Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
His hands still on her small waist, Alessandro swung his seat to face her. Catching the bemused look on her face, he said soberly, “We have to talk.”
Her smile faded at his serious tone, and she asked nervously, “A-about what?”
The scent of her anxiety reached him, and shaking his head, he tugged at a lock of strawberry blonde hair, using it to have her bend forward. Surprising her with a quick, gentle kiss, he pulled away, murmuring, “Stop thinking the impossible.”
“W-what’s impossible?”
“Impossible things like I’d ever consider leaving you.” His eyes bored through her.
Kassia’s cheeks flushed anew. She couldn’t believe the professor had seen through her so easily.
He tipped her chin up. “Every time you have these thoughts, you just need to call me, and I’ll say it as many times as you want. I will never let you go.”
Her heart slammed against her chest at the words. God. Wow. God. Wow. Wanting to be as honest as the professor was even though she knew she couldn’t be as eloquent, she said haltingly, “T-thank you. I n-needed to hear that.”
His answering smile left her blinking dazedly. God. Wow. God. Wow.
“I want to talk to you about a few things now.” The professor’s tone had turned sober. “We need to set some ground rules. You understand why, right, baby?”
“Yes,” she answered dreamily.
The professor bit back a groan at the way Kassia was looking at him. God, she made him want to make love to her again and the hell with playing grown-up. Forcing his mind back to important matters, he said, “If we’re to see each other without getting caught, we need to adhere to two simple rules.”
She nodded obediently.
“The first one is...” His voice turned wry. “You must remember to act like my student and not my girlfriend.”
Kassia couldn’t answer. The professor had called her his girlfriend! It terrified her. It excited her. It made her want to scream. It made her want to throw up in sheer panic.
The professor frowned. “Kassia?”
She started, realizing she had spaced out on the professor. “S-sorry,” she mumbled. Clearing her throat, she asked, “C-could you give me an example of how I act like—-”
“My girlfriend?”
Oh my God, he had said it again!
“Umm, yes, like—-” She paused.
The professor repeated obediently, “My girlfriend?”
Excitement won over panic. Oh my God, his girlfriend! “Professor, are you sure there’s ever a time I acted like—-” She paused and looked expectantly.
Instead of giving her what she wanted, the professor bent forward and reached for something behind Kassia. By the time she realized what the professor had taken from the table, it was too late. He had a piece of paper rolled in his hand, and he was smacking her forehead with it.
“Ouch,” she cried, purely out of habit since getting swatted on the head with paper didn’t really hurt.
“That’s for not being serious.”
“I was being serious,” she lied, glaring. “I just wanted to be clear that you really believe I was doing something as...” Unable to help it, she paused, holding her breath as she waited for the words.
The professor swatted her head again.
“Professor, you’re so unromantic!”
Another swat. “And you need to be serious. Consider what you just did earlier.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Earlier?”
“You need to remember to always knock and ask for permission before entering my office in school.”
“Oh.” Her shoulders slumped at the realization she had acted unthinkingly, and not at all like a student. “Sorry, Professor, I didn’t—-”
He cut her off with a kiss, one so swift it was over before she could even think of responding. “I didn’t tell you that to make you apologize.” This time, his voice was gentle, and Kassia wanted to cry foul. How could she be serious when everything he did just made her want to daydream about how beautiful he was?
“This rule isn’t because I’m worried about my job. It’s all because I have a selfish desire to spend as much time with you. And if you’re a student, then that means I still need to be a teacher. That’s the best way for us to spend our days together, baby. You understand, right?”
She nodded, but still she couldn’t help saying, “I get it now, Professor, but I’m really sorry—-” She earned herself another kiss, but this time it was longer, almost surreal, and toe-curling sweet.
“No apologies, little chick.” His voice was tender but gruff. “We’re both new to this. We’re bound to make mistakes.” He straightened away before the softness of her body made him forget what else he had to say.
When the professor’s gaze narrowed at her, she said immediately out of habit, “I didn’t do anything.”
“Actually, you did.” The professor’s voice turned hard. “I won’t mince words this time, little chick. I make an extremely jealous and possessive lover, and I do not share what’s mine.”
The way he looked at Kassia made it clear he considered her his property, and she swallowed, more overwhelmed than terrified at the idea that someone like the professor could feel so strongly towards her.