Page 17 of Classroom Confessions

I could reach over and pet the dog, or I could concentrate on Rebecca. Easiest decision I’d ever made. “Hello, Fitz.” I kept my eyes glued to Rebecca and was rewarded with a flush of color in her cheeks.

“So, you foster puppies?” She turned her cart so it lined up with mine and pushed her way toward the checkout lines.

I gave myself permission to watch her hips sway before I answered. “When they need me. Which happens a lot. There are a shocking number of stray dogs in the city.” I shrugged because there wasn’t much I could do about that.

The employee I’d spoken to earlier walked past our aisle, her nose in the air and eyes staring straight ahead.

Rebecca’s laugh chimed quick and sharp. “Pretty sure you’ve made an enemy. I hope you’re not planning on using your discount card tonight. I have a feeling it’s going to get denied.”

“They wouldn’t.” I frowned toward the woman at the register.

“Calm down. It won’t be that bad. But maybe you could just say thanks but no thanks next time instead of making up a lie. Or say not interested.” She shrugged, but the motion looked too sharp to be genuine.

“I’m sorry about class.” I forced myself to remember why I should stop watching her and concentrate on my dogs and my career. Off limits had never been so enticing. Rebecca had the kind of personality—and body—that drew me in from the start. What started out as quiet ended up being a hidden flame that I barely resisted. I hadn’t felt this drawn to a woman in years. That one time I fell, I fell hard, and I’d never recovered. Sad. Story of my life. Too late to turn back the clock and fight harder for the relationship. It was all for the better. At least, that’s what I told myself.

Rebecca placed her items on the checkout counter and hefted Fitz into a dog purse. “It’s okay. I didn’t mean to say half of those things. It just bothered me, you know?”

“I get it. I was trying to be practical. I forgot I was dealing with creative majors. You lot are different from my math majors. They eat up data. You all use it when you need to, but it’s not your core value.” I grabbed a bag of puppy treats from the stand behind me and tossed them up with my dog food and the collar. It would be weeks before they could handle the chewy texture, but they’d come in handy when the puppies started teething.

The woman at the register watched us with lowered brows and a pinched expression. “Is that all?” She took Rebecca’s discount card and scanned it, handing it back with a flourish. Rebecca paid for her purchases and stood waiting for me while the woman scanned my items.

When I held out my card, she lifted her chin. “I’m sorry, it’s not working right now.”

“Really? Because I could have sworn you scanned her card.” I didn’t bother smiling and attempting to woo the woman to my side. It was all bullshit. Even worse, this was nothing compared to what some women went through.

“I think it’s wonderful that you bought your daughter a puppy.” Rebecca fondled Fitz’s ears. “I remember when I bought Fitz. I’d never been so excited about anything in my life. Your daughter will be so happy. You’ll have to bring a picture to class next week and show everyone her reaction.” Damn me if she didn’t even bat an eyelash as she deepened my lie. She pointed at me, then leaned toward the cashier. “You should see his daughter. Absolutely gorgeous. And his wife.” She fanned her face. “She’s a ten. And so sweet. She brought him coffee last week because he’d been running late to class. I thought half the boys on campus were going to trip over themselves trying to say hello.”

Behind the register, the woman gave me another look, this time with a clear decision in her eyes as she scanned my card and rattled off my total.

What the hell had just happened? I followed Rebecca out into the parking lot. “I’m going to have to find a new place to shop now.”

“Or start carrying a picture of your wife and kid in your wallet.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and set Fitz inside the backseat of a newish sedan.

“Is that what you do? Do you have a fake husband and son tucked away in your wallet?”

She rounded on me with a snap of her hair and planted her hands on her hips. “No. For your information, I don’t have that kind of problem.”

Okay. Not the reaction I’d expected. “What kind of problems do you have?” Curiosity took over, begging for an answer to the enigma that was Rebecca.

“None.” She snapped a look toward the front windows of the pet store. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

And what if I wanted it to be my business? “Have I said something wrong?”

She huffed and pressed her fist into her forehead. “No. It’s not that.” She looked toward the store again. “Look. There’s something I need to say. It’s not appropriate, but we’re not in class, so I’m going for it.” She stopped for a breath. “I find you attractive.”

“The feeling’s mutual.” I almost reached for her, but after our display inside the store, I didn’t dare. But man, did I want to hold her in my arms. I knew she’d fit just right against my chest, the top of her head sitting beneath my chin.

“You don’t have to placate me. I needed you to know.”

“You think that’s what I’m doing? To what end? What purpose would it serve?” Why did I have this sudden, insatiable desire to be with her? Sex was easy to come by. What I wanted from Rebecca was more than a casual roll in the bed. It would be amazing, but it wouldn’t be enough. No wonder Ethan and David almost went after each other. I’d been tempted to let Ethan punch David’s lights out.

Which brought me to another point that needed clarification.

“That’s not all.” Rebecca moved back a step and folded her hands into her pockets. “It’s not just you. I’m attracted to David and Ethan too. You’re all gorgeous, amazing professors, and I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but I can’t seem to stop.”

There was the opening I’d been waiting for. “I know about you and David.”

She stilled in the process of smoothing down her hair when a gust of wind sent it tumbling around her shoulders. Sounds of the city at night wrapped around us, cocooning us in the moment. “What do you know?”

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