Griffin rolled his eyes. “You two are lucky you’re my favorite students. I might have to kick you out and force you to go do normal things. Like eat and sleep and all that stuff.”

I waved him off. “Sleep is for the weak.”

Dean nodded, his arms folded over his chest. “I could always eat, though,” he teased.

“All right,” Griffin said, heading toward the door. “I’m throwing in the towel. You two are younger and that’s an unfair advantage.”

I rolled my eyes. He was likely only five years older than us, one of the youngest teachers at Wilmont.

“Have a great night being old,” I teased, and he laughed.

“Oh, I will,” he said, halfway out the door. “Nice dinner. Netflix. Sleep. It’s all the rage, you know.” He waved before disappearing out the door and down the hallway.

Two seconds passed before Dean turned, his knee brushing mine as he faced me from his chair. He leaned over and his lips pressed against mine in the sweetest kiss. I sighed between his lips, the deep craving finally attended to.

“I thought he’d never leave,” Dean said against my mouth.

I fisted his black T-shirt, tugging him closer. “Yes,” I agreed, swiping my tongue over his.

The contact set my nerves on fire, a delicious heat that consumed my senses and burned our surroundings to ash.

Dean’s hands rubbed up and down my spine as he paid great attention to my mouth, nibbling my bottom lip before soothing it with his tongue. I trembled, all at once my lungs so full and yet unable to draw enough breath at the same time.

“Pixie,” Dean growled my name, the vibrations tickling my chest. “I’ve been thinking about that all day.” He pressed his forehead to mine, breaking our kiss as he slowed us down.

I closed my eyes, my heart racing as I caught my breath.

“Me, too,” I admitted.

“Do you have any idea how hard it is to see you at school all day and not kiss you?” His hands settled on my knee, an electric current tingling all the way up my spine.

“No,” I said, giggling. “I don’t. I’ve never kissed myself before.”

“Well you should,” he said, smirking. “It’s the best.”

“Really?” I brushed my lips over his lightly, so much so it was hardly even a fair tease.

Another low rumble from his chest, and he claimed my mouth again.

In the back of my mind, I waited for the panic to steal my current bliss. Panic over being swept away in his kiss, his scent, so lost in the swirl of emotions that we forgot we were at school.

But it didn’t come.

Nothing but warm energy and an ache for more.

This was a kind of trust I’d never experienced before. A connection that spoke volumes from deep within me telling me everything was good, everything was right.