10. Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Rebecca
“ P rofessor Baker.” I push through the crowd of students mulling about as he dutifully ignores me. “Professor Baker.” Still nothing. “Eli.”
He stops then, spinning around to face me with his eyes wide as he looks around the crowded hallway. “You can’t call me that here.”
“I’m sorry, I tried referring to you as Professor Baker and you ignored me.”
His gaze darts all around us before he grabs my wrist and drags me around the corner and into an office. It’s on the smaller side, but there’s a large desk in the middle and shelves lined with books behind it.
He falls backward against the door and runs a hand down his face as his feet push out and he sinks lower.
I say nothing as he’s clearly having a mini meltdown, and I’m not sure anything I’d have to say would be beneficial here.
Finally, he looks over at me. “You’re one of my students.”
Solemnly, I nod. “It would appear so.”
His brows bunch together. “And…and how old are you?” His Adam’s apple bobs with a deep swallow.
“I’m nineteen.”
With a groan, he drops to the floor, his legs bending at the knees. He hangs his arms over the peaks and his chin hits his chest.
“So, not only are you one of my students, but you’re younger than all of my sisters.”
“Listen, Eli. I’m not…I’m not here to make your life difficult or anything. I just kind of figured we should talk about what happened?” I hike my bag over my shoulder a little more as I chew on my lip. This is the last situation I expected to find myself in. Especially with a professor. Albeit it a sexy-as-sin one.
But I’m here to get an education. To put my nose in my books and focus on my classes and getting good grades. Not sleeping with the professor. Even if it was the single greatest night of my life.
Those thoughts must be pushed aside.
Besides, he doesn’t seem overly excited to see me again. At least, not in this environment.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were a college student?”
“You didn’t want to know. As few details as possible. Remember?”
He tips his head back against the door and bangs it a few times. “Well, why would you listen to me? I was a drunken idiot. Clearly.”
A burn starts in my stomach and rises to my cheeks. “What...um. Sorry, what do you mean by that?”
His intent stare lands on mine, and I’m swept into the darkness of his eyes. “It was a mistake. I should have gotten more information and not slept with you.”
Ouch. The sting of his words pings across my body. “Wow. I’m sorry it was so terrible for you. I guess there’s nothing to talk about then. So, if you don’t mind…” I gesture to where he sits, blocking the door.
Tilting his head to the side, he stands slowly. “You think it was terrible for me?”
“Isn’t that what you just said? That it was a mistake? What would make it a mistake besides it not being good for you?”One hand rises to pinch the bridge of his nose while the other arm wraps around his waist while he laughs. There’s something highly amusing that I’m not picking up on. An uncomfortable feeling crawls beneath my skin and makes me shift on my feet.
“Okay… I’ll see you in class. I guess.” I step toward him and reach for the doorknob, but he wraps his hands around my biceps and pushes me backward until my ass hits the edge of his desk.
“You think it was bad for me? Oh, sweet thing. I haven’t been able to get you or that night out of my mind for weeks. The only mistake I made was not seeing how young you are. You carry yourself as so much more than a teenager.” My stomach flips at his admission, having felt the same way. I shiver as his breath caresses my face, and the slightest hint of peppermint crosses my taste buds.
When I look up at him, our eyes lock, and I’m lost in the depths of deep brown.
My eyes flick down to his mouth and, a mere second later, his lips crash to mine.
With a mewl, my bag drops to the floor with a loud thud, and I throw my arms around his neck.
His tongue pushes through my lips, and his hands glide up my back. With the weight of his body, he starts to lean me backward onto the desk.
But I’m no further than resting on my elbows when he pulls away, spinning around and running a hand through his hair. “Fuck.”
I don’t move. I try not to even breathe.
“Rebecca?” His voice is quiet, but the way my name sounds coming from his mouth, my God, it’s enough to make me want to stop hearing right here and now.
“Y-yes?”
“I need you to go. Please.” There’s strain with his words, and I can tell it’s hard for him to get them out.
Maybe almost as hard as it is for me to hear them.
“Um. Okay. If that’s… If that’s what you want.”
He snorts but doesn’t turn around. “What I want.” His head tips toward the ceiling and his hands plant on his hips, pushing back his tweed jacket.
I’m disheartened he doesn’t turn around so I can see the rise and fall of the chiseled chest I remember all too well from that fateful night.
“Oh dear, sweet, Rebecca. If only it was that simple. But it’s not. So please, leave my office.”
Utterly confused, without another word, I hop off the desk, grab my bag, and scurry for the door. I’m about to pull it shut behind me, when his voice stops me.
“Oh, and Rebecca?”
Hope inflates in my chest like a balloon. “Yes?”
“Not a word. To anybody.”
And just like that, the balloon is popped. I nod once to show my understanding and shut the door behind me.
My hand raises to hover over my mouth. I can still feel his lips pressed against mine. The urgency behind his movements.
It’s not until I hear a commotion that sounds like footsteps on the other side of the door that I dart away, not wanting him to find me lingering outside of his office.
With a deep breath, I step out of the building and into the blinding sun. It’s the first class of the semester and already I’m running into an issue.
This is going to be a long one.