Flawed Professor: A Hero Club Novel

by Sarah Stein

  “Sophie, I like you a lot. You already know that. You also know my ex and the crap he put me through. I don’t know what the story is or if y’all plan on getting close. I honestly don’t want to dabble too closely in your affairs. Take heed to the type of person he is and be careful. I care about you and don’t want this to mess up our friendship. If you need to talk, you have my number,” Elodie said, and then she leaned in for a hug and hurried away with her son.

  I didn’t get to rebuttal or even talk. All I got the chance to do was nod my head in acceptance of her help. I could tell Elodie was trying to be mature about the situation. Honestly, I’m glad she didn’t judge me too harshly. She’s right. She didn’t know the extent of my and Tobias’s relationship, and if she dabbled, she would just cause even more issues. Elodie’s face said it all; she was worried yet kept quiet. It made me respect Elodie even more. I knew if I needed her, she would answer any questions I had.

  At this point, I couldn’t fight for something I had no clue what the outcome would be. Even though Elodie was clearly upset, we parted ways with a hug. Once I got home, I took a record-breaking shower. Probably one of the fastest I’ve ever taken as time was ticking by. It upset me Elodie and I didn’t end on perfect terms, but I was a grown woman and could take care of myself. I got the warning Elodie sent out, more than once I might add. I knew damn well I shouldn’t be going on this date, but I needed to know the reason behind all this chemistry. What exactly attracted me to Tobias because it clearly wasn’t his track record with women?

  As I was slipping my black high heels on, the doorbell rang. Tightness settled in my stomach as I knew I was about to come face to face with the guy I couldn’t seem to get out of my head. Tobias was an enigma. All at once, I wanted to know everything about him, but yet nothing at all. I should save myself but didn’t have the strength to stop this madness. I was actually excited to see him.

  I hurried to the door and opened it to see Tobias leaning comfortably and self-assuredly on the post in front of my home. He was striking dressed in a white button-down shirt tucked into a pair of gray trousers. He had a charcoal belt that matched his shoes in the exact same color. By the time I looked up into his striking hazel eyes, they crinkled in the corner as a smirk graced his face. Mine flushed with the awareness I’d been caught looking Tobias up and down as if he were a piece of meat. A fine and sexy piece of meat. Gosh, he’s going to totally fuck with my heart if I didn’t get a hold on myself.

  “Like what you see?” Tobias questioned, his head taking the same path as mine did. Instead, he eyed me with such need that I wanted to skip the meal and have my wicked way with him. He wasn’t the guy to play around with. He was the guy who played around on you if you weren’t cautious.

  So, I ignored his question and asked one of my own, “How did you find out where I lived? I’m pretty sure addresses weren’t exchanged.”

  He grunted before answering, “I’ve got my ways. Besides, I honestly didn’t think you’d take me seriously when I asked for a date.”

  “You’re right, but I’m pretty sure you flirted with reception to get what you wanted,” I said.

  He braced his hand over his heart and said, “You wound me with your words. But I can’t lie. I did worm my way into getting your address. I wanted to impress you; did it work?”

  “You have to work harder to impress me. Getting my address from reception could get her fired but lucky for her; I’m not into trivial things. Next time, all you had to do was ask if you really want to know something about me.”

  He grinned and said, “I would have, but you have been giving me the cold shoulder. I figured I’d have to find out other means to get to you, but if you promise me you won’t hide from me and answer my questions, then I won’t go around and ask about you.”

  He was right. I’d been hiding from him, and so he went behind my back and got my address from the receptionist. The bitch could get fired for sharing information that wasn’t hers, but I wasn’t a mean person. From this point, I’d more than likely keep an eye on the woman. She’s not to be trusted, and I didn’t want to work with someone who wasn’t trustworthy. She’s lucky she only shared my address with Tobias and not some weirdo off the street. Though, Tobias being a weirdo might still be on the list of facts I didn’t know about. We shall see. The date would surely prove the type of person Tobias is.

