Page 9 of Forbidden Professor

The barista called out our order out and I grabbed two recyclable cups from the counter. There was a line backed up to the door. We got here in time to beat the rush apparently.

“One steaming hot mocha just for you.” I bowed over like a gentleman and made her laugh. Something I loved to see.

When we were dating, the week leading up to her biology final, I would grab her a mocha and set it beside her door and tell her she had a surprise. I corrupted her in that sense, because before me she was never much of a coffee drinker. Without a father around, I didn’t have someone to show me to treat a woman, but I did my best to keep Isla happy. Finances were scarce but I would’ve used my last dollar to make her smile.

“Sometimes coffee can make everything better.” she said, blowing onto the coffee with the lid off.

The awkwardness was coming back. “I never thought I’d see you again. Honestly, when you turned around and I saw you today, I thought I was dreaming.”

“You still dream about me, huh?” she said, smirking.

I walked right into that one, didn’t I? If she only knew how many times she came up when I shut my eyes. Thinking about it now, it seemed embarrassing. One thing I could say, Isla had made a lasting impression on me and it wasn’t going away.

“And so what if I do?”

The playful side of me I hadn’t seen in years came out.

“It doesn’t scare me. To tell you the truth, I dream about you every now and again too. My first serious relationship.”

I grinned. So she dreamt about me too? So there was still something there between us. That was undeniable.

“Okay, so this isn’t me asking you to sleep with me or anything, but… I have a box of things from college… keepsakes from our good days. Would you be interested in seeing it?” I asked, realizing how ridiculous it sounded.

“You kept stuff? Easton, you had me at would you like to…”

I grinned from ear to ear and stood up. Grabbing the cup of coffee and heading beside her to the door. Tonight was going great. I might just get my second chance after all.

I invite her back ot my place and she agrees. I bust out a box of our old things from college and start reminiscing over how things used to be. She kisses me and one thing leads to another.

Isla

His house was immaculate. He must have a maid. Not a single thing out of place.

“Wow, I wouldn’t want you to see my place right now.” I said, looking around the house from the living room. He pulled out this chest from closet and brought it in front of the couch. “This is it?”

He opened it. “Don’t judge me for this, but I still have the pen that you used to chew on. The one I gave to you on our first tutoring session because you forget yours.”

He handed it to me and I busted out into laughter. Bad habits. Apparently he found them charming. The tip of the cap was all chewed up. Disgusting.

“He is the scarf you got me Christmas that year. You remember?”

Our first and only Christmas together. I didn’t have anywhere to go so he invited me to come stay at his grandmother’s house. She was a Christmas fanatic. It was the only time I had the pleasure of meeting her. I remember waking up on Christmas morning to homemade cinnamon rolls, music playing and the fireplace going. It was the best holiday I ever had.

“I’d never forget that Christmas.” I replied.

He put the scarf around his neck. “Yeah, grandma was not happy that you didn’t come back. She told me I must’ve done something. I’m glad to know I didn’t. All these years, wondering what I did wrong…”

I should have reached out. Of course he thought it was all him. All I could do was make it up to him now.

“Letting you go was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

Easton scooted closer taking my hands. “Not begging you to take me back was even harder.”

His eyes locked on mine and everything around us faded. My mouth clutched onto his and all the pent up tension flooded my senses. He was here, in my arms, and I couldn’t imagine ever letting him go.

It kept growing, our hands were all over each other, a full-fledged teenage make out session, but Easton stopped me when I reached for his jeans.

“Maybe we should slow down,” he said, trying to catch his breath. “I don’t do one-night stands.”

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