When He Was Bad
Page 21

 Shelly Laurenston

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By the time her head fell back on the pillow, shed fallen fast asleep.
Irene opened her eyes and realized that Van Holtz had turned off the lights. No matter, she often moved around in the dark. Moving slowly so as not to wake him up again, Irene carefully threw her legs over the side of the bed but she froze when her foot slid over a warm, and standing, moving surface.
Uh . . .
Going somewhere, doc?
Wait, she begged. But he already had her flat on her back and was inside her, fucking her while he kissed her neck and licked and stroked her nipples.
Van Holtz, you bastard! Youre doing this on purp . . . on . . . oh! That feels very nice. Do that again.
Shed just come out of the bathroom and was about to sneak downstairs when he caught her around the waist and carried her back to the bedroom. Setting her at the foot of the bed, he used his legs to push her thighs apart. Then he took her from behind, his teeth gripping her shoulder while his hands played with her breasts. His weight kept her pinned in place and she wished she could say she didnt like it. But she kind of did.
He released her shoulder, pulled her head back by her hair and kissed her while he continued pounding away inside her. But the way he kissed her always seemed so tender. Even when things went out of control, his kisses never seemed brutal or vicious. Just . . . determined.
The bastard.
Irene yawned and turned over, snuggling back under the covers. Big hands pushed her onto her back and she groaned. No, no. Im not awake. I swear! I was just getting comfortable!
So am I, he gasped, embedding himself deep inside her yet again. And dammit, but it felt wonderful.
Van pushed her hair off her face and Irene groaned in defeat. No. Not again. I cant.
He grinned, almost ashamed of himselfbut not really. Shed tried to throw him out. Like hed ever let that happen.
Not again. I have to go, he whispered and she finally opened one eye. And who knew a person could glare out of one eye.
Good.
Hed be angry if she didnt sound so cute . . . and worn out.
Ill be back tonight. Well go to dinner.
I cant, she said simply, closing her eyes. I have a previous engagement.
Overwhelming jealousy washed over him. Previous engagement? With who?
Its whom and thats none of your business. I had these plans weeks ago. Im not changing it for a wild romp in the hay. She pulled the comforter up to her chin. You got what you wanted, Van Holtz. Now you can go back to your regular life and Ill go back to mine. After last night, you must have gotten what you needed. She turned on her side, shutting him out. So go back to your supermodels and your country club elite. AndIll go back to men who actually know what the Algorithmic Information Theory is.
Van gritted his teeth and stared at the back of Irenes head. Fuck if he knew what goddamn Algorithmic whatever whatever was. And fuck if he cared. Because in the long run it didnt matter. Not to him. And it shouldnt matter to her. But did she really think she could make him walk away that easily? Did she really think it would be that easy to get rid of a Van Holtz? Yeah, the Romans thought that too in 52 B.C. True, Irene Conridge was a hell of a lot tougher than a battalion of well-trained Roman soldiers, but he was a descendant of barbarians . . . hed get what he wanted.
And he wanted her. So hed have herand shed better be goddamn glad about it, too.
Six
What? Irene asked again, turning her office chair around to glare at her TA. Hed been getting on her nerves all day.
I said do you need anything else from me before I leave?
No.
Irene started to turn back around but stopped and asked, Were you on my computer earlier?
Mark nodded while pulling his backpack together. I had to pull your latest draft on Sharkovskys theorem for your publisher.
Well, be careful when you use it. I keep finding all my files mixed up.
I was trying to organize
Well, dont. Dont organize. Dont move. Dont touch my files, Marcus. Understand?
Mark stood up and for the first time Irene noticed how tall he was. Not in a skinny, awkward way either, but in a well-developed, Ive played football all my life way. Sorry, Dr. Conridge. I didnt mean to cause any problems.
Irene shook her head. Forget it, Mark. Go. Ill see you on Monday.
It was one thing when she picked on her students for her own amusement, but picking on them because of one man simply disgusted her beyond all reason.
How had she allowed this to happen? How had she allowed one man to eat his way into her brain like a vicious virus? All day shed thought of nothing else and it horrified her. Shed always prided herself on being able to block out nearly everything so she could focus on a problem or a task. Jackie actually had access to Irenes bank accounts because she made sure to pay all the bills. When Jackie went on her European tour two years ago, theyd almost lost their home and poor Jackie came back to a dark house because Irene had forgotten all about the electric bill. Now if Jackie wasnt around, Paul took care of it.
But, for the first time in her life, Irene wasnt completely focused on one theory or mathematical problem. For once she wasnt focused completely on inanimate objects or thoughts. Instead, all she could think about was having sex with Niles Van Holtz.