  “Well, then. What’s on the agenda for tonight?” I asked, turning the tables. At that point, my stomach growled, letting us both know what I’d like to do, eat.

  “By the sound of things, I reckon you’re starving so that’s what’s on the agenda. What do you think about pasta?” Tobias questioned, moving closer as if I didn’t hear what he’d asked.

  “I’d say that sounds heavenly. I love pasta,” I commented, my breath hitched from the nearness of this man.

  I wasn’t lying. Pasta was my absolute favorite food, and it was like he was trying to get on my good side. He was racking up the points, one for the suave way he stood on my doorstep and another for the offer of pasta. What else did this man have up his sleeve?

  He reached out, took my arm, guided it through the crook of his elbow, and said, “Shall we go eat then?”

  It was a simple gesture to lead me to his vehicle, but I was putty in his hands. The feel of his skin against mine almost made me come unglued, and by God, his scent wrapped around me and took my breath away. I could think about Elodie and how Tobias treated her, but he was so sweet to me that I couldn’t help but give him a chance. It’s not like I’d fall prey to him. Besides, it was just dinner. Or was it?

  “Did you have anything else planned for tonight or just dinner?” I ask, mirroring my thoughts.

  He settled into the driver’s side and said, “We’ll see where the night takes us. If it’s only dinner, then I’m fine with that. Honestly, I’m fine with whatever little bit attention I get from you. If it’s one single minute or all night long, I’ll take it.”

  And just like that, he caught hold of my emotions, and I doubt he would release them. The thought of being okay with whatever amount of time I’m willing to give him was so sweet of him to say. I smiled and leaned back into the seat after buckling up and thought how interesting this night had already turned out to be.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Tobias

  I had my ways, especially trying to find out where Sophie lived. I knew to some people it might seem like I was a creeper, but it wasn’t my fault other women fell quickly for my charms. Did I feel bad after getting the address? Of course I did, but I would’ve done anything to find out where Sophie lived, especially if it meant going out on a date with her. Now here I was sitting next to her in my car, so close I could practically feel her breath on my skin.

  When I knocked on the door and waited for her answer, I stood leaned against the pillars which held up her home. Outside, I probably looked calm and collected, but inside I was a total wreck. I haven’t been like this in a very long time. I think the first time I felt this way was when I’d met Elodie. That feeling didn’t last, and I yearned for it to last this time.

  Sophie opened the door with such grace as her natural red hair swished left then right before settling its long length down her back. The color clashed with the royal blue form-fitting dress she wore, but it matched her gorgeous eyes. My knees were liquified and I felt if I were to walk in that second, I would fall flat on the wood beneath my feet. So, I stayed still and conversed with her.

  Now that we were in the car, I wanted so badly to place my palm on her knee. The dress she wore rode up enough to cover her goods and show me some skin. I couldn’t wait to see more of what she’s got hidden under there. I could wait and bide my time. Sophie was definitely worth waiting for.

  The drive took about ten minutes as we weren’t too far away from Park Avenue. I wanted to bring her to my favorite place, which was an Italian restaurant I’d found when I was at my wit’s end and wanted to drown myself in sorrow after fuck
ing up my relationship with Elodie. I wanted to impress Sophie, and this place was one for impressing.

  It was out of my budget as a teacher, and so I didn’t eat there too often. As soon as I got home from asking Sophie out, I’d called and made reservations. I needed to make sure we’d get a seat. The drive there was quiet. She didn’t speak a word; she looked around as if she were curious about where I was taking her. I wanted to talk but waited until we arrived at Lazarus Restaurant.

  Thankfully, the place was packed; and because of the reservations we wouldn’t have to wait for our table. I parked the car and hurried around to the other side and opened Sophie’s door so she could slide out. Grabbing her hand and helping her out, she looked up into my eyes and smiled. Another moment in my life I’d literally lost my breath. It seemed Sophie had that effect on me, and it hasn’t diminished.

  “Thank you,” she said, smoothing down her dress.

  “You’re very welcome,” I replied, looping her arm through mine, guiding her to the building’s front door.

