Flawed Professor

A Cocky Hero Club Story

Sarah Stein

Flawed Professor

Copyright © 2020 by Sarah Stein and Cocky Hero Club, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the authors’ imaginations. Any resemblance to actual persons, things, living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Editor: Wild Dreams Publishing

Proofreading by: Primrose Passage

Photo Credit: DepositPhotos

Formatted by: Primrose Passage

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Dedication

Blurb

Prologue

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Cocky Hero Club Links

Sarah’s Published Works

About the Author

Note to Readers

Flawed Professor is a standalone story written by Sarah Stein, inspired by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward’s Park Avenue Player.

It's published as part of the Cocky Hero Club world, a series of original works, written by various authors, and inspired by Keeland and Ward's New York Times bestselling series.

Dedication…To the readers and fans of the Cocky Hero Club!

Blurb

Tobias

Flawed…

That’s how I’d been my whole life.

Moving from one woman to the next.

I even threw away my marriage for a rump with a student.

Commitment is a difficult thing to stick to.

At this point, no one will have me.

It doesn’t stop me from wanting Sophie.

She’s smart and gorgeous.

To top it off, she gives me the cold shoulder.

It makes me crave her even more.

Sophie

I take one look and know

Tobias will eat me up and spit me out.

He’ll leave me behind picking up all the pieces of my broken heart.

I couldn’t let him know how much I crave him – his smarts, his touch.

Oh, but I want him…bad.

Prologue

Five Years Ago

Tobias

“What in the absolute fuck!” Came a loud shrill from close by.

Too close for my comfort. I was on the precipice. My balls tightened, and a sheen of sweat coated my forehead from the rough pounding. The hottie bent in front of me wasn’t the greatest lay, but she wasn’t the worst either. She had taunted me with her buttoned-down plaid shirt, and a pleated skirt that ended right over her goods. The minute the blonde-haired student bent over to pick up the pencil she’d dropped, I could see the white lace of her underwear clear as day. It got my cock all hard and ready, wanting to plow right into her tight pussy.

As a professor of Art, I tended to get quite a lot of girls in my class. By God, most of them were sexy, and many wore clothing that wasn’t appropriate for everyday wear. I wasn’t sure if they were just comfortable in their skin or trying to gain my attention. I tried my best to stick to myself and do what I did best – teach, but there was always that one student who tried her luck after class, and this time, I had a hard time saying no.

I was grabbed by the neck of my collar from behind. The damn shirt ripped, warning me that expensive clothing can tear as easily as cheap clothing. The cool air wrapped around my cock and I instantly regretted the warmth of Blondie’s pussy. I didn’t have time to bitch, because as soon as I was pulled out of her, I released all over the floor of my office. In the same place I had many teacher/student conferences in the morning.

Fuck. Double fuck. Triple fuck.

The second I’d been pulled back, I was unconfined. “You fucking piece of shit.” I couldn’t miss the high-pitched vocals of Elodie, my wife. My chest tightened because I instantly felt like shit.

Everything came crashing down around me while I struggled to pull my khakis up. The last thing I wanted was to deal with my wife with my dick hanging out. I’d like to keep the thing attached at all costs. Who knew what she’d do in her bout of anger? I’m not going to lie, the feeling of being encased in Blondie’s body brought home a hunger I’d missed before pledging infidelity to Elodie. I thought we were in love. But I couldn’t even make a year before taking another woman and throwing nine months of marriage away.

“Hold up, Elodie,” I screeched, reaching out to grab her before she snatched Blondie’s hair with her hands. I made it just in time; otherwise, we’d all be in some serious trouble.

While holding Elodie back, I told Blondie, “Leave.” There wasn’t much else to say. If the girl knew what was best for her, she’d keep what we’d did on a down low. No sense for the Dean to snoop around. I’d possibly lose my job, and Blondie would most likely get kicked out. Knowing her, she probably only hit on me for better grades. Who knew what was on the table these days? People fucked up for many different reasons. Me? Well, I’d been flawed for as long as I could remember. Before I’d proposed to Elodie, I was known as the ‘Park Avenue Player’. Unfortunately, even marriage couldn’t save me.

Once Blondie left, I finally let the realization of what I’d done sink in. My chest tightened once again when I’d glanced at Elodie. Her face was flushed from the exertion of trying to grab Blondie and there were tears in the corners of her eyes, but they didn’t fall. If there’s one thing I’d learned from Elodie, it was that she’s a tough cookie. Throughout the nine months of our marriage, she’d shown only strength, rarely any weakness. The tears I’m witnessing were the most weakness she’s ever let me see. If I didn’t feel like shit before, I felt it now.

Her baby blue eyes seemed to stare deep within me, trying to see something. What? I couldn’t tell you, but I knew the moment it appeared. Elodie had found what she’d been searching for. Her breath hitched, and she hardened in front of me. It made me nervous for a second, so I stroked her platinum hair, the silkiness running through my fingers as I cooed, “Baby. Please, I’ll change. I’m so, so sorry. I won’t do it again.”

Even though I was flawed, I didn’t like being alone. Elodie was truly a good woman to me. I didn’t want to have to start all over again.

Elodie inhaled a deep breath, calming herself before saying, “I want your shit out. I’m keeping the bungalow. I don’t give a flying fuck where you’re going. It’s over.”

With her statement, the hair I’d been stroking left my fingers as she nudged past me and left without a backward glance. I couldn’t say I was numb. This was a regular thing for me. If anything, I was surprised I’d gone nine months without sleeping with another person. I truly believed Elodie had changed me for the better. But, no matter how smart and gorgeous she was, nothing could take away from the fact that I was flawed.

Chapter One

Current Day

Tobias

I gradually pressed the accelerator of my black BMW. The sleek vehicle maneuvered perfectly on the semi-packed highway. I preferred to leave early for work so I wouldn’t have to battle the traffic. Most days were horrendous, and so I opted to leave my house earlier than usual. The quietness of the drive also gave me a chance to reflect on any upcoming meetings or my past, whichever my mind chose to dive into.

On this particular day, I couldn’t stop thinking about seeing the life leaving my stepsister’s eyes when she passed. She suffered from Lymphangioleiomyomatosis, and her body was quickly failing. Bree and I weren’t close, hell we rarely talked, but it affected me seeing her frail body lying in the hospital as time slipped away. During that time, I tried talking to Elodie, but my wife… ex-wife chose to ignore me whenever I was around. Even though I was the one who fucked up, I couldn’t help but feel cheated. I tried on many occasions to talk to Elodie, but she wouldn’t listen. Boy, she wasn’t lying when she said she was done with me. I thought I’d have the chance to sweat talk her into staying, but that was a no-go. It gutted me at first, but gradually I survived the downfall.

When I finally got Elodie to talk, which was the day my sister pulled us all together to talk about her final wishes, the only thing Elodie asked was why I’d cheated on her. I said the first thing that came to mind; I was a sex addict. I wasn’t lying to her when I revealed that I attended therapy but being a sex addict wasn’t on the list of things my therapist actually claimed. I wanted Elodie to think my sexual urges were quite literally out of my hands. By saying I was a sex addict, I was hoping it would cause a change in the dynamic of our relationship. Elodie didn’t believe any of the bullshit I spewed. At least I had tried explaining why I did what I did.

I felt terrible when she mentioned how much of an amazing wife she had been. I couldn’t deny that fact. Elodie cooked, cleaned, and tried her best to excite me all the time. It simply wasn’t enough. Yeah, I was a douche, and I should’ve had control of my urges, but that’s how Elodie and I got together in the first place. She was my student, and my need to have her was quite potent. I honestly believed our commitment toward one another was strong, but apparently, mine wasn’t strong enough.

Arriving to work, I slowly slid into the closest available parking spot reserved for faculty. I sat in the black leather seat for a moment, the engine softly purring, wondering why I tortured myself with thoughts of Elodie. She’s the past and must stay there, but I couldn’t stop thinking about the short amount of time we had together. They were mostly good, and I missed it whenever I felt the loneliest.

“Hey, when is the end of year assignment due?” a muffled voice brought me out of my lament. I rolled the window down, taking the time to observe the petite, brown-haired girl standing a few inches away. I was relieved to have someone pull me out of my reverie.

“It’s at the end of the year,” I answered the minute the window was all the way down.

She scrunched up her tiny nose, took a deep breath, and said, “I know that. I need to know the exact date so I can prioritize my schedule.”

I knew my answer had been sarcastic, but she had interrupted my daydreaming, which I was secretly okay about, “It’s exactly one week from now. Is there any other question you have?”

Usually, a pretty girl such as the one at my window would easily trap me into a conversation, but I wasn’t feeling it. It must be something in the water. I think a night out with the guys would help me get back into the swing of things. I’m tired of overthinking about the past, present, or future. Yeah, that’s what I sorely needed. Besides, who needed love and marriage? Not this guy. I’d fallen for the ‘ole trick once – never again.

“Sorry, I disturbed you,” the girl said, “I was worried about my grades and making sure the assignments were in on time. Thanks for the information.” She quickly backed away.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was deliberately trying to get away from me. Not that I gave a shit. I had things to attend to, so I nodded my head in acceptance, but she was already gone. Sometimes, it was weird teaching the older crowd. I expected them to have their shit together more so than the younger crowd, but it’s all the same. Each person was unique and brought something different to the table. The girl definitely had a thing for organization and scheduling and wanted to make sure she wasn’t missing anything. I could appreciate that.

Rolling the window back up, and cutting off the engine, I reached to the passenger seat, grabbed my black briefcase, and exited the vehicle. What I really wanted to do was go home, get ready to party, and possibly come home with some nice ass to fuck. It was rare when an evening ended with me alone, I was looking forward to the outing.

But first, bills must be paid, and my job must be fulfilled.

“Hey, Mr. Tobias. Yo, Mr. T., see you in class,” shouts from all areas of the campus traveled to me as I walked to the main doorway. I won’t lie, it’s nice knowing that when most of the students leave here, I’d have left my mark on them. Yeah, that could be taken in another way. I don’t try to leave my mark on the girls, but sometimes, I have no control, as I mentioned earlier. I continued walking, with each shout I nodded my head toward the voices, but not once stopped my stride.

“Excuse me.” I quickly opened the glass door framed in metal for the person behind me. The voice seemed urgent, and I didn’t want to halt the person’s steps. I knew how it felt to almost miss a meeting or not be punctual to class. The person was clearly in a hurry.

I didn’t get much of a view of the front side, but the backside was jaw-dropping. Her perky, round ass was accentuated by wavy, bright red hair that stopped before covering the sexy view. The grey pants she wore were so tight they left little to the imagination. I wanted to be up-close and see her features, but she dashed away with only a “thank you” in response to me opening the door for her.

She must be late for something not to take the time and adequately thank someone. It didn’t piss me off, only made me curious as to who she was and what she was doing zooming through the doorway in such a rush. I could quicken my steps and follow her, but one glance told me I needed to be in my designated classroom pronto. Just as I assessed the situation, the bell rang and students continued traversing through the hallway, rushing to get to the place they needed to be.

I hated being late, and what’s worse than being late, especially when you arrived to work earlier than most people. If I’d not sat in my car for so long, I’d already be situated in my classroom and not barging through the multitude of people trying to get to ‘said’ classroom. Right as I grasped the doorknob of my class, I saw a glimpse of bright red hair out of the corner of my eye. It had to be the same woman. There weren’t many women with such bright hair who worked or even attended this university.

Shaking my head, I opened the door and saw the classroom was almost completely filled. I chalked it up to being fashionably late and tossed my briefcase on the oak desk in front of the blackboard. Each morning I’d draw a symbol or character from a cartoon before class. Today, I haven’t had the chance, so yesterday’s drawing was still on the board. It was a sketched cartoon of Tweety and Sylvester. Even as an adult, I enjoyed cartoons, especially the older ones that brought you back in time.

“Okay, class. Today, I want you to take out your sketchpad and doodle for a bit while I change up the drawing on the blackboard,” I ordered as I grabbed the eraser, “when I’m done, we’ll discuss what’ll be on the end of year exam next week.”

As I mentioned the date of the exam, I caught the eye of the student who’d interrupted my musings at my car window. She hung her head, took out her sketchpad, and followed my directions.

One stroke after another on the blackboard, and my mind still hadn’t eased. The red-headed woman caught my attention, and now I’m curious as to her purpose. Who was she? Why was she here? I had to know, and hopefully, I’d get the chance to find out precisely who she was.

Chapter Two

Sophie

Shit, shit, shit. I can’t be late. No matter how hard I pressed on the gas to get to college, the piece of crap car wouldn’t go higher than 50 mph. The speed limit was 60 on the interstate, and my vehicle apparently didn’t get the memo. Why I purchased a piece of crap Hyundai twenty years old was beyond me. At the time, I needed a car and look where it got me, almost late to the only job interview I’ve had since originally applying to various colleges.

A few weeks ago, I’d decided to branch out and apply for a position in the music department. I didn’t care what college accepted me; I only wanted the job of my dreams. Two days ago, I’d finally gotten the interview of a lifetime, the only interview, and I accepted. If someone would’ve told me two days ago I’d be late for the interview; I’d laugh in their face. I’d wanted this job ever since I got my Master of Music Education, along with the state certifications necessary for the field. It took many years, but I’d finally completed the requirements, and now here I was late, just like the Hare on Alice in Wonderland.

While obtaining my degree I needed to make a living, so I worked at Tyke’s Daycare on Park Avenue. I worked with the 0-6-month babies. I’m not sure why, but I’ve always loved the smell of baby powder and taking care of people who can’t seem to fend for themselves. And well, babies fit that category. Tyke’s Daycare was perfect for my side job while working on my degree. Music was everything to me, and I wanted to share my love with others just like me.

“Come on, get the hell off the road!” I yelped as I was pulled out of my trance. Slapping my hand harshly against the steering wheel, I glanced at the digital timepiece on my right hand and took note of how close I was to missing the entire interview. My luck was about to run out if I didn’t make it to the college. To top things off, I hated driving so traffic was terrible at every time of day for me.

Five minutes later, I pulled into the wrap-around driveway, drove right, and parked in the overflow parking lot. It seemed there weren’t many places to park, so I had to make do. Unfortunately, this meant I had to make a beeline for the building with only ten minutes left to spare. I had no clue where everything was or what room I needed to be in for the interview.

On top of that, there were so many students meandering about. Right as I exited the vehicle, everyone seemed to move at a quick pace. The bell hadn’t rung yet, but I’d have bet they knew it would soon. I was pushed harshly as I reached the building’s steps, but people made a wide berth next to a man heading toward the front door.

He caught my attention for a brief moment, but I couldn’t dwell on why the students seemed to give the man lots of room and not push into him as they did me. I didn’t even have time to assess how he looked or ask who he was, which was a shame because he could be a fellow teacher and someone on my side if I happened to get the job.

“Excuse me,” I said without hesitating. I needed to get through those doors and quick.

The unknown man swung opened the metal doors swiftly, and I rushed on through. I was in such a hurry I’d forgotten my manners. I uttered a swift ‘thank you,’ but figured he probably didn’t hear what I’d said since the noise level would drown out my words anyway. It seemed no one could travel to their destination without talking the entire way, which made it loud in the building’s halls.

It upset me that I couldn’t take time out before the interview to observe the atmosphere and take a look around. I might be working here and wanted to know what my potential place of work was like. What was everyone’s day-to-day schedule, and how did people treat one another here? If I’m to work someplace, I like to feel like I belong, like I fit right on in with those surrounding me. Being late took away those options. Hopefully though, I’d have the chance after the interview, if all goes well.

“Hi,” I greeted the woman who sat in the admissions office, “I’m here for an interview with Dan.”

