Page 36 of Forbidden Professor

“Not abrupt enough, apparently,” Jane laughs. “He screwed half of his students before anyone caught on.”

“I wonder if it was worth it?” Hannah asks. “Losing tenure because you can’t find other people to have sex with? It’s not like celibacy is required for the position. Why did he have to fish in the campus pond?”

“Arrogance,” Jeff says, with a shrug. “He didn’t think he’d get caught. Or, he didn’t think he’d get fired, if he was exposed.”

“I heard he lost his house, too,” Hannah said. “His wife kicked him out.”

“Yeah, I saw him at the market the other day. I think he might be living in his car. Poor dude. Probably not getting laid at all now.”

Everyone shakes their head with pity for this guy. My head is spinning.

Am I next? Am I making the same mistakes? Is that my fate, living in my car all alone and pathetic because of my lack of willpower?

Eve’s eyes flash in my head. The feel of her kiss… The sound of her moan…

She’s not just a parade of nameless faces. She’s Eve, for fuck’s sake.

She could never be a mistake. She might have been off-limits, but she was no mistake. Somehow, I think I’m the only one who can truly understand that, so I keep my mouth shut. I’m not about to jinx myself by piping into this conversation and bashing the poor bastard that came before me.

“I’m sure he had his reasons,” I mumble and shrug.

“Yeah, horniness!” Jeff jokes and the table erupts into laughter. I brave a smile, but stay quiet after that, finishing my drink as they drone on about the travails of being a university professor for the next hour.

When I leave, I’m convinced that they’re all idiots.

They don’t realize how good they have it. So many people would kill to have the jobs we have. Sure, not all of us have tenure. That may be an ultimate goal, but just the security of our positions alone is enough to honor. Getting a teaching gig in this economy wasn’t easy.

Sure, I have other options. But this is what I’ve committed to and I’m determined to make the best of it. I can see myself staying at the university for a long time, enjoying my career fully.

That means, if I’m taking it all seriously, that I have to make sacrifices. Much to my complete dismay, that means giving up any chance of ever being with Eve. I need to banish all thoughts, tempting as they may be, of things progressing between us any further. I need to see her for what she is.

My student. Aiden’s sister. Not the sexy little vixen that somehow keeps popping up in my head.

I let myself into my house. I fall right into bed a few minutes later, buzzed and motivated to do the right thing, no matter how difficult it proves to be.

To reward myself for making a tough decision, and to honor the burial of any and all feelings for Eve, I allow myself one last session of fantasizing about her before falling asleep.

Moments later, her name is on my lips when the release I’ve desperately needed all day finally explodes from my body. A fully naked Eve spread eagle and writhing on the tip of my cock hangs, deliciously suspended in my mind’s eye.

That’s it,I vow, as I clean up and turn off the lights.

No more fantasies. No more visions. No more seeking out Eve’s presence. I’m done. Put a fork in me, as they say. I close my eyes and let out a huge sigh of relief.

My phone lights up and I grab it from my bedside table, groaning when I see I’ve received a text message from the very person I’m trying to bury away in the darkest corners of my mind.

Please meet me at Cafe Solstice at 8am tomorrow morning.

“No!” I shout out to the empty room and put my phone face down without replying. I turn over on my side, and vow not to go.

This is my first test. I don’t reply. I won’t go. I’ll be fine. Just fine…

I can do this. I can pretend Eve doesn’t exist at all. Easy.

ChapterFifteen

Eve

I wasn’tsure Carter would show.

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