“Honestly, nothing that risque. I just had tons of dreams about getting my first kiss.”
“Was your actual first kiss everything you dreamed it would be?”
“No. The first kiss we had was much more like my dreams.” I walked over to him, stopping when I was standing right in front of him.
He lightly brushed his fingertips against my thigh.
I swallowed hard.
“And why is that?”
“It was sexy and romantic.” Just remembering the feel of the cold, wet steel of the car against my body made heat rise to my cheeks. “Until you told me I had to stop thinking about you, of course.” I laughed as he grabbed my hand and pulled me on top of him. I quickly moved my legs so that I was straddling him on my bed.
He put his hands on my waist. “It’s good that all you dreamed about was kissing. Because I want to make all your fantasies come true. And if it was something else, I’d be obliged to comply. Even though your parents are going to be home any minute.”
I wouldn’t have thought having Professor Hunter in my bedroom would have been sexy. But he made everything we did sexual somehow. I ran my hand along the scruff on his jaw line. “James, I’m so nervous.”
“I know. I’m nervous too.”
“What if they freak out?”
“We’ll figure it out together.”
I glanced at the window. “We should probably go downstairs.”
“We probably should.” But instead of getting up to go downstairs, he leaned forward and kissed me.
I let myself get lost in his kiss. I needed the distraction. I needed to think that everything was going to be okay. “You’re good at distracting me.”
He smiled and ran the tip of his nose down the length of mine.
I sighed and climbed off his lap. “Okay, let’s go downstairs,” I said and I smoothed my shirt down.
“Penny, it’s going to be okay.” He gave me a small smile as he stood up.
“How can you be so sure?”
“As long as I have you, everything will be okay.”
That was sweet. But it was also naive. My parents were going to kill me. And him. I felt like I was going to throw up. I grabbed his hand and led him out of my room and down the stairs.
Wednesday
“What’s the game plan?” I asked. “Should I just tell them everything real quick? Just throw it all out there?”
James rubbed his thumb against my palm.
“So, slow then? Just let it all unravel?” I bit my lip.
“Take a deep breath, Penny.”
I heard a car door slam outside. “Oh God.” I squeezed James’ hand. I felt like I was going to faint. “Try to look natural, okay?”
“Natural. Got it.”
“You’re dressed really professorly today by the way. I don’t know whether that’s a good or bad thing.”
“Professorly?” James laughed. “Yeah, that’s not a word.”
“Now I’m making up words. How am I going to tell them that I’m dating my professor when I can’t even talk?!”
“Luckily I’m not your professor anymore. Does that make it any better?” He was smiling at me.
“Not really.”
“I think maybe it makes it a little better.” He raised his eyebrow.
“Okay, maybe a little better.” My heart beating seemed to be the only sound in the room.
“Thanks for doing this. It means a lot to me.” He squeezed my hand. “More than you know.”
“Sometimes it still feels like I made you up. Maybe this will make it feel more real.”
“It is real.”
I looked up at him. Melissa’s words came back to me about owning my relationship. “I love you, James.”
“I love you.”
When the front door opened I felt a little less nervous. I wanted to prove to James that I wasn’t embarrassed that I was dating my professor. Because I wasn’t. I was the lucky one. Maybe my parents would see that. I had won the lottery. They had to see that.
“Penny?” My mom called from the hallway.
“Hi, Mom!” I went over and hugged her as soon as she walked into the kitchen.
“It’s so good to see you, sweetie.” My mom pulled back. “And James!” My mom put down the paper bags she was holding on the kitchen table and went and hugged him.
James always seemed surprised when people showed him affection. He patted my mom’s back awkwardly and smiled over at me. “It’s great to see you again, Mrs. Taylor.”
“I hope sandwiches are okay. I stopped by that little French bistro on the way home that you like so much. La Patisserie.”
“That sounds fantastic.” I wasn’t sure why I had been so worried. I forgot how much my mom seemed to like James. Or maybe she was just happy that I finally had a boyfriend.
“If I wasn’t so happy to see you both, I’d reprimand you for skipping classes today. Why the sudden urge to come home?” My mom opened up the fridge.
I need to tell you something. “We both didn’t have anything important going on today. I thought it might be fun to show James where I grew up.”
I heard the front door open again. I took a deep breath. It was my dad that I was really worried about.
“Hey, Pen.” As soon as my dad entered the kitchen he opened his arms.
I quickly gave him a hug. He still saw me as his little girl. I wasn’t sure how he’d see me after I confessed I was dating my professor. I think that was what I was most afraid of. I didn’t want my parents’ opinion of me to change. It was funny, but I still thought of myself as a good girl, even though it was definitely no longer true.
My mom set the table and poured us each a glass of her homemade lemonade. When we sat down, James put his hand on my knee. I wasn’t sure if that was a sign to start telling them, but I took it as one.
“So, what’s up with you two?” I asked. “Do you have anything new and exciting going on?” I took a huge bite of my sandwich. I was already chickening out. James kept his hand on my knee.