“Yes. Right. Okay.”
“I’ve had my share.”
And then some, she was sure. Cal was thirty-two and every woman’s dream man. At least every woman at Wallace University that she’d ever heard speak about him.
“I haven’t,” she blurted. “I mean, I’ve probably had my share, but I’ve only slept with two men in my life. My husband and the one man from Daddy’s company that I dated shortly after Sammie was born.”
He smiled. “I’m not sorry to hear that.”
“Well, since you’ve got more experience, and since you started this conversation, you should say what’s on your mind.”
There was a glint in his eye as he peered over at her. Her private parts responded.
“I believe we are about to become more than friends.”
Oh, God. She started to shake, little tremors that rushed through the blood in her veins. Her fantasies were coming to life and she had no idea what to do.
“Do you disagree?”
She shook her head.
“I’ve never wanted a woman like I want you.”
All her fantasies, dreams, faded, far surpassed by real life careening out of control.
“Do you want me, too?”
Trying desperately to get a grip, to hold on to her self-control, Morgan nodded.
Cal frowned. “You sure about that?” He leaned back against the counter again. Took another sip of wine. “You don’t have to pretend something you don’t feel just because I’m your teacher, Morgan. Surely you know that I would never, ever let personal life interfere with a grade. Either way.”
“Of course I know that.” Thank God, she could talk again. “And I’d never, ever pretend to feel something for anyone,” she added. And then, even as she cringed at what she was saying, she didn’t stop. “I am absolutely certain that I’m attracted to you, Caleb Whittier. I’ve got four years’ worth of fantasies to back me up on that fact.”
His grin was instant. And huge. He took the couple of steps between the counters, stopping with half an inch between their bodies. “Four years?”
“Yes.” She’d put it right out there. No point in acting like she hadn’t.
“What kind of fantasies?”
“Uh-uh. You have to do some time before you get to share my fantasies,” she told him, smiling in spite of the fire raging through her. In spite of the confusion.
“I’ve got time.”
“Good, because I have to wait until I finish your class before I can go any further here.”
“Agreed.”
And I don’t date, she wanted to add. But it was too late. And Leslie had told her that if she ever had the opportunity to, she didn’t have to say no for Sammie’s sake.
But then Leslie hadn’t heard about Morgan’s other two disastrous attempts at having a relationship with a man.
Judge Marks had.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
MORGAN FELT AS THOUGH she’d been made love to. She hadn’t been touched. Not even a brief kiss good-night, or a friendly hug.
And yet she was in a committed relationship as surely as if she was wearing a ring.