Page 67 of Stranger to Love

Her lips moved from my neck across my collarbone, nibbling gently against the bone and forcing me to bite my lip to keep my breathing in check. I knew this was going to end badly—she’d been fucking fuming just a minute prior, and there was no way this was going to play out how I wanted. But then she swiped her tongue across the top of my exposed cleavage, and I had to force down a whimper.

Her movements grew faster, pressing kisses across my chest while her hand at my waist scratched lightly against my skin. All thoughts of self-control vanished as a wave of heat twisted deep inside me. Fuck, this was really happening. We were in the middle of a public street; she had my shirt wide open while I stood there obediently, letting her do whatever the fuck she wanted.

Her hot breath dragged across my skin as she worked her way back up my neck. She nibbled gently on my earlobe before deliberately—so fucking purposefully—exhaling a heavy, shallow breath right into my ear.

Fuck.

I was completely dripping. I didn't even try to hide how desperate I was, letting out a weak whimper at the sound of her breath. My mind fogged over, and I tensed my legs, desperate for any shred of relief.

As if reading my silent plea, she pressed hard kisses against my chest, sucking lightly at the soft skin beneath my collarbone—claiming another mark on me. A moan escaped me, cutting off sharply as the hand at my waist shifted. Her fingers stroked the bare skin above my trousers, hooking directly around the top button.

I wanted to cry. She moved her hand quickly back to my waist, pulling me away from the car, and then released me. She opened the car door and tilted her head. “In.”

I looked down at myself—my shirt open and a deep bruise blooming under my collarbone, skin covered in goosebumps. Fuck, I was soaked, and my body was screaming for release.

“Don't make me repeat myself, Alex.” Her voice was low, her face hardly moving as her eyes bored into me.

I gripped my shirt, pulling it around me, closing my exposed skin in a huff as I got back in the car. She closed the door behind me and strode back to the driver's side. She sat down like she hadn't just fucking undone me in the middle of the street. She turned to me, assessing her work—my ragged breaths, clinging to my open shirt, hands too shaky to do the buttons myself. She reached over and pushed my hands away from my shirt so it stayed open for her to look at. Fuck me. She glided a finger slowly across my exposed skin. “Are you sure you want to play this game with me, Alex?”

I swallowed. I didn’t fucking know. Yes. Fuck. I cracked my neck, still desperate for some release. Obviously, I was going to play, so I tried to get a grip. “I do.”

She smiled, and I silently cursed myself as my stomach did a slow flip at the sight.

She leaned back, resting her hands regally in her lap, her expression making it clear she meant every word. “If you’re going to act like a brat, then you don't get what you want, darling,” she said, tilting her head with a knowing smirk. “But if you’re a good girl, I may decide to help you.”

She bit her lip, and my mind instantly spiralled into every possible way she could help me right then.

She chuckled softly. “Are you okay?”

“I’m…” I rubbed a hand over my face. “…Yep. Great. Never better,” I rambled, doing everything in my power not to swear at her. I couldn't take another second of this teasing without combusting. If she decided to punish me then, I’d probably come on the spot—and as much as I wanted that, it would be humiliating given she hadn't even touched me where I actually needed it.

She ran her eyes over me once more before turning the ignition and executing a sharp U-turn. Fucking hell. She was either going to drive us off a cliff or kill me in bed. I grabbed the door handle, scrambling to pull my seatbelt across my chest. The woman was an absolute psycho.

With the belt finally clicked in place and my hands steadying, I set to work buttoning my shirt back up. Her eyes flicked over to me, her lips pulling into a mock pout that made me want to bite her lip.

“I liked the view,” she huffed.

I had to chew the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning like an idiot at how infuriatingly adorable she was being. Fuck me, this woman had layers.

Rolling my eyes dramatically, I finished the buttons, then deliberately undid the top few, pulling the lapels open to leave my bra practically on display. Her gaze snapped back to me, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth as she tried—and failed—not to smile.

“Much better,” she said, throwing me a wink that sent a shudder straight down my spine.

We drove the rest of the way to Heeley Street in a charged silence, the low hum of the engine punctuated only by the smooth sounds of the car’s indicators. I watched the streetlights pass, the adrenaline crash leaving me shaky but still vibrating with residual heat. My shirt was half-done, the sports bra visible, and I didn’t touch the buttons again. Let her look.

When we pulled up, Dr. Carter cut the engine, and the silence was suddenly intense. She didn’t wait for me to move, striding to open the door for me before I even registered her leaving the car. I stepped out, grabbing my bag, and as I turned, she was already right there, closing the door softly after me.

Before I could even formulate a fucking sarcastic thank you, she leaned in, her hands cupping my face with an unexpected, breathtaking tenderness. Her lips were on mine—a quick, soft, possessive press that lacked the fury of the street-side attack but carried ten times the threat.

When she pulled back, her breath ghosted over my ear, warm and low.

“Pack a bag tomorrow,” she whispered.

It took me a full, heavy second to process the instruction. Pack a bag. Before I could fully register the implication, she was already walking back toward the driver's side, her dark green blouse disappearing around the bonnet of the car.

“Pack a bag?” I finally managed, my words thin and bewildered.

Dr. Carter slid back into the driver's seat. She caught my eye, one elegant brow lifting, and that ruthless, knowing smirk touched her lips. She didn’t offer an answer. She simply closed the door, starting the engine, and pulling away from the curb.