* * *

Arianna watched him go with a mix of emotions she didn’t want to name. Since the night of his confession, she remained distant. She slept in his bed every night and went to class, but struggled to keep the deepest part of herself separate. Because she knew he could destroy her. He already had with those cleverly thought out words. She loved his honesty, but realized he may not feel as deeply about her, at least not enough to want to make their relationship permanent.

A shadow fell over her, interrupting her thoughts.

Missy and another student, Hannah, stood before her, smiling. “Hi, Arianna,” Missy greeted. “Who is this cutie pie?”

Unease danced down her spine, but she answered casually. “This is Cloud. How are you guys? Did you get a pet of your own yet?”

Missy and Hannah didn’t wait for an invitation but plopped down on the grass beside her as if they were close friends. “We have cats for the day. I may keep mine, my apartment is pretty conductive to animals. How about you?”

“We’ll see.”

“You work a lot though, don’t you? Long hours. Advertising, isn’t it?” Arianna held back a groan at Missy’s pretend interest. This was going to be bad. Very bad. Arianna prayed for yoga strength to hold her temper. Or at least not curse. “Yes, I work in advertising. You’re still taking classes to be something, right?” Direct hit. Missy liked to flaunt her youthful body, but not her mind. At least, not until it settled on a career. “I’ve actually decided I may be branching out to teaching.” White teeth gleamed like pearls caught in the nasty grip of an oyster. “In fact, Grant has agreed to bump me into the teaching classes as soon as I get certified. I could be his assistant.” Arianna steered clear of that one and decided to exit. “That’s nice. Well, I better get going and—“

“Arianna, don’t go yet." Hannah jumped in as her role of wingwoman. "We wanted to ask you a few questions. How’d you do it?”

She blinked. “Do what?”

Hannah leaned in. “You know, finally get to Grant. Missy has been trying forever, and he has a really strict code about dating his students. He told both of us that and always seemed to live by the code. Until you.” Hannah licked her lips in lusty anticipation of a story. “So, what did you do?”

Arianna knew the conversation was taking a nosedive. Fast. Soon Missy would be eating concrete if she didn’t get out. “Nothing mysterious. Just had dinner one night and decided to continue. I really better go—“

“But he never goes out with students,” Missy insisted. “All of the other girls in class are shocked. Why did he break the rules for you? I mean, I’m glad you guys have something nice, but it’s thrown the class off a bit. No one feels comfortable anymore.” Temper bit her like a moody pit bull. Arianna straightened and decided to take them out.

Her voice rivaled an ice cube. “I’m sorry you feel uncomfortable, but it’s no one’s business.

Students should be concentrating on the class and learning, not getting the instructor into bed.” Hannah and Missy gasped in unison.

“Furthermore, Grant Madison does not date young girls in college who don’t know who they are yet. He respects you too much. I would advise you take advantage of his teaching skills and friendship, and stop gossiping about his personal life. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to take Cloud for a walk. After all, that’s what we’re here for today, right?” Arianna took her dog and left the couple sitting under the tree.

She was so fucked.

And not in a good way.

* * *

The studio fell silent.

Arianna waited until the slam of the door stopped echoing and made her way to Grant’s office. He sat at his desk, staring sightlessly at the piles of paper. His hair fell loose around his shoulders, the ebony strands gleaming in the low light. The official school t-shirt in black and gold molded to his carved chest muscles, accenting the endless inky depths of his eyes and his craggy features. She stood framed in the doorway and waited.

His casual tone contradicted his face. “She quit the school.” Arianna held back a knowing sigh and nodded. “I figured.”

“I told her to think about it. I talked to her in a calm, reasonable manner. I explained our relationship had absolutely nothing to do with the school, but she used my own rejection of her against me.”

“When she made a pass at you, you originally told her you didn’t date students. It was your code.”

“Yep. She said I couldn’t be trusted as a teacher. Hannah will quit next. She’s Missy’s best friend.”

“Shit.”

“That about covers it.”

Silence fell between them. Arianna struggled to contain her own emotions and fought the urge to touch him. A mountain stood between them and she didn’t know how to scale it. “Are you pissed at me?”she asked.

