Page 13 of Claiming His Student

“You look nice.”

“Then why are you looking at me like I’ve just done something offensive?”

“I just want to make sure you’re not dressing up for someone in particular.”

I roll my eyes. “For one of your stuffy old professor friends? I don’t think so.”

“Even if Mr. Harker is coming?”

My heart stops. It didn’t even occur to me that he’d be invited. I didn’t think my Dad would be willing to have him in his home. I try and keep my voice level and my face straight as I continue to primp.

“You invited him?” I ask casually. My father sighs.

“Of course I did, he’s a member of the faculty. In fact, he’s the only new member so he can use this evening to get to know the other professors.”

If I know Dylan like I think I do, he won’t be using tonight to talk to some boring old professors. I can already imagine the moment our eyes meet across the room and he comes to me. We’ll be drawn together like magnets. We’ll flirt, we’ll move in close and we’ll find a way to get some time alone…

But how are we supposed to do that without my Dad noticing?

“Well it was good of you to invite him, Dad,” I say as I finish fixing myself up. I admire myself in the mirror once again. Now Dylan will actually get to see me in this dress. A thrill rushes through my body at the thought, making me shiver noticeably.

“Cold?” my father asks suspiciously. I shrug it off.

“A little.”

“Maybe you should cover up a little then. That dress is very revealing.”

“Dad!”

“I’m sorry, darling. I don’t want to police what you wear. But you know that men are always looking at women in a suggestive manner. I just don’t want you giving anyone a reason to approach you.”

“Why, are you worried your friends are going to check me out?” I snap. I never get short with my Dad like this, but he’s pushing all of my buttons. I know exactly what he’s implying, but he’s too afraid to say it aloud.

“I just want what’s best for you, Cora. I always have and I always will. I don’t know what’s been going on with you these past few days, but I know something is off. Please just be careful, okay? Don’t let any man think that they own you.”

But Dylan does own me. Heart, body, and soul. He can literally have all of me, and not because he demands it. But because I want to belong to him. Is it so bad that I want to matter that much to someone?

The doorbell rings downstairs. It must be Dad’s first guest. He sighs, glancing up at me again.

“Just think about what I said, Cora. This is serious. Don’t just throw yourself away for some man you don’t even know.”

He leaves now and I shake my head to myself. He doesn’t understand. He never will. He doesn’t have what Dylan and I have. He doesn’t understand the concept of knowing the second you meet someone that they are the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. Maybe I’m crazy. Maybe I’m young and foolish and I’m going to fall flat on my face trying to make this work, but I have to at least try. I’d never forgive myself if I let this thing with Dylan go without a fight.

I stay upstairs for a little while as the guests flood in. When I head down to the party, I want to be ready to face Dylan again because I know for a fact that the next time I see him, we’re not going to be able to hold ourselves back. I’ve got this feeling in the pit of my stomach...tonight is the night.

Tonight is the night I lose my virginity to the man of my dreams.

When I head down the stairs, the house is busy already. There are people everywhere. The wine is flowing and music fills the air. As I come down the stairs, I feel eyes on me right away and turn to see my Dad keeping a close eye on me. I sigh. It’s going to be hard to keep out of his eyesight all night.

And it’s not his eyes I want on me. I want to feel Dylan’s sexy dark eyes on me. I know when he looks at me, I’ll feel it, as physically as if he were actually touching my skin.

I get myself a glass of wine and wait on the fringes of the party, hoping no one other than Dylan will come and speak to me. And then, I feel my skin heating up. A shiver runs up my spine and my center goes wet. And I know that it’s his eyes on my body now.

Our eyes meet across the room. Dylan’s dark eyes eat up my body hungrily. I take a deep breath, trying to control myself.

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