Page 87 of She’s Worth the Risk

Shit. Oh my God. It’s because of me, isn’t it? Showing up to his office like that. Having sex with him in there. What the hell is wrong with me? All those times I told myself I’d never let him jeopardize his work, that I respected him too much, and I went in there and undressed on the first day of the semester? Fuck.

“I’m so sorry, Nick.” My pulse spirals. “If someone saw me, or…”

“No. That’s not…” He gives me a pained look, reaching for me, then letting his hand fall. “Come inside. We need to talk.”

My gut churns with dread as he speaks the four words no one wants to hear. I try to unlock the door, but my hands shake so much that Nick wordlessly takes the keys from me, letting us inside. Then he motions to the sofa, and I sink onto the red velvet, trying not to think about the last time we were on here together.

Nick lowers himself beside me, and maybe I’m over-thinking it, but I’m sure he’s sitting further away than normal. His breath trickles out, long and slow, as he gathers himself.

“I received a call from the department chair after you left,” he says carefully. “Professor Webber has had a family emergency and won’t be returning for the rest of the semester.”

An icy feeling washes over me. I think back to that call she took after class, the way she fled from the lecture hall.

“Oh, shit,” I whisper, eyes wide. But as I take in Nick’s posture, the way he’ll barely look at me, it doesn’t add up. I can tell there’s more to the story, and I hold my breath, waiting for the rest.

“They’ve asked me to step in as her replacement,” Nick adds, shifting uncomfortably.

Oh.

Oh.

My stomach plunges as his meaning becomes clear. He’s going to be my professor again. I’ll be his student… while we’re together.

And that can’t happen.

I suck in a breath, trying to calm my stampeding pulse. He’s ending things. Of course he is. He has no other choice, and I can’t for one second hold it against him. I won’t.

Even if it makes me want to sob.

“O-okay,” I say at last, voice trembling. “I understand. This…” I swallow, throat tight. “This is over.”

His eyes fly to mine, ringed with desperation. “No. That’s not what I’m saying.”

“You’re not?”

He shakes his head, gazing at me for a long moment, then finally shuffles closer on the sofa, taking my hands. “No, Zinnia. I don’t want this to be over. Do you?”

“No,” I whisper, blinking as emotion mists my eyes.

“Oh, honey.” He pulls me close, stroking my hair. “God. No. I can’t end this. I can’t.”

I breathe out in relief, burying my nose in Nick’s jacket, the tweed rough against my cheek. But then another realization hits me, and my heart sinks as I draw back.

“I have to drop the class,” I say. It’s the only way.

But Nick gives an adamant shake of his head. “No. I can’t ask you to do that.”

“You’re not asking. It’s what needs to be done.”

“No,” Nick repeats, more firmly this time. He takes my chin in his hand, tilting my face to his. “I’ve never seen you so lit up. You’re not dropping the class, Zinnia. It’s out of the question.”

I open and close my mouth, head swirling with confusion. “Then what are we going to do?”

“I don’t know.” He tugs his glasses off to rub his eyes. “But I can’t lose you. And you can’t drop the class.”

My breath trickles out as I process this. I’ve never seen Nick so determined, so stubborn, and I can’t argue. Not when I agree with him.

“We’ll have to be careful,” he says at last.