Page 22 of Finley
As they started down the beach, Derek said, “More like you want enough time to get ready for your professor.”
“Yeah…maybe I do.”
“Oh, I know you do. Gotta shampoo those Thor locks of yours.”
Danielraised a hand to the tie he had around his short ponytail and then scowled at his friend. “Again, shut the fuck up and run, would you? How can you flap your mouth so much and exercise at the same time?”
“’Cause I’m in shape, Danny boy,” Derek said as he flexed one of his arms in a classic He-Man pose.
“Ahh, yeah. Well, the cigarettes are going to catch up with you and ruin all of your hard work if you don’t quit them now.”
Derek frowned. “What was that about shutting up?”
Danielshook his head as they continued to run side by side. He knew that Derek hated it when he gave him shit for smoking, but as long as he had air in his lungs, he would continue to try to break his friend of the habit. A habit he’d picked up from his father and no-good brother.
Forty minutes in, they hit their turning point and started back toward their houses. Sweat slid over Daniel’sbody now that he’d removed his shirt and shoved it into the back of his gym shorts, and the burn of his calf muscles confirmed how unconditioned he was. As they retraced their steps, Derek was barely out of breath as he set the pace beside him, and Daniel had to admit that that made him feel like a slacker. So much so that he figured he might keep up with this running business, if only to show Derek that he could.
When they were closer to home, he caught sight of a runner powering toward them. Each stride he took was even and precise, and the way his legs ate up the distance as if it were no effort at all proved that he’d been doing it his entire life.
As he drew closer, Daniel’s breath caught at the familiar face and the dark hair that came into focus. Professor Brantley Hayes.
When they finally reached one another, he took in everything he could as he willed his professor to look at him and show some sign of recognition—or, if he was lucky, appreciation.
He was wearing red-and-grey gym shorts and a sleeveless red tank, and when their eyes finally collided for what Daniel figured would be a standard greeting to any passing runner, the professor’s step faltered.
Thank fucking God,Danielthought as he slowed his speed to a brisk walk. Derek looked over to him, and he spared his friend a glance before he gestured for him to continue. And, if Derek knew what was good for him, he wouldn’t fucking stop.
When his friend spotted the professor slowing down, he turned to smirk at him, and Daniel wanted to flip him off. Luckily for Derek, Danieldidn’t want his teacher suspecting anything, so he let the fucker go. He figured he’d kick his ass later.
Derek raised his hand in a quick greeting, and Professor Hayes returned the gesture as though they’d done it before. Then Derek continued with his run, only slowing down enough to turn around and jog backward, so he could do his best imitation of kissing an invisible person.
Jesus, I’m going to kill him.
“Daniel,” Professor Hayes said as he finally came to a standstill beside him. “I haven’t seen you out here before.”
“Yeah, I know,” Danielsaid as he placed his hands low on his hips and gestured toward his idiot friend, who, thankfully, had taken off. “I just started up with Derek. He’s been at me for months, and it seemed like the only way to shut him up.”
The professor looked down the beach toward Derek and then returned his attention to Daniel. “Ahh, yes. Your friend.”
Daniel’s lips twitched as he leaned in a little to say, “Heisjust a friend.”
His teacher’s eyes widened, and then he recomposed himself and laughed. “It’s no business of mine.”
“What if it was?”
Professor Hayes ran his fingers through his slick hair, and Daniel’s eyes tracked down his arm. He bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from groaning,but shit, he wanted to lick the salty sea air from the guy’s bicep and then bite and nuzzle in for an inhale.
“I don’t think so,” his professor said as he smoothed that same hand over the back of his neck and then turned on his heel to walk up the beach. “Enjoy the rest of your run, and I’ll see you in class. This is me.”
Daniel’s eyes swept up the private stairs leading to a beautiful house that sprawled across the top of the sand dunes. It was architecturally stunning. He would never have guessed that it was the professor’s house the other night. Good thing he hadn’t gone door-to-door knocking.
“Wait a minute,” he called out, and jogged after the man.
Hayes had made it halfway up the stairs when he turned to watch Daniel climb after him two at a time. When he stopped one rung down from him, Professor Hayes’s eyes roamed over his naked chest, and Daniel placed his hands on the rails to give him a better view.
“Would you mind sharing a glass of water, maybe? Or a bottle?” His unsubtle attempt to get and stay close to the man was not lost on the professor, however, as he backed up one of the stairs.
“A bottle of water, huh?”