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But one thing I did clock right away; it certainly didn’t rule out Nova.

I told myself I didn’t want it to be her.

Only one of my heads agreed with that. I was hard as a rock, and looking at that gorgeous body only had me picturing one face to match it.

Me: You don’t look like a virgin.

I immediately regretted sending the text, but even so, I watched for her response.

I’d be happy to show you in person.

Me: This isn’t funny.

Tell me who you are.

She didn’t bother to respond to that. I put my phone away and tried to forget the whole thing.

CHAPTER TWO

A FEW DAYS later and I was driving home from work directly to my gym. It was just a few blocks away when I saw a lone figure walking on the side of the road.

I instantly knew who it was. She was carrying a full, oversized backpack, but I recognized those curves. The shape of them was permanently branded into my brain.

Fuck. Why was she walking on the side of the road?

I was still cursing as I pulled my car over onto the shoulder.

I rolled down the passenger window and watched her walk over and lean down. Nova’s eyes were wary on me, but she smiled tentatively.

“Hello, Mr. North.”

“Hello, Miss Monroe. Why are you walking on the side of the road?”

“I don’t have a car,” she explained in a small voice. “So I’m walking.”

“Get in,” I told her. “I’ll take you home.”

I helped her put her oversized backpack into the trunk, handed her into the front seat, and slid back behind the wheel. “Where to?” I asked her.

She looked down at her lap and started rubbing her hands together. She seemed nervous as she answered, “I’m not sure. My aunt and uncle kicked me out a few days ago. I’ve been staying at my friend Michelle’s house but that wasn’t working out, so I’m kind of between houses right now.”

My heart twisted in my chest. “You’re homeless?”

She shrugged, looking away. “Just for now. I’ll figure out something.”

I couldn’t help myself. I reached over and touched her shoulder. “I’ll take you home. You can stay with me until you figure out something more permanent.”

“Are you sure you want me staying in your house? Wouldn’t that look bad?”

I felt my face tensing up in something akin to annoyance. “Of course I won’t let you be out on the street. There’s plenty of room at my place. And it doesn’t really matter how it looks, since what it is is perfectly innocent. And it will be no trouble for me. We don’t need to get in each other’s way.”

She had a look on her face that made me think for a moment that she would argue with me, but after a brief pause, she nodded, looking forward without another word.

I knew it was dangerous to take her in like this, but I didn’t see that I had another choice. I didn’t have it in me to leave one of my students homeless and walking on the side of the road.

That being said, I knew right away that it was a mistake. I was walking a dangerous path here. If even one person at the school found out that I was letting Nova stay in my home, it could cost me my teaching career and my reputation. Add to that my own acute, inappropriate lust for her, and I’d just laid the groundwork for my own professional ruin.

Knowing all of this didn’t seem to matter, though. I was involved, and I didn’t see a way out that I could live with.