I hoped this was the place I was supposed to check into, but I had absolutely no clue. All I knew was the name of the guy who was conducting the interview. It made me a bit anxious and I gripped my hands together as I waited. I glanced at my watch again and noticed I was late. And late was never good for any interview. My hopes dimmed as I thought about putting more applications out and having to wait on a response to those.

“Of course. Take a seat right over there, he’ll be with you shortly,” the woman stated as she pointed to an area in the corner which housed three empty chairs.

I took the chair closest to me and sat down, crossing my right leg over my left. I took the opportunity to look around the office. It was like many other school admissions offices, with a massive light wood-grained colored desk with four seats behind it. The woman who greeted me seemed to be the only one in the office, but I was sure, by the looks of things, more people worked in this office. There was a massive all-in-one printer and fax situated beside the desk. Next to the printer were two bulletin boards filled with a variety of papers ranging from club sign-up forms to things students can learn. On the other end of the office were two extra doors with signs on them. From this distance I couldn’t make out what the signs said, but I assumed those doors led to other offices. Exactly my thoughts when a balding man walked out of one of the doors with his hand outstretched as if for me to shake it.

“Hi, Sophie. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Dan. I will be interviewing you,” Dan greeted cheerily.

I grasped his hand in a firm hold and shook while saying, “Hi. I’m so sorry I’m late. I hope you still have some time left for my interview. I didn’t expect traffic to be so rough.”

I kept blabbering repeatedly. I didn’t want Dan to reschedule, yet I didn’t want him to stick to the interview if he had another one scheduled. This adulting thing sucked sometimes.

“No, no. You’re good,” Dan assured me, releasing my hand, “Follow me, and we’ll get started.” I blew out a quick breath, relieved Dan didn’t cancel because I was late.

I followed him into his office which had his name on the door with the title of Human Resource Manager underneath. He gestured for me to sit in the black chair situated across the desk before taking a seat himself.

“Did you get a chance to look around before the meeting?” Dan questioned, rifling through the stack of papers he picked up from the desk.

The dark mahogany shined all over, except in one spot where his coffee cup rested. He obviously didn’t use a coaster. Those small things stick with me once noticing. I was always a stickler for being neat and clean, so those small things messed with my somewhat obsessive-compulsive disorder.

I quickly glanced up and answered, “No. I didn’t have a chance to take a look around. Though, I was hoping I could after this meeting, as long as things go well of course.

Dan chuckled at my comment, “You know. I haven’t had but one other applicant. It seems there aren’t many music teachers available anymore. I’m glad you saw the ad and applied. Now, let’s get started.” A slight glimmer of hope blossomed in my chest from knowing there weren’t other applicants for the position. I had a huge advantage.

The interview whizzed by but lasted longer than I anticipated. Most of my interviews took close to an hour, whereas this one lasted a little over. It was like Dan and I hit it off, we couldn’t seem to stop talking about aspirations and what I looked for in my students as a music teacher. Most of the questions were a breeze, but I couldn’t seem to stick to short answers. I loved music and talking about it during the interview caused me to ramble on about the topic.

“Alright. That seems about it,” Dan announced about an hour and a half into the meeting, “I have to say this interview was a pleasure. I haven’t discussed this much about music in all my life. There’s a real passion in you, and I can’t help but see it. Give me a few days, and I’ll give you a call once I figure out what the next step will be.”

Inwardly shaking, I couldn’t contain my excitement. I knew I shouldn’t be thrilled yet; I hadn’t officially gotten the job offer, but I felt good about the meeting. Even though I didn’t get the offer, I wanted to take the time to look around the building. I knew this would excite me even more, but I couldn’t help myself. Things might be looking up, but I still crossed my fingers with that thought.

“I appreciate you waiting for me, you know, with me being late for the interview. I look forward to hearing from you,” I said, shaking his hand once again.

Once I exited the admissions office, I grinned so wide the skin around my eyes crinkled. I rubbed my palms on my gray dress pants before taking a step forward into the hallway I’d taken to enter the admissions office. The place was like a maze once I entered the actual building past the office. There were so many rooms. As I continued to wander the halls, I hoped that if I did get the job offer, I’d be able to find the classroom I’d get to teach in.

After a few twists and turns, movement in a small rectangular window inside a door caught my eye. I stopped walking and glanced inside for a second so I wouldn’t be seen eavesdropping. It was weird peeping inside a classroom while the teacher was oblivious of being watched. He sort of resembled the guy who had been holding the door opened for me earlier, though I didn’t really get a good look at him.

His hand maneuvered the chalk on the surface of the board gracefully. I could tell he was drawing something, but unsure of what it was. On the side of what he was working on were drawings of Tweety and Sylvester. He was clearly an art professor. His short brown hair hung loosely around his ears, with a small number of grey streaks sprinkling the sides. I had to tear my eyes away and took that moment to assess the classroom. This guy held me captive for some reason and I’m not sure if I liked that feeling.

Students were focused on their desks. Some seemed to be contemplating what to write or draw. Others seemed to be drawing on the pads in front of them. He clearly had the class working on something important, so I took another glance at the professor, only to connect eyes with him. A swirling mix of blue and green stared back at me and caught me off guard. It felt weird to know I’d been caught eavesdropping. Instead of waving or smiling, I ran off like a little girl caught stealing cookies from the cookies jar.

Chapter Three

Tobias

Shocked. That’s how I felt for a moment. I thought for sure Elodie was standing outside my classroom door, peeping inside. When our eyes locked, I figured after these many years; she would finally give me the chance to make things right. But then I noticed the red, wavy locks I’d seen from earlier, and knew it wasn’t Elodie. The minute I took my eyes off hers and caught sight of her hair, she was gone.

I didn’t get the chance to say a word to the woman who’d barged passed me this morning and eavesdropped on my class. Who was she? I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I needed to know who she was and why she was snooping around this college. Unfortunately, by the time I went to tell my students to continue working on their assignments while I take a moment, she had already disappeared.

It was a shame because the woman was gorgeous. I’d do anything to run my fingers through those thick, red locks and hear the moans escape her pouty lips. That was just my imagination because I doubt I would see her again, seeing how she left so abruptly. Maybe she was visiting another student here or one of the faculty. Or maybe, she was married to one of the guys here. A pit of doom settled in my stomach as I thought of that sexy woman hitched to some guy on this campus. I had my flaws, but I wasn’t one to sleep around with married women. Yet, I apparently, had no problem cheating even though I was hitched at one point.

I couldn’t believe for a second I thought Elodie had come back to me. What sort of sick sap would expect the ex to beg to be taken back after being cheated on? Besides, she had been remarried to the Hollis guy, the one who dated my stepsister for a while. I hadn’t met him when he dated Bree, but I knew about it before Bree passed away. After this long, I really should get over Elodie.

Damn my thoughts. I shaded in the final parts of the drawing and stood back. Feeling satisfied, I mentally patted myself on the back for putting in the work. I’d shaded in a Viking holding a shield and sword. It was possibly one of my best pictures I’d drawn on the chalkboard so far. If there was one absolute certain thing in life, it was art. I was good at it, and I thrived on making my creations.

Most of the students in my class only signed up because it’s an elective, whereas the other half were majoring in Art. Regardless if the student wasn’t focused on art as a career, I made it a point to make sure they’re enjoying the class and would learn something from it.

While picking up my chalks, I said, “Work on the final project. If you need any additional information, meet me after class, and I’ll assist.”

My eyes quickly glanced over the petite, brown-haired student who had questions earlier, and then back at the entire class, “Go on to your next class, or back home. I’ll see you next time.”

There was usually no bell to indicate when the class was over; only one to indicate the start and ending of the day. Most college courses were an hour, but some ran over an hour. My art class tends to run a little later than a usual course. I’ve never had complaints, and don’t intend to get any since I’m usually one of the most lenient teachers on campus.

Once the class cleared out, I realized maybe the girl from earlier did only want information on the course and honestly wasn’t trying to hit on me. That’s a first and it surprised me. Though, I didn’t think I could do anything since my mind has been on the mysterious red-head woman. Without asking around and finding out who she was, I won’t ever know. The sad thing was, what if I never saw her again? It kind of bummed me out, but then I realized it’s the weekend and I could hit up the nightlife.

I checked to make sure nothing was out of place and everything was how it should be in my briefcase, snapped it shut, and then waltzed out of the classroom. It was time to mingle. I was so done with thinking of anyone else but me. Five years later and what did I have to show for my life, a failed marriage and numerous one-night stands. The one-night stands I could handle, but the failed marriage needs to go. I’m done dwelling on the what could’ve been when I can focus on the future. Who needed a woman to hold him down? Not I. I thought to myself as I exited the building that housed most of my indiscretions.

No more thoughts of Elodie. I was done and wanted to move on. Shit, she sure in hell did, even though I tried my best to get her back. My best wasn’t enough. Who could blame her, I’d screwed up big time?

“Bye, Mr. T,” Theresa called out, surrounded by a few of her friends.

I smiled in return. I knew her well. Theresa had enrolled in this campus two years ago and was still working on her degree. I wasn’t entirely sure what she majored in but knew she’d had a crush on me for a while now. Other than flirting here and there, we’d never done anything to brag about. Thankfully, all the girls attending this college were above age; otherwise I’d be behind bars. Fortunately for me, I don’t swing that way and never had.

As soon as I walked outside, the crisp breeze fluttered along my skin, trying its best to create gooseflesh. I shivered and retrieved my cell as I continued on the path to my parked car.

“Tobias! What’s up, man.”

I grinned as soon as I heard Xander’s voice, “Nothing much. I’m currently leaving work. Got plans for tonight?”

A chuckle sounded on the other end before Xander responded, “Dude. You know we’ll be out on the town. We do this almost every weekend. Wanna come with?”

“There’s no question about it. Where do you plan on meeting up and what time? I’ll go ahead and catch a Lyft beforehand,” I said, settling into my seat and then starting the car.

“Meet us at Sloan’s Bar and Grill at five pm. It’ll be me, Brian and Parker, ya know the usual. We’ll bar hop until we find somewhere we want to chill. Unless, you got somewhere else you want to be. We can tag along with you.”

“Nope. Sounds like a plan.” I answered.

“Okay. I’ll let the boys know, and we’ll see you then,” Xander commented.

The phone beeped, indicating the call ended. I shifted into gear before heading home. If there’s one thing I enjoyed, other than art, it was going out with the boys and messing around. Five pm couldn’t come quick enough, I shivered in delight.

The drive home took about twenty minutes. Traffic was always a bitch, but it’s to be expected when you work at a college, and almost everyone drove to and from the place. I unlocked my door, tossed the briefcase on the kitchen counter, and headed for a shower. I wanted to be good and ready for anything. Knowing my boys, there was going to be some sort of mischief, always was. Last time we went out, Brian had too much to drink and threw up on the girl he’d been hitting on the majority of the night. Needless to say, she didn’t go home with him.

There’s a story for almost every night from the moment we all met, which was back in high school. Yeah, I’ve known those boys for a long time and never thought we’d be this tight after all these years. It’s good having people you can hang with and trust.

Out of the entire group, I’d have to say me and Xander are probably the sanest. When things go down, we usually handle it pretty damn well. As a professor, I had to make sure not to be recognized places, and so far, I haven’t had a problem. I hoped it stayed that way.

After showering, I donned a maroon and white checkered button-up collared shirt, and then slid on a pair of black slacks. I didn’t dress up too much, opting to wear collared shirts over full-on dress attire. Once I slipped my feet into the black shoes that matched the black belt I’d put on; I grabbed my phone to arrange a Lyft. It would take roughly thirty minutes to get to Sloan’s Bar and Grill.

While waiting on the driver, I thought about the events from earlier. The woman wouldn’t seem to leave my mind, no matter how hard I tried to think of something else. It’s sad because I most definitely lost my chance to introduce myself. It was even worse to think she might’ve been there for someone else, and I had no chance with her anyway. The funny thing was; I hadn’t had thoughts like this about any other woman since Elodie.

This woman was tearing me to shreds, not because she was gorgeous, but because I had no chance with her. She was gone for good. I should’ve left the classroom and ran after her once I’d seen her peeking in but didn’t. It was my own fault. I had to chalk it up as another loss and try to get my mind off the woman who occupied it quite often the entire day.

The Lyft was right around the corner, so I exited my place to wait in the driveway. Three minutes later, I was seated inside the vehicle and on my way to see the boys. Thinking about the upcoming night left me feeling excited, I needed something to take the edge off. Women sure knew how to set me off. The sad thing was they didn’t even know it. Damn, that woman and her fine ass for showing up at my place of work.

Chapter Four

Sophie

Face palming; I thought he caught me peeping inside his classroom. How embarrassing was that? I’ve never been known to be the weird stalkerish type. I still needed to know who the man was that held the door open for me earlier.

After much shame, I found out he was an Art Professor. I thought it was really cool we were in the same artistic category. He taught art while I focused on music. To me, that was a perfect blend of skills. Not that we could hang out or anything, I mean I doubt he’d want anything to do with me once I got the job. I’ll forever be known as the crazy classroom peeping Tom. I face-palmed again, thinking it would change the entire outcome. Damn it, I tended to make dumb decisions when I was excited about something, and in this case, starting a new job was exciting; if the position was offered that was.

Even though I applied for another job, I still had my position at Tyke’s Daycare. Unfortunately, I had to head that way for the shift at four pm. It was on Park Avenue and shouldn’t be too much of a problem getting there. I looked forward to working with the babies but was torn because I wanted the music teacher position badly.

During my time watching babies I would sing to them, and no sooner after belting out a lullaby, most of the babies would fall into a deep sleep. It helped considering babies can be difficult to care for. Luckily for me, it was rare for me to have a problem putting a baby to sleep. One of the issues about working there was I tended to get attached to the babies. There were a few who moved into the other side of the building because of their age. Every now and then, I would trek that way and hang out for a bit before having to head back to work. It’s hard letting them go. And in the case of the teacher position, I’d be leaving all of them behind.

The tightness in my chest hurt, knowing it was a real possibility I’d never see those precious babies again. Life changes and saying goodbye to the past was part of the process. Besides, I’d probably see most of those kids every now and then around the area with their parents. You couldn’t get rid of me that easily, I chuckled to myself.

As predicted, the drive to the daycare didn’t take too long. I pulled up next to the sign which read Tyke’s Daycare. A square in a different color surrounded each letter. It looked like the large blocked letters children play with. The building was a reddish brick color and seemed to be the size of a middle school building. It had to be quite big because of the various age groups inside. The owners took on ages zero - six, and seven - twelve. It doesn’t seem like much of a difference, but those ages needed space to branch out inside the building.

The daycare was well-kept, and from the outside looking in it looked to be where most rich people would bring their children. That wasn’t the case at all. The owners took in children from all sorts of financial backgrounds and offered payment plans to those who couldn’t afford to use their services. It’s actually one of the things I liked about working here.

The double front doors were opened to the public because there were two sets. The first set was always opened, whereas the second set wasn’t. I passed through the doorway and signed into the building near the reception area. Once done, I traversed the hallways noticing most of the babies were up for their afternoon feeding. They tended to eat on the same schedule when at the daycare.

Before pushing the door in for the area I needed to be in, a feminine voice called out, “Sophie! Hey, Sophie. Over here!”

Thankfully, the babies were awake; otherwise, she’d have woken most of them. I didn’t have to be at work for a while yet, but a head start would’ve been nice. But I had to admit I enjoyed some girl time before work. I knew who it was before even turning around. It was a dear friend of mine. I’d taken care of her baby for a long time before he moved up to the next age group.

Smiling, I greeted her, “Hi, Elodie.”

“How was the interview? Do you think it went well? Man, it’s going to suck to see you go. Even though, technically I’ve left your side of the building because of Ben’s age.”

