can't hold us [chloe]

[ADAM ORION SHARPE]

Today was the day.

It was one that he'd been looking forward to with a mixture of anxious enthusiasm that made Adam wonder whether or not he was really looking forward to it or dreading it completely. Today was the day that Chloe was supposed to come sit in on the class he was teaching. She'd already been such a big help by putting a hand in creating his little mint wheat drink... thing. The recipe was ancient, and used in mythology, which was important for the lesson he was planning to teach. Adam wasn't nervous that Chloe was going to be there, at least, that was what he thought – truthfully, the professor was more concerned that he'd be able to keep his lustful glances to a minimum when he was going to be in such close proximity to the exotic woman that he'd been having a semi-casual relationship with ever since the last time he spent all evening and nearly all night in her apartment when they created this little mixture. Chloe had been a little hesitant to come spend time in his classroom, and while she thought she'd just be sitting in on the lecture, Adam had made notes on how to include her, just to make sure she had an active role in what he did.

That was probably what confused the wolf the most about the day ahead – he barely even told women what he really did for a living, and now he was including one right in the center of all the action, so to speak. Adam wasn't sure, but it almost seemed like he wanted Chloe to see this other side of him: the dedicated, studious professor who really did give a damn about his students and their education. Adam wanted her to know that he was more than just a pretty face who was awesome in bed, although he was certainly proud of both of those things.

Adam grabbed his notes and his other materials, tucking the paperwork into his briefcase and carried the little vessel with the refrigerated beverage in his free hand, then left his apartment, locking up and heading down to his bike. It was a fairly short ride to campus, and once everything was secure on his vehicle, the professor was off to school. Believe it or not, he was a rather punctual individual, especially because he knew all about the unspoken college rule that if your professor was more than fifteen minutes late for the scheduled class time, you could bail without feeling guilty. That was why Professor Shape always ensured that hell or high water, he was at least twenty minutes early. That gave him plenty of time to set up his classroom, making sure everything was organized and class could start with minimal delay.

After he'd parked in the staff parking lot, Adam made his way toward the building and was nearly to his classroom when he saw a very familiar figure wandering down the hallway. Chloe. She'd more than likely asked for directions to his room at the front, and the wolf had to say that he was pleased that she had made an attempt to be early as well. ”Chloe!” Adam called, not waiting for her to turn around before catching up to her shorter strides with his longer ones and flashing her a brilliant smile. ”Is Claude watching the shop? Thanks again for coming and... taking part in all of this. I'll do my best to impress.” Adam adjusted the shoulder strap on his briefcase and felt a little self-conscious for a moment: the atmosphere, his attire, it was all so different than the Adam she was used to, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't want her to like this Adam just as much as the other one.

OUTFIT:

[/color] Here![/blockquote][/justify]

[CHLOE TASIA BROOKS]

A tie. That man was wearing a tie. It was the first thing she noticed when Adam’s baritone rolled over her ears, pulling her from her own thoughts. She hadn’t known what to expect when she got to the school. Nerves had been in her stomach this morning while she was choosing attire. What did a guest of the professor wear to lurk in his classroom like a creeper? It was a mystery to Chloe. She’d never even been to college. There had been potential- Goddess, it was actually a given- for her to go to college, well, before. But after that, she had no longer had the desire, not feeling on the same level as the other pupils, mentally and emotionally, not intellectually. She’d rifled through her closet, lips quirked and brow furrowed. Finally she picked something she hoped would float over well with the professor. And wouldn’t make her look anything less than respectable and classy to his students. A halter-necked turquoise top that showed off practical miles of her back and arms, some tight green legging-pants, and a pair of wedge sandal heels. With her standard pretty, but not overdone, handful of jewelry. Light makeup. And she piled her hair into a voluminous ponytail so that all that skin would be shown off.

What could she say? She kinda wanted to look good for him. Was that so bad? Granted, they’d established that they lusted after each other something fierce, but she liked that he could find her a bit distracting, given the right attire. Her mouth quirked into a smile as the better half of that statement wandered through: or lack thereof. The wolf had made it obvious that he preferred her to be wearing nothing at all, which she- for some inexplicable reason- found to be really sweet. A quirk, certainly. After running the store for the first few hours of the morning, she’d probably driven Claude nuts- not that the witch would ever show it- with all her double-checking and rambling. She hadn’t left the store to its own devices before. It was as nerve-wracking as sending a kid to school for the first time. Not that she’d know from experience, but her mom had told her later that it had been terrifying. Today, she finally got it. But Claude said all the right things, and promised to call if there was a problem, finally sending Chloe on her way to the college.

The secretary at the front had been almost-unwilling to tell her where Professor Sharpe’s room was. The jaguar couldn’t determine why that was, but all the reasons she could come up with were either unflattering to her, or somewhat flattering to Adam. When the shifter had explained, in no uncertain terms, that she was a guest and would find it on her own if that cranky bitch didn’t help her, she was finally given the room number. Hmph. Why so many people practically required her to pull bitch-face was beyond her. The jaguar tried to be polite, more often than not. So many were unresponsive to manners. It boggled the mind. That was what she’d been mentally chewing on when her um, well, beneficial friend called her name, lighting up her nerves with two-syllables. Aw damn… It was gonna be an interesting day, certainly. At least she just had to watch.

’Well, hello Professor Sharpe,’ she said with a light grin, clearly- and hungrily- eyeing him in his work attire. ’After much mother-henning from me, yeah, she is. Should be fine, right? Besides, I’m just here to watch. You do all the work. So I guess you’re welcome…?’ Her head tilted as she looked at him once more, noting that he seemed a touch nervous himself. ’I suddenly feel quite underdressed Professor… Hopefully your students wear something more casual so I don’t stand out, huh?’ Her green eyes were sparkling and playful as she bumped him with a hip on the way to his classroom. The space was bigger than she’d anticipated. She swallowed lightly, unused to such crowds. ’Just how many children cram themselves in here Adam?’

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clicketh for clothes!

