Professor Richter's Rules

by Jessa York

  Suddenly dropping my hands, he dug his thumb and index finger into the corners of his eyes as he sniffed. “Anything you and the baby need, it’s yours. You just let me know.”

  My cold heart melted as I watched his face. His emotional response baffled me. “So, you want to be involved?” I asked cautiously, not sure what he was going to do or say next.

  Jake let out a loud snort/hiccough then sniffed again only louder. His face turned to me as his arm reached around, pulling me in for a side hug. “Yeah, I want to be involved.” One more sniff, then he placed a kiss on the top of my head. “Very involved.” My stomach clenched, not quite believing what he said.

  Pushing away slightly, he said, “If you’ll let me?” My heart ached hearing his voice crack over those four words like he was walking across thin ice.

  I nodded. “If you want. It’s your baby, too.” No matter how mad I was at him, I’d never keep Jake away from his child.

  A huge smile spread across his face. “Yeah, it is.”

  Just then we heard a door open and close. George poked her head around the corner. “I hate to break this up, but classes are going to be out in like one minute.” After that she disappeared, the door swinging behind her.

  “Damn, I better get out of here before someone sees.” He stood then reached down to help me up. Gladly accepting the assistance, I gripped, holding on as he pulled me up. His thumbs caressed the sensitive skin on the backs of my hands, sending a calming warmth throughout me. “We’ll talk later.”

  In a flash he was gone, leaving me alone to figure out what had just happened.

  35

  Paige

  “You are not going to back out,” Holly said to me, her eyes as wide as dinner plates. “Please, please, please, you need to be there.” Her hands dug into my arms as I hesitated to enter the fancy restaurant we currently stood in front of.

  “I feel fat and gross,” I said, not lying one tiny bit. The seams on the dress I wore were in imminent danger.

  Holly’s hands went to her hips as her eyes lifted skyward. “Oh please,” she said, drawing out that last word for what seemed like forever.

  “What are we arguing about in public now?” Alex traipsed up, throwing his white, silk scarf over one shoulder.

  Holly turned to him, an incredulous stare covering her face. “Paige thinks she looks fat.”

  His eyebrows shot up as he stepped back. “Shut your mouth,” he said, his hands also darting straight to his hips. “You my dear are the very definition of a 1950’s pinup girl if I ever did see one.”

  Shifting my weight, I said, “Too bad it’s not 1950.”

  Clasping his chest as though he was in pain, he shrieked, “Let me tell you something, girlie. 1950 never goes out of style. You’ve always had the boobs and the booty. Now, thanks to babykins, you’ll just have more.”

  I tried to argue but Alex wouldn’t hear it. “Tut, tut, tut, hush that mouth. I’m going to blame your attitude on the hormones.” His arm slung through mine, forcing me to walk with him. “Our girl, Holly, needs us as buffers tonight and friends don’t let friends back out on buffering.”

  Opening the door for us, Holly giggled. “Thanks, you guys.”

  “Save it for your award acceptance speeches, doll. Just make sure they spell my name right.”

  The chandelier hanging above us was gargantuan. Lights reflecting this way and that off of it mesmerized me. “This way,” Holly said, pointing to a room off to the side. A sign stood outside the door, Marshall/Anderson Party.

  It gave me goosebumps to see their names together like that. I was so happy for my friend and her fiancé.

  “Now make sure you don’t mention anything about where we’re getting married. His parents have been fighting about it daily,” she whispered to us as she gave us the downlow.

  “Where are you getting married?” I asked, feeling bad that I was one of her best friends and I didn’t know.

  “As of last night, Evan said we would stop off at City Hall this weekend.” She laughed quietly. “His mom wants us to book the L.A. Lux.”

  Alex’s face exploded in happiness. “Oh. My. God. The Lux is fabulous.” His hands clapped together.

  Holly scowled at him. “It’s a two-year waitlist.”

  That made me giggle. There was no way Evan was going to wait another two years to marry Holly no matter what his mother wanted.