Elodie’s baby blue eyes glossed over as if she were holding back some tears. I wasn’t sure if she was upset I’d no longer watch her boy or because I was leaving Tyke’s Daycare for good, and possibly never seeing them again. She sniffed quickly and moved her platinum blonde locks out of her eyes, using it as an excuse to the tears threatening to fall.

She was always sweet to me. Elodie didn’t have a typical nine – five pm job. She dropped Ben off most days so she could run errands, and other days she opted to spend time with Hailey without Ben. It was so they could spend quality girl time together. Elodie loved her family, and it showed every time we got together and talked. Those were the times when she would show up at the daycare and choose to eat lunch with me instead of staying home and doing nothing with Ben. Elodie didn’t enjoy being home all the time and she technically didn’t have to work. According to Elodie, Hollis liked it when she was home with the kids but respected her decision to use the daycare when needed.

Our conversations ranged from a variety of topics. Some about our interest while others were about ex relationships. I’d gotten close to her within those months, but we never truly did anything together outside of the daycare. I wasn’t sure why and hadn’t questioned it.

“Honestly, I think the interview went well. It lasted far longer than a usual interview would. I think that’s a good indication I might get the position,” I gushed, excited to finally tell someone about the most important opportunity in my life.

“That’s great,” Elodie beamed, “You interviewed right there on Park Avenue, right?”

“Um, yeah. For the music position,” I answered, “Why?”

“Oh, nothing. I couldn’t remember if it was close or far away. That’s all,” Elodie said, clicking her tongue.

I could tell by the stance and her reaction she was holding something back. I wasn’t sure what it could be and never experienced distance like this from Elodie. It concerned me. If something was wrong with the college, then I needed to know. I didn’t want to make a career somewhere I wasn’t comfortable. If Elodie hid a secret about that college, it was my right as applicant for the position to know what the hell was going on.

“Something’s clearly up. Why don’t we go grab a bite in the cafeteria and talk about it?” I suggested, already moving toward the minuscule cafeteria.

The area was mostly used for older children, it wasn’t big. At this time no one would be around to hear what had to be said. And by the paleness in Elodie’s face, I knew something weighed heavily on her chest. Whatever it was needed to be heard. I wasn’t prepared for the bluntness of her words as we entered the cafeteria.

“My ex works there.” The color seemed to come back into Elodie’s face when she admitted the truth.

“Okay…,” I trailed off, unsure why it would matter if I worked with her ex.

Yeah, I knew he was a douche and someone I should steer clear from, considering his background. I wouldn’t decline the offer if it came through because her ex worked there. That would be totally dumb on my part; to decline a dream job for someone else’s mistakes in life. Nope, not gonna happen.

Elodie continued as if I didn’t say anything, “I was a bit vague in the past about how my ex is a shit-show. I was married to him for nine months. I did everything to keep his attention, but it wasn’t enough. He’s known to be a ladies’ man and someone who tends to screw his students. I want to make sure you don’t fall for the same crap he fed me. I can tell you’re smart and won’t be screwed over. Trust me when I say, be careful. He’s not someone you want to ‘hang’ out with if you know what I mean.”

Wow. I knew Elodie’s ex cheated on her and with a student, no less. I knew she had issues of trust, but it seemed she cared enough for me to give me the warning to watch my back. I didn’t know what he looked like, but I’m sure by the way she spoke, he wouldn’t be hard to miss. I wasn’t worried though, because I wasn’t known to fall for someone who smooth-talks their way into bed and then leaves me hanging.

I had goals and aspirations. Not only did I want to become a music professor, I wanted a relationship that bordered on love, trust, and compassion for one another. I didn’t want the half-ass bullshit most guys tend to spew. I wanted the entire package, prince and princess, kind of love. Elodie didn’t have to worry about me, though it was kind of her to warn me about my potential co-worker.

“I appreciate you looking out for me. I haven’t had the chance to meet the other staff,” I said, “I haven’t noticed him in the crowd. I’m sure he’ll end up showing his true colors. What did you say his name was again?”

“Tobias and he’s one fucked up, flawed piece of shit who doesn’t care about anyone else’s feelings but his own,” Elodie stated, confidently, “And if you end up getting entangled in his net of bullshit, know I’m here for you.”

I leaned in for a hug and said, “Thank you. Although I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine.”

She replied, “I know. I didn’t want you going in blind, not knowing what to expect if you did end up meeting him. Although he’s a piece of shit, his looks are off the charts. As a student, that’s what grabbed my attention from the get-go. That and his artistic abilities. Come, let’s grab a bite before you have to head into work.”

I smiled and nodded, “Yeah. I’m starved. I won’t be working the entire afternoon shift. I’ll be here for about an hour and then possibly heading out. I don’t want to leave here all of a sudden. I’ll miss everyone here.”

“Well, you don’t know what’s going to happen yet, but I do hope you get this position. Everyone deserves their dream job, especially you. I’m definitely going to miss our girl time here,” Elodie sniffled once again.

“Yeah, me too. But we could hang out outside of the daycare. I’m not sure what the hours will be…,” I said before getting cut off.

Elodie gushed, “Yes! OMG, here’s my number. I’m not sure why I didn’t think about getting together in the past. Sometimes, I just don’t think. I guess my life has been focused on the hubs and kids. It would be good for us to get out.”

“Totally,” I said, getting up to throw out the trash.

Elodie followed in my wake, throwing the trash from her snack away. She didn’t usually eat much when we hung out, but always opted to have something since I grabbed a bite. It was nice hanging out, I always enjoyed it. I’m stoked to learn she’s excited about getting together outside of the daycare as well. Who knows, maybe we’d end up BFFs? There weren’t many people in my trust circle, and I’m sure hers was like that as well considering her past.

We exchanged numbers before separating. Elodie headed to the other building where her son stayed, and I went where the babies were currently sleeping. The second I opened the door to the room; the smell of baby powder graced my nostrils. I took a deep breath, inhaled the scent, and knew it wouldn’t be much longer before I’d leave it all behind. Here’s to hoping for a new future. The sadness washed over me as I thought about change.

It mostly terrified me, the thought of actually doing something I’ve been focused on wanting to do my whole life. The unknown was what gripped my heart, squeezing until I panicked from it. It was crazy because I knew what a teacher entailed, and I knew what music was. Mix those together, and I wouldn’t have a difficult time. It’s the constant changing from one thing to the next, not knowing the path or what to expect on the route. Most people tend to be excited about trying new things. I tend to worry.

All I had to keep in mind was that this is a milestone and one I’m willing to cross even if I’m terrified of the outcome.

The rest of the day blurred by as I took care of the little ones and focused on what mattered the most in that moment. There were instances where a certain set of hazel eyes would enter my mind, but I tried my best to squash the vision. I didn’t need those images to affect my work.

I did know what I needed. That was a night out. Nothing too crazy, but something to relax me after such a long and eventful day. Besides, it was a Friday. I was off the entire weekend, and the week would have my full attention. No half-assed focus where the other parts were on a particular male figure in the art department. No, I would put everything I had into whatever job position I obtained.

Chapter Five

Tobias

“What’s up, man?” Xander greeted the minute I walked up to the table.

We half-hugged, patting one another on the back of the shoulder before Brian and Parker followed suit. These were ‘the guys,’ my ‘boys,’ and the only ones I trusted with all my secrets. I could be myself around them, and I knew they wouldn’t judge. They were each known to input their opinions but never forced their viewpoints on me, especially when I’d fucked up with Elodie.

The guys liked her and warned me to keep it in my pants. I had laughed because I had no thoughts of cheating on Elodie. She was hot and made my insides melt. Little did I know her looks and the sweet things she did for me wouldn’t make me want to keep her. God was I fucked up. This was me. This was who I am; a ladies’ man; someone who enjoyed the company of a female, and when he was done, lived his own life.

I wasn’t meant to be held down. Elodie had a part of me I was glad to give but couldn’t seem to keep giving. Was it love, or did I confuse infatuation with love? I couldn’t answer that and after so long I still didn’t know the answer.

“I would ask how’s work, but you know how I am. Fuck work, let’s get this shit on the road,” Parker roared, catching the attention of the surrounding patrons at the restaurant.

There were a few ugly looks, but nothing we couldn’t handle. I could tell Parker had had a few drinks already. I wasn’t prepared for their shenanigans yet. I had no liquid courage in me, I had to up the game as soon as the waitress arrived.

“Yeah, yeah. We know the rules. No work talk,” Xander said, “for the life of me, I don’t even know how we’re still friends. I mean, there’s hardly ever a time when we discuss work life. I done forgot what you pussies do for a living.”

I chuckled because it was true. Parker never wanted to know about our career life. All of us were single. Parker coached for the city’s ladies’ soccer team. If he wanted, he could get any tail since most girls flocked his way. Xander was actually a computer nerd and Brian owned a carpentry business. We were all unique and worked in a variety of places, but we also enjoyed the same thing; going out and loving the women.

“Ma’am,” Brian ushered the waitress to our table, “Could you get us all a round of whatever’s on tap. Also, we need more chips. Thanks.”

When the waitress turned around to get our order, Brian whistled. I expected her to scowl at him, or reach out and slap him, but she smiled and continued walking. Sometimes, I could never understand women. Some didn’t want attention and were appalled at the audacity of men, while others reveled in the attention and did everything they could to get it. You never know what you’ll get when flirting with a girl.

“As I was saying,” Parker continued as if Brian didn’t just steal the show, “Let’s have some damn fun. I’m done with work for the day and don’t want to drag on and on about that tedious crap.”

“I thought you enjoyed your job considering you work with women on a daily basis?” I asked, confused.

Parker nodded and said, “Yeah, but I’m sick of their complaining. All damn day long there’s some kind of complaint. I want to get away from that shit.”

“Guess you don’t want no pussy tonight then?” Brian remarked, laughing. He clearly thought it was funny that Parker was facing girl issues and he wasn’t even dating.

“Fucking hilarious,” Parker kicked Brian under the table, “You done with the jokes? Alright, then. I ain’t got no problem looking for a girl tonight. I just don’t want the ones I’m handling every day. Understand that?”

Surprisingly, I got what Parker said. Being married for nine months to the same woman didn’t keep my attention. Essentially, Parker worked with those women, and I was sure he was tired of them and ready for new ones. It was not like he was screwing any of them but being near those women everyday had to get on your nerves.

“I get it, man. I’m looking to have some fun, too. What’s the first stop after this?” I asked, thanking the waitress for the drink before tipping it back.

The cooling sensation slid down my throat as I swallowed. The beer tasted bland, but alcohol was alcohol. Unless you wanted a sweet girly drink, you dealt with the dull flavors.

Xander pitched, “I say we eat and drink a few here, then walk the strip when we’re done. That way we don’t have to travel too far. We can Lyft home later.”

We all agreed and ordered dinner once the waitress passed by again. I was starved and ordered the onion smothered steak with potato soup and steamed broccoli on the side. All while ordering, I noticed the waitress might have been penning the order on her tablet, but she had eyes for Brian. It seemed his whistle definitely caught her attention.

The man already had a hit, and we were all behind. Brian reached out and ran a finger along the waitress’s leg. She blushed but continued taking our order. He didn’t seem to care how strongly he was coming on to the waitress and kept making her blush. Go figure he’d be the one to find the first prey. Most nights, it was me or Xander who locked eyes with the woman first. I took a gulp of my drink; I’m just bidding my time.

Two hours later, well-fed and with a few beers in the belly, we took off. Had we not conversed and drank more beer, we would’ve left sooner, but no one was in a rush to end the night. We headed onto the strip toward the first neon sign, which said, “Sonny’s Salone.”

The bar had a rank atmosphere with puffs of smoke permeating the air. I wasn’t fond of smoke, especially when going out. The last thing I needed was to stink when I finally introduced myself to a lady. So, we left the place and went to the bar a block down, which read “Tipsy Turvy.” This one was much better, no smoke, a pool table on one end, and a dartboard on the other. It was dim with a few iridescent lights, just bright enough to see the faces of other people.

The boys loved playing pool, and so we doubled up. Xander and I were on one side while Parker and Brian were on another. It was still early in the night, so there weren’t many patrons out yet. We played a few rounds, winning some and losing some. While playing, we took turns buying drinks and smashing them back. About three hours of our life was spent in that place, switching between playing pool and throwing darts. Eventually, more people started pouring in as the night wore on.

I was done with this place, and wanted to head somewhere livelier, “You ready. I think it’s about time we head out.”

“Yeah. No tail here anyway,” Parker said, placing the pool stick in its original spot.

We paid our tabs and headed to the next place another block down. The night went on like this for another two hours until we made our way to the Hillside Club. We weren’t new to this place. I had secretly expected to land up here by the end of the night, which we did. It was where the women were. There were quite a few people in line, mostly females. It was a popular place to dance, drink, and chill. Many weekends my boys and I would go to the Hillside and have us some fun. I expected this weekend to be just as pleasing.

We showed our IDs to the bouncer when it was our turn in line. He nodded and let us through. The music blared so loud it could be heard outside. I knew once we entered, I’d have to stuff tiny balls of napkins into my ears to dim the sound or go with the flow. I chose to keep my hearing this time around. It might make me old, but I didn’t care. The last thing I wanted was a pounding headache and ringing ears.

“Hey, it’s you,” Brian yelled above the noise.

I glanced to where he looked and saw the waitress from earlier. It looked like our boy was about to be lost for the rest of the night. The waitress, whose name I didn’t catch, sauntered up to Brian and dragged him onto the dance floor. He winked our way and followed the temptation. Who could blame him? It was one of the reasons we were out anyway.

“Let’s get a drink!” I yelled, trying to be heard.

Xander answered, “Shots!”

I knew it was over. The moment we ended up taking shots, something would happen. But I complied anyway.

“Yes. Let’s do it,” I answered.

The three of us went over to the bar and ordered shots of Vodka. We had three rounds, knowing it would sneak up on us, especially after the number of beers we’d already ingested. I wasn’t swaying yet but was feeling all sorts of good. I left the guys hanging at the bar and eased my way onto the dance floor.

Yeah, I was by myself, but who cared. There was always a girl dancing alone who ended up near me. It happened quite a bit. I wasn’t a great dancer but was known to hold my own. All I had to do was move with the girl and let her lead.

The thumping of the music coursed through my veins along with the alcohol I’d already consumed. Lights from the trellis above played havoc with my senses as I swayed my hips to the beat. Then it happened, the poor soul who ended up my way. I couldn’t see her exact features as the lights dimmed, but I felt the long, wavy tresses brush along my forearms as I placed my hands on her hips. She moved right and then left, shaking her plump ass to the beat. She didn’t have to show me her features to know I was a goner.

Chapter Six

Sophie

I might be a little intoxicated. After working at the daycare, I’d gone home, taken a shower, and scheduled a Lyft to the strip. Going out alone was never good as a girl, but I’d been in these places so many times I wasn’t worried whatsoever. Most of the establishments’ owners knew me, not because I was a daily drinker, but because I enjoyed going out and having a little fun.

When you worked and attended college, you needed some time to yourself to unwind. That’s what I did the majority of the weekends, and so here I was once again. I’d tipped back the second shot of the evening, a green jolly rancher, and ordered a Sex on the Beach to sip on. There’s no way I’d be able to drive, thanking the Heavens I’d opted for a Lyft. I knew the precautions and taken them.

“Here you go,” the bartender said, “It’s from the gentleman over there.”

I lifted the shot in a salute to the guy sitting across the bar, tipped it back and guzzled. He grinned and raised his cup before taking a sip. I wasn’t going to go there and talk to him. I thought it was strange how men showered women with drinks, but if he wanted to spend his money on my drinks, then by all means. It wasn’t like he drugged it since it came from the bartender I’d known and trusted throughout many years.

