Private Tutor, Private Rules

Chapter 1: The Ad

Amber was drowning in debt. College loans piled up, her rent spiked, and her coffee shop job barely paid for groceries. She was 22, tired, and desperate. Then she saw the flyer taped to a campus bulletin board: *Private Tutor Needed. High Pay. Elite Client. Calculus Expertise Required.* The address was in the city’s richest neighborhood. Amber ripped off the contact tab, her heart racing.

She expected a spoiled kid or a grumpy old man. She didn’t expect Noah Blackthorn.

The Blackthorn mansion was huge, all glass and marble, like something from a movie. A butler let her in, and there he was—Noah, leaning against a staircase, his dark hair messy, his smile cocky. He was 19, tall, with sharp cheekbones and eyes that looked right through her.

“You’re the tutor?” he asked, smirking. “Didn’t think you’d be… cute.”

Amber’s cheeks burned. “I’m here to teach, not flirt,” she said, clutching her bag.

Good luck with that,” he replied, winking.

A woman’s voice cut through the air. “Noah, behave.”

Amber turned. Cassandra Blackthorn, Noah’s stepmother, stood in the doorway. She was stunning—blonde, curvy, maybe 30, in a tight red dress that screamed money. Her smile was sharp, like she knew secrets Amber didn’t.

“I’m Cassandra,” she said, gliding closer. Her perfume was sweet, dizzying. “Teach him calculus. Keep him in line. He’s… trouble.”

Noah laughed. “You love trouble, Cass.”

Cassandra’s eyes flicked to him, then back to Amber. “Don’t let him charm you,” she said, her voice low. “Unless you like games.”

Amber swallowed hard. This job was going to be harder than she thought.

Chapter 2: The First Lesson

The study room was massive, with a long oak table and shelves of books Amber could only dream of owning. She sat across from Noah, trying to focus on equations. He didn’t make it easy.

So, Amber,” he said, leaning back, his pen tapping the table. “You ever break rules?”

“Focus,” she said, pushing a worksheet toward him. “Solve this.”

He grinned, scribbling an answer without looking. “Done. Now answer my question.”

She ignored him, but her pulse quickened. His knee brushed hers under the table, and she jerked back.

Scared of me?” he teased.

No,” she lied.

The door opened. Cassandra walked in, holding a glass of wine. “How’s the lesson?” she asked, her eyes on Amber.

“Fine,” Amber said, her voice tight.

Cassandra sat on the table’s edge, her dress riding up slightly. “Noah’s not giving you a hard time, is he?”

He’s trying,” Amber said, forcing a smile.

Noah smirked. “She’s tough, Cass. I like it.”

Cassandra’s laugh was soft, dangerous. “Careful, Amber. He’s not the only one who likes a challenge.”

Amber’s skin tingled. Was Cassandra flirting? Or warning her? She didn’t know, but the air felt thick, like a storm was coming.

Chapter 3: Heat by the Pool

By the second week, Amber was losing her grip. Noah flirted constantly—whispering innuendos, brushing her hand, staring too long. She stayed professional, wearing boring blazers and tying her hair up, but her dreams betrayed her. She woke up flushed, images of Noah’s smirk haunting her.

One day, the mansion’s AC broke. The heat was unbearable. Amber showed up in a light sundress, hoping to survive the lesson. Noah opened the door, shirtless, his hair wet from the pool.

“Hot, right?” he said, grinning. “Wanna swim?”

“No,” she said, stepping past him. “We’re working.”

But Noah didn’t listen. He led her to the patio, where the pool sparkled under the sun. “One dip,” he said. “Then I’ll do your stupid test.”

Amber hesitated. The heat was suffocating, and Noah’s bare chest wasn’t helping. “Fine,” she said, kicking off her shoes.

The water was cool, a shock to her skin. She surfaced, and Noah was there, inches away, his eyes dark. “You look good wet,” he said, his voice low.

“Stop it,” she said, but her voice was weak.

He moved closer, his hand grazing her waist under the water. Her breath caught. Then he kissed her—fast, hot, like a spark igniting gasoline. Her hands found his shoulders, pulling him closer before she could think.

A shadow moved above. Amber broke the kiss, looking up. Cassandra stood on the balcony, watching, her wine glass glinting. She didn’t look angry. She looked… interested.

