Page 14 of Professor Next Door

“Galen?” She called to me, her hand on my shoulder. I turned to apologize for the burned food when the words she’d said to me finally sunk in.

“Tara?” I said, relief filling me. “You will?”

“Yes, I have my own conditions. But yes, I’ll marry you.” She smiled up at me, obviously pleased to be helping me.

“I can’t thank you enough! Come here, woman! Fuck, I can’t believe you’re doing this for me. I really can’t thank you enough.” I pulled her close, squeezing her tight in a bear hug. She barely came up to my chin, but her body was soft, pliant, and warm. All female. I’d only intended to hug her, but my body was screaming at me to do something far more dirty. Then my brain started, all but begging me to get her naked right there in the kitchen!

I panicked for a moment, feeling her arms around me. This wasn’t just a woman I’d planned on having sex with before moving on. This was a woman I was going to be living with soon enough, and the fact that I was holding her so close made me uncomfortable. I pushed her away just as she began to snuggle in, and moved to take the bread out of the oven.

“I guess we’ll have to go out for dinner. I’ve ruined all of this.” I changed the topic in a way I hoped was smooth, and didn’t turn back to look at her until I’d got myself under control. She was going to be my fake wife, no fucking!

“That’s fine. Look, I know this is just an arrangement, I don’t expect anything… well, I just want you to know, you don’t have to worry about me getting all clingy. I know this is just a business arrangement.” She nodded to emphasize her point, and I realized she wasn’t wearing her glasses.

“Did you get contacts?”

Her hand went to her face, pulling at her eyelid for a moment.

“Yeah, I thought it was time to give them a try.” She looked doubtful but excited too. It was too fucking cute! I grinned at her, liking the brave new Tara.

“Cool, I like being able to see your eyes. Let me get Rikki. I know a great place we can all go to.”

I’m sure her head was spinning as much as mine was at that point, the conversation jumping so erratically, but the whole thing was just weird. We were going to get married for Rikki’s sake, not because we were in love or really wanted to. That made it awkward for both of us.

At least she was at ease now, I thought, grabbing a bag for Rikki and picking her up. My baby girl was asleep but woke as I held her. She curled into my chest, much the same way Tara just had, and I stopped as realization hit me. Comfort, that was the feeling I had before I pushed Tara away, a soothing comfort I hadn’t felt in a long time, not just arousal. That’s why it had been so damned scary. I can’t remember the last time I’d felt that. It must have been some time before my wife died.

Taking a deep breath I went back into the kitchen and smiled at the woman that was slowly turning me upside down. I had to wonder if this was such a good idea after all. Somehow this nondescript, unassuming, but very intelligent woman was getting under my skin. I hadn’t really noticed at first but there it was. I had to stop it somehow. I can’t afford to let anyone but my buddies and Rikki that close ever again.