Page 37 of Pleasuring Professor Pisces
I decided Koi was worth fighting for. When class ended, I didn’t give a shit what people thought. I stayed right there in my seat and waited for everyone to leave class.
Koi looked up at me, spotted the firm, determined look on my face, and asked, “Yes, Mr. Gates. What may I do for you?”
Her voice was tired, and she sounded like she was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. I could make it all better if she just let me.
“Give me your time.”
“Mr. Gates, I really don’t think?—”
Standing from my seat and sauntering in her direction, I stopped her words.
“I ain’t asking you to think, Koi. I’m telling you to trust me.”
Her bottom lip quivered, and she rested a hand on the edge of her desk. She turned her head away from me and placed the tips of her fingers against her lips. I kept coming for her, though, and when I stood in front of her, she shook her head.
“You’re tired, baby girl. You’re tired of fighting your feelings for me. Tired of pretending you don’t want me. Tired of worrying about what everyone thinks. And I get that you’ve been fighting this fight long before I arrived. But you ain’t gotta fight it alone no more. If this school don’t appreciate what the fuck you got to offer, then that’s their loss. But I see you, and I want you. All I want to do is enhance your life. Tell me what you need, and I’ll give it to you.”
“I just want to be able to do my job without worrying about my personal life screwing that up. And I want to embrace my personal life without my job interfering.”
Her voice trembled, and though I knew I shouldn’t have, I took that final step and bridged the distance between us. I pulled her to me, but she resisted. I didn’t let go but held her wrist tightly and snatched her against my body.
“You’re going to get me fired, Salem.”
I wiped the tears from her face. “And then we’ll set you up in that shop we were talking about last week. You’ll sell yoursculptures and pottery, and you’ll give classes. You can still make an impact and shape minds without kissing ass, Koi.”
She pulled back from me and hissed. “I’m not kissing ass. I’m trying to keep a roof over my head, pay my bills, and put food in my mouth. I’m trying to earn a living, Salem.”
“And you already know that I can do all of that for you, ma.”
She shook her head and angrily swiped at the tears falling down her face.
“I watched you the entire class. You barely held on. You don’t think that everybody else noticed that shit too?”
“I didn’t expect that I would be so emotional seeing you again after our breakup, Salem. When you didn’t come back to class, I thought you had given up.”
“Do you love me?”
“What?”
“Do you love me?”
“Yes.”
“Then trust me.”
“I do trust you.”
“Meet me tonight at my place.”
“We’ll be going ’round in circles all over again, Salem.”
“I said what I said.”
I turned and walked away from her and headed out of the room. I knew that it wouldn’t be easy for her, but I had a plan. I just needed her to trust me and know that what I was doing was in both of our best interests.
I showered, dressed, and cooked. I set up the table on my balcony and placed candles on there to go along with the fairy lights that were strung up on my balcony. I turned on Sienna’s latest CD,Smoking Nights, and I sat on the deck and waited.
When seven o’clock hit, I called Koi, and the phone just rang and rang with no answer. I sent her a text.
