Page 125 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 10
“Professor Hunter!” someone called.
I turned to see one of the girls leading the yoga session jogging over.Oh fuck me.Not just a random student. It was Kristen Dwyer. I kept running, trying to pretend I hadn’t heard her. I’d had her in one of my classes last semester. She was extremely bright. And most definitely had ulterior motives when she came to my office hours all those times for extra help. She didn’t need extra help. But I’d offered it anyway because it was my job and tried to ignore the way she looked at me. I kept trying to ignore it even though she just kept showing up like this. It had gotten to the point where I thought she might be stalking me. I’d almost filed a restraining order and now I kind of wished I had. Or that I’d at least stuck to my normal routine and not run on the green in the middle of the day. I was asking for trouble.
“Hi, Professor Hunter,” she said as she eased into a pace that matched my own.
“Hi, Miss Dwyer,” I said without really looking at her. I’d already run five miles and she was an athlete herself. Outrunning her wasn’t an option.
“I’m so bummed that I don’t have any of your classes this semester,” she said.
“Mhm. I’m mostly teaching senior classes this year.”
“Oh. Maybe next year then?”
I didn’t respond. I just tried to pick up my pace. Sure, I knew I was being an asshole. But she was a student. And I was a…professor. I sighed and wiped the sweat off my forehead. I needed to keep reminding myself of my own profession. Butnot when it came to her. There was another student that was preoccupying my mind. And not in a professional manner.
“Are your office hours still the same this year?” she asked.
“Yes, but they’re only for current students.” I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. She was tall and thin and male students tended to drool when she passed them in the halls. But physically she reminded me a lot of my ex. That was a reminder I didn’t need.
“Oh.” She shrugged like she didn’t care. Or maybe like she didn’t plan on listening. “Do you want to do some yoga?”
I looked over at her again. I had a feeling she wasn’t talking about normal yoga. More like yoga in bed. Naked. “No. I need to get home.”
“Are you sure? It’s a great exercise after a long run. It’s really good for your joints. And flexibility.”
It was possible that she wasn’t flirting with me. That it was in my head. But then I glanced over at her again and she was staring at the front of my shorts.Jesus.“I’m sure. Have a good semester, Miss Dwyer.” I picked up my pace, despite my aching muscles, and ran away from her. And I had the oddest sensation that Penny was the one that should be running. Running away from me. I started running even faster.
When I thought I finally lost my stalker, I pushed through the door of one of the small stores on Main Street, completely out of breath. A moment to catch my breath in here would be good, just in case Miss Dwyer was still hot on my trail. I walked throughthe store looking at all the random items to decorate a home with. I had plenty of empty shelves, but I didn’t need any décor. I leaned past one of the shelves to glance outside. There was no sign of Miss Dwyer. I was about to make my way out when a small ceramic pig caught my eye.“You'll need another of me for my thoughts.”
I pressed my lips together. I’d told Penny I’d bring a piggy bank on Friday. At the time I hadn’t been serious. It was just to let her know I’d understood her joke when the other students had snickered. But actually bringing a piggy bank would be a nice gesture. A friendly one. Possibly even an appropriate one. I wanted her to know that I was listening. That I cared about what she said in class. Fine, maybe the gesture wasn’t that appropriate. Especially since it was equally as easy to picture her smiling at me during her speech as it was to envision her smiling up at me naked in my bed.
I walked around the store a bit more searching for a piggy bank, but there wasn’t one. Then I searched another store. And another. And another. Slowly making my way down Main Street, trying to find the one thing that apparently wasn’t available anywhere. I’d never owned a piggy bank growing up. And I was pretty sure I hadn’t touched any change in years. I was the last person that would know where to find one. But once I set my mind on a task, it was hard for me to stop.
At the end of Main Street, I looked up at the last possible store to look in. A dollar store. I laughed. And I’d certainly never been in one of those before. But there was a first time for everything. I walked in and a bell jingled above my head. Was that to notify employees of shoppers coming in or out? Certainly it was forpeople coming in. Because no one could steal that much valuable inventory from a dollar store.
I shoved my hands into my shorts’ pockets as I roamed through the disorganized aisles until suddenly I found one. A tiny pink piggy bank. I lifted it up. It was perfect. And my bad vibes toward the store disappeared. Hell, this store had everything. I caught my reflection in a small mirror. I was a disheveled mess from my run. It was hard to imagine I’d ever been in New York at all. The suits. The money. Honestly, I looked like I fit in hanging out in here. Not just the dollar store. But Newark. I smiled to myself and looked back down at the piggy bank. Or maybe I was losing my mind.
The cashier rolled her eyes at me as I pulled out a credit card to pay for the dollar piggy bank. For a moment I was debating whether I should stop by the bank to get some pennies to fill it with. But I had a feeling the bank teller would have the same reaction as this cashier. Besides, what would I do with a roll full of pennies?
By the time I walked back out on Main Street it was dark. I’d been wandering around for hours in sweaty workout clothes searching for a piggy bank for a student. I looked down at the paper bag.God damn it.I’d turned into the stalker.
Obsessed - Chapter 4
Thursday
I could hear music blaring outside. For such an expensive apartment, the walls seemed rather thin. I turned off my computer and glanced out the window at the rowdy students. It was raining. Again. When I was in college, I wouldn’t have let a little rain keep me from a party either. But that was a long time ago.
I stretched my arms above my head. There were no papers to grade or anything else to distract me. My lesson plans were already written for the next few weeks. None of that was on my mind though.
Penny Taylor.I was tempted to look her up in the school directory. But what did it matter? She was in my Comm class. Which meant she was a senior. Which meant she was off-limits for two more semesters. There was nothing else I needed to know.
Why didn’t that dismiss her from my thoughts? If anything, telling myself I couldn’t have her made it even more impossible to push the thought of her aside.
I needed fresh air. I stood up from my desk and walked out into the hall. I ignored the empty walls and lack of any decorations. There was no reason to hang images of people that weren’t here. That wasn’t a cure for loneliness.
I laughed. There was no cure for being lonely. Was that really why I was fixated on Penny? I pulled on my jacket. She wasn’texactly the person to help me if that was my problem. Before pressing the elevator button, I grabbed an umbrella.
Besides, it was better when I was alone. I exited into the parking garage instead of the lobby so I wouldn’t risk having to socialize with anyone. It was definitely better when I was alone. I stepped out in the rain and opened my umbrella.
