California Nights (Rich Boys of California Duet 1)

That was… interesting.

She fished around in her bag, finding a small notebook and a pen. I watched her scribble her number down and hand it to me. Such neat, dainty handwriting. I smiled and tucked it into the pocket on my chest.

The one with a zipper.

Fuck if I was going to risk losing that.

“Okay well, see you. And thanks again.”

I stared after her as she walked away, realizing that something was bothering me. I decided to put her number into my phone right away, just in case. Fuck, I was thinking about memorizing it when I figured out what was bothering me.

How many rich college girls took the bus?

Chapter Fifty-Two

Frannie

I felt flushed as I ran up the stairs to Professor Candel’s office. I’d never felt anything like it. The way Jace had looked at me… it was almost as if…

Almost as if he wanted me.

That’s not why he asked for you number, Frannie!

Wise up!

He just wants to make sure he doesn’t get stuck with your crappy old car!

Stop living in a dream world!

I forced myself to walk down the top floor hallway where Professor Candel’s office was. I exhaled and knelt by the slot in his door, pulling my paper out of my book bag.

I lifted open the slot and –

The door opened.

“Francine. I was hoping I would see you tonight.”

I stared up at my handsome professor. He was looking down at me with an intense look on his face. I swallowed. I’d taken multiple classes from him over all four years. But I’d never seen him look like this.

This was by far the strangest day of my life.

“Come in.”

He turned and walked back to his desk. But he didn’t sit behind it. No, he leaned on the edge.

Slowly I stood up and walked towards him.

“Sit.”

I sat.

He held out his hand and I stared at it, belatedly realizing he was waiting for my paper. I handed it to him and he smiled, picking up a pen.

Without taking his eyes off me, he scribbled an A+ on the page. My eyes flew to his face in surprise.

“You’re not even going to read it?”

He laughed.

“I will if you want me to, Francine. I know it’s going to be excellent though either way.”

Outrage filled me. What was he talking about? Had he read any of my papers???

“But I worked so hard on it!”

He held up his hands.

“Never has a student complained to me about getting an automatic A. But you are special, aren’t you Francine?”

His eyes dipped to my chest. And stayed there.

“Very, very special.”

Horror spread through me at the realization of what was happening. I was almost positive that my favorite Professor from all four years of college was hitting on me. And not in the way I dreamed about.

No protestations of love or hours spent discussing theories while drinking fine wine.

No, this was pure sleaze in action.

In fact, only one word was going through my head over and over again.

GROSS!

I wanted to get up and leave but my body felt frozen in horror as he came closer. His legs were brushing mine now. And his eyes were still glued to my chest!

“I’ve waited years for this day, Francine. A day when you would no longer be my student. I’d like to take you out somewhere. For a drink. Or we could stay here…”

His eyes finally lifted to my face but quickly scuttled back down to my chest. It was as if he’d been waiting to ogle me forever. And now he was looking his fill.

“You are married, Professor Candel.”

He laughed harshly, holding up his hand. No ring. He waved at me coyly, sending a wave of nausea through my body.

“I just do that to deter horny co-eds. Every year a couple of them try anyway. But I don’t date students until after school ends.”

It all became clear to me suddenly. He had done this before. He hadn’t been teaching me the past four years.

He had been seducing me.

Grooming me.

And yet for all my outrage, I realized that he hadn’t actually done anything wrong.

Not legally anyway. It was just… not very nice of him!

I took a deep breath and stood up.

“I’d rather not.”

“Now Francine, don’t pretend this isn’t what you want.” He smiled, and I felt unclean. “I know it’s what I want. I’ve waited so long to get close to you.”

Close to my jugs, apparently!

He was looking at my chest again as he reached for me, his hand stroking my arm. I jerked it away.

“It’s not actually. Have a –”

My voice broke as tears threatened to spill out of my stinging eyes.

“Good night!”

And then I ran.

Down the hallway, the stairs and out into the night.

That’s when I saw him leaning against his bike.

Jace.

He was still waiting for me outside. My stomach flipped over and I stopped in my tracks. He hadn’t seen me yet. I could still go somewhere else. Be alone. Lick my wounds.