Love Lessons by Cassie Mint

Two

Ellis

Avery whips through the lecture hall doorway, disappearing into the corridor. I lunge after her, slamming the door open so hard that it bounces off the wall, but she’s already gone. Groups of students cluster together by the walls, laughing and joking, a few of them throwing me odd looks.

It’s the beginning of the semester. They’re not burned out and exhausted yet. They still have that post-summer glow about them, their futures bright and exciting.

All except Avery. Yeah, I dimmed her light pretty fast.

I grit my teeth as I stride down the corridor, peering into empty classrooms and searching for a flash of light blonde hair. She wore it in a French braid today, the ends tickling her shoulders. She knows I like it like that. That cute little sundress, with the daisy print and the flippy skirt—was that for my benefit too? I stifle a groan, rubbing my jaw.

No. It wasn’t for me. Thoughts like those—they’re why I can’t be around her. Why I can’t be trusted to teach Avery Jennings.

I’d never keep my hands off her. Not for another semester.

I don’t have the strength.

Last year was the hardest year of my life. Of my brief but esteemed career. I only taught Avery in the first semester, but that one class was enough. I spent the rest of the year white-knuckling through until the summer.

Until I could get some distance from her, some reprieve from her constant presence on campus. The flash of her bright hair. The tinkling sound of her laugh.

Avery Jennings is my own personal torment. She haunts my every waking moment—and my dreams, too.

I’ve never touched her. That’s my only saving grace. The only reason I don’t march myself to the Dean’s office and hand myself in. I’ve touched myself thinking of her, sure, jerked my cock until it’s raw, but I’ve never laid a finger on Avery Jennings.

She knows I want to. She can read it on my face. And she goads me to do it, the little tease. I’d think she’s out to ruin me, that this is all a big joke to her, but her wide blue eyes are innocent. Guileless. She doesn’t understand the effect she has. How frayed my tether has become.

I understand it. I know it all too damn well. And I know, in the dark, bitter depths of my soul, that if I teach her for another semester, there’s only one way it will end. In ruin. In madness. With my cock buried to the hilt inside her, and Avery crying out my name.

Which leaves me no choice but to transfer her out of my class. She doesn’t even like Shakespeare, damn it.

I push out of the English building doors and stride across campus. Energy crackles under my skin, keeps my muscles tensed and my jaw locked, but I don’t catch another glimpse of her.

Hi, professor.

She sounded so shy. Like she thought I might bite her sweet head off.

And I did, didn’t I? I told her off. Threatened to fail her. God—I made her cry. Misery and self loathing surge up my throat, and I cough hard, burying my mouth in my sleeve.

The sun is shining. The students are laughing. But I’m icy cold, down to my core. Hearing that little hitch in Avery’s breathing, her tiny sniffle—it’s going to haunt the rest of my days. It’ll play in a loop inside my head, driving me slowly mad.

How Shakespearean.

It doesn’t matter. I give myself a little shake, and turn my feet towards the Student Center. I’ll get her transferred to another class, then we can both move on. Put this behind us and somehow get through the next three years.

Then she’ll be gone. We’ll both be safe from these dark urges, rippling and twisting inside me.

It should be a comforting thought. But it aches. It leaves me hollow.

I pound up the stone steps to the Student Center, pigeons fluttering out of my path. It doesn’t matter what I want.

This is for Avery. I’d protect her from anything.

Even myself.

* * *

“Please. Will you look again? I’ll take any other class. I’m begging you.”

I recognize her soft voice straight away. She’s clutching the edge of the reception desk, pleading with the administrator. Her shoulders are rigid, bunched up around her ears, and her voice is thick with horror at what I just put her through.

She’s begging to get away from me. My heart plummets down to the soles of my shoes.

“I already looked.” The administrator sounds bored. It’s a guy in his twenties, probably a grad student picking up some work-study hours, and violence surges inside me when his eyes flick over her chest. He looks at her openly. Shamelessly.

She’s mine.

“Is there a problem here?” I stride across the lobby, coming to a halt beside Avery. I don’t look down at her—I don’t trust myself not to crumble under her gaze. To not drop to my knees and beg her forgiveness. She freezes when I’m near, the tension crackling off her like static, and fuck, I hate that I did this.

I channel all those feelings at the administrator. He straightens, his forehead creasing as he taps at his keyboard. His brown hair is artfully tousled, sticky with gel, and if he looks at her again I might go for his throat.

“Uh, no. No, sir. This girl wants to switch classes, but there are none available.”

Shit.

“Check again.”

“But—”

“Check again,” I growl, ignoring the faint whimper by my elbow. She might hate me, might fear me, but that’s all for the best. Even if it does crack my chest open and leave me raw.

The administrator types quickly, clicks away at the screen, then spins the monitor around with a huff.

“There’s nothing. See?”

I lean over the counter, scowling at the class schedules. How can every class be full already? How can this be happening?

“What about night classes?” I blurt, but Avery speaks up. Her voice is tight with emotion, but she doesn’t back down.

“No. I’m not doing that, professor.” She sucks in a deep breath and fixes me with a glare. I meet her eyes, longing shuddering through me like a tidal wave. “You’ll just have to teach me.”

“I—what?” The guy breaks off with a nervous laugh. His eyes flick between us, disbelieving.

I step away from Avery. Put more distance between us.

“It’s nothing,” I mutter, turning to face her. The girl who wrecks me with a single look. Who holds my whole life in her palm. “I expect you on time for lectures. Do you understand?” She was nearly late today. That would have thrown me off even worse. Given me no time to recover.

Avery rolls her eyes, a pink flush creeping over her cheeks.

“Don’t worry about me, professor.” Her voice is dull. “You won’t even know I’m there.”

She walks out before I can point out the obvious. That if that were true, we’d have no problem at all. But I’m human, a man, and I’m drawn to her like no other person. Every minute in her presence is a test of my failing willpower.

“Wow. You really hate her, huh?” The administrator grins, flicking his mouse.

I turn on my heel and leave with a word.