His Love Lesson

by Nicki Night

  Leaving Kenya, Hunter stepped inside a classroom full of fresh newly adult faces, sprinkled with a few more mature ones. Assuredly, he strutted toward the desk at the front of the class, acknowledging several people with polite nods. Placing his briefcase down, he sat on the side of the desk with one foot still planted on the floor and scanned the entire room. That was when his ability to maintain the Barrington poker face failed him.

  His eyes met the shocked expression on Chey’s face and he suddenly felt as if the air had been siphoned from the room in one swift motion.

  Chapter 16

  A few students who looked as though they had just reached the legal voting age walked into the classroom snickering about how good-looking the new professor was. Some stood aside blatantly gawking at him through the opened classroom door. Chey giggled, remembering when she was that green fresh-faced college student. Now that she was twenty-seven, she felt like the elder in the classroom.

  At first, Chey thought it was the cute stranger from the sushi bar. Second, she thought her imagination had forgotten its place in reality and played tricks on her. At last, she realized that neither of her initial notions was correct and her mouth fell open at the sight of Hunter walking in and taking an authoritative stance in front of her classroom. Hunter—the same Hunter whom she’d thought she’d never see again—stood before her in the flesh. From the look on his face, Chey sensed that he was just as shocked as she was.

  The room grew deathly quiet and curious stares bounced back and forth between the two of them. Hunter was the first to snap out of their confounded trance. He cleared his throat and addressed the class with his rich, deep voice.

  “Good evening, class. My name is Hunter Barrington, and I will be your business law professor for this semester.”

  With the fluidity, grace and confidence of a male runway model, he floated to the board and wrote his full name.

  Chey swallowed the obstruction lodged in her throat as she tried to recover. She pulled out her schedule and looked at the names of her professors. Barrington was listed. Instantly, a picture of him introducing himself by his full name back in Utah unfolded in her mind. Chey put her hand on her head. She needed this class to graduate in May, but how would she survive?

  Chey looked up. Hunter was still speaking, but she hadn’t been focusing on the words coming out of his mouth. She was too busy vacillating between thoughts of dropping the class and thoughts of Hunter’s chiseled naked body. She knew exactly what was under that tailored blue pin-striped suit.

  Chey yearned to get up and leave but didn’t want to draw any attention. She’d have to suffer through this one class, but first thing tomorrow morning, she was going to meet with her advisor to change her schedule. She pulled out her iPad, attached the keyboard and pretended to pay attention. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t focus. That was proof that she needed to change classes. There was no way she’d pass when she couldn’t concentrate on anything that came out of the professor’s luscious mouth. The same mouth that had had her reaching pitches that she’d thought her vocal cords were incapable of attaining. The same plump, smoldering lips that had set her skin ablaze with hungry kisses and a long tongue that...

  “Huh?” Chey pulled her head out of the sexually charged recollection. “Did you call me?”

  “Yes. Ms. Rodgers!” Hunter blinked those long lashes at her. A hint of a knowing smile curled at the ends of those lips.

  “Uh...yes?”

  Hunter smiled, and Chey felt her stomach flutter.

  “I was taking attendance.” Hunter raised a brow.

  “Oh...um...here.” Snickers erupted from some of the fresh-faced students—men and women. How embarrassing!

  “Gordon Smith?” Hunter continued calling the roll.

  Chey got up and headed for the door.

  “Ms. Rodgers?”

  “Just going to the bathroom,” she said without turning back.

  Chey scurried through the hall in search of the nearest ladies’ room, burst through the door, rested her hands on the sink and took several breaths. Then she laughed. Loud. Chey laughed until the sound of her laughter filled every crevice of the bathroom and bounced off the sterile walls. She doubled over and held her stomach and then leaned back and let the laughter roar until tears streamed from her eyes.

