Chapter 23: Insatiable Park Avenue Prince: Chapter 23

MONDAY MORNING ROLLED around, and even though I’d sat through my first class, I had no idea what the hell the professor had gone over. I didn’t think I’d ever been so hyper-focused on another person, but when that person was Kelly Sinclair…how could I not be? One look at the guy and anyone would drop to their knees. But getting to know him, being so comfortable so quickly and still feeling every bit of excitement from something so new—it was a strange combination that had my stomach flipping as I waited at the pickup end of the coffee bar before heading to my next class.

“God, not you too.”

The derisive tone from behind me could only belong to one person.

“What seems to be the problem, Travis? Case of the Mondays? Someone steal your hair gel?” I asked.

He crossed his arms over his dark violet shirt, the buttons left undone to his chest. “You. And that big, dumbass grin you’ve got goin’ on.”

“Oh, I see. This is jealousy talking.”

“I’m not jealous.”

“Trav, come on, you’re not a liar. I’ve seen the way you’ve been drooling over my guy.”

“That,” he said, pointing at me. “You and West are fucking suckers. You’re supposed to hook up, not get attached.”

“Really?” I arched a brow. “You want to talk about not getting attached?”

“I’m not the one bringing guys home after a fuck.”

Shaking my head, I reached for my iced matcha and popped a straw through the lid. “I wasn’t talking about the museum guy, but okay, keep telling yourself that.”

Travis’s eyes were practically always narrowed, but he was death-glaring me now. Even more so when I took a sip of my drink.

“What in the fresh hell is ?”

I smirked at the subject change, but let him have it. “An iced matcha.”

“It’s green.”

“No shit. Matcha’s green.”

“Looks like you’re drinking grass.”

“Tastes a little better than that. Want to try?”

Travis looked between me and the drink in my hands and shook his head in disgust. “You and your fuckin’ healthy shit.”

“Kinda have to when you get paid to look good. I guess that’s why you stick to chips and alcohol.” I smiled, sweet as pie, earning me a dark look and a muttered curse.

I took another sip of my matcha and knocked my shoulder against his as we headed down the hall, our next classes not far from each other.

“What’d you decide to wear for the Elysium event tomorrow night?” I said.

“Like we have a choice.”

He was right. We didn’t, really. Tuxedos were the mandate, but since when had Travis played by the rules?

I shrugged. “Just figured you’d do something no one was expecting, that’s all.”

“And have Mom and Dick throw a shit fit? Actually, that’s not a bad idea.”

“There he is,” I said, nudging him with my elbow.

“And you’ll be in… Let me guess. Tom Ford. Or Armani.”

“Brunello Cucinelli, actually. I walked his show last spring.” I paused, coming to a stop in the middle of the hall. “Do you think it’s weird if we match? Like maybe I should do a midnight blue instead.”

“Trust me, nothing you and I wear would ever be remotely the same.” Travis tugged on my elbow, pulling me to the side of the crowded hall to stop blocking traffic.

“What? No, not you.”

“Then who are we talking about?”

“Me and Kelly.”

Travis’s eyebrows slashed forward like he didn’t know who I was talking about, and then his eyes widened. “You mean Sin?”

“I told you, his name’s Kelly.”

A beat passed as he stared at me. “Ho-ly shit. You’re tellin’ me you actually invited to an event at Elysium? Are you out of your fucking mind?”

“What’s so crazy about that?”

“Are you hearing yourself? What’s insane about that?”

I shrugged. “I don’t see the problem.”

“Maybe not with all those fuckin’ stars in your eyes, but trust me, bringing a porn star to meet our parents and a bunch of rich assholes? That’s something would do. Not you.”

His comment chafed, and I didn’t know why. It wasn’t like I was unaware of Kelly’s job, considering I’d joined him more than once. None of the Elysium would know that.

Maybe a few members wouldn’t be too impressed at my date’s career choice, but fuck that. I liked him, I’d invited him, and he was coming.

and I thought with a smirk.

“I can see I’m getting through to you. Whatever. Do what you will.” Travis rolled his eyes as he brushed by me to head to class.

“Thanks for the pep talk.”

“That’s your job.” Before he disappeared into the room, he turned back to me. “Oh, and Van? No one gives a shit if you’re matching.”

Shaking my head long after he was gone, I thought over what he said, but he was right. I was going to do what I wanted, and what I wanted was Kelly beside me at the event tomorrow. He’d look so damn good in a tux, and he’d be the perfect person to rescue me from any boring conversation I got dragged into. I didn’t need a reason to bring him, for God’s sake. Gavin was bringing his boyfriend. West was bringing JT. Preston and Serena were joined at the hip. Why I have a date, regardless of what he did for a career?

“Do you plan on dawdling in the hall, or will I have to count you absent this morning?” Professor Rice was one of the more eccentric teachers at Astor, and even without heels, she still stood eye to eye with me. And those eyes were cold and disapproving. She didn’t wait for an answer before marching into the room and down the stairs, and I took that as my cue to find a seat.

I had a feeling I wouldn’t be paying much attention this hour either.

I slid into a seat near the aisle, and as I dropped my bag on the floor, my eyes caught on the phone screen of the guy sitting in front of me.

He wasn’t even trying to be discreet about what he was showing the guy beside him, and it wasn’t something I’d expected to see staring at me in a classroom.

The volume was down low, thank fuck, but that was definitely Kelly’s bare ass on the screen. He was alone on the mattress from the first day I’d met him, and even after I’d seen him come spectacularly, he must’ve kept going to show off that damn perfect backside.

My cock gave a sharp jerk, and I shifted in my seat to pull out my phone. I typed out a message to Kelly and hit send.

I wasn’t sure what he was up to this morning, or if he would even respond, but a few seconds later, his text came through.

I took a quick snapshot of my view and sent it his way.

Chuckling softly, I kept my phone in my lap so no one could see.

Those words were doing things to my dick that didn’t need to happen right now. Not in the middle of class, where I couldn’t do a thing to take care of the sudden, all-consuming ache.

Several dots popped up to show he was typing a response, but when I looked at the guy’s phone screen again, my breath caught in my throat.

Kelly’s typing stopped, then picked up again after a few seconds.

I glanced up at the screen again, watching the way Kelly, or , followed me through the room. I remembered the way my body burned at knowing he would have his hands on me soon. And that even though I was supposed to make him work for me, I was too damn needy to remember all the instructions Rafferty had given.

The grin on my face had to be ridiculous, and I was glad Travis wasn’t here to call me out for it. I couldn’t hide it if I wanted to.

“Is there something you gentlemen wish to share with the class, or do you think I could have your attention for the next sixty minutes?”

I snapped my head up to see Professor Rice looking in the direction of our rows, and I didn’t think she was talking just to the guy in front of me. Not with the way I’d been grinning down at my phone and not even noticing that she’d started the lecture.

Immediately the guy in front of me shut off his phone and stammered, “Sorry, Professor Rice.” When her eyes moved past him to me, I slid my phone between my thighs and gave her a repentant smile.

As soon as her back was turned, I shot Kelly one last message.