The Secret's Out

Chapter Five: Teacher v. Attorney

“Where are you going this early?” Mr. Carter asked as I grabbed my Converse from his room.

“Early?” I repeated, sitting on the bed. “You do realize it’s eleven-thirty, right?”

“Yes, but usually, you sleep in until one or two on the weekends,” he teased.

I rolled my eyes, ignoring the embarrassment burning my face. “That was a long time ago. I have too much going on right now to sleep in, in case you haven’t noticed.”

He snickered. “Would you look at that; Ms. White is all grown up now.”

“Shut up,” I grumbled.

He chuckled, enjoying the half-assed glare I shot at him before returning to my shoes. “So you have plans today?”

“I’m meeting with my defense attorney,” I said absently, focusing on the shoelaces.

He was uncharacteristically silent as I finished putting on my shoes and I looked up to see him studying me, something off in his eyes.

“Uh, yes?”

“Your defense attorney wants to meet with you on a Saturday?” he asked.

I raised an eyebrow. “Yes. That’s what I just said, isn’t it?” What was with him?

“Don’t you see something strange about that, Deserae?”

“No, why?”

He was silent.

“Not you too,” I groaned. “How many times do I have to tell people that he’s just doing his job?”

One corner of Mr. Carter’s mouth turned up and he walked into my space, leaning down to get on a face-to-face level with me. “You mean like I was just doing my job?”

My eyes widened as my face flushed. Automatically, I leaned away from him. “That’s… um… it’s… That has nothing to do with this!”

His smirk was visible. “Really?” he murmured, leaning in more, breath on my lips. “Why’re you so flustered, Deserae? Something going on that you’re not telling me?”

Other than the furious pounding in my chest?

“I-I have to go,” I said, trying to sound forceful but coming off as begging. “M-move out of the way.”

He chuckled and closed the distance between us, planting a soft kiss on my mouth. My mind went out for a split second, completely blank, before I tried to push against his chest. He pushed back, however, using his lips and a hand on my waist to drive me against the bed. I groaned and felt him smirk against me before his tongue ran along my bottom lip lightly. I gave in and opened my mouth, curling my fingers around his shirt and accepting him, pulling him closer even. He trailed down my jaw, leaving a trail of butterfly kisses along it, and found the crook of my neck, teeth grazing. An involuntary whimper left me and I felt him chuckle against my skin, biting down. His fingers found the hymn of my shirt, slipping under it. I gasped at the feel of his warm fingertips on my bare skin, pushing the fabric up…

And then he stopped, pulled away, and stood above me with an impish smirk, eyes dark, pupils dilated, breathless.

“If you look at me like that, I might continue,” he said, voice husky.

I tried to get my breath under control, blinking, checking out my surroundings. My shirt was just past my bellybutton, wrinkled. The heat rushed to my face and I quickly fixed my shirt, scolding myself for getting so wrapped up.