  I was on cloud nine with the most beautiful woman pinned to my side. There was so much I wanted to discuss with her, yet the silence was welcoming because I got to steal looks her way while she observed our surroundings. I looked forward and held the massive wooden door open so Sophie could walk through first. The place was a picture of elegance as I took the time to wait to be seated.

  To the left was a vast wine area with both reds and whites decorating the wall in front of a mirror that covered the entire expanse. A bar area with stools was situated in front of the mirror as a man dressed in a black and white suit took orders from the patrons sitting at his bar. To the right and further back was the restaurant area. There were tables and no booths. Some tables seated four, whereas many of them were made for couples. The entire room was dimmed and, on each table, sat a candle that flicked in the low-lit room. It was definitely a restaurant that catered to the romantic couple.

  “Good evening,” A woman dressed in a black skirt with a button-down blouse greeted, “Do you have a reservation with us tonight?”

  I smiled in return and said, “Yes…under Tobias.”

  Grabbing the menus, the woman said, “Right this way.”

  We followed the lady to the far, right end of the restaurant where she put our menus down. I hurried to the other chair and held it out for Sophie before taking my own. If anything, I wanted her to think I had manners. Yes, I know she could open her own doors and pull out her own chair, but I was taught to be chivalrous at a very young age. To me, chivalry was not dead, although many people would more than likely argue the issue.

  “Thank you,” Sophie said, “You’re very sweet.”

  The look she gave me was one of surprise as her eyes were wide open, and her lips were pursed. I wondered what her and Elodie spoke about? Before I saw them together, I wouldn’t have thought anything of the look, but now I wondered if Sophie was surprised because of my past. Oh well, I had to continue shocking her and making her think I wasn’t the person Elodie had me painted out to be.

  I caught Sophie’s stare and responded, “You’re welcome,” before turning to the waitress and ordering a white Zinfandel for myself and Sophie.

  Sophie interrupted me and said to the waitress, “I’d like a Roscato instead, please. And water.”

  I went with it because I had no clue if Sophie liked wine or even if she did, what type did she enjoy. I’m glad she cut in and told the waitress what she preferred. It means she wouldn’t let me make her decisions for her and would definitely speak up if I’d chosen the wrong thing. That’s the type of woman I tended to be attracted to. I wasn’t one for a woman who needed me to make all her decisions. The date was already looking up.

  As soon as the waitress returned with our drinks, I cut to the chase. I needed to know if there was some animosity Sophie had toward me and had to fix the way she regarded me because of my ex.

  “This is the first of many dates I would love to bring you on,” I started, but then was cut off by Sophie.

  “So, you’re saying there will be more. Even knowing that this one can turn out horrible?” She quirked her eyebrow, awaiting my response.

  Damn, but the woman was right. I expected more of these dates from her and revealed as much right from the get-go. Maybe, I was the one who’d end up being the needy one and then assuming Sophie would want to see me again after tonight. I had to save the night already, and it just began.

  I cleared my throat and continued, “Yes. I’m known to plan ahead and expect the best out of the circumstances given. For instance, I expect this date to be amazing, as from the moment I took one glance at you walking through your doorway I knew it was meant to be.”

  Was that a blush I saw? Sophie’s cheeks flushed a cute shade of pinkish-red hue. It did wonders for her features, and in that instant, I wanted to make it my mission to create more of those. I slid my hand across the table to cover her small, delicate one and held on gently. There was so much I wanted to say; so much to learn about this woman, but I wanted to clear the air.

  Before she could respond to my statement, I pushed on, “The day I asked you out, I went shopping and noticed you. As always, you were stunning, but what caught my eye was who you were standing with.”

  The hand lying underneath mine stiffened as I continued to voice my concerns. “I’m not one that will ever run a woman’s life. I won’t tell you who you can or cannot be friends with, but I’d like to know if you knew the woman you were standing with or if you were just passing each other by?”