  “Only me,” she said to her reflection between chortles. “Something like this can only happen to someone like me!” Tittering, she wiped her eyes and peered into the mirror. “Chey Rodgers, what luck you have! I’m screwed!” The pun sent Chey into another fit of snickers. “Whew. Okay, get it together, Chey!” She splashed water on her face and wiped with a paper towel. “You can do this.” She stood straight, lifted her chin and drew in a sharp breath before walking out of the bathroom.

  Chey tiptoed quietly back into the classroom and took her seat. Although the class was only an hour and a half, it felt as though time refused to move. Concentration was a challenge, but she did manage to take a few notes. When the end finally came, she dashed to the door, but Hunter called her name before she could make a clean exit.

  Chey paused, swallowed and turned around as gracefully as she could. What does he want? She turned to acknowledge him with a forced cordial smile. Hunter nodded at students as they said their goodbyes. When all had exited, he walked over to her. The thump of his shoes permeated the empty classroom, or was that her heartbeat?

  “Hello,” Hunter said, his cavernous voice all but melting her resolve. She remembered the sound of that voice bellowing, whispering in her ear.

  “Hello, Hunter.” Chey cleared her throat.

  “I never imagined—”

  “I know!” She shook her head. The irony of this situation made her laugh. “Never in a million years.”

  Silence swelled in between each of their comments, making the conversation seem labored. The start of each sentence was almost jarring.

  Hunter curled that lip up into a handsome smile and chuckled. “Never.” His eyes burned through her for a moment. “So you live in New York? Who would have thought?”

  “Yeah, East Side.” Chey wanted to look away but found it hard to do so. His striking features commanded her attention. He stared directly in her eyes and she could see desire behind the surprise. “Oh. Um...thank you for taking care of my room bill. That was so unexpected.”

  “Thanks for taking me in.” He stared at her for a moment. “We should do dinner sometime.”

  “Sure.” She didn’t know what else to say but was sure that there were probably some rules against student-teacher dinners and she couldn’t risk losing her partial scholarship due to inappropriate behavior. “Do you teach other classes?”

  “I hope to. For now, just this one on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

  “Oh...okay?”

  “Yep,” Hunter added after a while.

  Quiet invaded their space again. Chey averted her eyes, unable to stand his intense gaze any longer. His eyes never left her.

  “Um...” she began. “I should be going. It was...interesting...seeing you again.”

  That elicited another chuckle from Hunter. “Tell me about it.”

  “Well...take care.” Chey turned to leave and Hunter reached for her arm. Something stirred and radiated from the point of contact down to her fingers. She looked at his arm to make sure it wasn’t glowing with radioactive energy. He let her go.

  “Dinner,” he said matter-of-factly. It wasn’t a question. “Are you free tonight? It would be great to catch up.”

  “Oh! Um...sorry. Tonight won’t work,” she lied. Neither will ever! Chey shook her head, donning her best regretful expression, hoping it worked. Hunter looked genuinely disappointed. She took a breath. Might as well take care of this now. “I had a great time in Utah, but...usually... Fact is, I’ve never done that kind of thing before. I’m not good
at casual dating... I’ve got a lot on my plate right now and—” Hunter chuckled again. Chey stopped speaking and narrowed her eyes. She wasn’t sure what was so funny and tried to rein in the anger that was rising in her.

  “Now I understand.” He laughed a little harder.

  “Understand what?” Chey’s response was curt. Her scrutinizing gaze turned her eyes into thin slits.

  “When I look at you, I see a beautiful woman who made an adult decision to do what she wanted and liked it, so she did it again. Nothing more. Nothing less. No judgment here.” Hunter held up his hands.

  Chey’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. Hunter saw right through her. Either he understood how she felt or he had bedded so many women within days of knowing them that their time together hadn’t fazed him one bit.

  “It’s just that—”

  Hunter held his hand up, stopping her midsentence. “The woman I met in Utah,” he said referring to her, “was interesting, fun and a person that I’d like to get to know better. I’ll admit I was shocked to see you in here but glad at the same time. I’ve wondered about you.” Hunter paused. Chey fidgeted. “So about that dinner.”

