Tame the Beast (Ever After #1) (17 page)

Marcus groaned. “Don’t tell me this is about Clara. Man, let it go. I don’t get why everyone’s so impressed with h—”

Marcus’s words were disrupted with the sounds of a painful gag as Corin seized him by his shirt. “You wanna finish that sentence?”

“With Adam,” Marcus unconvincingly replied. “The guy’s a tool.”

Shoving Marcus away, Corin continued down the pathway to nowhere. The vein on his neck was pulsing. He was tired of being in Adam’s shadow. It was time he did something about it. But what?

“You know,” Marcus began, “You can have anyone. Why her?”

“It’s more than that. Adam thinks he can do whatever he pleases just because he’s a Beaumont. I’m sick of it.” Corin needed something that would put an end to Adam’s reign. Half the student body already hated him. At least the half he’d wooed and then screwed. The other half liked him out of fear and envy.

“Plan on taking him down?” Marcus joked.

Yes. That was exactly what he needed to do. Corin sent his friend a smirk so devious his father would be proud.
I didn’t get us to where we are by being nice,
his father’s words echoed in his mind
. You want to get ahead, sometimes you have to play dirty
. “His mom has him on a short leash this year.”

Marcus scoffed. “Not that it’s slowed him down much. What are you going to do? Run to his mom?”

Corin glared in response. “No. Do I look like a snitch? Grow up. Besides, there are better ways to let his mother in on his recent activity. Right now, I just need Clara to see who Adam Beaumont really is. He won’t be able to keep this ‘I’ve changed’ act up forever.”

“What if he has? I’ve never seen him work so hard for one woman. It’s weird.”

If Marcus hadn’t been his best friend since childhood, Corin would’ve pounded him into the ground for that suggestion. But his friend had a point. In the three years they’d known Adam, the guy was a hit ’em and quit ‘em type. But with Clara, Adam had gone beyond his usual game. “Well, that’ll make showing his true colors even more satisfying.”

Marcus followed diligently as Corin laid out his plan to bring Adam down. Cutting away from the main campus, they moved towards the dorms. The student sitting at the front desk didn’t even look up from her phone as they entered the building. Corin took the stairs two at a time. If he were going to ruin Adam, he would need the help of someone who’d been scorned.

“Are you sure about this?” Marcus asked.

Corin replied with a heavy knock on the dorm door. It creaked open, sending waves of pleasure coursing through his body. Straightening his posture, he flashed his most brilliant smile.

“Just the beauty I wanted to see,” Corin said. Flattery. It was the key to any woman’s heart or, at least, a good step to gain her trust.

Olivia leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. “What do you guys want? I have a party to get to and I don’t want to be late.”

Corin assessed every inch of her. The girl wasn’t lying. She was dressed to the nines in club attire, leaving little room for imagination. She was every bit of Adam’s type, which made his latest rejection of her mind-boggling. Clearly, Adam just needed a little reminder.

“I have a proposition for you,” Corin replied as he threw her another charming smile. “I promise it will be worth your time.”

Olivia’s blue eyes flickered between the two men, weighing their intentions. Curiosity won as Olivia widened the door and sauntered back into the room. Corin followed, smiling like a maniac. Never underestimate the power of a vengeful woman, especially one who was publicly rejected. Adam was going to get what was coming to him.

Chapter Sixteen

For the umpteenth time, Adam glanced up from his work. He couldn’t help it. Watching Clara from the other side of the table was too tempting, especially after being told not to. The new semester brought a new ritual and their sessions were moved to Adam’s home. They worked in what use to be his father’s office and private library that shared a wall with the billiards room, but once Clara saw the mountains of books on every wall, she fell in love.

Not that Adam minded. He was one floor closer to having his way with her afterward. If they even made it up to his room. Perhaps it was a good thing she refused to take any payments or say she was his tutor. It made things a little less complicated. She was just one friend helping another out.

“Stop staring,” she snapped, her eyes never leaving the book in her hands.

“But I like what I see,” Adam said. He was trapped in a Catch-22. She was only there to keep him from getting distracted from his work, but how could he even begin to concentrate when all he thought about was taking her right there on the oak table. Leaning forward, he reached to pull her book away. “How about a little break?”

