Page 22 of Hot Professor (Tainted Professors)

“Thanks.”

I hear a door open and click shut and look up to see Markus striding toward me. “Hey, Harry. Is everything okay? We heard some pounding.”

We both glance down to see the new guy snoring softly.

“Looks like our new neighbor locked himself out.”

Markus scrunches up his nose. “And got himself shitfaced?”

“That too.”

The elevator dings, and Giles joins us. “Oh, dear.”

“If you can get the door, Markus and I can get him inside.”

“Of course.”

It takes a few minutes to get him settled in his apartment. We drop him on his bed, remove his shoes, and toss a blanket over him. After thanking Giles and saying goodbye to Markus, I return to my place to find Ivy waiting for me on my couch—fully dressed and obviously ready to leave.

“Who was that?”She asks, her voice slicing through the silence.

“My new neighbor,”I say, rubbing the back of my neck. “Locked himself out, drunk off his ass.”

“I should go,”she blurts out, though it's not unexpected at this point. If she planned to stay, she'd still be in my bed.

“You don't need to rush off.”I had high hopes of holding her in my arms all night. But I get that she might need some space after what happened between us.

“I think it's best.”Her gaze darts around the room before awkwardly settling back on me. “Tonight was?—”

“Amazing?”I finish for her, and her lips quirk in a half-smile that wreaks havoc on my resolve. I want to haul her into my arms and return her to my room. I want to feast on her all night, making her come over and over again until she begs me to stop.

“Complicated,” she corrects.

Damn.“Let me take you home.”

“Thanks, but it's not necessary.”

I study her face, looking for any sign that she regrets what happened here tonight. All I see is a tenderness that melts my heart. “Then I'll call you an Uber and wait with you. But you need to promise me you'll let me know when you're home safe.”

“Promise.”

With my hand on her lower back, we walk to the elevator. I hold her hand all the way down and out to the front of the lobby. I hold her tight while we wait for the driver to arrive, and then I threaten him with a stern look to ensure he takes her straight home. I get his name and license plate and make sure he knows I have both.

There's so much I want to say, but the words tumble around in my head and get stuck in my throat. Instead, I tuck her into the backseat and kiss her goodbye.

“Thanks... for everything,”she says.

“You gave me something precious tonight, Ivy. I don't take that lightly.”

Despite Dean Martens' warnings, I took a taste of Ivy Kendrick. As she disappears into the night, part of me knows it won't be the last.

It can't be.

And I’ll do everything in my power to ensure it’s not.

Chapter 11

Ivy

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