Page 12 of Project: FU (Longwood U #3)

It isn’t until I’m walking toward home that I feel all the things I’ve been ignoring. This is my daughter’s ex-boyfriend! First and foremost, that’s a no-go. You don’t cross that line.

The little voice in my head who wants to find a loophole reminds me he’s her ex- boyfriend. From what I’ve gathered, it wasn’t a good breakup, and I’m not sure Nolan had anything to do with the way it went down.

Then we can talk about the age difference for a minute.

He’s easily half my age. At least. Granted, I was young when I had my kids.

I was young when I got into coaching. A series of very fortunate events had me coaching NHL young, too.

I’ve had a successful career. One that allowed me to retire young with enough time in my life to have a second career if I chose.

Honestly, it’s not our ages that has me feeling sick to my stomach. It’s Kelsey. There’s no way in hell she’s ever going to accept this.

Not that she needs to know. I’m not exactly going to volunteer that information to her. To anyone. I can’t imagine Nolan will, either.

My house is empty when I get home, for which I’m thankful.

I didn’t tell Rachel I wasn’t coming home last night.

To be honest, I doubt she noticed. She’s always fast asleep when I get home from the bar, and she leaves earlier than I get out of bed.

If I had to guess, Skye was the only one who realized I didn’t come home.

I know Rachel won’t care. While we haven’t had any of the number of conversations we've needed to have over the years, she has approached me a time or two, telling me she wanted to go out and that she probably wouldn’t be back. I took that to mean she was going to hook up.

Courtesy meant I should have given her the same consideration.

In my defense, it’s not like I planned to hook up last night.

Not with anyone, and certainly not with Nolan.

Calling her to tell her I wouldn’t be home feels like maybe rubbing it in considering it would be one-thirty in the morning when she’s fast asleep.

Waking her up to tell her I wasn’t coming home seems a little… wrong. Dirty.

I’m overthinking this. We haven’t made any plans at all to see each other again. None. This could very well be a one-time thing. I’ve had more sex in the past twelve hours than I have in years. Years! It’s not unreasonable to think that this won’t be repeated.

My walk to school is spent mentally telling myself that it can’t happen again.

It just can’t. I’m sure there are many reasons, but more than anything, because of Kelsey.

Regardless of the reason they broke up, he is still her ex.

More than anything at all, that’s reason enough that this can’t happen.

I love the familiarity of campus. I’ve worked here for six years now, and of all the places I’ve been, I love the atmosphere at Longwood U the most. It’s quiet, happy, and beautiful.

The campus encompasses a lot of buildings that have been here for over a hundred years.

It was once a rich part of town, so the administrative building, as well as the frat houses and a couple of lecture halls, were once old mansions.

The modern buildings have also been detailed with architectural styling that blends in with the old mansions so that everything appears cohesive. For the first couple years I worked here, there were days that I just wandered campus to look around and admire the grounds.

I can’t imagine a better place to work and spend my days.

As I walk by the Delta Iota Kappa house, Nolan flashes through my head. Not bad. Exactly three minutes without thinking about him since leaving half an hour ago. I stare up at the building, wondering which room is his. Has he come back yet? Is he still at his friend’s apartment above the bar?

Is he thinking about me?

Doesn’t matter , I insist. I turn my attention away from the frat house with guys outside tossing a soft frisbee around. Their laughter and banter make me smile. Such a picturesque backdrop to a typical college experience.

“Hey, Coach!”

I turn to find one of my players, Conner Langley, waving at me from the yard. I guess I hadn’t realized he was a member of DIK. “Langley,” I call back and wave.

The athletic building is quiet when I reach it. I’m not surprised, given the time. Too early for practice, which means anyone here is in their office or maybe at the gym. I drop my bag by my desk and sit, rubbing my hand across my face.

I need to stop thinking about him. Imagining him under my desk with my cock in his mouth while I’m talking to Raymond or my student athletes. Fucking him over the desk.

Ugh. I need to stop already.

My phone pings, giving me a reason to turn my attention somewhere else. However, I frown when I see Skye’s message.

Skye Davenport

Please don’t think this is a reflection of this morning, but I need to skip lunch. Those are the only office hours I can make it to for my psych professor, and I have some questions about an upcoming paper. I swear, it has nothing to do with this morning.

I sigh. Does it?