[ADAM ORION SHARPE]

Chloe looked... wow. That shirt that showed just enough of that defined, slender back and soft skin, shoes that gave her a little boost of height, pants that fit her in all the right ways... wow. Adam tried not to keep his jaw from dropping and remembered where they were, who he was, and why they were here. He was a professor, damn it, and he had to be put-together to deliver a lesson to his students. For a moment, he wondered if maybe inviting Chloe was some sort of subconscious way of punishing himself by testing his resolve, but then knew that really it was because he liked her company, and wanted her to be a part of his lesson, since she'd already given him so much help with the little concoction. Adam did his best to keep the desire off of his face when he looked at her and appraised her outfit with a sweep of his eyes all the way from those shoes to her amazing hair. Then, he met her green eyes with his and smiled.

”You look fantastic,” Adam said, unable to help himself from giving her some kind of compliment. Granted he always thought she looked fantastic, and had his preferences (and usually that involved her wearing nothing at all), but this was... nice. She called him 'Professor Sharpe' and he wanted to laugh because usually, he was so used to her just calling him Adam or other names that weren't quite flattering at all, depending on what he'd done or said to warrant a less than pleasant mood from the jaguar. Even though they could fight like cats and dogs – somewhat literally, even – they got along more often than not, which was incredibly surprising given how they'd started out. ”That poor girl,” Adam replied when Chloe told him of how she'd given Claude what was likely something akin to a laundry list of very specific instructions. The wolf hadn't had much interaction with Chloe's little employee, but she seemed quite capable, maybe even overly dedicated, and intelligent beyond what her lack of words might suggest. ”Good thing I'm not your employee – I probably would have told you to piss off and let me handle it,” Adam said, lowering his voice a little in case one of his students or superiors passed them in the hallways. ”Really, though – how is she going to learn if you keep her on such a short leash? It's hard letting go sometimes, but I've learned that if you give someone all the knowledge they need, then take a step back, they'll either sink or swim, and you'll know how to proceed from there.”

They made it into his classroom, and Adam noticed Chloe staring at him – well, more likely at his attire. She was used to seeing him in more casual dress, and while the wolf knew he cleaned up nicely, he didn't know how she was going to react to the change. Apparently, she felt underdressed. ”Half of my students can't even keep their pants up around their asses. Shameful, but true. You're fine.” It was a dress style that he'd never understood, and it just didn't even seem like it would be comfortable, but he wasn't the type of guy to call people out on their style choices, especially in his classroom where, as long as they were respectful, it hardly mattered. Most of the time, they sat in chairs anyway.

As Chloe explored his classroom, he noticed that she seemed a bit anxious. Her usually confident exterior had a crack in it, and he wondered why until she asked how many people the classroom held. A lot more than his enrollment numbers would suggest, but his class was one of the more popular ones at the University during that term. ”It's a lecture room, so it seats about one-hundred and fifty to one-hundred seventy-five at capacity, but my class only has seventy students for this class. My other class, Global Mythology, is one of the most popular, and has one-hundred and ten students.” The wolf stepped a little closer to Chloe and placed his hand on her lower back, knowing that nobody would wander into this room for at least five more minutes. Besides, he didn't mind if someone saw them together. They weren't doing anything against the rules... yet. ”Don't tell me you're nervous. They're just kids,” Adam said, his voice gravelly and low. Well, they were young adults, usually around nineteen or twenty years of age – some were older, some younger, but that was the average. Surely Chloe wouldn't be nervous in front of a room full of students. But, if she was, he'd just find ways to thank her for sitting in against her comfort zone later, when they had some time alone.

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[CHLOE TASIA BROOKS]

Her nerves about this little adventure eased a bit when she saw Adam, and the way those eyes touched over her body. Score one for her attire. Of course, there was the side benefit of it making her skin prickle with that heat only Adam seemed to conjure in her system, but that was bound to happen whenever she saw him. And when he complimented her, she couldn’t help the slight, smug, grin. ’Thanks sugar. You look pretty fine yourself.’ She followed him the rest of the way to his classroom, letting him unlock the door ahead of them as he questioned the status of her store, making a ‘snappy’ little comment about her nit-picking behavior. ’Of course it’s a good thing. I’d have to fire your sassy ass.’ She said it with a little wink, stroking his arm lightly, which seemed to prompt him to continue his little, ‘let the birdy fly’ ramble. ’Oh sweetie, you think too damn much. I’m particular. She lives with it. If something sinks, it’s my ass, and I just won’t have that. Sweet though, from the professor.’ She patted his cheek, a little harder that absolutely necessary, and perhaps a little more patronizing, with a wicked grin on her mouth. The jaguar really shouldn’t start shit this early in the day, but with him, she couldn’t help herself.

Until they walked into the classroom and she saw the sheer volume of seats in that room. She felt like Adam was some kind of Roman gladiator, fighting for his life at the base of the coliseum. Her eyes wandered back to him, taking in the attire he was supposed to fight these hordes off in, and felt that they were very little protection… even though he did look quite good in them, she had to admit. Although she did feel the contrast rather sharply, given her own attire. He reassured her that it wasn’t a big deal, however, since his students lacked fashion sense. The jaguar rolled her with a little laugh. ’You’ll note my excitement at being better than that lot…’ Chloe could not contain her sass around him. And it may have been a little bit of a reaction, also, to the mere thought that she would be surrounded by so many people. Especially teenagers, who she had so little respect for anyways. She had to ask him… and didn’t care for the answer. Seventy fricking students? The jaguar swallowed hard… she had an issue with enclosed spaces, just a little, and crowds made for enclosed space. Nobody blamed her once they knew why, of course, but she didn’t often like to broach that topic. Chloe wrung her hands, just a little, and put on a smile as he placed that reassuring hand on her back. ’Who knew you were so popular, hmm?’ She swallowed again, her heart-rate increased just the tiniest bit. Then he asked a question that made her laugh out loud. ’Oh hon, no. I don’t have any issue being around pesky children- even though they’re only a few years younger than me- it’s the containment that makes me… uncomfortable.’ She would not say ‘nervous’ and she would not say ‘scared.’ Those may have been closer to the truth, but the jaguar had forced herself to adjust over the years, getting better with time. She just wasn’t completely well. The shifter needed to say something a touch sassier, distract him from the look she was sure was on her face. She cleared her throat lightly, trying to think of something.