  “Aren’t there rules about dating students?”

  “I’m sure there are, but I didn’t ask you on a date. I asked if you would like to have dinner.”

  “So it’s not a date?” Chey inclined her head sideways.

  “No!” Hunter challenged her with his raised brows and a pearly white smile.

  Chey didn’t respond right away. She hadn’t got to know anyone else in the city yet and thought it would be nice to get to know someone, even if it was Hunter. Chey continued to ponder her decision. Changing classes would also put her at a safer distance.

  “Have dinner with me. Don’t worry. I’ll still respect you in the morning. Ha!” Hunter teased and his laughter exploded throughout the classroom.

  Chey swatted his arm. “Very funny.” She was still a little embarrassed, but Hunter was doing a good job of making her feel better about their tryst in Utah. “Okay. I’ll let you take me to dinner.”

  “Does Thursday work? We can go right after class, and if you’re up for it, maybe a little game of Spit or I Declare War.”

  “Oh!” Now Chey really laughed, reminiscing about their game day in Salt Lake City. “Yeah! Only if you promise not to cheat!”

  “I didn’t cheat last time. I won fair and square!” Hunter held both hands up innocently. Generally amused, they reminisced for a moment, laughing and recalling funny memories. Being in his presence felt familiar again. Their laughter was interrupted by Professor Davis entering the room with a curious gaze.

  “Hey!” She looked between Chey and Hunter. “Hunter.” She nodded. “Ms. Rodgers.” She nodded in Chey’s direction. “You two know each other?” She wagged her finger back and forth between them.

  Chey remained quiet, not sure how to answer. Professor Davis assessed her from head to toe and then raised her chin like a feline raising its back in defense. Chey sensed that she was being territorial.

  “Yes,” Hunter finally said.

  Kenya’s eyes volleyed back and forth as if she was waiting for more. When it was clear that no one was offering any more details, she faced Hunter, turning her back to Chey.

  “I went to your office looking for you. Are you ready to go to dinner?” she all but purred. It was as if Chey had suddenly become invisible. She almost shivered from the coolness that emanated off Professor Davis in her direction.

  Chey inclined her head and stretched her eyes at Hunter. Dinner? Without allowing another beat to pass, she turned and headed for the door.

  “Nice chatting with you, Professor Barrington.” She hoped that he could sense the bite in her remark. How dare he ask her to dinner? It was pretty obvious there was something between him and Professor Davis. Chey had initially pegged him correctly. He was a player and there was no way she was getting caught in his web, no matter how gorgeous he looked or how great he was in bed. Right then she wondered if he had slept with Professor Davis, as well, and she was immediately aware of her own sense of jealousy.

  “See you Thursday, Ms. Rodgers.”

  Hunter’s words hit her back. Chey now had two classes to reschedule. She wanted out of Hunter’s and Professor Davis’s classes.

  Chapter 17

  Hunter and Chey had talked for hours while cooped up in the villa. They’d covered a lot of ground, yet so much about her remained a mystery. He knew plenty about her early years in her small town in Virginia, her fond childhood memories and her appreciation for simple things like great movie classics and fun games. However, what intrigued him most were things she hadn’t said—the subjects that had been broached but left uncharted.

  Today he realized that it was much more than unfulfilled curiosities that drew him in, keeping thoughts of her at the forefront of his mind. Hunter liked her raw beauty, her presence, her smile, the way she dipped her shoulders and threw her head back when she laughed—those, among other more explicit things. Hunter simply liked Chey.

  Now he also understood why she’d been so cold when he was leaving and in her email. She was concerned about him respecting her after their delectable heated encounter. She was simply being defensive. If only she knew the Barrington brothers were experienced—to put it nicely. They knew the difference between women with standards and those who indulged in one-night stands with the same casual flair as they chose a pair of shoes to go with a certain outfit.

