His smooth, soothing voice interrupts my slow perusal of his body. “As Professor Wilder mentioned, I’m Theo Cadwell. I’m in the graduate program for mythological studies, so I’m happy to help should you have any questions. If you need me, my contact information is in the syllabus, but please feel free to come talk to me if you need anything. You know where to find me,” he adds on with a sweet smile. He then removes his glasses and cleans the lenses on the hem of his shirt, thus signalling the end of his introduction.
“Excellent. Thank you, Theo,” Wilder says. “That’ll conclude today’s lecture. Please come prepared to discuss Hesiod’s Theogony and the three major generations of power. You’ll find resources in your text and online. I’ll see you all next week.”
With those parting words, the students around me start to disperse. I stay in my seat, not eager to leave, and instead decide to watch Theo for a few uninterrupted moments. He and Wilder are speaking to each other, and he must feel the weight of my stare because he turns his head and looks right at me. I should probably be embarrassed about how often he’s caught me looking at him in such a short span of time, but I can’t find it in me to care. Guys aren’t always the most perceptive, and short of whacking him over the head with a club to let him know I’m interested, I think this is a pretty safe alternative. Besides, I think there’s interest there.
His dark chocolate eyes keep flickering between me and Wilder, and he lifts one arm to scratch the back of his head. Even though he’s wearing a collared shirt with a light sweater, I can see the muscles of his biceps bunch with the movement. There’s something about Theo that draws me to him, and I want to explore what it is. I’m determined to meet him, but I’m not sure how. I’d go the tutoring route, but I’d look a little crazy since it’s the first day of class. Wilder and Theo part ways a moment later, each heading to their own desk.
Looking around, I see no one else is approaching him. Right when I decide to just go down and wing it, a girl enters the lecture hall and makes a beeline straight to Theo.
“Hey, you!” she says as she launches herself against the back of his body, her long dark hair swinging as she wraps her arms around his midsection in a tight hug. “I was free and wanted to see if you’d like to get a bite before your next class. Wanna go?”
My stomach sinks as I watch Theo turn around and return her hug with a brilliant smile on his face. “You need anything?” He looks over her head to address our professor.
I glance at Wilder, who seems to be watching them as avidly as I have been, a peculiar expression on his face. “I’m good today. Go eat.”
Theo nods his thanks before turning his attention back to the girl he’s still loosely holding. From the familiar way they interact with each other, this has to be his girlfriend. She looks to be a few years younger than me, but that still doesn’t erase the pang of envy I feel as I watch them.
“Let’s try that Greek place we’ve been eyeing. I could probably eat five gyros.”
“Oink oink,” she jokes as she finally pulls away. “Does Greek mythology class have you craving Greek food? You must be starving after all that energy you burned earlier.”
“Famished. And you already know it’s my favorite way to unwind.” His words cause her to give him a playful push against his stomach, and he shakes his head with yet another smile.
Oh God, are they talking about sex? I decide to quit torturing myself with thoughts of my obviously taken TA, so I place my notebook in my bag and finally get up to leave. I make my way to the set of double doors leading to freedom, and I belatedly realize there’s another pair of hands pressing on the push bars. A shiver runs down my spine as I exit the building, and I have to catch my breath when I look up and lock gazes with the person next to me.
I’m in trouble, I think as I get hit with the full force of my attraction to Wilder’s TA. Up close, he’s even more good-looking and is the epitome of sexy nerdy chic. I can see the light dusting of stubble along his jaw, and his full lips are probably the nicest I’ve ever seen on a guy. He’s easily half a foot taller than me, and I can feel heat flood my face as he peers at me shyly over his glasses. My brain is sluggish as I take in the dichotomy of such a sexy man looking so nerdy and unsure.
Theo’s girlfriend, who’s even prettier than I initially thought, peeks around his shoulder and gives me a look of genuine concern. “Hey, you’re the one who ran into Theo before class. I saw you two collide in my rearview after I dropped him off. Are you okay?”
