His Forbidden Model: The Professor's Obsession

sm

otato in that dress," Mia said with a small laugh, like she was mak

her throug

er phone, barely paying attention to me. Her eyes flicked up

-thick girl like me. You'

e I pushed it aside. I turned slowly in fro

ell softly over my hips. Jason had picked it for me two w

, and the stupidly proud smile on his

oked

would look in it,

nd shrugged. "I'm sixty-tw

sides, Jason got it for me.

up properly. "I'm

esn't

dropped her phone beside her. "Whatev

e dress. "There's nothing wrong with a man who loves reading," I

at's because you

arefully before putting it back into my wardrobe. "

h. "If your plan is to c

e faded. I turned

ven looking

ng my comb down. "You know what, M

ediately. "Did I sa

yes. But ins

o study for my ass

ike she didn't completely belie

ee you t

ea

up her ba

door closed. I sat on the edge o

lled it honesty, but sometimes I wondered

ed and

fore opening my notes, I reache

d almost i

ed, and I smile

e she

wider. "H

r another second and fr

ked. "

look

hen I laughed quie

for a second before he smiled

inside my

nd changed

ur after that. Mostly nons

d, "So what are w

ened even more.

odd

e ye

ng it fel

n spend the day together,

a smile. "That

maybe..." He paused before continuing more

a little. I loo

son

face changed to

"Oh." He looked away bri

and shook

what? It

him before that I wasn't ready, and he

acted unde

ou have your assessment the

does that have to

orrow, go to the

, but he

ours. Then spend the r

yes. "Wow. Ve

e to step

d at hi

lecturers. Wrong grading," he said. "

bout that. I wan

ded anywa

oftened. "

ediately. "L

ed, I stared at my

ct. I could feel it in my bones. I tried to read after

ay, I woke

blanket and stared at the ceiling w

g after a few months were normal now,

ghts that never lasted, shared routines, random gifts, pati

n there throu

out of bed, I re

the keyboard for a momen

to you every day. Thank you for being patient with me, for understanding me, and for makin

er sending it and smiled to mys

but that didn't bother me. Instead,

re quick, but not toda

to details I normally rushed through. The steam war

ly at myself an

made me smile, because it

e me feel guil

be today was the day I was going to finall

heat creep into m

way from t

le-library first,

that was

tled into my usual seat near the window,

realized I'd read the s

and close

as hop

e. Surely one afternoon

ed putting everything back

nt straight to pick up the watch I'd already

tely regr

nd and left. But somehow, ten awkward minutes later, I was carrying

had started doing strange things. I stare

wondering if I'd regret changing somethi

diately sho

m, and Jas

ould be

ldn'

, we'r

d realized w

and ste

t-and for a moment, everyt

walked toward his house

o my purse fo

pau

r wasn'

was u

pen. "Jason?" I called, b

osed the door behind me

as

l no

led f

be I'd su

king my time. I was halfway

top

it was-just a faint sound-but w

cr

pulled

ound again, but then there was som

crept into my ches

hed under

ag in my hand and smiled nervously-maybe he wa

nstead, something about the silence ar

ow. And the closer I got to his room

new what my eyes were seeing through th

e shopping bags. My pulse quic

o

o

sita

open, and my eyes