Page 93 of Teacher's Pet

"Promise?"

Fuck.

I don’t make promises.

I never keep them.

But this time…?

Her glossed over eyes make the words slip from my mouth before I can stop them.

"I promise."

Chapter 18

Anastasia

Noah’s alarm blares like a police siren, ripping me from the depths of sleep. My body jolts, a small gasp escaping my lips as I blink away the haze. The sheets around me are cold.

The other side of the bed untouched.

Did he even sleep?

The last thing I remember is talking to him, rambling on until the bathwater turned cold and the exhaustion had won.

Now, the clock beside me flashes 5:00 AM, an ugly, fluorescent reminder of how much I despise mornings.

A faint commotion stirs beyond the bedroom, a soft clatter of dishes, the muffled sizzle of something in a pan.

Curious, I push myself up, body protesting with soreness from last night’s… events.

Tugging on one of Noah’s shirts, I step cautiously toward the ajar door, creeping forward with silent footsteps.

The first thing I see is his back.

Muscled, scarred, beautiful.

He stands at the stove, barefoot, the waistband of his work pants hanging low on his hips, his shirt draped over one of the island chairs.

A quiet humming drifts from his lips, the soft, absentminded kind that feels out of place from him.

The scent of rich coffee, butter, and something warm and savory fills the air, mixing with the faint traces of his cologne from last night.

I linger in the doorway, watching him.

For a man who exudes control, danger, and dominance, he looks peaceful right now.

Like he’s in a world untouched by chaos.

And for some reason, the last thing I want to do is disturb him.

"Good morning, Anastasia."

His voice cuts through the air, hot and thick with desire, like he knew I was standing there all along.

A shiver rolls down my spine.

Given the brutal punishment my body endured last night, you’d think the last thing I could feel is arousal.

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