Page 10 of Never Let Go (Forbidden #1)

Chapter Ten

CALEB

W hy does it feel like Lauren’s always walking away from me?

First in the hallway, then the bathroom at Strokes and now here.

I lied when I said I had a meeting. I could’ve sat there with her for hours, forgetting that she was a student until it hit me that she was, in fact, a student.

One that I had to get away from quickly, lest I do something I’ll regret—like kiss the living shit out of her until we’re both a panting mess.

Sitting at my desk, I run a hand through my hair, thoughts of our—brief—time together going through my mind.

I haven’t laughed with someone like that in…

well, ever. The guys don’t count. I’m talking about someone of the female variety.

The way she smiled at me made my heart pound in my chest and I never wanted her to stop looking at me like that.

If she was any other woman I’d be asking her on a date, wanting to know more about her and what makes her, her .

The tension that I’ve felt for the past week gone—poof, like it never existed and it’s all down to her.

But I know this isn’t going to end well.

Us riding off into the sunset together isn’t an option, and I need to get my head out of my ass.

It. Can’t. Happen.

I straighten out everything on my desk when there’s a knock at the door. “Come in,” I call out.

Dean Williams walks in looking as smarmy as ever and I internally roll my eyes. The one person I could really do without seeing right now. It’s like he knows.

Sitting down in the chair opposite my desk, he crosses one leg over the other and leans back like he owns the place. “Caleb. I just wanted to check in and see how things were coming along with Miss Taylor?”

They’re coming alright , I think, but don’t voice my thoughts.

“Good. She’s starting to catch up with everything and seems to be a great addition to the class.”

The dean smiles and nods his head once. “Excellent. Anything of concern that should be noted? An errant boyfriend, perhaps?” He looks out the window as he asks the question, almost trying to give off an uninterested vibe, but he’s not fooling anyone.

The dark look that crosses his features has me clenching my jaw and I hope to fuck it’s not because he’s thinking about Lauren. Why the fuck does he need to know if Lauren has a boyfriend or not? It’s none of his damn business.

I eye him cautiously, trying not to give any kind of emotion away—something I had years of practice with as a kid. “Not that I’m aware of,” I reply warily. “She seems to enjoy her own company from what I’ve heard.”

Dean Williams claps his hands together and stands up, striding to the door. Just as his hand lands on the door handle, he turns back to me with a twisted smile and says, “Thank you for your time. I’ll check back in soon.”

I really hope you don’t.