by Ivy Smoak
It was just as big as his bedroom. The room was long and wrapped back around to the front of the apartment so that there were windows overlooking Main Street to one side. All the furniture was modern and the room had kind of a sleek vibe to it. His desk was positioned near the window to get the best view. Two of the walls were covered in floor to ceiling bookcases. There was a whiteboard on the other wall, covered in some type of mathematical formulas, but nothing I knew how to decipher. He hadn't been joking. The room was clean, but there was stuff everywhere. It was a lot more like what I assumed a bachelor pad would look like. There was even a dartboard and a little basketball hoop above the trash can.
"You're kind of a hoarder," I said as I walked farther into the room.
"I'm not a hoarder," he laughed. "I actually use all this stuff."
"What on earth do you need this many computers for?" There were at least a dozen throughout the room.
He shrugged his shoulders.
"And you do have T.V.'s." There were a few mounted next to the whiteboard.
"Oh. Well, yes, but I just use them as monitors. They're hooked up to my computers."
I looked at the leather sofa in the corner. There was a pillow and a blanket on it. "So the rest of your apartment is immaculate because you spend all your time in here?"
"I spend most of my free time in here, yes."
"Well, you seemed very judgy of my wonderfully comfortable dorm room bed. Yet, you usually sleep on a leather sofa?"
"I've been finding it hard to fall asleep in my bed when you're not in it with me." He pressed his lips together.
"Oh." The way he was looking at me made me flush. He was so distracting. I walked over to his desk. "So this is where all your personal stuff is?" I lifted up a picture frame off his desk. There was a picture of him with a woman I didn't recognize and a younger man that looked a little like him. They all had similar features. Professor Hunter's hair was slightly longer in it and he was smiling brightly. He looked a little younger. They were all dressed in fancy clothes. It looked like he and the other guy were wearing tuxedos. "Are these your siblings?"
He walked over to me. "Yeah."
"What are their names?"
"Jennifer and Rob."
"When was this taken?" I had a fleeting thought that it might be from his wedding.
"At the launch party of my company."
"Is that a thing? That's rather extravagant."
"It was a P.R. nightmare."
"How old were you?"
"22."
"Hmm."
"What?" He was smiling down at me.
"You look so happy in this picture. Do you miss it?"
"Running a company?"
"Yeah."
"You'd think that being a C.E.O. would mean I didn't have to answer to anyone." He sat down on the edge of his desk. "But most of my time was spent doing things I didn't love. I do miss certain parts though."
"Is that why you're thinking about starting a new company?"
"Well, as you have so eloquently pointed out, I've had a lot of free time. I needed something to occupy myself."
I laughed and moved between his legs. I put my hands down on his thighs. "I had a question about my present."
"And what is that?"
"The tickets to the Thanksgiving Day parade. Is that an invitation to meet your family?"
He smiled down at me. "If you want it to be."
"Do you think they'll like me?"
"Jennifer and Rob will love you."
"What about your parents?"
"If you could just laugh off everything they say like they're crazy people, that would be best."
"You don't think they'll like me? Why?"
He pulled me closer to him, making my hands slide farther up his thighs. "I don't like to try to think like them."
"Maybe they'll love me."
"Isn't my love enough?"
"Yes." I moved one of my hands to the waistline of his jeans. "Speaking of which, it's a shame that I'm supposed to be taking things easy. That probably means no sex."
"I don't think that's what that means."
"I'm pretty sure." I slipped my hand slightly beneath his waistline, running my fingers through his happy trail.
"I don't consider you to be one to shy away from breaking rules, Penny."
"Me?" I unbuttoned his jeans and slowly unzipped them. "I'm a stickler for the rules, Professor Hunter."
"So you'd be mad if, for example, I did this?" He leaned forward and pushed my jacket off my shoulders. I shook it the rest of the way off.
"Furious."
"What about this?" He pulled off my tank top and unhinged my bra.
"I'm so upset with you right now." I tried not to smile.
"Hmm." He slid off the edge of his desk. "What if I did this?" He pushed my yoga pants over my ass and slowly pulled them down my thighs. When they reached my knees, he released the fabric and they fell to the floor.
I gulped. "I can barely look at you I'm so angry."
"I figured. I'll respect your wishes then." He zipped his pants back up. "I'm going to go take a shower."
What? "Professor Hunter..."
"Don't worry, I'm taking you with me." He lifted me over his shoulder and carried me out of his office.
Chapter 15
Monday
I slowly opened my eyes. Light was shining through the blinds. Professor Hunter's arm was wrapped around me. I turned to look at him.
He groaned quietly, but his eyes remained closed. His hair was a little curly and there was scruff along his jaw line. He was perfect in every single way. And I was the luckiest girl in the world. I moved my head so that it was pressed against his chest. Everything seemed so simple when I was with him. It was when we weren't together that all the stupid thoughts hanging above me came falling down. I liked being in our own little bubble.
He was right. There was no point in waiting. We should be happy together now. And his bed really was more comfortable than mine. Or maybe it was just that it was comforting to know he was beside me. Maybe I'd just stay here forever. I kissed his collarbone and then underneath his chin.