“Get back to work,” Amber stammered, climbing out of the pool. Her dress clung to her, and Noah’s eyes followed every curve.

“See you tomorrow,” he called, smirking.

Amber glanced back at Cassandra. The stepmother raised her glass, a slow smile spreading across her face.

Chapter 4: The Game Begins

Amber told herself the kiss was a mistake. She’d quit, walk away, focus on her studies. But the next day, she was back at the mansion, her heart racing.

Cassandra greeted her at the door. “You’re flushed,” she said, her voice teasing. “Is it the heat… or something else?”

Amber’s cheeks burned. “Just hot,” she mumbled.

Cassandra stepped closer, her fingers brushing Amber’s arm. “You’re doing well with Noah,” she said. “But don’t let him have all the fun.”

Before Amber could respond, Cassandra leaned in, her lips grazing Amber’s cheek, close to her mouth. “Stay for dinner tonight,” she whispered. “We’ll talk.”

The lesson was torture. Noah’s teasing was bolder now, his foot nudging hers under the table, his whispers dirtier. “You liked the pool, didn’t you?” he murmured.

Amber ignored him, but her body didn’t. Her skin felt alive, every touch electric.

Cassandra watched from the corner, her eyes sharp. When the lesson ended, she handed Amber a glass of wine. “Stay,” she said again.

Amber took the glass, her hands shaky. Dinner was quiet at first, just the three of them at a long table. Then Noah’s foot found hers under the table, and Cassandra’s hand rested on Amber’s knee, light but deliberate.

“You’re tense,” Cassandra said, her voice soft. “Relax.”

Amber’s heart pounded. “I should go,” she said, standing.

Noah grabbed her hand. “Don’t run,” he said, his thumb brushing her wrist.

Cassandra stood too, closer now. “He’s right,” she said. “Why fight it?”

Amber’s breath hitched. They were both so close, their heat overwhelming. She felt like prey, but she didn’t want to escape.

Chapter 5: Tangled Hearts

The next few weeks were a blur of desire and danger. Lessons became a game of stolen touches and heated glances. Noah would pull Amber into a hallway, kissing her until she forgot her own name. Cassandra would find her alone, her whispers and light touches leaving Amber dizzy.

One night, Noah texted her: *Pool. Midnight. No excuses.*

Amber went, her heart in her throat. Noah was there, waiting in the water, his eyes gleaming under the moonlight. “You keep coming back,” he said, pulling her in.

The kiss was hungrier this time, his hands bolder, sliding under her dress. She let him, lost in the heat.

Then she heard heels clicking. Cassandra. She stood by the pool, her silk robe slipping off one shoulder. “Mind if I join?” she asked, her voice like honey.

Amber froze, but Noah just grinned. “Plenty of room,” he said.

Cassandra slipped into the water, her body brushing Amber’s. “You’re shaking,” she murmured, her hand on Amber’s cheek. “Don’t be.”

Amber didn’t know who moved first, but suddenly Cassandra’s lips were on hers, soft and warm, while Noah’s hands stayed on her waist. It was wrong, forbidden, but it felt like fire, and Amber burned for both of them.

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### Chapter 6: Breaking the Rules

The summer ended, but Amber couldn’t walk away. Noah and Cassandra were her secret, her addiction. They made their own rules, meeting in the mansion’s shadows, stealing moments of heat and whispers.

One night, Cassandra called Amber to the mansion alone. “Noah’s out,” she said, pouring wine. “Just us.”

Amber’s stomach flipped. “What do you want?” she asked.

Cassandra smiled, stepping close. “You,” she said simply. Her kiss was slow, claiming, and Amber didn’t pull away.

When Noah came home, he found them on the couch, tangled together. He didn’t look mad. He looked hungry. “Guess I’m late,” he said, joining them.

Amber stopped fighting it. She wanted them both—Noah’s wild passion, Cassandra’s sleek control. They were her escape, her rebellion against a life of struggle.

The tutoring ended when Amber paid off her loans. She graduated, found a better job, moved to a new apartment. But she didn’t leave the Blackthorns behind. They were her secret world, a place where rules didn’t exist, and desire was the only law.

Amber never told anyone. Some games were too dangerous to share.

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