“Wait, you’re the one I bumped into?” My cheeks heat from mortification as I realize how I just ran off and left him. “I’m so, so sorry about that. I would’ve stopped, but I was freaking out about my car. Are you okay?”
“It’s okay, and I’m f-fine.” He immediately clears his throat, and he and has girlfriend both wear matching expressions of surprise.
An awkward silence hangs between the three of us for a second before she pipes up. “I’m glad you’re both okay. I’m Demi, by the way. It’s nice to meet you. And you’ve already met Theo,” she says on laugh, the sound just as pretty as her face.
“Addison, but please, call me Addy.” I give a lame wave in greeting. “It’s nice to meet you both as well. I hope this doesn’t sound weird, but you two make a really cute couple.”
I hate to admit it, but they do. She’s the complete opposite of me in the looks department with her light eyes and curvy figure, and the image they cut with their dark locks is striking.
Demi surprises me by wrinkling her nose and laughing. “Oh, we’re not together.”
“You’re not?” I pray my voice comes across as surprised and not hopeful.
“No.” She looks up at Theo with a fond smile on her face. “But we are best friends.”
The smile he gives her in return and the way he loops his arm around her shoulder makes me wonder if there are unspoken feelings between the two, but I try not to focus on it.
“Sorry about the assumption.”
“No need to be sorry. It seriously happens all the time, so we’re used to it. We’ve known each other since we were kids and grew up together, so that closeness is easy to misinterpret. Everyone we know asks at some point, and we look at it as an opportunity to clear the air. They don’t believe us most of the time, but we’re both single. We’re basically siblings.”
They’re both single? I can feel my lips twitch, and I have to fight to keep a smile from forming. I mentally give myself a shake before focusing on the first part of her sentence.
“Speaking of clearing the air…” Reaching out, I grab Theo’s forearm and give the muscle there a gentle squeeze. “Again, I’m sorry about earlier. Friends?”
He looks down at my hand on his arm, which I promptly remove, and he visibly swallows, his Adam’s apple moving. He lifts his gaze and his other arm, which he uses to push the bridge of his glasses up. Instead of replying, he gives me a brief nod and shoots Demi a look I can’t decipher.
“Well, we should probably get going,” she chimes in, obviously able to read his expression. “See ya later, Addy. Let’s go, Theo. I hear some gyros calling our names.”
With a smile and wave in my direction, she grabs Theo’s hand and leads him away.
It’s not until they’re out of sight that I realize he barely spoke at all. He doesn’t come off as a douche, so I chalk it up to him as being extra shy. The marked difference between guys I’m usually interested in and his reticence doesn’t turn me off. Instead, I feel a burning need to know him and an even stronger desire to make it happen. Now that I know he’s single, I can try to get to know him a little better. I finally let the smile I tamped down earlier break out. I hope he’s ready for me.
Four
Theo
“You like her,” Demi says matter-of-factly as she drags me away to her car.
“I do not.” It’s taking a considerable amount of willpower to not turn back and look at Addy.
“Do too.”
“Demi, I don’t even know her,�
� I say to her back. “That was the first time I’ve ever spoken to her. I can’t like someone that fast.”
“Okay.” She stops and whirls on me as she halts in her tracks. “Say that to my face,” she orders as she peers into my eyes.
“I don’t like her. I p-promise.” Damn.
“Ha!” With a triumphant smile, she turns back around and continues to lead me away without another word. It’s not until we’re buckled up and on the road to Nóstima, the Greek restaurant we’ve been wanting to try, that she speaks again. “Theo, I love you, but you can’t lie to save your life, especially to me. You totally like her. Your stutter gave you away.”
“I stutter sometimes. That’s how I am. You know that.”
“And I know you, Theo. You’ve done a really great job managing your stutter the last few years, but it usually only comes out when you’re feeling a certain way.”
