Chapter 3 Behind Closed Doors

"What the hell? Let me go," she whispered firmly to him.

The hands around her waist tightened.

"Really? You don't even say that in bed, Ms. Greene. What's going on now?" Alaric's warm breath was hot against her ear. "I can clearly remember you moaning and begging for more, baby. Do you want to know what I was thinking while you were playing that damn violin, hmm?"

Emerald's face flushed with embarrassment. She didn't understand how they managed to fit into this small dressing room, but she could feel Alaric's towering body pressing against hers repeatedly.

She cleared her throat and steeled her expression as her eyes met his intense gaze. "Mr. Corrigan, I told you we need to-"

Before she could finish, Alaric's fingers pressed firmly against her soft lips, cutting her off. His eyes drifted over her. Emerald, enveloped in his arms, smelled sweet and alluring, and even the lips he had never touched felt so soft that they made his heart race.

"Silence, baby. Someone's coming..." he whispered hoarsely.

Emerald's eyes widened in alarm as she straightened her body. She was about to push Alaric away, but he quickly grabbed her and lifted her effortlessly. Fear of being caught silenced her scream.

Without warning, his lips found their way to her ear. Alaric gently licked Emerald's earlobe, causing her to gasp.

"Damn it. You're so sexy and stunning that I want to hide you from everyone. I want you to cry out and moan only my name. Over and over again..." Alaric whispered in his hoarse voice.

Emerald's heart raced wildly at Alaric's words, her pulse in a complete frenzy. It seemed this man knew precisely how to dominate her every nerve.

In bed, Alaric always did more than he spoke, their exchanges typically soft and slow. She'd thought he was just shy and reserved, but his ability to speak like this now was making it increasingly difficult for her to control herself.

Emerald closed her eyes tightly. The room was cold, but she felt an intense heat enveloping her.

"Mr. Corrigan, didn't you read my text message? I told you we needed to stop this," she reminded him firmly.

Alaric's warm hand slowly crept to her waist, caressing it gently. He licked her earlobe again and nipped it, making Emerald gasp even louder.

"Is that really what you want?"

Emerald's knees trembled uncontrollably. She knew that if she didn't end this now, she would lose.

"Yes. I don't want to get involved in a family affair. This is the women's locker room. Please leave, Mr. Corrigan," she insisted, trying to stay resolute.

Alaric studied Emerald's face, clearly seeing the rigidity of her expression. He didn't understand. He was her first man, and he was sure Emerald enjoyed their time together in bed, but now she wanted to end their relationship abruptly. Her expression was blank, and he seemed to have no effect on her.

Alaric's jaw tightened. He gave Emerald's waist a slight squeeze before speaking again.

"But what if I don't want this to stop? I still want you. I still want to see you sweating beneath me, moaning and screaming my name. I still want you to yell not to stop..." Alaric's voice was full of determination and desire.

He seemed completely unphased by what he was saying.

A moment later, they heard footsteps approaching from outside, followed by a voice.

"Ms. Greene, are you in there?" It was Teacher Iris!

With desperation, Emerald was about to answer, but she was stunned when Alaric suddenly unzipped the zipper of her dress. Emerald could feel Alaric's hands slowly and gently crawling under her dress, moving up towards her stomach. The sensation was so intense and thrilling that she nearly stifled any sound she might have made.

Words fled from Emerald's mind completely. Even though she had recently become infatuated with this man, he had a way of making her feel so utterly consumed by him that she felt like she could soar into the sky.

But not in front of her co-teacher!

Emerald's entire body went rigid. She bit her lip, desperate to keep silent, her eyes brimming with silent pleas. Her vulnerable state seemed to only amuse Alaric further.

Alaric's grin grew devilish. "I see you don't want this to stop, Ms. Greene. I'm still the winner here, and you're my prize."

He lowered his voice, exhaling a heated breath that made Emerald's body shiver uncontrollably.

"That's odd. I saw her come in here. Where could that woman be?" Teacher Iris muttered to herself, her voice clearly audible to both Emerald and Alaric.

Emerald's heart pounded harder as the fitting room door handle suddenly began to turn. In a rush of panic, she blurted out, "I-Iris, I'm changing clothes...!"

Her voice trembled with fear as she clung to Alaric's suit, who appeared almost delighted by the situation.

"You're right here after all! Did you see how handsome James's dad is? He's like a Greek god-tall and stunning. And his body is so sexy! Broad shoulders and chest. What do you think, Emerald? How many abs does he have? Six or eight? I think it's eight," Iris continued excitedly, completely absorbed in imagining the man she was talking about, oblivious to her friend's rising panic.

For Iris, talking like this about men was normal, and Emerald was always her go-to conversation partner, since she was the only single one among them. But Emerald never expected Iris would bring this up now, especially with the man in question right in front of her! How was she supposed to respond to these questions?

"Emerald?" Iris called out when she didn't get a response, knocking on the door. "What do you think?"

At that moment, Emerald was locked in Alaric's embrace, and the temperature in the small changing room steadily rose. Alaric started kissing her neck while slowly slipping the strap of her dress off, revealing her smooth, bright shoulders. Emerald's eyes fluttered closed, her head tilting back as the sensations from Alaric's touch overwhelmed her.

Her breath came in shaky gasps under the intensity of his kiss and caress.

"I'm not really... sure," Emerald managed to say.

Alaric chuckled softly in her ear, taking her trembling hands and guiding them around his waist.

"You can count how many abs I have, baby," Alaric whispered again.

She gasped, the fear of being caught by Iris leaving her speechless. She had no room to resist and could only follow Alaric's lead. Her smooth palms pressed against his warm, firm abs, feeling feverish from the heat. The heat seemed to intensify as her hands explored his skin, moving from top to bottom, touching piece by piece. Each caress was scorching, every touch searing.

"You have to guess it, Emerald. Six or eight?" Iris continued to tease from outside.

Emerald squeezed her eyes shut, her voice trembling. "Eight..." she murmured with certainty, her fingers still exploring Alaric's chiseled abs beneath his shirt.

"I thought so. He looks slim when dressed, but I bet his body is jaw-dropping when he's shirtless. Don't you like that kind of thing, Ru? His sex appeal is so intense, it's like your knees would buckle automatically. Unlike your ex, who was just a jerk."

Emerald blushed, recalling Iris's support when she found out she had been cheated on by a scumbag.

"Stop mentioning him. I've moved on. There's no point in crying over someone who's a total loser," she replied.

"So, what's your type? Maybe I can introduce you to someone later."

Shaking, Emerald grabbed her phone and quickly played a video of a male vlogger flaunting his six-pack abs. She slipped the phone under the door, so Iris could see it.

"I like this, full of sexual tension and energy."

With old topics being discussed in front of Alaric, Emerald felt like she was on the verge of escaping. She quickly came up with an excuse to get Iris to leave.

"Go ahead. I'll catch up with you later."

Iris didn't reply, but they heard her footsteps fading away. Emerald exhaled heavily, feeling like she had been holding her breath for too long.