Page 12 of My Forbidden Professor

A flicker of color catches my eye in the doorway.

A bolt of lightning jags through the center of my head. Presses my temples apart. Strikes my heart.

Not a color.

Him.

Daniel is here? He found my class?

Every molecule in my body freezes. My vision grays around the edges. Chatter stops as everyone takes in how his black jeans mold to his muscular thighs and his broad shoulders fill out his sweatshirt. He’s every American girl and guy’s wet-dream. And he knows it.

Daniel’s gaze follows Jacob’s. Of course it does. His gaze tangles with mine and a smirk tugs his lips. A girl whispers behind me. If she only knew what he’s really like.

Daniel walks up the stairs toward me. I’m thankfully surrounded by other students. He takes a seat close enough that it will be hard to lose him in the exit crush.

Jacob speaks but I have no clue what he says because I’m about to hyperventilate. I suck air into my heaving lungs, trying to steady my breathing but it’s impossible. In. Out. In. Out. The lights go off and I sink into the darkness as Jacob conducts his presentation. I’m so stuck in my head, it seems as though only seconds pass until the press of voices and moving bodies signaling the end of the class lifts me from my stupor.

I grab my laptop and bag and launch from my seat. I push into bodies, heedless of complaints, and stumble down the steps. I reach the floor, my eyes on the open door to freedom.

“Miss Smith?” My thighs bunch, preparing to run from the man with the power to rattle my foundations when a hand clamps around my bicep.

I look up into Daniel’s face. My arm burns where his fingers clamp down. The scent of my fear flows to my nose, acrid and sharp. I don’t care. All I care about is getting Daniel’s fingers off me. My pulse hammers in his hold. “Don’t –”

“Let go of her!” Jacob’s sharp tone commands.

I stagger when Daniel releases me but I refuse to rub my arm where I still feel his fingers on me.

Jacob’s intelligent gaze slides from me to Daniel. “Is there a problem here, Mr. Adam?”

Daniel raises his hands and lifts his brows to feign surprise. “Just thought I’d say hello to an old friend. I was going to ask her out for a coffee. To catch up on old times.”

A frown forms on Jacob’s brow, the vivid blue of his eyes darkening. “Old friend?”

“He’s more of an acquaintance,” I say.

“Is there something you want to tell me, Ste—Miss Smith?” Jacob catches himself.

I wrap my arms around my laptop, feeling the hard edges dig into my stomach. “No. Nothing. I just need to get to my next class.” That’s a lie. I need to hide before Daniel can make more demands of me.

Jacob’s gaze roams my face. I reach up and adjust my hair so that it falls over my cheeks.

“You look tired, Miss Smith.” He sees me.

Dangerous.

He looks tired as well. I know why.

Doubly dangerous.

“I should go.” I take a step back.

“Have you teamed up with anyone for the group assignment yet?’ Jacob asks me.

“Group assignment? Great! You can help me with that—Steph,” Daniel says.

The muscles across my shoulders go rigid, driving my shoulders to my ears. The last thing I need or want is to work on a group assignment with Daniel. He would destroy me.

“I’ll assign you to a group more fitting to your experience in this class, Mr. Adam,” Jacob says.

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