A Yearning Beyond Years

Stacey's POV:

"Okay, that's it for today," I concluded, and the students immediately got up to leave. "Remember that this assignment accounts for twenty percent of your total grade, so you better research your topic carefully." I called out to the impatient figures as they scurried out the door.

I smiled to myself as I heard them groan in reply. I wasn't the type of Professor who reveled in overworking students, but these were third-year college students, and I had to make sure they were fully prepared for their final English exams.

I picked up my laptop and was about to exit the lecture hall when a voice stopped me. "I enjoyed your class as always, Mrs. Smith."

I turned to see the warmest shade of brown orbs staring back at me. The tall man had on a white collar shirt that perfectly complemented his smooth dark skin and flaunted his muscular biceps.

"I'm happy to hear that, Noah." I gave him a warm smile.

His eyes lingered on my features, trailing down from my eyes to my lips and then to my chest, where his gaze remained fixed. I followed his eyes to see a small part of my cleavage exposed as a result of the unhooked button at the top of my blouse.

I quickly adjusted the material and covered up the open skin, but Noah's focus remained unwavering.

I shifted uncomfortably and cleared my throat. "Noah?"

His body flinched, as if I just broke him out of a trance. His focus darted back to my eyes, and his usual demeanor returned. "See you next class, Mrs." He rushed out the words and quickly jabbed out the hall.

That was...unusual.

Noah was the most popular boy and the star basketball player of the school. The school took pride in the recognition the basketball team had given them, and as a result, Noah and his teammates were treated like mini gods.

They only took basic general courses and were freely allowed to miss most of their classes to focus on training. Lecturers had no power against them, so we just learned to let them be. But Noah was different from the others.

Even though he was the star player, he never missed any of my classes. And I don't know if it was in my head, but most times I could feel him staring at me so intently in class that my neck grew hot.

I shook my head, trying to physically dispel my thoughts of a twenty-year-old college student for any reason watching his thirty-two-year-old professor. I walked out of the lecture hall to where my car was parked and started the car's engine, heading for home.

When I got home, the sunset had already painted the skyline a pale tint of golden orange. My body ached, and all I wanted to do was run a cold shower and head to bed.

As I reached the stairs, I heard strange noises coming from somewhere upstairs. I paused to listen. "Who could that be?"

Liam had told me he would be going on a two-day business trip this morning, and he assured me he would be dropping off Tessa, our daughter, at his mother's place because I wouldn't be home. The college was supposed to host a day-long conference, but it ended up getting canceled. So that meant there wasn't supposed to be anyone at home.

It must be that a burglar broke in. You will need to get something to defend yourself.

Yes! I searched around where I stood for something I could weaponize. My best option was the ceramic flower vase propped up by my side. I wrapped my hands firmly against the body and made my way up the stairs.

Someone is definitely ending up getting very hurt today.

I traced the sound up to our bedroom door. Now that I was closer, I could hear the sound more clearly. It wasn't just any sound; it was moaning. It actually sounded like the people at the other end of the door were making out.

Anger surged to my head. How could you break into someone's house and have sex in the person's bedroom? You had to be...

"Fuck me, Liam." The muffled voice of a woman at the other end drew me out of my thoughts.

Was I hearing things, or did that woman just say my husband's name?

You definitely heard right. She did.

No! No!! I must have misheard.