“Tell the guy, thanks,” I said to the bartender. He grinned and walked around to the other side to deliver my message.

I wasn’t out to meet anyone much less get laid. I was out to let loose before the weekday started back up. I figured I was done with this place. Once you get too many looks or prying eyes, it was time to move on and party somewhere else. I emptied the cup, then paid my tab before heading out the door. I was hoping the guy didn’t follow me as I continued walking down the strip.

Damn, this place was hoppin’. My eyes were everywhere as the lights illuminated the night sky. There were so many options, but I knew where I wanted to go, and that was dancing. I thought I was pretty good at moving my body to the beat. When I had a few drinks in me, that’s what I wanted to do the most. Well, other than belt out some lyrics in a karaoke bar.

The Hillside Club was extravagant to me. I always had a good time there, dancing and drinking. Not once did I meet anyone and didn’t expect to change that streak. I wanted to be free; to dance the night away, per se. I waltzed up to the bouncer, ready to show my ID, but he waved me on in. I guess you didn’t need proof of age here. I didn’t know the reason but didn’t care, I pocketed my ID.

Glancing around, I ached to be part of the crowd of people gyrating and dancing to the fast beat. The loud sounds bounced off the walls and vibrated all around me. I had goosebumps from the excitement.

I walked to the bar, ordered two more shots, and threw them both back before heading out onto the dance floor. The place stayed open until the early morning hours, and I wanted to soak up as much dancing as possible. I swayed my hips to the sounds, letting the music guide my movements. I didn’t care who was around me or what anyone else was doing. I focused on what was important, and that was letting the music speak to my soul.

Music was my life. I didn’t care what genre played as long as it had a beat to dance to, and a classical rhythm or lyrics that made some sort of sense, I was all for listening. The lights guided my steps on the dance floor, so I didn’t run into anyone. I maneuvered every which way moving my arms above my head and shaking my hips left and right.

It seemed like this one song lasted forever until another one came on. DJ’s tended to make one song roll into another where people couldn’t tell if it was two separate songs. I could always tell because it’s what I lived for. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a man dancing alone, creating the same movements but much manlier. What the heck? My inner voice whispered to me as I glided toward the unknown figure.

I didn’t know who he was or what his purpose was tonight. All I knew was that we were two people lost in the same music flowing through our veins. So, I turned around and dropped my body a little low. I then shook the bit of ass I had in front of the man while flinging my hands in the air. He must’ve liked what I did because his hand grabbed onto my hips and swayed with me. It was as if we moved in perfect harmony.

The songs ran one into the next as we continued dancing together. It was a blast; I enjoyed the heck out of dancing with someone else who seemed to be having just as much fun. I still couldn’t make out his features in the dim lighting, even when the lights from the trellis moved our way. It was as if we weren’t meant to see one another. That was totally fine with me.

We were in our own world, moving and grinding against one another. Then finally, the beat changed, and a slow song played. The guy turned me around to face him and quickly tucked my head under his neck to rest on his shoulders. He kept his hands on my waist. I thought for sure with the way things were going, he would move his hands to my ass, but he was all gentlemen.

I hummed along with the words knowing exactly what Adele song graced my ears. We glided on the dance floor as if no one else shared the same space. Out of all the times I’d been out, this one was the best. I felt alive and ready to face the future ahead of me. No, I didn’t know who this guy was but unbeknownst to him; he helped me come alive tonight; keeping the negative thoughts of the unknown at bay. For that, I would have to thank him.

And then it happened, the hotness of his breath against my ear tickled my insides as he asked, “Would you like to go get a drink?”

I waited a second before answering. I didn’t know what to say. Should I get a drink with this stranger, the guy I’d been dancing all night with, or deny his request and continue dancing? I was having a great time, but I didn’t want the illusion to shatter, the one where I wouldn’t have to know who this guy was.

He waited patiently, not saying a word. My heart galloped in my chest from the nearness of his body. I was all too aware of the muscles underneath his shirt. Yet, my arms continued to rest around his shoulders and neck. I took the chance and glanced up before answering, but he was swift and caught my lips against his.

I had no clue who this stranger was, yet my heart threatened to beat out of its chest from the intensity of his touch. What in the absolute fuck? He nipped at my bottom lip with his teeth, trying to coax my mouth open for entrance. All my senses told me I needed to stop the onslaught, but I was too entranced. The feeling brought me to a whole new level. I wanted his lips on me and his arms around me. This was not who I am, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.

I opened up to him, allowing his tongue to dance along with mine as our bodies continued the same motions. It was terrific, I yearned for the kiss to go on without ever stopping. His hands trailed up and down my arm, leaving a path of heated flesh behind. I was feverish and hungry for his touch. Deepening the kiss, I let him know I wanted his soft lips everywhere all at once.

I moaned into his mouth, he picked up the pace lifting me off the floor and forcing my legs to wrap around his torso. I’d forgotten time and space. It was just the two of us. And then it happened, the music changed tempo and the spell had been broken. Our lips parted, and with wide eyes, I looked up into the most beautiful mix of blue and green. I jolted from the stark realization I’d climbed up on one of the professors at the college I’d applied for.

Never had I lost myself this way. I was embarrassed and grew stiff when the recollection of what I’d done hit me. No amount of alcohol in the world could make me forget about what I’d done. I might have screwed up the only chance I had at gaining my dream job. What if this guy ratted me out? I’d ignored the way he’d opened the door for me, peeped into his classroom, and now took advantage of him on the fucking dance floor. Who does that? Not, Sophie, that’s who. I struggled slightly as he let go of my legs hesitantly.

I quickly took a step back, redness taking over my cheeks as I fought the humiliation. “I’m so sorry.”

With those words, I bolted out of the Hillside Club and away from the man who made inexplicable things happen to my body. I didn’t question him; didn’t ask his name and didn’t even get to know him. Instead, I ran like a little girl frightened of the big, bad wolf.

Chapter Seven

Tobias

The best kiss ever. I’ve had many kisses throughout my lifetime, but this one was the icing on the cake. Her lips were smooth and pliant against mine, and I wanted to continue the kiss all night long. The moment the beat changed tempo, the spell fell away, and I felt the shift in her. She looked up into my eyes and I was lost in a sea of blue.

It was the woman from the college, the one who had no manners and was in a rush. How the hell did I get this lucky? Two times I’d seen her in one day. Honestly, I thought I’d never see her again. But then it happened, she shifted, and I let go of her legs before she bolted into the sea of people. What had I done?

“Dude!” A hand clapped me on the back, causing me to jerk around.

“Look at the crazy bastard,” Xander urged, “I knew he’d do something like this tonight. Probably had more drinks than all of us combined.”

I followed Xander’s finger to the spot he was pointing. Lo and behold, Brian was on top of the bar line-dancing with the waitress he’d met earlier. They were all smiles and out of sync, but it didn’t matter because I could tell Brian was happy. The bartenders didn’t even try to get them off the bar. They stood back and laughed with the rest of the crowd.

I couldn’t find it in me to laugh. My thoughts were only on the red-headed beauty that left me in a rush. Did she not like the kiss? Was I coming on too strong? I was so confused and wished I could’ve caught up with her to question her. It seemed when the girl ran away; she became an athlete. I couldn’t help but wonder if she won any medals in her life with how fast she ran.

The night went on as if nothing happened, but something happened to me. I had a taste of the most delectable lips, and I wanted more. It surprised me because I thought Elodie was the one for me years ago, but this stranger beat Elodie. This stranger was heaven in my arms. When her legs wrapped around my torso I was smitten, but when her lips touched mine, I was a goner.

While Brian continued his escapades with the waitress, I hung out with Xander and Parker. We drank a few more beers, but my heart wasn’t into partying anymore. Had the stranger not shown up, I would still be on the dance floor, making moves on some other girl. It just so happened; the stranger took that from me.

I was on autopilot, not really hearing what the guys said. By this point, I wanted to go home. I was so out of it I didn’t hear someone talking right to me. Xander kicked my leg under the table to get my attention, he tilted his head up to indicate someone was next to me, talking.

I zoned into the woman. She was petite with short brown hair. Her eyes were brown, not the blue I’d hope to see again. It sucked when your mind was on a totally different person, but you had a perfectly sexy woman at your disposal. I needed to forget about the stranger; needed to get the striking red hair and blue eyes out of my system. This current girl was interested. I could tell by the way she kept touching my shoulder with each new sentence.

I nodded, indicating I was listening, although I hadn’t heard a damn word she was saying up until now. Out the corner of my eye, Parker was grinning. Did he know I wasn’t paying attention to the girl? I hadn’t a clue. Maybe he knew the girl was attracted to me and thought it was funny. Who knew the way my boys’ minds ran?

She switched from talking about some friends at work to asking, “So, do you want to dance?”

I had to get back into the game. The reason I’d come here was to get laid and have fun. This girl was offering one. Let’s see if she’ll be compliant later in the evening. Then, maybe I could fuck all thoughts of the red head out of my system. Yeah, that seemed like a good idea.

I answered, “Sure. How about I buy you a drink first?”

She gushed, “Yeah. I’ll take a shot. That way we can start dancing since you can’t bring drinks on the floor.”

I nodded and ordered two shots once we arrived at the bar. We clinked glasses and then tipped them back. She quickly sucked on the lemon provided to her, not being able to handle the bitter taste. Then, the girl led me to the dancefloor. I wasn’t in the mood to cut loose with some other broad, but what choice did I have? I had to forget about the most amazing kiss I’d ever had. This petite little thing would help me with my problem.

I moved behind the girl, leaned down, and rubbed my cheek against her head. She didn’t even remotely smell or feel like the stranger. I closed my eyes and let the music guide us. The petite girl bounced her body in front of me, shaking her ass and singing along to the music. Every now and then she’d turn around and place a kiss on my cheeks and lips. It didn’t turn me on nearly as much as the stranger did.

Before I could excuse myself and get the hell out of dodge, she leaned back against me and said, “Want to get out of here?”

I couldn’t thank the Lord quickly enough as I nodded, and this time pulled her along. I didn’t know where she lived and didn’t give a fuck.

I said, “My place,” then looked down at my phone and scheduled us a ride.

I didn’t have to tell the boys I was leaving. Shit, the guys knew how it worked. Most of us didn’t stay hanging out together once the night started anyway. Besides, Xander and Parker were more than likely looking to get their own piece of tail and wouldn’t be worried about me. The entire walk toward the exit, the girl hung onto me, kissing and touching my body. I didn’t crave her touch; I needed it to forget about everything – especially the red-head. I turned around, pushed her up against the nearest wall, and swooped in for a kiss.

Her mouth opened greedily, allowing my tongue entrance the instance our lips touched. She gripped my pecs while my hands roamed the top the short skirt she wore. I had no clue who the hell I was kissing. I figured I was on a roll tonight with strangers. She more than likely told me her name earlier when I zoned out. I didn’t care to know her name. She was someone to pass the time with, and then she’d get out of my life. That’s how these weekends worked.

It felt wrong to kiss this girl. My lips slanted over hers as she yielded into my arms. I didn’t deepen the kiss, not wanting to feel her mouth on mine much longer. Her lips didn’t even feel right against mine. No, not like the other woman’s lips. So, I pulled away and ushered her out the exit nearest us. We arrived outside in time for the Lyft. After getting into the vehicle, I was assaulted with hands all over me.

The driver pretended he had no clue what was going on in the back, which was weird. If it were my vehicle, I wouldn’t allow some strangers to make out, especially while I was driving. This dude didn’t seem to mind. If I had to guess, it was because he had a front row seat and witnessed the goods under the girl’s skirt. She was oblivious to the amount of skin she showed off.

We arrived at my place in no time. I tipped the guy, especially for making out on his seats, and guided the girl to the front door. No sooner that I opened the door, she was on me. Her hands lifted the button-down shirt off of me, which she could’ve just unbuttoned. I helped her by sliding my pants down, my cock releasing from its constraint. I wanted this so bad. I needed it, wanting to enjoy my entire night, but thoughts kept screwing it up. Before continuing, I reached into the nightstand, retrieved the packet, and rolled the condom onto my dick.

She tried kissing me again, but I turned away. I wanted to fuck and get it over with. No more kissing. I turned her around, lifted the shirt off her smooth, creamy skin, and slid her skirt down her petite legs. She was sexy as fuck, especially naked. Not sexier than the red head. My mind kept throwing me off, but I continued with my ministrations.

“Yes,” she taunted before moving downward and getting into the position to suck me off.

“No. Not that,” I said, changing her path.

I wanted a swift fuck. If she continued stroking my body, I wouldn’t want any more. My mind kept telling me my body didn’t want this, but my cock clearly wanted this girl. I chose to listen to my body and bent the girl over. I swiped my finger along her labia to make sure she was wet before aligning my cock with her pussy. But I didn’t shove inside; instead, I leaned over and dialed a Lyft. This girl had to leave my apartment. I couldn’t do it, couldn’t get lost in the throes of passion with her because I wanted to do it with someone far out of my reach.

“But…,” she said, grabbing her clothes and dressing.

I was a total asshole, pushing her out of my house as fast as I possibly could. I couldn’t even explain to her what was wrong, hell I didn’t even know what was wrong. I needed her gone, that was all. But the moment she exited my place I didn’t feel any better. My cock was still hard, hard enough to hammer a nail, and my body was coated in sweat from the earlier escapades of dancing with the red-head beauty.

That’s all I needed to get off. I thought about the soft strands of her red locks against my body and slid off the condom before thrusting my cock into my hand, fast. I didn’t care if I wasn’t gentle enough. I needed to get off. This was the only way.

This was what I did. I was flawed. I could’ve taken the other woman to my bed, but instead fucked my hand as if I was taking advantage of some bimbo. I yelped as I continued to thrust my cock into my hand, not caring how rough I was. I wanted so bad to take home the red-head beauty but screwed myself with the other woman. Now, I was stuck pleasuring myself because it was not who I wanted. I grunted into the immense room; my body twitching uncontrollably as I thrust one final time and ejaculated.

Right away, I felt something I’ve never felt before – shitty. The last time I felt that way was when I’d cheated on Elodie with one of my students. I felt remorse and wanted to do anything to have her forgive me. There was no one to forgive me, so why did I feel this way? I’d gotten laid numerous times since the divorce. What made this time any different? It’s not like I actually slept with the girl.

What the fuck had I done? I had a plan. I knew what I was getting into tonight, and I followed through, well, partially. I didn’t complete the fuckery, but I did invite the woman into my home. The only thing that had changed was meeting up with the red-headed woman from the college. And boy, did she leave her mark.

I had to clear my head, so I jumped in the shower before I headed off into dreamland. It was no surprise what awaited me there… my mysterious stranger.

Chapter Eight

Sophie

All weekend I was worried about running into Mister Professor but to no avail. I was anxious over nothing. Apparently, we didn’t run in the same circles, and that was totally fine by me. When I finally relaxed a bit, I actually had a good Monday. Most Mondays, I stayed home from the daycare as it was my day off. Since it was the weekday, I had a habit of doing most of my errands on Mondays.

It was around noon when my cell rang. “Hello, this is Sophie.”

“Hi, Sophie. It’s Dan. I hope you didn’t forget about us already,” he chuckled on the other end, “I hope you had a great weekend. I wanted to see if you were able to come in, let’s say, two pm on Tuesday afternoon. We’d like to offer you the job position. That is if you’re still interested.”

I cut him off, saying, “Yes. Yes. I’ll be there.” I gushed in excitement. Even though I had a slight glimmer of hope of getting the job, I was still in awe to be offered the position.

“Good. I’m glad to hear it. We’ll need to sign some papers as well as give you the grand tour. You’ll end up meeting some of your fellow co-workers if they’re not lecturing at the time,” Dan said.

