Page 29 of Her Forbidden Teacher

“At Brown? What’s his last name? Tell me he’s not married. If it’s Coach Long?—”

“It’s not Coach Long. Mr. Langford and he’s divorced. He’s new this year.”

She relaxes. “You’re eighteen now. What’s the problem?”

“There is no problem aside from the drama that continues to haunt me. Like today.”

When she opens her mouth to say more, a baby starts to cry. My phone rings and Theo’s name flashes across the screen.

“We’ll catch up more soon,” she vows as we both stand. “You’re tough and you’re not alone. You’ll get through this.”

I give her a tight hug and then answer on my way out the door. “Hey.”

“How are you?” Theo asks, voice rough like he’s been yelling.

“Saw Savvy. Feeling better. What about you?”

“Gave detention to anyone who looked at me wrong. Very therapeutic.”

I giggle at his words as I slide into my car. “So, you want to see me?”

“Need.Well, hell. I want to, too.”

“Where?”

“My place.”

A thrill shoots down my spine. “I don’t know where you live.”

“I’m going to tell you.” He sighs heavily. “I’m not trying to get you into my bed, baby. I just want to hold you and make sure you’re okay.”

Tears well in my eyes. As much as I want to sleep with him, I don’t think that’s what I need. I need to be held and cared for.

“On my way.”

The apartment complex Theo lives in is fancy. There’s a pool I wouldn’t mind taking a dip in considering how hot it is lately. I follow his directions to the second floor and the eighth door on the left where there’s definitely no flowerbeds or gardens. This amuses me for some reason since he teased before that I could come do his apparently nonexistent ones. Before I can knock, the door opens. Theo is no longer wearing his professional teacher clothes. He’s comfortable in basketball shorts and a plain white T-shirt that hugs his muscular frame.

I step inside and he closes the door behind me. Then, he yanks me into his arms. Clinging to him, I chew on my bottom lip, trying desperately to keep my tears at bay. My body trembles, giving me away. A little squeak comes out of me when he grabs my ass and picks me up. I wrap my legs around his waist, hugging him tight.

He takes me over to his sofa and then sits down. I relax against his chest, tears falling freely as he strokes his fingers up and down my back.

“I wanted to do just this all day, baby. You didn’t deserve that. I’m so sorry.”

“I’m where I want to be now.”

A yawn forces its way out of me, and I sag in his arms, the adrenaline of the day quickly leaving my body. Then, I close my eyes.

I wake to the smell of something cooking. It takes me a second to figure out where I’m at. After letting Theo hold me until all my tears were gone, I crashed in his arms. He must have laid me down on the couch and covered me with a blanket. My heart squeezes. His tenderness is exactly what I needed.

“Are you cooking for me?”

He chuckles from the kitchen. “Figured that would wake you up. It’ll be ready in twenty. Make yourself at home.”

“Can I shower?”

“Of course, beautiful. Feel free to borrow something of mine if you want to put fresh clothes on.”

The shower is nice and relaxes me. Then, after, I put on one of his T-shirts and some sweatpants. I even slip on a pair of his socks. His apartment is cold, so his clothes warm me up.