Page 26 of Forbidden Professor

Carter’s words echo in my head.Not now, not ever…

“So there’s been a short term?” Her eyes widen. “And here I was, thinking that you spent all your time studying!”

My face is red as a beet. “Not all of the time, admittedly.”

“But he doesn’t think you two will work? Why not?”

I screw up my face, choosing my words carefully. “We have a ton in common… but on paper, we don’t seem like a good match.”

Vi arches a brow. “He’s worried about how you two will be perceived?”

I blow out a breath. “By pretty much everyone, yes. Our relationship crosses several boundaries. It’s pretty forbidden.”

“Taboo, huh? Interesting…” She nods slowly. “He’s not your brother, right?”

The image of Aiden flashes in my mind and makes me grin. “Definitely not.”

“Then who cares what people will think?” She lifts both her arms in the air. “Love is love. And anything forbidden can be well… hot as fuck, to tell you the truth.”

I laughed. “Well, it’s not just me. He’s in the relationship, too, right? And he has more to lose if this all goes south.”

I’ve been so angry with Carter since he’d walked out on me. Unfortunately, I know he is right, as much as I hate it. That doesn’t do much to assuage my anger, though. We came so close to sleeping together, and he broke it off so abruptly.

Forbidden or not, I’d be lying if I said that didn’t hurt.

She heaves a sigh. “I had a forbidden love once. And yes, it was super hot, but very secret. But the time came when we had to either tell everyone or stop seeing each other.” She stretches and pulls a face. “I told her I couldn’t see her anymore. Now I’m really regretting it and wondering what could have been. Because in hindsight, I see all those things I was worried about happening if we were exposed, never really mattered.” She throws an arm around my shoulders. “Don’t be me, Eve. Be smarter than me. Learn from my colossal mistake.”

Her words hit a nerve. Again, I’m tempted to confess everything to her, but fear holds me back.

My lips twist. “What if the relationship stays for a while before anybody finds out about us? Just to figure out if it’s even viable. I mean, that’s a solution, right?”

A humorless laugh leaves her lips. “That never holds. You’ll be exposed. Sooner rather than later. And then that’s when you’ll make hasty, rash decisions. It’s better to be the one that tells the world your secret first, rather than letting them find out and make up their own minds about it.”

I nod slowly, digesting. Vi is basically telling me to shout Carter’s name, here and now. But I can’t be hasty.

“That’s a good point. I’ll consider it.”

Vi looks at me slyly. “You should call him.”

“What? Why?”

“Life is short. Why waste precious time, when you already know what you want?”

Her words dug even deeper than the last.

“You want him, right?”

“God, yes,” I admit, my insides going soft at the thought of being with Carter.

“Well, then, I don’t know what you’re waiting for.”

“Okay, I will.” My cheeks go pink.

“No, I mean now. You should call him and go to him and tell him you’re ready to hang your dirty laundry out. Right this very second!”

I give her a look. “And what about you? We’re hanging out! I can wait.”

She rolls her eyes. “I’m going to find my summer fling tonight. I’ll be perfectly fine by myself. Watch.”

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