“Of course. This time I’ll make it a habit not to be late. I look forward to seeing you again Tuesday at two pm,” I reiterated, making sure it was the right date and time.

After the last occasion, I had to present myself much better by being on time. My body shook with pent-up anticipation. Finally, I had a chance at my dream job. All I had to do was call the daycare and put in my two weeks. They already told me they’d work with my professor schedule so I can continue the final two weeks there. I wasn’t known to leave a job hanging and didn’t like it when co-workers did it to me.

“That’s correct. See you tomorrow,” Dan replied.

The phone disconnected, and soon I was dialing Tryke’s Daycare. It rang twice before a softly spoken woman answered. I knew it was Trina right away just by the southern drawl.

“Hey, Trina. How’re the babies?” I greeted. I really did care about the babies and wanted to know if they were fussy today.

“Hey, girl,” Trina gushed, “They’re great, as usual. One day, Sophie, I’m going to have my own. You wait and see.”

I chuckled, “Now, Trina. You know you need to get laid in order to procreate, right?”

That woman cracked me up all the time. She loved babies and always says she’ll have one eventually. The problem was Trina didn’t have a social life, so she didn’t get out often. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her talk about dating at all, we talked about quite a bit in the long amount of time we worked together.

“I know, I know. You’ll be surprised one day when I call you up and say, Sophie, I found the one,” Trina replied, chuckling as well. “Until then, I’ll love on these babies here. They need some attention with their parents needing to work and all.”

“I know how you feel. I don’t see myself with a baby anytime soon, but I do enjoy spending my days with them. This is why it’ll be so hard to leave.” I added.

“So, you got the job!” Trina exclaimed; her voice louder than I’ve ever heard it.

“Just got offered the position about two minutes ago. It’s a dream come true. You know that,” I said, “I’m calling to go ahead and put in my two weeks. When I come that way tomorrow, I’ll have my resignation in hand as well. I’ll be in earlier than usual since I have to be at the college by two pm. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No. I don’t mind. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow. You go, girl,” Trina said, the enthusiasm unmistakable.

Wistful, I hung up the phone. It would be hard for the next two weeks. I’d miss everyone, the babies and my co-workers. The only thing keeping me afloat was knowing this path was what I’d followed my whole life. If I didn’t stay on it, I’d never be truly happy. Trina and the others were sweethearts. We have been through a lot, and without their support, I would have had a difficult time getting where I am today.

I shook myself from the thoughts of leaving my job and got dressed. I slipped into a black shirt that read ‘Music is for Lovers’ and a pair of cutoff jeans with strappy sandals. I had errands to run and didn’t want to waste any more time, considering I’d be busy in the coming weeks with two jobs on my hands. Once done, I fetched my keys and left the house on foot.

The only time I hailed a cab or scheduled a Lyft was when I traveled a long distance. The sun shined bright as a light breeze ruffled the trees nearby. It was a beautiful day to take a walk, and I wanted to soak it up before being cooped up inside. I hit the bank, paid a few bills, and then headed to the clothing store for some fresh merchandise for the new position. Once I was done, I ended up at the small park on Park Avenue. Most kids were in school, so the only ones playing on the grounds were the younger ones that didn’t go to the daycare.

I walked the area twice, lugging the bags of clothes and basking in the glow of the recent job opportunity. But then it hit me, I jolted to a halt. With the new position came a whole fresh wave of co-workers. One Professor, in particular, had been on my mind since last night. How could I forget about him in such a short time? Oh, right - the job offer. I literally stopped worrying over running into him, and now I get the news I’ll be working in the same building as him.

It was a small hiccup. I’m pretty sure I could handle working with a guy I’d practically humped and kissed on the dance floor. What girl wouldn’t be able to manage? Me, that’s who. I had to stay far away from the guy. To top it off, I didn’t even know his name. What girl dry-humped a guy in front of a group of people and didn’t get his name first.

I had issues, serious freaking issues. Taking a deep breath, I inhaled the floral scent of the flowers to the left of me. The sweet smell of Jasmine calmed the jitters I’d started to get. Another thought occurred to me when I’d calmed somewhat. What if he didn’t even remember me?

We were both inebriated. I remember him, but there could be a small possibility he wasn’t paying attention to who I was. After all, I could’ve been some random bimbo on the dancefloor trying to hook up. In some bizarre sense, I stuck to that conclusion. The professor couldn’t have remembered me. I wasn’t the rememberable kind of person. Lies, all lies, I thought fleetingly.

Finishing up my walk, I shifted the bags from one arm to the next and headed back toward home, but then stopped short. I could use a manicure and pedicure. When was the last time I’d splurged on something so unnecessary? Decision made; I waltzed into the closest nail salon and took advantage of the only girl time I’ve had in quite some time. Unfortunately, it wasn’t all girl time as my mind continued to stray toward the Professor, and those soft, succulent lips.

Chapter Nine

Tobias

Passion – it consumes you. It’s the drive and enthusiasm to do something you can’t help but do. That’s what art was to me, my passion. Half the time, I didn’t realize how engrossed I was when drawing until someone interrupted me. It didn’t irritate me per se, but I didn’t like being messed with when I was focused on my art. It was unfortunate because half of the time one of my students ended up messing with my passion. It was a good thing I enjoyed teaching as well.

“Yes, Nolan,” I chimed, slightly annoyed the student wasn’t working on the project I’d given the class at the moment.

“Sir,” Nolan said, “I need to leave the class, but I wanted to turn in my end of year assignment before I do.”

“Why so soon,” I questioned, flipping through the notepad he’d handed me.

Nolan reddened, seemingly uncomfortable to reveal the reason he was turning the assignment in, “I can’t disclose it for personal reasons.”

I wasn’t concerned. Most of my students turned in their assignments earlier than usual. This was no different. The thing that made me question him was because he seemed a little off. If it were personal reasons, I wouldn’t press the issue.

“Okay. Go on. I’ll have this graded when I receive the rest of the assignments by the end of the week,” I said, my lips upturned as to relieve his uncomfortable state.

It was Tuesday and the day was already quickly going by with a few classes left. Each one typically lasted about an hour to an hour and a half depending on what we were working on. As I said, it’s a passion, and I’m stoked to be able to teach others who have the same desire.

“Class is over, guys. Grab your things and go,” I joked, walking behind the group of students beelining for the door, “Remember, you have ten minutes of free time, and then off to the next class if you have one scheduled. Otherwise, have a great afternoon. Oh, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”

I usually left off with that statement. It wasn’t like the students knew the sinful shit I got into, so I figured it was safe to say it. Some of them chuckled while the others didn’t get the chance to hear the joke. They’d left the classroom so quickly; I wasn’t even sure who didn’t stay behind. Most of my students were eighteen and above with a select few who graduated high school early and decided to take on college sooner rather than later.

I squinted my eyes, noticing two heads trying to pass through the doorway, fighting the flow of students. I grunted inwardly, good luck with that. Once I said, ‘class over,’ there’s no changing their mind. It was like a swarm of bees coming at you. The two trying to get by just had to ride out the wave passing their way.

Waiting patiently, I leaned my rear end against the desk. We only had ten minutes between classes to get shit done, and now my time would be taken up. I hoped it was worth it. Finally, the crowd lessened, and I noticed HR walking through my door with a woman trailing him. My heart hammered fiercely. It was her, the woman I’d seen on two occasions now. Let’s be honest; that’s not what I was thinking about. I thought about taking her soft lips between my teeth and licking until she opened for my tongue.

The only reason Dan would be in my classroom was to introduce someone new to the staff. It was rare when Dan visited anyone’s classroom. If there were ever an issue, we’d be the ones to sit in his office dealing with the situation.

I averted my eyes, allowing them to assess Dan, before saying, “Dan, how’s it going?” and then shook his hand.

He grasped my hand firmly and replied, “Not bad. Not bad at all. I came in to introduce you to the newest staff member.”

Dan stepped back and gestured to the red-headed stranger. It had been days, and this unknown woman still took my breath away. What was it about her that screamed, take me and ravish me? Not only that, I got a crazy feeling about her, one that screamed protection. I didn’t understand these feelings. Fuck, I’ve never had that with anyone, not even my ex-wife.

“This is Sophie. She’s the newest Music Education Professor,” Dan introduced, “Sophie, meet our Art Professor, Tobias.”

I would do anything to touch her, so I held out my hand waiting for her to grasp it. She left me hanging for a moment. I thought for sure she wouldn’t take my hand in hers. Sophie’s blue eyes widened, and her breath hitched. I bet she didn’t expect to meet me. It did things to my body, knowing I’d caused her to be off-guard.

I wanted Dan out of my room pronto, and Sophie splayed out in front of me as if an offering to the Heavens. I wanted to taste her again, to strip her bare and have my sinful way with her. Dan cleared his throat and ripped me out of my thoughts as I continued to stare blatantly at Sophie. Such a pretty name for a gorgeous, sexy woman. I had to have her. I vowed to do whatever I had to do to get this woman to kiss me again.

She finally extended her hand, allowing me to envelop the tiny thing in my own. Her skin was smooth and just as fair as I remembered, not that I could ever forget touching her for the first time. She blushed, obviously uncomfortable as she shifted from one front to the other. I found it quite adoring. The tingles from her touch traveled all over my body, making me want to embrace her and see if it would ever stop.

I hesitantly parted, removing my hand from hers and said, “Hi, Sophie. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I couldn’t help it. My voice purred as I repeated her name out loud.

Sophie openly shivered and said, “Hello, Tobias.”

That’s it. No sweet talk and no other words were said. She didn’t even ask me what I taught or how long I’ve worked here - Nothing, nada, zip. I was confused once again. Now that I know why she was in the building the first time around; it ended my previous confusion. I wasn’t jealous or expecting her to meet any other dude on campus. My mind was confused for a whole other reason. Why did she seem distant, even though she was visibly attracted to me? Her pulse beat rapidly between her neck, and she repeatedly rubbed her palms on her black slacks.

Did she not like my touch? Or did she like it too much and wasn’t sure how to handle it? Women were always so damn confusing to me. I needed to break the ice.

“I can take you off of Dan’s hands here in an hour and give you the full-on guided tour of the complex if you’d like. There’s quite a bit to see,” I offered, holding my breath for a second before it quickly deflated.

“Um, no thanks. I’ll allow Dan to show me the ropes,” Sophie replied, too quickly for my taste, “See you around.”

That was it. She didn’t say another word to me. Sophie shut my ass down without giving me the chance to try. Maybe I did come onto her too strong at the club, or perhaps she didn’t remember me at all. No, she had to have remembered me. Her eyes got humongous as soon as Dan introduced her to me. So, then what in the hell was her problem?

I watched Sophie turn to Dan and say, “I’m ready to meet the other Professors. Do you think they’re still on break? I know you mentioned the free time only lasted about ten minutes.”

“We’ll get to meet one more Professor for now, later I’ll introduce you to a few more if they’re still in the building. Come, let’s take a walk. I’d like to show you to your classroom.”

“That’s sounds great. When do you get the roster for the students attending my class?” Sophie questioned, never once looking my way. Though she still fidgeted. It was as if she couldn’t wait to get out of my classroom.

“I’ll send you that tonight. Tomorrow, you’ll have a few students. I need you to be prepared, so we have a lot of work to accomplish today,” Dan firmly stated.

They waved on their way out of my classroom but continued their conversation about Sophie’s upcoming schedule. I wanted to know her agenda; to know when I’ll be able to see her beautiful smile light up as it did when Dan spoke to her. What did I have to do to get that sort of reaction from Sophie? I was doomed before I even started.

Not a minute after Dan and Sophie left, my next set of students entered. I shrugged off the introduction with Sophie and threw myself into my passion once again. If I couldn’t get her attention yet, I’d have to focus on something else – art.

Chapter Ten

Sophie

Tobias – Elodie’s Tobias. Elodie’s ex was named Tobias. Tobias was a cheater. He was a piece of shit. He didn’t deserve any girl’s attention, let alone mine. Tobias was dirt beneath my loafers. A guy who could cheat on his wife, someone as gorgeous as Elodie was mentally incapable of being with any woman. Elodie far surpassed my own looks with her shiny platinum blonde hair and baby blue eyes. Yes, we both had blue eyes, just a different shade. Mine was considered more of a cornflower blue, much darker than a baby blue. But still the point was, Elodie was a catch and Tobias threw her away.

I couldn’t believe I’d been in the arms of Elodie’s ex-husband. Why didn’t I ask his name before I decided to become a horny schoolgirl on the dance floor? Why didn’t I show up to the college early, and in turn, I would have had time to properly thank Tobias for opening the door and then ask his name? I apparently didn’t do those things.

What was wrong with me? I couldn’t help but think that to myself because the tingles, oh the shivers I’d gotten the moment his hand touched mine, was out of this world. The second our eyes connected; I knew he recognized me. I told myself he wouldn’t remember, but I was dead wrong. Tobias had his filthy hands on my body, and regardless if I trembled at his touch, didn’t want what he was offering, even though I wanted him – bad. If that made any sense. I was going to drive myself crazy with this Tobias thing.

“This is your room. Hopefully, you’ll have everything you need to set up for tomorrow,” Dan said, pointing around, “if you happen to be missing anything for the curriculum, just ask, and you shall receive.”

Have you ever smiled so much it hurt? Well, that’s me right now. I couldn’t stop smiling from the surreal experience. Not only was I offered a dream position, but I get to start as soon as possible. Music – gosh, it’s my whole life. When the beat enters your body and causes a thrumming throughout your veins, it awakens your soul. It’s a passion, and one I didn’t intend to ever let die.

“I appreciate this so much, I look forward to tomorrow’s lesson,” I gushed, walking around to the other side of the oak desk.

Dan replied, “There are some things on your desk I need you to look at and sign. Once you’re done, go ahead and give them to the receptionist. I’m not sure who’s on duty at the moment, but whoever’s there, you can give the papers to. Everything you need to know is in the stack of papers. If you have any questions, you know where to seek me out.

Dan looked around the room and then smacked his lips. It looked as if he wanted to say something more but opted against it. I wasn’t sure what to expect and stood there waiting for Dan to continue.

“I’ll leave you to set things up,” Dan finally finished.

I liked the guy well enough. He was nice, much older than me and took his work seriously. I didn’t mind people like that. Tobias, on the other hand, should definitely stick to his side of the building. Unfortunately, it looked like I was one hallway away from Tobias, so for him to enter his classroom, he needed to pass mine to get to the next hallway. I had to find out if there was another door next to his room, but knowing him, he’d purposely pass this hall just because he could.

Already, my first day, and I was torn by some guy. Not just any guy, the one my friend, Elodie, warned me against. I gradually sat in the mesh rolling desk chair and took the opportunity to take in the room I’d be spending the majority of my life inside. The oak desk was a replica of Tobias’s one, which was no surprise. The classrooms were similar other than the marker board I had mounted on the wall. It was much easier to draw out notes and write on a marker board, but that was my preference.

The room was grand, fitting about 40-50 students. It was a music class, so it wasn’t like you needed to focus on one student at a time when teaching the course material. I could handle that number of students, but I doubted I would have many enrolled, at least not yet. I would expect more people in my class by next semester, considering I just started out.

All I had to do was think about my future as a professor and not about the guy who tripped me up as soon as I met him. Tobias wasn’t worth losing a job I’d worked hard for. If I stayed in my area and made it a point to ignore him, I’d be fine. What’s a few thoughts anyway? So, what if every second I’ve spent since meeting Tobias I’ve actually thought of the guy? I could reroute my brain process and think of other things, like music and how to teach the new set of students I’ll be getting.

