The Protege (14 page)

“I
don’t think I can be your adviser.”

“What?”
She shot out of her seat and pounded her fist to his desk.  “No!  You can’t do
this.”

Holding
out a calming hand, he gestured for her to sit back down.  “You don’t have to
shout, Serena.  Just hear me out.”

“No,
I won’t hear you out.” She ignored his request to sit back down.  “Have you
been stringing me along?  You think you can just toy with me… I went to that
damn party and…”

“Serena!” 
He came around his desk and rushed toward her.

For
a moment she thought he was going to physically throw her out of his office,
but he grabbed her by the arms and roughly pulled her to him.  Taken aback she
resisted a second, but he persisted and held her close. In an instant his lips
were over hers and while she melted into him, her head spun with confusion. 
What was he doing to her?

“This
is what I want,” Sebastian muttered through his kisses. “I want to hold you, to
touch you, to kiss you.  I want your body against mine. I want to plunge myself
deep into you so badly and give you multiple orgasms, while making the most
exquisite love you’ll ever experience.”

“So
do I,” she whispered. “But…”

He
pulled away and looked at her. “While I’d be honored to be your adviser,
Serena, I’d much prefer to be your lover.”

She
gasped and her eyes widened with shock.

“I
can’t be both,” Sebastian went on. “Serena, we’ve only seen each other a few
times and each time has been torture. I have to control myself from grabbing
you, ripping off your clothes, and throwing you up against the wall or on my
desk and fuck the hell out of you. I know I’m not the only one to feel the
chemistry between us, right?”

“Okay,
you're right, but, as much as…”  She hesitated. She didn’t want to come
straight out and admit just how much she’d enjoy having him as her lover. “My
music is very important to me, Sebastian.  Yes, I’m drawn to you. You're a very
charismatic man, and…” Damn how she would enjoy having him as her lover. She
can feel his fingers inside of her while his teeth lightly graze her nipples
still from yesterday’s encounter when he came over to see her about security.
Darn, was he an amazing lover. Just his kiss was enough to make her wet with
want. And he was a generous doting lover. He took great care to make sure she
was enjoying herself more than he did. She took a deep breath. “But I need an
adviser.”

“And
you really think we could just work together, side by side, spending so much
time together without ever…?”  He eyed her with lusty intent, and pulled her
against him, brushing her crotch against his hardness. She sucked in some air
at the touch. “Dammit, Serena. I can’t even be in the same room with you
without getting a massive hard-on. How can I work with you side by side without
wanting to spend all my time bending you over, lifting your skirt, and taking
you from behind? How can I resist tearing off your clothes and going down on
you, so I can taste you. My hunger for you is insatiable, Serena. You’ve
unleashed a side of me that I can barely control. I can’t get enough of you.”
He plunged his tongue inside her mouth, tangling it with hers to emphasize how
thoroughly he wanted her.

Lost
in their heated kiss, she moaned, melting into his broad chest, wanting his
strong arms around her, protecting her, wanting her. She knew he was right, but
she refused to admit it. Dammit, she needed an adviser. It was her dream to
become a composer, in a field where there were hardly any women. “Look,” she
pulled away a little shakily. “A little abstinence never killed anyone.”  With
every word that slipped off her tongue, she knew how ridiculous it sounded.

Sebastian
pulled her closer and pressed his pelvis to hers. “Really?”

“Um.”
The temperature in the room was suddenly suffocating. “Sebastian, I just
think…”

He
kissed her, deep and long, and any notion of music, composition or advisers
flew out the window. 

“I
have a colleague,” Sebastian said when he pulled back. “He would be the perfect
adviser for you. He’s in his sixties, a grandfather, and much more experienced
than I am in churning out the next generation of music composition talent. If
need be, I could be second in line, but, to tell you the truth, I don’t think
I’d get much advising done where you're concerned.”

An
excited thrill shot through her. “I guess I could live with that arrangement,
but…” Her mind left the heated bed she’d share with him and returned to the career
she had in mind… the future she had in store.  “Who’s your colleague?  Is he as
renowned as you?”