  Walking through the big doors, we were immediately greeted by Evan’s mom. “Darling,” she said, giving Holly a quick hug. “Come with me. Your friends can find any empty seat.” She whisked Holly off, leaving us in their dust.

  “Uh oh, so much for buffer duty,” Alex said.

  We watched Holly silently turn around and mouth the words, “Help me.”

  Glancing at the table, my heart sunk. It was completely full of people. “There’s nowhere to sit.”

  “My little eye spies a hot guy,” Alex sang in a melodic voice, peering off to the left-hand side of the room. “You should sit closer to the head of the table anyway. I’m sure you’ll have plenty to talk about down there.” He pranced away before I could object.

  In the distance, I saw Jake stand. My eyes watched as he stepped further away from the table, crooking a finger at me. Devastatingly handsome didn’t come close to how he looked tonight. I felt his gaze travel down my body then back up, the hint of a smile playing on his lips.

  Damn that man and his good looks. There was no other choice in seating unless I decided to play a dirty game of duck, duck, goose.

  Once I was near enough to Jake, his hand circled my arm, pulling me to him. Speaking into my ear, he said, “You are absolutely stunning. That dress is magnificent.” His lips brushed my ear, making me shiver. I could feel my nipples harden with his contact.

  Pulling my head back, I moved toward the vacant spot beside his. Jake slid the chair out for me. “I have no idea how I managed to pour myself into it,” I said, bending down to sit. The last inch to the cushion was apparently the breaking point. A loud, ripping sound followed by a blast of cool air on my behind shocked me.

  “Oh no,” I whispered to myself, feeling the touch of two warm hands on my shoulders, pushing me the rest of the way down.

  Jake slid into his chair beside me. “Nobody saw. Here,” he said, taking off his suit coat then helping me into it.

  “How far up did it go?” I asked, sticking my arms into the sleeves. A waft of Jake’s spicy cologne shot up my nostrils, making me nearly swoon.

  Leaning back inconspicuously he lifted the back of the jacket. “Umm, pretty far.” Instead of dropping the coat back down to cover me right away, he lingered back there.

  Finally, I shoved my hand behind me. “Would you stop,” I whispered to him sharply.

  He winked at me, the side of his mouth curled up deviously. “Can’t help it.”

  “You’re terrible,” I said, securing the bottom of the coat under my behind.

  “Yeah, but you like it.” Taken aback by his flirtatious attitude, I leaned into my chair and ignored him. This was definitely going to be the longest supper ever.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked me, turning his body toward mine.

  “Embarrassed and a bit cold, thank you very much,” I spat out, arranging the cloth napkin on my lap.

  He started chuckling. Unfortunately for me, I’d always found his laughter contagious. Soon tears were running down my cheeks and we were both lost in our own hilarity. “It-it-happened right after you said,” Jake thwacked his thigh, “I don’t know how-how-how I managed to pour myself into it.”

  My shoulders were shaking so hard it was difficult to catch my breath. Looking up, I noticed all eyes were on us. Grabbing his arm, I squeezed it tight to get his attention.

  “Well, you two really must let us in on the joke,” Evan’s mother said with more than a hint of annoyance.

  Jake cleared his throat. “It’s an inside joke, Janet. I can’t reveal the story behind it.”

  Not at all prepared fo
r that to come out of his mouth, I snorted loudly, restarting our laughing fit all over again. Holly looked over at me with a smile on her face. I mouthed an, “I’m sorry,” to her. She just shook her head, grinning bigger.

  Eventually, people began to carry on their own conversations while Jake and I settled down. “You’re awful,” I said, wiping my eyes again.

  “You’re a good sport. I couldn’t help myself,” he said, still snickering. In that moment, our eyes locked as his hand reached for mine. “I miss this, Paige. Being with you. Laughing. Being silly. I’m so sorry for—everything. I should have told you what the Dean said to me.”

  “Yes, you should have.”

  His eyes closed as his other hand covered mine. “I know. If I could go back, I’d tell you. But the one thing you have to believe is the depth of my feelings for you. I love you. So much. And I already love the baby you’re carrying.”