“No.” Her words were sharp as she slapped at his hands. “You know you don’t get that until our work is done.”

Adam laughed. “I wasn’t talking about
that
,” he mocked. “Just a break. Come on, if I stare at this computer any longer, I’ll go cross-eyed.”

“Liar. You’ve been staring at me this whole time.” The disapproval in her voice was betrayed by the smile on her face. “You know, you’ll never become a … whatever it is you plan on doing with your business degree if you’re always looking for distractions. How about thirty more minutes?”

She was always pushing him to work for just a few more minutes. Maybe that’s why he liked her so much. Every other woman he was ever with would break to his will with one crack of that Beaumont smile. Not Clara. She challenged him. Anyone else could say those words and he would brush it off. When Clara said it, he actually wanted to give in. That, and he loved their teasing banter. She was clever in ways he never imagined.

But today his mind was everywhere else but homework. Ignoring her suggestion about working longer, he said, “I’ll take over the family name.”

“Huh?” The look on her face screamed confusion. They were clearly on different pages.

“That’s what I’m going to do with my business degree,” he said. Clara set her book to the side. A small, victorious smile crossed Adam’s lips. “Our family owns a lot more than the college. We have partnerships with other companies, most of which are in Benson. We also have investments and own a good number of stocks. And one day it will be up to me to keep it all going.”

“Wow. Does that mean you’ll be the dean one day?” It sounded like a tease, but there was a spark of interest in her brown eyes.

“No. Not if I don’t want to. Some Beaumonts took a more passive role on the Board of Education. I probably will too.”

Clara leaned forward, resting her chin in her palm. “How come?”

Adam resisted the urge to pull her across the table and into his lap. Instead, he replied, “Not my thing. My great grandfather founded the college because he loved education. When my grandmother took over, she hired someone to be the dean.”

“And then she fell in love with him,” Clara finished.

It was Adam’s turn to be interested. His eyes narrowed as he teased, “Looking up my family history?”

“No!” Her cheeks flushed. “Well … kind of. But that was before I met you. Of course, I’m going to check out the history of the college I’m attending.”

Her voice was defensive which only made Adam laugh harder. “What else do you know?”

“Just that after your father graduated, he taught here before taking over as dean when your grandpa passed,” she replied, her cheeks suddenly turning a darker shade.

Adam nodded, amused. “My mother taught here too.” Suddenly, the distant memories came soaring back, stories about his parents he hadn’t thought about in years. A brief frown wrinkled his features before he broke out in laugher.

Clara jumped at the abrupt sound. “What’s so funny?”

“She was his T.A. during his first year teaching. That’s when they fell in love.” He made a mental note to give his mother hell about it later. “They didn’t get married until after she graduated. Had me about ten months later.”

“Jeez, is this school some kind of matchmaking service for your family?”

Adam was caught off guard, almost falling out of his chair with laughter. He’d never saw it like that, but she had a point. The last few generations of Beaumonts found their other half here. It was probably because they spent so much time on campus. He thought about his family. Each marrying someone they hired. What was with his family going after what they shouldn’t have?

Smiling, he said, “Well, sweetheart, if I were you, I’d be careful. You might end up with a Beaumont.”

Her face flushed scarlet. “We are not together.”

Despite the rumors flooding the campus, Clara refused to acknowledge they were the University’s hottest couple. At least he didn’t have to lie to his mother. Sure there were some technicalities there, but if Clara was denying all titles than who could argue differently?

His mother taught him long ago that wherever a Beaumont went, gossip would follow. So who would Angela Beaumont believe? The rumors she taught her son to ignore? Or Clara, the girl with an honorable reputation and full scholarship for being an exceptional student? Rumors didn’t stand a chance.

It should have been music to his ears, but for some reason, it wasn’t. For someone who was adamant in letting him know she wasn’t like the others he’d been with, she didn’t push a relationship like Adam had expected. He’d never wanted a relationship before. Clara knew that. Hell, everyone who attended the university knew that. So why did it bother him so much when Clara said the exact words he loved hearing every female say?

