Page 38 of Campus Daddies

She’s back in those short shorts and the billowy T-shirt. When she straightens, I can see the outlines of her breasts against the loose fabric and the tightening of her nipples.

I suck in a hard breath and blow it out slowly, moving to the table.I am fucked.

Her hair tangles over her shoulder, and her face is bright pink from the shower. I like how she looks freshly scrubbed. She slides into one of the chairs, her bare legs drawn up around her as she grabs one of the cartons I’ve laid out.

“This is a nice end to an intense day.” She uses the cheap chopsticks with ease, and I’m a little jealous as I stab my noodles with a fork.

It’s a struggle to keep my gaze off her, to not stare at the new pieces of her I’m seeing.

“You are such a plebian.” Her voice is harsh, but she’s fighting a smile.

“We didn’t all grow up with your worldly parents, Sofia.”

“Don’t be fooled. I know I’m lucky.” She blinks at me. “What about your parents?”

I shrug. “Been married forty years. Mom’s a nurse. Dad’s a truck driver. I grew up in a pretty normal middle-class household.”

“Don’t knock normal. Sometimes, I wish that’s what I had.” She balances a scoop of fried rice in her chopsticks, and I’m truly baffled when she doesn’t make a mess.

“Really?”

“My parents are awesome. Don’t get me wrong. But sometimes, it would have been nice to have my mom home for more than half the year. I got to travel to see her, but she missed a lot.” Her gaze dips, and I swear this is the first bit of insecurity I’ve ever seen in her.

What types of things did she miss? It’s on the tip of my tongue, but I can already imagine the small, mundane things shedidn’t get to witness. The advice a teenage girl would need from her mom. Big stuff, too, like first kisses and boyfriends.

Is that why she’s so self-reliant? So hesitant to ask for help? To trust?

Is that why she seems to overwhelm me so easily? All of that overly organized and controlled, messy chaos?

Am I just a sucker for a woman I shouldn’t want?

We sit in silence for a bit, a movie on in the background. I’ve noticed she likes to have background noise, something she can be distracted by when she needs a moment with her thoughts.

The lack of conversation doesn’t get heavy. We’re past that now, given our long silences on the bus ride here.

When we make a dent in the food, Sofia leans back in her chair, the underside of her leg teasing me with all of that flesh, and I can’t help myself. Reaching forward, I grab her by the toes and tug her foot into my hand.

She startles but doesn’t pull away, watching me warily as I set her foot in my lap and turn back to the television.

Her head falls back as she sinks lower. “How likely do you think it is that Leann will get herself kicked off set again?”

I laugh softly. “I’m eighty-nine percent sure she’ll get herself kicked off the set again.”

Sofia giggles with me. “I don’t know what either of us has done to deserve her, but something good had better be coming our way for having to deal with that girl.”

My hand creeps up her ankle to her calf, squeezing lightly. Her eyelids flutter to half mast, and I feel my control slipping. When I squeeze her again, she lets out a soft huff of breath. I bet she could do with a massage. Some proper taking care of.

It’s not something I have permission to give her. The want to give and take more makes me put her foot down and stand.

She turns to look a question at me.

“I’m going to shower. We should get to bed. Another long day tomorrow.”

Her nod turns her back to the tv, and she pulls her leg back to herself as I retreat.

The shower cleans my skin and hair, but my thoughts only grow dirtier. Every part of me is battling with the possibilities in the room outside that door. The inevitabilities with Sofia that mean confessing things to her that might make her reject me.

I still have to tell her.

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