I know her well enough to realize she’s not going to let this go. “And?”
“Outside of just being weary of stuttering in the first place, the feelings that usually trigger it are anxiety, frustration, or nervousness. Now, tell me, which of those best describes our little interaction with Addy? Hmm?”
She’s giving me the side-eye as she drives, and her smug little smile has me chuckling against my will. “Fine, I can admit I was nervous. I can’t help that she’s pretty. I think seeing her again after she bumped into me threw me off.”
“You should ask her out.”
“She’s my student.”
An unladylike snort is all I get in response as we pull up to the restaurant. Once we’re parked, Demi turns in her seat to face me. “It’s not like she’s your student, Theo. You can date. You should date.”
“You’re crazy. I’ll be grading assignments, so even if we did date, it’d be a conflict of interest.” I open up the passenger door, and we both head inside to be seated. “And where is all this coming from, you little rule breaker?” Demi’s always been a bit of a rebel. “You’ve never pushed me to date before.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve never known you to be interested in someone before. At least, not in a long time. This changes things. Besides, I think she’d say yes. The entire time we were talking, she couldn’t keep her eyes off you. Something tells me this little interest might be mutual,” she says in a singsong voice as she waggles her brows.
I let her words sink in. She did keep looking at me in class, but I’m not entirely sure what that means. For all I know, I had something on my face. It’d make more sense for her to be interested in Cohen, just like every other girl in class. Before I can tell Demi this, our waitress walks up to our table.
“Good afternoon, and welcome to Nóstima. I’m Rhea, and I’ll be your server today.” She’s pretty, and she’s giving me a big smile as she lays our menus on the table. “Can I get you both started with something to drink?”
“Water with lemon for me, please. Demi?”
“I’ll have the same, please. Thank you.”
“Sounds good! Do you know what you’d like to order, or would you like me to give you a moment to go over the menus?”
“We actually haven’t been here before,” I admit. “It’s our first time. We were craving gyros, but what would you recommend?”
“Ooh, virgins!” Demi and I smile at each other over our menus because Rhea has no idea how accurate that statement really is. “I won’t steer you wrong, I promise.” She launches into a spiel about their most popular dishes, and she flounces away after we order the gyros we came for and souvlaki.
As soon as she’s out of earshot, Demi gives me a sly smile. “She’s got the hots for you, too.”
“Stop. Not every girl I’ve talked to today is interested in me, Demi. It’s called being nice, and they think I’m friendly or something. No one’s interested in the nerd.”
“Lies. I’m a girl, Theo. I know these things. You don’t see it—and don’t take this the wrong way because I say it objectively since it personally does nothing for me—but you’re hot. Not only that, you’re a genuinely nice guy who also happens to be very smart. You’re a catch, and you need to stop selling yourself short. Women love nerds.”
My cheeks start to burn from her compliments. “St-st-stop it, Demi.” Dammit. I groan as soon as the words leave my mouth. Thankfully, she doesn’t say anything else and just gives me a little wink before launching into a story about one of her classes.
Once our food arrives, we chow down in companionable silence, content to enjoy each other’s company. It’s not until Rhea drops off the receipt that I notice her phone number scrawled on the thin slip of paper. Even though she’s nice and pretty, I have no desire to call her. There’s just no spark, and I don’t want to give her the wrong impression. Demi must sense my inner turmoil because as we’re leaving, she makes a show of looping her arm around my waist and laying a noisy kiss on my cheek as she thanks me for lunch. I feel terrible because I can feel Rhea watching, but I’m thankful for Demi stepping in and staking a claim so she won’t feel as bad.
It’s not until we’ve exited the restaurant, the bell tinkling behind us, that Demi says, “Told ya so.”
