Page 22 of One Night With My Grumpy Professor Daddy

I don’t know how to respond to that, so I just give her a little smile. “Oh, I didn’t mean to do any of that.” I might as well not even bother because she keeps speaking. “I can’t wait for his other classes. It seems like this semester’s gonna be fun.” She grabs Monica’s hand, and they walk away. I don’t have time to figure out the look Ana threw me just before they left because Daphne turns to me, her eyes the size of saucers. “You challenged him in front of the whole class?”

“That’s not what happened per se.” Now it’s my turn for my cheeks to blush, and I busy myself with the lacy material of the lingerie she’s holding.

Daphne’s lips stretch, and she takes a step closer, her fingers spread out as she counts down. “Five, four… “

“Daphne, wait!”

“You know what’s coming…three, two...”

I think about bursting into a giggle fit in the middle of the mall and cave in.

“OK! OK! Fine. Just don’t tickle me.” She drops her hands, plops next to me, and says slyly. “So, I see ignoring him and pretending like your past didn’t happen didn’t work, so what now.”

I smirk…nothing about Professor Armstrong can be ignored.

“The thing is, even though I tried ignoring, I can’t stop thinking about him. I mean, some days he’s a grumpy pain in the ass, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to rip his shirt off and-”

“And jump his bones,” Daphne finishes. I remember the day in his office when I orgasmed, asking him that question and ran out of his office without waiting for a response.

“Oh, you have that look on your face. Omg, come on, spill. Something happened already, what is it?” I sigh and tell her what happened at his office. And when I finish, I end it with another sigh.

Daphne grins. “OMG, that’s awesome! Anyone could’ve busted in at any time, so fucking hot! Shit, I would’ve melted like lava all over him.”

Ava…hahaha… now you can finally have him rub that infamous tongue all over you.”

I quench her excitement with a reality check. She’s not lying—I can’t stay away, “But messing up a second time, Daph? I’m still paying from when I screwed up four years ago, I can’t afford that right now. I mean, he’s hot, there’s no denying, but he’s my fucking professor... my professor. It’s a recipe for disaster.” Daphne puts a hand on my shoulder and lets out a sigh before she speaks, “Come on, babe, you can’t keep beating yourself up for what happened in the past.”

“I ruined my family’s law practice. I’ll never live that down—It was reckless. And now my father can’t even look me in the eye or say as much as two sentences to me. I mean, who wouldn’t be bitter from a scandal like that?” Daphne rubs my back. “Ava, that was years ago, you trusted someone you shouldn’t have, and he turned out to be an asshole. “He told Daniel Strong about your family’s secrets, and they used it to take down your dad’s firm. No one could’ve seen that coming.

“Hm, you’re right about that.”

“You just turned twenty-one—you were doing what was natural, trusting a friend.”

“I know… It’s just – this is my do-over. I can’t screw it up.”

“You’re already making up for it by becoming a lawyer and fixing this whole mess. So, give yourself a break, uh?”

I just nod in response. Trying to lighten up the mood, Daphne rises to her feet and raises both lingerie again. “So, red or black.”

“Red.”

“OK, red it is.”

We pay for our outfits and say our goodbyes. Just before we get into our separate cabs, Daphne calls out. “I’ll see you at the Inn. OK?” I grin. “OK…see you there, by babe!” After shopping, I head home to do what I always do. What’s kept me on the dean’s list for years…I study. Is this even a life? I sift through my course load, trying to check each of my classes ahead… It’s all I’ve known for three and a half years.

What am I doing?

The plan: get my life together and correct my wrongs. But he’s my professor.

Damn, this is all too much. Regardless of my moments of weakness, I can’t afford to mess up again.

I have to try to move past it and avoid him at all costs. My phone dings. Wow… speak of the devil, it’s him.

Subject: Review and Suggested Improvements for Your Project

Dear Ava

I hope this email finds you well.

---