on the other hand, barely squeaked by algebra.”
We just looked at each other. It was clear he had something to say.
“What is it, dude? Just come out with it,” I insisted.
I wasn’t into beating around the bush.
“Benno and I are kind of seeing Senna.”
I knew it. And I thought it was great.
But I hoped Jamie’s ‘announcement’ didn’t mean my chance to get to know her better was off the table.
Because I had every intention of doing so.
“That’s cool. Good for you guys,” I said as Benno arrived.
“Good for us? What’s good for us?” he asked, taking off what I called his ‘professor jacket.’
“Jamie was telling me you two have something going on with Senna. That’s hot. I hope you guys have left room for me.”
Benno laughed. “Oh, we have. Don’t worry. We have.”
Chapter 29
PROFESSOR CHASE BALDWYN
Next day in class, I was ecstatic to see Senna not only getting the answers right as I went around the room with our vocabulary drills, but also leaning over to help the girl next to her when she got stuck.
Yup, I’d known that with a little push in the right direction, she’d master the course material. In fact, perhaps with even more help, she’d learn to love French like I did.
As everyone was streaming out at the fifty-minute mark, I hollered some last-minute instructions.
“Okay, guys, don’t forget to log into the language lab over the weekend. You need the practice.” They fled the classroom like their asses were on fire.
Everyone except for Senna, that was.
“Hi, Professor Baldwyn,” she said, holding her books in front of her like she was playing hot schoolgirl.
And she’d called me professor. I knew I should correct her, but being called professor had a nice ring. And it might be the closest I’d ever get to being called one, anyway.
“That was fun, going around the room and having to think on your feet,” she said, bouncing on her own feet.
But I was imagining her bouncing around Club V.
“Glad you liked it. Nobody really enjoys being put on the spot, but it does get the circulation going.”
Kind of like the circulation running to my dick right now.
“Hey, I wanted to tell you something,” I said.
Concerned crossed her face. “Okay. Is it something with my grade?”
“No, no, no. It’s actually more… personal.”
She might not like what I had to say, but I was all about honesty. Some people appreciated that about me. Others did not.
“Okay,” she said slowly.
I pushed the classroom door closed and walked over to my desk, which she was leaning against.
“Couple things,” I started. “First, I know you’re a dancer at Club V.”
She took a deep breath, waiting for my reaction.
“Hey. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s probably helping you pay your way through this expensive school. “
She looked back up. “It is. I have that work-study job in the gym, but it’s really a waste of my time. I barely get paid anything. But it’s a requirement of my tuition waiver.”
I remembered those days. I’d been there, scraping and crafting how to pay for college. It was a bear, trying to figure out how to finance something so important when you had no resources, and no record to prove you were a good investment.
“Was there anything else?” she asked.
Brave girl. She didn’t run away from shit.
“Yeah. The professors—shit, can I just call them Benno and Jamie?”
She laughed and nodded.
“The guys told me you are more or less seeing them. We’re all friends, and I wanted you to know I knew.”
She sucked in her breath. “You’re not going to tell my advisor, are you? Or anybody else?”
“Of course not. Fuck those nosy bodies. It’s none of their goddamn business.”
While her cheeks were slightly pink, she smiled with relief. Fucking beautiful.
“And…” I continued, “I wanted to say I’m interested in you, too.”
I walked my fingers across the desk to where hers were resting and brushed them lightly to gauge her reaction.
She might be receptive. Or she might tell me to go packing.
But she turned her hand palm up so I could interlace mine with her fingers. I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed it lightly.
Her pupils dilated. I pulled her closer and wrapped my free hand around her waist.
This time, kissing her lips.
Chapter 30
SENNA
Holy shit.
I was kissing my French professor. Or whatever he was.
And I’d just been with my English and math professors.
I’d known college was going to be different, but I sure as hell hadn’t anticipated anything like this.
Chase’s mouth explored mine slowly at first, and