It wasn’t that easy because a few minutes after glancing around the classroom, all I could think about was the shock of knowing who Tobias was when meeting him. I can tell he didn’t know I knew who he was. He seemed confused. The question was if I wanted him to know that I know Elodie, or if I should keep it a secret and continue to ignore him. I’m an adult, so I can be cordial and not cause issues within the company.

About two minutes to four, a bell rung indicating the end of the day. It wasn’t like I had to stay in the building, but I wanted to rearrange some things to make the classroom look like mine. I’d walked back and forth throughout the building, making copies of musical notes and quotes to hang up. Each time I walked to the office, I had to pass Tobias’ classroom. I fought really hard not to stare inside, and one instance, I actually had to turn my head because I caught myself trying to see if I could get a glimpse of him to see if he was still there.

I figured I would probably have a difficult time working in the same building as Tobias. But what other choice did I have? I needed and really wanted this job. I needed more self-control and knew deep down I could contain myself. Though, what I really wanted was to see if he felt the same pull as I did. The thing was, that even though I knew what Tobias had done to Elodie, questions kept surfacing. I was making excuses in my head for why Tobias had cheated on her. Which was the dumbest thing I’d ever done?

There were no excuses for cheating. None. Zip. Nada. Yet, why did I feel such a pull to such a scum and low life like Tobias? I hadn’t a clue. I zipped up my bag and proceeded to walk out of the room. Not thinking would be best. The more I thought about the situation, the more excuses I made for Tobias. What I needed was a break.

Grabbing my things, I headed out of the classroom and flicked the switch off on the way out. Tomorrow, I’d come in and do some more redecorating. I’d probably bring some plants or something to brighten up the space. On the way out, I dropped the stack of papers I needed to give Dan. After getting the papers, I repositioned and stroked my hand down the tight black pantsuit I wore, and then turned smack-dab into the face of Tobias.

“Excuse me,” I said, hurriedly moving past him to get out of the way.

He reached out his arm to lean his palm against the wall nearest me. It didn’t totally block my exit, but I waited to see what he would do or say. I knew I could leave his arms, but the warmth emanating from him made me grounded to my spot. Rapid beating persisted in my chest as I breathed heavily, waiting for something from him. Anything.

The chemistry was undeniable as I continued standing there. No one was around, not a sound. If Tobias wanted to take advantage of the situation, he could’ve and by damn, I probably wouldn’t have stopped him.

I cleared my throat once again and said, “Excuse me. Is there something you need help with?”

Would he answer or allow me to exit his arms like he didn’t want to keep me pinned to the wall? As much as I wanted to run screaming toward the exit, I wanted to see where this connection led. I didn’t know what was wrong with me. Why did I want this guy so bad knowing the torment he’d put Elodie through? What was it about this man that screamed…I’m yours?

He leaned close to my ear, his warm breath licking sensitive skin and whispered, “there is something you can help me with.”

I held my breath, unsure what he wanted but didn’t have to wait long when he continued, “go out to dinner with me tonight.”

Tingles raced up and down my skin from the mere proximity of this man. The musky scent of his cologne caused a pool of heat to coil in my belly. I wanted this man on a molecular level. Oh, why did he have to be off-limits? But was he? I mean, it was just dinner. It wasn’t like I was dating him or had to take him home afterward.

What was his story? Who was Tobias, other than the person Elodie described? Did I even want to know? I craved him – this much I knew, but how much did I want him? Enough to know he would leave me behind picking up all the pieces of my broken heart if I let him close to me.

My answer was an unequivocal ‘no,’ but what exited my lips was, “Ok.”

I was doomed and knew it when he backed away from my sensitive ears and announced with an ear-splitting smile, “good. I’ll pick you up at six.”

He trailed a soft touch along my shoulder and said, “And dress for the occasion.”

“What occasion?” I asked breathlessly, goosebumps raised from the touch.

The dimple in his cheek deepened as he smiled and said, “why, our first date.”

I stood still for quite some time when Tobias chose to leave me in the hallway. I felt the aftermath of his touch even still and wanted more. What surprised me the most was how he promised to pick me up, but yet I never gave him my address or even my phone number. I shook myself out of the reverie and headed toward the main office, where I greeted Dan and handed him the new-hire paperwork.

My life was clearly changing, but I wasn’t sure if it was all good.

Chapter Eleven

Tobias

I wanted to push Sophie into the wall and make out with her in the school’s hallway. Her lips were begging for me to taste them again, but I could feel the shivers coming from her. She was either scared or nervous, and I didn’t want to make it worse by coming on too strongly. Six o’clock couldn’t come fast enough. I wanted to know every little thing about her and what made her tick.

We had chemistry. Each time I was close to Sophie, I was zapped by some kind of electricity passing through us. Let’s not forget the time we’d shared our first kiss on the dance floor. Every time I saw Sophie, I thought back to that moment. She was putty in my arms. I wanted her so bad that the moment I got home from work, I wacked off at least three times, and I’ve only known her for a little bit of time. The woman had me all balled up, and there wasn’t a thing I could do about it.

It was clear she was dodging me by the quickness of her retreating form when Dan introduced us. What had I done? Had I scared her away on the dance floor? This woman was clearly tearing me up inside, and I didn’t know what to do about it.

I’d left work as soon as Sophie agreed to go on a date and drove all the way to my place on autopilot, thinking about how to prepare for the night. I knew there was a small flower shop across the street from my place and thought I could eventually walk there and get Sophie some flowers. I wasn’t sure what she liked or if I should even purchase any. What if she didn’t like flowers? On the walk over, I received a call from Xander.

“Man, you there?” Xander boosted from the other end of the line.

I cleared my throat and said, “Yeah. What’s up?”

He chuckled, “Dude, I asked if you wanted to hit up Hillside Club this weekend. Do you not remember?”

I vaguely remembered Xander’s question, but as always lately, my mind was on Sophie and the never-ending problem with her. Did I need to go out? Probably so, but the last time I went out, the turnout wasn’t good. It was like Sophie had this weird hold on me. I needed to crack that hold.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you are hung up on some woman,” Xander said before I could answer his question.

“Nah. I’m just busy with work,” I said, although, technically it was true as Sophie did work in the same building.

Xander huffed before saying, “Alright, man. So, you are coming this weekend, or do I gotta tell the boys you’re off your rocker again?”

“Ya know what. I’m going to go ahead and skip this weekend. I have a few plans. How about I hit you up next weekend or when this semester is over, which is in two weeks?” I said.

By moving the date, I could try my best to get back to my usual self. I didn’t need the guys to bust my balls for leaving them hanging all the time. Besides, it’s only Tuesday. Who knows what could happen on the date with Sophie? I might have another date with her by the weekend.

“I’ll hold you up to it, man,” Xander said, “take care and call if you need something.”

I hung up and walked across the street, barely missing a car. That’s how bad things were. I didn’t even care if I got hit by a car trying to cross the street. The reason I’d crossed so abruptly was because I thought I’d seen something. But my eyes couldn’t be deceiving me that much. I glanced to the side, and sure enough, Sophie was standing in front of a daycare with a woman who strongly resembled my ex – Elodie. It couldn’t be. I squinted my eyes and noticed it surely was Elodie, and in her hand was a smaller hand of a boy standing next to her.

It all made sense. Sophie knew my ex, which meant she most definitely knows about our background. That would clearly explain the reason she’s standoffish. What the hell do I do now? How am I supposed to explain my past when I’m clearly different, or I feel different than what I did when I was married to Elodie? Could Sophie have anything to do with that? Or, could it be I’m finally done with the messing around bullshit? I didn’t know. All I knew was Sophie clearly had me judged. I was so screwed.

My time with Sophie was up even though I never had a chance with her in the first place. If she knew Elodie, then that meant she knew about my past. No sane woman would give a cheater the time of day. It didn’t matter how much that person might have changed. I wouldn’t even know how to show I’ve changed. As much as I wanted Sophie, there was no future because I was already judged by my misgivings.

Although I’m flawed, it didn’t stop me from wanting Sophie. I’m pretty sure she’s been the person I’ve been waiting for. Why didn’t I stop being a cheater with Elodie? Why did I give into my misdeeds when I was married? I couldn’t explain it. Honestly, I’m still unsure about it and what it means to want to be with Sophie. I needed to know what she knows and how she views me now.

Should I continue with the date? Probably so, but the last thing I needed was for her to see me right now, especially knowing Elodie would probably diss me in front of Sophie. So, I continued on my way into the flower shop and browsed for about twenty minutes while every so often I looked outside to see if Elodie and Sophie were still there. That’s when I saw it. They hugged and then went opposite ways. It was clear Sophie and Elodie were close friends, and that would most definitely ruin my chances with her.

But I did have one thing in it for me. Sophie agreed to go on a date, and I would try my best to charm her so she could see for herself I’m not who she might think I am. The bets were on. I had to work extra hard to make Sophie see something in me I’m not even sure I see. Could I stick to commitment? And the same question goes back into my head – what was it about Sophie that’s making me question marriage and commitment?

I leave the flower shop with nothing in my hands, opting for no flowers instead of buying the wrong ones. What if she was allergic? I know people say it’s the thought that counts, but I was torn in this situation and chose the latter instead of making her allergic if she was. After walking into the door, I stripped out of my clothes and hopped into the shower. I tried to make it a quick wash but needed to release the tension from the chemistry earlier.

I couldn’t stop myself from jacking off. The woman literally had me by the balls. I thought about her sweet vanilla scent, and my cock lengthened. I grasped the head and ran my fist up and down slowly thinking about the way she locked eyes with mine. She was surprised I’d caught her in the hallway, that was for sure. I wanted so bad to be near her but didn’t want her to think she was stuck there. I had to have done something right, or she would’ve said no to the date. Unless she couldn’t deny the chemistry running rampant between us.

I jerked my fist up and down faster as I bent my head down, allowing the spray of the water to coat my body. Thrusting into my hand, I thought about the first kiss and how Sophie wrapped her gorgeous legs around my torso. The spurts shot into the bath – cum mixing with water as it drained. I wanted to say it was instant relaxation, but that was false. I still wanted so bad to bury myself inside Sophie.

After the shower, I dressed with the need to impress. I wanted Sophie to want me, and honestly, I’ve never tried this much for anyone – not even Elodie. That has got to mean something.

Chapter Twelve

Sophie

After work, I’d been riled up but needed to stop by the daycare and let my boss know for sure I needed fewer hours. They already knew I was quitting, but they were working with my schedule. On the way out of the building, I’d run into Elodie and her son, Ben.

“Hey,” Elodie greeted.

I grinned and gave Elodie and her son a hug and said, “you miss me already?”

“You know we do,” Elodie said, “besides, I’ve been meaning to ask how work’s been?”

I wasn’t sure how much information I should give Elodie, but I was always a firm believer in telling the truth regardless if it might hurt or offend someone.

“Things are good. Today was my first day, though I only signed papers and decorated parts of my room.”

Elodie smiled and asked, “meet any interesting people yet?”

“Actually, I’m pretty sure that guy I told you about was Tobias.”

Elodie’s smile faded as quickly as it showed. I knew she wasn’t happy I met her ex, but I wasn’t known to hide anything from anyone. Yeah, he’s fucked up, but it’s not like I would give him a chance to screw me over. Then, I thought about our supposed date tonight, which I had to get ready for soon. Damnit, Elodie would have a fit.

“Sophie, I like you a lot. You already know that. You also know my ex and the crap he put me through. I don’t know what the story is or if y’all plan on getting close. I honestly don’t want to dabble too closely in your affairs. Take heed to the type of person he is and be careful. I care about you and don’t want this to mess up our friendship. If you need to talk, you have my number,” Elodie said, and then she leaned in for a hug and hurried away with her son.

I didn’t get to rebuttal or even talk. All I got the chance to do was nod my head in acceptance of her help. I could tell Elodie was trying to be mature about the situation. Honestly, I’m glad she didn’t judge me too harshly. She’s right. She didn’t know the extent of my and Tobias’s relationship, and if she dabbled, she would just cause even more issues. Elodie’s face said it all; she was worried yet kept quiet. It made me respect Elodie even more. I knew if I needed her, she would answer any questions I had.

At this point, I couldn’t fight for something I had no clue what the outcome would be. Even though Elodie was clearly upset, we parted ways with a hug. Once I got home, I took a record-breaking shower. Probably one of the fastest I’ve ever taken as time was ticking by. It upset me Elodie and I didn’t end on perfect terms, but I was a grown woman and could take care of myself. I got the warning Elodie sent out, more than once I might add. I knew damn well I shouldn’t be going on this date, but I needed to know the reason behind all this chemistry. What exactly attracted me to Tobias because it clearly wasn’t his track record with women?

As I was slipping my black high heels on, the doorbell rang. Tightness settled in my stomach as I knew I was about to come face to face with the guy I couldn’t seem to get out of my head. Tobias was an enigma. All at once, I wanted to know everything about him, but yet nothing at all. I should save myself but didn’t have the strength to stop this madness. I was actually excited to see him.

I hurried to the door and opened it to see Tobias leaning comfortably and self-assuredly on the post in front of my home. He was striking dressed in a white button-down shirt tucked into a pair of gray trousers. He had a charcoal belt that matched his shoes in the exact same color. By the time I looked up into his striking hazel eyes, they crinkled in the corner as a smirk graced his face. Mine flushed with the awareness I’d been caught looking Tobias up and down as if he were a piece of meat. A fine and sexy piece of meat. Gosh, he’s going to totally fuck with my heart if I didn’t get a hold on myself.

“Like what you see?” Tobias questioned, his head taking the same path as mine did. Instead, he eyed me with such need that I wanted to skip the meal and have my wicked way with him. He wasn’t the guy to play around with. He was the guy who played around on you if you weren’t cautious.

So, I ignored his question and asked one of my own, “How did you find out where I lived? I’m pretty sure addresses weren’t exchanged.”

He grunted before answering, “I’ve got my ways. Besides, I honestly didn’t think you’d take me seriously when I asked for a date.”

“You’re right, but I’m pretty sure you flirted with reception to get what you wanted,” I said.

He braced his hand over his heart and said, “You wound me with your words. But I can’t lie. I did worm my way into getting your address. I wanted to impress you; did it work?”

“You have to work harder to impress me. Getting my address from reception could get her fired but lucky for her; I’m not into trivial things. Next time, all you had to do was ask if you really want to know something about me.”

He grinned and said, “I would have, but you have been giving me the cold shoulder. I figured I’d have to find out other means to get to you, but if you promise me you won’t hide from me and answer my questions, then I won’t go around and ask about you.”

He was right. I’d been hiding from him, and so he went behind my back and got my address from the receptionist. The bitch could get fired for sharing information that wasn’t hers, but I wasn’t a mean person. From this point, I’d more than likely keep an eye on the woman. She’s not to be trusted, and I didn’t want to work with someone who wasn’t trustworthy. She’s lucky she only shared my address with Tobias and not some weirdo off the street. Though, Tobias being a weirdo might still be on the list of facts I didn’t know about. We shall see. The date would surely prove the type of person Tobias is.

“Well, then. What’s on the agenda for tonight?” I asked, turning the tables. At that point, my stomach growled, letting us both know what I’d like to do, eat.

“By the sound of things, I reckon you’re starving so that’s what’s on the agenda. What do you think about pasta?” Tobias questioned, moving closer as if I didn’t hear what he’d asked.

“I’d say that sounds heavenly. I love pasta,” I commented, my breath hitched from the nearness of this man.

I wasn’t lying. Pasta was my absolute favorite food, and it was like he was trying to get on my good side. He was racking up the points, one for the suave way he stood on my doorstep and another for the offer of pasta. What else did this man have up his sleeve?

He reached out, took my arm, guided it through the crook of his elbow, and said, “Shall we go eat then?”