He tried to hide the irritation in his tone as he said, “I know. But you could always fall for one of my cousins.”

Clara looked surprised. “You have cousins here?”

“Yeah, two. One is getting his masters and the other will be here next year. Want me to set you up?”

“No. I don’t need you to play wingman.” Clara’s eyes rolled to the back of her head. “So how come I’ve never met them?”

A smug smile filled his face as he replied, “Because we’re not together.”

He meant it as a snide remark, but something flashed in Clara’s gorgeous brown eyes that sent all of Adam’s blood flowing south. Maybe it was the way he’d echoed her previous words. Maybe it was the challenge he presented. Whatever the reason, Adam couldn’t tear his eyes away from the hunger in her stare.

She wasn’t just the woman to take home to mom. She was a temptress and a lady. A woman who was sweet one moment and untamed the next.

Maybe that’s why Adam was becoming so addicted to this vixen. His mind replayed the memory from last night when she masterfully turned an innocent joke about good hygiene into a steamy bubble bath built for two. He was hard just thinking about the feel of her soft skin lathered in soap. Teasing her with more than the top of the line jets. Always so responsive to his touch.

Damn her.

“So,” Adam began, deepening his voice to call the little temptress forward. “How about that break?”

Chapter Seventeen

The memory of Adam teasing her in the beautiful library of his home was stuck on repeat. Clara didn’t know how long she sat staring at the same page of her favorite book. Luckily, Rose was too distracted with an assignment to notice.

Let go,
Adam’s whispered words still echoed in her ear. Like a moth to a flame, she had obeyed, letting Adam pull her to him right there on his chair. She wasn’t sure if she would ever tire of feeling his skin against hers. She loved his touch, teasing her, taunting her, lifting her to the table. She felt like a wild woman with nothing but the sea of books to hear her lose herself to him. Clara’s mind was ready to drift further into her little fantasy when obnoxious pounding sounded from the door.

“Hold your horses!” Rose yelled as she pushed away from her desk and bounced to the door. “I swear, if you break our door down I’ll—”

Her threat was interrupted as Luke swept her up into a long kiss.

“Or you’ll what?” Luke countered, pulling away.

Clara could feel her heart beginning to race as she watched Adam slip past the couple who bickered over Rose’s toughness.

“What are you doing here?” Clara asked, praying he couldn’t read where her naughty thoughts had been. Eyeing him carefully, she knew the boys were up to something. Maybe it was the mischievous look on their faces or the little pink striped bag in Adam’s grasp. Either way, they weren’t to be trusted.

Adam fell to her side. His arm rested on the back of the futon, trapping her between his hip and the pink material. “We’ve decided to kidnap you.”

“You know, you’re not supposed to tip off your victims. Gives them a chance to run.”

“Oh, I’m not worried.” The heat in his bluish eyes made every inch of her skin tingle.

Adam wasted no time in pulling her lips to his. Her fingers trailed along the edge of his jaw. He’d shaved today, but Clara could feel the subtle prickle of hairs growing in. She loved the scratch of his stubble that lingered long after the kiss ended. Tonight was no different. The kiss lasted no more than a few seconds, and yet it held the power to send all her nerves humming. Damn. The man had a dangerous way of making Clara feel alive.

“Alright, love birds,” Luke interrupted. “Are we going out or what?”

Rose sounded panicked as she asked, “Out? But I have to finish my assignment.”

As the grand debate began over whether or not Rose needed a break, Clara’s thoughts shifted to Luke’s words. Love birds? No.

No, no, no.

She would never call what they had love. One day she would find that guy she was meant to love, but Adam wasn’t it. Everyone knew that. He was bound for either many wives or many affairs. Probably both.

But Clara wouldn’t allow herself to fall for him that way. She wouldn’t even allow Adam to say they were together. She knew it was foolish, but if she took the title away than she could at least remind her heart that there was nothing to cry over when everything came crashing down. Clara needed some fun in her life and that’s all Adam was, lots and lots of fun.

“Fine.” Rose relented. “We’ll go to the party. But I don’t have anything green to wear for St. Patty’s.”