Temptation - Chapter 26
Saturday
As I got ready for my date with Professor Hunter, I tried not to think about hurting Tyler's feelings.
I truly did want him to be happy. And I wasn't the person that could do that for him.
He deserved better. I just hoped we could remain friends because he had become one of my closest friends since we had met.
Professor Hunter hadn't told me where we were going, but I assumed we were going out to eat.
Fortunately Melissa was out to dinner with Josh, or else I would have had to sneak around and get ready in the bathroom.
I put on a strapless, summery dress and added a brown belt above my waist. I strapped on a pair of high heeled sandals and looked at myself in the mirror.
I added some red lipstick because I liked to think that it made me look a little older.
He walked around the car and opened up the door for me.
"Hi, Professor Hunter."
He grabbed my face in both his hands, leaned in, and kissed me deeply. We were supposed to discuss us, but instead all I wanted to do was rip off all his clothes again. He pulled away far too soon.
"Good evening, Penny." He tilted his head, motioning for me to get in the car. "We should get going. We have a reservation." I slowly stepped back and got into the car. He closed the door behind me.
He sat down in the driver's seat and we sped off into the night.
"Where are we going?"
"Someplace where we can be alone."
His words sent chills down my spine. "But I haven't had anything to eat." He made me so nervous.
He had a funny look on his face. "Yes, I'm taking you to dinner."
I was a little confused, but I decided to wait and see. I always loved surprises. "So you wanted to discuss what you meant by just this once?"
"I meant what I said."
"Oh." I turned to look out the window. We were on I-95, cruising by all the other cars. The trees were a blur. I felt like I was going to be sick. "I don't understand why you asked me to dinner then."
"Because I've changed my mind."
I tried to slow my breathing. "Why?" I turned back to look at him.
He took his attention away from the road for a second. "Because I can't stop thinking about you, Penny."
I gulped. "I can't stop thinking about you either." We drove in silence for a few moments. I couldn't believe this was happening. "Did you grow up around here?"
"No. I'm from New York."
"What made you come here to teach then?" I was reminded of Melissa saying that he had gotten fired from his last job. Had he worked as a professor in New York?
"I needed a change."
"Did you live in the city?"
"Yes."
"I understand why you needed a change then."
He laughed. "Not a fan of New York City?"
"Everything is so loud and busy all the time. And everyone seems so depressed on the subway."
"I wouldn't know, I rarely rode the subway."
"I'm sure the taxi's aren't much better. And there's not enough grass."
He laughed again. "Well it is very different from here. Is this where you grew up?"
"I live about an hour away. Well, an hour from school. I don't really know where we are now."
We pulled up to a huge building. There was a tennis court to the right and a pool beside it. Behind them I could just make out a golf course in the dark. A valet quickly came to my door and opened it for me.
"Welcome, madam," he said and put out his hand for me to grab. No one had ever called me madam before. I took his hand and he pulled me out of my seat and closed the passenger side door. Professor Hunter stepped out of the car and the valet walked over.
"Hello, Mr. Hunter," the valet said with a huge smile. "I've heard so much about you."
Professor Hunter handed the valet the key. "Thank you." Professor Hunter walked over to me and put his hand on the small of my back. He escorted me into the building.
My heels clicked on the white marble floor. The biggest chandelier I had ever seen hung above us. A woman with her breasts pushed up to almost her chin walked up to us. "Mr. Hunter. Your table is ready." She seemed nervous to be talking to us.
We followed her down a hallway and entered an elegant restaurant.
I wasn't dressed nearly fancy enough. Most of the women wore lace dresses and the men were in suits like Professor Hunter.
It felt like they were all staring at me.
But as we made our way to the back of the restaurant I realized that they were staring at Professor Hunter.
I didn't blame them, he was so handsome. But I felt a little jealous.
The woman showed us into a private room in the back.
There was a roaring fire and an elegant loveseat to one side.
In the middle of the room was a table with a beautiful flower arrangement in the center.
A bottle of wine and two glasses were already on the table.
Oh no, they are going to ask me for my I.D.
Instead of questioning my age, the woman said, "Your waiter will be right with you," and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
I turned to Professor Hunter. "Where are we?"
"My country club."
Memberships for country clubs were usually extremely expensive. I hadn't realized that Professor Hunter was wealthy. That was probably why he never rode the subway. Professor Hunter walked over to the table and pulled my chair out for me.
"No one's ever pulled out a chair for me before." I sat down and stared at him as he sat down across from me. I was experiencing a lot of firsts tonight.
"Then you haven't been dating the right people."
