Page 26 of Teach Me Your Ways

I cleared my throat. “That’s the plan. Nothing glamorous, but good for some real world techniques. But first they need to learn the theory, the history, the methodology. Can’t put a shovel in someone’s hands if they don’t understand how to avoid damaging things.”

Lina glanced up from her phone. “Will we be going on the dig too?”

“Of course. You’ll be helping supervise.” I shuffled through the syllabi again, even though they were already perfectly organized. “Fair warning, it’s dirty work. Real dirt, not the Instagram version.”

Cece laughed. She clearly picked up on my thinly veiled reference to her outfit yesterday. “I think I can handle getting my hands dirty, Professor.”

“Cece, could you open the door for the students?” I asked. I needed space, even if it was only across the room. I could smell her vanilla scent and there was nothing boring about it. The hall was huge and I could still fucking smell her. Or maybe it was just all in my head.

Before Cece could respond, Lina moved. “I’ll do it!” she exclaimed, practically sprinting to the door like it was some kind of competition.

Cece rolled her eyes and leaned toward me. “I’ll do it,” she said in a falsetto tone.

I couldn’t help but chuckle, sharing a brief, conspiratorial glance with her. That look lingered a moment too long, shifting from friendly to something more charged in an instant. I quickly turned away, focusing on the papers in front of me, trying to suppress the sudden heat rising within me.

“You know I’m counting on you to actually help me in class, right?” I asked the question under my breath to keep Lina from overhearing.

“If I’m going to be doing her work, I’m going to be collecting her credits or pay.”

I smirked. “You’ll have to take that up with Dean Carver.”

I noticed something flash across her face. Fear? Guilt? Disgust?

She wouldn’t be the first to feel all those things about the dean.

The students began to trickle in, some still in pajamas despite the afternoon hour. I felt a twinge of annoyance, the kind that made me feel like a grumpy old man. You’re wasting the day. Burning daylight.

I shook off the grumpy old man thoughts because there was nothing old about me. I had a few years on my sexy little TA, but I could prove to her over and over again I wasn’t old.

And that thought was exactly why I couldn’t have anything to do with her. I cleared my throat and put myself in the moment. I was the professor. I focused all my attention on greeting students just like I did every semester. I ignored the woman standing ten feet away. If there was a way to turn off my senses, I would do it. Unfortunately, when she was around, all my senses were on high alert. There was no turning them down.

Once the room was filled, I stepped to the front. “Welcome, students, to Archeological Preservation. Don’t worry—you’ll never have to write the class name down, and we don’t grade on spelling.” A few chuckles rippled through the room. It was the same joke I delivered on the first day of every class. It always landed.

“I’m Professor Stone, and these are my teaching assistants, Lina and Cece.” I gestured toward them, keeping my movements casual and professional. “They’ll be helping me turn you from treasure hunters into actual archeologists.”

More laughter. Good. Starting with humor always made the semester easier.

“Before we dive into the syllabus, let me dispel a few myths. First, we are not Indiana Jones. We will not be exploring caves, caverns, or temples of doom. Second, most archeological work happens in labs and libraries, not tombs filled with booby traps. And third, if you’re here because you think this is an easy A, you’re in the wrong place.”

A few students shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Perfect. Better to weed out the slackers early.

“Lina, would you start passing out the syllabi?”

I continued my spiel while she distributed papers. “This course covers archeological methodology, site preservation techniques, and artifact analysis. You’ll learn how to properly excavate, document, and preserve historical materials. Finding stuff is the easy part. Getting it out of the ground in one piece? That takes skill.”

As I spoke, my eyes kept drifting to Cece. Her demeanor was poised and attentive. She wasn’t trying to be alluring, but to me, she was captivating. I noticed a few male students watching her, and jealousy flared within me.

I stumbled over my words—a rarity for me. “Uh, so, the main focus of this course is… preserving artifacts during excavation.” I cleared my throat, trying to regain composure. Eventually, I found my rhythm again.

I managed to make it through the rest of my class without getting an erection or embarrassing myself beyond the usual flubs.

After, as students filed out, I turned to my TAs. I wasn’t ready to let Cece go. It was wrong and stupid but I wanted to be near her for just a little longer. “Great job today. To celebrate our first class, how about a drink? There’s a place called The Library nearby.”

Cece shot me a look. I flashed her a knowing smile. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” she replied.

I didn’t miss her licking her lips. I knew exactly what she was thinking about. The office in the back. My couch. My lips. My cock.

“Buy me a White Claw and tell me everything about your life!” Lina exclaimed. “Buy me two and I’ll tell you all my secrets.”

As if I wanted to know her secrets. I wouldn’t mind knowing Cece’s secrets though. I arched an eyebrow, daring her to accept the offer.

Cece shot her a look, then sighed. “Alright, I’ll come.”

“We’ll meet at five,” I said.

They walked out of the hall, leaving me alone. It wasn’t like me, but I couldn’t ignore the excitement bubbling inside. I was going to see her again.