Page 111 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 1
"Okay."
I felt like I was in a dream. After being so mad at him last week, it seemed surreal that my secret was what could potentially ruin us. But maybe he was still holding something back too.
"What's wrong, Penny?" He squeezed my hand.
"I don't want there to be any more secrets between us," I said.
He gazed into my eyes. I thought he might offer one of his, but he stayed silent. He looked unsettled. I didn't want to do this; I didn't want for this to end. I moved so that I was sitting on his lap, facing him. I put my hands on the sides of his face and he moved his so that they were on the small of my back.
"You're so handsome. I still don't know what you see in me."
"I see everything that I've always wanted." He kissed my cheek where a tear had fallen.
"I need to tell you something. And you have to promise that you won't get mad."
"Just tell me." He kissed my other cheek where I had shed another tear.
I leaned in and kissed him. I wanted to remember what it felt like for him to want me, for him to trust me. He moved his hand to the back of my neck and pulled me into him. Everything seemed so simple when we kissed. It was just right. It was perfect. I moved my head back. He was looking at me with the familiar lust in his eyes. If I wanted, I could have him again right now. And I really wanted to. I placed one last swift kiss on his eager lips.
"You have to promise," I said again.
"Okay. I promise that I won't get mad."
"My birthday is on October 15th."
"That's good to know. I'll make sure to clear my schedule."
"No, that's not what's bothering me." I grabbed his hands from my back, moved them to his lap, and held them firmly. I wasnever going to let go of his hands. If I let go, he might slip away from me. "I lied to you."
Professor Hunter's brow creased, but he didn't say a word.
"I've been lying to you ever since you walked me home from that party. I didn't mean to. At first I just didn't want to get in trouble. But now it's so much more. I don't want to hurt you. I don't want this to be over."
"Penny, I told you that I'm not going anywhere. Just tell me." He squeezed my hands.
I took a deep breath. "I'm not a senior."
I could see his body tense. It looked like I had slapped him across the face. He didn't look mad though, just surprised.
"I'm a sophomore. But my birthday is October 15th. I'll be 20 in just a couple weeks."
His handsome features looked strained. "You're only 19?" He pulled his hands away from mine. He was already slipping away.
"I'm practically 20."
He ran both his hands through his hair. "Oh God, I've been serving you alcohol. I could have been arrested."
"I know, I'm sorry."
"You're only 19?" His voice sounded pained. He put his hands on his cheeks and rubbed his scruff. "Penny."
"I know that I should have told you."
"You made me feel awful for not telling you about Isabella. And the whole time you were lying to me?"
"I know, I'm so sorry."
"I told you how hard it is for me to trust people. This is why. Because no one is trustworthy. I thought you were different."
