Page 9 of Third Chances (Men of Manhattan 2)

"You have to measure stuff for baking. Like adding fractions and stuff. And doubling recipes and all that goodness."

"I have all my recipes memorized. And I've always been more of a handful and a pinch person than a cup and a teaspoon person. And Bryce handles all the financial stuff for me. I live a math free life and I love it."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. But I use calculus every day."

"Only because you teach that useless skill to kids every day." Alina pointed out the window.

I turned. She had successfully distracted me during takeoff. "Thanks." I leaned back in my seat.

"Speaking of which," Alina said. "Did any sexy football players have crushes on you this year?"

I laughed. "I don't know why you always assume my students have crushes on me."

"Because you're hot," Kristen said. "And students always have crushes on their hot teachers. It's a fact."

"But I'm like five years older than my oldest student."

"Age doesn't matter. It's just about the hotness. And you being in charge and all that. It's sexy. And so off limits. All the guys probably drool over you."

"You're so ridiculous." I thought about the fact that Rick said his son had a crush on me. Was it normal for teachers to get birthday presents from students? And being Facebook friends wasn't weird, was it? Was I already crossing so many lines and didn't even know it? Fuck, do lots of my students have crushes on me?

Alina laughed. "Kristen would know. She's an expert on this subject."

"Why? Because she stalked Professor Hunter?" I asked.

"Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa. I did not stalk Professor Hunter. Stalking is such a harsh word."

Layla laughed. "That's true. Stalking is creepy. And from everything I've heard about Kristen's behavior, she was just being a silly, flirtatious college student."

"See. And Layla's had to file restraining orders against stalkers. She knows her stuff. I was just totally in love with Professor Hunter for that one semester. And I wish I knew how that other student slept with him when I made it so obvious that I wanted him. Like...so obvious. I mean, I could have fulfilled all his needs. All of them. Especially the really kinky sexual ones. And I guess sometimes I still think about what he's doing at night. And obviously I'd still like to fulfill all his dirty, dirty needs."

"Stalker," I coughed into my hand.

"I'm not. And besides, I'm in love with Tim now. You know that. But none of you can seriously deny the fact that you think Professor Hunter is hot. He's like, the perfect male specimen. Plus he's so smart. I could listen to one of his lectures all day."

Alina shrugged. "I didn't realize that you were still in love with him."

"I'm not. But when we're all talking about him, it makes my mouth water."

"So, tell me this, Layla," Alina said. "Is finding out where Professor Hunter lived and hanging out outside his building hoping to run into him stalking?"

"Um..."

"And going to his office hours all the time, making up stupid questions to ask him, and always working in the phrase, 'I'm very mature for my age,' into every assignment?"

Layla looked at Kristen. "You didn't tell me all that, crazy."

Kristen laughed. "Fine. I stalked Professor Hunter. Whatever. Gosh, if I knew I was a stalker, I would have broken into his apartment or done something even crazier. I feel like I wasted an opportunity."

"So what if you saw him again? What would you do?" Layla asked.

"Kiss his beautiful face. I just want to taste his skin."

I started laughing. "Kristen, he's engaged."

"So?"

"That would be like some maniac trying to make out with Alina."

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