I laughed. “No, but I figured it would probably be better if we didn’t advertise our friendship in the student cafeteria.”

He nodded. “Good thinking. How’ve you been, Tessa?” he asked it in a way that made me feel all warm and gooey inside.

I nodded. “Good.” That’s what you’re supposed to say, right? I couldn’t very well tell him that he’d been a cold fish for three weeks and I was stressed out about classes and his workload.

He took a sip of his coffee, and I find myself watching his mouth—his lips, really.

“What are your plans for the weekend?” he asked, drawing my eyes back to his own.

I sighed. “I’m going home for a few days. You?”

He rolled his eyes. “My brother is dragging me to a barbecue with a bunch of our old friends.”

I had to chuckle, he said dragged, but I could tell by the way his eyes lit up that he was actually excited to be going. I couldn’t resist teasing him a bit.

“That sounds dreadful. Will there be food and beer and all that other horrible stuff one finds at a barbecue?”

He laughed. “Actually, yes. And the food will be prepared by a professional chef, so you can imagine how bad it will be.”

“That does sound bad. Whatever you do, don’t let them force you to take home any leftovers,” I said in a hushed tone.

Another laugh and I found myself actually having a good time. Why can’t he be like this all the time? I like this guy. Ian is fun. Professor Dunlap is a bit of a dick.

“Class seems to be going well, don’t you think?” he asked, steering the conversation back to the professional side of things.

I nodded. “Yes, I think the students are trusting you more. It’s going very well. Don’t worry, you’re doing fine,” I assured him.

“Thank you. Some days I feel like I’m talking to the wall,” he replied.

We talked about the upcoming trip down to one of the beaches and what he hoped to accomplish. I checked the time and realized I had to get going.

“Thanks for the coffee,” I told him, standing and preparing to leave. He reached out and grabbed my hand, taking me by surprise. I questioned him with my eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he says.

Nothing more. I had no idea what he was apologizing for and didn’t have a lot of time to get into a conversation about it.

“Okay,” I said, pulling my hand away. “I’ll see you tomorrow. I really need to get home and get some stuff done before my roommate kicks me out.”

He gazed at me for a long second before looking away. I hurried out the door and made my way to my car. I needed to study for a test and make a real dinner. It was my night. Maria would be late, and I owed it to her. She had been taking care of me for way too long.

As I went about making dinner, I couldn’t help but think back to Ian and what he had said. What was he apologizing for? He had seemed very sincere, and I believed him. I just didn’t know what exactly he meant.

Chapter Thirteen

Ian

It’s a marathon, not a sprint, they say. I had to constantly remind myself of this. I can get through these last three classes. Three classes and I get to try my hand at this whole socializing thing. I was nervous and excited at the same time. I was anxious to hang out with people my own age, who had careers and understood some of what I went through on a daily basis. Hanging out with teenagers and those who were barely legal to drink day after day made one feel really old.

The things they worried about were very different than the things an old guy like myself stressed out about. They were worried about passing their tests. I was worried about paying the mortgage. It’s all relative, I reminded myself, and tried not to minimize what they were going through. But honestly, sometimes, I had to keep myself from screaming at them. Life can be so much worse! You could lose it all in the blink of an eye.

I took a deep breath and pulled my shit together, again. I can’t afford to freak out on some of the sniveling brats I am paid to educate. As if my subconscious conjured her up, Tessa walked in. She was truly a light in a dark world.

“Hi,” she said, breezing in. I was a little bummed she was covered up today with jeans and a jersey-style shirt. I loved her collection of gauzy dresses that made her appear to be carefree. Unlike some of the other girls that walked these halls, she had a certain elegance and class. She didn’t have to show a lot of skin or wear clothes so tight every roll and crevice was visible. She was incredibly sexy. Wrong perv. She’s barely legal.

“Hey,” I said, greeting her like a good teacher instead of the guy who was just fantasizing about her. “Are you excited for your trip tomorrow?” I asked. I had been working on my small talk skills, and it was an appropriate question that didn’t cross any lines. I was the only one who knew why I was asking.

She shrugged. “I don’t know if I would say excited, but I am looking forward to seeing my mom.”

Tags: Claire Adams Erotic
Source: readsnovelonline.net