I threw open the door to the upstairs bedroom, turned on the bedside lamp…and froze.
Great. Just great.
A woman was under the covers of my bed with her face turned away from me. I didn’t need a second glance or an explanation. Another semester, another student trying to seduce me. Last semester, a woman had taken off all her clothes and walked into my office after hours. The semester before that,a naked student had cornered me in the bathroom at another student-faculty event.
When would this end? Threatening to expel students was no longer doing the job.
I turned my back to the bed. “Get out,” I spat out the words.
She moaned, and I heard the ruffling of the sheets, followed by her footsteps. At least she was sensible enough to take me at my word.
Before I could relish the small victory, two hands wrapped around my middle with a head resting against my back.
God, I hated these parties and this university and every shitty thing about these entitled students. I grabbed her wrists. I was ready to rip them off me and drag her out of the room when she spoke.
“The room’s spinning.”
It was the husky softness in the voice, familiar and undeniable. I whirled around in shock, eyes widening when I saw the owner of the voice. I searched her face, awed thatshewas here.
“Rose.” I grabbed her elbow.
Rose stood there, wide-eyed and placid.
Disbelief that this little girl had the audacity to sneak into my bedroom consumed me. Yes, we kissed and I pointed out my suite, but never in my wildest fantasies had I expected her to climb into my bed. It was so unlike Rose that I had mistaken her for another woman.
I had no idea where this surge of boldness to sneak into my room came from, but I didn’t care. I only knew I wouldn’t let her out.
She mumbled something, one hand reaching for the back of my neck, her eyes heavy-lidded from alcohol or sleep. The other hand fisted my shirt, her nails grazing my chest through the thin material. I closed my eyes, breathing heavily to counteractthe intoxicating effect she had on me. I didn’t want to move or breathe too loudly or do anything that snapped her out of it. I didn’t want her to lose her nerve and back out.
If she thought I was a gentleman who would turn her down because she was vulnerable, she had walked into the wrong brother’s room. There was only one woman I wouldn’t chase out, and she was here, writhing in my arms.
The faint smell of a mild perfume wafted into my nostrils. Even her application of perfume was tactful. When she splayed a palm on my chest, it broke the dam.
Gripping a fistful of her hair, I tilted her head back. “Only you can do this to me.”
Chapter
Twenty-One
ROSE
I must have dozed off,and when I drifted awake, I found myself in a room shrouded in darkness. My eyes, initially unfocused, sharpened as they adjusted to the dark.
Where was I?
Though the curtains were drawn, a sliver of moonlight peeked through a gap. I was on the boat, waiting for Damon in his room. I had rested my head against the pillow for only a second but had succumbed to sleep.
Blood rushed to my head when I tried sitting up. There was a rustle nearby, followed by the light being turned on. The person immediately turned away, perhaps to give me privacy in case I was indecent. Despite the quick evasion, I recognized him.
Damon.
My ears were buzzing, and I didn’t catch whatever he said. I was still drunk. I peeled myself off the bed. For years, I had fantasized about ending up in a similar scenario. This setting, on his brother’s yacht, was a pretty damn romantic one. With legs made of lead, I walked to the man of my dreams and rested my head against his back.
“The room’s spinning.”
He whirled around so fast that I almost stumbled. He stared at me with an odd expression, then gathered me in an embrace.
“Rose.” Gripping a fistful of my hair, he tilted my head back. He stared at me for a moment before lunging at me with six simple words on his lips. “Only you can do this to me.”