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“So, he’s been stalking you?” Her eyes widened as if that very thought was insane.
And I supposed it was, but a part of me really liked the fact he’d been so enamored with me that he couldn’t stay away. “I don’t know if stalkingis the right word. Looking out for me? He wanted to make sure I was okay?”
She snorted. “Um, no, sounds like stalking, just worded differently. I mean, I’m glad he was there, but it’s kind of weird that he followed us. Don’t you think?”
I didn’t respond, because I could see it from her point of view. But she also didn’t know my deepest secret. She also didn’t know the rest of what Lucian had told me.
“I feel like there’s more to the story you’re maybe not telling me?”
I nodded. “Yeah, a little bit more.” I took a deep breath.Littlewas such a broad description when it came to this. “Well, when I sat with him at the table eating breakfast, he told me that he’d wanted me for a long time, that I was his and he wasn’t going to walk away. He said he was done waiting.” The silence in the room was deafening, heavy, and I felt like it was hands wrapped around my throat, squeezing.
“Um” was all Sherry managed to say.
The look Sherry gave me was of shock, her mouth slightly open and her eyes wide. She closed her mouth, opened it again, yet no words came out.
“I love him, Sherry. I’ve been in love with him but kept it to myself.” I felt my cheeks heat after I admitted my deepest secret.
“You love him? As in you’re in love with our professor?”
I nodded, not speaking.
“Grace, you realize that being with a professor in that capacity is like a huge crossing-the-line kind of thing, right?”
I nodded.
“And he’s like so much older than you. He’s at least in his mid-thirties. You’re not even twenty-one. You’re okay with the age gap? You’re okay with the fact he seems really possessive of you, enough to follow you to the club and almost strangle a guy that was grinding on you?” She held up her hands. “Although maybe I kind of love Professor Goode for doing the latter.”
I could have laughed at that, but this moment was too serious, too sobering. “Yeah, I am okay with that.” My voice was heavy with emotion.
My heart was thundering a mile a minute, my palms were sweaty, and my tongue felt thick. I’d never uttered these words out loud to anyone, not even to myself. Yet here I was, knowing that there was no going back. Lucian wanted me, and he wasn’t going to walk away. And that’s just what I wanted.
“I mean this is a no-turning-back kind of thing, Gracie.”
“I know,” I whispered.
Why couldn’t I have what I desired? Why couldn’t I get what I deserved? The man I loved wanted me, and damn it, I wasn’t going to turn that down even if it was against the rules. Even if it was considered crossing lines.
“I hope you’re sure of what you’re doing,” Sherry said softly.
“Me too.”
She reached out and took hold of my hand. “But I’m here for you, always, okay?”
I smiled and nodded.
“And I want you to be able to confide in me about anything, even when our professor wants to make you his … everything, apparently.” Her eyes widened, and I did laugh then.
“This is a little crazy, isn’t it?”
“A little,” she said and chuckled. “But it’ll make one hell of a story one day, right?”
I nodded, hoping she was right.
“How about we forget about this for right now and dig into that ice cream and watch some Netflix?”
“Sounds perfect.” Leave it to Sherry to make it seem like things would be okay, even if it was only for tonight and consisted of a sugar overload and a rom-com.
ChapterThirteen
