Page 126 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 10
The sound of the rain against the fabric of the umbrella was soothing. I didn’t move here to find a girlfriend. I was here for a fresh start. I walked down Main Street, trying to clear my head. Now that classes had started back up, I was going to be fine. Or at least focused. I sighed. Who the hell was I kidding? The only thing I was focused on was a certain undergrad.
And then she was there. I blinked, assuming I was imagining her. No, that was definitely Penny walking a few paces ahead of me. Her red hair was unmistakable. I should have turned around as soon as I saw her. I needed distance from her if anything. Instead, I increased my pace.
She was dressed in a ridiculous sparkly blue miniskirt and a pair of heels that were way too high for her current state. She was stumbling down Main Street, obviously drunk. All I could focus on were her long legs. The rain on her skin almost shimmered as much as her skirt.
I knew I shouldn’t. I knew talking to her outside of class was the last thing I should be doing. But I couldn’t let her walk home like that. It was my responsibility, as her professor, to make sure she was safe. Right? "Miss Taylor, is that you?" I called.
She stopped mid-step, like hearing my voice froze her. "Um...no. You have the wrong person,” she said and quickly started walking again without even glancing at me over her shoulder.
She still looked wobbly in her heels. And clearly she didn’t want me to approach her. I knew I should let her go. But I couldn’t. What if she fell?Or worse.Someone could take advantage of her. It happened on college campuses all the time. She needed my help. I needed to keep her safe.
Again, I knew I should let her go. Instead, I started jogging up to her. I wasn’t some frat boy creep. I’d help her get home. I wouldn’t even touch her. I’d be a good professor, helping out a student in need. That was it. “Penny, stop!”
She turned around and stared up at me. But her eyes didn’t stay on my face. They slowly wandered down my body, like she was drinking me in.
She’s drunk. She doesn’t know what she’s doing.But I just stood there, letting her do it. I liked her eyes on me. Besides, it gave me a moment to stare at her long legs again. And her… I swallowed hard. She was wearing a white tank top. In the rain.Fuck.What was she trying to do to me? I forced my eyes back to her face.
"Professor Hunter, I'm sorry..." she let her voice trail off and folded her arms across her chest to help hide her breasts.
Professor Hunter.What was it about the way she said it? It just sounded sexy falling from her lips. And wrong. So fucking wrong. "You like to apologize when you've done nothing wrong,” I said. I was the one doing something wrong. I couldn’t stop staring at her. I stepped forward to prevent myself from oglingher. And to get her under my umbrella to keep her dry. Mostly the keeping her dry thing, of course. I tried to tell myself I had no ulterior motives for being closer to her. I gripped my umbrella tighter so I wouldn’t touch her.
As soon as I drew closer, I saw the mascara under her eyes. And her beautiful blue irises were surrounded by red. She had been crying. Had I been too late? Had someone already hurt her? I resisted pulling her close. That was the last thing she probably wanted. And the last thing I should do. "Is everything alright, Penny?"
"I'm fine,” she said too quickly for me to believe her.
"Then what are you doing out so late all by yourself?" I did care about her safety. I truly did. But I was also curious about her being alone. I thought about the boy that had talked to her in class. Were they dating? Was she dating anyone? And where the hell had she come from? A party? A date? What kind of prick wouldn’t walk her home?
"I could ask the same of you,” she said.
"I was just going for a walk."
"Me too."
I laughed. She drew a little closer to me and her arm brushed against mine. She wanted to be closer to me. But I'd promised myself I wouldn’t touch her. She was probably just cold from the chilly rain.
"Are you cold, Penny?"
She nodded up to me.
I handed her the umbrella as I shrugged off my jacket. I held it out for her. She hesitated for a moment before slowly slipping one arm in and then the other. Had no one ever helped her into her jacket before? What kind of pathetic men had she been dating?
It was none of my business. I took the umbrella back and held it above both of us again. "Well you really shouldn't be out alone this late, Penny. Especially in those walking clothes."Walking clothes? What the fuck was I even saying?
"Neither should you."
I laughed. I was pretty sure jeans and a t-shirt were more appropriate in the rain than her outfit. Her skirt barely covered a thing. I had to tear my eyes away from her to prevent myself from pushing her against one of the brick buildings and kissing the sadness off her face.Jesus. You’re her professor."Is your dorm near here? It would make me feel much better if I escorted you home."
"I live in Sussex."
"This way then," I said, and placed my hand on the small of her back for just a second. I immediately removed it. What happened to not touching her?
We walked in silence for a few minutes. Every now and then she’d stumble slightly and I'd have to touch her again. I didn’t want her to fall. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was hard to keep my hands to myself. And each time we touched, Ikept thinking that it didn’t feel wrong. Even though I knew it was.
What would she do if we wandered off the path into the green? If I pulled her on top of me in the wet grass? How would she react if I kissed her neck? If my fingers slid up her skirt and gripped her firm ass?
Breathe.I was trying to protect her. Clearly she only needed protection from me. I kept my eyes trained straight ahead and willed myself to keep my fucking hands to myself.
"I'm not good at giving speeches," she said, finally breaking the awkward silence my wandering thoughts had created. "I feel like I should just drop your class."
