Page 56 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 3

A Whirlwind of Color - Chapter 20

Sunday

"You said you were tired of hearing everyone talking about the same people in their lives. You said to think outside the box. That's what I did. This," I held the paper up again, "is bullshit, Professor Hunter."

"Please take a seat," he replied calmly.

I ignored him and walked behind his desk so that I was right next to him. I picked up the paper and quoted him: "You failed to harness your audiences' attention. I was one of the last people to go, and I still made them laugh!"

"Penny..."

"It was unclear what your point was," I quoted him again. "My point was that I choose who gets a chance at inspiring me. I said that several times, Professor Hunter. Maybe you weren't listening."

"Penny..."

"And this C- used to be an A. I can see it through the whiteout. You changed my grade. You changed it because you overheard Tyler say that the speech was about him. Well it wasn't about him. It was about you." I poked him hard in the middle of his chest. "I don't know why I ever let you kiss me. Is this a game to you, Professor Hunter?"

He drew closer to me. He looked so angry. "Penny, I'm fully aware that this isn't a game. This is my career that we're talking about."

"And this is my G.P.A." I crinkled the paper in my fist and threw it on the ground. My heart was beating fast. He was glaring down at me from under his thick eyebrows. The hunger in his eyes was a temptation I could no longer resist. I had been lying to myself this whole time. I wasn't a good girl. I was bad. And boldness suddenly came easily to me.

I reached up behind his neck and pulled his head down. Without hesitation, he tilted his head the rest of the way down and kissed me deeply. When our lips touched my whole body tingled. He placed his hands on my back and slowly let them drift to my ass. I loved his hands on me. He squeezed my ass hard and lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around him as he shoved my back against the adjacent wall. He buried his face in my neck and let his lips trace my collarbone. It sent shivers down my spine. I slid my fingers through his thick hair.

He lifted his head. "I told you to stop thinking about me." His breathing was heavy. He pressed his body even more firmly against mine.

"I can't possibly."

"You're infuriating, Penny," he whispered into my ear.

"Then punish me, Professor Hunter."

I sat up in bed, panting.Ow.It felt like my head was going to explode. I lifted my hand to my forehead and unceremoniouslyslapped myself in the face.Ow.I leaned forward, resting my forehead against my knees. Another dream. I knew that’s all it was. Because I couldn’t remember anything before or after it. James had told me he was my professor. So I had a professorly dream. Areallyamazing dream. I squeezed my eyes shut. But it felt so real. Like if I reached out, I’d be sitting on the edge of his desk instead of a bed.

A bed.My eyes flew open. Where the hell was I? I scrambled off the mattress, ignoring my pounding headache. As soon as my feet hit the floor, everything came back in a rush.James’ shoes. God, I had thrown up all over his shoes.

I turned around in the bedroom. It had the same light gray walls and hardwood floors as Brendan’s apartment. Fingers crossed I was still there. I wandered out of the bedroom and knew immediately that I wasn’t in Brendan’s apartment anymore.

James was standing at the kitchen counter with his back turned toward me. He was wearing the same jeans from yesterday and a fresh t-shirt. His cell phone was balanced between his shoulder and ear.

I felt like I could still taste his lips from my dream. Still smell his cologne. Still feel his hardness pressed against me.Stop.What the hell was I doing? My dreams were mixing with my reality, messing with my head. I didn’t know James. My reaction to him wasn’t real. It was just a fantasy. It meant nothing.

“I’ll be back tonight, okay?” he said into the phone as he pulled out something from the toaster oven. He waved his hand in the air like he had just burned himself. “I know. Everything’sgoing to go back to normal soon, I promise. But I have to go, pumpkin.”

Pumpkin?I immediately swallowed down my jealousy. I was glad he had someone else in his life. It’s what I wanted. I hoped that he’d get back together with his ex-wife. Was that who he was talking to? I wondered if their talks had been going on longer than I was injured. Maybe he was cheating on me. But I didn’t believe the thought. He didn’t look at me like he wanted someone else. He looked at me like I was his whole world. Not that I knew from experience what that look was. It was possible that I had it all wrong. Maybe he wished I had died.

“I love you too,” he said into the phone. “Be good okay?” He laughed at something that was said on the other end. “Then tell Soph I say hi too. I’ll see you both later.” He hung up the phone and ran his hand through his hair, like the secret he was hiding was excruciating. He didn’t need to feel bad. I kind of hoped he was cheating on me. It would make all of this so much easier.

“Pumpkin?” I asked.

He turned around. “No…that…”

“It’s okay. Really.” I shrugged my shoulders.

“It was just…Rob.” He sounded so much more tense than he just had on the phone. Whoever was on the other line made him much happier than I did.

It was true, I didn’t know him, but I could still tell he was lying. Obviously. “You call your brother Pumpkin? That seems highly unlikely.”

He pressed his lips together.