’So, how many would you say actually listen to the lecture you give?’ She asked him with a playful grin, placing a hand on his large chest for a moment, wanting to kiss him, but unsure how much time they had before his class started. She leaned up, for just a second, before pulling away, teasing, but also uncertain. Turning back to the mass of seats, she eyeballed them all for a moment, and asked another question. ’Professor Sharpe, where am I supposed to sit? If I may inquire?’ She eyed him with a touch of lust over her shoulder, his presence distracting her from her nerves for the moment. The jaguar didn’t think it would last though, as she noted that very first student beginning the trek down the hallway to his classroom.

[ADAM ORION SHARPE]

Every time he and Chloe got within each other's direct line of sight, sparks flew. It was something that he'd tried not to notice, but just couldn't continue pushing out of his head. There was serious chemistry there, between the two of them, and as much as he wanted to ignore it, shrug it off, or tell himself that he could find the same thing with another woman, he knew that it wasn't possible. He'd seen lots of women... lots since he began having his encounters with Chloe, and it just wasn't the same. It was that crazy chemistry, those sparks that flew every single time, so since he knew he couldn't ignore it, Adam had decided to start rolling with the punches, see how he fared that way. What was the worst that could happen?

He saw the sparks in her eyes when she evaluated his clothing, but tried his best not to be completely lascivious so soon. They had a job to do... well, he had a job to do, and there would be time for naughty, adult fun later – there always was time for that whenever they got together. They always made time for it, truthfully, because it was slowly becoming addictive. Neither one of them would admit it, of course, because saying that would prove that they had some sort of shared weakness, but it was a fact he knew didn't escape either of their keen instincts and self-awareness. Instead, he changed the topic to her work, because he knew she was a little nervous about leaving Claude to run the shop in her brief absence. Adam didn't fully understand that, because he knew the shop was her baby, but he'd met Claude and she seemed more than capable. A bit stoic and lacking in a sunny disposition, but he knew that Chloe would never go for hiring someone that was overly cheery or chipper, anyway. Of course he knew that Chloe wouldn't take his advice, but he was the kind of guy who threw it out there anyway. Take or or leave it, although she usually left it.

”Last I checked, you rather enjoyed my 'sassy ass.' Or was that just my ass?” Adam absolutely loved teasing this woman – the faces she made, the little huffs of disbelief when he said something particularly rude or steeped in his somewhat typical douchebaggery, it was all just so damn amusing and worth it every time. He might have put the asshole nature on a little thick sometimes, but really it was just for those reactions. Upon receiving the full dose of his advice, Chloe might have been a little patronizing, patting his cheek and calling him 'professor,' but he stayed steadfast with a grin and a good nature. ”Trust me, I know how particular you are. Drives me crazy.” That part he said with a blatant sexual tone, innuendo everywhere because when she told him just what to do in bed or how to do it – Adam nearly lost his mind, every single time.

Chloe's anxiety was present, even if she was trying to hide it once they entered his classroom, and Adam answered her question about the number of students in his classes, wondering if this added or subtracted from her hidden fears. It seemed that she had a dislike of crowds, and Adam's brows furrowed, a little concerned about making her feel uncomfortable. He certainly didn't want that – not if he expected her to take part in his little 'lesson plan.' ”Students really like me – what can I say? I'm charming,” Adam grinned, a little bit devious as he set his things down on his desk and pulled a chair over to the side, close to him, so it would hopefully make her more comfortable. ”If you get too nervous, just... pretend it's you and me. Alone. In my room, or my living room... you'll be fine. I'm right here.” Adam wasn't sure if this would help, but she did seem to be comfortable in his presence, so he hoped that she'd be able to hold onto that and shake her fears.

The wolf laughed a little when she asked how many listened to his lectures. ”Are you insinuating that I'm distracting?” Adam pondered for a moment, because he really didn't know. If it was directly related to how many students actually had success in his classroom, well... ”I'd say a good two-thirds actually pass the class, but those are usually the ones that care. I'm not an easy teacher – I don't believe in giving out 'A's' just for the hell of it. I make them work for everything. How else are they going to learn?” It was a belief that his mother held, and even though he didn't always agree with her practices, he did hope to be as good of a professor as her someday, and agreed that students didn't actually learn unless they cared to learn, and took a direct interest. Success wasn't just handed over – there was always a cost. When she inquired about where she'd be sitting, Adam purred a little and pointed to the chair that he'd set out. ”Best seat in the house – right next to the University's sexiest professor.” Her tone was distracting, and that look of lust? Oh, Adam wanted her right there and then, but then students started to come into his classroom, and he greeted them all by name as they entered, containing his lust and stamping it down... for the moment, at least.

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[CHLOE TASIA BROOKS]

Oh, was this really a good idea? Probably not… They would have to behave themselves for hours while he taught his class some shit they likely weren’t interested in learning. Hours. She would have to keep her hands and her eyes to herself. That hardly seemed fair for something that was supposed to be a treat. But she could do it, and it made sense. Besides, they had a little time before the class was even in session o catch up and, apparently, flirt shamelessly. Oh sure, it had started out as a ‘hi, how ya doin’?’ thing, but now? Now it was firmly in the territory of flirting. At least for a little while. ’Just your ass, Adam. Of course. Your sass… that I could probably do without.’ She shrugged and winked at him, before turning to wander around his classroom, drifting back to him when he felt the need to advise her on letting her little employee fly and be free. That just was not how the jaguar rolled. She was controlling and particular, and she would make no apologies or changes to that nature. Which, in a heavily sexual tone, he professed an insanity for. The low, grumbling timbre alone raised shivery goosebumps on her whole body, and her green eyes turned mostly black as her pupils dilated. Oh, damn him to the depths of hell. She’d have to leave if he kept it up… For now though, she could totally play this game. ’You, gorgeous, were crazy long before you met me and my ‘particular’ self.’ Her voice was a soft purr, as she turned away from him again, looking at the sheer, intimidating volume of seats that crowded his classroom.

