Fake Marriage Box Set

I glanced over and saw Tessa packing up her things. She hadn’t been in my first class, which I knew she wasn’t scheduled to be, but it left a gaping hole in the room. She brought in light and joy. When she had sailed through the door for the second class, I felt like a flower opening up to the sun. I was drawn to her and wanted to hover around her, to be in her presence.

“Hi,” she said when she noticed me watching her pack up. “Did you need something else?”

I inhaled, drawing in strength and courage. “Is now a good time?”

“For?” she asked.

“That coffee? Yesterday you said you had a full day. Are you busy now?” I asked, hoping she would agree to the coffee date.

“Actually, I’m free for the rest of the day. I’d love a coffee. Are you buying?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows in an over-exaggerated way.

“Of course,” I blurted out, grinning.

She giggled. The sound danced over my skin, setting off little nerves that made me feel all warm and tingling.

“I’m joking. I mean, not really, because I actually am the stereotypical starving college student and you’re the professor with a paying job. And, I blew my coffee allowance yesterday,” she explained.

I exhaled the breath I had been holding. She was funny. I felt like smiling when she talked.

“Oh, well, in that case, I may have to spring for a Danish as well. We can’t have you starving.”

My gaze moved over her figure. She was thin but healthy looking. I didn’t want her to change anything about that body. I felt my fingers twitch with the need to touch her. That same expanse of skin around her waist was peeking at me, revealing a taut stomach and a little pink butterfly piercing in her belly button. It was meant to tease. I knew that. Usually, that kind of thing would do nothing for me, but on her, it looked right.

Her hand moved to her stomach. She’d caught me staring.

“Sorry,” I muttered, waving at the butterfly winking at me. “It caught my eye.”

“I know it’s probably a little teenybopper, but I like it,” she explained.

I nodded, biting back what I wanted to say. “It’s pretty.”

“Are you free the rest of the day?” she asked.

“Yep.”

“Okay,” she said, looking at me.

“What?” I had been thrown off by the belly button.

“I’m ready.”

When I blankly stared at her, she raised an eyebrow. “Coffee?”

“Oh, yeah, I’m ready. Let’s go,” I said, gesturing to the door.

She stepped in front of me and by habit, muscle memory kicked in, and I placed a hand on the small of her back as we made our way out the door and down the hall. My fingers touched smooth skin, sending a jolt of electricity racing through my body, causing me to yank it back.

She looked over her shoulder and smiled, completely unaware what she was doing to me.

“Do you want to walk?” she asked.

“Sure, it’s a nice day. That’d be great,” I said, excited to spend more time with her.

We made it to the cafeteria off campus that sold specialty coffees as well as a variety of sandwiches and other snacks. It catered to the college students who ate little and on the go. I ordered the coffees while she looked for a table. With both coffees in hand, I looked around the small cafeteria. She wasn’t there. It was then that I realized there was an outdoor seating area. I made my way out to the patio and found her in one of the only tables without shade. The rest were all taken.

Drinking a hot coffee on a hot day wasn’t exactly an ideal date, but this wasn’t a date anyway, I reminded myself.

“Sorry, it was the only table left, Professor Dunlap,” she said when I pulled out the other chair and sat down.