Third Chances (Men Of Manhattan #2) - Ivy Smoak Page 0,8

cup and a teaspoon person. And Bryce handles all the financial stuff for me. I live a math free life and I love it."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. But I use calculus every day."

"Only because you teach that useless skill to kids every day." Alina pointed out the window.

I turned. She had successfully distracted me during takeoff. "Thanks." I leaned back in my seat.

"Speaking of which," Alina said. "Did any sexy football players have crushes on you this year?"

I laughed. "I don't know why you always assume my students have crushes on me."

"Because you're hot," Kristen said. "And students always have crushes on their hot teachers. It's a fact."

"But I'm like five years older than my oldest student."

"Age doesn't matter. It's just about the hotness. And you being in charge and all that. It's sexy. And so off limits. All the guys probably drool over you."

"You're so ridiculous." I thought about the fact that Rick said his son had a crush on me. Was it normal for teachers to get birthday presents from students? And being Facebook friends wasn't weird, was it? Was I already crossing so many lines and didn't even know it? Fuck, do lots of my students have crushes on me?

Alina laughed. "Kristen would know. She's an expert on this subject."

"Why? Because she stalked Professor Hunter?" I asked.

"Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa. I did not stalk Professor Hunter. Stalking is such a harsh word."

Layla laughed. "That's true. Stalking is creepy. And from everything I've heard about Kristen's behavior, she was just being a silly, flirtatious college student."

"See. And Layla's had to file restraining orders against stalkers. She knows her stuff. I was just totally in love with Professor Hunter for that one semester. And I wish I knew how that other student slept with him when I made it so obvious that I wanted him. Like...so obvious. I mean, I could have fulfilled all his needs. All of them. Especially the really kinky sexual ones. And I guess sometimes I still think about what he's doing at night. And obviously I'd still like to fulfill all his dirty, dirty needs."

"Stalker," I coughed into my hand.

"I'm not. And besides, I'm in love with Tim now. You know that. But none of you can seriously deny the fact that you think Professor Hunter is hot. He's like, the perfect male specimen. Plus he's so smart. I could listen to one of his lectures all day."

Alina shrugged. "I didn't realize that you were still in love with him."

"I'm not. But when we're all talking about him, it makes my mouth water."

"So, tell me this, Layla," Alina said. "Is finding out where Professor Hunter lived and hanging out outside his building hoping to run into him stalking?"

"Um..."

"And going to his office hours all the time, making up stupid questions to ask him, and always working in the phrase, 'I'm very mature for my age,' into every assignment?"

Layla looked at Kristen. "You didn't tell me all that, crazy."

Kristen laughed. "Fine. I stalked Professor Hunter. Whatever. Gosh, if I knew I was a stalker, I would have broken into his apartment or done something even crazier. I feel like I wasted an opportunity."

"So what if you saw him again? What would you do?" Layla asked.

"Kiss his beautiful face. I just want to taste his skin."

I started laughing. "Kristen, he's engaged."

"So?"

"That would be like some maniac trying to make out with Alina."

"And if someone other than Bryce tried to kiss me, I'd totally punch them in the face," Alina said.

Kristen laughed. "Well, I definitely wouldn't want to be punched by Professor Hunter. He has such sexy, defined muscles." She bit her lip.

"Yup, she's a stalker. That poor professor should totally get a restraining order." Layla picked up the pamphlet that showed the movie selections. "Anyone want to watch a movie?"

"Bride's choice," Alina said and grabbed the pamphlet out of Layla's hand. "What?" she said when we all stared at her. "I've been so well behaved during all the wedding planning. But there's only three weeks until I get married. It's about time I went all Bridezilla on all of you."

Chapter 4

Daphne

"Look!" Kristen said and elbowed me in the ribs. "There's a monkey over there!" I slowly opened my eyes and looked to where she was pointing. We were in the middle of a rainforest. I must have fallen asleep. I wiped the drool off the side of my face.

"Awesome. How much longer until we get to the hotel?" A layover and seven hours in the