The Girl Next Door
Chapter 48

A small knot of tension sits at the bottom of my belly as I rap my knuckles against Dr. Hayes' partially open office door. She glances up from her computer screen and smiles before waving me in.

"Thanks for stopping by." She pulls off her glasses and sets them on the desk next to her coffee cup. "I read over your latest draft and have a few suggestions." She leans back in her chair. "I thought it would be easier for us to discuss them in person rather than emailing back and forth.

"Sure, no problem."

"Great. Want to get started?"

I nod.

As I take a step toward the desk, she waves to the tiny loveseat. "Let's sit on the couch, it'll be more comfortable." Comfortable for who?

Certainly not me.

My step falters as I clear my throat and search for an excuse. I'm trying to keep as much distance between us as possible. "My computer is kind of heavy. It might be better to set it on the desk while we work." I'm grasping at straws. My computer weighs a pound or two at the most.

Her lips twitch with amusement. "The coffee table will be just fine."

Damn.

Mia's words swirl through my head.

She's friendly.

She isn't coming on to you.

She's one of the most beloved professors on campus.

You've misinterpreted her intentions.

Dr. Hayes rises from her desk and slides past me while I stand rooted in place. When her body brushes against mine, my anxiety levels spike.

It's all in my head.

I'm being too sensitive.

Once she's settled, I glance longingly at the office door before forcing myself to close the distance between us. My lips flatten when I realize she's positioned herself smack dab in the middle, not leaving much room on either side.

When I hesitate, she pats the cushion beside her, and I have no other choice but to sit down. I squash my six-foot frame as close to the armrest as possible and keep my attention focused straight ahead as I set the computer on the coffee table and fire it up. Any distance I had purposely left is eaten up when she scoots closer.

With our thighs pressed together, she pulls out her notes and glances at the computer screen before pointing out where more clarification is needed. For the next thirty minutes, we meticulously move through the body of the paper. Mia has been helping me to edit when she has time, so it's not a total mess. As we work side-by-side, my muscles loosen. Other than our bodies pressed close, she hasn't done anything else to make me feel uncomfortable.

It's a relief to realize that Mia was right. I'm an i***t for thinking this woman was coming on to me.

Dr. Hayes wraps up her critique by saying, "Keep working, and we'll meet up again next week to check your progress. If you follow the suggestions I've made, there's no reason you can't get an A on this paper, and frankly, in this class."

An A?

Pigs flying out of my a*s seem more likely than that. I've never received an A on a paper in my life. Sometimes it was all I could do to eke out a B.

"Why is that so funny? I'm being serious." She points to the computer. "This is shaping up to be a great paper. One I look forward to reading." Now that makes me laugh.

I shrug and shake my head. "Writing has never come easy to me." Even though I was dreading this meeting, it's obvious there was never anything to be concerned about. "I appreciate you spending so much time with me." "Helping students realize their full potential is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job." She shifts, and our knees touch. "It's one reason I'm so passionate about my work." Her hand flutters to mine before covering it. My gaze drops to our clasped fingers. "Well, um, thank you, Dr. Hayes."

"When we're alone, you can call me Rebecca."

"Right." This meeting has taken a turn for the awkward. I don't care if she's touchy-feely or not. I don't like it. Now that the paper has been wrapped up, all I want to do is escape.

When I attempt to retract my fingers, her grip tightens, halting my movements.

"Beck-"

I glance up and realize her face is much closer than before.

"I had hoped you would take advantage of my offer to work one-on-one with you. Kind of like a mentor." She tucks an errant lock of hair behind her ear. "There is so much I could teach you, if you would let me." Relief rushes from my lungs when she lifts her hand from mine. Instead of pulling away, it settles on my thigh, where it rests dangerously close to my balls.

Friendliness is one thing.

This is something altogether different.

"Um-"

Before I can say anything more, she's on her knees between my legs. Her other hand drops to my thigh before she slides both toward my junk.

Hunger flashes in her eyes before settling on my lap. "I've been very patient about waiting for you to get the hint. So, I've decided to take matters into my own hands." As those words leave her lips, her fingers wrap around my c**k. Holy s**t!

"Dr. Hayes," I choke out as a strange paralysis takes over. I can't move. My muscles feel locked in place.

"Rebecca," she corrects, tongue darting out to smudge her lips. "Call me Rebecca."

"I'm not-"

There's a knock on the office door. My head jerks up as it opens in slow motion.

"Dr. H-"

Oh, f**k.

Mia.

I would recognize her voice anywhere.

"Now's not a good time!" the professor shouts, but it's too late.

As Mia falters over the threshold, her wide gaze locks on mine before sliding to the woman between my outstretched legs. I quickly knock her hands away, hoping the situation doesn't look as damning as I imagine it does.