  “Isn’t that nice for you two,” Evan’s mother said. Jake and I hadn’t noticed everyone staring and listening to us. Again. “Do you mind if we interrupt and make a toast to the engaged couple?” If I could have sunk into a hole right then and there I would have.

  “Sorry, Janet,” Jake said, sitting back in his chair, motioning her to carry on. And boy, could she talk. Not to be outdone, Evan’s dad then stood up, speaking for twice as long as she had.

  I didn’t really mind because Jake held my hand in his the whole time.

  Four courses and a few glasses of water later I needed a bathroom, or my bladder was going to burst. Shoving my chair back, Jake immediately panicked. “Are you okay?”

  “Fine, just going to the restroom,” I said under my breath. Careful to hold the back of his jacket down as I stood, I grabbed my purse.

  “Want me to walk with you?” he asked, worry etched on his handsome face.

  “I’m good. I’ll be right back.”

  Wandering out into the lobby, I kept an eye out for any restroom signs. Spotting one down the hall, I headed toward it.

  Pushing open the door, I stepped inside. The echo of my footsteps was the only sound I could hear.

  After I washed my hands, a gorgeous blonde walked in. I gave her a tight smile while I dug into my purse for lip gloss. “You’re with Jake, right?” she asked, dropping her bag on the counter.

  “Umm, I know him. Are you at the party for Evan and Holly?” I asked even though I now remembered seeing her near the other end of the table.

  “Yep. I’m surprised you could see me. They dumped me over in no-man’s-land. Or maybe I should say, no-Jake-land.” She let out a forced laugh as my stomach twisted.

  Flipping open a round compact she picked up the small sponge, dabbing it on her face. “You’re pregnant? It’s Jake’s?” The mystery woman arched a questioning eyebrow in my direction.

  A wave of nausea hit me like a ton of bricks. I hadn’t even told my own mother and here a complete stranger was asking me. “Umm.”

  She laughed again. “Honey, all of us at the table heard.” Our eyes met in the mirror. “He got me pregnant, too. Twice.” The world as I knew it shifted. My head started to spin. What did she just say? Jake lied to me? He had kids that I didn’t know about? Children that he hadn’t told me about?

  “You should have heard him beg me to keep them.” Her head shook from side to side. “I mean, does this body look like it should get all fat and distorted by some kid?”

  I was stunned into silence—unable to speak. My hands reached for the countertop in front of me. “Don’t listen to him, honey. He even cried when I made the appointments to terminate. I mean he’s hot and all, but the guy cried. What kind of man cries?” she asked, looking straight at me now. If I could have found my voice, I would have told her I knew exactly what kind of man shed tears when he found out you were pregnant. A real man.

  “Anyway, do what you want. Don’t let some rich guy tell you what to do with your body.” She stuck her makeup back in her purse before shrugging it back on her shoulder. “Mistakes happen to everyone. It’s not too late.” Then she twirled around and glided out the door.

  All the air left my lungs. Putting my hands on my knees, I concentrated on breathing. If I fell over in here, there was nobody to pick me up. A few minutes of trying to compose myself later, I picked up my purse. My heart hurt so bad for Jake. I had to get out of there.

  No way was I going back to sit at the table with that woman staring me down. Still finding it hard to breathe, I somehow found the strength to jerk the door open.

  “Paige?” Jake called from where he was standing in the middle of the hall. He’d followed me to make sure I was okay. Even after I told him I was fine.

  He’d cried out of joy and what I now knew was relief when I’d told him I was keeping our baby.

  He still loved me even though I shut him out instead of giving him a chance to explain.

  I loved him like I never thought it was possible to love someone.

  Without thinking, I ran straight into his arms. “Whoa, what’s—”

  “I love you, Jake.” I managed to squeak out before I gave in to a long, body wracking sob. I’d been so stupid.

  His body relaxed under my arms as I squeezed him so hard my arms began to hurt. “I love you, Paige. So much.” He rubbed my back with one hand while holding my head protectively to his chest with the other.

