Page 80 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 1

Don't waste your time. Even if you come here, I'm not coming out to talk to you.

-Penny

He couldn't come here. I didn't want to see him. This had to be done through email. It was the only way that I'd be strong enough to confront him. My computer dinged again.

Subject: I Do Dare

Penny,

Stop being so stubborn. I'm leaving now. I'll see you in ten minutes.

-James

Crap.I had quickly lost control of our email conversation. Was there anything I could say so that he wouldn't come? It didn't seem like it. I took a deep breath. Could I do this? I just needed to not look at him and his stupid beautiful face. My attraction for him had blinded me before. I needed to make sure that wouldn't happen again. If I could focus on his adultery, I could be strong. He was an awful person.

I glanced in the mirror, fixed my hair, and wiped away some oil on my face with a tissue. I changed into a nice pair of yoga pants and a tank top.Why am I trying to look nice for an adulterer?I closed my dorm room door behind me and went out the back of my building to where he usually came to pick me up. His car was already there. My heartbeat was already accelerating and I hadn't even seen him. I walked down the steps and approached the car slowly, trying to remain calm. Professor Hunter opened the passenger's side door from the inside.

"Get in the car."

"But I don't want to go anywhere," I stammered. The idea of being so close to him in the car made me feel uncomfortable. I didn't trust myself around him. His hair was smoothed and he was clean-shaven, unlike in class earlier. He was wearing a t-shirt, a jacket, and jeans and I could smell his intoxicating scent through the open door.

Professor Hunter glared at me. "I'm not taking you anywhere. I just want to be able to talk to you in private."

I looked around. It was a chilly night and most of the students were either out partying or snuggled up in their dorms. "There's no one around."

"Penny, get in the car."

I didn't want our conversation to start this way. I sighed and sat down in the passenger's seat. He drove the car to the small parking lot by my dorm, pulled into one of the last spots, and cut the ignition. He stared out the windshield.

I thought he would start talking, but he stayed silent. My heart was beating so loud that I thought he might be able to hear it in the silent car. He was gripping the wheel of the car tightly and his knuckles were turning white. I glanced down at his ring finger. There weren't any tan lines or anything. I thought that's what I was supposed to look for. Was it possible that I was wrong about everything?

He finally turned to me. "I thought you weren't going to come out and see me."

There was something definitely wrong with me. All I wanted to do was start making out with him. I crossed my arms over my chest and looked out my window. "I figured I owed it to you to hear your side."

"You're cute when you're upset."

He was the infuriating one, not me. I was already fuming. We weren't supposed to be talking about us. We were supposed to be talking about him and his wife. "Why didn't you tell me?" I asked. I clenched my jaw.

"Tell you what?"

He was still going to play dumb? This was fucking ridiculous. "How could you possibly not know what I'm referring to? What is wrong with you?"

Professor Hunter took a deep breath. "You looked me up online, didn't you?" His brow was furrowed. Why was he pissed at me? What else was there online about him besides his hidden wife?

"No! Well, yes. But that has nothing to do with anything. I found your ring, Professor Hunter." I could feel the tears welling in my eyes.

He nodded his head, absorbing the information. But there was a slight smile on his face. Why the hell did he look relieved? What else was he hiding from me? He was such an ass.

"So you have nothing to say to that?" I asked.

"It's not what you think." He put his hand through his hair.

Stop doing sexy things!"And what is it that you think I'm thinking?"

He raised his left eyebrow.Damn it! Don't look at me like that!All the muscles below my waist seemed to clench. This car was stifling. The smell of him was everywhere, wearing me down.

"You're probably thinking that I'm a lying cheater that you want nothing to do with."