Page 31 of Lodged

“It was brought to my attention that a rumor is circulating in the environmental department, and as you could imagine, I was shocked when I heard my star student, Gio Bianchi, was involved in ‘dating a student’ allegations.”

I look him straight in the eye, even though I’m internally cursing at the fact that maybe Alyssa recognized Ruin after all. If I’m going to go down for this, I’ll go down with my head held high. I can figure out something else to do with my life, I just need to make sure Ruin doesn’t suffer because of this.

“I don’t want to know if the rumors are true. To be honest, the less I know, the better.” My eyebrows arch in surprise, and Dr. Smith chuckles. “Oh, Gio, I’ll let you in on a little secret—we’ve all been there, done that at some point. Don’t look so surprised. We are only human, after all. And even though the school has policies against fraternizing between faculty and students, the rules for you are a little less clear since technically, you’re a student, too.” I release a breath, and Dr. Smith chuckles.

“I’m willing to bend the rules for your benefit, since, from what I’ve seen, you haven’t shown her any favoritism or made special concessions for her.”

“What are you saying, Dr. Smith?” He smiles as he comes to stand in front of me.

“I’ll grade her work, and you’ll continue to be her teacher.” I open my mouth but no words come out.

“I have a feeling she’s special to you, this is not a fling.” I nod because I’m still speechless, and he’s not wrong.

“If this were another situation—if you were just having fun, or if she were a minor—it would be a completely different story. But I know you, Gio. You’re a good man.”

“Thank you, Dr. Smith. I honestly don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t mention it, and please try to be less obvious in class.” He pats my back and makes his way back to his desk. I nod and smile at him as I leave his office.

“Thank you,Abuelo,” I say in a low voice, not doubting for a second that my guardian angel is behind my luck.

Last night, I pulled an all-nighter, and surprisingly, it wasn't for work. I was making sure these next couple of days with Ruin will be unforgettable. I hope she likes everything I’ve prepared for us. I told her to meet me at one of the private hangars of the airport. If she was confused by my request, she didn’t mention it. That’s another thing I need to talk to her about, though it feels weird as all hell to say, “Oh yes, by the way, I’m a billionaire.” That’s just not my style.

I got here earlier than the time I told her—I wanted to make sure everything was ready for us to go. When I see her coming down the escalator, my heart speeds up. She looks stunning with her hair down in soft waves, framing her gorgeous face. She’s wearing a burnt orange dress with a small white floral print, a sweetheart neckline, and a brown sweater. She usually wears suede boots, but today, she’s wearing Doc Martens—the perfect mix of sweet and sassy.

I rush to meet her at the bottom of the escalator, and when our eyes lock, no words are needed. I’m sure my eyes mirror hers, full of emotion.

“Hey,” I whisper when she’s in front of me.

“Hi,” she says in a breathy tone, and I wonder if she’s tired.

“You look stunning, Ruin,” I tell her honestly. She smiles, and I get lost in those clear green eyes.

I notice her chest rising and falling rapidly. My protective instinct immediately kicks in.

“Is everything okay? You seem a little out of breath.” She turns a pretty shade of pink, and my stupid brain catches on—maybe she’s excited to see me.

“Yes, everything is fine. I’m just happy to see you,” she says as she tucks a piece of hair behind her ear.

I grab her hand and place a kiss on the back of her palm. “So am I.” Her blush intensifies. If I keep looking at her, my dick is going to be standing at attention, and we’re not there yet.

“This way.” I place my hand on her lower back and grab her bag.

“Wait, I’m so confused. I thought you said we were going to Corolla.” She stops walking and looks up at me, her green eyes darkening.

“And we are. I just thought it’d be better if we flew there instead of driving for five hours.” Her lips part slightly, and I have to fight the sudden need to feel them against mine. “Come on, everything is ready to go,” I say, holding her hand in mine. When our fingers intertwine, it feels like I’ve found a piece of myself I didn’t know was missing. Her soft, delicate hand fits perfectly in mine. I give it a gentle squeeze, and she squeezes back.

“Gio, I must confess something,” Ruin says as soon as we’re seated, and the pilot tells us to get ready for takeoff.

“What is it?” I ask, trying to figure out if there’s something amiss.

“This is my first time flying, and I’m really nervous,” she admits, not meeting my gaze, and my heart warms seeing her so vulnerable.

“I was nervous the first time I flew, too. But I can assure you, we’re completely safe.” She nods, but her face is pale.

“Come here,” I tell her as I open my arm, and she buries her head against my chest—a deep sigh leaving her body.

Flight time is less than an hour, and once we were in the air, Ruin starts to relax a bit, but the majority of the flight was spent in comfortable silence. When we land, we get in one of my cars—a Mercedes Benz GLS—that I had previously arranged to be left at the airport for us.

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