Chapter Five
Jeannie
I fanned myself, trying to dissipate the flush burning under my skin. Fortunately, Webb was occupied with notes for the next lecture and didn’t notice the exchange between his T.A. and his student.
I made a mental note to check the school website for any policies forbidding fraternization. I didn’t think it was an issue. Technically we were both students but I still wanted to be extra safe.
The stack of essays beckoned as the next class filed into the lecture hall. I sighed and worked my way through the pile. I’d gotten about ten deep when my concentration wavered. Just a moment’s lapse and Nick slipped into my mind like he’d always been there. Once he was in, it was very hard to get him out. Like a movie I couldn’t stop watching I saw him hovering over my desk all quiet and sexy as he asked me to dinner, the grin that lit up his face when I agreed and the slight clench in his jaw as he peeked at my chest. The images tumbled through my head non-stop.
I picked up an essay and fanned myself with it.
I chewed on my lip, pondering exactly who Nick Mercer really was. I’d certainly misjudged him and I was very interested in finding out exactly how wrong I’d been. And if my initial impression was right, and he was precisely the person I assumed, I’d still have my fun. Even if he was only half of the equation I wanted.
And that was the problem. I’d never been in this situation before—wanting two men strictly for sex—and I had no clue how to go about getting them. In the books, it always worked one of two ways. Either both heroes already knew they liked to share and tempted the heroine into the idea. They wooed her as a team using whichever skill they had at their disposal. One would use words, telling her every perfect thing she’d ever wanted to hear while the other would use touch to convince her that however good his caress was now it could be doubly so.
Or the heroes were rivals competing for her in a show of alpha male bravado. They’d fight over her and eventually come to the conclusion that the only sensible thing was to share. I didn’t like those as much because what self-respecting alpha hero would ever agree to sharing his heroine? They were still hot though.
In any case, neither were remotely close to my situation, and I wasn’t sure how to go about fixing that.
The rest of the day slogged by. Every bit of self-control I had was aimed at keeping my mind on those damned papers. By lunch, I’d gotten half done. I worked straight through, nibbling at my sandwich when I remembered to, and by the time the last class took their seats, I was almost done. Unfortunately, the last class was one I couldn’t just sit in the corner and grade papers in, not today at least. Today, I was leading an in-class study group for the people who’d fallen behind.
Webb was the only professor I knew who gave his students every chance to succeed. I asked him about it once, why he didn’t do weed-outs the way everyone else did them. He told me, “Jeannie, econ is hard enough on its own. I don’t need to be a dick about it, too.”
I packed up the essays to take home over the weekend and headed to the back of the lecture hall with my gaggle of mopey undergrads. Study group was better at keeping my head out of fantasy land but that meant I’d have to grade the rest of the papers at home, something I really hated doing.
It was the longest ninety minutes of my life. When class was finally over, I was the first one running out of the lecture hall.
“See ya Monday, Webb,” I called over my shoulder as I grabbed my coat and scarf.
“Bye Jeannie. Have fun,” he said with a tone that made me wonder if he had noticed me and Nick.
I flew through the building, excitement propelling me through the crowd with preternatural ease as I shrugged on my outerwear. I only had a few hours to get uptown, get ready and get back to campus to meet Nick. I bobbed and weaved around students and faculty before running straight into the chest of the other Mercer twin.
“Ooomph,” I said, colliding into the solid mass of his undoubtedly perfectly etched muscle. I would have fallen right on my ass if Noah hadn’t caught me by the arms and steadied me.
“Just who I wanted to see,” he said smoothly as if I hadn’t just run full force into him. His hands lingered on my arms longer than necessary, sliding down and brushing the back of my hands as he smirked at me.
A chill crept up my spine at his lingering touch. But as much as I wanted to stand there locked by his gorgeous gaze and let him keep touching me, I had to get moving. I had a date with his brother after all. “I’m kind of in a hurry, Noah.”
He smiled down at me, green eyes sparkling. “I can see that. Why don’t I walk with you?” And before I knew it Noah had taken the bag off my shoulder, slung it over his own and was guiding me through the building with a light touch at the small of my back. “I know that my brother and I haven’t made the greatest impression on you so far. I’d like the opportunity to rectify that.” He opened the door for me and we stood there looking at each other as the crowd filtered around us and the November wind whipped my curls around.
His silky tone and carefully chosen words told me everything I needed to know. I played it coy. “What did you have in mind, Noah?” I asked.
“Drinks. Later this evening.”
Motherfucker.
Why did every genie in every story grant wishes in the most twisted and inconvenient way possible? Wish for health for the rest of your life? You got it, but you’re dropping dead in an hour. Want a couple a million? Here ya go, but it’s all in doubloons—good luck spending it. Wish for a menage with twins? Sure thing, but first you have to figure out how to get them on board and they’re gonna ask you out separately.
My genie was fired.
“I’m already booked tonight,” I said keeping a light tone. “But I’m free tomorrow. How’s that sound?” I asked the cockier albeit very smooth Mercer brother.
“You’re on,” he said. “Meet me at West 3rd at seven.”
“Eh, gastropubs aren’t really my thing. How about Josie’s instead?”
He smiled. “Josie’s it is. I’ll see you tomorrow, Jeannie.”
And with that Noah Mercer got into the waiting black sedan and drove off.
“Shit,” I mumbled and wondered if the other Mercer was in the car too. Had Nick just watched me make a date with his brother?