Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 46858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
“That’s a great tip.”
She smiles, her eyes flitting to me, then down at the desk. They were doing that the whole time we were working on her textbook, but it made sense then.
Now it’s like she doesn’t want to look at me.
Which also makes sense, if I’m staring at her with even one-tenth of the hunger I feel. I could be making her uncomfortable.
“You’re always welcome in my office,” I say, hoping my voice doesn’t sound as shaky as my resolve.
My willpower is shivering inside of me, roaring at me to walk around the desk and pull her to her feet.
Then I’ll slide my hands around from her hips to that big juicy ass, massaging as our lips collide and we sink deeply into the hunger.
“Or your phone?” she says, her voice wavering as she stares at the desk again.
I want to reach over, gently touch her chin and direct her gaze back to me.
I want to tell her she doesn’t have to be shy, ever, not when it comes to us.
I want to say, We’re going to be together forever, Della. So you might as well get used to looking at me.
Instead, I nod. “You can text me any time, day or night.”
“Wow,” she murmurs. “That’s really nice. Thank you. It’s like you said, though. Math is only a small part of my course. Hopefully, I’ll be okay.”
I stand up, and she does the same. We stare at each other across the desk. It’s like she’s waiting for me to speak, to somehow keep her here…and everything in me is roaring out for a way to do it.
To make it, so she doesn’t have to leave ever….
Put a ring on her finger, keep her with me forever. Always supporting her. Always doing the best for her.
“Well.” She leans down, picking up her bag. “Thanks.”
I walk around the desk. “Let me get the door for you.”
She doesn’t tell me this is completely unnecessary, which it is. I move to open the door, but she’s standing too close.
Our eyes meet, and she smiles.
It’s this magical sort of smile.
I would’ve laughed if somebody had told me a woman could make me think that about a smile. Just a couple of days ago, before I saw the woman on the bus…but there’s nothing funny about this.
It’s like she wants me to do it.
What the hell am I doing?
But I’m not thinking.
I’m leaning close to her, my hands moving to her hips.
She tilts her head, and her mouth falls open, her eyes glinting like she might cry.
I take a step back, shaking my head. “I’m…I didn’t mean….”
She’s shaking her head too, but she’s not saying anything, just staring at me with that glittering in her eyes.
It’s like I’ve shattered everything that has happened between us.
But there is nothing happening in terms of what I want. I misread the signs. There weren’t even any signs to misread, but I did it anyway.
I let myself think of her as my future lover, as the mother of my children.
But she’s a student and woman who’s been through a lot. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be here.
She deserves a second chance, not a come-on from her tutor.
I open the door quickly.
“I….” She looks at me, blinking. “Thank you for the lesson.”
“You’re welcome,” I say, voice stiff.
She walks past me.
When she’s gone, I collapse into a set of pushups.
I don’t care about the burn in my chest or the fact I’m in my work clothes.
I keep pressing, focusing on the exercise instead of what just happened.
More specifically, of what I just did.
I came on to a student. I would’ve kissed her if she hadn’t given me that heartbroken look.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
CHAPTER 7
Della
“Are you okay, sis?” Hudson asks as he cuts into his microwave lasagna.
It’s one of those rare times when our shifts let us eat dinner together. Normally, we’ll watch TV and have some laughs, forgetting about mom and dad – as much as we ever can – and simply enjoying being together.
It’s been two days since the one-on-one session with Elias.
Two days of thinking about the moment he leaned in like he was going to kiss me.
And I just froze. I had no idea what to do.
I wanted it so badly, but the emotion rose like a busted geyser, bursting with so much affection, lust, disbelief, everything. Every good emotion a person can feel, and some of the bad and in-between ones too.
Pathetically, I almost started to cry, and then he was backing up, and the moment was gone.
As the hours and days have passed – I’ve been working, and my college schedule is not due to resume until two days, and I wonder if I imagined it.
He didn’t actually try to kiss me. I don’t know for sure why he was leaning over like that.
“Della?” Hudson says.