at me. “Very, extra above-average long.”

Despite the intensity of the previous ten minutes, a small laugh escaped me.

His eyes closed, a flash of pain marring his handsome face as he whispered, “God, I love that sound.” He opened his eyes and stepped back. “Okay, go.” His lips tipped up as he added, “Please.”

With a swimming head and tension crackling the air around us, I gave him a quick nod before turning to open the door.

My hand had just touched the knob when he called, “Eden.”

I looked at him over my shoulder but remained silent so I didn’t say something I’d regret.

Like, ‘Go fuck yourself with your own ego over the Dean’s desk.’

Or, ‘Take me on your desk now, and we’ll work our way up to the Dean’s.’

“See you tonight,” he whispered.

I gave him another jerky nod before rushing from the room.

As I went, I realized I wasn’t totally dreading seeing him at Sinners that night.

At least, not yet.

Chapter Eleven

A Jackson Pollock Porn Set

Eden

“Why do you work here?”

Damien had waited until I was done with the dance before speaking. When I met his eyes, they were… friendly.

It was disconcerting, and I wished he’d return to silent and bland disinterest. At least then I didn’t feel as though I were being studied.

Afraid he’d see beyond the surface I willingly showed, I turned away and redressed. “Why does anyone? I’m obviously an undercover spy,” I dead-panned.

“You shouldn’t be in a place like this.”

“And yet, here I am.”

“Remember what I said I’d do about that attitude?” he whispered from right behind me as he slid cash into my skirt.

A tremor ran up my spine, both from the feel of him and the reminder of what he’d said.

“We’ll talk about all of this.” I heard him inhale deeply before he gave a lock of my hair a playful tug. “Soon.”

Unsure what that meant, but knowing I didn’t have the time to ask, I simply nodded and went back to work.

The rest of my night was a disaster. Three fights broke out thanks to cheap beer and jealousy. I had two private dances who barely tipped. Even Brittany had threatened to quit, and she was usually unfazed.