Covered In Paint: Book Five of the Art Of Love Series Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Come home with me tonight. Brandon is staying with friends until tomorrow. I promise no crises other than ours this time.”
    Brooke sighed at the offer she’d been longing to hear and closed her eyes in happiness. If any of her law student lovers had been half as charming, she’d probably be married by now.
    “You are definitely Descartes’s demon where I’m concerned, Dr. Barrymore. But you already know that, don’t you? You mostly irritate me and yet I still want to kiss you every time I see you. What secret power do you have over my free will?”
    “Well, I do want to control you, but only the reactions of your body to me,” Drake whispered.
    Afraid to kiss her for real again, he moved his mouth to her cheek, skimming it with his breath and then his lips before putting a little distance between them. “How about I promise not to try to put your brain in a vat no matter what happens? And I swear I will step in front of you in case of a zombie attack.”
    “How heroic of you. Brandon would be so proud you’re following his example.”
    Brooke giggled as she watched Drake’s smiling mouth descending once more to hers. A throat clearing in the room and a small “excuse me” had them pulling apart.
    “Sorry,” Brooke said, rising away from the wall. “Oh—hi, Janelle.”
    “Hi, Dr. Daniels. Uh…my class will be starting in here soon. Sorry to interrupt,” Arielle stammered out, her gaze jumping between them.
    Drake smiled at the high-strung girl, returning her curious, intense stare. He looked away only after he felt an elbow in his side.
    “I liked your paper on Aristotle. Nice work,” Brooke said, smiling at the girl still staring in awe at Drake. She would have snorted at the girl’s awe of the older man, but given the circumstances, it would have made her a hypocrite.
    “Thank you,” Janelle said.
    Brooke watched Janelle swallow nervously as she moved her gaze away from Drake back to her. “See you in class Thursday.” She made the comment as casually as she could while she and Drake slipped out the door, both smiling as the girl nodded.
    Out in the hallway, Drake put a discreet distance between their bodies and sighed heavily. Brooke snickered at the guilty look on his face. “Some bad boy professor you’re turning out to be. You’re practically blushing.”
    “Want me to tell you why I’m feeling guilty? My lustful thoughts about us would make even the daughter of Jessica Daniels blush.”
    “Oh, I don’t know. I don’t shock very easily. But maybe you better save the explanation for dinner, just in case. What time should I come over?” Brooke hoisted her load higher as she turned in the direction of the faculty parking lot.
    “Is seven okay?” Drake put both hands in his pockets to keep from touching her one last time.
    “Sure. Seven works for me,” Brooke said, winking at him before she strode off.
    At her car, she set everything on the trunk to dig her keys out of her book bag. When she felt eyes boring into her, she looked back to see Drake offer a wave before sauntering off. It gave her an odd feeling to realize the man had been looking out for her as she went to her car. She couldn’t recall ever having a man be openly solicitous of her safety.
    In fact, Drake Barrymore was turning out to be a first for her in many ways, starting with his ability to turn her to giggling mush with his poetic words. Her lust was running so high at the moment, she couldn’t even recall why she had practically hated the man when they first met. A sigh of genuine longing escaped her throat, defying the well-developed sense of logic, which normally prevented her from making mistakes with men. What she was feeling for Drake definitely wasn’t logical. What could someone as young as she was possibly want with an older man who was still hung up on his dead wife?
    “ I guess ‘ the heart wants what it wants’ ,” Brooke whispered, quoting one of her favorite Emily Dickinson poems.
    Then she