Page 4 of Silk Sheets

He was attractive, don’t get me wrong, but he had a sort ofboyishlook to him. He looked kind and gentle. Soft-spoken even.

Solaced straightened up. “I’m sorry, sir—”

“Professor Hale,” he corrected her, and the edge in his voice settled in my lower stomach.So not gentle and soft spoken. Noted.

“I expect an apology from both of you,” he stated, making confusion fall over her face and my eyebrows shot to the goddamn ceiling.

He must have picked up on our reactions since professors rarely cared for late comers, so he spoke again. “You walked in, interrupting me mid sentence.”Right.

“Sorry sir— I mean professor,” Solace purposely corrected herself. He didn’t believe her half-assed apology but shifted his eyes to me nonetheless.

“Sorry,” I murmured before her and I headed to our seats.

I could feel his heavy stare heating the back of my legs as we walked but brushed it off.

After we sat down it was as though he was mentally gathering himself, having everyone waiting in anticipation.

“As I was saying… I will be taking over Professor Tyler’s position. You’re all aware that he suffered a terrible heart attack, and we wish him a successful recovery.”

At the mention of his recovery, one of the girls in class coughed and everyone joined in quiet laughter.

“Would you like to add anything?” Professor Hale asked, and all eyes fell on her—taken aback by the fact that he even acknowledged her reaction.

“Me?” she pointed to herself. “No, sir,” she quickly shook her head.

“Professor,” he corrected—sterner than before—and she nodded in understanding. “My rules are simple. Return assignments on time. You miss your due date, I don’t care for any excuses. When I talk, you’re quiet. You speak when I speak and I’ll ask you to leave, as simple as that. Lastly, don’t be late,” he concluded, and the last one felt like a personal attack.

A couple of students smiled our way, but I ignored them. Solace repeatedly nudged my arm with her elbow, and I fought back a smile as I quietly cleared my throat.

“If you’re late, you interrupt my teaching and everyone else’s learning, so don’t bother entering after class starts. Any questions?” he glanced around, and a couple of students shook their heads while others looked around.

His broad chest rose with a deep inhale as though he was dreading his next few words. “Anypersonalquestions?”

I watched nearly half of the students raise their hands, and Solace knowingly chuckled, shaking her head.

“No, I’m not in a relationship,” he gave his head a slight shake, and most of the girls slowly—awkwardly—lowered their hands.Of course that was the question everyone had. I mean I didn’t blame them. He was… would describing my new professor as ‘delicious’ be appropriate?

His eyes shifted to Camille and he nodded for her to go ahead. She promptly stood, smiling at him.

“Camille Henderson. How old are you?” she asked, and he crossed his arms over his chest. I didn’t miss how his shirt tightly stretched around his biceps.Wow.

“What field would you like to go into, Miss Henderson?”

“Nursing,” she proudly answered, her vibrant glow making everyone around her smile. It was like she walked on flower petals.She was adorable.

“If I were an unconscious patient heading to the emergency room in need of a last-minute surgery, what would you estimate my age to be?” he asked, and slowly, everyone turned back to her.

She slightly tilted her head to the side, running her tongue over the top row of her teeth, seemingly deep in thought. I watched her eyes dart over his entire face and body, and it was like I could see the calculations happening in her head.

Solace leaned over and whispered in my ear: “Definitely twenty-seven.” I nodded in agreement.

“Twenty…” she trailed off. “Eight,” she said, straightening her shoulders, her chin held high. “Twenty-eight. Or nine,” she quietly added.

“Twenty-nine. Good job,” he praised, and the room filled with little gasps and soft murmurs. Camille was a ray of sunshine, and it shocked people to learn that she was not just a pretty face.I know half these girls’ seats got wet with that little praise.

She thanked him before sitting back down, and a few more students asked a couple of questions.

“Professor Hale?” Solace raised her hand, taking me—and everyone else—by surprise.