Page 84 of Bad Professor

“What are you doing here?” he asks in a wary voice. I hate that I made him sound that way.

I fight the urge to get to my feet. To wrap my arms around him, his slim waist, and rest my head on that chest that has haunted my dreams these last months. “I was hoping to run into someone,” I say. I glance over at Max, who gives me a salute and turns back to the baseball game on the giant screen.

It took a lot of courage to contact Max and ask for his help, but not more than coming here tonight.

This has taken almost everything I’ve got and only the fervent wish that Dexter will give me a second chance led me through the door.

“But…”

“Max said he would bring you here. So I thought…” I let the unspoken words dangle between us. I can’t keep my gaze off his face, drinking in the way his every expression has flashed.

Surprise, happiness, and then confusion. Hope.

And I really hope I’m reading it right because, I think that’s still love in his eyes.

It also helped that Max told me Dexter has been miserable without me. When I explained why I stayed away, he agreed it was the right decision. He wants to protect Dexter as much as I do.

“Please tell me what you’re thinking,” Dexter begs, his voice as powerful as if he dropped to his knees before me.

Dexter on his knees before me…

Not here, not now. Not until I tell him how much I still love him. How I never stopped, never wanted to stop.

And I need to ask if he still feels the same.

“Why don’t you let me show you?” I get to my feet, standing so close to him, resting my hand on his chest. “I’d like to show you. Let me worship you.”

“Tilly.” Dexter gasps out my name like it’s his last breath of air. “I’m sorry. So sorry I lied. I—”

“I know why you did. And I’m sorry I stayed away, but it was the only way I could think of to protect you. Carlos would have gone to the school. You would have lost everything.”

“You went away with him.” The hurt in his tone nearly breaks me.

“Only to convince him I was over you. But I’m not,” I confess, splaying my hand against the cotton of his shirt and wanting to pull him closer. Close enough for my mouth to meet his and— “I don’t think I can ever get over you, Dexter.”

Dexter barks an incredulous laugh. “Are you real?”

“Will you forgive me?” It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him that I still love him, but I wait. I have to make sure. Because if he doesn’t feel the same way…

“Forgive you?” In a move smoother than the first time he took me in his arms, Dexter gathers me up so my feet leave the floor, and spins me around. In the distance, I hear cheering and the sound of high fives. “You have to forgive me.”

I wrap my arms around Dexter’s neck and hang on. “I love you.” The words bubble out and I couldn’t keep them in even if I wanted to. “I love you so much.”

“God, I love you,” Dexter groans. “And I’m so sorry I’ve been such a bad professor.”

I laugh as Dexter sets me down to kiss me.

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