Page 13 of Teacher's Pet

“Sorry. I’m not usually like this,” he blurted, his voice edged with self-consciousness.

“Like what?” I asked casually, spotting the dorm buildings up ahead. “You said you lived in the B section dorms, right?”

“Yeah.” He nodded, brushing past the question. I didn’t press.

I stopped in front of the building he pointed out as his dorm. He turned toward me, smiling.

Forced, again.

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. In the muted glow from the dorm lights, his cheekbones looked sharper, his damp hair caught the light in subtle streaks, and his moss-green eyes seemed darker.

Somehow, I hadn’t noticed before. Maybe I’d been too focused on his attitude earlier, or the fact that he was dripping wet. But now… now I could admit he was far more than just conventionally attractive. Striking. His slightly upturned nose gave him an almost innocent edge, while his features wereproportional in a way that made them almost unnervingly pleasant to look at.

Just an objective observation.

Thanks for the ride. And… you know. Everything.” His mouth curved up just enough to pass for a smile, but his eyes had that hollow weight again, the kind that didn’t come from the day, but from something older, heavier, and a little cracked.

“Of course,” I said.

And then he was out of the car, my scarf still around his neck. I could have called after him, asked for it back. He wasn’t even halfway to the door yet. But I didn’t.

He’s cold, I told myself. I’ll get it back in class.

***

When I finally got home, Lilly was waiting and not happy.

“You said twenty minutes, tops.”

I hung my coat and sighed. “I gave a student a ride.”

Wrapping my arms around her from behind, I hugged her. She scoffed but kept stirring the vodka sauce.

“Smells good, sweetheart.”

She chuckled. “Why’d you give a student a ride? You never do that.”

“He was soaking wet and—”

“He? Oh, thank God.” She turned, looping her arms over my shoulders. “I thought you picked up some sexy cheerleader or something.”

I scoffed and kissed her neck. “Wow. Thanks.”

Her gaze flicked over me. “Where’s your scarf?”

“I let him borrow it.”

“Mmh.” She hummed, her tone unreadable. “You’re too nice sometimes.”

I scoffed and pulled Lilly toward me, pressing her onto the table.

But even as her smile widened, my thoughts drifted elsewhere.

When had I ever done that before? Given a student a ride? Offered my scarf?

And why did that forced little smile keep replaying in my head?

Had I made him uncomfortable? Or was that smile just a default setting for him?