Needing to give my eyes a break from the strain of staring at my computer screen, I remove my glasses and rub my temples to alleviate the minor ache. I stand up and stretch my limbs as I glance behind me at the clock on the wall. I can’t believe it’s already six o’clock. After lunch with Demi, I went to my remaining classes and decided to hit up the library to get a head start on my assignments for the semester. It’s my first year in the master’s program, and I want to make sure I start off strong. Being awarded a full scholarship for my undergraduate degree was incredible, but getting another one for my graduate studies makes me even more motivated to do well. Receiving a stipend through the teaching and graduate assistantship program has been a huge blessing and unexpected benefit, so keeping my grades up is my full-time job and priority. Just as I’m debating whether to head to the pool to get in one last swim for the day or head home, I hear a soft voice behind me.
“Theo?”
The hairs on my forearms stand on end and goosebumps bloom across my skin at the sound, and I mentally prepare myself before turning around so I don’t end up saying or doing anything embarrassing.
“Hi Addy.” There, that was good. “How’s it going?”
Warring sensations of nervous anticipation and dread battle for dominance as the girl who’s been tormenting my thoughts throughout the day moves closer. I don’t know what it is about her, but I can’t shake her from my thoughts. Instead of standing a few feet away, she moves into my bubble and stands unnervingly close.
“It’s going. I just got out of my last class and am meeting a friend to get started on some of our online assignments for a class we’re taking together.” She moves a little bit closer and props herself against the edge of the desk I’m using. “Judging by your things and the fact that we’re in a library, I’m going to assume you’re doing the same?”
Breathe, figure out what I want to say, and speak, I think to myself. This little mantra has helped me control my stutter over the years and prevents me from spitting my words out in a rush, and I know I’m going to need to focus on it now.
“Yeah, I actually just got done studying. My eyes need a break.”
“What do you have planned after?”
“I was thinking of going for a swim, but I might head home. I haven’t decided.”
At my words, her face lights up with interest. “You like to swim?”
I nervously run one of my hands through my hair. “I love to swim. It’s my favorite thing to do.”
“That explains it.” She leans back a little against the desk, and her gaze sweeps over me like a spotlight, burning me with its potency. I can feel my face start to redden as she continues to blatantly stare at me with a secretive little smile on her face.
“Explains what?” The question tumbles past my lips, and although I kept my voice low, the words almost sound over
ly loud as they land in the air that’s ripe with possibility.
Instead of answering me right away, she leans in closer. Up close, her brown eyes remind me of dark, rich coffee. She lifts a hand, and it’s as if time suspends itself as she reaches toward me. My heart rate goes from racing to pounding as soon as I feel her light, delicate touch on my shoulder.
“Your body,” she sighs. “It’s r—” Her words are cut off as her phone starts to buzz loudly, and my brain is trying to figure out what she was about to say. What about my body? “Damn. I’m sorry, one sec.” She pulls her hand away, and I immediately feel the loss of her touch. I watch as she quickly looks at the screen and sends off a rapid-fire text. “That was my bestie, Camryn. She’s over in one of the study rooms, and she’s waiting for me. I’m sorry to rush off, but it was great seeing you, Theo.”
“Same here.”
“What’re you doing this weekend?”
“Just hanging out.”
“Wanna hang out with me?”
“With y-you?” Oh God, there goes the stutter.
“Yes, silly, with me.” She’s unfazed by my slip up. “I’ll even let you decide what we do. I promise, I’m not picky. I’ll choose the date after that if it makes you feel better.” She gives me a playful smile before she pokes me in the chest. “What do you say? Can you pick me up at one?”
Did she just ask me out on a date? And she’s already planning more dates? My brain can barely keep up, and I’m having trouble deciding on what piece of information to focus on. I think she asked me a question.
“O-okay. One is good. Th-thank you for asking,” I finally manage to say. Damn stutter. Breathe, figure out what I want to say, and speak. “I’ll need y-your ph-phone number and address, p-please.” Okay, fuck the mantra. It’s not helping at all.
Nerdgasm (Naughty Nerds) Page 3
