The Professor (Forbidden Encounters 1)

The familiar voice sends a delightful shiver up my spine. My entire body goes still. Even my heart stops for a millisecond. “You have got to be kidding me,” I whisper.

Slowly, I turn around. Bryce is leaned against the counter, wearing a small smile. His coat is hanging open and it seems he’s only wearing a v-neck sweater underneath. Either he loves the cold or he’s crazy. Still, he looks amazing...and that annoys me. Why do I have to be so attracted to the man? If I could just get over the way he makes my heart flutter, the easier it will be to ignore him. There’s no sign of Angie, so she must still be around back. I have no choice but to serve him. Throwing the wet cloth onto a table, I sigh and make my way to him.

“Are you stalking me?”

His eyes twinkled with amusement. “Is that how you greet customers?”

Teeth clenched, I bite out, “Just ones that won’t leave me alone.”

Bryce blinks?he looks a little too innocent? and shoves his hands into his pockets. “Can’t a guy get something to eat without being accused of stalking? I can go elsewhere.”

Glaring at him with suspicion, I make my way around the counter and plaster on a smile. “Good evening, sir. I’ve never seen your face in here before. Ever.” Because why would a Marshall be slumming it in a diner? “Nevertheless, can I help you?”

Taking a seat on a stool, he rests his arms on the counter and leans toward me. A little too close. Our faces are inches apart. My breath hitches, and I have to gulp down my spit to moisten my suddenly dry throat.

“You know, you were much nicer when we met on that beach. I miss Jessica from Vegas.”

Sucking in a sharp breath, I ignore the hurt that causes. I don’t even know why I’m hurt.

Maybe because you like him and you want him to like the real you, idiot.

Ugh. My subconscious can be so snarky sometimes.

“I’m kidding,” he says with a frown. His eyes move over my face. I like that he looks at me like that. As if he wants to commit every angle of my features to memory. He’d watched me with the same intensity when we first met. No has ever looked at me like that before.

I avert my gaze. “What can I get you?”

Bryce hangs his head and releases a long puff of air. Looking up, he rubs his chin and laughs. “Alright, I don’t actually want anything. I am stalking you… but not in a creepy way.”

I feel a smile threatening to emerge and fight it back. The warmth spreading in my chest is so pathetic. I hate that I’m flattered. “Stalking can never be not creepy.”

His smile melts the ice block I’m trying to erect around my heart. Damn him. “You make a valid point. I wouldn’t have to resort to stalking if a certain someone would just be an adult and talk to me.”

I scoff. “Are you trying to flatter me or insult me? Make up your mind.” Okay, so I did run off like a child, and I was incredibly rude. It was for his own good.

“I’m trying to win you.”

I start to back away. “Don’t talk like that. And this isn’t a competition. I’m not a trophy. You...you don’t know me and believe me when I say, you don’t want to know me.”

“Then give me a chance to get to know you, Abigale Knight.”

My heart jolts. Panic sets in at the thought that he possibly knows what that last name actually means in this town. “My shift is over. I’ll get the waitress on duty. She’ll take care of you.”

For the second time, I run away from him... like a child.

“Abigale. Get back here.”

I hear a string of muttered expletives as I hurry to the back to grab my things.

I don’t know why I thought running off again would get Bryce off my back. Stupid me. Lucy has the car for the night, so I couldn’t speed off and leave him in my dust. I have to walk to the bus stop. A sleek silver car that looks like it costs more than my entire life crawls behind me. I know it’s Bryce. I have to give the man credit for his persistence.

Sighing, I stop and turn to glare at the car. It stops beside me and the tinted front window rolls down.

“Alright, I’m definitely stalking you now.”

He has the nerve to smile and God help me; I smile right back. I let out a laugh. “Oh, my God. If I get in and talk to you, then will you leave me alone?”

He shrugs. “I’m not making any promises.”