Page 11 of Brighter Shades of Light
“No reason to apologize for something thatalmosthappened, Mr. Miller,” I responded, meeting his gaze. That close, I saw the gray-blue shade of his eyes and the long dark lashes surrounding them. “You’re in the NROTC, you said? Navy or Marine Option?”
“Marine Option, sir,” he answered. “I had PT this morning, and I didn’t manage time well afterward. But it won’t happen again.”
PT?Oh, physical training. I knew very little about the program, other than the men and women participating went to college while also training to be officers in the military. Some were Navy, and others were Marine.
“I see.” I placed my lecture notes on top of the course textbook, along with the sign-in sheet. I wasn’t exactly in a position to lecture about time management. There were many days I forgot to eat lunch and dinner because of poor planning. “Well, I hope you find this course informative and practical.”
“I’m sure I will.” Cody smiled. It lit up his entire face, emphasizing his impeccable bone structure, while at the same time giving him a boyish appearance. “I know you probably hear this all the time, but it’s an honor to learn from you. I don’t consider myself much of an expert on chemistry and stuff. It kinda goes over my head sometimes. But I love your research in nanotechnology and in the nuclear energy field.”
Indeed, Ididhear such compliments often…yet, it felt different coming from him. I didn’t flatter easily, and he’d managed to do so.
“Thank you, Mr. Miller. I’m glad my work has made an impact on you.” I pushed my glasses up my nose, feeling suddenly awkward. Well, more awkward than usual when conversing with people. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to prepare for my next class.”
“Oh! Yeah. Sorry for keeping you. I should get to my next class, too.” Cody stepped backward and bumped into the first row of desks before fumbling around and running a hand through the top of his short, brown hair. “See you Wednesday!”
He trotted up the stairs to the exit at the back of the room and left, as if he couldn’t get out of there fast enough. I watched after him a moment, unsure what to make of him.
That’s when I realized I was smiling.
***
After my chemistry class, I grabbed a turkey and cheese sandwich and a bottle of water from the campus cafeteria before heading back outside. There were places to sit in the cafeteria, but I preferred to eat alone. It was too crowded and noisy for my taste.
On my way to my office, I smacked into a brick wall. Or, at least, that was what it felt like, as the muscled body seemingly came out of nowhere.
As the mountain of muscle hit me, I dropped my sandwich on the sidewalk. My water nearly went with it, but I caught it before it slipped out of my hands.
“Shit! I-I’m sorry,” Cody stammered. Once he looked up and realized who he had bumped into, he gaped in horror. “Oh my god, Dr. Vale, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to.” His gaze dropped to my ruined food. “I’ll buy you another one!”
“It’s fine,” I said and rubbed my chest where we’d collided. I was an inch or so taller than him, but he obviously had more muscle mass. Yes, a brick wall was an adequate description. “I wasn’t that hungry.”
“No, let me buy you another one,” he insisted. “Today is just not my day. Since I was running late this morning, I didn’t eat breakfast, so right when my last class ended, I took off toward the cafeteria ‘cause I’m starving and the line to the dining hall is too long right now since they just opened the doors. Shit, I’m rambling, aren’t I?”
“A little.” I regarded him curiously. “Don’t worry about the sandwich. It’d be inappropriate for a student to pay for a professor’s lunch. You should find something to eat before you wither away into nothing.”
Cody’s lips twitched with a smile. “Was that a joke?”
“No. Merely a keen observation, given the length of time that’s passed since you’ve had a proper meal and the energy lost from your training this morning.”
“I feel bad,” Cody said, looking at his shoes before lifting his stare to mine. “All I seem to do since I’ve met you is screw up.”
The sun reflected in his eyes, causing them to appear lighter. Dark lashes shadowed the tops of his blushed cheeks, and faint, nearly imperceptible freckles marked the tip of his nose. And under the sun’s rays, I noticed his brown hair held hints of auburn.
“You haven’t screwed anything up, Mr. Miller.” I didn’t know why I felt the need to reassure him when I would’ve rarely taken the time to do so with anyone else. Perhaps it was due to the regret smeared across his face and the fact I could tell he was mentally berating himself. “Accidents happen. Enjoy the rest of your day. And please get something to eat soon. I hear your stomach growling from here.”
As I walked away, I felt his eyes on me, an odd sensation and one that made my heartrate spike for some unknown reason.
Upon first glance, Cody had seemed as though he’d be like most other men his age—slightly immature and more interested in girls and working out than schoolwork—but upon further inspection, it seemed there was more to him.
He puzzled me. And I wasn’t puzzled very often.
Chapter 4
Cody
As I watched Dr. Vale walk away, I nearly went after him. I didn’t know what the fuck I would say, but I wasn’t ready to stop talking to him.
I got the feeling my first impression of him had been off a bit. Yeah, he gave off an icy vibe and was slightly intimidating. He had a way of looking at you as if he could see straight into your soul or something.
