The second Marie's knuckles landed on the door to Nathaniel's loft, the professor opened the door and practically whisked Marie inside.
Their lips collided, leaving no room to discuss any pressing matters in the moment. Right now, they just needed to feel each other, taste each other, remind each other why they could never let go.
The professor's torturous game finally slowed, leaving Marie a gasping mess under Nathaniel's beautifully aggressive touch. With their foreheads pressed against each other and lips merely brushing one another, the two caught their breaths. Nathaniel's hands slowly followed Marie's curves up the black dress she had chosen to wear.
Marie's breath hitched as he pulled up the flowy material enough so he could slip a hand under and -
"Marie..." Nathaniel whispered against the student's ear. He didn't actually think the girl would come with nothing underneath.
"What's wrong?" Marie replied innocently, batting her eyes playfully as an extra step.
Nathaniel shook his head dubiously. "Theo is going to be here any minute. I need you on your best behavior."
Marie opened her mouth to respond but Nathaniel simply shushed her.
"Because if you're not, Marie, I swear to God..."
"I'll be a good girl."
"Good. You have no other option."
The second Nathaniel's bitter warning left his lips, a knock erupted from the door. As the professor left Marie's side, she could see him shed off his dominant demeanor and take on a warm smile as he opened the door to his closest friend of 10 years. It was unnervingly attractive.
"It's about time you invited me over again, Nathaniel." The two men bypassed a formal handshake and went straight for a burly hug. "Except last time, you didn't have such a beautiful woman with you."
Marie couldn't help but feel flustered at Theodore's smooth compliment, feeling her face heat up. There was something greatly intimidating yet evoking about having two, tall, well dressed men in her presence.
Theodore came up and greeted the girl with a quick peck on the cheek. "You really do look lovely, Marie."
Marie glanced at Nathaniel, remembering his words on her behavior tonight. "Thank you... sir."
✥ ✥ ✥
The atmosphere sobered slightly as things got to business.
"Scotch okay?" Nathaniel asked, pouring two drinks from what Marie could assume was a Godly expensive bottle of aged liquor.
"Of course," Theodore replied, taking one scotch glass from Nathaniel.
Noticing there was nothing for her, Marie pouted at Nathaniel as he took a seat beside her and across from Theodore.
The professor grudgingly handed Marie his glass, the sound of the whiskey rocks against the short glass filling the air. "One sip."
The minute the burning liquid hit her tongue and throat, Marie winced and handed the glass back, Theodore unable to hide a chuckle. Yeah, Marie would stick to her rum and coke.
"So you know I'm Nathaniel's student?" Marie couldn't help but ask. This entire time, Theodore knew but the professor never blinked an eye...
"I do."
Theodore's response was followed by a glare from Nathaniel towards Marie, who sulked back into the armrest of the couch.
"Sorry, sir, that was a rude question," Marie apologized, feigning timidness that Theodore saw right through. The girl knew was she was doing.
"No, not at all, Marie." Theodore turned his attention towards Marie now, immediately heightening her awareness. "You don't trust me?"
Marie could feel her hands begin to fidget and her thighs involuntarily press together like a reflex. Theodore felt equally as intimidating as Nathaniel when Marie met the professor for the first time. They had the same tall and lean build, deep voice... dominance.
And in the presence of both men, Marie felt incredibly vulnerable. "Why should I trust you?"
"Other than the fact that I'm ruggedly handsome," Theodore teased, earning a smirk from the professor. "Nathaniel and I are pretty even on blackmail."
"What kind of blackmail?"
"The naughty kind."
Marie was pushing buttons and the professor wasn't having it.
"Are you two done?"
Nathaniel's voice broke the flirtatious exchange quickly. The dim lighting and dark furnishing of the living room only added to the eroticism of the encounter.
"No need to get jealous, Nathaniel," Theodore replied calmly at first, but things quickly took a sinister turn. "It's not like we haven't shared before."
Marie had experienced a lot with Nathaniel. She had been pleasured beyond what she thought was even possible, felt a lover's care, and experienced erotic scenes that would put the Greek Gods to shame.
But this... this was new. And Marie wanted it.
Nathaniel studied the young student carefully... the way her breath hitched and her muscles tensed at Theodore's words.
And her eyes. When Marie's gaze locked with Nathaniel's, he realized she had the same look in her eyes that she had the day they had met.
If Marie wanted this, Nathaniel would give it to her.
She didn't care how wrong it was.
It was a fantasy Marie had buried far away from her reality. Her past partners could never have entertained the idea, seeing it as an attack on their masculinity to introduce another man in the bedroom.
