said.
He didn’t need to know any more about me than he already did.
It wasn’t that I was ashamed, as such. It was just that I was starting a new life, that of a student, and I wanted to be viewed differently than I ever had been. Was that too much to ask?
So I figured I’d make some small talk right back.
“Professor Adler! Hi!” another pretty girl said.
Jesus. These women were all over him like flies on shit. No wonder he wanted to walk with me. The man needed a bodyguard.
He nodded at his latest admirer.
“How’d you get into teaching?” I asked.
That was possibly the most boring fucking question I’d ever asked anyone, but it was all I had in me at the moment.
“Oh. Well. That’s a secret. I’ll tell you one, if you tell me one.”
Did he really just say that? Was he flirting with me?
“That’s okay. I didn’t really want to know,” I snapped.
Oops.
But I caught myself in time. “Just kidding!”
He was my teacher after all, and did deserve a measure of respect.
But I wasn’t sharing any damn secrets.
“I don’t have any secrets anyway,” I said brightly.
It was only kind of a lie.
“Are you going to answer my question now?” I asked to take the focus off myself.
“Sure. I was an English undergrad major and loved it, so figured I’d go for a Ph.D. And once you have a Ph.D. pretty much the only thing you can do is teach.” He shook his head, laughing, and I glanced over at him long enough to see a shock of hair flop down on his forehead. Just as he raked his fingers through it to push it into place, he looked back at me.
Busted.
“Hmmm. Interesting,” I said.
Not.
“I do have another secret to share, Senna,” he said, leaning a little closer to me.
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. Here we go.
This was where he admits to having seen me dance at Club V, but where he also assures me he thinks no less of me and in fact admires my gumption.
Or some bullshit like that.
I’d heard it all before.
I looked up at him, waiting for the condescending little speech I knew was coming.
“My secret is… I hate teaching Freshman English.”
What? That was his secret?
I burst out laughing in relief. I couldn’t help it.
“Wow. That is definitely something I’d keep secret,” I said. “Why are you doing it then?’
He shrugged. “I have to. Everyone in the department is required to teach it once every few semesters. We rotate through it, and this semester is my turn.”
The fitness center was now in view. Thank god. Just a couple more minutes.
“Why do you dislike it so much?”
I didn’t really want to engage with the guy, but I was sort of curious why an English professor would have a problem teaching an English class.
He took a deep breath. “Most of the freshmen students aren’t really into the class. In fact, most of them hate it.”
They hated it? I didn’t hate it.
He held the door for me as we entered.
“Well. Here’s where I need to go check in,” I said, pointing toward the office.
We were facing each other now, and his gaze was unnerving. He looked into one of my eyes, and then the other, like he was searching for something.
Maybe he was. But whatever it was, he wasn’t going to find it.
“Is my secret safe with you?” he asked with a half-smile.
A devilish half-smile, I might add.
Jesus, I was in trouble. Attracted to a teacher who’d freaking seen me nearly naked? Not a good way to start my college career.
“Um, sure,” I stumbled.
Bastard probably knew he’d thrown me off balance. Evidenced by all the pretty girls greeting him as we walked across campus, he was an expert at that sort of thing.
But if he could dish it out, I could dish it back at him.
“I promise. I won’t let you down,” I said, cocking my head.
A smile spread across his face. “See you in class, Miss Duncan.”
I fled to the office to clock in.
Patti looked up from her desk. “Hey, Senna. Working on the schedule. You all right with Monday, Wednesday, and Friday?” she asked.
“Yeah. I am, thank you,” I said, looking out the office window to make sure Adler was gone.
Patti followed my gaze. “Are you checking out that hot professor? Every female on campus is in love with him.” She sighed.
“Really? No, I wasn’t looking at him.”
I put my name badge on and hustled to the check-in desk where I started the tedious task