KAREN
The morning of the first day of classes, I woke up with my stomach in knots.
I dressed carefully, jeans, a simple blouse, nothing that would draw attention. I packed my bag three times, making sure I had notebooks, pens, my calculator, everything I could possibly need.
Abby made me eat breakfast even though I felt sick.
"You've got this," she said as I headed for the door. "It's just Calculus. You survived Matt. You can survive this."
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
The math building was across campus. Students streamed past me, laughing and excited for the new semester. I felt like I was walking to my execution.
Calculus II was held in a large lecture hall on the second floor.
I arrived early and chose a seat in the middle, not too close to the front where I'd be called on, not so far back that I couldn't see.
The large room starts filling up, the hustle and bustle of students opening their bags,
talking, and getting set up ringing in my ears as I slowly drink my coffee.
I rest my head back and close my eyes when I hear a very familiar
voice.
“Everyone, assignments are due this week.”
Fuck! It can’t be!
I jerk my head so quickly I’m pretty sure I’ve just given myself whiplash.
Rubbing my neck to ease the ache, I then rub my eyes, hoping like fuck I’m dreaming. I give myself a swift slap for good measure.
Nope. Not a dream.
All of a sudden my heart started beating too fast. Too fast. I quickly said a silent prayer.
Because standing front and center is none other than Rek. What the hell? My heart hammers in my chest, giving me that tight feeling as the realization hits me… hard—I slept with my professor.
I inhaled deeply as he set his things on the table and looked up. My heart skipped a beat and I felt a flood of heat flood my face.
It was him. The man I had a one night stand with two weeks ago.
Rek.
He turned to write on the board. Professor Derek Hunt. Calculus II.
So that's his real name. Not Rek, but Derek. Crap.
He walked up to the front of the room with an air of confidence. His presence commanding the attention of every student.
I couldn't believe it, his eyes swept over the students and I found myself shaking in my seat.
My mind raced back to the night. It was supposed to be fun, no string attached encounter, a wild moment of fun and recklessness before the start of the semester.
Now, that wild moment standing in front of me. About to teach the most difficult subject in the world.
"Good morning," he said, his voice steady and composed, just as I remembered it, but now laced with a familiarity that sent shivers down my spine.
"Welcome to Calculus II. I'm Professor Hunt, and I'll be filling in for Professor Nash while he's on sabbatical."
Sabbatical. The whole semester.
I'd chosen this class specifically because I'd heard Professor Nash was patient, that he didn't mind explaining things multiple times, that he actually cared if his students
understood.
And now he was gone, replaced by the man I'd slept with.
I was going to fail. There was no question about it.
Because standing front and center is none other than Rek. What the hell? My heart hammers in my chest, giving me that tight feeling as the realization hits me… hard—I slept with my professor.
“We have a new student joining us today, and I love to embarrass people,” he chuckle.
“Miss Craven, would you stand up and introduce yourself please.” Rek glances around the room searching for the newcomer’s face, my face.
I shrink down in my chair, cursing myself that I didn’t think to put my hood up to hide myself further.
His eyes finally settle on me, and if it wasn’t for the shit storm of a situation we now find ourselves in, I’d laugh at his expression because it can only be described as a cartoon with its eyes bugging out.
His friendly expression shuts down quickly, his features neutral as he clears his throat. “Miss Craven?” Caleb pauses, watching me before slowly running his tongue across his bottom lip.
I’m so entranced with the act that I
end up mirroring him and running my tongue across my bottom lip.
I look up from his mouth, finding his gaze still firmly on me and the world seems
to stop.
Suddenly breaking our eye contact, Rek moves to shuffle some papers around on his desk before saying, “See me after class for any missed assignments.”
With nothing else said, he shifts the conversation onto the upcoming semester.
I finally let out the breath I’d been holding, my ears ringing and my vision going blurry from the clusterfuck of a situation I’ve got myself into.
Rek is my new professor? My new professor is Rek?
Professor Hunt, Derek, I didn't even know what to call him anymore, began going through the syllabus.
His voice was calm, professional, nothing like the rough whisper I remembered from that night. But I couldn't focus on a single word he was saying.
All I could think about was his hands on my skin. His mouth on mine. The way he'd looked at me like I was something precious.
The way he'd made me forget my own name.
I raised my hand halfway, wanting to run my fingers through my hair in frustration, then stopped. I still had other classes today. I couldn't show up looking like a mess.
I rubbed my face instead, trying to think clearly.
If I stayed in this class, I would fail. Not just because of my struggles with math, but because I wouldn't be able to concentrate. How could I, when every time I looked at him, all I could think about was…..
Stop. Stop thinking about that.
I needed to drop this course. It was the only option. Even if it meant taking a harder Calculus class with a professor who wasn't as understanding, at least I'd be able to focus.
Better to fail because I didn't understand the material than to fail because I couldn't stop remembering what my professor looked like naked.
Derek's eyes found mine again as he continued lecturing, and this time he held my gaze for a beat too long.
I forced myself to look away, heat flooding my face.
I kept my eyes on my notebook for the rest of the class, pretending to take notes while my mind spiraled.
The lecture passed in a blur. I didn't absorb a single word.
I spend the rest of class unable to concentrate, the low timbre of his
voice going straight to my clit.
I’m lucky Derek doesn’t glance my way
again because I don’t think I’d be able to hide the emotions on my face.
No matter how hard I try, I can’t get the image of his head between my thighs
to budge.
I’m completely tense and I’m pretty sure I’m gonna have to change my underwear before my next class.
Which is really freaking annoying seeing as the man is completely untouchable now.
When the bell rings, I hastily put everything into my bag, but a pen drops to the floor before I can catch it.
Dropping down under my desk, I grab the runaway item and I shove it in my bag.
As I stand up, I notice that the auditorium has all but cleared out, leaving Caleb and I alone.
So much for getting out before he saw me.
“Miss Craven, a word please.”