“Not
quite.” Sebastian smiled and seemed flustered for the first time. “I appreciate
your confidence in me. I guess amidst all this I could still help you with your
studies, just not officially.”

“But
you just said you couldn’t…”

Chuckling,
he snuggled his nose into the crook of her neck. “I think I’ll be able to get
control of myself enough to write beautiful music with you…naked or in the
bathtub or both.”

“So,
you’d still advise me.”

“Informally,
I can still teach you, and you can be my secret protégé. It’d be the best of
both worlds. I could teach you in all kinds of composition while also giving
you an education in receiving and giving intense pleasure. It would also solve
the whole issue with the security at your building.”

“How’s
that?”

“Oh,
didn’t I mention… I’d like to have you stay at my place. That way I could keep
an eye on you… in every way.”

“Your
place?”

“Yes.”

“Us
together?”

“Yes.”

“I
don’t know…”

“I
do.”

“I
want to say yes…”  This wasn’t what she’d planned and she couldn’t help but
wonder how her relationship with him would pan out. What if it became
disastrous?  What if after a few weeks he tired of her, got bored with her and
wanted to move on?  What would happen to her music then?  What would happen to
everything?  “As tempted as I am, Sebastian…”

“Okay,
think about it.”

“Sebastian.”

“Go
home, take a good long bath with a nice glass of wine and think it all over.
Think about me, about us, about your music and about the best choice you can
make at this point in time.  If you choose to have me strictly as your adviser,
stay home tonight and come back to my office tomorrow morning, wearing
something godawfully prim and proper, maybe even a knight’s armor or a chastity
belt. If you choose to become my protégé and have me as your lover, your
protector, your mentor and your adviser, come to me tonight… at my place.”

***

Her
bath only heightened the desire that had built up all day. Serena knew Sebastian
was right. If he were to become her adviser, their attraction to one another
was bound to complicate things. If she was to have the older gentleman as her
adviser and Sebastian as her secret mentor and adviser with all the benefits of
being a lover, she can have the best of both worlds. She can still have
Sebastian Sorensen in both ways without giving him up at all. She didn’t think
she could at this moment. She took another sip of wine and tried to find
another argument. There was none. Despite having been so pragmatic and studious
over the past year, she knew little work would get done if he were to be
constantly on her mind.

Secretly,
she was pleased with herself. She’d come to a decision even if half her brain
continued the debating process.

The
next hour flew by as she soaked in the fragrant bath water and relaxed while
enjoying the titillating excitement of anticipation. With the bath water almost
cold, she got out, dried off and got dressed. Without wasting too much time she
picked out her favorite flower print summer dress then quickly grabbed a few of
her favorite items and shoved them in a suitcase.

Within
the next hour she was at Sebastian’s door.

“I
knew you’d come,” he said simply, his blue eyes intensely fastened to hers.

Serena
set her suitcase on the floor and for a strangely tense moment they stared at
each other.

“I
want you to feel at home.”  Sebastian picked up the suitcase and brought it
into his bedroom.

“I’ll
admit this feels a little strange.” Serena took in her new surroundings as she
followed him.

“It’ll
pass.”

“I’ve
been living alone for a long time, and…”

“So
have I. I think I can handle the adjustment.”

Acutely
aware of the large bed just a few feet away, Serena felt the molten heat work
its way up her legs only to bubble over where her thighs met.

Sebastian
set her suitcase down and proceeded to open the large walk in closet. “I
thought it might be a good idea to sacrifice half my closet space.”

Every
girl’s dream; a huge closet with more than enough room to hang her entire wardrobe
and then some, but right now, her wardrobe and its future habitat were the last
things on her mind. Her hands twitched with nervous energy.  How long was he
going to torture her like this?

“You
even have room for several pairs of shoes,” he went on.

“That’s
really nice of you.” 
But can we move on to more… intimate discussions?

“I
hope you like chicken.”

“I
beg your pardon.”

