Reed chuckled as they drifted into the living room, which was just big enough to accommodate her sofa, coffee table, and TV unit, and a cramped office area in the corner with a large desk and two mini file cabinets.

“You’re right,” he remarked. “This is tiny. I’m surprised you don’t get claustrophobic in here.”

“Like I said, it grows on you.” She wandered over to the desk and set the stack of tests next to the computer keyboard. The sight of the sleek work surface reminded her of Reed’s cryptic laughter in her classroom, and as usual, her curiosity got the best of her. “What were you giggling about when you were looking around my classroom earlier?”

He rolled his eyes. “First off, I’m a man. Men don’t giggle.”

“Mmm-hmmm. Whatever you say.”

“I laughed because being there brought back some memories. I’m pretty sure the last time I was in a classroom, I was failing a test. Either that, or daydreaming about my geography teacher.”

She stuck out her tongue. “He must have been a real looker.”

“Ha ha. And I’ll have you know, she totally was.” A dreamy sigh escaped his mouth. “I would’ve cut off my right arm for a shot with Mrs. Franklin. Lord, she used to sit up on her desk, and she’d always wear the most indecently short skirts, flashing a helluva lot of thigh. I guarantee that every single boy in her class was trying to hide a boner with his geography book.”

Darcy laughed. “Poor Mrs. Franklin.”

“Poor Mrs. Franklin?” he echoed. “No way. That broad was totally digging the attention. She wore high heels and miniskirts to teach a geography class—trust me, she knew exactly what she was doing to us poor boys.”

“Now I’m picturing a total seductress. Like a Mrs. Robinson type.” With a grin, Darcy sidled back to her desk and hopped up on the edge. She crossed her legs, then leaned back on one elbow, trying to strike her most provocative pose. “Is this how she’d sit?”

Uh-oh. Big mistake.

In the blink of an eye, Reed’s expression had flooded with heat. The man even licked his lips, which summoned an instantaneous response from her. Her body tingled as his smoldering blue eyes seared right through her clothes and brought goose bumps to her skin.

Despite her better judgment, she dropped her gaze to his groin, and her breath lodged in her throat when she saw the outline of his erection straining beneath his shorts.

“You’re just as bad as Mrs. Franklin,” Reed said in an accusatory voice. “Get off that desk before I do something stupid, Darcy.”

She swallowed the moisture that had filled her mouth. “What kind of fantasies did you have when you were sitting in her class?”

He growled. “You really don’t want the answer to that.”

I hope it works out with Reed.

AJ’s words buzzed in the forefront of her brain again, bringing a rush of uncertainty. She was tempted to ask Reed exactly what AJ had said to him when he’d confessed, but at the moment, his sexy body was too big a distraction. So was the predatory gleam in his eyes as he advanced on her.

Her heart did a crazy flip, anticipation surging in her veins as she met his eyes.

“Tell me,” she murmured. “Tell me what you imagined doing to her.” She drew a deep breath. “Or better yet, show me.”

Chapter Seven

Darcy held her breath as she waited for Reed to respond. His shoulders stiffened, but that didn’t stop him from moving closer, until he stood only a foot away from her.

“I thought we agreed we weren’t going down this road,” he said hoarsely.

“Maybe I changed my mind,” Darcy answered, her voice equally hoarse.

Unhappiness lurked in his eyes. “AJ—”

“AJ will be fine,” she finished quietly. “He’s a grown man, and I don’t think he would appreciate us treating him like a fragile piece of china.”

Taking another breath, she uncrossed her legs.

After one heart stopping moment, Reed eased in, slowly, deliberately, until he was fully cradled between her thighs. His erection pushed against her mound, the hard ridge making her wet, and then impossibly wetter when he rotated his hips.

“I want you so bad I can’t think straight,” he mumbled.

Darcy’s hand trembled as she raised it to his strong jaw, lightly stroking the bristles dotting his face. His facial hair was more of a perpetual five o’clock shadow than a tidy beard, and she liked the way his stubble abraded her fingertips. She suddenly imagined it scraping her inner thighs when he buried his face between her legs, and an uncontrollable shiver skittered up her spine.

Reed sagged into her touch, his eyelids fluttering closed to reveal surprisingly thick lashes. God, he really was a beautiful man. Long limbs, heavy muscles, and chiseled features created the most tantalizing package she’d ever seen.

She’d noticed those good looks plenty of times before, but she’d never truly admired them. Now, with him inches away, she couldn’t tear her gaze off him, couldn’t stop her fingers from exploring every inch of his face.

“Just once,” he said thickly. “This can only happen once.”

Her head jerked in a nod. But even if she’d wanted to complain about his laying down the law, she didn’t have time, because his head dipped down and suddenly he was kissing her.

Darcy was happy to be sitting down, otherwise the impact of that passionate kiss would have knocked her right over. Reed’s tongue plunged through her parted lips, tangling with hers, and then he thrust one hand in her hair and angled her head to drive the kiss even deeper. Sexual excitement burned in the air, licked through her body in long, pulsing waves.