Page 5

brIELLE

M y first shot fired might not have been fair, but I knew who Ares Bellingham was.

Everyone on campus did. All professionalism went out the door at seeing the jock, who was a senior at Fall Lake U like me.

Of course, it didn’t help that Mallory had a thing for jocks and had sent me a sex tape that starred none other than the man standing like a hulking god at his nephew’s shoulder.

Heat rose in my face as the visual flashed in my mind of him effortlessly lifting his partner and laying her on the bed.

If I weren’t so angry, I would’ve had a jaw-drop moment at how gorgeous the guy was—good thing I was furious.

And who knew he was that hot? I’d never seen him up close and in person.

He stood at an impressive height that I guessed—okay, I knew from ogling the starters on Fall Lake’s football team—to be six foot four inches, with impossibly wide shoulders.

I was playing with fire when I called him a hotshot jock. But isn’t it true?

“Listen, lady. I don’t know what your problem is with me, but I’m here to help solve whatever problem you think my nephew caused.

So if you could stop being so condescending, that would be fantastic.

” Ares seemed to swell even bigger as anger carved a line between his eyebrows and turned down the corners of his lips.

“It’s on.” Preston grinned and lounged back in his chair, getting comfortable.

I ignored the little punk, instead focusing on the bigger one. “There is no question that he did it.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “He filmed it too. Maybe he got that idea from you?”

My eyes widened when Ares stepped closer, a muscle jumping along his perfectly sharp jaw.

“Oooh, now you did it.” Preston chuckled under his breath.

Dammit. I needed the little miscreant out of the room. “Preston. Wait outside.” I tapped my toe, waiting for him to do as I’d ordered.

When he glanced at his uncle before unfurling his too-tall-for-his-age body and ran a hand through curly dark-blond hair similar to his uncle’s, I almost screamed. Luckily, he pivoted without a word, shutting the door behind him, and my anger went up to detrimental levels.

My arm shot out, and I pointed to the place he’d left. “Your nephew put superglue on my chair, and this happened.” I flicked a corner of my sweater up, twisting. Cool air kissed my backside, and heat flooded my cheeks. I’d just flashed Ares Bellingham my ass, or part of it.

His gaze dropped to where I held my sweater, and I immediately let it go, mortified.

What was I thinking? Nothing sane. What if he took my actions as hitting on him?

A proposition for a second sex tape? I was so screwed.

If what I’d done got back to the principal, I was toast. I could kiss my cushy substitute teaching job goodbye.

I did the only thing I could—I hid behind outrage.

“Do you have proof that Preston did that?” He mimicked my pose and crossed his bulging arms over an equally muscular chest.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. What part of ‘he was videotaping me’ didn’t you hear?

Or did you coach him on that art since you’re obviously well-versed in it?

” I was being horrible, but I couldn’t stop myself.

His larger-than-life presence threw me off my game, and I kept picturing him in that tape when he’d lifted some girl against the wall then took their sexcapade to bed with multiple positions.

More heat flooded my face, and sweat beaded along my hairline.

I wasn’t alone in those thoughts. The entire female population at Fall Lake’s campus had probably done the same.

“What’s the point in bringing that into the presumed problem with Preston? Look, I’ve had a helluva day, and I came here to help. So, why don’t you stop being antagonistic, and we can make some headway here?”

My mouth fell open. He did not just question my authority.

All my pent-up anger spiked, focusing on the very large figure in front of me.

“Listen, jock-ass”—my index finger jabbed his rock-hard pectoral—“I may not be one of your jersey-chasing fans willing to fall onto your dick at the crook of your finger, but I’m struggling here, and it would be nice if you could have an ounce of compassion and help me with your juvenile delinquent nephew. ”

His large hand curled around my wrist, removing my finger from pressing on his chest. An electric current shot through me from the contact.

Something dark and sensual flashed in his topaz eyes. “Maybe things are out of hand because all you can picture is riding me.”

Oh, hell no. I jerked my wrist from his gentle hold, desperate to sever the connection. “You did not say that to me.” Even if it was true—I’d imagined it too many times while watching the tape more than once, in the shower, late at night, when my roommate wasn’t home.

Ares pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes briefly. “Look, we’re getting way off track. For whatever reason you don’t like me, that has no bearing on Preston. ”

He kept trying to end our childish bickering, but I couldn’t stop making it personal.

I had no idea what was wrong with me—other than thinking that making a sex video was a self-centered act and just like something my father would do.

“You’re right, but your nephew isn’t just failing my class.

He’s such a disruptive presence that I may have no choice but to recommend exclusion from extracurricular activities and even expulsion. ”

“I’ll fix it.” Ares dropped his arms, the anger that had clouded his face disappearing. “No matter what, I’ll straighten Preston out.”

He left without a word, and I slumped back against the desk. Fumbling behind me, I found my phone to text Mallory. Maybe she would know what had infected my brain, destroyed my professionalism, and caused me to insult and attack the most drool-worthy guy I’d ever encountered.