Page 28 of A Lesson in Deceit
I’d had my choices of schools to work at, but I came back to my alma mater and as River liked to point out, right under my dad’s thumb. I had my reasons, and they were none of his fucking business.
I sat in my office, taking my glasses off and placing them on my desk. I rubbed my eyes, taking a break from looking over lesson plans for the next week or so. I loved teaching, but sometimes those undergrad shits could really make me rethink my chosen career.
Speaking of a certain undergrad…
I groaned, replaying how well my night had gone when I’d gotten home. Yes, I was met with the sounds of pleasure from both my brother and his girlfriend. They weren’t sounds I hadn’t heard before, since River was never shy about that kind of thing, nor had he ever learned to fully close a fucking door. None of what I’d come home to bothered me, rattled me. No, it was what I was met with later on that night that stunned me.
I’d been asleep when I somehow catapulted myself into Riley’s dreams. They were sporadic and at times a little blurry. I didn’t know what I was seeing at first until her face came across my mind, clear as day. I immediately thought it was my own dream and why the fuck was she in them, but then it didn’t feel like my mind. Once the chaos of her mind settled, the dream stalled with her sitting on her bed, reading. Her braids cascaded over her shoulders and her brown skin was luminous and all on display from her shorts and tank top. The sun from her window made the tiny hoop nose ring she had sparkle.
I was gazing at her from the doorway and she looked serene, less antagonizing than how I normally saw her. River chose hispartners based on their personalities and how they made him feel. Looks were always something on his mind, but it wasn’t a priority for him. I knew how she mademefeel: she irritated me. I had yet to really understand her personality, and as for her looks…
I shook my head, not letting my mind drift.
I took in the setting and thought about how if I really wanted to, I could ruin this for her. I could make this room a prison, fill it with things she was scared of, pretend to suck all the oxygen from the room. I could make her hate the thought of falling asleep ever again. On the other hand, I could make this dream even more enjoyable.
I could make her slip her own hand between her legs and make her come on her own fingers so hard she might pass out. Or I could have her think they were my fingers and really fuck with her head.
I did neither. I just watched her until I drifted out of her mind and back into my own.
I groaned, running a rough hand through my hair. I didn’t care who River dated and she seemed nice enough, but everything happened so fast. They start dating, her dad dies and then she transfers to the school…just like that. I’d questioned my brother about it, but his response was for me to just leave it alone. It was Riley’s decision, and he respected that. I could respect her decision as well, while also being suspicious of her.
I knew her dad. He was a nice man who thought the world of this school. He even spoke highly of my brother, which came as a surprise to me since River always did well with moms but not so many dads. Was I wondering about his death till this day? Of course I was. The school had moved on because it had to. I wasn’t the police force, nor was I a detective, but he didn’t seem like the type to drink too much and fall or even worse throw himself out the window all on his own.
I tapped my fingers along my desk, looking over and peering out my own window.
I put my glasses back on, fingering through the papers in front of me. Riley’s name screamed out at me as if it was written in bold red ink, instead of black. The sound of her moaning, the sound of her being pleasured and pleased propelled itself right to the forefront of my mind, which sent a shockwave to my cock.
I took the papers and shoved them to the side.
This wasn’t good.
14
Riley
I’d made it through the next two weeks without any mishaps. I couldn’t avoid Asher, but he made it a point to never call on me—even when I raised my hand, knowing the answer—and actively looked away from me whenever eye contact could be achieved. I’m pretty sure he scowled in my direction every chance he got.
There were moments when I thought I might have imagined the entire scenario of someone watching River and I. If Grayson had seen something, he was either very good at keeping it to himself or he was way too embarrassed to even bring it up, especially with how natural everything was between the three of us.
I sat in the library after my afternoon class, reading over one of my textbooks. Corrin was continually giving me updates, sending me pictures of different colored liquids and letting me know what it meant. She was close to figuring it out, but with school and her time with Mateo, I wasn’t rushing her. She was doing me a favor bynotasking questions.
My phone vibrated on the table. I snatched it up, looking around the library.
MARIANNE
Why didn’t you tell me your boyfriend was having a party?
Marianne and I had been communicating back and forth nonstop since my Asher run in. I ended up having to send her a picture of him—which I’d gotten from River’s social media, since Asher was not into having an online presence whatsoever—and she hadn’t wasted a second calling me.
“That’s his brother?!”Marianne shouted in my ear. I had to pull the phone back just to get the ringing in my ear drum to stop.
“Yes, that’s him.”
She gasped. “And he’s your professor?”
“Didn’t I just say this?”
Marianne scoffed and I could just see her throwing her blonde hair over her shoulder, rolling her eyes. “When you said professor, this is not what I pictured. I didn’t think you would send me someone fuckable.”
