Page 28 of Unbound Boxset

Ariel held back a knowing sigh and nodded. “I figured.”

“I told her to think about it. I talked to her in a calm, reasonable manner. I explained our relationship had absolutely nothing to do with my instructor role, but she used my own rejection of her against me.”

“When she made a pass at you, you originally told her you didn’t date students. It was your code.”

“Yep. She said I couldn’t be trusted as a teacher. Hannah will quit next. She’s Missy’s best friend.”

“Shit.”

“That about covers it.”

Silence fell between them. Ariel struggled to contain her own emotions and fought the urge to touch him. A mountain stood between them and she didn’t know how to scale it.

“Are you angry at me?” she asked.

A laugh escaped his lips. He finally looked up. “No, of course not. This isn’t your fault.”

“It kind of is. If we hadn’t started an affair and let the news go public, you wouldn’t have lost students.”

He seemed uncomfortable with the train of thought. “I was the one who decided to tell Missy the truth. I’m sure it won’t be a big deal. Hannah and Missy may leave, but none of the other students will have a problem.”

Ariel decided to push his comfort zone. “I think Missy and Hannah will do their best to whisper in everyone else’s ear. Missy is mad you didn’t break the rules for her. Hannah will follow. She could decide to smear your name. Convince the students to leave.”

Now, he seemed flat out annoyed. “Why are you making more out of this? Did you want to aggravate Missy? Did you want her to quit because you were jealous?”

Bingo.

“Is that what you think?”

“I don’t know what to think!” Grant raked his hair back with his fingers. “I don’t know what’s going on in that head of yours.”

“Why don’t you just admit you’re freaking out? The past is back. The secret affair, the students leaving, all of your hot buttons. And I’m the cause. Why don’t you just end it right now? I’m leaving anyway. Why risk what you’ve built for two more weeks of sex?”

He pushed himself out of the chair and faced her with full-fledged masculine temper. His muscles clenched. Dark eyes shot furious sparks of aggression across the room. Violence and attraction mingled in a horrifying and exciting reaction. Ariel was done playing with him. Gloves were off and they were stepping up to the major leagues—no more T-ball.

“What the hell are you trying to do?” he asked quietly. A gleam of warning shone from his eyes.

“Make you tell the truth. You can breathe and pretend to be calm all you want. You can accept the situation and give her a warm sendoff full of love and best wishes. But she screwed you, just like your ex-wife once did. You’re scared and you don’t want to admit it.”

He took a step toward her. “Listen, Ariel, you may be a great student but I’ve been studying yogic principles for years. Just because I choose not to get angry or lose my temper, doesn’t mean I’m denying my feelings.”

“Nice speech. You just happen to be full of shit.”

A low growl escaped his lips and excitement fluttered down her spine. Ariel knew she needed to push him past his comfort zone. She needed to know if this was real between them, or just a convenience until she left. Would he be willing to risk his school for a short affair about to end? Or did she mean more?

She refused to analyze why it was so important to know Grant’s true feelings right now, tonight, but her gut twisted and she always went with her instinct. Instinct had sold accounts over and over. Instinct had gotten her out of Iowa and to the top of her game.

Instinct would hopefully give her the truth.

Ariel flung her head back to glare up at him in her own feminine temper. “You talk about letting go but you live for control. Control the students. Control your love life. Everyone and everything has a neat and tidy compartment, and if it doesn’t fit, you get rid of it. Or at least, the thought of it.”

Grant reached her. His fingers bit into her upper arms and his face lowered inches from her own. “Who are you to talk?” he shot out. “I never wanted this. Every frikkin day I had to put my hands on you, knowing you wanted me. I was up front from the beginning and you signed on for the rules of this affair. Hell, you never asked me for more.”

The truth stung. Ariel got in his face like a boxer taunting her opponent. “Maybe I was waiting for you to give me an indication we were more. Why bother telling Missy the truth in the first place? Go on. Run after Missy and her sidekick and tell her you were wrong, that we’re over. Then you can have your nice little life back.”

“I don’t want my old life back,” he shot back. “I’m sick of hiding behind a code of ethics I don’t believe in anymore.”

“Ethics?” she mocked. “What ethics? You toss around this code like it means something. It’s a convenient excuse not to get involved with anyone who interests you and deal with the consequences.”