The damn class hasn’t been the same without her either. I never realized just how much I looked forward to seeing her sitting there in the back row taking her notes. Even though I had to keep up the appearances of being her professor, it was something special to me just to look at her.
More and more I’m seeing what this woman has done to me. The mark she’s left on my heart is great, and I can’t imagine my life without her.
I’m still stuck in a commotion of what I’m supposed to do. I can feel it, there’s going to be a point where I’m going to have to make a choice. The more I think about the situation the more I realize I can’t have it all and I have to take a long hard look at my life.
Today, Marsha wanted to see me. She was so excited to talk with me about some of the ideas I had. She had meetings with each of the applicants in the run for the job and confided in me that I basically had it in the bag.
Now I’m in the lecture hall, packing up my stuff after another long day. I finished up my late class again, and it ran over with everyone’s questions.
It’s always good to have students engaged in the lesson. Nevertheless, when the time runs over it can be a real pain, especially when I’m tired.
I’d bet, though, if Paige were with me, I’d soon find my strength.
“James,” her voice reaches out to me like a gentle caress.
I lift my head up quickly and see her coming in through the side door. I was so focused on what I was doing that I didn’t notice her come in.
I don’t care where I am as she rushes up to me. I hug her and hold her. She looks amazing. She’s wearing one of her little summer dresses, and her hair is down in those long graceful waves.
“Baby,” I breathe. “It’s so good to see you.”
“I took the chance that you might be here. I just finished up at the hospital.”
I cup her face, loving the feel of her skin.
“How’s your mom doing?”
“She’s doing well. The doctors want to keep her in for another week, to monitor her. They’ll let me know if I can take her home then.”
I won’t be a selfish prick. I want her bad, but her mother needs her more than I do.
“I’m glad to hear that. She’s going to be okay, Paige. How about you, Bellissima? How are you doing?”
“I miss my guy,” she answers, and as I look at her, I feel like I have everything. I feel like I belong to her, and I realize that I feel like that because I do.
“He misses you too,” I assure her.
She reaches out and touches my face. We stare at each other, enjoying being together.
I can’t help it when she stands on the tips of her toes and plants a kiss on my lips. The feel of her on my lips after being without her for so long is like oxygen to my lungs. I lower my head to her and kiss her back, absorbing her essence and how she makes me feel.
She pulls back and smiles up at me. “I…” Her voice trails off, and a flush of color creeps into her cheeks.
“What?”
“I love you,” she says just above a whisper.
“I love you too,” I answer.
Before we can say another word, someone clears their throat loud and in an exaggerated manner. That’s when I remember where I am, where we are.
What we are.
Paige and I both turn our heads in the direction of the sound and find ourselves staring at not just Kevin, but Nancy too.
Fucking hell.Of all the people to see us, those two are the worst. There’s the woman who’s tried everything under the sun to fuck me and the man who’s tried everything in his power to get my ass fired.
From the smug-as-fuck expression on Kevin’s face, I know they saw everything. The two of them stare on at me holding Paige, and while Nancy looks truly disappointed, the fucker looks like he finally has me now. I fell in the net, straight into the trap, and nothing can save me.
“How touching,” he says, and Paige tenses in my arms. “So sorry to disturb you. I can see you’re busy with your little engagement, but security needs us to vacate the building as soon as possible.”
That’s all he says, and he laughs as he walks out of the hall, Nancy in tow.