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Piper

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It’s a confession I’ve never made to anyone. I haven’t told a soul that I slept with Professor Mitchell during my senior year of college. He was in his mid-thirties at the time, sexy and the most talented man I’d ever met.

“You seduced him?” Griffin’s voice is thick and raw.

He’s aroused. I felt it when I turned around to face him. He’s hard beneath the fabric of his pants. The desire to kiss me, to take me, is there in his eyes. He hasn’t touched me though.

I nod. I’m not ashamed of what I did. I wanted Haywood Mitchell from the first moment I saw him. The draw toward him was intense and as each week passed in his class, my courage grew.

It wasn’t until we were alone in his studio one night after his students’ mid-semester show that I made my move. I kissed him. He didn’t resist and within the hour, he was inside of me.

“How many times?” His gaze searches my face. “How many times did he have you?”

My pulse thrums in my neck at the jagged, rough timbre in his voice.

“A few,” I say quietly. “It only happened a few times and then it was over.”

The intimate part of our relationship was short-lived. Haywood was seeking tenure and his trust in me was limited. He convinced himself that I’d tell everyone on campus about our hook-ups and his chance at the job of his dreams would evaporate into thin air.

Griffin steps even closer until his body is pressed against mine. I can feel every hard plane of his chest and abdomen through his dress shirt. His erection is tempting me. The urge to grind against him is there, but I can’t. I won’t.

“Who ended it?” he grits out, his jaw clenched. “He’d be a fucking fool to walk away from this.”

This.

His gaze says what his mouth doesn’t as he looks me over. My nipples are tight and furled beneath my dress. There’s an ache between my legs and even though he can’t feel it, he has to know. My breathing gives it all away. I’m on the cusp of panting.

“It ran its course.” My eyes drop to his chest. “We had fun, but it ran its course.”

“You’re lying,” he accuses as his hand flies to my chin. “He ended it. It hurt you, didn’t it?”

“It doesn’t matter.” I shake my head to rid myself of his heated touch, but it’s useless. He only applies more gentle pressure as he nudges my chin up until our eyes meet.

“I’m a lawyer, Piper. I know when someone is lying.”

“Why does it even matter to you?” My chest tightens. I drop my voice to a low whisper. “You don’t know me and it was forever ago. I’m sure as hell not interested in your past relationships.”

“Your lip twitches when you lie.”

I bite the corner of my bottom lip to stop its quiver. “I’m not lying. This is ridiculous. I came here to ask you why you bought my sketch, not so you could interrogate me about one of my ex-lovers. My past is none of your business.”

“You want me to know.” He smiles like he believes wholly in his own words.

He’s right to have that smug look on his face. I do want him to know. I want him to know everything about me, but I sure as hell won’t give him the satisfaction of telling him that.

“I didn’t come here for this.” I arch my neck back to try to gain at least a few inches of separation between his lips and mine. “I want you to let me go.”

“Let her go, Griffin,” a deep voice from behind him startles us both. “Jesus Christ, man. What the hell is going on here?”

When I twist my neck to look past Griffin’s shoulder, he finally slides his hand from my chin.

A handsome black-haired man in a gray suit is standing in the doorway. He’s taller than Griffin, his shoulders broader. His eyes are a vibrant light blue.

As he approaches, I feel Griffin tense against me.

“This doesn’t concern you, Dylan.”

“Like hell, it doesn’t.” He’s next to Griffin now, his hand resting firmly on his shoulder. I watch him as his gaze sprints over my face before he speaks to me. “I’m Dylan Colt.”

“Piper Ellis,” I say without thinking.

“Piper Ellis,” he repeats back as he looks at Griffin’s profile.

“She’s not a client.” Griffin turns his attention to Dylan. “Piper is my art teacher.”

A smile teases Dylan’s mouth. “Your art teacher?”

“I teach a class at Grant Gallery.” I push against Griffin’s chest and this time he acquiesces. He steps back allowing me the space I need to move to the side. “Griffin is one of my students.”

“You’re her student?” It’s obvious that my words surprise Dylan. “What exactly did I interrupt just now? A disagreement over your grade?”

His grin is infectious, but it only draws a scowl to Griffin’s face. “It’s none of your business. You should have knocked.”

“You have an emergency hearing with Judge Whittaker in thirty minutes.” He taps the face of his large silver wristwatch. “I worked magic to make that happen so get your ass down to his chambers now.”

Griffin turns to me. “I have to cut this short, but we’re meeting for a drink after class tomorrow.”

I glance at the floor before I answer. “I have plans with Rufus.”

He rounds the desk to grab his suit jacket from the back of his chair. “Cancel your plans with him. You and I are having a drink tomorrow night.”

He’s wrong. We’re not.

Whatever happened just now between Griffin and I can’t happen again. I need to keep my eye on my career. A man as intense as Griffin Kent can derail my future and I’m not about to take that chance.