Page 66 of Alive and Kicking
“Totally sounded like you were saying all you needed in life is me and Zane,” I tell him with a wince.
Sloane hangs his head and sighs while Nox can’t help but laugh as he takes a spot at my other side. He takes my hand and we all walk out to the car together. Sloane had traveled with the rest of the team as usual, but now he’s free to leave with us.
I pout up at Sloane until he notices and asks me what’s wrong. “I never agreed to share my harem with you. Get your own.”
Zane laughs, pushing away from Sloane and running to the car. “I call shotgun!”
I roll my eyes at him and smile as I lean into Sloane. With Nox driving, that gives me and Sloane the opportunity to cuddle in the back seat. So really it’s Zane’s loss.
Cain
The guy who took over the identity of my TA is an absolute ghost. Nox went as far as using government facial recognition software on the guy and still found absolutely nothing. Which means he’s either never been a criminal or he’s got friends in high places who have been able to keep his image out of the database. Neither are good options. He either snapped and decided to do this like a psycho, or he’s a very clever criminal who was just momentarily stupid.
I got an email from the dean this morning while I was eating breakfast and pulled Viv to sit on my lap at the kitchen island so we could read it together. Viv huffs, finishing the email before I’m done. “I get there’s not much more that they can do since they think this guy is your student and don’t realize he’s a completely different person, but academic probation and being banned from TA positions seems a little lax for something like this. He tried to sabotage another student’s grade.”
I wrap my arm around her tighter. “Maybe you’ve just been too prickly with the almighty academic powers. The saying is ‘you catch more bees with honey’ for a reason.”
I can feel the glare she’s pointing in my direction while I type out a quick reply letting them know that I’ve received themessage and am not too happy about the outcome. But also that I accept their decision. Now I just need to figure out where this little fucker went so I can find him and skin him alive.
Viv lets out another sigh. “I have too much to think about to worry about this asshole. Sandy has like three fundraisers going this week and I’ve promised to show my support in all of them but the Karaoke thing. I wouldn’t expose my worst enemy to my singing. I’m pretty sure it’s against the Geneva convention or something.”
I laugh, not able to hold it in. “That bad hmm?”
I look down at Viv to find her frowning. “My dad uses a recording of me singing to play on a loop at full volume for torture. It’s that bad.”
If she was anyone else I would laugh and assume she was joking, but having met Viv’s father I could see him doing that. Though now I’m questioning how bad her singing voice could be for it to be used for actual torture. I can’t even imagine, and now I kind of really want to hear an example. But she seems completely against it so I decide it would be best to change the subject. “What else are they doing this week?”
“A calendar and a raffle. I decided to just donate money for the calendar fundraiser, because the last thing I want is a picture of Carol in the house. But the raffle sounds fun. They’ve gotten some other groups to donate some baskets and their staff sponsor had some connections to get some big ticket items donated. So they’ll probably make enough with just those two fundraisers to raise the rest of the money for the project. I already ordered Sandy a present for when she announces they raised the funds they need,” Viv explains to me.
I smile at that and lean my head against the top of her head. After finally giving in to the desire between us, I can suddenly understand why Zane kept her in bed with him for an entire day after their first time. I wish we’d had that kind of time tojust enjoy ourselves. “Do you have to go tonight?” I find myself asking her. She looks up at me with her brows furrowed and I suddenly feel guilty. “Never mind. I’m being a possessive dick.”
Her lips tilt up. “I’m sorry. I promised Sloane I would hang out with him today.”
I frown but don’t say anything. It’s not like I can take her out anywhere like the other guys can. We can’t be seen together in public as long as she is my student. This is just something we’re going to have to deal with until she graduates. It’s not like I can just switch subjects, and it’s not like she wants to take classes from another teacher. And we’re not even doing anything necessarily wrong. I have Keith grade all her work just to make sure I’m not accidentally showing her any favoritism.
I sigh. “I know. You don’t need to apologize. Besides, I need to write a very firm email to Baldwin about why I will not be having another TA this semester. I’m sure he’ll understand given recent events.”
Viv sits up in my lap and turns to look at me. “Okay. I’ve got to get ready anyway. I need to find something warm to wear.”
I huff out a breath, knowing what he probably has planned but not wanting to ruin the surprise. “What a shame. And I was going to suggest you wore that outfit I got you for your date.”
Her thighs rub together the barest amount and she looks away, failing horribly at trying to hide her arousal. I’m not sure if she’s turned on by the idea of wearing that outfit again or what happened the last time she wore it.
“I’ve… Umm, I gotta go get ready. See you later!” she shouts, hopping from my lap and running out of the room before I can even try to stop her.
I smile at how cute she is when she gets flustered. She’s such a badass when it comes to so many things, but the moment she gets embarrassed she becomes a blubbering fool who can barely string a sentence together. I shake my head, not realizing thatI’m still smiling until I see my reflection in the dark screen of my laptop in front of me.
Well, since I’m alone and bored, I might as well start drafting that email. No matter what, I’m not willing to accept a new TA into any of my classes. Hopefully Baldwin learned his lesson about what happens when he pushes me. I never should have agreed to one in the first place, but I let him guilt me into it and now look at the mess we’re in.
Viviana
I’m confused when Sloane takes me to the fitness center at school, after getting me so excited for our date too. When he sees the expression on my face, I know I must be doing a horrible job of hiding my confusion because he laughs. “Relax. I didn’t bring you here to work out for our date. Besides, I don’t think I could even keep up with you on the track.”
Looking over at him, I shrug. “I wouldn’t have minded a date at the gym. I just would have worn gym clothes.”
I look down at my thick jeans and fuzzy sweater. There’s no way I would be comfortable in this while going to the gym. Sloane opens his door a crack and looks over at me with a shining ember of hope in his eyes. “Come on. It’s going to be fun, I promise. And if it isn’t we can go do whatever else you want to.”
I push my door open, ready to face whatever he’s set in motion. He grabs his book bag out of the back seat before he leads me through the fitness center, and I realize we’re heading toward the direction of the track. Instead of going up the stairs though, he takes me through another door that leads to the ice rink.
