“You did fine, and I’ll show you exactly what I need.”
“You seem to have an answer for everything,” I mused.
He leaned in close, close enough his breath brushed against my ear. I got a hit of his scent—leather and charcoal. “I’m very good at getting what I want.”
“I bet you are,” I muttered, trying to hold it together. I was positive women’s panties melted at the sight of him. Mine certainly felt as if they were disintegrating.
He backed away, and I wondered if I’d imagined the seductive lilt to his voice. “I’ll pay you.”
I shook my head. I wasn’t going to take his money. I might be scrimping to pay for my art school tuition, but that was my decision.
And as much as I’d enjoyed myself in class the other day, I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. My parents were already going to flip out about my revised career path. Adding nude model to my resume wasn’t going to help. And Hunter… Oh god, I could only imagine his reaction.
The line moved, and we shuffled forward. “I’ll write you a great recommendation, give you whatever you want. Please.” He peered into my eyes, and I sensed he was desperate. What I didn’t know was—why?
“Why me?” I blurted.
“Honestly?” he huffed. “I don’t know. A feeling?” He lifted a shoulder, like he wasn’t quite sure he bought it either.
I laughed. “A feeling, huh? I bet you say that to all the girls.”
“Just the ones I want to see naked.” He winked.
My shoulders shook with silent laughter, and I inched closer to the counter. “I’m flattered, truly. But you should find someone else. Someone who’s not a student. Someone with more…experience.”
“I don’t want someone else.” He peered down at me, his blue eyes swirling with some unnamed emotion. His gaze was so intense, I almost had to look away. It reminded me of when I’d stood before him naked, and it felt like he could see through me. “I want you.”
His words and the rough way in which he spoke them sucked the air from my lungs. Everything and everyone around us faded into the background, the colors and sounds coming at me as if through a tunnel. It was just him and me. Alexander freaking Kline and me.
“Next,” the girl at the counter called, and everything came rushing back. “Next,” she said again, more impatiently this time.
“I, um—” I spun to face her. “Hi. Can I get a tall chai latte with almond milk?”
“Name?” Her tone was curt as she held a marker poised over the cup.
“Kate.”
She scribbled my name on the cup and started ringing up the order when Xander stepped forward. “And a tall cappuccino, please.”
She froze for a moment, blinking slowly at Xander. I understood her reaction—the man was hot. With his muscular, tattooed body, he looked like a cross between bad boy and brooding artist. Or at least, that’s what his motorcycle boots and gorgeous tattoos said to me.
He handed over his credit card before I could stop him.
“What are you doing?” I huffed.
“Buying you coffee, well, technically tea, I guess.”
“You can’t do that.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Why not?” He tilted his head to the side, genuinely perplexed.
“Well, because—” I glanced around before lowering my voice. “You’re a professor, and I’m a student.”
He shot me a wicked grin as he dropped a few bills in the tip jar. “You’re notmystudent.”
“Even so, don’t you think the school would take issue with, well—” I gestured wildly, not entirely sure what to say before settling on “—this?”
“Relax.” He grinned as we moved aside so the person behind us could order. “Thisis just coffee.”
