Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Kassia’s struggle to keep her hurt from coloring her voice was visible, and anger rose inside him at the sight of it. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
She could hear the sincere regret in his voice, and it eased her sadness away. “Thank you, but you don’t have to be sorry for me. It makes me sad when I think of it, but I really had a happy life with my grandparents, so in a way I’m not sorry for it either.”
He nodded, seeing that Kassia meant every word. Damn Kimberley Dresden, he thought grimly. He knew it was not his place to seek revenge on Kassia’s behalf, but he also knew he wouldn’t be able to rest until he made the woman pay for the pain she had caused her own daughter.
To lighten the mood, he sought for something else to talk about, asking, “How are you doing with your classes so far?”
Kassia coughed.
He rolled his eyes, knowing what that meant, saying dryly, “Don’t bother trying to think of excuses.”
Crap. The professor knew her too well. “Well...”
“Kassia.”
She gave him a shamefaced look. “If I don’t pass the quiz next week, I may need to attend a supplementary class for my Lit subject.”
His voice became pained. “Kassia.”
“I can’t help it,” she protested. “I don’t like reading.” She was barely done speaking when the professor lifted her off his lap and reached for her clothes. Before she knew it, he was dressing her, and she asked dumbly, “Why?”
“We’re reviewing.”
Her eyes widened in horror. “Noooooooo—-”
He shut her up with another hard kiss. “Yes.” He continued dressing her.
“But Professor...” Her voice was faintly muffled as she obediently lifted her hands and let the professor slip her tank top over her body. When she could see him again, she said glumly, “We have so little time together.” She shifted her hips as the professor pulled her shorts up. “I don’t want to waste it on studying.”
Alessandro absolutely refused to let his smile make its way to his lips. “Do you know how childish you sound?”
“I’m being honest,” she corrected, “not childish.”
Refusing to dignify her even more childish words with an answer, Alessandro lifted her up and dumped Kassia in her armchair. Frustration flashed in her lovely brown eyes, and this time, his amusement won over.
He laughed.
Kassia’s toes curled at the sound of the professor’s laughter. It was so beautiful, Kassia thought giddily. She could listen to it the entire time and never get bored.
The dreamy expression on Kassia’s face was telling, and Alessandro shook his head. “Kassia.” How could she be so open with him, he wondered tautly. He had hurt her so many times already, and even her own mother had only served to teach Kassia lessons on betrayal instead of unconditional love.
And yet here she was, still wearing her heart on her sleeve.
“Don’t ever change,” Alessandro heard himself say.
Kassia frowned warily at him. “Do you really mean that?”
He nodded.
“Then...if so, you shouldn’t mind that I may fail my classes from time to time—-” The professor moved so fast, and before she knew what he planned to do, he had already reached for her review sheet on the desk, rolled it into a scroll, and—-
Smack.
“Ouch!” She glared at the professor even as she touched her forehead.
He was unimpressed. They both knew that getting smacked by rolled-up paper wouldn’t cause her any pain.
“You said you didn’t want me to change,” she accused.
“Not that way.” And he smacked her again on the forehead with his paper scroll for being so stubborn. “I’d have eased up on you if I knew that you were truly struggling with your classes, but that’s not the case, is it?”
She thought about lying. But then the professor started slapping the paper scroll against his palm, and she changed her mind. “No, sir,” she grumbled instead.
He smirked.
She scowled. “I hate you.”
“Yes, yes, I’ve heard that before, and to be frank...”
Her breath caught at the way the professor looked at her under his lids.
“I’m addicted to the way you hate me, Ms. Summers.”
All sorts of memories seared her mind at his words, every one of them featuring her naked in his arms, and Kassia turned red at the innuendo. “Professor!”
Leaning forward, he nibbled on her lip, and her entire body quivered. But before she could fall against him, the professor was already pulling away. “Professor.” This time, she said it with longing.
He shook his head. “Another kiss will cost you.”
Her eyebrows shot up.
Taking her notebook from her desk, he handed it to Kassia, and at her wide-eyed look of confusion, he said silkily, “A kiss...for every correct answer.” His voice turned down a notch. “And if you get everything right, I’ll kiss you...”
Before she could even blink, the professor’s hand was suddenly cupping her sex, and the sudden, powerful heat of his touch made her brain go haywire.