Dating. Were we dating? "And I've never been to a country club before. Do you come here often?"
"This is actually only the second time that I've been here."
"Oh, so you just joined?" That explained why people were staring. They had never seen him before. They were wondering who the new person was.
"Yes. Earlier this week actually."
Just at that moment the waiter walked in and hurried over to the table. "Good evening. My name is Jerrod. It is my pleasure to be serving you tonight, Mr. and Mrs. Hunter."
I was about to tell Jerrod that we weren't married when Professor Hunter gave me a mischievous smile. Jerrod started telling us about their daily specials but I couldn't stop staring into Professor Hunter's eyes. Jerrod uncorked the bottle of wine and poured us each a glass while he was talking.
After Jerrod was done his spiel, Professor Hunter said we would need a minute to look at the menu.
I skimmed through mine, trying to find the cheapest thing as Jerrod left the room.
Most of the meals were as much as the used textbooks I always bought for classes.
I didn't feel comfortable letting Professor Hunter pay for this.
"Penny?" He reached over and grabbed my hand.
"Professor Hunter, I've never had food that costs this much. What did you say this place was called? The name isn't even listed on the menu." I picked up my glass with my free hand and took a sip of the wine.
"I was thinking Hunter Creek Country Club."
I coughed, choking on my wine. Hunter. The way he was greeted, the way that people stared. I already felt like he was out of my league, but now I felt completely inferior. What was he doing with a girl like me? "Professor Hunter, do you own this country club?"
"It seemed like a good place for a first date."
So you bought it? "What exactly did you do in New York?"
"I was a professor."
"For how long?"
He lowered his eyebrows slightly as he looked at me. "Less than a year."
"And before that?"
"I owned a startup. Would you mind if I ask you a question?"
The mystery of who Professor Hunter was had barely started to unfold and he wanted to talk about me? I wasn't the one that was interesting. "What did you want to know?"
"Everything."
The way he said it made me blush. He had already seen me naked. He had already had me in the most intimate way. "There really isn't that much to know," I said.
"I don't believe that's true. You enjoy challenging me and aren't afraid to speak your mind. I find you unbelievably refreshing."
I took another sip of wine. I felt so nervous under his gaze.
"So why is it that you don't feel like you're interesting?" he asked.
I gulped and looked up at him. It was because of Austin and all the times that he made me feel insignificant. "Honestly, you're the first person that's ever made me feel like I'm the only girl in the room. I'm not used to feeling like I matter."
Jerrod came in to take our order. I looked back down at the menu. I scanned the menu for something that wouldn't get stuck in my teeth. Professor Hunter reached his hand out and grabbed mine again.
"Penny, I've heard that the crab cakes are wonderful here."
I smiled, relieved that I didn't have to choose. "That sounds perfect."
Professor Hunter ordered for us. When Jerrod left the room, Professor Hunter put his elbows on the table and leaned in slightly. "When we're together, I can assure you that I don't see anyone else in the room. You always have my undivided attention."
"That must make grading other student's speeches quite difficult."
Professor Hunter laughed. "It does."
His words should have comforted me, but all I seemed to be able to focus on was when he had said "when we're together." I was reminded of the woman from his office. I wasn't necessarily the only person he was dating. If we even were dating.
Professor Hunter reached in his pocket, pulled out a penny, and slid it across the table. "A penny for your thoughts?"
I smiled up at him. This was why we were here.
To talk about what we wanted. "The last guy that I dated didn't believe in labels.
So really, I'm just wondering, where it is that we are?
I mean, I'm not trying to pressure you. It's only because I'm curious.
I just want to know where you stand on things. "
Professor Hunter started laughing. He was laughing at me. I could feel my face turning scarlet.
"Where I stand on things? Penny, I don't relish the idea of sharing you, if that is what you're referring to."
"I don't relish the idea of sharing you, either, Professor Hunter."
The expression on his face grew serious. "What do you mean?" he asked slowly.
"I know that you have a girlfriend. That woman from your office. You were going on a date. It was obvious."
He sighed and smiled at me. Did he look relieved?
"That wasn't a date," he said.
"No?"
"We had a work function that we were both attending. I am not interested in Professor Keane. I am only interested in you. But since you've brought it up, if I were dating Professor Keane, you'd prefer that I'd stop, yes?"
"Yes," I replied instantly.
"Then you won't mind me asking you to stop dating Tyler Stevens." He raised his left eyebrow as he looked at me.
"Tyler and I are just friends."
He sat back in his chair. "Then I guess neither of us have anything to worry about."