But as the professor had told the student before, he was possessive and protective - but never insecure.
Nathaniel downed the rest of the scotch in his glass. "Business first."
"Fair enough," Theodore succumbed, all while stealing another flustering glance at Marie.
"Why won't Stinton step down?"
"Trust me, everyone in the business sector is frustrated." Theodore let out an exasperated sigh. "I mean, this is a college city. Wentworth makes up more than half this region's economy. The last thing investors like is uncertainty."
"What does he want?" Marie couldn't help but ask.
"There's talk about expanding university housing to the city. Turn entire streets into expensive college dorms for kids with rich parents willing to pay full tuition."
"More money for the school he'll just pocket," Nathaniel murmured, already rubbing his temple out of stress. Marie hated to see the professor under pressure.
But Theodore hadn't fully gained Marie's trust yet.
"Why are you telling us this?"
"One, it's bad for my business. He's just taking up real estate." Theodore took a slow sip of his scotch. "Second, Nathaniel is a life-long brother to me. I'd trust him with my life."
Marie couldn't help but smile at the raw sentiment. Although she could feel the tension from Nathaniel next to her, as Marie was sure he wasn't expecting her to sit here and question his best friend's authority.
"I trust you, too, Theodore," Marie finally caved in.
"But can I trust you with my closest friend?"
Slightly nervous from the question, Marie turned to Nathaniel. While Marie had been testing Nathaniel's orders all night, he knew what she wanted and the game she was playing.
"You can."
Nathaniel's answer resonated with both Marie and Theodore - who for the first time in his life finally witnessed his friend fall in love.
"I'll offer this." Theodore placed his scotch glass on the table. "I'll talk with the university Board of Trustees. I know a few personally. They're in charge of the nomination and Stinton will probably try to make the case to them - but I'll give a heads up. It'll be seen as seditious attacks, nothing else. Not to mention, by the looks of it, press is starting to get involved. You know they'll leech onto any political drama they can find in this city."
While Nathaniel and Theodore we close friends, there was an unspoken rule of never mixing politics and favors. It only created more problems and an unbalance of debt to each other.
Thus, Nathaniel quickly countered. "Theodore, I don't do politics and you don't have to - "
"This isn't just for you."
It took both Marie and Nathaniel a second to understand what - who - Theodore was referring to. Marie looked up slowly, eyes slightly widened.
Theodore had seen Nathaniel with partners in the past, especially how his ego and stubbornness often got in the way. With Marie, Theodore saw someone who could both compete and match with Nathaniel's demeanor - as well as compliment it. "She's good for you, Nathaniel. Don't let this go."
"I know." Nathaniel knew the truth.
And this truth made it all the more harder for Theodore to be brutally honest.
"I have one stipulation"
While Nathaniel knew where this was heading, Marie's naivety persisted. "What is it?"
"You graduate in two years, Marie." Theodore sighed heavily. "While you're still a student, Nathaniel can't be in any sort of relationship with you in his position."
"We're aware," Nathaniel answered, gears in his head already turning.
"If I do this, Nathaniel, I need you two to stop seeing each other - or be exponentially more careful than you are now. Because if you're caught, it'll come back on me."
In almost every area of his life, Nathaniel got what he wanted. His dominance was much more than a bedroom lifestyle choice. He would even put ethics and rules aside if it got in the way of his desires.
But Theodore - Nathaniel would always listen to him. He would never lie or break his best man's trust. But the relationship would strain under the pressure of even more secrecy.
It already was. Nathaniel wanted to show Marie off, take her in public and introduce her as his, travel with her - Hell, even meet her friends and family. That's what Marie deserved. She deserved coffee dates and flowers at her door on bad days. While Marie may act as if she doesn't want or need those things, Nathaniel couldn't allow it.
Marie looked towards Nathaniel, who was in deep thought. He wasn't answering.
So Marie did - and truthfully.
"I won't get in the way."
Both men's attentions redirected towards Marie, surprised at her decisiveness. Nathaniel already felt he couldn't give Marie what a young college student deserved in a relationship given their situation, but this would break him. Nathaniel couldn't help but stare at the girl - the woman - willing to give up so much for him.
Marie's voice was quiet amidst the tense atmosphere. "You deserve this, Nathaniel."
No. Nathaniel was already shaking his head. "Marie - "
"I said what I said."
"Marie, go upstairs. I need to talk to Theo alone."
Theodore couldn't help but interject. "You should listen to him, darling."
That was when the student made a dangerous decision.
Marie looked straight at Theodore and rolled her eyes.
And when she looked back at Nathaniel, Marie knew he had noticed. And she was in big trouble.