50. Megan
CHAPTER 50
MEGAN
“It’s so unfair,” I mumble to myself, scrolling through Professor Caldwell’s Instagram feed like a Grade-A Stalker. At this point, I might as well be. I spend a third of my time stalking his fine ass online. The other two-thirds of my life are split between campus, where I sit in the front row of his lecture, praying I don’t drool, and in my bed, dreaming about him.
The man is too damn beautiful. Every inch of him is carved from marble. His wild hair makes my fingers itch to tug the strands, and anytime he turns those dark brown puppy dog eyes on me, I melt like a popsicle. Don’t even get me started on his little boy grin.
He’s old enough to be my father. He is my professor. But I’ve been obsessed with him since I literally bumped into him on my first day on campus at the beginning of the semester. He wrapped his arms around me to keep me from falling on my ass, called me sweetheart in that gruff, growly voice… and I fell hard. For him .
My dreams have turned downright X-rated in the months since.
It’s driving me nuts! Mostly because, as far as he’s concerned, I’m just the curvy, nerdy girl in the front row who stutters and blushes through every interaction. He’s fucking me dirty over my desk every night… but I’m just some clumsy little girl to him.
At least, that’s what I tell myself. But I’ve seen the way he looks at me when he thinks no one is watching him. It’s not the way he looks at the rest of his students. He watches me like he can’t look away. And the more flustered I get when we’re interacting, the more he seems to like it. He gets this look on his face like… God, it’s like he wants to haul me out of my seat and lay me out over his desk.
Or maybe I’m just seeing what I want to see.
Argh!
“I hate my life.”
“Whoa. Who is the hottie?”
“N-no one!” I squeak, quickly trying to close my browser as Elysa, the gossip editor for the local paper, pops up beside me, her eyes locked on my screen.
“If that’s no one, sign me up,” she mumbles, leaning closer to get a better look. “Wait a minute… Is that Preston Caldwell?”
“Who? Don’t know him,” I lie. Why won’t the stupid browser close already? Jesus. I’m trying to stalk on the down-low over here.
“Right.” She draws the word out like she knows I’m full of it, one hand landing on her hip. “Megan Hardy, are you crushing on your professor?”
She’s already seen the evidence. There’s no lying my way out of it now.
“Yes,” I whimper miserably, covering my face with my hands to hide my blazing cheeks. “Don’t judge me. He’d be mortified if he knew that I spend half my time basically stalking him.”
“Stalking him, huh?”
“I know! I’m going to hell.”
“Girl, if that’s all it takes to get you into hell, half this town is going right behind you.” Her soft laugh floats through the office. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed since you’re still new around here, but people do not fall in love normally around here.”
I peel my hands away from my face to peer up at her. “Probably because they’re all rich. Rich people don’t do anything like normal people, Elysa.”
“You might have a point.” Her gaze drifts back to my screen, complete with a gym selfie of Preston. He’s not shirtless like most guys in their gym selfies, but the edge of a tattoo peeks from beneath his damp T-shirt. I want to taste it. “So, you like him, huh?”
I shrug, glancing down at my hands. “Doesn’t really matter.”
“Why not?”
“He’d never go for me,” I mutter.
“Why not?” Elysa narrows her eyes at me. “And do not even tell me that you aren’t hot enough because you’re flipping gorgeous, Megan. That man would be lucky to have you on his arm.”
“It’s not that,” I say, smiling up at her. I love Elysa. She’s so fierce and sassy. “Sometimes, I think he wants… well, that doesn’t matter. The point is, he’s my Communications professor. Even if he did feel the same, there are probably rules against it.”
“Ah, I see.”
“You do?” I frown up at her, not convinced at all. Her tone says something completely different.
“I do.” She bobs her head in a nod. “You’re his student for what? Another six weeks? But you’re ready to let those six weeks and rules you didn’t set for your life define the rest of it.”
“I…” I pause, biting the inside of my cheek. The woman has a point. “It’s not just the rest of my life. It’s his, too. It’d be his career on the line.”
“Want a word of advice?” She waits for me to nod. “Careers are temporary. But around here, love is forever. If you have a chance at that, take it.” She smiles wistfully. “Believe me, not all of us are that lucky.”
I grimace, my heart aching for her. Just last month, her boyfriend was arrested for trying to kill Leia Marsh, one of the other reporters here. Elysa has been down ever since. Lonely, I think.
I guess I know how that feels.
My gaze drifts back to the screen. God. He’s so damn beautiful.
What if he is my future?
“I’ll think about it,” I murmur, not sure what else to say. Am I really brave enough to go for it?
For a chance with Preston, I want to be. Desperately.