A laugh escaped his lips. He finally looked up. “No, of course not. This isn’t your fault.”

“It kind of is. If we hadn’t started an affair and let the news go public, you wouldn’t have lost students.”

He seemed uncomfortable with the train of thought. “I was the one who decided to tell Missy the truth. I’m sure it won’t be a big deal. Hannah and Missy may leave, but none of the other students will have a problem.”

Arianna decided to push his comfort zone. “I think Missy and Hannah will do their best to whisper in everyone else’s ear. Missy is mad you didn’t break the rules for her. Hannah will follow. She could decide to open up her own classes and smear your name. Steal your students.” Now, he seemed flat out annoyed. “Why are you making more out of this? Did you want to aggravate Missy? Did you want her to quit because you were jealous?” Bingo.

“Is that what you think?”

“I don’t know what to think!” Grant raked his hair back with his fingers. “I don’t know what’s going in that head of yours.”

“Why don’t you just admit you’re freaking out? The past is back. The secret affair, the students leaving, all of your hot buttons. And I’m the cause. Why don’t you just end it right now? I’m leaving anyway. Why risk what you’ve built for two more weeks of sex?” He pushed himself out of the chair and faced her with full fledged masculine temper. His muscles clenched. Dark eyes shot furious sparks of aggression across the room. Violence and attraction mingled in a horrifying and exciting reaction. Arianna was done playing with him.

Gloves were off and they were stepping up to the major leagues. No more Tee ball.

“What the hell are you trying to do?” he asked quietly. A gleam of warning shone from his eyes.

“Make you tell the truth. You can breathe and pretend to be calm all you want. You can accept the situation and give her a warm send off full of love and best wishes. But she screwed you, just like your ex-wife once did. You’re scared and you don’t want to admit it.” He took a step toward her. “Listen, Arianna, you may be a great student but I’ve been studying yogic principles for years. Just because I choose not to get angry or lose my temper, doesn’t mean I’m denying my feelings.”

“Nice speech. You just happen to be full of shit.”

A low growl escaped his lips and excitement fluttered down her spine. Arianna knew she needed to push him past his comfort zone. She needed to know if this was real between them, or just a convenience until she left. Would he be willing to risk his school for a short affair about to end? Or did she mean more?

She refused to analyze why it was so important to know Grant’s true feelings right now, tonight, but her gut twisted and she always went with her instinct. Instinct had sold accounts over and over. Instinct had gotten her out of Iowa and to the top of her game.

Instinct would hopefully give her the truth.

Arianna flung her head back to glare up at him in her own feminine temper. “You talk about letting go, but you live for control. Control the students. Control your love life. Everyone and everything has a neat and tidy compartment, and if it doesn’t fit, you get rid of it. Or at least, the thought of it.”

Grant reached her. His fingers bit into her upper arms and his face lowered inches from her own. “Who are you to talk?” he shot out. “I never wanted this. Every frikkin' day I had to put my hands on you, knowing you wanted me. I was up front from the beginning and you signed on for the rules of this affair. Hell. You never asked me for more.” The truth stung. Arianna got in his face like a boxer taunting his opponent. “Maybe I was waiting for you to give me an indication we were more. Why bother telling Missy the truth in the first place? Go on. Run after Missy and her sidekick and tell her you were wrong, that we’re over. Then you can have your nice little life back.”

“I don’t want my old life back,” he shot back. “I’m sick of hiding behind a code of ethics I don’t believe in anymore.”

“Ethics?” she taunted. “What ethics? You toss around this code like it means something.

It’s a convenient excuse not to get involved with anyone who interests you and deal with the consequences.”

“Enough.”

“I’m done here. We’re done, as you’ve made abundantly clear. Go after your students, Grant.”

“I said enough.”

He stamped his mouth over hers in a testosterone temper. His tongue thrust between her lips in punishment, threatening to pull her over into the raw sexual energy that thrummed between them. Her core dampened and pulsed in readiness. Her breasts tingled for his fingers and mouth and teeth, but she fought back the drugging feeling and pushed him away.

“No, damnit, no sex until we settle this. Why are you so angry at me? What do you really want?”