Page 39 of Reckless Kiss

The presentation ended and everyone clapped. That’s when she turned and looked right over at me. There wasn’t much to her expression. It was so carefully blank. But I wanted her to need something from me so I raised my hands and clapped just for her. She didn’t move but I saw the change, the fire that ignited, the loneliness that burned inside her.

I watched and waited after that, knowing she’d eventually go to the restroom. When she finally excused herself I followed. Except she didn’t turn into the women’s restroom as I expected. Instead she continued ahead to the stairs. The only sign she knew I was following her was the way she hesitated at the door, the way she glanced back without actually looking over her shoulder.

It was an invitation I was not about to refuse.

I made sure the hallway was empty before I followed her up one, two flights of stairs, down a dark linoleum hallway with display cases, and into a door marked Department of Anthropology.

“Turn off the lights,” she called as she disappeared inside the third door on the right.

I flicked the overhead lights off and turned the key she’d left in the door. I hesitated outside her office just long enough to read her nameplate and smile.

“Close the door.” She was already standing at her office window, looking down at the parking lot. “I had a feeling you’d follow me.”

“Who’s watching you, Esme?” I sat in the chair opposite her desk to ward off any sexual advances she might make. I wanted inside her. I wanted inside her desperately, but not before I had some answers.

“Why do you want to know?”

“Because I care about you.” I glanced around her office. It was filled with books and photographs, diplomas and awards, but her desk was shockingly tidy.

She followed my gaze. “I like to have plenty of space to spread out when I work. I clear it every night before I leave.”

“Who’s watching you?” I repeated.

“I’m not who you think I am,” she whispered.

“I don’t think you’re anything.”Lies.She was my Esme. Needy, pliant, reactive, Esme. She was mine and whatever secrets she held were mine as well.

“You think I’m sweet. Naïve even. You think I’m innocent.”

“You’re wrong about that.” I stood in front of her, whispered my knuckles over the curve of her waist. “Sweet, yes. And maybe I had illusions about your naiveté, but you erased those when you begged me to fuck you in your father’s house. I’ve known from the moment you smiled at me with your red lips that you were anything but innocent.” I ran my thumb over her lower lip, tugged it just a bit, enough to send my overactive fantasies into motion yet again.

Her breasts rose over the top of her black strapless dress as she panted. “And will you fuck me here? On my desk?”

Oh how I wanted to do many dark things to her here. I wanted her spread out on that desk but I also wanted her on her knees, giving me that red ring I wanted so desperately.

“No,” I lied. “I want more than your body, Esme. I want all of you.”Truth.

Her eyes flared. “I can make you change your mind,” she whispered, so sad it broke me. “I—” she licked her lips, looked away from.

“Do you know what’s happening? Is your father paying off football players?” Her gaze strayed back to me, but she remained silent. I took it as confirmation. “Why is he doing it? To force trades? To keep good players?”

She broke away from me, walked around her desk, her index finger trailing along the edge. “You’re walking into dangerous territory, Leo. Knowledge is a powerful and dangerous thing. You can’t unknow things.” Her voice changed, her shoulders straightened.

“Then don’t tell me facts. Give me a,” I waved my hand through the air, “hypothetical scenario.”

She completed the circuit around her desk and came to a stop in front of me. “Hypothetically, athletes can be convinced to do certain things at certain times for certain reasons.” She swallowed. “Just as, hypothetically speaking, teenage girls can go to extraordinary lengths to piss off their asshole fathers.”

I knew, Iknewshe was telling me something important, yet I couldn’t quite concentrate with her so close. “A-athletes can be bought, you’re saying?”

She leaned closer, whispered against my ear. “Possibly. You should go Leo.”

I closed my eyes, drunk on the way she made me feel insane. “Why? Why should I go, Esme? I already told you I want you.”

“Because.” She pulled back, looked into my eyes. “I want you too. Ineedyou. And if you don’t go I won’t be strong enough to leave you.”

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