"I, um, sorry," Mia mumbles before taking a hasty step in retreat. Hurt and shock swirl through her dark depths before she quickly slams the door closed.

The thick wood reverberates on its hinges as silence settles around us.

"Well, that's not good." Dr. Hayes rises gracefully to her feet before running a hand over her pencil skirt. "Luckily, Mia is my teaching assistant, so it shouldn't be too difficult to smooth this over." Instead of looking embarrassed, a smile curves her lips before a chuckle escapes. "Did you see the look on her face? I think we shocked the poor girl."

We?

I don't think so.

I sure as hell wasn't a willing participant in this.

Not bothering to answer, I bolt to my feet and snap my computer shut before shoving it in my backpack.

"Next time, we need to make sure the door is locked." She gives me a little wink before sliding behind her desk and sinking to her chair.

There won't be a next time.

"I need to go," I mutter. All I can think about is replaceing Mia and explaining what happened.

With my backpack slung over my shoulder, I leave the office and jog through the hallway to the elevators. Bypassing them, I take the stairwell, sprinting down five flights before reaching the ground floor. I push through the metal door into the lobby but don't see Mia's dark head anywhere.

A few guys from the football team are shooting the s**t outside Mitchell Hall. When they call me over, I wave them off and run past. My heart skips a beat when I see her striding about twenty yards ahead of me. I hasten my pace, pushing through the people on the path. A few grumble before glancing at me. When they realize who I am, they shut their mouths.

"Mia!" I call out when I'm close enough, "wait up!"

She doesn't glance over her shoulder, but I know she heard me because she picks up her pace, as if trying to escape. There's no way in hell I can allow that to happen. When I'm within striking distance, I reach out and wrap my fingers around her upper arm to stop her. The moment I make contact, she whips around and bares her teeth.

"Don't you dare touch me!" she hisses. Anger vibrates from every cell of her body. I don't think I've ever seen her so enraged.

"Mia, give me a chance to explain!"

When she attempts to jerk her arm from my hold, my grip tightens.

"If you don't let go," she growls, "I'll scream."

f**k.

No matter how much I want to tell my side of the story, I can't force her to listen. Reluctantly, I release her arm. I'm almost taken aback by the fury and disgust swirling through her eyes.

"It's not what it looked like." My heart slams harshly against my ribcage until it feels like it might explode.

A humorless laugh falls from her mouth. "Really? Because it looked like Dr. Hayes was moments away from giving you a blowie."

I wince as her voice increases in decibel with each syllable. A few students walking past, turn and stare with curiosity.

"She asked me to stop by her office so we could go over my paper." My tongue darts out to moisten my lips. "Everything was fine, and then she was on her knees."

"And you didn't push her away?" Her brows jerk up with disbelief.

"It all happened so fast." I plow a hand through my hair.

"You sat there and let her touch you," she accuses.

"No!" I shake my head. "I-"

"What?"

"I don't know," I whisper, wishing she would calm down and give me a chance to explain. My thoughts are all jumbled together, and I'm not making sense. It looks like I have something to hide when nothing could be further from the truth. "I tried to tell you that she was hitting on me."

"Yes," she snorts, "it really looked like she was forcing herself on you."

"Maybe it didn't look that way, but that's exactly what happened!"

She searches my eyes for a long moment before shaking her head. "I don't believe you."

My shoulders collapse in defeat. I'm not sure what more I can say to make her understand the situation. When Mia retreats, it feels like there is a yawning chasm sitting between us. Reaching her no longer feels possible.

I take a hesitant step in her direction, only wanting to bridge the growing distance between us. "Mia, I said that I would never hurt you, and I meant it."

"I'm such an i***t for believing in you." Tears well in her eyes. "You're no better than my father."

Her words are like poisonous darts that pierce my flesh. All I've tried to do is prove that I'm not the guy I used to be, and I've failed.

"You know that's not true," I murmur through the pain that blooms in my heart.

What could I have done differently?

I wasn't lying when I said it all happened so fast. For a moment, it had felt like I was paralyzed, powerless to stop Dr. Hayes from touching me. For a guy my size, it's ridiculous that I couldn't stop a tiny woman from laying her hands on me. Shame and guilt bubble up inside, nearly swallowing me whole.

"I can't do this with you," she says, interrupting the thoughts that churn in my head, "I need to go."

When I reach out, she backs further away as if she can't stand the thought of me touching her.

"Please, don't leave like this." It feels like Mia is slipping through my fingers and there's not a damned thing I can do about it. "Can we talk later?"

She shakes her head and straightens her shoulders. "No, you've hurt me for the last time."

Before I can say anything else, she spins away and heads for the walking path that cuts through campus. Instead of going after her, I remain rooted in place. Chasing Mia will only push her further away.

I plow a hand through my hair, knowing there might not be a way to fix this.

It's altogether possible that I just lost the only girl who ever mattered to me.