Chapter 2 The Perils of a Teacher Crush
The Perils of a Teacher Crush
Pascal
The lecture hall emptied, the students spilling out of the room on a wave of animated chatter.
There was bound to be a number of parties on campus tonight before everyone left for the fall break.
Cowering behind my laptop screen, I tried to tune the buzz out as I answered the last few emails for the day.
“Professor Pembroke!” One voice cut above the noise.
I lifted my head from my laptop. “Yes?” A slim omega was making his way to me through the throng of students trying to exit. I remembered him. Jason Jacobson. Or was it James? No, Jason.
“Professor Pembroke, sir, do you have a minute?”
“Of course, Jason. What can I do for you?”
His face brightened, meaning I’d got the name right. “Thank you, sir.” He batted his eyelashes and cocked his hip, and I suppressed a groan.
It was one of those “have-a-minutes.” Did they have any idea how awkward their flirting was for me? I was their teacher, dammit. I took my polite smile down a notch and waited for Jason to get it out.
“I was wondering which elective courses you’ll be teaching next semester. I really like your method. I feel like your way of explaining made me truly understand how everything comes together, you know? You’ve made such a difference for all of us since you started here.”
Eyes shining, cheeks glowing, young Jason let his gaze drop to my chest and shoulders before meeting my eyes again. He was shameless.
“All elective courses offered are well described in the registration system,” I said, barely hiding my annoyance.
“Oh, I know. But is there something you personally recommend for me to pursue? I’d really like your view on it.”
“As a senior, you must already be aware of your strengths and interests, Jason. If you’re unsure, contact your study counselor immediately. The deadlines for registration are right after fall break.”
“Thank you, sir.” And there it was, the inevitable bitchy undertone.
“You’re welcome, Jason. Anything else?”
“No, sir. Have a good weekend.”
“You too.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw him rejoin his friends at the door. By the way he lifted his chin and the others laughed, I suspected he’d rolled his eyes. Good. On campus, I needed the reputation of an iceberg. The sooner they got the message, the better.
Some of these boys were relentless, though. I’d even considered wearing a fake wedding ring, but I doubted it would help much.
Instead, I put on my grumpy-professor mask and dodged their advances the best I could. Sadly, types like Jason Jacobson took my grumpiness as a challenge.
I packed my laptop and switched off the lights. Then I cast a faraway glance at the empty lecture hall. It seemed more impressive somehow, grand and a little threatening. Flirty students notwithstanding, I liked this job.
Closing the door to the hall behind me, I almost jumped when I spotted Jason waiting for me in the empty hallway.
“What now?”
“I’m sorry, sir. It was silly of me to approach you in a room full of people.”
Holy fucking insanity. Sure, he was pretty, but did he seriously think nobody would ever tell him no?
“Jason, what do you want?”
He pushed off the wall and sauntered toward me. “Isn’t it obvious? I find you very attractive, Professor Pembroke. I’ve been trying to signal my interest, but it seems I need to be blunt. I’d like to spend time with you alone. Off campus. In your study. Wherever you prefer.”
I didn’t enjoy flipping out on my students, but Jason had given me no choice.
“And I’ve been trying to signal that I’m not interested.
Even if it weren’t for the university’s non-fraternization policy, which means that I would face disciplinary action, I wouldn’t be interested.
You need to learn to take a hint, Jason.
I’ll gladly help you out with your studies the same way I help everybody else. That’s it.”
He narrowed his eyes, his cheeks turning a deep red. “Seriously?”
“I’m dead serious. Don’t approach me about anything personal ever again. Are we clear?”
He blew out a breath through his nose and visibly deflated. “Yes. Very clear.”
“Focus on your studies, Jason. You’re an intelligent man with a bright future. It would be a shame to mess that up.”
With that, I turned away and walked out of the building as fast as I could without running.
Some dimwit behind the bar had turned the music up, and it was getting increasingly difficult to hear each other over the thumping bass. The place was nice and quiet in the afternoons, but tonight we’d stayed later than usual, and it was filling up.
“What if he does it again?” I said, leaning close so Hugo would hear over the ruckus. “I should report it before someone gets the wrong idea.”
