Page 36 of Professor Obsessed

He ordered us an Uber big enough for our luggage. His car and the rest of our things were going to be shipped to our new home. He scrolled on his phone telling me about the new position he accepted at Dade University in Chicago.

That was going to be our new home, a new city. A fresh start.

I loved Chase. Sometimes I still felt shame at how long it took for me to realize it, but I accepted that the same way I accepted him. Flaws and all.

I softened out his hardened edges, and he made me feel safe and strong, something that had been missing from my life before him.

As the Uber pulled up to the terminal, my stomach did little flips. This was going to be the start of our new lives. Chase held my carry on as we made our way to the gate that would be taking us to a city where no one knew our names.

Where we could be us.

“Did you want anything while we wait to board?” Chase asked just as we passed a coffee and deli shoppe.

He knew my weakness, he knew everything about me, “Actually yeah, let’s get something over there,” I motioned to the tiny restaurant. We ordered coffees and sandwiches and sat down to eat.

I admired his physique as he nibbled on his pastry. I devoured my sandwich and coffee with an insatiable hunger. His arm lost a lot of muscle and he lost a good amount of weight, but was slowly putting it all back on as he completed his workouts in physical therapy. His cardio was picking back up and he was enjoying being able to move and run again without being in extreme pain.

The man literally took bullets for me.

He was my kind of crazy.

“Alright, we have a long day of travel ahead of us,” he stood, taking our empty wrappers and cups and throwing them away. “I don’t know about you, but I'm already ready to be finished moving and settle comfortably in our new home.” He sighed as we took a seat waiting for them to call our class to board.

The flight was only going to be about two hours, but the rest of the setting up was going to be the true beast. Chase and I searched Zillow for months before finding the perfect home. A two level new build perfectly customized for us.

He bought me a house. His eyes met mine and he smiled at me, “What is it kitten?”

I shook my head as they called our class to board. “Nothing,” I said standing, “I just love you.”

“And I love you,” he said, kissing me, “more than anything in this world.”

I knew how much he meant that.

I knew the lengths he’d go to for me.

We stood in line as everyone slowly made their way to their seats when a commotion caught my attention.

“Please move,” a high pitched voice sang through the crowd, “excuse me, please, ma'am please get out of the way, I'm so sorry,” the sing songy tune could only be one person, “please I have to catch my flight, please step aside!”

Anna plowed her way through the airport heading toward our gate, her eyes met mine and her smile widened ear to ear, “Ems! Dr. Lowe! Wait up for me!” she called loudly through the airport.

“Oh God,” Chase scoffed as he rolled his eyes. Him and Anna’s relationship was still under construction, but she was my best friend. And Chase saved my life, so their mutual love for me was a stepping stone in the right direction.

“Anna, what the hell are you doing?” I asked as she jumped into my arms dropping her baggage.

Chase started gathering her things with mine, already accepting defeat.

“You thought you were leaving me in this city by myself? I’m going with you guys, duh.” she preened.

Her tan skin glowed, her dark green eyes stood out beautifully. Her curls cascaded down her back freely, messily in her haste to get here.

“I’ll find my own place of course, but can I maybe stay with you guys until then?”

She pouted her lips, “Pretty please.” She gave Chase her best puppy eyes and he looked at her flatly. The sentiment not at all working on him.

“Babe?” I said, turning my own puppy eyes on him. His face softened immediately as he looked at me. His arm snaked around my waist and he hugged me close to him kissing the top of my head, pausing briefly to inhale my scent.

“Anything for you kitten.”

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