Page 35 of Where We Met

This kiss is more than anything I've ever experienced. His tongue slowly traces my lips, making my body shiver in response as a soft moan escapes me. When his lips capture mine again, our tongues meet with hunger and urgency. I try to keep up but succumb to the forceful domination of his lips as he takes control.

Just as I finally relent, cold air hits me as he lets go and steps away.

"Shit, I shouldn't have done that." He begins to pace back and forth while his hand rubs the back of his neck.

My lips burn in the aftermath of his fiery kiss. I'm too wrapped up in what just happened to really register what he's saying.

"I gotta go," he mutters as he starts to back away. "I'm sorry."

I fall back against the house, my breathing still ragged, wondering how the hell I’m ever going to recover from a kiss like that.

I shake my head, knowing I don’t have the time to deal with this right now. I have to get back to work and hope like hell nobody noticed my absence. I can't afford to lose this job when I'm already barely making ends meet.

I thought I was indecisive, my father always telling me to pick a shoe and move on with my life, but Luke's inability to figure out what he wants puts my shopping dilemmas to shame.

Chapter Twelve

Savannah

"Hey,girl,"Triciasaysas she takes a seat next to me and wraps me in a hug. "Thanks for coming out with us Saturday night. We've missed you. It was nice to have the whole gang back together."

In spite of my foul mood, I laugh at her dramatics.

"I've missed you guys, too. Saturday was so fun, and I hate that I’ve had to bail on so many nights out. I've just been trying to pick up extra shifts whenever I can."

She looks at me skeptically, like she knows there's more I'm not saying. I hate that I feel the need to hide my struggles from her, but I’m not ready to tell my friends how dire my situation is.

Aubrey and Shannon slide in the seats behind us and Shannon immediately leans down between Tricia and me and says, "You guys ready to see me win the trip to Italy? Sexy Italian men, here I come!"

All the girls are giggling at that, so I join in, even though I’m not finding any humor in hearing who wins the trip. As much as I want to go, I don't know if I could even enjoy it with the way things are going between Luke and me. Spending an entire week with him while on a roller coaster of emotions sounds exhausting. At this point, the only thing making me desperate to go is the idea of getting a week away from my shithole apartment.

Every time I have to take Bailey outside, I recall the look in those two guys’ eyes, and it’s enough to keep me up at night in fear.

Professor Luke stands at the front of the hall with a smile on his face. "Well, class! Today's the day. Who here is ready to find out who got the best grade and gets to come to Italy with me?"

The whole class erupts in cheers and applause—well, everybody but me as I sink further into my seat.

"I had Rebecca put the winner's name in an envelope. It will be news to me as well. I went through and checked all of her grading but never tallied the percentages to see who came out on top."

Rebecca sits in the corner of the room, smugly waving at us, acting like her and Luke are in on something we aren't. I can't stand her.

"We are going to wait until the end of class to make the announcement," Luke announces, making everybody groan. "I know, I'm anxious for the results too, but it will be hard to pay attention after the announcement."

You would think the ninety-minute class would go by as slow as molasses waiting in anticipation, but I've been so lost in my own head thinking about Friday night that I'm startled when I realize there's only five minutes left.

Luke takes off his glasses—yes, glasses are apparently a new addition to his sexy professor look. He claims his contacts were bothering him, so he needed to switch it up today.

How many other girls in this class are having tiny orgasms watching him down there? Am I the only one messed up in the head?

Although, none of them know what his lips feel like against theirs. They don't know how powerful his kisses are, how they leave your world turned upside down wondering what just happened. Only I do. I know what it feels like when his tongue presses against yours while his hands hold your head in place so he can take what he wants.

His eyes land on mine for the first time today and my heart starts to beat erratically in my chest. I think I see a quick change in his eyes, a flicker of emotion, but it's gone.

"I think it's time we find out which one of you are going to Italy with me." He turns off the screen as the class once again gets pumped up.

I sit back in my seat and chew the top of my pen anxiously. I don't actually think I'm going to win, but it's still nerve-racking.

"Rebecca," he says as he holds out his hand for the envelope.

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