Page 26 of Six Nights in Paradise

Jason wanted me and I readily granted his wish. I let him fuck me on his desk, basking in the taboo nature of our tryst. It was exhilarating and a little dangerous. It was after hours and though no one else was there that late, there was still a slight risk of getting caught. If I’d known what the consequences would be, it wouldn’t have been nearly as exciting.

“Our affair continued well into the next semester, and just before finals, it all came crashing down.” I took several deep breaths, needing to fill my lungs with oxygen before spilling the next part. It was by far the worst of it.

“I was sitting in the lecture hall one day while he was reviewing items for our final when the door creaked open and a woman walked in.” I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to rid my mind of the memory of her, but it was forever burned into my brain. “She was stunning. Long blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes, and a designer handbag thrown over her shoulder. She came in smiling from ear to ear. Jason turned to see who’d waltzed in and interrupted his class and froze. ‘Surprise!’ she said and placed a hand on her protruding belly, rubbing it affectionately.”

He dropped his dry erase marker, and to anyone else, it probably looked like he was just surprised and excited to see her, but I knew the truth. He was shitting his pants because hisverypregnant wife had just walked into the classroom where his mistress was sitting front and center.

“It took me a moment to figure out what was going on. But when she stepped up to him and he pulled her in for a kiss, my world crumbled.” Oohs and ahhs echoed through the room, but I felt like I was going to throw up. “I was devastated, so I grabbed my things and bolted. That move raised suspicion among some of my classmates, or maybe it solidified it. The next week I was having a meeting with the dean to discuss my future at the university.”

“Wait a minute,” Dalton said, raising up onto his elbow and staring down at me. “Why wouldyourfuture at the university be called into question?”

“Because I had a sexual relationship with a professor,” I responded slowly, confused by his question. Student-professor relationships were strictly forbidden, and I’d broken the rules.

“But you’re not in a position of power.Heis. If anybody’s future at the university should be in jeopardy, it’s his,” he seethed, ire burning like a flame in his deep chocolate eyes.

“He’s on probation and not allowed to teach again until fall semester. They required him to take leave over the summer.”

Worked out perfect for him, really. His wife would be giving birth and his adulterous ass would get to spend the next three months at home with them. Meanwhile, I’d gotten off-course on my track to early graduation because of this.

“They requested I sit the summer session out and resume classes in the fall. I was just grateful they let me complete finals and didn’t kick me out of school. My parents would have killed me. They had a proctor take over for Jason’s classes that week so we wouldn’t have any contact.”

There were lots of murmurings overthatand I caught several of my classmates giving me the side eye. They knew. Anyone who’d been paying attention all semester must’ve known what was going on, and my reaction to seeing him with his wife only solidified their suspicions.

“Taylor,” he gritted out, raising his hand to his forehead and pinching his brows together, “they can’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Kick you out of school for that.”

“What are you talking about? I slept with mymarriedprofessor.”

“That doesn’t matter. He was your superior. He had the power to pass or fail you; you had no such power over him. Sleeping with a student putshisfuture at stake, not yours. It should be written in your university’s handbook.”

“Then why did they question me so extensively? They made it seem like I did something worthy of expulsion.”

“I don’t know, but they were wrong. And that’s intimidation. You need to hire a lawyer.”

I bristled at his suggestion. I just wanted this to go away. I never wanted to see Jason again, and I certainly never wanted to be in that seat across from the dean again.

“Has he contacted you since?”

“He texted me to say he was sorry and that he never meant to hurt me.” I rolled my eyes. What a crock of shit. He was just sorry he got caught. “He went on to say that he and his wife were having problems when everything started and the stress of becoming a father had gotten to him.”

Dalton’s jaw tightened and I feared it would snap in half. His own father bailed on him and his mom early on, claiming it was too much. He wasn’t cut out to be a father, and Dalton was the one who suffered for it. At least he had my dad. Anything our dad did with Aiden, he did with Dalton, too. I was pretty sure he even gave him the birds and bees talk so his poor mom wouldn’t have to.

“None of this is your fault. You know that, right?” He said it with so much conviction, I almost believed him.

“I didn’t know he was married. I didn’t know he was about to have a baby. But I knew I shouldn’t have pursued a relationship with him and knew I shouldn’t have slept with him. So yeah, that part’s on me.”

“I’m not saying sleeping with your professor wasn’t a mistake-” I winced at his words, but he continued, “but you did nothing to deserve the way they treated you. They never should have held your education over your head. That can’t go unanswered for.”

His ire was oddly comforting. I reached up and cupped his face, reveling in the feel of his stubble against my palm.

“Thank you.”

His features softened, his furrowed brow relaxing a bit. “For what?”

“For having my back,” I replied. “And for not making me feel more ashamed than I already do,” I added candidly.

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