Page 4 of Hello Kitten

I won’t have time to moon over a one-night stand with all that going on.

My eyes find Dr. Hayes again. He’s focused on me with a mix of emotions playing on his face before he covers them allwith a stoic expression. It doesn’t hide the desire, confusion, and horror in his gaze.

He doesn’t want me here.Understandable.

I bet he didn’t think he’d see me again. But it was an honest mistake.

“Remember, I need your papers in two ways. Online and printed. I realize this is uncommon, but that’s how I work. If you have any questions, you’ll find my office hours on the last page of the syllabus,” he informs. “Now, let’s dive into our first read.”

Shit, he wants the papers printed as well. Another thing that makes it harder to avoid him. Even as every fiber of my being is screaming at me to get out of here, to run and never look back. To forget everything that happened between my lit professor and me, makes it hard to focus. As his low velvety voice draws me closer with every passing second.

Finally, class is over and I pack up faster than just about anyone else. Ready to get the hell out of here. I grab Beth and drag her along with me even as she pulls back.

Right as we hit the crowd at the door, I hear him. “Emily! Ms—”

“Dr. Hayes.” Another girl giggles. “I do have some questions about the books on your list, could you help me?”

I glance back and meet Adrian’s stare—no, he’s only Dr. Hayes—his eyes moving between me and the two eager girls ready to snap up his attention. Being a good professor, he focuses on them, and I tug Beth away.

Even being in the hallway isn’t far enough away, so I tighten my hold on Beth’s hand. “Let’s get some coffee.”

“Emily, you’re going to pull my arm out of the socket! Slow down!” she hisses. “And Dr. Hayes wanted to talk to you—”

“That’s great. He can send me an email or text me or ...”

This is such a mess.

Once we’re out of the historic old building, I take a deep breath of the foggy morning air. It’s heavy, nearly suffocating, but still feels better than being in that classroom. Beth shakes her head at me, but I don’t hear a word.

I won’t be able to escape Dr. Hayes and his questions forever. If he really wants me to leave his class, he’ll send me an email and make it sound professional. I won’t even be able to say no based on how I reacted today.

“You’re crazy. I can’t believe you screwed—”

I cover Beth’s mouth. “Don’t say it. Please. I already know I messed up, but I didn’t know!”

She nods, and I peel my hand away.

“You have to get over it and focus, Emily,” she says.

“You weren’t there,” I grumble, glancing at the building.

If he was that easy to forget, I wouldn’t remember him through the drunken haze. I wouldn’t have thought of him spanking me after bending me over his desk, or blowing him in front of the class.

“Well, what are you going to do?” Beth asks.

That’s the million dollar question.

three

Wednesday, I did as he wanted, submitted it through a digital drop box and printed it out.

Even though I think it’s better to switch classes, Beth convinced me to give it another try, since I want to work in publishing. Yes, it’s a basic lit course, but if I want to follow the next one, also one he only teaches, I need to pass this class.

So, now I’m clutching my two typed pages like they’re going to help me live as Beth

keeps trying to get me to chill out.

“Look, it’s just class, he’s just a professor,” she says.

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