Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 111089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Kendra stepped in, smiling. “Hey there. Trolling Facebook when you should be grading papers?”
“Sort of. Mostly getting lost in my own thoughts.”
She approached, settling in the desk beside Kyle’s. I slid his paper between a few others. I knew she couldn’t have picked up what I had from it, but I felt it was my job to protect Kyle’s precious thoughts from anyone else.
They were meant for me. I just knew it. And I feared the worst.
“So…that project I’m volunteering for over at the William Handhurst library? We had a massive amount of donations, and I was wondering if you happened to be free this week, maybe Wednesday afternoon?”
“That’d be good. I’ll offer that as extra credit if anyone’s willing to pitch in.”
“Yeah, I was hoping you’d say that. I’ve been asking some of the other teachers if they would do the same. They said they would, but you know how it goes.”
“Hey, I can’t promise I can actually get any of these kids there.”
“Tell me about it. It’s fine, as long as you can make it.”
The way she said it reminded me of something that had been on my mind. We’d gotten together a few times since our first date, but they had all wound up the same. We’d spent the evening chatting, and then I’d go home. She was amazing, but…
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about—”
“You don’t have to say anything, James. You were very nice. If the spark isn’t there, it isn’t there. I’m fine with just being friends if you are.” She rested her hand on the edge of Kyle’s desk.
“Thank you for understanding.”
“It is awfully recent between you and your ex, so if you do end up changing your mind…”
“You’ll be the first to know,” I assured her.
15
Kyle
Ignoring Teach was killing me.
It was the right thing to do, I kept telling myself, but if anything, it only seemed to make my fucked-up crush that much worse.
When I’d been working on one of James’s homework assignments during the week, I’d been so aggravated. I wanted to talk to him about so many fucking things, but I couldn’t, not to him or anyone. It all came flooding out anyway.
I’d regretted handing it in, yet I was certain if anything, it would be the end of it. He’d see my weird-ass response and disregard it, and I’d know he didn’t care about me any more than any other student. It was the remedy to this fucking obsession the growing feelings for him had become.
Or was it a cry for help?
Either way, I was ready for James to let me down.
It didn’t keep me from feeling on edge when I walked into his classroom the next day. I could feel his gaze on me, just as I’d been able to since last week. It seemed worse now, after having skipped H4H on Saturday, despite his reassurance the day before. He knew something was different.
Although, the fact that he was concerned made me think that at least he didn’t know—couldn’t know—the real reason: my stupid feelings for my teacher. Felt dumb even thinking it.
As I went to my desk, trying to keep my cool, I wondered if he’d read it, but as I peeked at him, his eyes on me in a different way than usual, I was certain he had.
He doesn’t know what it means.
When class began, he rose from his chair. His biceps and triceps strained the sleeves of his shirt. His ass fit snug in his slacks.
“I wanted to let everyone know that we have an extra-credit opportunity this Wednesday at the William Handhurst Library.”
My gaze pulled to him. It seemed like he was working to keep from looking directly at me, and as he got into his lecture, I did my best to convince myself I’d made too much of the look he’d given me before class began. But then he handed our papers back, and at the bottom of mine, I saw the note to see him after class.
Relief pulsed through me. I should have been annoyed, or bothered, or concerned about what I’d let him read, but all I wanted was to know he hadn’t glossed over it, that he’d really cared. It was a fleeting relief, however, replaced with tension and the feeling of what the fuck had I done? Had I shared too much?
No, I told myself. I could blame it all on the play if I needed to.
And yet, even if I had shown too much of myself, this was James. And I knew he would never use any of it to hurt me. That he would keep me safe.
When the bell rang, I headed for the door, veering over to him, sliding my paper across his desk.
“Yeah?” I asked, guarded as ever, curious to see his reaction.
He stood and closed the door before approaching me and resting that sexy ass against the edge of his desk.