"Mmm," he mumbled.
"I like waking up next to you."
"I could get used to this." He ran his fingers through my hair.
I laughed. "So what does the elusive Professor Hunter usually do when he wakes up in the morning?"
"Are you a morning person?" he mumbled.
"I signed up for classes late and got stuck with all 8 a.m.'s. I've gotten used to waking up early."
"Well." He rolled over and looked at his alarm clock. "You're like clockwork then. It's 7:30."
"Is Comm the only 8 a.m. class that you teach?"
"Yes. It's funny, I didn't want to teach it at all. I kind of got stuck with it. But I'm so glad that I did."
"Me too." I kissed his collarbone again.
He yawned and sat up. "I usually go for a run before breakfast. But I just want to hang out with you today. What do you want for breakfast?"
"What do you usually have?"
"Ellen usually fixes me something. But I gave her the next few day off."
"Is that your chef?"
"She cooks and cleans and does everything that I don't know how to do. You'll like her. Come on, let's get up." He lightly slapped my ass.
I laughed and climbed out of bed. I was wearing one of his t-shirts and he was just wearing a pair of plaid pajama bottoms. He looked amazing.
"Does Ellen know about me?"
"Yes. She was the one who went grocery shopping for you. She's excited to meet you."
I followed him into the kitchen. "And she's the one who buys you juice boxes?"
"Mhm. She's a keeper." He opened up the fridge. "How about a bagel?"
"That sounds perfect."
He grabbed a bag of bagels out of the fridge and pulled two out. I watched him slice them and put them in the toaster. "Do you want some coffee?"
"Do you have any orange juice?"
"That I do." He poured us each a glass.
"So I was thinking a little about my speech. And I'm not really sure what to talk about this time. Usually I was flirting with you or losing my mind. I guess I should just do something normal for once?"
"I wouldn't worry about it too much." He winked at me.
"I haven't even thought about a topic yet, though."
"Certainly you'll get an A. You're sleeping with your professor, after all."
"What happened to no perks?"
"Well, Miss Taylor. That concept kind of flew out the window when I fell in love with you."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah." He grabbed our bagels and some cream cheese.
"Maybe I should give detailed instructions on how to seduce your professor."
He took a bite out of his bagel. "You didn't seduce me. I seduced you."
"No way. Short skirts, my best push up bra, uncalled for texts, and my unbelievably illicit answers in class seduced the crap out of you."
"I had you right where I wanted you."
I believed him. I may have flirted my way closer to him, but he was always one step ahead of me. He even gave me a fake grade to make me storm into his office.
"So what do you usually do after breakfast?"
"Go to class."
"What other classes do you teach?"
"I teach that grad class twice a week. And I have a few 300 and 400 level marketing courses."
"That's vague. Tell me what the 300 level ones are and I'll try to sign up for one next semester."
"You probably shouldn't take any more of my classes."
"But I like taking your classes. It means I get to stare at you the whole time."
"Which is very distracting."
"You seriously don't want me to take your marketing classes?"
"Well, I was thinking about it. And I think after this semester it really would be best if we disclosed our relationship to the dean. Maybe after winter session? That way your Comm grade won't be in jeopardy."
"Which means I can't take any more of your classes?"
"It does."
"Pros and cons."
"We can spend more time together at night that way. We won't have to worry about people seeing us together around campus. It'll be really nice."
"I'll think about it." Melissa had said other professors might see me differently if they knew. I didn't want that to be the case. "So what do you do after breakfast on the weekends?"
"Work."
"On your new company?"
"There's always something to do." He shifted in his chair. "Actually, there's something I want to discuss with you."
"Okay." Why does it feel like I'm in trouble?
"My brother is coming back from Costa Rica this weekend."
"That's fantastic. I can't wait to meet him. I want to get to know your family."
"I invited him here indefinitely. Earlier this month. We weren't together and..."
"James, that's fine. He's your brother. It'll be fun."
"Yeah, he's definitely fun." He took a sip of orange juice.
"Where will he stay?"
"There are guestrooms in the hallway before my office."
"Did you not want me to stay over while he's here?"
"Were you thinking about staying over more?" He looked pleased.
"Well, you were right about your bed. It's a lot more comfortable than mine."
"Is that the only reason?" He pulled me into his arms.
"I'm only in this relationship for the sleeping arrangements. Did I not make that clear when we started this?"
"No, you failed to mention that."
"Well now you know. I'm going to go brush my teeth." I pulled his hands off me and made my way back into his bedroom and into the bathroom. His toothbrush was in the holder. I opened up a few of the drawers, searching for one I could use. I shouldn't have thrown that one away from the other day. But I never imagined I'd be back here. I was so glad I was back.
There were no toothbrushes in his vanity. I bit my lip and eyed his. Is that weird to do? I didn't really know what the normal protocols for couples in this situation were. All of this was so new. I peered out the bathroom door. It couldn't hurt. He wouldn't even know. I quickly grabbed his toothbrush and brushed my teeth. I had this weird, excited feeling when I realized I was using Professor James Hunter's toothbrush. This probably is weird. I finished up in the bathroom and went back out into the kitchen. He was reading something on his phone.