Hugo waved his hand dismissively. “I think he got the message. You’re developing the reputation of a true grouch on campus. Give it a few years, and you might even miss an admirer here and there.”
I glared at him over the brim of my beer glass.
Hugo was the head of the Material Physics department and the only other dragon shifter on campus that I knew.
I liked his directness and no-nonsense humor.
We were becoming friends, and I appreciated the occasional after-work drink we grabbed together more than he probably realized.
“Wouldn’t it bother you if a student kept hitting on you?
I could be his father, for fuck’s sake.”
“If you had a kid at seventeen, sure. Why does it bug you so much? Can’t you take the compliment and move on? That’s what I used to do when I still had it.” Hugo was sixty but looked only a decade or so older than me.
“You still have it.”
He laughed. “How would you know? Anyway. You need an outlet for your frustration.”
My glower deepened. I knew where he was going with this.
“I found my Jamie when I was twenty-five,” he continued, “so I didn’t really suffer the plight of an unmated dragon alpha for long, but I hear there are perfectly acceptable ways to pass the time before you meet your mate.”
“I don’t like fucking around.”
“Find someone who wants the same—a friend with benefits?”
“Like that’s easy.” I used to fool around with a mated omega couple up in Ontario before I moved to Ardaine. We’d even spent a few of their heats together. But I had no idea how to find someone like that in Ardaine.
Hugo gestured at the bartender and ordered two more beers.
“Are you going to Sullivan’s party tomorrow?”
“I should. You?”
“Jamie and I will be there, yes.”
He waited as the bartender poured us two pints and moved away before leaning closer. “Davidson was single until his late forties. Folks started to think he’d stay a bachelor forever. Rumor has it that he had an escort service on a roster.”
“I’m not doing that.”
Huge smiled innocently. “Why not? Might help with the mood swings you have going on. It’s perfectly legit from what I hear. Those boys even have unions these days. You can ask Davidson for a recommendation tomorrow.”
I burst out laughing. “I’ll walk into a family-friendly party his husband is organizing, grab a piece of cake, and ask him to recommend me prostitutes? Are you for real?”
Chuckling, Hugo patted my shoulder. “Maybe not in front of his husband then.”
I shook my head. Sometimes I wasn’t sure when Hugo was joking and when he was being serious.
“I’d rather wait, thanks.”
Hugo’s expression got somber. “It’s not healthy for us to be lonely.”
He was right—us dragon folks were family people. I sure as hell missed mine, but aside from better career options, I had a much higher chance of finding a mate in a big city than I had in my small hometown up in Canada.
I just had to be patient.
On Saturday, I slept in, then went to the campus to catch up on some assignments I needed to correct before next week. Then I headed home to get ready for the big event.
I’d considered bailing out of the party at Davidson Sullivan’s many times.
There’d be mostly couples and families, and being the only single alpha above thirty-five at the Ardaine dragon gatherings was getting old fast. Pun intended.
But I’d only lived here in Ardaine since the spring, and fostering the friendships seemed important.
So, I humbly endured the twenty-minute traffic jam on Northwestern Avenue, and just before three, I arrived at Sullivan’s estate.
From what I’d heard, Davidson had never hosted a party at his house before he got married. He’d lived alone in his dark, sprawling mansion and spat metaphorical fire at anyone who’d dared to come close to the gate, like the crabby old dragon he was.
Now his mansion wasn’t nearly as dark anymore. The park bloomed with flowers as part of the lawn had been transformed into a meadow, the outdoor furniture was dotted with colorful pillows, and soap bubbles drifted in the air.
Today, there were children everywhere, from waddling toddlers to gangly preteens running around and yelling for some reason.
Always the yelling. Why? Some kids wore bathing suits, and one little hellion sprayed someone’s grandparents with pool water before the plastic gun was wrangled from his hands.
An inflatable ball landed on one of the food tables, but all it hit was fruit, so a few adults gathered around and picked up the apples and nectarines, brushing off the grass clippings.
Luckily, there wasn’t a band or any other kind of loud stage entertainment, or I’d have already left.
I sat next to Davidson on a wicker sofa under a sprawling oak tree, overlooking the circus from a safe distance. I was considering how long I had to stay. “Thanks for inviting me,” I told Davidson mildly sarcastically.