“For
dinner.  I thought we could have dinner together, discuss our… living
arrangement.” The smile he offered her was wicked and wild.  It was
irresistible.

When
are you going to kiss me? she wanted to shout. She was already wet with
anticipation.

“How
‘bout a glass of wine? Red or white?” He headed for the door.

“Neither.”
Serena reached out to take his hand.

“Hungry?”
He cocked a knowing brow.

Her
head involuntarily tilted forward in a nod while her fingers played along the
back of his hand. 

He
gripped her fingers and pulled her closer.  Licking his lips he looked intently
at her. “I was hoping you’d be.” Cupping her cheeks he kissed her hard and
passionately, his steps strong and powerful as he backed her to the bed.

She
fell back, willingly, hungrily wanting to feel his body against hers.  But
before allowing her that pleasure, he stood looking down at her.  His eyes
passed over every inch of her.  They lingered on her legs and skimmed up high
on her thighs that’d been left exposed when the skirt of her dress had followed
her fall.

“You're
a beautiful creature, Serena.”  Sebastian slowly unbuttoned every button of his
shirt.  “You're soft and gentle and kind, yet…”  He bit his lip as he opened
his shirt to expose his chest.

It
was difficult to concentrate on his words as Serena took in the sight of him.

“Yet
I sense there’s a fire. You smolder and…”  He bared his shoulders, his biceps,
his torso.  “It makes for an intriguing combination. That innocent flame.  That
naïve, slow burning amber.” He let the shirt fall to the floor and worked on
the fastenings of his slacks.

Flame,
yes
. She felt it burning with an intensity that was about to drive her
mad.  Her breasts felt heavy with longing and her nipples were hard with
anticipation.  Her thighs tingled with wanting and she pressed them tightly
together hoping to alleviate the sensation, but it only made matters worse. 
She licked her lips and tried to control the heavy breaths that shook her
chest.

Sebastian
let his slacks drop to the floor and Serena sat up to face the bulge in the
tight, white boxer briefs.  He was such a magnificent specimen of a man.  Every
muscle was toned, and his skin just lightly bronzed by the sun.

She
brought a finger to the hem of his boxer briefs and was rewarded with a hungry
sigh.  Her own groan of anticipation met his sigh as her finger sneaked under
the white cotton and touched his burning skin.

The
bulge, pure in its white dressing, pounded like an excited heartbeat. 
Sebastian grasped her hand and pulled it away from him.  “Not so fast.”  With
his free hand he reached for one of the thin straps that held her dress up and
let it fall off her shoulder, leaving the fabric of her dress just barely
clinging to her breast.  “I want to take a good look at you.”

Serena
kept her eyes on his, pleased with the appreciation she saw reflected in them. 
He licked his lips and let his finger follow the line of fabric now draped over
her breast.  As his finger circled the orb, liberating it from the fragile
fabric and exposing it to the air, to his sight and to his touch, Serena felt a
surge of moisture collect between her thighs.

With
agonizingly slow motions, he freed her other breast, letting her dress pool
around her waist.  “You certainly played a nasty trick on me that first day,
arriving all covered up, yet I knew, when I peeled away the layers, I’d find
the beauty and perfection I now see.” In unison, his hands weighed her breasts.
“You have such perfect breasts. So soft and supple.” His touch was delicate and
unhurried as he softly and reverently touched every part of her breasts until
she was screaming to have him take them into his mouth.

Maintaining
control of her breathing was now impossible. Her chest rose and fell with every
heavy breath. She longed to arch her back and press her breasts into his hands.
For an interminable minute his fingers played along the outer reaches of her
breasts, heightening her desire to have him take a stronger hold, to pinch a
nipple, to suckle.

His
eyes darkened and took on a wicked gleam.  He took great pleasure in taunting
her; that much she could see. His fingers stopped their play on her breasts. 
Her lips parted in anticipation of his next move.

“I
want to please you,” he said in a voice so deep and husky, she barely
recognized it.  Cupping her breasts, he brought his thumbs to her nipples and
she let out a gasp of surprise and pleasure.  “Does this please you?”