Page 12 of Irresistible Professor

I sighed, setting my glass down with a soft clink. “I have forgiven you, Greer,” I said, my voice firm. And it was true. Forgiveness had come after much introspection, a way to let go of the bitterness that had lingered for far too long.

The waiter returned with our meals, and Greer offered him a bright smile as he set our steaming plates before us. The aromas of garlic and herbs filled the air, and I picked up my fork, trying to focus on the food rather than the memories threatening to resurface.

Greer turned her gaze to mine and her smile widened. She reached for my other hand and rubbed her thumb over my knuckles. "I’m so glad to hear that. Then we can pick up where we left off. Start again."

I glanced down at her hand, feeling an unwelcome jolt at the contact. "Start again?" I repeated.

She nodded. “That’s right. I know we can do that. Pick up where we left off before what happened. Can I assume I'll be spending the night at your place this evening after we finish here?" she asked, her eyes alight with something that could have been hope or perhaps just determination.

The question rendered me speechless. Here she was, assuming, planning, trying to weave herself back into the fabric of my life as if the past could be erased.

"Absolutely not," I said, pulling my hand from hers. "Forgiveness doesn't mean we’re getting back together, Greer. We're done. I told you that months ago, and nothing has changed since."

Her expression morphed into one of disbelief. The restaurant's soft lighting played across her features, sharpening the angles of her face as she narrowed her eyes at me.

"Is this because of Bonnie?" she asked, her voice rising. "I heard you were dancing with her at the party after the conference last week. Are you seeing her?"

I should have known there would be rumors. My lips tightened and I felt a muscle in my jaw working as I clenched my teeth, even though the mention of Bonnie sent a flicker of warmth through me. Bonnie's presence in my life was like a burst of sunlight on a cloudy day—pure and entirely unwelcome in this conversation.

I laid my fork down onto the plate and picked up my napkin, swiping it across my lips. "My administrative assistant is engaged for heaven's sake. And even if there was something between us, which there isn't, it would be none of your damn business."

Greer leaned forward, her blue eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that once would have captivated me, but now which I wanted nothing more than to get away from.

"Ford, be reasonable," she pressed, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You can't deny there's something still here. Something worth exploring again."

I studied her for a moment, taking in the calculated poise, the impeccable appearance that had once drawn me in.

"No," I said firmly.

Her gaze held mine, unflinching, as if she could peel back the layers of my resolve with her stare alone.

"You don't mean that, Ford," she countered, her voice soft but insistent. "Deep down, you know we're not done. I can feel it every time our eyes meet. You still love me—I see it in the way you look at me, even now."

The audacity of her words made my blood boil, and I felt my hands clench into fists beneath the table.

"Greer," I said, trying to keep my voice calm, "I can assure you, what we had is in the past."

Her eyes glistened, and she shook her head, her blonde hair shimmering in the glow of the candlelight.

"Our love wasn't just a fling. It was real, powerful...We deserve a second chance. Don't let pride or fear stand in the way of what we could have again. Please.”

“Stop,” I said. “Don’t do this, Greer. Let this go. Let us go.”

Her beautiful face contorted, her nostrils flaring as she abruptly stood up and grabbed her clutch.

"You'll come around, Ford," she spat, "you always do." Conversation ceased as heads turned our way, and I felt my face flame with embarrassment.

She stormed out of the restaurant angrily, her stilettos clicking against the tile.

"Sir," I called out to the waiter who stood by with a look of concern. "My apologies. We didn’t mean to cause a scene. I’ll take my meal to go, please.”

"Of course, Dr. Kingston," he replied, picking up our plates containing the barely touched food. After settling the bill, I left the restaurant, my thoughts churning with a mixture of both relief and frustration. Seeing Greer again had confirmed what I already knew—I was done with the past and ready to move on. I only hoped she could do the same. And the sooner, the better, for everyone’s sake.

Chapter Seven

Bonnie

The unseasonably warm day in March was like a gift, a preview of the summer that lay just beyond the stretch of final exams and graduation ceremonies. The sun shone brightly over the university campus, and the air felt alive with the promise of spring. Ford and I decided to take advantage of the weather, leaving behind the four walls of our offices and taking our box lunches from the campus cafe out into the open air to eat. I followed him along a winding path leading up a hill away from the noisy quad where students were gathered eating and playing games of frisbee, and I watched as the sunlight caught in his silver hair, which looked especially striking against the deep blue of his shirt.

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