"I'll be right back." He put his phone in his pocket and went into his bedroom. When he came back out he was looking at me curiously.
"What?"
"Did you use my toothbrush?"
"Maybe?"
For some reason he found that funny. "You are definitely making yourself at home. Even though you're only after me for my sweet sleeping arrangements, you can stay whenever you want. You'd move in for good if it was up to me. I only brought up Rob because I wanted to warn you that we were going to have company for awhile."
"I know. So what do you want to do now?"
"I can help you with Stat."
"All my notes are in my dorm. Besides, lame. We have a day off."
"So you want to do something more fun?"
"Yes. But I can't really go anywhere with my secret professor boyfriend and a huge bandage on my forehead."
He walked over to me and grabbed my chin. I tilted my face toward him as he slowly took off my bandage. "There, that's better." His phone buzzed and he quickly answered it. "Hunter."
Silence.
"No, I'll come get it. Thanks." He hung up and turned back to me. "You have a delivery."
"What? Here?"
"Apparently so." His expression was cloudy. He walked into his room and quickly changed into jeans and a v-neck t-shirt. He looked unbelievably sexy and brooding.
"I haven't given anyone your address, Professor Hunter."
"I know. It's rather curious." He kissed my forehead next to my stitches. "I'll be right back."
I watched him get on the elevator. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. What the hell? My parents were the only ones that knew I was with him. And I didn't give them his address. I sat down on the couch in his living room to wait for him.
I just wanted today to be fun. I was finally getting to know him better. Hopefully this delivery wouldn't change his mood. Whatever it was, I didn't want it.
Oh shit. Brendan. Brendan was the only one who knew Professor Hunter's address. I got up and went into the bedroom to grab my phone. There were a few texts from Tyler and Melissa. My mom had sent one to check up on me. But there weren't any from Brendan. And why would there be? He didn't have my number. I had his. In the pocket of a pair of jeans probably on my dorm room floor.
Maybe the delivery wasn't from him. It was probably spam. Dirty spammers could find you anywhere. I went back into the living room, clutching my phone. The elevator doors dinged and opened. Professor Hunter's face was hidden by a huge bouquet. He placed the flowers down on the kitchen counter and looked over at me.
"Are these from you?" I wasn't sure why I asked the question. I could tell by the expression on his face that they were definitely not from him.
"No, Penny. I don't know who they're from." There was a small envelope attached to one of the stems.
"Probably my parents." I walked over and grabbed the envelope.
"Probably." His tone was cool.
Please be from my parents. I slid the card out of the envelope. The front said "Get well soon." I could feel Professor Hunter's eyes on me. I opened it up and read the note.
Penny,
I went to the hospital last night to check on you and you were gone. When I didn't hear from you, I figured I'd find you in the place where you always seem to go back to. FYI, you're incredibly bad at taking advice. Horrible really. I'll have to adjust my tactics. Flowers are probably a good start, wouldn't you agree?
Feel better,
-Brendan
&
nbsp; I looked up at Professor Hunter. He wasn't trying to read the card, just my reaction. I put it back in the envelope and set it on the counter. "They're from Brendan."
"A friendship rose kind of thing?" Professor Hunter raised his eyebrow.
I sighed. I wasn't going to lie to him again. Even though a lie was a lot more tempting than the truth right now. "No. He likes me. I'll talk to him..."
"Get dressed."
"What?" That was not the reaction I was expecting at all.
"We're going out."
"Okay." I watched him as he cleared our dishes. He looked mad. I wasn't sure what to say. "James?"
He didn't answer me. It was possible he didn't hear me over the sound of the water running, but it seemed like he was ignoring me. I sighed and headed into the bedroom and then the closet full of clothes Professor Hunter had bought for me. I pulled on a pair of skinny jeans and looked in the mirror. They were probably the nicest jeans I had ever worn. I also grabbed a sweater and some brown leather riding boots. The outfit made me look more sophisticated than I usually did. I wondered where we were going.
When I walked back out, Professor Hunter slid his phone into the pocket of his jeans. He leaned against the kitchen counter. His hands were pressed against the granite countertop.
I walked up to him. "I'm sorry."
He ran his hand through his hair. "Let's go."
"James."
He gave me a sly smile. "I feel like when you call me by my first name I'm in trouble. I don't want to fight."
"I don't want to fight either."
"Good." He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the elevator. "I need to pick up some things."
"What kind of things?" We stepped onto the elevator.
"Well, my girlfriend needs her own toothbrush."
I laughed. "Sorry, I didn't know what to do."
He pushed the button to close the door and then pulled me against him.
"I don't want to go back to reality tomorrow."
He smiled down at me. "Me either."
"Let's just run away together."
"Just name the place."
I sighed and leaned against his chest. He ran his hands down my back and stopped when they were on the small of my back.
"Let's do something fun today. I don't want to go shopping."