His words didn’t ease her fears very much. She didn’t like large crowds. They were pressing and constricting and made it seem as though the collar of her shirt was tightening around her throat. Her pupils, previously blown with lust, constricted with tension, and her laugh at his ‘charming’ comment was a touch trepidatious. Oh, now this looking less-than-good for an entirely different reason. And he noticed, of course he did. She was the only other person in the room, and they were always hyper-aware of each other anyway. Of course, his reaction to her nerves was… unexpected. He tried to soothe them. He didn’t make fun of her, didn’t make it worse, he attempted to ease the knot that was developing in her stomach. Certainly not what she would’ve anticipated from this man who loved to pleasure and torture her, almost equally. While it didn’t work- she’d never done that ‘pretend your fears away’ thing- she did appreciate the effort. ’And why in the world would that make me less tense? If we were alone, I’d just jump you. Certainly not appropriate for a full classroom of kidlets, I would think.’ Her chuckle was soft, before she moved on to another topic, wondering just how many of them would be focused on him, instead of other things, which might or might not include his random classroom guest. And of course he would take it that way, the flattering way.

’Ha! Oh, babe, no. I was insinuating that you aren’t quite captivating enough of their attention. It was a joke, not a compliment. Geez.’ She was in his bubble now, touching a chest that had been pressed against her in ways that made her feel both safe and out of control. She still managed to tease him, though. Their tete-a-tete was something like foreplay… He rolled with it good-naturedly, and explained that most actually did attempt to pay attention and pass the class, and she found herself unsurprised with the assessment, and the fact that he was a self-professed hard-ass professor. ’Aww, you’re mean to those poor, struggling teenagers? How cruel. And all they wanted was to be loved and given a pass. Woe is them.’ Her grin was light and sweet as she looked up into those beautiful green eyes, and her look went from playful to turned on. Oh goddess. Right now? Of course now. Every time she was in the same room as him, her body went to that aroused place. She wanted to kiss him, but she spied the clock over his shoulder, and made one final inquiry- answered in a tone that made her squirm internally- before she moved away from him to achieve the seat he’d pointed out. Did she like it? Hell no. It was too close to being the center of attention. ’Um, Professor…’ She trailed off, nibbling her lip as he greeted each student, picking a lull between entrances to ask her question. ’You sure I can’t nab an empty seat in the back? Stare at you lustily from afar? Instead of front and center.’ She had no problems admitting that she was attracted to him anymore, that was blatantly obvious to both of them, but she was hoping to use the admission to get herself slightly away from the limelight. The jaguar had issues with being stared at, just a little. Besides, it wasn’t as though he needed her up there anyways. She was more like a fly on the wall than anything else in this instance. Member of the audience, not Vanna White.

[ADAM ORION SHARPE]

Sometimes, it surprised even him how quickly he and Chloe could get off from a 'friendly' disposition with one another to one that was steeped in desire and lust, no matter how long it had been since they'd last seen one another. Adam never thought that he'd actually entertain the idea of a 'friend with benefits,' but the more he thought about Chloe and realized that he actually did enjoy the time he spent with her – in and out of the bedroom – the more he realized that her being his 'friend' was something he could actually tolerate. And looked forward to tolerating, even. Plus, the benefits were pretty spectacular. They were joking about his attitude and his... well... backside, and he laughed when she winked at him, saying that his physical attributes were appreciated, and the attitude was not. Surprise, surprise. Although, the wolf did have to give Chloe props: she handled his attitude and some of his hang-ups far better than most. Better than anyone, even. ”Crazy? That's debatable. But trouble – always. Even before I met your 'particular' self.”

They walked into his classroom, and Adam could tell that something was... different about Chloe. Ususally, she was so confident, a real powerhouse – sure, she had a few insecurities that Adam had encountered, but for the most part, she was a powerful, independent woman. Which baffled him, because there weren't any students even in his classroom yet. When Adam looked at her again, he noticed that her eyes had gotten greener, the pupils were smaller, and she seemed to be breathing a little bit heavily, and not in that delicious, enticing way that he was extremely fond of - no, this was definitely something else. He wasn't going to ask outright if she was anxious, but he did try to acknowledge that she felt something. The wolf was a lot of things, but he wasn't completely inconsiderate and oblivious about the feelings of others. Most of the time, he was well aware of what other people were experiencing just because he was attentive and good at reading people; subsequently, he just didn't care. Chloe, however... he cared-- did he really? Adam was so torn as to what his feelings for the lovely jaguar were: did he care about her? Was the sex just really that amazing? The fact that she made him laugh the way he did and seemed to genuinely enjoy his company, even knowing so many facets of his personality that most would decisively consider irredeemable counted for something. Maybe even a lot of somethings. ”The fact that you're thinking about sex right now... in my classroom? Kind of hot, and also tells me that you're not that nervous.” His voice was low and rumbling as he paced around her a little, hoping that she really would settle down. Just a bit. Adam had been looking forward to this day, to including her into another part of his world and a facet of him that spoke for so much of the past that he kept hidden from... well, everyone, really.

Chloe broke into his personal space, touching his chest in a way that made Adam want to completely forget himself and his decorum, say 'to hell with' lots of proper things, including, possibly, his position at the University, and take her back to his office to engage in unspeakable activities which would mean nobody in his actually class would have anything to learn that day. But he had an excellent lesson planned, and was involving Chloe, so he maintained his propriety and did his best to control his more primal urges. Introducing Chloe to his class was kind of a big deal, actually – he wasn't as close to them as some professors were with their students, and didn't choose to maintain a certain degree of intensity and attention in the professor/student rapport, but they did matter. They were insufferable sometimes, but they mattered. ”I prefer your compliments,” he said with a little laugh, and then commented on her sudden 'bleeding heart' for his poor, pitiful slacker children. ”Oh, my students are so deprived to have the 'cool' Professor who attempts to basically give them the equivalent of snack time while he talks their ears off. Also, I involve sex as a frequent topic in all my lectures, so you'd think that'd be enough to interest college students.”

