Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
“Um, no, but thanks for the offer.”
I go to the campus coffee shop. Standing in line, I hold my phone in my hand, hoping it will buzz to let me know I have a message. I haven’t heard from Leo since our encounter in the classroom. I start to wonder if maybe it was a one-time thing and he’s had his fill even though he eluded to it happening again. I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t want to pursue this. An affair with a student isn’t exactly ideal for him either. But I have to admit, I’d be disappointed if it was over. I know I can’t afford the distraction, and an affair in person is definitely that—especially with a teacher. But I’ve never had anyone make me come like that before. I’m not ready for it to be over just yet.
I look at my phone to confirm there are no messages. I sigh.
Once I’m at the front of the line, I order my latte. I go to pay the barista, but someone behind me steps up and hands the girl his credit card. “It’s on me,” the man behind me says.
I look over my shoulder, surprised to see Leo. My heart skips a beat and already I start to feel something stir in my core at the sight of him.
“Hello Ms. Stevens,” Leo says with a smirk.
“Hello Professor—”
“Leo,” he says.
“Hello Leo.”
He orders his drink and we wait for them to be made.
“I’m surprised to see you here so late,” I tell him. The sun has gone down and there are mostly students sitting at the tables around us, though it’s surprisingly dead for the first day of school. I figured this place would be packed with people studying. I like it this way, though. I have a feeling with being Brenna’s roommate, there are going to be a lot of study sessions here and in the library.
“First day is always hectic.” He gets his order and holds his cup up. “Needed some fuel to finish up.”
I get my latte and he says, “Sit with me for a little while.”
I have so much studying to do, and if it were anyone else, I would politely decline, but there’s something about him that makes it impossible for me to say no. We sit at a corner table for privacy. Suddenly I feel self-conscious.
He chuckles, breaking the silence. “Imagine my surprise when you walked through my classroom door this morning,” he says.
I laugh too. “I know exactly how that feels.”
He lifts an eyebrow. “You’re telling me that wasn’t done on purpose?”
“You think I found out who you were and signed up for your class?”
“Nothing surprises me these days.”
“Well, if you look at my transcripts you’ll know I applied for this class long before we ever started talking, and I had no idea who you were or that you just happened to be on the particular dating site I was scrolling through that night when we first met.”
His lips slide into a crooked smile. “Trust me, I know your transcripts like the back of my hand by now.”
“Who’s the stalker now?” I say playfully.
He surprises me again by saying, “Well, considering I hate coffee and would never come here unless I thought I could see you again, I guess that makes me the stalker.”
“You just assumed I would be here?”
“I hoped you would. You had a cup of coffee in your hand when you came to class, and reading your file, I know you have Brenna Keeler as your roommate. I had to kick her out of one of my classes last semester because she was so disruptive. Seeing how dedicated you are to your schooling, it wasn’t hard to guess you’d wind up here at some point tonight.”
I feel my face flush. He’s been waiting here for me this whole time, hoping I would show up but not knowing for sure if I would. That doesn’t seem like the behavior of someone who thinks this is just a one-time fling. It seems like something you’d do if you wanted to pursue someone.
I try to get rid of those thoughts the second I have them. Of course, this was just a fling, is just a fling, even if we do hook up again. I have to stop thinking that way. No distractions. That’s what I told myself, and I mean it. We are not entering into a relationship.
“Where’s your boyfriend this time of night?” he asks.
I look at him, offended. He laughs. “Do you really think I would be on a dating site and letting you do … you know, if I had a boyfriend?”
He shrugs. “Just checking. You never know about relationships these days. Commitment is old fashioned. Relationships are open and fluid.”
“I guess that makes me old fashioned,” I say.
“Do you have a girlfriend or wife?” I ask.