Page 20 of Teach Me Your Ways

9

GRADY

“Fuck.” The word hissed out beneath clenched teeth.

Cece strolled into the lecture hall looking like a woman on a catwalk. I watched her hips sway in that goddamn skirt like she was doing it on purpose. Which she absolutely was. The charcoal gray fabric clung to every curve, and when she bent to set her bag down, I had to grip the edge of my desk to keep from groaning out loud.

This was her idea of appropriate?

The silky white blouse was professional enough, but with those top buttons undone, I caught glimpses of creamy skin that made my mouth go dry. I caught the faintest glimpse of a virginal white bra. Boring. Basic. And fucking hot. Her red hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders instead of that practical ponytail from yesterday, and those heels made her legs look like they went on for miles.

She was testing me. Pushing back against my comment about her clothes being too tight. Well, message fucking received.

“Good morning, Professor,” she said sweetly, her voice carrying just enough honey to let me know she knew exactly what she was doing.

“Miss Monroe.” I kept my voice level, professional, even though every instinct I had was screaming at me to bend her over that desk and show her what happened when she played with fire.

Lina walked in a few seconds later, took one look at Cece, and arched a brow. Cece leveled her with a stare. I didn’t know what they had said to each other in that quick look, but Lina walked away without commenting.

“What are we doing today, Professor Stone?” Cece’s use of my name was dripping with sensuality. She was trying to make me think about sex. With her. Just great.

I cleared my throat, picked up a box of tools, and held it directly in front of my crotch to hide anything that might be happening down there. “Outside.”

The sun bore down on us as I led them behind the archeology building. There were tables filled with bins of muddy rocks. They all required our attention. Water hoses snaked across the lawn, and baskets were scattered about, ready for the day’s work. I stood there, clad in jeans and a T-shirt while my teaching assistants looked like they were auditioning for a reality show in search of a boyfriend. Lina wore practical sneakers and tiny shorts that were absolutely inappropriate. Things were dangerously close to falling out—front and back. The top she was wearing hugged her tiny upper half and exposed her belly button.

What the fuck had I gotten myself into?

“Today, we’ll be cleaning these stone fragments from a dig site,” I began, gesturing to the bins. “Use the water hoses and brushes to gently remove the mud. Be careful not to damage any potential findings.”

Cece struggled, her heels making it difficult to maintain balance with the pointy tips sinking into the soft grass. She had thankfully been smart enough to bring along a hair scrunchie. She quickly wound it around her hand and put it on top of her head in a wild, messy style that was sexy as shit.

“I’ll be back,” I said. “Don’t ruin anything.”

I didn’t stick around long enough to answer any questions they may have had. I strode across the grass and jerked open the door to let myself into the building. I went straight into the men’s room. My cock was pushing against the zipper of my jeans. It was painful. I went into one of the stalls and quickly adjusted things to give myself some relief.

I splashed cold water on my face and gripped the edges of the sink, staring at my reflection. This was insane. I was a grown man, not some horny teenager who couldn’t control himself around a pretty girl. But shit, the way that skirt hugged her ass when she bent over?

I shook off the arousal and strolled out of the bathroom and back outside. The two of them were hard at work. Cece struggled to maintain her balance, those ridiculous heels sinking deeper into the soft earth with each step. Sweat was starting to bead on her forehead despite the early hour. I could see her jaw clench with determination as she refused to give up. Part of me wanted to call it off. Tell her to go change into something more practical.

But the stubborn part of me, the part that was still irritated by her little fashion show this morning, held firm. I’d tried to warn her. She’d chosen to ignore my advice and dress like she was headed to a boardroom instead of a work site. This was on her.

“Having trouble, Miss Monroe?” I called out, unable to keep the slight edge from my voice.

She looked up, those blue eyes flashing with defiance even as she wobbled slightly. “I’m fine, Professor Stone.”

Every time she said my name, it was laced with venom. And passion. It was intentional.

Lina snickered from her position by the water hose, and I shot her a warning look. The last thing I needed was these two turning this into some kind of pissing contest. I had enough to worry about already this semester.

I walked closer to examine the rocks they had washed and put on another table.

“What are these?” Lina asked.

“They’re from a dig site I was on in Guatemala. I want you to clean the mud off them and see if they’re part of the temple structure or just regular bullshit rocks. Wash them carefully and use the brushes. Carefully.”

Cece washed the muddy artifacts, her determination evident even as everything went to hell around her. The ground turned into a swampy mess. I saw her left heel disappear completely into the muck with a wet sucking sound, and she had to grab onto the table to keep from face-planting.

I almost laughed but the thought quickly died when I saw Lina actually laugh. Lina was enjoying Cece’s discomfort.