  I held my breath as I waited for Sophie to respond to my concerns. I refused to run another person’s life, but I had to see where I stood, If Elodie somehow spoke ill of me, then I had to remedy the situation so I can continue to see Sophie. Unfortunately, I knew Elodie would have nothing good to speak about. This left me in a terrible spot, one I had to fix before I had the chance to put my charms on Sophie. And boy, did I want her to see me a different way; not the way Elodie described me, if she even mentioned me. I was probably jumping through hoops and freaking out for no reason.

  But, if I weren’t freaking out, then at least the cards would be all out on the table, and maybe Sophie and I would have some sort of chance at a relationship. Here’s to hoping…

  Chapter Fourteen

  Sophie

  He caught me talking to Elodie. Not surprising since Park Avenue isn’t a humongous place. It was bound to happen. It wasn’t like talking to Elodie was a secret. She’s my friend, and I genuinely enjoyed catching up with her. But now, I have to smooth things out, especially since Tobias raised the issue. There was a problem though, should I explain everything, or should I leave out information told about him to me? If I wanted to continue seeing Tobias, I had to come clean, otherwise; I’d be the one keeping secrets. That was not my MO.

  The crazy thing was I wanted to come clean. I wanted to know exactly what happened and if he was still the person Elodie painted him out to be. Was I crazy? There was this undeniable attraction toward Tobias. Hell, I felt the attraction the moment he opened the doors to the school while I was rushing past him. It’s what made me think of him that day. As he held my hand on the table, rough ones encasing delicate ones, the zing raced back and forth, making me want to merge my lips with his.

  So, yes. I wanted to know Tobias, everything about him, and possibly halt the negative thoughts planted in my head from Elodie. I didn’t hate her for warning me. If anything, I’m grateful, but I wanted to hear the story out of the horse’s mouth since he was the one who caused the breakup. Now was the time to air out the laundry and find the pieces that weren’t cleaned.

  “I was standing with Elodie on Park Avenue. I’m assuming that’s where you witnessed us. We go back a few years. Elodie sometimes places her son at Tyke’s Daycare, where I still work until my time is up. In those years, I have come to be close to both her and her son. It wasn’t until I told her I was thinking about working at the college when
I found out about Elodie’s ex, or should I say, about you,” I stopped, took a sip of my wine and then proceeded to explain what I know.

  “She revealed to me she’d been cheated on by her husband who happened to work at one of the colleges, though I didn’t know it was you when she first told me. She didn’t tell me which college either. We put together the pieces recently. To be quite honest, I was angry. Upset that I liked you a lot and then finding out the hell you put her through surprised me, especially after meeting you. Even now, I don’t see that a person like you, a gentleman could be so cruel.”

  I wanted to take back the words, but it was too late. They’d already exited my lips. When Elodie told me about Tobias, I didn’t want to believe her. Yet, why would someone speak so ill-willed toward their ex unless something dirty was done to them? Crazy women were out there and happened to lie all the time, but this was Elodie, I trusted her. It was time to find out how much I could trust Tobias.

  When our eyes finally connected after my statement, I saw the hurt and felt his pain. If anything, I felt bad for Tobias and wanted to hear his side of the story. I was known to feel sympathy for all types of people. Tobias was different; I wanted to believe what he did was false. But I knew deep down it couldn’t be. Elodie wouldn’t lie even if she were scorned. She’s too happy with her current relationship to continue to feed lies about another person.

  Before Tobias or I could speak, our waitress had come back and taken our orders. This time, Tobias didn’t order for me and let me go first. I got the shrimp alfredo while he ordered the steak and noodles. I’d never ordered a steak at an Italian restaurant before, and here Tobias was ordering something that should be ordered at a steakhouse; it’s what I always assumed.

  As Tobias ordered, I took the opportunity to gaze around the room. The restaurant was quite impressive. I didn’t want to think about how much the meal would cost considering the extreme taste of this place, but I had some money saved up to pay for this night. We were seated at a table for two as the aura of romance filled the area. The lights were dimmed low, and others around us were whispering and in their own little worlds. The place had an appeal to it that made me relax and look forward to the night with Tobias even though we had to settle certain topics of discussion.