The look in Chloe's eyes changed again, and Adam noticed that they were filling with desire, especially with their fairly close proximity. Simply put, she looked like she wanted to kiss him, and usually, he was just fine with that. Adam wanted to kiss her back, even, but he settled for slipping a hand around her small waist for a moment and stroking her hip, fire and lust dancing in his own green eyes as he looked at her, and then separated their bodies once she seemed to spy the time from behind where he was standing. Soon enough, students would be pouring in, and they really didn't need to see him tangled up with this beautiful woman, irresistible as she was. ”No, I'd like you to stay here, with me. Actually... I was just going to spring this on you, but since you're nervous, I won't be a complete ass about it.” He greeted a few students as they entered, a bright smile on his face as they took their seats. Then he turned back to Chloe. ”Despite the fact that I'd love for you to ogle me shamelessly during my lecture, it'd be a horrible distraction, and I need your help. Part of the lesson plan is to explain a little bit about what each ingredient does for the beverage. From a botanical standpoint. If you'd be okay with that, I'd be really grateful. I just know the mythology part,” Adam looked at her with the wolf equivalent of 'puppy eyes,' and hoped that his charms would be enough to get her to accept. If she said no, well, he'd just have to improvise.

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[CHLOE TASIA BROOKS]

’A debate I look forward to having, then, Professor. Because I am more than certain you were a wild and crazy animal long before I appeared in your life. And I’m certain there are plenty of other lovely people in this town alone that could attest to that fact.’ It was a pointed statement, sure. But she knew that some part of him didn’t like her mentioning the fact that he had had other women in his life before her. Oh, she couldn’t know for certain why that was, but she knew that his nose crinkled and his eyes darkened whenever she mentioned- in the course of their various arguments, or out of them- any of his other previous conquests. The jaguar had been tempted, on more than one occasion, to ask him why that was, when he seemed to be so very proud of his ‘player’ status. But… well, a trepidation about the answer, a fear of making the unknown, known, kept her mouth closed tight every time. She would, instead, deal with the look of annoyance that played over those chiseled features whenever she brought it up or used it against him.

She didn’t mean to, honestly. But he was just so stinkin’ proud of it sometimes that she couldn’t resist lobbying it as a grenade to take him down a notch, rather than lift him up a few. Chloe did try to keep its mention at a minimum, however. Just… out of courtesy, or something. When they were together, other people didn’t matter as much. Except they did… as there would be a whole bevy of students milling around them soon, easily distracting them from each other. In spite of the fact that Adam was doing a damn good job of pulling her mind away from that fact, if only for the briefest of moments, with the pulsating heat that bounced back and forth between them. ’A temporary abatement of the… nerves, I assure you. For which, I am- and don’t laugh- actually grateful.’ Ugh. She had the unconscionable urge to just hug him. She had the feeling that that would just make it all better, and the mere idea of that made her feel stupid and weak. No, she would not cave to such a silly desire. She would not play the wimpy, pathetic woman to his tall, dark, handsome self. ’Although I don’t know why it’s only ‘kind of hot.’ Sex with me anywhere is really hot, last I recalled…’ Her voice trailed and her eyes wandered as she teased him, focusing her attentions elsewhere to feign a wound she didn’t have. ’Perhaps I should ravish you now, refresh your memory?’ She wouldn’t, of course, even if he said yes. There wasn’t time, and that was inappropriate, in any case. His job was actually important to him, as hers was to her, so she wouldn’t do that. The jaguar would, however, continue to pick on him until she no longer had the air in her to do so.

’As infrequent as they are, I’m sure you do. But I only hand you compliments when you deserve them. You’d think you’d be grateful for that, at least a little.’ Her fingers made a tiny pincer motion, measuring the ‘little’ distance he had to be grateful. In her experience though… well, she didn’t know of anything he actually had any gratitude for. There were lots of things he felt he deserved. Some things he was entitled to. Some things he easily took for himself because he could. But genuine gratitude? She bit her lip, wondering. She couldn’t really recall one that seemed genuine. Any gift he’d been given that he didn’t think he had earned in one way or the other. That certainly made him more confident, but she wondered about how he valued things, sometimes. Though he did seem to place some value in the students he taught. Even the slackers. ’I’m sure they are deprived. Come on, real college kids want nap time. Party time. Get back on their level, Prof.’ Her snicker was quiet and accompanied her eye roll very well. Like Chloe had any idea what the average college student wanted. She wasn’t one. Never had been. Never would be. That environment just didn’t work for her anymore. The jaguar was different. And doing quite well for herself, despite the lack of college education. Besides, she was getting a dose of the college atmosphere she had never expected right there and then, and it was really just confirming her stance on the whole thing. Nope. She’d stick with her shop and her witch. Despite the fact that the existence of teachers like Adam could’ve made most college experiences look far more appealing than they previously had. ’And I’m sure sex from their professor is of interest to a great number of them, Adam. But enough to keep them paying attention to the words coming out of that professor’s mouth? Maybe not.’ One of her green eyes closed briefly in a little wink as she easily occupied his space, until kids started pouring in like ants, eager to get to their seats- or not- and get ready for class. And it was then that he decided to drop what was the equivalent of a couple nuclear bombs on her feline ass.

He wanted her to what now? Not only sit up at the front of the classroom, paling in comparison to him, and being the little oddity that would garner plenty of attention. Oh no, of course that wasn’t the worst of it. The knot that had previously been a quiet ache in her stomach tightened to the point of pain while her eyes widened. And he just seemed so happy and enthused about her participating in- she took a couple deep breaths, forcing herself to slow her roll and actually consider what he was asking. How bad could it be, really? She worked in customer service all day. Yeah, but that was small volumes of people, not seventy-plus sets of eyes that would make her feel about as big as an amoeba. She did have the knowledge base though. And he was giving her that look. The bright, megawatt, ‘look how much I like you,’ look that made Chloe’s brain kinda fuzzy. Fuck. She was going to do it, wasn’t she? Shit… She swallowed hard, and signed her life away with four little words, hoping the building would fall down on top of her and spare her. ’Um, sure, I guess…’

[ADAM ORION SHARPE]

Sometimes, he didn't know if it bothered him that Chloe knew him so well or flattered him. Part of Adam hated the thought that anyone could get under his skin enough to really know him; he had so many layers, and tried to keep most of them hidden from, well, everyone. Yet Chloe had managed to see through layers upon layers of bullshit and other masks that he'd adopted throughout his years of existence and still... he couldn't say whether or not she actually liked him, but she tolerated him, and that was a feat in and of itself. Adam knew that, most of the time, he was pretty happy having her around, too. Neither one of them would be winning any awards or other recognitions for 'best person to be around,' but they handled each other. Balanced each other. And that was the unsettling part. ”I've only been an animal for a few short months – most of my life, I was just a man.” That would be the only answer he'd be giving her in that department, although she had already been privy to some of his wilder urges that had absolutely nothing to do with the wolf side of him that was newly adopted.

