Page 54 of Molly's Mr. Wrong
His eyes narrowed slightly. “I thought we’d already dealt with that.”
“So did I.” Molly took another drink. The beer tasted good, and it gave her something to focus on, which made it taste even better. “But class was pretty damned awkward and I wanted to see if I could do something about that.”
“I was just putting our relationship back where it should be. Teacher-student.”
“Ah.” She turned back to the bar and held her beer between both hands. He waited behind her for her to say more, but she really didn’t have a lot to say. Maybe this was the way their relationship was supposed to be. It wasn’t as if she were losing anything...
He touched her, laid his hand lightly on her arm and made her nerves jump. She turned back, taking her beer with her this time to stop all the swiveling.
“You should get home,” he said softly. “School night.”
There was something in the quiet words that made her heart rate speed up even more than it had when he touched her, but she’d rather chug her beer than let him know that. “I’ll be fine. Go back to your friends.”
“As you wish.” He took a step, then stopped and looked back at her. “Are we good now?”
Molly frowned at his coolly asked question.
Good now?What the hell did that mean? When had things ever been good between them? Maybe for a few moments while they’d bantered in the parking lot or when he’d brought the kitten to her office. Other than that...not good.
“I...don’t know what you’re asking,” she muttered.
Finn have her a long, silent look. “Neither do I.” He reached past her to set his empty mug on the bar beside her almost-full one. “But I am going home. If you want, I’ll walk you to your car.”
Molly realized that she wanted. She wasn’t comfortable here, knowing that Finn’s friends—people she probably knew if he mentioned names—were looking at her. Knowing she shouldn’t have stopped here in the first place. She could be home right now. Safe and comfortable, except for the nagging thoughts about Finn. But no. She was in a bar, with Finn at her elbow, offering to walk her out.
An odd situation for someone who wasn’t all that impulsive.
Molly reached down for her purse, opened it and pulled out a ten and laid it on the bar before sliding off the stool.
“Generous tip,” Finn said as she started for the door.
“That’s me. Generous.” The truth was she wanted to get out of there rather than wait for change. Once she stepped out into the chilly night air she headed straight for her car.
“We seem to talk a lot at your car,” Finn said as she beeped the lock while still several yards away. She wanted that door unlocked and ready to go when she got there.
“We’ll break tradition tonight.” Molly could only think of one other time they’d spoken at her car, and she recalled it being unsettling because she’d enjoyed it so much. And she’d talked of getting laid.
Dear heavens. Sometimes she was her own worst enemy.
Finn waited until they’d reached her parking spot before saying, “So you came here tonight because of me.”
Molly gave him a tight-lipped look. “I think we both know that it wasn’t because I’m a regular.”
“And you came because you were concerned about me.” He was frowning now, as if he didn’t quite buy her story. Fine. He could think what he liked.
“I wanted to apologize one more time, and I felt guilty, okay? But I’ve since changed my mind about the guilt. Now we can segue into that strict teacher-student thing you were speaking of—and Denny the Douche can give you all the crap he wants.”
He smiled a little. Like he knew something that she didn’t.
Before she could ask what was so funny, he moved another step closer even though her brain whispered something about danger, but she didn’t move. Didn’t try to head him off when he slid a hand around the back of her neck, even though a jolt went through her as his calloused fingers brushed over her sensitive skin. His palm was warm against her neck as he held her and his lips came down to touch hers. And even though pulling back was the right thing to do, Molly didn’t. She wanted to see how this played out, because she’d probably never be in this position again.
She sucked a breath in over her teeth as his mouth moved away, then she leaned toward him, pulled his head back down, made contact again. His fingers tightened on the back of her neck and Molly opened to him, answered his kiss, allowed herself the freedom to seize the moment. Revel in it.
His free hand came up to the side of her face as the kiss deepened, his tongue introducing all kinds of knee-weakening responses as it stroked and teased.
He backed her up a step or two, but when her back came up against her car door, he pulled back, leaving her blinking as his hand dropped away.
It took him a few seconds to say, “Let’s not do anything you’ll regret in the morning.”