It was a simple gesture to lead me to his vehicle, but I was putty in his hands. The feel of his skin against mine almost made me come unglued, and by God, his scent wrapped around me and took my breath away. I could think about Elodie and how Tobias treated her, but he was so sweet to me that I couldn’t help but give him a chance. It’s not like I’d fall prey to him. Besides, it was just dinner. Or was it?

“Did you have anything else planned for tonight or just dinner?” I ask, mirroring my thoughts.

He settled into the driver’s side and said, “We’ll see where the night takes us. If it’s only dinner, then I’m fine with that. Honestly, I’m fine with whatever little bit attention I get from you. If it’s one single minute or all night long, I’ll take it.”

And just like that, he caught hold of my emotions, and I doubt he would release them. The thought of being okay with whatever amount of time I’m willing to give him was so sweet of him to say. I smiled and leaned back into the seat after buckling up and thought how interesting this night had already turned out to be.

Chapter Thirteen

Tobias

I had my ways, especially trying to find out where Sophie lived. I knew to some people it might seem like I was a creeper, but it wasn’t my fault other women fell quickly for my charms. Did I feel bad after getting the address? Of course I did, but I would’ve done anything to find out where Sophie lived, especially if it meant going out on a date with her. Now here I was sitting next to her in my car, so close I could practically feel her breath on my skin.

When I knocked on the door and waited for her answer, I stood leaned against the pillars which held up her home. Outside, I probably looked calm and collected, but inside I was a total wreck. I haven’t been like this in a very long time. I think the first time I felt this way was when I’d met Elodie. That feeling didn’t last, and I yearned for it to last this time.

Sophie opened the door with such grace as her natural red hair swished left then right before settling its long length down her back. The color clashed with the royal blue form-fitting dress she wore, but it matched her gorgeous eyes. My knees were liquified and I felt if I were to walk in that second, I would fall flat on the wood beneath my feet. So, I stayed still and conversed with her.

Now that we were in the car, I wanted so badly to place my palm on her knee. The dress she wore rode up enough to cover her goods and show me some skin. I couldn’t wait to see more of what she’s got hidden under there. I could wait and bide my time. Sophie was definitely worth waiting for.

The drive took about ten minutes as we weren’t too far away from Park Avenue. I wanted to bring her to my favorite place, which was an Italian restaurant I’d found when I was at my wit’s end and wanted to drown myself in sorrow after fucking up my relationship with Elodie. I wanted to impress Sophie, and this place was one for impressing.

It was out of my budget as a teacher, and so I didn’t eat there too often. As soon as I got home from asking Sophie out, I’d called and made reservations. I needed to make sure we’d get a seat. The drive there was quiet. She didn’t speak a word; she looked around as if she were curious about where I was taking her. I wanted to talk but waited until we arrived at Lazarus Restaurant.

Thankfully, the place was packed; and because of the reservations we wouldn’t have to wait for our table. I parked the car and hurried around to the other side and opened Sophie’s door so she could slide out. Grabbing her hand and helping her out, she looked up into my eyes and smiled. Another moment in my life I’d literally lost my breath. It seemed Sophie had that effect on me, and it hasn’t diminished.

“Thank you,” she said, smoothing down her dress.

“You’re very welcome,” I replied, looping her arm through mine, guiding her to the building’s front door.

I was on cloud nine with the most beautiful woman pinned to my side. There was so much I wanted to discuss with her, yet the silence was welcoming because I got to steal looks her way while she observed our surroundings. I looked forward and held the massive wooden door open so Sophie could walk through first. The place was a picture of elegance as I took the time to wait to be seated.

To the left was a vast wine area with both reds and whites decorating the wall in front of a mirror that covered the entire expanse. A bar area with stools was situated in front of the mirror as a man dressed in a black and white suit took orders from the patrons sitting at his bar. To the right and further back was the restaurant area. There were tables and no booths. Some tables seated four, whereas many of them were made for couples. The entire room was dimmed and, on each table, sat a candle that flicked in the low-lit room. It was definitely a restaurant that catered to the romantic couple.

“Good evening,” A woman dressed in a black skirt with a button-down blouse greeted, “Do you have a reservation with us tonight?”

I smiled in return and said, “Yes…under Tobias.”

Grabbing the menus, the woman said, “Right this way.”

We followed the lady to the far, right end of the restaurant where she put our menus down. I hurried to the other chair and held it out for Sophie before taking my own. If anything, I wanted her to think I had manners. Yes, I know she could open her own doors and pull out her own chair, but I was taught to be chivalrous at a very young age. To me, chivalry was not dead, although many people would more than likely argue the issue.

“Thank you,” Sophie said, “You’re very sweet.”

The look she gave me was one of surprise as her eyes were wide open, and her lips were pursed. I wondered what her and Elodie spoke about? Before I saw them together, I wouldn’t have thought anything of the look, but now I wondered if Sophie was surprised because of my past. Oh well, I had to continue shocking her and making her think I wasn’t the person Elodie had me painted out to be.

I caught Sophie’s stare and responded, “You’re welcome,” before turning to the waitress and ordering a white Zinfandel for myself and Sophie.

Sophie interrupted me and said to the waitress, “I’d like a Roscato instead, please. And water.”

I went with it because I had no clue if Sophie liked wine or even if she did, what type did she enjoy. I’m glad she cut in and told the waitress what she preferred. It means she wouldn’t let me make her decisions for her and would definitely speak up if I’d chosen the wrong thing. That’s the type of woman I tended to be attracted to. I wasn’t one for a woman who needed me to make all her decisions. The date was already looking up.

As soon as the waitress returned with our drinks, I cut to the chase. I needed to know if there was some animosity Sophie had toward me and had to fix the way she regarded me because of my ex.

“This is the first of many dates I would love to bring you on,” I started, but then was cut off by Sophie.

“So, you’re saying there will be more. Even knowing that this one can turn out horrible?” She quirked her eyebrow, awaiting my response.

Damn, but the woman was right. I expected more of these dates from her and revealed as much right from the get-go. Maybe, I was the one who’d end up being the needy one and then assuming Sophie would want to see me again after tonight. I had to save the night already, and it just began.

I cleared my throat and continued, “Yes. I’m known to plan ahead and expect the best out of the circumstances given. For instance, I expect this date to be amazing, as from the moment I took one glance at you walking through your doorway I knew it was meant to be.”

Was that a blush I saw? Sophie’s cheeks flushed a cute shade of pinkish-red hue. It did wonders for her features, and in that instant, I wanted to make it my mission to create more of those. I slid my hand across the table to cover her small, delicate one and held on gently. There was so much I wanted to say; so much to learn about this woman, but I wanted to clear the air.

Before she could respond to my statement, I pushed on, “The day I asked you out, I went shopping and noticed you. As always, you were stunning, but what caught my eye was who you were standing with.”

The hand lying underneath mine stiffened as I continued to voice my concerns. “I’m not one that will ever run a woman’s life. I won’t tell you who you can or cannot be friends with, but I’d like to know if you knew the woman you were standing with or if you were just passing each other by?”

I held my breath as I waited for Sophie to respond to my concerns. I refused to run another person’s life, but I had to see where I stood, If Elodie somehow spoke ill of me, then I had to remedy the situation so I can continue to see Sophie. Unfortunately, I knew Elodie would have nothing good to speak about. This left me in a terrible spot, one I had to fix before I had the chance to put my charms on Sophie. And boy, did I want her to see me a different way; not the way Elodie described me, if she even mentioned me. I was probably jumping through hoops and freaking out for no reason.

But, if I weren’t freaking out, then at least the cards would be all out on the table, and maybe Sophie and I would have some sort of chance at a relationship. Here’s to hoping…

Chapter Fourteen

Sophie

He caught me talking to Elodie. Not surprising since Park Avenue isn’t a humongous place. It was bound to happen. It wasn’t like talking to Elodie was a secret. She’s my friend, and I genuinely enjoyed catching up with her. But now, I have to smooth things out, especially since Tobias raised the issue. There was a problem though, should I explain everything, or should I leave out information told about him to me? If I wanted to continue seeing Tobias, I had to come clean, otherwise; I’d be the one keeping secrets. That was not my MO.

The crazy thing was I wanted to come clean. I wanted to know exactly what happened and if he was still the person Elodie painted him out to be. Was I crazy? There was this undeniable attraction toward Tobias. Hell, I felt the attraction the moment he opened the doors to the school while I was rushing past him. It’s what made me think of him that day. As he held my hand on the table, rough ones encasing delicate ones, the zing raced back and forth, making me want to merge my lips with his.

So, yes. I wanted to know Tobias, everything about him, and possibly halt the negative thoughts planted in my head from Elodie. I didn’t hate her for warning me. If anything, I’m grateful, but I wanted to hear the story out of the horse’s mouth since he was the one who caused the breakup. Now was the time to air out the laundry and find the pieces that weren’t cleaned.

“I was standing with Elodie on Park Avenue. I’m assuming that’s where you witnessed us. We go back a few years. Elodie sometimes places her son at Tyke’s Daycare, where I still work until my time is up. In those years, I have come to be close to both her and her son. It wasn’t until I told her I was thinking about working at the college when I found out about Elodie’s ex, or should I say, about you,” I stopped, took a sip of my wine and then proceeded to explain what I know.

“She revealed to me she’d been cheated on by her husband who happened to work at one of the colleges, though I didn’t know it was you when she first told me. She didn’t tell me which college either. We put together the pieces recently. To be quite honest, I was angry. Upset that I liked you a lot and then finding out the hell you put her through surprised me, especially after meeting you. Even now, I don’t see that a person like you, a gentleman could be so cruel.”

I wanted to take back the words, but it was too late. They’d already exited my lips. When Elodie told me about Tobias, I didn’t want to believe her. Yet, why would someone speak so ill-willed toward their ex unless something dirty was done to them? Crazy women were out there and happened to lie all the time, but this was Elodie, I trusted her. It was time to find out how much I could trust Tobias.

When our eyes finally connected after my statement, I saw the hurt and felt his pain. If anything, I felt bad for Tobias and wanted to hear his side of the story. I was known to feel sympathy for all types of people. Tobias was different; I wanted to believe what he did was false. But I knew deep down it couldn’t be. Elodie wouldn’t lie even if she were scorned. She’s too happy with her current relationship to continue to feed lies about another person.

Before Tobias or I could speak, our waitress had come back and taken our orders. This time, Tobias didn’t order for me and let me go first. I got the shrimp alfredo while he ordered the steak and noodles. I’d never ordered a steak at an Italian restaurant before, and here Tobias was ordering something that should be ordered at a steakhouse; it’s what I always assumed.

As Tobias ordered, I took the opportunity to gaze around the room. The restaurant was quite impressive. I didn’t want to think about how much the meal would cost considering the extreme taste of this place, but I had some money saved up to pay for this night. We were seated at a table for two as the aura of romance filled the area. The lights were dimmed low, and others around us were whispering and in their own little worlds. The place had an appeal to it that made me relax and look forward to the night with Tobias even though we had to settle certain topics of discussion.

Once the waitress took our orders and refilled the wineglasses, Tobias cleared his throat once again and said, “I’m not entirely sure what Elodie said about me, and quite honestly, I don’t want to know the precise wording. The only thing I want to hear at this point is your viewpoint. What’s on your mind?”

Sophie took a second, sipped on her wine, and then responded, “I don’t want to believe Elodie, but I have been burned before by an ex. It sucks, and the one thing, other than protecting yourself from the reoccurrence, is making sure others don’t get scorned by the same guy. That’s what Elodie did. She wanted to protect me from something that could happen because it happened to her. I understand Elodie’s reasoning. I shouldn’t want you, but I can’t ignore my feelings. They are what’s driving me toward you. The connection you mentioned before, that’s strong, and I want to explore it even if it means I’d get burned in the process.”

Tobias tried to interrupt, but I didn’t give him a chance because I needed to get this off my chest. As much as I wanted him, I needed him to know where I stood before we could go any further. My heart was off-limits for now, but we could explore and learn. If I ended up falling in love, well then, that’s hard to stop.

“I won’t say that I’m yours and will fall in love like some smitten woman, but I’m looking to explore the connection if you are. There’s one thing I’m requesting; total honesty, even if it means breaking things off. I refuse to be in the backseat of this ride,” I said, bluntly staring into his eyes.

A sparkle could be seen in the depths of his iris as he spoke, “I’m on board with testing the waters. Since we’re going for all honesty, I’d like to say a few words.”

Tobias kept his hand over mine, but this time started a continual rubbing from the wrist to the tip of my forefinger. The chills from the slight touch alone made me satisfied with the decision I’d made. I wouldn’t forget Elodie’s warning, I would do my best to guard my heart. I could be a mature woman and take what I wanted from Tobias. The chemistry between us was unreal and unique, one I’d never had the pleasure to feel before, and I wanted to find out how deep it went.

I shivered as soon as he spoke; the mixture of his soft touch and baritone froze me to the spot. Already I wanted to feel those hands and mouth in other places. In due time.

“I won’t agree with what Elodie spoke about me. As I mentioned, I’m not interested in her words. I’m more interested in yours. I will, however, say I did cheat and cause the breakup of our marriage. Was I sorry? Of course, but the damage had been done. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, I could not turn back time, nor could I change Elodie’s viewpoint of me after the incident. Even after I tried numerous times to talk to her and possibly work things out, she’d already made up her mind. Our relationship was unrepairable,” Tobias revealed, licked his lips, and then continued, “I agree transparency in a relationship is important. I’m more than on board with seeing where this chemistry between us will lead.”

It was done. Tobias agreed to my terms, not that there was much to the terms, but still, he was okay with being honest. The minute he broke the honest card, he was back out on the street, and I would cut all ties with him even if it meant giving up my dream job.

“That’s settled then,” I said, turning my hand around and cupping his. It looked like we were holding hands across the table. I let go the second I saw the waitress coming our way with food. I was starved and couldn’t wait to dig in.

Throughout the dinner, we stole glances at one another while stuffing food in our mouths. At one point, I’d asked to taste the steak Tobias ordered, he slowly fed me the food. It was erotic and made me want to see what else he would do once we were behind closed doors. Even knowing some of his past, I still wanted his hands on me. I wasn’t sure what type of person that made me. I enjoyed his company and was attracted to the man, so I didn’t let more thoughts of what he’d done nag my conscience.

Finishing our meal, I dabbed the napkin across my lips and then said, “The night is young. Would you like to go somewhere, possibly dancing?”

Tobias grinned and said, “If we’re being honest, here. I’d like to do some things to you that don’t require sweating on the dancefloor with strangers. As much as some people like that kind of stuff. I’m not one to share the woman I’m with.”

I matched his grin in return, and said, “Good. Let’s pay and get out of here.”

When I went to pull bills out for the food, Tobias halted my movements and said, “This one’s on me.”

“But I don’t want anyone to have to pay for me,” I responded.

Tobias nodded and then winked, and for some reason that one movement caused my cheeks to heat up. Damn him.

“I understand, but I was the one who asked you out, and so it’s my responsibility to pay for my date. Now, if you were the one to ask me out, then I might’ve let you pay. For now, please give me the honor of paying,” Tobias begged.

I could tell by his carefully worded statement he knew I liked to be independent, make my own decisions and pay my own way. I couldn’t allow his cute begging to go unnoticed, and so I said, “Sure. Next time, it’s on me.”

Chapter Fifteen

Tobias

Score. It felt good to get my way, and even better to see those rosy cheeks again. My heart swelled the moment I witnessed the blushing, and the need to have Sophie under me intensified. All throughout dinner, I watched every subtle move, paid close attention to her wording, and tried my best to keep skin to skin. It was like a magnetic force, and I didn’t want to break the pull.