As he ushered her into his classroom, Adam took stock of her change in demeanor, and through a short series of questions, figured out that it was nerves that was troubling Chloe. Curious, because as far as he could tell, nothing scared her. No, she was basically unflappable, and to him, that was a good thing. But the classroom and the idea of his students watching her seemed to be enough, and even though normally, he'd likely just give someone room to leave, Adam found that he actually wanted her to stay. Needed her to stay, even, because there was a purpose for her being there, and if he was completely honest with himself, he liked her company. He liked having her around, and wasn't sure he wanted to admit what such a thing meant at that particular juncture, but he knew himself well enough to figure he'd torture himself over it mentally later, when he was alone with his thoughts. The topic he brought up to soothe her nerves ended up being sex, and Adam began regretting such a decision when she turned the tables on him in a fabulous manner that made him ache and want and think about things that were entirely inappropriate for their current setting. ”It's always hot with you, Chloe. You won't believe me, of course, but it's up there with the best I've ever had, which is saying something.” Then, his voice lowered and he figured that if she could dish it out, he could take it and return it. In many, many ways. ”Stick around, and you can give me that refresher course later. Perhaps I'll even let you choose the location.” A tempting enough offer, he hoped, to soothe her residual nerves.

Awkwardly enough, they transitioned from talking about their sex life (vaguely) to the fact that him discussing sex with his students should have been enough to motivate them, but wasn't. He laughed when Chloe mentioned that college students wanted 'nap time,' because that was probably true enough – even though he thought his lessons were incredibly interesting, he'd caught a few nappers on occasion, but was never rude enough to call them out like he sometimes wanted to do. Sex, however, should have been on their level, because it was something that most people wanted, but something they thought about... and probably some of them thought about it with him, which might have been her insinuation, and it was... kind of disturbing, actually. ”I actually don't sleep with my students. Call it a quirk.”

Then, he decided that he might as well tell her why she was there (partly) as his students started filing in, and he greeted them one by one. He told her about his interest in her botanical knowledge, and hoped that it would be enough to make her play along. Oh, he'd reward her for it later... he would have anyway, but she didn't need to know that. ”Sound more excited, why don't you?” Adam kept his voice low, and winked at her. ”I'll compensate your time with my students in a very rewarding fashion... trust me.” 'Trust me.' Famous last words from someone like him, he knew, but it was worth trying.

Once everyone had taken their seats, Adam took his 'stage' at the front of the room and addressed them all. ”Good afternoon. As I'm sure you've all noticed, we have a very special guest in our classroom today. I've prepared a little treat to go along with our current lesson – the drink of the Gods themselves, as referenced in the story you were all supposed to read.” Adam put emphasis on 'supposed' to read, and smiled a bit at Chloe when he could manage it, just to be helpful, he hoped. ”Chloe owns Heliconia, in the Old Town. Some of you may be familiar, others of you not, but it's a plant store that provides many lovely materials, and her shop is where I collected the ingredients for the drink we've prepared for you. Since you know of the ingredients from the text, I figured it might be good to add a bit of science to our story and invited Chloe to share a little bit of the chemistry behind what these ingredients do for the beverage, and then we can discuss why they might have been relevant to our characters. Miss Brooks, if you would, please.” Adam busied himself with pouring the drinks and passing them around, moving aside to let Chloe take the limelight. Showtime, beautiful.

[/justify]

[CHLOE TASIA BROOKS]

Chloe’s laugh at his return was lovely, to say the least. It was a heartfelt expression of amusement. ‘Only been an animal for a few short months,’ indeed. Chloe hadn’t been an animal her whole life either- at least, not to her knowledge- but they both knew that that was not what she’d meant by calling him such. No, ‘animal’ had been a much more metaphorical term, and she just couldn’t resist taking it to a more debauch and wicked place to prove her point. What was her point, again? ’Adam, baby, we both know I wasn’t speaking of your literal animal. It was just a loose, figurative term. Which completely applies, ‘cause I don’t think, when you were ‘just a man,’ you were any less base and… wild in the sack, which is the arena to which I was referring.’ Goddess, how she loved disputing whatever this man said. It was like, some kind of personal victory every time she managed to fight back, little glowing bursts of pride lighting up under her skin, giving her a semi-luminescent appearance, figuratively. Her mental wandering made her chuckle, and she kinda realized something all over again in that moment. She was happy- oddly, ridiculously so- when she was arguing with Adam. As much as it pissed her off, it also turned her on and gave her a particular brand of joy. Of course, the better her advantage, the more she was winning, the happier she tended to be. Who didn’t like winning against an opponent who was actually an even match?

The high lasted until they hit his classroom. Suddenly, she wasn’t such an even match for him anymore. Here was a field in which she was severely lacking. She just didn’t have the composition for this. He noticed that, of course, attempting to soothe the bout of nerves that had taken hold of her. Of course, he picked sex as the topic to attempt doing it with. Surprisingly enough, that was working. The shiver under her skin was being replaced with a lick of flames. Not gonna completely fix it though… Still, the effects were wonderful, and she had a marvelous time fucking with him in return. Don’t just try to raise her attentions and not expect her to do it back. She gave as good as she got, with Adam. She liked to think he appreciated that about her. The gravel in his voice certainly gave her that impression. The way he bandied about his compliments nonchalantly, like they were something he was mentioning in passing, rather than an admission that made her eyes widen in surprise. Who woulda thunk it, huh? Chloe, with her grand total of like… four lovers? before Adam, was in the tops of his ranks. Now, she could say, in her own head only, of course, without reservation, that he really was the best she’d ever had. Not ‘up there with.’ Nah, he took the heavyweight champion title, with very little competition. ’Maybe I will, maybe I won’t believe you, but I appreciate the thought, regardless,’ she commented gently, hand running over his arm, sending prickles of sensation into her palm, making her want. This wasn’t an appropriate time, of course, and he just made it worse, spiking a shot through her system with his molten offer, turning her voice husky and growly and blatant. ’Schooling the professor? Something innately appealing about that… and the sex.’ She chuckled, a low purr, nodding. Alright, yeah, she’d stick it out.

