Chapter 4 NEVER TOO OLD

Chapter 4 NEVER TOO OLD
"Ruby?" Leslie’s grin widened as he leaned casually against the doorframe.

The hotel attendant turned his head toward her, brows knitting together. "Aren’t you Zahra?"

Ruby froze, her lips parting, but no words came out. Heat pricked her skin, her chest tightening under the weight of their stares.

Leslie chuckled low, the sound carrying an edge of satisfaction. "It’s fine…" he said, smoothly dismissing the attendant with a flick of his hand.

Leslie stepped aside, gesturing her in. Ruby hesitated, then forced her feet to move, stepping inside.

The room smelled faintly of cologne. Even when she tried not to notice Leslie. He moved ahead of her, his broad shoulders pulling against the white tank top, muscles shifting as he walked.

The fitted belt cinched his cream trousers neatly. Ruby scolded herself as her eyes darted away.

Leslie turned, his smirk cutting through the air. "Didn’t think my professor would come to visit me here."

Ruby straightened. "I’m not here for you," she snapped, though her voice trembled just slightly. "I’m here to pay you to leave my sister alone."

His brows lifted, amusement flickering across his face before settling into a slow smile. "Pay me, huh?” He leaned back against the table, crossing his arms over his chest, his tank stretching snug against him. "What if I want you as payment?"

Ruby’s throat worked, her heart pounding, but she forced her gaze up to meet his. "I'm your professor. It's against the rules, even the law."

Leslie tilted his head, studying her with an intensity that made her stomach coil. "Interesting," he murmured. "I don't give a fuck about the law."

Leslie’s eyes flicked over her slowly, deliberately, lingering on the curve of her blue dress as though cataloguing every inch. His lips curved into that infuriatingly calm smile as he pushed off the table and moved toward her.

"You know, Ms Allaire," he said softly, his voice threaded with heat, "you shouldn’t be in a man’s hotel room by almost midnight."

Ruby’s throat tightened. She cleared it quickly. "Leslie, I don’t have three thousand dollars to give you," she admitted, her voice low but urgent. "But I promise—I’ll pay in installments. Just… leave my sister out of this."

He came closer, his smile never faltering, closing the space between them. Ruby’s heart hammered wildly.

Before she could step back, the doorbell rang. Both froze, silence stretching in the air. Then a voice echoed through the wood, muffled. "Hi, Leslie, it’s me. Zahra."

Ruby’s breath caught, her head snapping toward the door. Panic bloomed in her chest.

Leslie’s eyes glimmered with amusement. Slowly, he turned back to her, that dangerous smirk tugging at his lips. "Well… we have a guest."

He started forward, but Ruby’s hand shot out, wrapping around his wrist. "Wait," she breathed, eyes wide, looking up at him. Her pulse thrummed in her ears. "I’m too old for you. Other than me and my sister, you deserve someone—"

"Old? Deserve?" he cut in, his voice low and rough and his gaze locked with hers. "You’re never too old for me, Ruby. Never."

Her chest tightened. She shook her head quickly, desperation laced in every motion. “This is wrong,” she whispered but the conviction in her tone faltered.

Ruby turned sharply toward the door as her arm brushed against his, and instinctively she caught his hand again, breathless.

"Fine," she whispered, though she wasn’t even sure what she was agreeing to.

Leslie’s smile spread slowly, knowingly. With deliberate calm, he pulled his wrist free and reached for the door. He opened it smoothly, greeting Zahra with that same practiced ease.

"Zahra," he said. His eyes flicked back toward Ruby behind the door. "Why don't you go home and focus on your books? Forget the dare. I was never interested in you."

Leslie didn't even wait for her to say anything. He slammed the door at her, walking towards Ruby.

"Thanks." Ruby mouthed.

Ruby’s pulse raced so hard she thought her chest might crack. Her fingers twisted into the fabric of her dress, torn between relief for her sister and dread for herself.

Leslie didn’t give her space to think. He closed the distance between them until the heat of his body rolled over her. Ruby instinctively took a step back only to find her spine pressing into the wall.

His eyes were dark, locked on hers with an intensity that rooted her in place. His hand braced against the wall just beside her head, his body leaning in until his breath grazed her cheek.

Her lips parted, but no sound escaped. Her throat felt tight, every protest tangled with the truth she didn’t want to admit.

Leslie’s gaze dropped to her mouth and the corner of his lips lifted just slightly before he closed the gap.

His mouth crashed against hers. Ruby gasped into the kiss, her palms instinctively pressing against his chest, feeling the solid heat of muscle beneath the thin cotton of his shirt.

His lips moved against hers hungrily and rushed, coaxing her mouth open as his hand slid from the wall to her jaw, holding her in place. His tongue brushed hers, pulling a small, betraying sound from her throat.

Ruby’s mind screamed at her to stop, to push him away, but her body betrayed her. Her fingers curled tighter into his shirt, dragging him closer instead of shoving him back.

The kiss deepened, heady and consuming, stealing the very breath from her lungs. His hand left her jaw, tracing the curve of her neck, his thumb brushing dangerously close to her collarbone.

When he finally pulled back, his lips hovered just above hers, their breaths mingling.

"You gave in too quickly, Ms Allaire," Leslie whispered, his smirk returning as his eyes searched hers.

Ruby’s chest rose and fell sharply, her voice trembling. "This… this can’t happen."

Leslie smiled, leaning to whisper in her ears. "Why? You already kissed me. There's no going back now..." his hands trailed her arms to her waist, pulling her to his body, and trailed even higher until he rested just below her tits.

Leslie pressed his heat against her, making her gasp, his hands slowly trailed around her tits, and his eyes holding hers as he did so, watching her shudder and waiting for a protest.

He leaned in as his breath fanned against her ears. "Have you ever been touched by a man, Ms Allaire? You're quivering."

"I—"

"What about being fucked then?" He growled in her ears, cupping her tits through her dress. "You’re my woman now, Ruby. Only mine."