Evelyn
Winthrop is a graduate student studying psychology. She meets Tim
O'Brian in the elevator at school, and is immediately attracted, only
to find out he's her new teacher. Because of school policy, they
shouldn't date, but that doesn't keep them both from wanting to find
a way to spend time together.
Evie
slipped on shoes and grabbed her keys before heading downstairs. The
coffee shop was tucked away in a secluded part of the building. It
was quiet and nearly empty this time of night. Tim was there at a
table, smiling at her. He signaled the barista, who nodded.
"I
ordered the same thing we had it breakfast. Hope that's okay."
"Perfect.
Thank you."
There
was an awkward pause.
"I'm
sorry about running off like that," Tim said. "My brain
shuts down totally when I'm around you. I go all primal Id inside and
want to rip your clothes off."
The
barista set the coffee down. Blushing, Tim handed her a tip.
"Not
something you wanted to admit in front of Barbie, huh?"
He
shrugged, tipping his head to one side. "Doesn't matter. Hiding
the truth doesn't change it."
"You
have a similar effect on me, Mister O'Brian."
Tim
chuckled. "Playing that way, are we, Ms. Winthrop? I can't make
you a part of my life's disaster," he said quietly. "I
don't want you dragged into something ugly. Knowing Sharon, it would
be heinous. She will subpoena every woman I know and try to make a
cheater of me."
"Did
you cheat?"
"What?
No! I took my vows seriously. But there is a no cheat clause
in the prenup. If she's proven guilty, which is going to be easy, she
gets nothing. If she proves against me, which is difficult—"
"But
not impossible."
"I
didn't cheat, Evie. Whatever else can be said about me, I don't do
that."
"Neither
do I. I don't want to be the other woman."
"And
I don't want you to be. I want to be the one and only. Will you wait
for me? A few months, hopefully, less. I want to explore what we
started here."
"You
sure you don't just want sex?"
"If
I did," he snapped. "We wouldn't be sitting here. We'd be
at your place adultering our brains out!"
Evie
chuckled at his word choice. "Is that a real thing, Tim?
Adultering?"
"It
sounded better than screwing and it's more than fornication, as I'm
married."
"You've
got to be Catholic."
"Does
it show?" He playfully checked his face with his fingers.
"Not
everyone knows the difference between adultery and fornication."
"I
also teach human sexuality. The subjects may have come up a time or
two."
"Other
things come up as well," Evie teased.
"Good
Lord, woman!" he gasped. "I'm trying not to screw
your brains out."
"Can
we still have coffee together? Or do we have to slink around out of
town, or meet at sleazy motels?"
"I
have that covered. I need a research assistant for my final project.
How would you like a job?"
"Okay.
What does the job entail? Catering to your every whim?"
"Of
course not—not the way you're thinking. I need someone who can
type, preferably one who can spell and is conversant with the
terminology. Can you take dictation?"
"I
can try. I used to type notes for girl with MS. I think I can handle
it."
"You
want the job?"
"How
much does it pay?"
"No
idea. The department secretary has details. Do you?"
"What
are the hours?"
"Outrageously
long and you'll constantly be in my company. You probably want to
kill me. Do you want the job?” he sounded quite exasperated.
"Yes.
Accepted ages ago. You weren't listening."
"No,
you didn't."
"I
said, okay."
Tim
groaned. She had, indeed.
©
2017 Dellani Oakes
No comments:
Post a Comment