But not without bugging him some more. Teasing, really. Discussing his teaching techniques. Until a mild joke slipped from her mouth that actually seemed to bother him. Usually, she pissed him off on purpose, but it was more about little things. This, however, seemed to be a soft spot. Huh. ’Good professors don’t, sweetie. Call it honor.’ She winked back to being playful, but honest. Maybe he wasn’t the best man, ever, but he had some high points that she actually liked which occasionally made her arch eyebrows at herself, wondering what the hell she was thinking, before shrugging it off as a statistical probability. Had to like more than a few things about him. That was bound to happen, right?

She was just thinking that, when he decided to assassinate her. Okay okay, so that was a little dramatic, but you would feel that way too, if you were completely unprepared to talk to a group of seventy people, even on a subject you were well-acquainted with. Improvisation was considered impressive for a reason. Despite the wicked glimmer and promise in his eyes and his words, her heart was beating too fast, and she could hear the pulse of it in her ears, making her aware of how nervous she was now. Fan-fucking-tastic. She just shook her head at his little ‘excited,’ joke and tried to catch her breath and collect her scattered thoughts as he introduced her, smiling in her direction, hopeful and sweet. Oh goddess… he was like a little boy, showing off some prized piece from his collection during show and tell, wanting it to do well so that people would understand why he liked it so much. She wanted to drop her face into her hands and just die, but her sense of pride and other such things wouldn’t let her. Up she stepped, into the gladiatorial arena.

’Hey. Nice to meet you all, kinda. Gonna have to forgive the nerves, Professor Brilliant there didn’t tell me about this beforehand. Kinda wingin’ it.’ She swallowed, smiling briefly, with a little wave. ’Anybody here own plants? Have a garden or anything?’ Couple , couple mumbles, couple hand raises. ’Great. Awesome. Essentially, that’s all I do. But for money. As for the ingredients, and the functions of them…’ And off she went, rambling for a good five or ten minutes, explaining the nature of each plant, some of their properties, some possible explanations why they had been included… yada yada yada. It went pretty well, under the circumstances, she thought. Her green eyes sought out Adam after she was done, praying he’d just take the reins from her and she could sit her ass down and finally fidget.

[ADAM ORION SHARPE]

Most of the time, he absolutely hated pet names. Yet, for some strange reason – and it was probably just one of those things about whatever it was with him and Chloe that he couldn't explain – he liked it coming from her mouth. 'Baby.' Adam wasn't a child, he was a full-grown man, and had never gotten the point of such an endearment. Obviously, someone wouldn't really want their lover to be an infant in diapers, but still... it did things to him. His logical brain went out the window, because that word literally sent a shiver down his spine, but he was careful to hide it. Adam didn't want that reaction to be obvious, even if Chloe was pretty cued in to nearly everything he did, just as he was with her. ”Filthy,” he purred when he got the explanation of what she had actually meant by her 'animal' comment and related it to their adventures in the bedroom (or the couch, the kitchen counter, against a wall... anywhere and everywhere was fair game for them when they got going). ”I like it. A lot, actually. Almost as much as I like your animal.” She'd know what that meant, because he was essentially throwing her double entendre right back at her. The glow on her skin that became obvious and visible when they had this kind of banter with each other only made her more beautiful, and while Adam did enjoy telling Chloe how beautiful she was – or other more lascivious compliments – he decided not to gush over her when they were heading into his classroom. Perhaps later when he had her writhing and whimpering underneath him... that was an excellent thought. And bound to happen, if the heat that was already sizzling between them was an indicator.

The talk of impending sexcapades continued even into his classroom, which was fine because even though Adam really did try to maintain a professional air with his students and inside his classroom, there was nobody in there at the moment, and he was pretty much always up for flirting with Chloe. Sometimes, the wolf was convinced that the heat between them never stopped, never quit, and only had gotten stronger ever since they'd determined that they were friends with benefits or... something. Adam still didn't know what the hell they were, but he knew that he was breaking more than a few of his precious rules for Chloe and with Chloe, and probably knew that it should bother him more, but it just didn't. The shifter had... there was something special there, and while he wondered whether or not it was just an inherent trait about her personally, he was likewise curious that maybe it was a reaction that the two of them shared toward each other. A trait that he'd never, ever experienced with anyone else – and that was the most terrifying thing of all. ”If you ever get the chance to properly school me, Chlo, you should consider yourself a very, very lucky woman. You know I'd much prefer you beneath me and squirming.” His voice was low, and he cut it off as soon as the first student walked into his room, greeting him with a kind smile and a use of his name. Always professional, at least in this atmosphere. Adam had been groomed for this, after all, and while he had tried to rebel against going into the same profession that his mother had chosen and excelled in, he eventually gave in and realized that even though it was what she had always wanted for him, it was also where his biggest passion was. Well, his biggest passion toward a career.

Soon enough, it was time for class to start, and he knew that he'd put Chloe on edge by his little last-minute request. Okay, he knew that he probably shouldn't have waited so long to spring it on her, especially after he found out that she had a little quirk about nervousness where crowds were concerned. And some of his students were probably pretty close to her age, but that shouldn't matter. Chloe was brilliant, and he wouldn't like her so much if she wasn't. Adam actually had faith in her, a great deal of faith, if he was willing to let her present in his classroom, and he wondered if she knew or understood the gravity of what it was he was asking – just how much it meant to him, on a lot of levels. The wolf tried to make a joke, calm her down, and would definitely praise her later and thank her repeatedly for coming through for him. This was sort of an opportunity for her to really impress him in a way that no other woman ever had or could, probably. So, when she finally took the floor, he was a little bit nervous for her, and started pouring the drinks for his students and passing them around while she spoke.

