“Morning, bitches. What’s up?”
“Not much,” Robbie replies.
Valerie looks at me. “Were you feeling okay on Sunday?”
Her question makes me tense because for a moment, I forget that I texted her with an excuse to leave the party early on Saturday.
“Yeah,” I reply when my brain catches up.
“I could have taken you home, you know.”
“I didn’t want to be a pain. You were having fun. It’s not your fault that I can’t handle more than one caipirinha.”
Valerie snickers. “You’re not the only one who couldn’t handle his alcohol. Josh was pitiful. I’ve never seen him that wasted.”
The teacher enters the classroom, and we have to put a pin on our conversation. I want to ask about Josh, but that will have to wait until later.
As the day progresses, I begin to relax. I was worried that someone had seen me leave the party with Alistair. I told Robbie we were cool, but it will take a while for the annoyance to completely go away. We manage to fall back into the easy rapport we had when we first met though.
But when we bump into Phillip on our way to the cafeteria, things become awkward again, and the reason for our fight comes back to the forefront of my mind. Phillip looks more sorrowful than Robbie did. Poor guy. It sucks that they can’t be together, and it also breaks my heart.
“Hey, Chiara. How are you?” Phillips asks, staring at me with a dejected puppy look in his eyes.
“I’m good. And you?”
“Good.”
A moment of uncomfortable silence follows.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Can we just go back to last week when all secrets were still secrets?” Robbi asks, exasperated.
“Oh, and what secrets would those be, Robbie?” Jillian asks from behind us.
Crap.
“Get lost, Jillian,” Robbie retorts.
“If you don’t want people to know about your depraved ways, you shouldn’t have hookups during a party, Robbie.” She smiles maliciously while glancing at Phillip.
Robbie rolls his eyes. “Oh, honey. Do you think I care about what people say about my sex life?”
“Maybe you don’t, but I’m sure Phillip does.” She raises an eyebrow.
Shit. Did she see Phillip go in Robbie’s room last Saturday?
I don’t want her venomous tongue to hurt my friends. I step closer to Phillip, looping my arm around his waist.
“I hardly think making out with my boyfriend in a private room is depraved.”
Jillian’s eyes go rounder. “You’re dating Phillip?”
He smiles at me as if I was the object of his affection. “Yep. She captured my heart at first sight.”
To seal the deal, I cup his cheek, rise on my tiptoes, and place a soft kiss on his lips.
There. That should be enough to stop this bitch from spreading more gossip.
I’m smiling when I look at her again, but it’s an effort to keep it up when I see Alistair standing in the hallway, glaring at me.
ALISTAIR
It takes every ounce of self-control I have not to stride across the hallway and punch that punk in the face. Jealousy is a dangerous beast, and I can’t claim to be its master. So I do the best I can in this situation—I turn around and walk away.
I’m seething when I finally enter my office and close the door. Behind my desk, I rest my head in my hands and take deep breaths. That’s what I get for falling for my student. God, I’m such an idiot.
I should have never restarted things with Chiara. But hell, resisting her was impossible. She got under my skin, left a brand on my heart. I’ve never wanted anyone like I want her. She puts my sex drive on steroids. I’m constantly semihard when she’s around, which is a fucking problem when I’m her teacher.
I can’t head to my next class in this state, that’s for sure.
I turn on my laptop, hoping email checking will distract me.
A knock on my door makes me grind my teeth. I hope she isn’t foolish enough to come see me.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Phillip, Mr. Walsh. May I come in?”
