Page 153 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 1
I was just drifting asleep again when the door opened. Professor Hunter was standing there in jeans and a zip up hoodie. He wasn't wearing a shirt underneath his hoodie and I could see his muscular chest. He closed the door and made his way over to me without saying a word. He kicked off his shoes as he looked down at me.
I couldn't read his emotion. Worried. Angry maybe. Lost.
He lifted the sheet on my bed and climbed in next to me.
"James," I whispered. I tried to hold back my tears. It was so good to see him.
He wrapped his arms around me. "I shouldn't have let you leave." He kissed my forehead.
"I didn't give you much of a choice."
"No, you didn't." He kissed my forehead again. "How long have you been here?"
"We can talk in the morning." I didn't want to tell him that we needed to wait. I wanted him to hold me like this forever. Being in his arms was my favorite thing in the world.
"How long, Penny?"
"Since this afternoon I guess. Not long after I left your place. I passed out on Main Street."
"And someone found you?"
"Brendan." He pulled back from me slightly.
"I'll have to thank him."
"How did you get up here?" I didn't want to talk about Brendan with Professor Hunter. I didn't want him to get angry again.
"Having money has its advantages."
"You bribed the hospital staff?"
"I didn't say that."
I looked into his eyes. "I'm glad that you're here." I was quiet for a minute as I stared at him. "I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for. Even though you're not nervous around me anymore, you still like to apologize for things you haven't done." He smiled at me.
"You still make me nervous."
He lowered his eyebrows slightly. "Why?"
"You're so hot and cold. I never know how you're going to react to things. It's unsettling. And confusing."
"There's nothing to be confused about anymore. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." He placed a gentle kiss against my lips.
I wanted to cry all over again. I was so sure that I wanted to wait. The plan was to put the brakes on for a while. But now that he was here, I couldn't think straight. He was caring, and kind, and sincere. I pulled back from his kiss. His face was shadowed in the dark room so I couldn't see his expression. But I could still make out his black eye. I could feel his heart beating underneath my hand and it was beating so fast.
"Do I make you nervous too?" I asked.
"Sometimes. I'm nervous right now."
"Why?" I rubbed my hand against the scruff on his cheek.
"You left me today because you needed time to think over things." He pulled my hand off his face and kissed my palm. "And I can't tell what you're thinking." He turned my hand over and kissed each of my knuckles. "I don't know what you've decided."
"I opened my present."
"And?"