A few times, his hands faltered and he just had to stop and stare at her. There had been a little bit of a hitch in the beginning, but once she got to talking about the material which which she was comfortable, Chloe... excelled. Beyond his expectations, and Adam just couldn't stop smiling. A genuine, happy, pleased smile, and listening to her address his students and being a fountain of knowledge within her own expertise was sexy and... it gave him butterflies, a little bit. After she was finished, he addressed his students again while she took her seat. ”Let's give Chloe a round of applause for that wonderful information. Not too much, though – don't want to scare her off.” Adam even clapped along with them, and then he finished up with his lesson, going over the notes he'd prepared about the material and working it into what Chloe had said. Then, he took questions, assigned the homework for the next lesson, and dismissed them when it was the proper time. After they began filing out of his room, Adam cleaned up and then moved back to Chloe. Once he was positive that they were alone, he moved close to her, within her personal space, and wrapped both of his arms around her waist, pulling her petite figure against his much larger frame and leaning down to give her a slow, burning kiss. ”You were incredible, babe. Thank you so much for doing that, I'm sorry if I put you on the spot, but... that was really above and beyond, and I really think you got through to them.” Then, he gave her a teasing little smile. ”Maybe some of them will even take to gardening as a hobby, or a profession.” He took a step back, but left his hands resting on her waist, and grinned at her outright, his eyes flashing with lots of different emotions: pride, lust, happiness... she inspired so much in him, and he knew that he just had to be closer to her than the open space of his classroom would allow. So, he spoke to her in a low, tempting voice that was full of gravel. ”Would you like to see my office, Miss Brooks?”

[/justify]

[CHLOE TASIA BROOKS]

Sizzling. That was the biggest thing she was capable of when they had these discussions, these almost-arguments, these borderline ‘talking dirty,’ moments of what was essentially foreplay. Each word was a double-edged blade, flung back and forth with a devastating accuracy. One word, two syllables, was all it took for Chloe to short-circuit, just a bit. She swallowed hard, heat pooling low in her abdomen as he hit two sweet spots with just a few sentences. He was filthy in bed… dirty and hot in a way that blew her mind. And he did like her jaguar, her inner feline that asserted itself in a rather possessive and semi-dominant fashion whenever they were alone and sans clothing. Unf. A purr rumbled out of her at the compliment to her duality, all of her pleased with the praise. He gave her compliments fairly often, of one variety or another, but some were better than others. This one just happened to work exceptionally well, eliciting a response that she was poignant, because of the compliment itself, and appropriate, because she knew he would like it. ’You use that filthy nature with me later, and maybe you can coax me into letting my animal out to play.’ Chloe hoped it would sit there, in the back of his mind and plague him for the rest of his class, like a virus, spreading through his system ‘til he just lost it when the class was done with. It seemed like a perfectly fitting punishment/reward for having her in attendance today, making her choke down the anxiety that peeked from its hiding place at the thought of enduring such a high volume of people that she didn’t know and likely wouldn’t, well, like.

But it would be both, if she had any say in it at all, because the way she was feeling right now, all she had was energy. Lots of energy that he could burn off with her when this whole fiasco was finished with. And if he had to suffer, just a little bit, first, she knew that she would feel much better about the experience. When the torture was over, though… maybe she would get to school him. Unlikely, given the difference in the amount of experience they each had, but perhaps she had some tricks up her sleeve he wouldn’t anticipate from her. ’I would imagine, Adam, that if I managed to school you in something carnal, luck would have very little to do with it. I’d have to learn something spectacular for you to consider it noteworthy, I’m sure.’ A touch self-deprecating, perhaps, but she had no illusions about her sexual knowledge. A lot of the heat that bounced between them was purely biological, and while she had some skills and some raw talent, Chloe was fairly certain she maybe had a cup of knowledge to his gallon. Not bad, necessarily, just true. ’Though we do quite well when we’re together and squirming, pounding, thrus-‘ Her voice was practically a growl by that point, and she forced her mouth to close and her ass to move away from him before she did something incredibly naughty. The shifter worried for a few brief moments about how obviously turned on she was. She needn’t have worried, no.

He gave her some impromptu information that had her mind spiraling completely away from anything sexy. But she agreed to his request, a lump in her throat, because he was just so… and she was so… Part of her wanted to crack her head on the desk for being so easy. The jaguar could do this, though. It couldn’t be that hard. She was smart and capable and unafraid to take charge of life. She could give some pointed information about a topic that she was very well-versed in. And the fact that the shifter could practically feel Adam staring at her while she did it, actually helped. Heaven forbid he see her as some fainting flower. Nah, he’d seen enough of that side of her, today. So the brunette gave her little spiel, to some unexpected applause, which she waved off, before sitting down with a deep breath, and letting the focus shift back to where it belonged. Yeah, some students kept staring at her, or flicking glances her way, but she kind of forgot about that after awhile as Adam’s alluring baritone worked her over, washing her in a kind of awe and bliss she rarely experienced. He was magnificent, well and truly. He was always a gorgeous, sexy, epitome of masculine appeal, but something about the fact that he commanded the room with an air of authority and a soft-ish tone made her completely fade out the rest of the people and actually focus on him. He was informative without being overbearing, and she found herself both genuinely interested, and genuinely horny. Weirdest combination she’d achieved that day, but not unpleasant. And worth it, as it turned out, when the students finally left them alone with each other.

Adam completed some slight chores, and she just watched, content to sit there until he was done, rising to lean against the edge of his desk as he, well… ‘puttered’ seemed inappropriate, given his size and demeanor, but it was the image that came to mind, until he was back in her space, making her sigh, a sweet, small exhale of approval for having him so close to her again, that was quickly stolen by the press of his lips and body to hers, turning sigh into moan as her arms snaked their way up chest to coil around his neck, pulling him closer, wanting more, before they broke apart, his praise falling on her again. Her green eyes glanced down, pleased, and mildly embarrassed. ’Um, thanks. I doubt that, but I just hope I didn’t bore them. Which seems a little unlikely, given how well you handle a lecture. Kudos, Professor, you impressed me.’ The shifter tried to turn the focus back to him, because some part of her found it easier that way. It seemed to work, her compliment earning some positive attention, and an offer she just couldn’t say ‘no’ to. ’You need to talk to me about something extra-curricular, Professor Sharpe? A private lesson, maybe? I’d be delighted to have all of you attention focused on me, in the confines of your office, if you’re feeling so generous with your time.’ Oh, she was messing with him and flirting with him simultaneously. Hopefully, he’d like it... and maybe hate it a little. She liked him amused and rankled, both.