Page 74 of Stranger to Love

"Wear these," she instructed, her gaze firm. "Not your jeans."

The insistence on wearing her chosen garments sent that familiar, demanding tingle through me. I didn't resist. I went back to the guest room to change, finding that the sleek material fit entirely too well.

The rest of the morning moved with a slow, insulated domesticity. We relocated to the large, plush sofa in the living room and talked about everything. I learned she had two brothers and that her sprawling house was sustained by extensive investments and consulting boards, not just her lecturer's salary. In turn, I found myself opening up about my mother's chronic illness, though I carefully omitted our financial struggles. Dr. Carter listened intently, offering a soft, unpitying attention that made me feel incredibly secure.

Later, she picked up the TV remote and asked what kind of films I liked. When I admitted to a bizarre mix of history documentaries and the Scream franchise, her lips pulled into an amused, crooked smirk.

“How about we start with the first one tonight, then?” she teased.

She selected a documentary on 20th-century economic depressions. With a subtle nod, she signalled for me to come closer. I didn't hesitate—I shifted over instantly, sinking into her side. Dr. Carter slid her arm low behind my back, her hand settling heavily on my hip as a constant, grounding anchor.

I rested my head against the cool line of her collarbone, listening to the slow, steady drum of her heartbeat. Eventually, the narrator’s voice faded into background hum, and I drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

I woke with a jolt two hours later, disoriented and instantly embarrassed.

"You needed the rest, Alex," Dr. Carter murmured, her grip tightening lightly on my hip to prevent my escape. Her tone took on a hint of mischief. "Besides, I enjoyed having you right where I could keep an eye on you."

Against every self-preserving instinct I possessed, I leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Dr. Carter smiled into the touch, her fingers lingering against my cheek.

When she pulled back, she noted softly that I’d slept right through lunch. All I could manage in response was a heavy, dazed nod.

As she pushed off the sofa to assemble a platter of fruit, cheese, and crusty bread, my fingers reached out on pure instinct, snagging the silk of her sleeve to keep her there a second longer. A flash of deep, smug satisfaction lit her face at the silent plea before she turned for the kitchen.

The afternoon melted away in quiet closeness. By the time the light outside began to dim, my restless energy crept back, and I seized the chance to test her. Sliding my hand up her thigh beneath the throw blanket, I let out a soft, playful whine. "Neither of us should have to move tonight. Couldn't we just reward ourselves with takeout? Pizza? Sushi?"

Dr. Carter let out an amused scoff, her eyes dropping to my hand. “Do I really seem like the type of woman who eats takeout, Alex?”

I pressed my mouth close to her ear, letting my breath warm her skin. “Please, Dr. Carter. Haven’t I been a good girl today?”

Her entire body stiffened. Her eyes darkened, the composed veneer of domesticity cracking to reveal the dominant woman beneath. "You have been an exceptionally good girl, Alex," she whispered back, her voice dangerously low. "And good girls are sometimes allowed to negotiate. Sushi."

She pulled out her phone and confidently dictated the order based on her own choices. After clearing the remnants of our afternoon platter, she returned to the lounge with two elegant glasses and a bottle of chilled white wine.

Settling back onto the sofa, she angled her body toward me, her gaze intense and dissecting.

"Do you really think you've been a good girl today?" she asked.

As I stared back, breathless, she slowly began to unbutton her silky loungewear top. Each click echoed in the quiet room.

"Yeah," I answered, my voice raspy.

Dr. Carter smirked, a look utterly predatory. "Well, how about you prove it to me, darling?"

She opened the top, revealing the smooth, pale skin of her chest and the outline of her breasts beneath her thin bra. "You have forty minutes until the food arrives. Do you think you can prove how good you can be in that time?"

I nodded urgently and surged forward, closing the gap. Dr. Carter parted her lips in quiet anticipation, waiting for me.

I practically dived onto her, not willing to waste a single second of that precious time limit. My hands pushed the silk top completely off her shoulders, exposing the smooth skin beneath. I buried my face in the curve of her neck, exploring her soft skin greedily, desperate to taste her, to finally touch the body that had tormented me with its proximity and denial all afternoon. It was finally my turn to play.

I didn’t waste the moment. My fingers became frantic, rapidly working the silk loungewear off her body. My lips followed closely behind, covering every newly exposed bit of skin—her collarbone, the slope of her shoulders, the delicate skin where her neck met her chest. I revelled in the way Dr. Carter let herself lose control in the moment, her strong body turning pliable and receptive beneath my touch.

When I finally reached the back clasp of her bra, I undid it with a swift snap and pushed the material away. Her breasts spilled free, perfect and heavy. I immediately began making her nipples taut with my tongue, circling and sucking until they hardened into tight, responsive peaks. Fuck, this was addictive.

A deep, visceral groan tore from Dr. Carter's throat. Her fingers laced through my hair, not to pull me away, but to hold me firmly against her, arching her back into my touch, driving her body toward the pleasure.

I whispered against her skin, breathless with triumph. "Fuck, you sound so good."

Something hot burned in my stomach as I realised I had sworn twice that day—once while she was devouring me, and then again—and neither time had she scolded me for it. It was a sudden, intoxicating freedom. Enjoying that liberation, I moved up, climbing slightly, and whispered directly into her ear, "You make me feel so fucking good. Make me fucking lose control."