Page 72 of Confessions of a High School Guidance Counselor

We left the store without purchasing anything. Outside the door, his hand rested on my lower back as he led me to his car, where he opened the door for me. As soon as I got in, I felt better knowing I was at least partially hidden by the tinted glass. Just because I was willing to play with fire didn’t mean I wanted to get burned.

When he got to his side, he asked, “So what’s with the getaway ride?”

Ignoring the guilty feeling in my chest, I fastened my seatbelt. “My mother set me up on a date, and I realized I’d rather be with you.”

His lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile, but he didn’t meet my eyes, instead looking over his shoulder to back out. “I’m guessing it didn’t end well?”

“End well? How about start well. My mother basically conned me into leaving my sister-in-law’sbaby showerwith a man who doesn’t believe in sex education.” I eyed him suspiciously. “What doyouthink about sex ed?”

He lifted his hands from the wheel for a brief moment. “Don’t shoot.”

“No promises.”

“Well, obviously, I believe in teaching abstinence only.” He cleared his throat. “No child, ever, should know about contraceptive options, sexually transmitted diseases, or any other dirty sex act that could or could not have anything to do with bananas.” His face was straight and his voice level. It was like a literal nightmare. “In fact, I feel like they should learn everything on the internet or from their friends, just like I did when I was a teenager. Reducing teen pregnancy rates and teaching consent be damned.” He turned to me, smiling now. “Does that answer your question?”

I fought a growing smile of my own. “I think it does.”

We fell silent for a moment, but it wasn’t the same kind of quiet I’d experienced with Walter. With Cohen, it always felt like something amazing was right around the corner, like at any moment he could say or do anything that would send the butterflies in my stomach soaring.

“You’ve been quiet this week,” he said softly. “I wasn’t sure I’d hear from you again.”

I shook my head and looked over at him. “Maybe I’m tired of playing by the rules.”

His lips lifted at the corners. “Where should we start breaking them?”

“Your place?” I asked.

“Perfect.”

The drive to his apartment, and even the walk up the stairs, felt illicit. My skin tingled with that special brand of excitement you get when doing something even just a little wrong. But why was being with Cohen wrong? My boss didn’t deserve to know what I did in my bedroom. Or Cohen’s, for that matter.

And judging by the look in Cohen’s eyes as he locked the front door behind us and turned toward me, that’s where we were going—if we even made it that far.

My heart sped as he crossed the living room toward me. It beat even faster as he took the strap of my purse and slid it down my shoulder, let it drop on the floor. My breath caught, but he caught my lips just as quickly with his own.

Words didn’t matter now, not with our bodies so insistent on doing the talking. Falling into his kiss was as easy as breathing had been moments ago. I tilted my head, deepening the kiss, feeling the sweet taste of his tongue as it parted my lips and tangled with mine.

His hands adored my body, gripping my hips, my back, my ass, pulling me closer and closer to him and his hardening cock.

I nipped on his bottom lip, and he responded with a moan that only emboldened me more.

Why had I been holding back all this time? This felt amazing, and we’d barely rounded first.

I reached my hand down to rub the hard spot underneath his jeans, and he growled, a sound so sexy my stomach clenched in response.

“This is for you,” he said against my mouth and picked me up, carrying me to the counter.Carriedme. As though I were the lightest weight he’d ever lifted. God, it was hot.

He spread my knees and stood between them, kissing me harder, faster, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, wondering why on earth I hadn’t taken him up on that offer the very first night.

His lips moved from my mouth to my chin, my neck, the cleavage peeking through the sweetheart neckline of my dress, and I shuddered with need.

He easily slid down the back zipper of my dress, revealing my strapless bra, which he shoved down, freeing my breasts. Catching one nipple in his mouth, he rubbed the pad of his thumb over the other. The sensation was dizzying. Intoxicating.

Why had I ever thought I could settle for a lifetime with Dax or Walter when Cohen could make me feel likethis?

He moved his mouth to my other hardened nipple, sucking, playing, dancing his tongue over sensitive flesh.

“God,” I moaned, dropping my neck back. “That’s incredible.” I wanted him inside me; I wanted him to fill me so I forgot where I ended and he began.

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