Page 22 of Until We Meet Again

"Hey there," I say, trying to match her smile, hoping it masks the turmoil inside my mind.

"Hi, I'm Nancy Liu. I'm one of the professors here. I wanted to stop by and say hello."

"It's nice to meet you, Nancy. I'm Zane."

"How was your first day? I hope the students weren't too hard on you."

"There were some minor issues because they didn't know Professor Whitaker had left, but generally, things have gone pretty well."

"The administrative team isn't always the best at communicating important information."

"After the fifteenth question about where he went and why, I realized that." Laughing, she clasps her hands in front of her slender figure.

"Well, I can see that you were about to leave, so I won't keep you. If you need anything, though, don't hesitate to ask. I'm just down in my room teaching political science."

"Thank you, Nancy. I appreciate that."

"I'll see you around, Professor."

Nancy is undeniably beautiful. Her smooth, jet-black hair falls above her shoulders and rests against her flawless porcelain skin. She's attractive, but the word "Professor" fails to stir any reaction within me. It just doesn't hit me the same way that it does when Tessa says it—in a way that ignites every part of me.

Once she's gone, I leave the building and make my way through the busy parking lot, needing to get off campus and get my ass home. Slipping into the driver's seat, frustration seeps further into my bones. I lean back against the headrest and release a heavy sigh, trying to find some calm in the silence of my car, but it's no use. Tessa remains in my mind, taunting me.

It's been two dates and a lot of messaging—let it go already.

Chapter 10

Tessa

Oneminute, I'mbeing sent the guy who seems to have been pulled out of every dirty dream I've ever had, and the next, he's being ripped away from me.

Since returning home, I’ve been going over all of Zane’s and my conversations.Why didn't that one crucial question come up? Why didn't I ask? Why didn't he tell me?The answer to that one question would've prevented what's happening between us from progressing beyond a simple coffee date.

How can I sit there and watch him teach without remembering how it felt to have his mouth on mine? Or think about him whispering in my ear, his voice dripping with desire when he asked me if I wanted him to touch me.

As the night goes on, the only sounds in the room are the thoughts racing through my mind. I crawl under my covers seeking comfort, and the warmth of my bed embraces me like a warm hug.

It's just past seven o'clock, and I hear Jen sprinting up the stairs, her footsteps echoing through the empty hallway. She doesn't bother to knock but bursts into the room without warning. I pull the covers off my head and watch as she collapses into my chair, trying to catch her breath.

"Oh, thank God, you're still alive." She exhales.

"It isn't that bad yet."

"I was scared I'd come home and find you face down in a tub of ice cream or eaten by a bunch of cats."

"Do we have any ice cream?"

"Why do you think I'm running late?Tell me what happened," she says, with a concerned smile that only comes from someone who knows you best and can tell when you're suffering.

"There's not a lot to say. I met an amazing guy, and now he's my teacher, so it's done."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Did he say anything to you about it?"

"He said he wishes things were different."

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