Seduced - Book Three - Surrender Series by Melody Anne Read Free Book Online

tried convincing herself of this fact, it didn’t encourage or comfort her in the least. She was still shaking as she moved through the doors. Without thinking about it, she looked around the half-full room, then sighed.
    Was she feeling relief or regret that Rafe wasn’t there?
    Relief! Of course it was relief. She didn’t want him chasing after her. She had been just fine on her own and didn’t need him in her life, messing everything up again. The first months after she’d walked away had been hell, and it had taken everything inside her to be strong. She was strong now, and she wouldn’t allow him to undermine that strength.
    Just as the clock struck the hour, when she faced the class, a giggle sounded. Ari didn’t need to look up to know Rafe had arrived. Only one man she knew could elicit the sigh she heard coming from the front row. Rafe was simply that stunning.
    Refusing to cower, she reluctantly lifted her head and locked eyes with Rafe. With an instilled arrogance, he sent her a wink before taking a seat on the aisle halfway into the room. The girls were whispering and making eyes, and a few of the men were grumbling.
    It was going to be difficult to keep the classroom’s attention if he was there.
    “Everyone in here needs to be registered for class,” she said and pulled out her newest roster. She hoped Rafe’s name wasn’t there so she could boot him from the room.
    No such luck. When she saw his name right where it should be, under P , she nearly groaned in frustration. He was smarter than she’d given him credit for. Rafe didn’t take no for an answer, and he was apparently on a mission.
    She wondered. If she just bent over her desk and let him take her one more time, would he lose interest? Was this all a game for him? Did he just have to be the last one standing — the one to end their relationship?
    Of course, she would never know, because she had enough pride in herself not to strip down and beg him to take her for the rest of the night. Not that it would be a bad night if they did end up on her desk, but that wasn’t the point.
    She was confusing herself, and she didn’t like it. All she knew for now was that he had a mission in mind, and he wasn’t leaving until he followed through on it.
    She knew she was defeated…for now, so she jumped into her lesson. “I hope you completed Monday’s assignment. There will be a quiz next Monday, so make sure you pay attention today.” With luck, he’d fail and she could tell him to take a hike.
    There was some grumbling, and a few more whispers. She was sure they were complaining that she had a test coming so soon. Too bad. This was the real world, and they’d better get used to it.
    Halfway through class, she was shocked when Rafe raised his hand and easily answered her questions. He’d actually read the material. Her respect was grudging, but she had to give him his due. He was taking this seriously, or at least putting some effort into her assignments.
    Did she even know this new Rafe?
    Pulling herself together, Ari focused on her class. “Does anyone know the date the Civil War officially began?” Silence greeted her question. Great, no one had read the material.
    “April 12, 1861.” Ari looked up in surprise to see Rafe smiling at her. OK, he’d gotten one more answer correct. He was a smart guy. It didn’t mean that he’d actually done the homework. That was absurd. He wouldn’t have any reason to do homework.
    “Very good. Do you know why that’s the beginning of the Civil War?” She looked around the room, hoping anyone other than Rafe would answer. She was out of luck.
    “This was the day the Confederate army fired on Fort Sumter, beginning hostilities. It had been occupied by the Union army in South Carolina a few days after the state had declared its secession in 1860. After the fort’s surrender, President Lincoln called on all states to raise troops to retake lost forts. Within two months, four additional pro-slave