  Jake held me like that for a while, occasionally kissing the top of my head as we swayed together. I could feel the strong comforting beat of his heart under my ear. “What’s going on? Why are you crying?” he asked, his lips skimming my temple.

  Shaking my head as I dug further into him, I said, “I’ve been so stupid.”

  “Hey, hey, stop. No, you haven’t. Talk to me, Paige. You’re scaring me.”

  “I can’t go back in there. Take me home?” I leaned back, looking up at him.

  Tilting his head, he replied, “Yeah, of course.” Lifting up on my toes, I touched my mouth to his. Jake sighed, hauling my body into his. The moment our tongues touched I attacked. I needed him and nothing was going to stop me.

  My hands crept up his chest to his shoulders, pulling them down, pressing myself to him. His arms tightened around me while he deepened the kiss. “I got a room.”

  “What?” I asked, still dazed from his kiss.

  “Upstairs.” He jerked his head upward. “I got us a room,” he said, his eyes drifting to my cleavage.

  “You rented a hotel room here?” I asked, shocked at his boldness.

  His head nodded, eyes almost bashful. “Just in case.” The tip of his index finger traced along the top of my breast.

  “That was very presumptuous of you.”

  “I like to think of it as being hopeful.” His eyes sparkled at me.

  Giggling, I kissed him one more time before linking my arm with his. “We shouldn’t let a good room go to waste.”

  “My thoughts exactly.”

  36

  Jake

  If there was ever a sexier woman alive, I don’t know who it would possibly be. Paige laid on my chest, worn out from our make-up-sex exertions. And boy, did she exert herself.

  “Ready to talk now?” I asked as I lightly grazed the skin on her thigh and hip with my fingertips.

  “Do we have to?” Paige asked, sighing beautifully while playing with my chest hair.

  “Did Amelia talk to you in the bathroom?” I asked, afraid that evil witch had taken the chance to spread her venom.

  She rested her head on her hand, looking at me. “Long blonde hair? Looks like she belongs on a Vogue or Cosmo cover?”

  Amelia actually did model in Europe but I decided not to mention that. “The blonde who was in the bathroom with you. Did she say anything?” I asked, hoping like hell that awful woman had kept to herself.

  Paige nodded. “What did she say?”

  “Enough.” Her eyes began to get shiny.

  “You need to tell me what she said.”

  “She told me you’d gotten her pregnant twice and then
advised me to get rid of our baby.” Her voice hitched as a few tears escaped.

  Wiping them with my thumb, I attempted to reign in the anger I felt toward Amelia. “I’m so sorry she cornered you. I should have known she’d try to get you alone.”

  “It’s true? Everything she said?”

  Taking a deep breath, I told her the whole horrible story. “She’s Evan’s cousin. I’d known her for a while, and we developed an—unhealthy relationship to say the least. Honestly, I’m not even sure if I was really the one who got her pregnant. Amelia was never fully monogamous.”

  “I was young and stupid and hung up on someone who didn’t feel the same way about me. Evan did his best to warn me off, but I never listened.”

  “You finally did, though?”

  Stroking Paige’s hair, I thought about how damn lucky I was to find her and have her naked in bed right now. “After the second time she told me she was pregnant, it cut me to the core.” The stinging behind my eyes began to throb. “It took that long to realize she didn’t care about me or my feelings—and she never really did.”

  “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

  The sincerity in her eyes did me in. With a groan, I rolled her over, touching my lips to hers. Kissing down her neck, my hand traveled to her rounded belly. “I can’t believe you have our baby in there. It feels warm. Almost hot,” I said, my palm covering the center of her stomach.

  “Tell me about it. It’s like I have my own personal furnace. I can’t even sleep with pajamas on anymore.”

  “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” I chuckled, kissing over to the other side of her neck as she sighed.

  “I’m just—worried.”

  The small catch in her tone made me stop what I was doing. “About what?”

  “If the baby’s okay. Telling my mom. Quitting school.”

  Propping up my head in my hand, I stared down at her. “There’s a whole lot there. How about we take this one task at a time?”