Page 10 of Hot Professor (Tainted Professors)

I bet he’s a great kisser.

Unfortunately, this is real life—and I’m not some starlet with a script. Or even a woman who has experience kissing a man. I’m the girl who plans, organizes, and color-codes her notes. Who takes a few years after high school to work in every job she can find in her small town to save enough money to attend school. A school in another city—a big city—without saying a word to her parents.

They won’t approve.

But what if I step outside my comfort zone this once? That’s what I came here for, right? Could it be the start of something new, or would I make a total fool of myself?

Oh Lord, what if he’s got a girlfriend? Maybe he has a wife and a family. I didn’t notice a ring on his finger.But I didn’t look either. I’ve never done this; I don’t know what to look for.

I shake my head, trying to ground myself. I came here to get my degree, not to fall in love with the first good-looking man I see. Besides, he’s probably not even interested in somebody like me. I’m a nobody. Just another student.

Then why the erection?

It’s a normal reaction for a guy, right?

But that doesn’t explainmybody’s reaction. I’ve been around boys, not many, but enough to know I never had any sort of reaction to their closeness or because I gazed at their bodies. I’ve never beenthatattracted to anyone before.

And why did he rush away? Where did he go? That was strange. Maybe he had a make a call or something and didn’t want to ask me to leave his office? Wherever he went, whatever he did, he came back grumpier than when he left. Maybe not grumpy, but certainly more focused. We spent the next thirty minutes discussing my role as his TA.

I consider my options. I can forget the whole thing and carry on as if nothing happened because maybe it was all one-sided anyway.Probably.

Or I can risk it all and tell him how I feel, consequences be damned. And if he didn’t feel a thing, my embarrassment should die down by the end of the year. Or I can play it safe and see if there are any signs of interest on his end before making a move.

I flop back onto the couch, grabbing my pillow again as I stare at the ceiling fan above. Maybe I’ll wait and see if he makes a move first.

I glance at the time on my antiquated microwave—dinner time. The sun has already started to set, and the light streaming in from my windows—the best part of this apartment—shrouds the tiny apartment in a warm glow.

I need to distract myself from Professor Ashe. Knocking on your professor’s door to confess your forbidden crush isn’t exactly top-student-worthy or even sane adult behavior.

My books beckon me from the kitchen table, a reminder of my reason for being in New York.

I get up with a new plan. I’ll microwave some dinner and start working on my calendar for the next few weeks.

Before I can do anything, though, my phone buzzes inside my bag. I pull it out and see a picture of Mom on the screen.

“Hey, Mom,”I answer, my voice cautious as I head to the freezer in search of tonight’s dinner.

“Ivy, you’re home.”Her voice is slightly shrill even through the phone as if she thinks I can’t hear her unless she speaks louder. “Why didn’t you call? How was your first day of classes? Are you eating?”

“Mom,”I interject, but she steamrolls right over me with another barrage of questions, and then jumps right into filling me in on the gossip from home.

Well, if there’s anything that can take my mind off my hot professor, it’s talking to Mom without giving anything away.

Chapter 6

Ivy

My first week of school is almost over, and it’s been two full weeks since I moved away from home. Mom will be pleased I’ve met some really nice people, joined a study group, started planning my assignments for the next few weeks, and already finished my first one. So far, everything about the city and college has lived up to my expectations.

Maybe more.

I wasn’t prepared for Harrison or the feelings he’s evoked in me. I haven’t been able to think of much else, so I’m surprised at how much I’ve actually accomplished. Maybe I’m being a silly young girl. But around him, I want to be the woman I’ve become. And the more I fixate on it, the more determined I become.

During the last few nights, I went back and forth, replaying what happened in Harrison’s office. I had no other classes with him until today, so I’ve had lots of time to dig deep and find the big girl who decided to leave the comfort of Ohio all on her own. After tossing and turning, I awoke this morning with the courage to be bold and unafraid. I decided to ask Harrison if he’d like to see a movie or maybe grab a coffee. We will be working together for months; it makes sense to become friends, right? That seems appropriate enough. And everyone could use a good friend.

But as the day wore on, my courage slowly drained away. When I walk into the lecture room and stroll toward the front row, I’ve chewed off every bit of gloss I applied, and my stomach churns. While my peers banter back and forth with Harrison, I draw squiggles in my notebook instead of taking notes.

I also do something I’ve never done before. I mentally undress him. Today, he’s wearing an ice-blue, soft-looking sweater over the same dark jeans he wore Monday. I start to wonder, what does he look like with no shirt? Does he have a six-pack? Is his chest sprinkled with dark hair like his arms, or is it bare? My mouth waters at the thought of licking up the center of his torso. And considering I’ve never even thought of that particular chore, I’m curious why it’s coming to mind so quickly, along with many others.

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