Page 2 of Perfect Professor

Mickey held himself still for a moment, eyes squeezed shut. “You feel incredible,” he gritted out. He moved then, slowly at first but quickly building to a pounding rhythm that had Adrianna clutching at his back, consumed by the sweet ache of pleasure that threatened to overwhelm her.

Where the hell had Mickey been? Why couldn’t her ex-husband make her feel like this? Maybe it had to do with the thrill of being with someone new. Someone who knew nothing about her life. A blank slate. Sometimes she fantasized about going home with a stranger in a bar, but she never thought it would come true. It was everything she’d dreamed it would be, and more. Tonight, she thought, clinging to Mickey as her release approached, she would fly apart in his arms.

His lips kissed her forehead before he dropped beside her on the bed, breathing heavy, and giving time for both of them to come down from the highs. And boy, was she high!

“Would you like a water?” he asked, leaning over to small fridge next to his bed.

Adrianna’s eyes couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Who had a fridge next to their bed? Does he bring women home often? Oh god, what did she just do?

Mickey handed her a chilled bottle of water, and she chugged half of it before sitting it down on the side table. “I saw your library collection when coming in. Mind if I check it out?”

His smile lengthened, and he nodded, laying back on the bed while Adrianna threw her clothes back on and trudged out to the study.

This was her dream room. Floor to ceiling bookshelves filled with some of the best literature. She couldn’t believe out of anyone that could have hit on her tonight that it was Mickey. A fellow lover of classic literature. A man that understood her love for Pride and Prejudice and other classics. Adrianna ran her fingers across the shelves, gazing at his collection, until she came across Wuthering Heights.

“Be careful with that one. It’s a first edition,” Mickey said, sneaking up behind her, and putting his hands around her waist, dropping a kiss on her neck. “One day, that book is going to buy someone in my family a house.”

Something about tonight was different than she imagined. In movies, one-night-stands rarely hang around after the sex, but Mickey didn’t seem to mind. Instead, he was enveloping her with warmth.

“I find it extremely sexy that you care so much about your collection. Most men collect cars, but I have feelings you are a man that collects first editions. Am I right?”

He nodded.

“Well, Mickey, you might just be the perfect man in another universe for me.”

“Why not in this one?” he asked, peering into her eyes with sincerity.

“I’ve got too much going on in life right now to even think about all that. Tonight was amazing, truly, but it’s time to get back to reality.”

After some back and forth of Mickey trying to convince her to call him if she ever changed her mind about seeing each other again, he called her a cab to get back to her car. She stood on his doorstep, him leaning against the frame.

He took her phone and programmed his number. “Just in case. Maybe we can at least have coffee and discuss some more classics.”

The cab pulled up in front of the house and Adrianna had an inkling that she should stay, but instead she kissed him and got in the car, perfectly content with never seeing him again.

2

The rust-colored leaves crunched under Adrianna’s boots as she made her way across the quad, a chill in the autumn air. Her heart raced with anticipation for her first class of the semester—American Lit 301, taught by the renowned Professor Hanks.

She spotted Tiffany sitting on their usual bench, two cups of coffee in hand. A messy bun held her blonde hair, with a few stray curls framing her face.

“One vanilla latte, as ordered,” Tiffany said, handing Adrianna a cup.

Adrianna sighed, warmth flooding her body as she took a sip. “You’re a lifesaver. I didn’t sleep a wink last night.”

“Nervous?” Tiffany asked, eyes glinting with mischief.

“I have been working on for like eight years now, and still haven’t finished it. Maybe it’s time to just let someone else read it and tell me what they think. Is it possible I’m being too nitpicky?”

“Entirely. It’s your baby. Putting your work out there for others to scrutinize can be daunting.”

The clock tower chimed, signaling the top of the hour. Tiffany gave her arm a squeeze. “We’ll talk more later. Just remember—you got this.”

Adrianna took a deep breath, steeling herself as they walked into the classroom. When Professor Hanks looked up, his gaze locking with hers, her heart nearly stopped.

“What is wrong with you?”

Adrianna hesitated. She and Tiffany didn’t keep secrets, but this was now complicated. “Remember that guy I told you about? From the bar?”

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