She spoke about her life while we ate, and I learned she loved music as much, if not more, than I loved art. We were both passionate about creativity, and it made me want her more so than before. Sophie was brilliant-minded and very independent by the way she took care of herself for years. I also learned she experienced bad relationships, too. It broke my heart to hear how some of those men treated her. It was even worse because I was that same guy and treated Elodie just as bad.

I couldn’t change Sophie’s past, but I could damn well work hard to create a better future for her. The feeling that overcame me could be closely described as being high as a kite when Sophie had given me the time of day. I would not make her regret the decision to give me a chance.

The check was paid quickly, but not fast enough because every time Sophie glanced at me, I melted into the deep blue abyss. I wanted my hands back on her, to feel the soft skin between my fingers and the chemistry warming my insides. Unfortunately, we needed our hands to eat, so I itched to put them back where they belonged; on Sophie.

“You ready to leave?” I asked, already getting up from my seat.

Sophie nodded and took the outstretched hand I’d extended her way. It wasn’t that I thought she couldn’t get up by herself; it was needing to feel the silkiness of her body. My cock twitched as I caught a waft of her sweet perfume. I closed my eyes and inhaled slowly trying to get a grip, but the act worsened my state as I caught more of her smell. We needed to be alone, away from prying eyes so I could have Sophie all to myself.

The tingles started from the tips of my fingers and traveled throughout my body. I was close to full mass, and if I weren’t careful, I’d have to rearrange myself before walking out. How could someone affect me the way this gorgeous woman has?

I ushered Sophie so fast out of the building I’d practically dragged her on the way outside. The second we made it to my car, I turned her around to face me, ran my hand through her hair, gripped her scalp with my palm and then slammed my lips on top hers. Her perfume’s sweet scent engulfed me, and I couldn’t seem to get enough of her mouth. Our tongues clashed, and her moans filled the air around me. By God, this woman’s going to kill me. She fought for dominance over the kiss, and I let her win because, at this moment, I had her pliant and ready. I could’ve easily slid my pants down a fraction, lifted her dress and took her against my car in the parking lot.

I lost myself in the moment until Sophie pulled me above water, “We have to stop, or we’ll end up regretting it once the cops arrest us for public indecency.”

I reared back, trembling from the sheer intensity of the make-out session and chuckled, “I doubt I’ll regret being arrested for thrusting into you. If anyone has a problem, they shouldn’t be watching. You are right, though. We can take this somewhere more private.”

Sophie righted herself and touched her lips gently as I opened the passenger door for her. While walking to my side of the vehicle, I grinned at witnessing the wide-eyed look on her face. I knew I wasn’t crazy and we both felt the effects of the attraction. I shocked her as much as she shocked me, and I was more than okay with that.

We buckled up, and no sooner than I started the vehicle we arrived at her place. I could’ve brought her to mine but didn’t want to put her in a predicament where she’d have to ask me to bring her home in the morning. Here’s to hoping she’d ask me to stay. I mean, we hit it off well, and our bodies were craving each other, but she still had the chance to say no.

I put the vehicle in park, got out and walked to her side and opened the door. She shimmied out the seat and stood in front of me. It was awkward for point five seconds until she took the initiative and made the first move. The chemistry was just as strong as in the parking lot of the restaurant. I walked her backward to get to her door but didn’t have the key to open it. Breaths heaving, she quickly opened the door, and we were at it again. Hands flung all over the place, mine gripping her thighs and lifting her up as she wrapped her legs around my waist.

Sophie’s dress rode up high, and I could feel lacy panties at the tip of my fingers. I wanted to rip them off, removing any material that dared stand in the way of my member. Her low mewls echoed in the house as I grunted, “Where’s the bedroom?”

She didn’t stop licking and biting my neck as she pointed to the far right of the hallway. There was no stopping the moment as I carried Sophie into the room she indicated was hers and gently placed her on the bed. We were greedy, ripping clothes off one another. As much as I wanted to slow the moment I’d been waiting for, I couldn’t. Sophie held me captive, stuck in a euphoria that could only be diminished after our bodies connected.

There was no time for foreplay. By the swipe of my index finger, I knew how ready Sophie was, and it took everything in me not to be too rough. I lined my cock with her vagina and slammed home, finding the time to open my eyes and see the look of awe on her face. Her legs were still wrapped around mine as I continued standing up on the side of her bed and gripped her ankles with my hands. A second later, I pulled out and thrust back inside, causing her eyes to roll back and a grunt to escape her lips.

The twisted look on her face tugged at my heart, and with the next thrust, I knew I was a total goner.

Chapter Sixteen

Sophie

We spent the weekend wrapped up in each other’s arms. Tobias was the sweetest person when it came to many things. For instance, he had me pick out a movie while he ordered pizza. He didn’t care which movie, and so to play with him, I picked Dirty Dancing. No guy cared for the gushy movie, but it seemed Tobias didn’t mind. He had other things planned anyway, like taking over my body as the movie played in the background.

The whole thing was like a dream vacation, one I didn’t want to end. But, lo and behold, we had lives to live, and that included work. When Sunday night rolled around, I dreaded Tobias leaving my place, but I needed to get a little shut-eye and prepare for work Monday morning. I didn’t want him to leave but he had to. We weren’t at the stage where he could sleep over every single night. Not yet, at least.

“I’m missing you, already,” Tobias said as he tugged on my hand and maneuvered my body into his.

The past few days had been a breath of fresh air. We craved one another in ways I’d never craved anyone else. It was gloriously terrifying. It didn’t scare me away, but it made me nervous to know I could feel so much for one person. All the while, I forced Tobias’s history to the back of my mind. This was a clean slate, and I believed he wouldn’t hurt me as he hurt others.

I leaned in, inhaled his masculine scent, and said, “Me too. But we can get together after work tomorrow. I need to focus on what needs to be done for class. Dinner tomorrow night?”

“You know it,” Tobias said and bent his head to take my lips.

His scent enveloped me as his tongue snaked into my mouth. I tasted him in so many ways but still couldn’t get enough of his kisses. If he didn’t leave now, I’d end up getting him to stay and saying to fuck with work. This was my dream job, and I needed to be on par for the day, so I pulled away, gave Tobias another tight hug, and watched him leave my home.

Once Tobias left, I moved around the place, cleaned up our mess from the weekend, and performed my nightly routine. Close to nine, I tucked myself into bed. For a few minutes, I thought about how amazing the weekend had been and how light-hearted I felt from the prospect of starting something new with Tobias. Above all else, he was terrific, and I looked forward to what the future held.

Night merged into day as quickly as I shut my eyes and became dead to the world. When I opened them, I felt light, lighter than I’d felt in a long time. I had no worries, only excitement for the upcoming week. Not only do I get to start work at my dream job, but I also get to see Tobias. I know I’d seen him only a few hours ago, but I was excited to be near him again. To me, it wasn’t soon enough.

I took care to dress properly, sophisticated with a slight sexy look so I could catch Tobias’s attention. My maroon blouse opened just enough for a tease, yet not too much because of the students I would teach. I didn’t want it to look terrible and skanky. I finished the look with a pair of light denim tight skinny jeans and silver laced flats. After touching up my makeup, I was ready to go.

In no time, I’d made it to work with ten minutes to spare. From the doorway of the building to my classroom, I hadn’t caught sight of Tobias. When I peeked into his room, I hadn’t seen him there but did see a few students milling about. I wanted to surprise him around lunchtime since he thought we wouldn’t see one another until dinner. I forgot we’d get the same lunch when I offered dinner - Silly me. Taking my thoughts off of Tobias and focusing on the room at hand, I became even more excited as the first student entered the room.

Hours later and lunchtime was in full swing. I’d listened to the same music over and over and figured out what level of voice my students had; soprano, alto, bass. It was a very interesting first day, but fun as well. As soon as everyone left my room, I dashed into the hallway and made my way to Tobias’s room. He wouldn’t even expect my entrance, and I couldn’t wait to surprise him.

When I entered his room, I’d stopped dead in my tracks for a second, and then fled right out the way I’d come. There wasn’t a person in sight, thankfully. Had someone been around, Tobias would surely lose his job. It’s bad enough he’d lost me forever. That simple thought shredded my heart to pieces. Wet globs blurred my vision as I fought against the image I’d witnessed.

How much of a fool was I? I ignored Elodie’s warnings and believed Tobias. Why did it hurt so bad when I’d only known him for a small fraction? Was this love or infatuation? My chest ached so much I wanted to rip the beating heart out and get rid of it. It was already stomped on by Tobias. He’d reeled me in and hooked me, and I was blind-sighted by the charismatic version of him - Stupid me.

The worse part was not being able to leave the school. I had to go on and teach the class while disconnecting myself to the scene I’d witnessed; a girl bent over Tobias. Not just any girl, one who clearly looked like a student. The bastard couldn’t even wait until he was off the clock before cheating on me. I wanted to go home. I wanted to lick my wounds and mend threads of my broken heart. I wanted to forget all about the day I’d met Tobias. I clutched my chest again, hoping the pain would soon subside.

Chapter Seventeen

Tobias

“It’s not what it looks like,” I bellowed into the now empty hallway.

There wasn’t another soul in sight, which was a good thing for me. The last time someone walked in on me, it was a shitshow. I’d lost my relationship. This time was different. The girl literally bent down to get her books that had fallen to the floor.

The typical me would have taken advantage of the situation. I’d have had the girl bent over my desk as I plunged myself into her body, but that wasn’t me anymore. I wanted one person, and that person didn’t return the want right now.

I know how bad it must’ve looked to Sophie. How from the doorway’s angle, I was being sucked off by a student, but it absolutely was not the case? If I could say the girl didn’t want me well, that would’ve been a lie. For the past week that she’d been in my class, there had been hints, but that wasn’t me. I wasn’t one to fall for it anymore. I wanted Sophie, not some random person, especially one of my students. Been there and done that. I was past this shit.

Turning back into my classroom, I said, “You need to go.”

“But I needed to talk to you,” the girl responded, “besides, I doubt anyone will come back in the room now.”

The hint was there, but I wasn’t having it. I wanted the girl gone. Looking at her short, straight blonde hair and bright, chocolate eyes, I said on a deadpan voice, “Leave.”

We locked eyes for a moment, but then her brown ones down cast as I watched her shoulders slump in defeat. She gave up, and I let out a pending breath when she gripped tightly onto her shoulder bag and exited the classroom.

I didn’t need this crap. That’s all I kept repeating to myself. Even though I knew Sophie would most likely never speak to me again, I had to contact her. I had to explain that what she saw was nothing. I grabbed my briefcase and left the building while dialing her number on the way out. No answer. Not even straight to voicemail. Did she shut down her phone? I was in a mode of frenzy thinking I’d lost Sophie forever.

Please, answer me. I kept dialing Sophie’s number, but not once did she pick up, so I sprinted to her classroom. I wasn’t going to let it end like this. I needed her and have never felt this way for anyone. Not even Elodie. Sophie crawled under my skin too quickly for me to realize the impact she was having on me. It’s too late and now I couldn’t envision my future without her. She wasn’t there either, though it was packed, and a man stood in front of the room teaching. She had to have gone home, and so I left the building with no word that I was leaving. Fuck this shit. Even if I lost my career, I had to make things right.

I’d never bent through hoops as I was currently doing. The one time I’m innocent, and it blows up in my face. The need to protect Sophie reared its head as I beat myself up over the scene she’d witnessed. Yeah, she should’ve trusted me, but damn even from where I stood, I could agree that the position looked terrible. I internally prayed Sophie would hear me out and believe I was innocent.

The drive to her house took less time than initially. My foot was heavier than usual, I needed to see Sophie. I barely had time to put the stick in park before exiting the car and banging on the door of Sophie’s home.

“Sophie,” I yelled, banging louder with every hit, “Honey, answer the door.”

The door opened so fast; I almost pounded my fist into Sophie. I stood abruptly and said, “Baby, I’m so sorry you witnessed that shit show. Please, forgive me.”

I went so far as to get on my knees, hands clasped, and begging for Sophie to forgive me. It wasn’t one of my greatest moments, but I could attest to the overwhelming feeling of needing Sophie and not causing her pain. I cared for this woman. In fact, I loved her. It sounded crazy because I’d only known Sophie for a tiny bit. Shit, we’d only been on one date, but I couldn’t erase the emotional tailspin she put me through. My gut clenched as I witnessed the blotched, red face and eyes sheened with tears.

I lifted from my knees and grasped her by both arms before pulling her into a hug. She tried to escape, but I couldn’t have her leaving me. I mumbled over and over how much I was sorry but wasn’t sure if she even heard me.

“Why?” Sophie finally questioned, standing stiff but still allowing me to hug her.

I stood by a fraction but continued to keep my hand on her shoulder and said, “The last thing I want to do is push you away. All day I couldn’t wait to have you by my side. I looked forward to seeing you again. I wanted to surprise you for lunch, and when I went to leave, there was a student who dropped her books in front of me and made a scene. No one was around. I had an inkling what she was doing, but I swear to whatever that is holy I did nothing. Of all times in my life, I am innocent. Please, please believe me.”

Time stood still as I looked into Sophie’s eyes. She sniffled and then said, “I don’t know why I believe you, but I do. I want to be angry; shit I was for quite some time. Then, I started thinking when I got home. I left your room so fast I didn’t get the chance to question you or find out what was going on. I assumed you were guilty and left to guard my heart.”

I went to interrupt, but Sophie held out her hand in a stop motion. “Please. Let me finish. I want to have an open and honest relationship, as I mentioned in the terms during dinner. I jumped the gun with what I witnessed, and I want to apologize for not hearing you out from the get-go.”

What kind of woman did this; apologize and listen to the other half of the story even though I could still be in the wrong? If I didn’t know before, I knew now. Sophie was meant for me. She gave me a chance even though I could’ve taken her heart and stomped on it. Though I was innocent, I felt like I didn’t deserve someone so compassionate, but I was greedy and wanted Sophie with all my being.

Placing my finger under Sophie’s chin, I declared, “I love you,” and then grazed my lips on her cheeks before merging them with hers.

Sophie responded once our lips parted, “I love you, too. I think that’s why I was so affected and jumped the gun so quickly. It didn’t help that I know your past, but I should’ve kept it as such; in your past. Could you forgive me, too?”

I grinned and responded, “There’s nothing to forgive, sweetheart. You’ve made me so happy just by listening to what I have to say and trusting in us.”

Sophie smiled and said, “Come on. Let’s go inside. I’m starting to wonder if we’re being spied on by the neighbors.”

“Probably so, but you know what?”

“What?” Sophie asked.

“I love you, and that’s all that matters.”

It was true straight to the core. What I felt for anyone else was nothing compared to how I feel right now with Sophie. It made me wonder; I might not be so flawed after all.

The End.

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Sarah’s Published Works

Standalone

Hearten Christmas (FFM)

New Beginnings (Military)

Her Will (BDSM)

Mistletoe (Holiday)

Counter-Love (Anti-Valentine)

The Dark Truth (Thriller)

Series

Awakening: (The White Stealth Clan, #1)

Captive (The White Stealth Clan, #2)

Damaged (The White Stealth Clan, #3)

Revenge (The White Stealth Clan, #4)

Collections

Summer Romances

Anthologies

An Honest Lie: Midnight Oil Anthology

Soulful Bonding: Table for Two Anthology

Sarah Stein loves to talk to her readers and can be found here: Website

About the Author

Sarah Stein (born in October of 1985) is the middle child in a family of ten. She’s always been an avid reader, escaping the chaos of the large family life. Her love for books at an early age is why she started creating her own stories. Today, she’s a multi-published Author with works in various genres.

She’s from southern Louisiana but resides in south Texas with her husband of many years, two children, a German Shepherd, and a Dachshund. When she isn’t spending quality time with them, she’s singing, reading, writing, or researching for her next story.