He leaned forward on the table and stared into my eyes. “I heard you,” he whispered as he averted his eyes to my chest. “I left class and remembered I needed to talk to him about something. I came back up to head to his office when I passed the room.” He looked at me, my face flushing with embarrassment. “I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but I had an idea.” He looked down and fiddled with his hands. I just stared down at the table, not knowing what to say. “I hid around the corner and waited. I’m not sure why. I should have left, but my curiosity won out. Then a couple minutes later, I saw you leave.”
I looked up to meet his gaze, so flushed I could feel the heat coming off my body. I knew there was a possibility someone would hear, but I’d never thought someone would actually approach me about it. I was completely mortified.
“I’m not sure what to say,” I whispered as I fiddled with my hands in my lap.
“I didn’t bring this up to embarrass you, Emma. I just wanted to say that if there is something going on, you both need to be more careful, like I said. If you’re serious about being an attorney, then I’d highly suggest not sleeping with your professor.”
I looked up to meet his gaze and frowned, anger starting to build in my chest. It seemed like he was starting to judge me and I didn’t like it. Who was he to say anything about what I did?
“We met before school ever started. I didn’t know who he was until the first day of class. And you’re right; it is none of your business.”
Scooting my chair out, I grabbed my bag from the floor and turned to leave when I felt a hand wrap around my arm.
“Please don’t go, Emma. I’m just trying to be a friend, I swear. I’m not going to say anything else about it. Just please sit down,” he begged.
I jerked my arm from his hold. I could appreciate someone trying to be a friend, but he didn’t know me.
“Thank you for your concern, but I have to leave now. I’ll see you in class tomorrow, okay?” I said as I started to turn from him. “Let’s pretend this never happened.”
He nodded with a remorseful expression and I left. Tears pricked my eyes as I made my way to the subway. Brian was right; I knew he was right. My whole career was on the line. My scholarship was on the line. What was I doing? Why couldn’t I stay away? I was so drawn to him and I couldn’t understand it.
I’d have to tell him Brian knew. I didn’t want to, but he deserved to know. He had to have known there was a chance we’d get caught in his classroom. Maybe that was why he did it. I didn’t know, but I was completely on edge about the whole thing. I needed to talk to someone about it.
Pulling out my phone, I sent a text to Victoria.
Me: Hey, can you talk?
V: Yes, you want to come to my place?
Me: I’ll be there in twenty. Getting on the subway now.
V: K.
*
I arrived at Victoria’s and knocked on her door as I tried to figure out how I was going to tell her about everything that had happened. I was bouncing back and forth between having just told her nothing had happened to admitting Mason and I had been together twice. It was a whirlwind of activity.
She opened the door with a smile and turned to walk back down the hall, expecting me to follow.
I closed it and made my way in behind her as she walked into the living room.
“So, what’s going on?” she asked, patting the seat next to her. “You never come over here without something on your mind to talk about, so spill it.”
I laughed. “That’s not true,” I stated. “I come over here just to hang out, too.”
“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes. “Just spill it,” she repeated, motioning with her hand.
“So, Mason and I had sex,” I blurted, just getting it out there.
She stared at me with a stunned expression and I laughed. I couldn’t help it. I knew she would have that reaction.
“Oh, shit. No, you didn’t. When?
“Friday night,” I said, biting my lip.
“You slut. No way. Are you serious?”
She was being overly dramatic.
I laughed. “Yes, but that’s not all I wanted to tell you.”
“Well, what the fuck! Tell me.”
I laughed again. “I’d rather keep you in suspense,” I teased and she gave me the death stare. “Fine, this is what I needed to talk to you about, okay?” She nodded. “I’ll tell you everything that’s happened, but I need your best advice on what to do because I’m so damn confused. I know deep down what I should do, but don’t really want to do it. I’m having an inner battle, and it’s fucking with my emotions.”
She nodded again.
I told her about what had happened Friday night. How I saw him at the club and decided to go home with him. I didn’t go into detail about the sex, but I told her he’d basically escorted me out the door immediately after. She frowned at that part, but then I told her about the classroom.
“Oh, my God, Em. That is so fucking hot. I’m getting turned on just hearing about it.” She laughed.
“Yeah, but that’s not the worst part.”
“What happened?”