Page 83 of Illicit Education
I nodded.
“Isn’t this the home of Professor Clements?”
My eyes widened. “Yes…?”
Reed’s brow furrowed. “How do you…? Why…”
I raised my eyebrows.Spit it out, Reed.When his brows stayed bunched above his eyes for way longer than necessary, and he watched me like he was trying to figure me out, I finally sighed and said, “His granddaughter, Greer Clements, is my best friend. We both live here.”
After a long moment, Reed nodded. “You didn’t use Professor Clements as a reference on your internship application.”
“Is there a question in there?”
Reed cocked one eyebrow, that amused smirk playing at his lips again. “Why didn’t you use a man like Professor Clements as a personal reference?” He paused, eyes narrowing. “In fact, I don’t recall any personal references on your application at all.”
I sat up straighter, holding my head high. “I wanted to get the internship on my own.”
Reed held my gaze for a long few moments, then he smiled, slow and sexy… andreal.
Good God, that smile melted my insides.
“You certainly succeeded at that. I was very impressed with your application.”
My eyes bulged. “You… what?” I was at once shocked and completely flattered. “You read my application?”
“I read every internship application, Ms. Blake.”
Whoa. “I would have never thought that. I mean, you’re the CEO; you can’t possibly have the time–”
“Even before I was acting CEO, I have hand-selected every intern we’ve ever accepted at Reed Publishing, first for my mother and then for myself. You’ll find that I take a veryhands-onapproach.”
The undertone of that statement wasn’t lost on me.
I rolled my lips together to keep the nervous giggle at bay.
“Remember when I asked if you could keep your personal life separate from your professional life?”
“Yes.”
“I meant that. I expect much out of you. I expect much out of your future career in publishing.”
I nodded, chewing on my bottom lip again.
I desperately didn’t want to let him down.
He opened his door and climbed out, leaving me to breathe deeply for a moment before he reached my side and opened the door.
I climbed out, careful not to touch him. Doing so might lead to things that should never happen on the sidewalk below Greer’s grandfather’s bedroom. I glanced up at the darkened brownstone, grateful that it was late enough that the professor would be asleep and Greer would still be at work, then I looked back at Reed. “Well, thank you for the ride home, Mr. Reed.”
“You’re very welcome, Ms. Blake.”
A long moment of silence stretched out between us. His gaze dropped to my mouth and I sucked in a soft gasp. He stepped forward, closing the distance between us, then he reached up and I froze. He slid his hand behind my neck and a shiver shook my body.
His lips pulled into more than a smirk but not quite a smile.
“You have a lot to think about this weekend.”
I nodded.