Free Charm School After Dark: Lesson 1 by Lynn Carmer Page B

abusive until senior year, right before graduation. There’d only been a few weeks left of school when the incident had happened, but apparently that was all anyone remembered her by. Even today, ten years later.
    Caelen realized with a start that Dare had never, ever called her that horrible nickname, and she was starting to soften toward him. Until she remembered just how brutal their sparring could be.
    Not for one second could she let down her guard. Too much water under the bridge. Dare wanted her, but that was all it could ever be. Relationships, and the trust and time it took to put into a relationship, were skills Victor had bled from her. Instinctively, she knew if she let him, Dare would take over her little experiment and dictate the rules to her.
    Damn controlling man.
    The one thing he had going for him was that he was the total masculine package, and just looking at him made her toes curl. Another point in his favor? He’d stuck up for her. She liked that. So much. Too much. But it was time to stop pretend flirting with Frank, and get down to business.
    She had a problem, and Dare was her solution. “Okay. I’m talking to you now.”
    Instead of giving her a hard time, he kicked up one side of his lip in an Elvis grin and said. “Took you long enough. Let’s talk.”
    “Right now?” Suddenly, it all felt too real.
    “No time like the present. Let’s go.”
    “My sister…”
    “She’s fine. Probably calmly explaining to Frank what an asshole he is.”
    “I know, right?”
    “Yeah.” He almost rubbed his hands together in glee. “I’m sorry I brought him. He’s not usually that stupid.” He glanced over and saw Brynn speaking intently while Frank looked at his shoes and listened. “They’re fine. Let’s go.”
    “No! I want to stay here. You’re so bossy.”
    “Bossy, huh? You don’t want to go somewhere private? Fine. I’m good with talking here.” His grin grew in alarming proportion to what he was saying. “Let me tell you a little tale about a mouse who lives upstairs in Ms. Belle’s storage room.”
    Caelen laughed, thoroughly confused. “What are you talking about?”
    “The little mouse especially loved his storage room because no matter who was home, or where they were in the house, he could hear everything that was going on.”
    Caelen leaned in toward him. “That little mouse didn’t happen to be in the storage room this morning, did he? During my meeting with Mr. Brown?”
    “Nope.”
    “What then?” She gasped. “Was he in the storage room when we were meeting with Ms. Hattie?” Her voice rose with each word.
    “Nope.” But he still looked like the cat who ate the canary. Or the mouse.
    She placed her quivering hand against her chest. Oh, thank God. If Dare had heard even half of what that woman had been talking about…
    “He would’ve been there, but I kicked him out so I could hear what was going on. Have to say, I was shocked at some of the things you proper young ladies were discussing. Things like nipple clamps.”
    Caelen jumped off her stool and slapped a hand against his mouth. Warm breath tickled her palm as he laughed softly. “Don’t you say one more word.”
    She felt his mouth open, his teeth gently scraping her sensitive skin as he mumbled, “Fellatio.”
    She pressed harder, her body coming in close, making her very aware her breasts were softly brushing his wide, rock-hard chest, with each breath in and out. “Stop.”
    “Only one way I’m gonna stop. I want in.” He leaned closer and her breasts rested firmly against him. They both gasped. “Use me, Caelen. Let me be your Guinea pig.”
    Her eyes dilated. Those words. The intensity. The decision was made. Now she just had to find a way to explain to her body that it was nothing personal, it was all for the sake of research, and it wouldn’t benefit her in the least, because she wouldn’t be on the receiving end of any of his raw passion.

Chapter 10
    ‡
    D ARE ORDERED A beer and a