Addiction

30

"Are these your siblings?"

He walked over to me. "Yeah."

"What are their names?"

"Jennifer and Rob."

"When was this taken?" I had a fleeting thought that it might be from his wedding.

"At the launch party of my company."

"Is that a thing? That's rather extravagant."

"It was a P.R. nightmare."

"How old were you?"

"22."

"Hmm."

"What?" He was smiling down at me.

"You look so happy in this picture. Do you miss it?"

"Running a company?"

"Yeah."

"You'd think that being a C.E.O. would mean I didn't have to answer to anyone." He sat down on the edge of his desk. "But most of my time was spent doing things I didn't love. I do miss certain parts though."

"Is that why you're thinking about starting a new company?"

"Well, as you have so eloquently pointed out, I've had a lot of free time. I needed something to occupy myself."

I laughed and moved between his legs. I put my hands down on his thighs. "I had a question about my present."

"And what is that?"

"The tickets to the Thanksgiving Day parade. Is that an invitation to meet your family?"

He smiled down at me. "If you want it to be."

"Do you think they'll like me?"

"Jennifer and Rob will love you."

"What about your parents?"

"If you could just laugh off everything they say like they're crazy people, that would be best."

"You don't think they'll like me? Why?"

He pulled me closer to him, making my hands slide farther up his thighs. "I don't like to try to think like them."

"Maybe they'll love me."

"Isn't my love enough?"

"Yes." I moved one of my hands to the waistline of his jeans. "Speaking of which, it's a shame that I'm supposed to be taking things easy. That probably means no sex."

"I don't think that's what that means."

"I'm pretty sure." I slipped my hand slightly beneath his waistline, running my fingers through his happy trail.

"I don't consider you to be one to shy away from breaking rules, Penny."

"Me?" I unbuttoned his jeans and slowly unzipped them. "I'm a stickler for the rules, Professor Hunter."

"So you'd be mad if, for example, I did this?" He leaned forward and pushed my jacket off my shoulders. I shook it the rest of the way off.

"Furious."

"What about this?" He pulled off my tank top and unhinged my bra.

"I'm so upset with you right now." I tried not to smile.

"Hmm." He slid off the edge of his desk. "What if I did this?" He pushed my yoga pants over my ass and slowly pulled them down my thighs. When they reached my knees, he released the fabric and they fell to the floor.

I gulped. "I can barely look at you I'm so angry."

"I figured. I'll respect your wishes then." He zipped his pants back up. "I'm going to go take a shower."

What? "Professor Hunter..."

"Don't worry, I'm taking you with me." He lifted me over his shoulder and carried me out of his office.

Monday

I slowly opened my eyes. Light was shining through the blinds. Professor Hunter's arm was wrapped around me. I turned to look at him.

He groaned quietly, but his eyes remained closed. His hair was a little curly and there was scruff along his jaw line. He was perfect in every single way. And I was the luckiest girl in the world. I moved my head so that it was pressed against his chest. Everything seemed so simple when I was with him. It was when we weren't together that all the stupid thoughts hanging above me came falling down. I liked being in our own little bubble.

He was right. There was no point in waiting. We should be happy together now. And his bed really was more comfortable than mine. Or maybe it was just that it was comforting to know he was beside me. Maybe I'd just stay here forever. I kissed his collarbone and then underneath his chin.

"Mmm," he mumbled.

"I like waking up next to you."

"I could get used to this." He ran his fingers through my hair.

I laughed. "So what does the elusive Professor Hunter usually do when he wakes up in the morning?"

"Are you a morning person?" he mumbled.

"I signed up for classes late and got stuck with all 8 a.m.'s. I've gotten used to waking up early."

"Well." He rolled over and looked at his alarm clock. "You're like clockwork then. It's 7:30."

"Is Comm the only 8 a.m. class that you teach?"

"Yes. It's funny, I didn't want to teach it at all. I kind of got stuck with it. But I'm so glad that I did."

"Me too." I kissed his collarbone again.

He yawned and sat up. "I usually go for a run before breakfast. But I just want to hang out with you today. What do you want for breakfast?"

"What do you usually have?"

"Ellen usually fixes me something. But I gave her the next few days off."

"Is that your chef?"

"She cooks and cleans and does everything that I don't know how to do. You'll like her. Come on, let's get up." He lightly slapped my ass.

I laughed and climbed out of bed. I was wearing one of his t-shirts and he was just wearing a pair of plaid pajama bottoms. He looked amazing.

"Does Ellen know about me?"

"Yes. She was the one who went grocery shopping for you. She's excited to meet you."

I followed him into the kitchen. "And she's the one who buys you juice boxes?"

"Mhm. She's a keeper." He opened up the fridge. "How about a bagel?"

"That sounds perfect."

He grabbed a bag of bagels out of the fridge and pulled two out. I watched him slice them and put them in the toaster. "Do you want some coffee?"

"Do you have any orange juice?"

"That I do." He poured us each a glass.

"So I was thinking a little about my speech. And I'm not really sure what to talk about this time. Usually I was flirting with you or losing my mind. I guess I should just do something normal for once?"

"I wouldn't worry about it too much." He winked at me.

"I haven't even thought about a topic yet, though."

"Certainly you'll get an A. You're sleeping with your professor, after all."