Page 24 of Until We Meet Again

"You must know why I asked you to meet me." I break the silence before I break my self-control.

He nods knowingly and pauses for a moment before responding. "The message."

"What the hell were you thinking?" I hold his gaze, my tone firm.

I'm frustrated with him, but every bit of attraction I have for him hits me harder than before, causing me to momentarily ignore everything except my need for him. I want him all over me, tainting every inch of my skin with his touch.

"I don't know, but I shouldn't have sent it."

"You don't get to tell me you miss talking to me when you know I can't have you. I'm not here to have my feelings played with. I'm not that girl, and I won't tolerate it." Taking a deep breath, he looks at me with frustration and longing but chooses to keep quiet, allowing me to continue. "We both know where this leaves us, so delete my number and let me move past it."

His energy shifts as he withdraws from the shelves and steps toward me, closing the gap between us. I step back, the bookshelf gently bumps against my spine, and his scent surrounds me once again.

"You're right. It was irresponsible, and I shouldn't have told you I missed talking to you." Zane leans in closer, his fingertipsbrushing against my skin and tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Just like I shouldn't tell you how much I've missed feeling your body trembling under my hands while I taste every inch of your mouth."

"Stop making this harder." Except I don't want him to stop. This feeling is addictive, and I hate it as much as I crave it.

"I'm not sure if I can when I can't even look at you without wanting to kiss you." I feel my legs grow weak as his eyes drop to my mouth. "But," he whispers, his voice dripping with lust, "no matter how desperate I am to watch you unravel beneath me, I will never abuse my position of power as your teacher."

"Then the messages have to stop, Zane." He nods, but his deep caramel eyes return to my mouth. He steps closer, his hands gently resting beside my face, gripping the solid shelves with his large palms.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, but you have no idea what you do to me." As his arms cage me against the bookcase, I watch his chest rise and fall. "I need you to trust me as your teacher and believe I'll do everything I can for your education so it won't happen again." His lips say one thing, but his body screams something entirely different.

He starts to back away from me. I grip his forearms while dragging my nails along the exposed skin beneath his rolled-up sleeves, desperate to feel him beneath my fingertips. His head tilts back, and his eyelids flutter shut, revealing the undeniable impact I have on his body.

"I wouldn't have stopped kissing you if I knew that the first and only time would be the last," I whisper.

He leans in, pressing his forehead against mine, and tightly shuts his eyes. "We can't, Tessa. This is wrong."

"I know. But I just needed you to know that."

His eyes open, and I see the snap. The last semblance of control on both of our parts is completely gone as his lips crushmine. He lifts me, and my legs curl around his hips as he slams me against the bookcase. I softly moan, but he silences me by thrusting his tongue into my mouth.

He gradually pulls his lips away from mine, and I feel him push up against my center. "You feel that, sweetheart? That's how fucking hard you make me." I lean in and kiss him again, dragging my teeth over his lower lip. He grinds his body against mine with such force that a deep, primal groan emerges from deep inside his throat. "There's so much I wanted to show you—so many things I would've made you feel."

"I wanted those things, Zane." I look down at him from above, running my hands through the hair on the back of his neck, causing him to shudder.

He runs his tongue over my collarbone and softly kisses my neck before moving his mouth to my ear and whispering, "What would I find if I touched you, Tessa? Would I find you wet for me?" I nod, and he hums his approval before I kiss him hungrily, knowing this will be the last time I taste his lips.

He lowers me to the ground, kisses my forehead, and steps away from me. "When I leave here, Tessa, this has to be done. My career and reputation would be over, but more importantly, you'd be kicked out of school, and I can't let that happen." I can only utter the words "I know" to him. "But you should know that there will never be a time when I'm around you that I don't feel what I'm feeling right now."

"I need to ask something of you, and I need you to really hear me."

"I'm listening."

"No more messages. All contact outside of class has to stop right now." He nods, and we stand there looking at each other for several long seconds as if to permanently cement this moment in our memories.

I struggle to differentiate between my feelings toward Zane, the guy I'm undeniably attracted to, and Professor Calloway, my teacher. The emotions he brings out in me are new and intense, but they're also forbidden, and I need to put some distance between us.

I follow his every move as he reluctantly backs even further away from me. "I'll see you in class, Tessa."

And just like that, he's gone.

Chapter 11

Zane

My encounter with Tessa at the library last week is still on my mind. I spent the entire weekend either drinking whiskey, immersing myself in books, or fisting my cock as every memory replayed itself in my head. The feel of her legs wrapped around my waist, the smell of her arousal, and the taste of her mouth repeat in my mind.

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