  He’d received his student roster days ago but hadn’t paid enough attention to it to notice her name. When Chey practically ran out of his classroom after Kenya showed up, he’d calmly resisted the urge to run after her. He hadn’t missed the way Kenya planted herself between the two of them and then touched him as if that were their norm. He’d remained stoic because there was too much on the line. Unlike his brothers, he wasn’t up for being “the talk.”

  Dinner with Kenya had seemed like a fine idea until the woman who plagued his dreams reappeared in his life. Now as he sat across the table from Kenya as she boasted of her credentials, he couldn’t keep his mind from wandering back to the moment he’d recognized Chey sitting in his class. Time had stopped. No one else was in the room but Chey and Hunter. His mouth had watered and his jewel had stiffened at the sight of her and the memory of her sweet taste. Hunter couldn’t recall being this affected by another woman. Not even the woman he’d dated throughout law school and briefly thought about marrying.

  Politely, Hunter continued to listen to Kenya drone on about her upcoming sabbatical and spending the summer traipsing through Southeast Asia. By any standard, Kenya was an intelligent and experienced woman who would be quite the catch for any man. Right now Chey held his mind hostage. He wondered what she was doing now. Who was she with? Where exactly did she live?

  “Hunter!”

  “Yeah.” Hunter furrowed his brows, pretending to listen intently.

  “Did you hear anything I just said?” Kenya was clearly on the verge of becoming annoyed. “You seem rather preoccupied.”

  “I’m sorry. I have a lot on my mind.”

  Kenya smiled, obviously accepting Hunter’s mild lie. Taking a carrot from the crudités plate, she dipped it in the dressing and slowly brought it to her mouth, stopping short of taking a bite. “What are you thinking about?”

  “I wouldn’t bore you with the details.” Hunter stabbed a piece of steak and stuffed it in his mouth.

  “You could never bore me.” Kenya bit into her carrot.

  “Heh.” Hunter appreciated when a woman went after what she wanted, but he hated when the chase was effortless. He connected with Kenya’s line of sight, assessed her for a moment and sat back, placing his fork on the side of the plate. “So tell me. What would you like to see happen between us?”

  “Wow. Damn the small talk.”
Kenya reached for her wine. After a healthy gulp, she put the glass down and stared into Hunter’s eyes for a tick. “We both have a lot going for us. You look good on paper and in person.”

  Hunter resisted the urge to roll his eyes—something he didn’t normally do, but if he had a chip of gold for every time a woman considered how attractive his credentials were, he’d have enough gold to fill all the vaults in the Federal Reserve twice. At one time, that would have piqued his interest—made him push out his chest a little. Right now he wasn’t impressed.

  Hunter wasn’t interested in making a connection that “looked good.” He wanted one that felt good, and not just to his extremities.

  Hunter leaned toward her. “I’ve never dated women I’ve worked with. I’ve seen that get...‘messy.’” He curled his fingers into quotes.

  “There’s always a first time for everything. Besides...” Kenya took another sip. Hunter assumed the rawness of this conversation was more than she was ready to handle on a sober mind. “I’m a grown, intelligent woman who understands boundaries.”

  “What would those boundaries look like?” Hunter drew even closer to her. He was interested in hearing how she was going to answer this question.

  “I realize we work together. Whatever we decide to do, we set the limits and abide by them, whether we date, have casual sex or a full-blown relationship.”

  “What kind of connection would you prefer?”

  Hunter saw a flash of embarrassment and then a coy smile spread across Kenya’s face.

  “Well, I don’t know.” Kenya gestured for the waiter to come and ordered a different drink. No wine this time. She must have needed something stiff. Hunter ordered a scotch. “What kind are you up for?”

  Hunter sat back again and smiled. “I asked you first.”

  “Whew. Well...I guess I’m willing to explore all of those options and see where they take us.”

  “Aren’t there rules against this kind of thing at the university?”

  “Those fraternizing rules apply to relationships between students and teachers, not colleagues. In fact, there are one or two married couples who are on staff.”