Between The Lines

Chapter 102: Fuel Of Desire

Lane's POV (1st Person):

It had been a few days since the whole thing at my house, and the incident at assembly. I thought I had a handle on things, a grip on my emotions, but walking into my office that morning, I was caught completely off guard.

There she was, sitting on my desk like she owned it, her feet swinging lightly as if she hadn't a care in the world. Rebecca looked up as I entered, a smile spreading across her face—innocent, yet somehow completely disarming. She wasn't wearing her blazer today, and I noticed immediately how the vest she had on over her tie and shirt was just a bit too tight, pulling slightly across her chest. Her hair was loose today, cascading over her shoulders, which was different. She usually kept it in a braid.

"Morning," she said cheerfully, her voice soft but with that teasing edge I'd come to expect.

I dropped my bag onto the floor beside the desk, trying to keep my voice steady. "Morning. What's wrong?"

She slid off the desk, her movements graceful, and for a split second, I thought she might just say "nothing" and leave. But no, Rebecca was never that simple. Instead, she took a step forward, closing the space between us in an instant. Then, to my utter shock, she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me into an embrace that was anything but innocent. Her legs wrapped around my waist, her body pressed against mine in a way that made my heart race.

"Rebecca—" My voice was strained, not at all the calm, collected tone I'd intended. I tried to keep my hands at my sides, but that was a lost cause. They found their way to her waist, and I could feel the warmth of her body even through the fabric of her vest and skirt.

"Missed you," she whispered, her breath warm against my neck.

I swallowed hard, fighting to keep my composure. This was not how I'd expected my morning to start. "You... missed me?" I managed to get out, trying to ignore the way her lips were dangerously close to my skin.

"Mhm," she hummed, leaning back just enough to look at me, her brown eyes wide and far too tempting. "Is that bad?"

"It's... not ideal," I replied, struggling to keep my thoughts coherent. "You shouldn't be here, doing this."

She pouted slightly, but there was a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Why not? No one's here yet. Besides, it's not like we haven't... been close before." Her hands slid down to rest on my chest, and I had to bite back a groan.

"We agreed to be careful, remember?" I reminded her, though my voice was weaker than I intended.

She rolled her eyes, the smile never leaving her lips. "Careful is boring."

"Careful is necessary," I countered, though I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips.

"You didn't seem to mind being less careful the other day," she teased, tilting her head slightly. Her hair fell, brushing against my arm, and I felt my resolve slipping.

"That was different," I muttered, knowing full well it wasn't a strong argument.

"Was it?" she asked, her tone innocent, but her eyes were anything but.

I sighed, trying to regain some control of the situation, but she was making it damn near impossible. I gently eased her back onto the desk, stepping away just enough to put a small, necessary distance between us. "Becca, we can't keep doing this."

She looked up at me, her smile fading just slightly, but there was still a playful light in her eyes. "Why not?"

"Because it's complicated," I said, running a hand through my hair, trying to clear my head.