“Holy hell.” Zoe whistles. “Teach is looking good today.”
“Yeah,” I say over my swallowed tongue. The last week has been torture. And I can’t do anything about it. I can’t concentrate. All I do is think about him. It’s stupid. Why do I care? Like my father, he wants me to stop helping at the women’s shelter.
Okay. That’s not true. My father doesn’t know I still volunteer at the shelter. As far as he knows, I quit seven years ago. At his demand. And my dad’s edict wasn’t based on my perceived safety. It was to ensure I didn’t veer off and forget to follow in his footsteps.
But what if Alexander’s comment was truly out of concern for my well-being? Would it matter if it was? Yes, it would. He’s a good person. He’s concerned for people in general. He didn’t know it was me, and he stopped to help. I could have been a random stranger that he saved.
And that makes him more dangerous. The first day we met, I thought he was hot as hell. Then I found out he was even hotter. Now, I know he’s smart. And wears a superman cape under his clothes. Heat floods over my skin. What I wouldn’t give to have a redo of that night. I’d never leave. If we never went to class, there wouldn’t be a reason we couldn’t be together.
Right. Outside of…. He’s not looking for a relationship.
“Zoe. Daisy.” His eyes sweep over me, and he steps around us.
“Professor Taylor?”
His shoulders tighten as he turns to face us. “Yes?”
“Thank you for stopping the other night. It was kind and brave of you. I wanted to let you know I spoke to my coworkers, and we’ve set up a buddy system for leaving. And she’s going to ask the board for more lighting.”
“That’s good.” His face is pinched as if it’s difficult for him to speak to me. He nods as if he’s dismissing me and heads to the classroom.
“What….” Zoe grabs my arm. “Was that about?”
“It was nothing.” Why do I keep idol-worshipping him? He’s made it clear he’s not interested.
“It was something.” As I try to step around her, her hold tightens, not letting me go.
“Fine.” I relay the events of the evening, leaving out the part where he hugged me, and I fed into the false hope of getting my degree and us falling in love and living happily ever after. I’ve got to stop reading romance novels.
“The man is perfect with a capitalP.” She gives emphasis to thePin perfect. “He definitely has a thing for you.” She waggles her eyebrows. “I mean, we both know he has a thing for you, but he really has a thing for you.” She leans closer as Heather and one of her friends barge past us. “Forget the school code. To hell with it. Have crazy sex with the man until he renounces his position at the school and tosses you on the back of his white steed.”
“For some reason, I don’t think he has a white steed. And for another, he didn’t know it was me when he stopped.”
“But when he found out, I bet he couldn’t stop thinking aboutwhisking you away for a night of sin.”
“Stop.” My teeth grind together. “I’ll kick your ass if someone overhears you, and I can’t get into medical school if I get kicked out.”
“Please.” She rolls her eyes. “You don’t give two shits about medical school. You’re only doing that to please your father. Admit it. You’ve never wanted to be a plastic surgeon.”
“I….” My heart races in my chest. I can’t force the words of denial out of my mouth. I cough. “I want to be a doctor.” There. I said it. And lightning didn’t strike me dead.
“Bullshit.” She stomps to the door. With her hand on the knob, she says over her shoulder, “It’s going to be impossible for him to hide that raging boner he sports at 1 o’clock every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.”
Bitch. I stand motionless in the hallway. I’m going to die. Why did I tell her about the wedding reception? Is it because I have a death wish? I must.
***
One Hour Later
“Thank you, class, for another great session. Remember, each lesson builds on the last one, so you’ve got to study until you grasp the concepts.” Alexander braces his hands on his hips as a collective groan emerges. “Remember, these quizzes are only to gauge where you are. The results are a small portion of your grade.”
Heather raises her hand.
“Yes, Heather.”
“Thank you, Professor Taylor. You’re the best professor I’ve ever had. You make calculus fun and easy to understand.”
“You’re welcome.” He tips his head toward her, and then his gaze lands on mine.