Caught In The Crossfires - Spinoff

13

CHAPTER 13

Lola

Taking a generous sip of my steaming pumpkin spice latte, I walked into class, letting it warm me up. People thought just because it was Florida. It didn't get cold here. They were wrong. I was running late again this morning, but only because I was still nursing a hangover. It wasn't the best excuse, but I was human, and tequila is no one's best friend.

"Ms. Mariano, please see me after class."

Professor Mullens pointed me out to the whole class as I took my seat in the back of the room. I gave him a curt nod and tried my best to avoid eye contact while I pulled the necessities out of my backpack. Shit. I didn't have time for this. Someone called in sick, so I had to cover them tonight. Why go to college if you own a coffee shop, people ask. Because that was my parent's vision, and I wanted to honor them, but I had my own dreams too.

The class went by in a flash, and I watched the room empty before packing my stuff away. I was dreading my meeting with the professor. He was an ass, and I just knew he was going to bring up things I'd rather not want to talk about.

Shoving the rest of the things into my bookbag, I walked up to his desk. "You wanted to see me, Sir," I said, glancing to the left. The less eye contact, the better. Yes, Professor Nathaniel Mullens was a jerk, but he was a sexy one. He had that whole Ezra Fitz thing going for him. Only he wasn't so sweet. It was utterly and completely drool-worthy.

"I did. My office, please, Ms. Mariano," Professor said in a gruff voice that drew all of my attention towards him, and my eyes snapped to his intense forest green ones. I should have left with the other students. This was a recipe for disaster. I gave him another curt nod, and he got up, walking out of the classroom with me following closely behind. He opened the door, and I walked in first, then him, closing it after himself. I stood in the middle of the room, slowly placing my bag on the floor next to my feet.

Nerves crawled up my throat while my heart pounded out of my chest. I closed my eyes, swallowing hard when I suddenly felt two strong arms wrap around me from behind. Much like in Pretty Little Liars, I met him in a bar during the summer. We hooked up a few times. Nathaniel was a good distraction when Brody and I were on the outs. Then fall semester came around, and I found out he was my English Lit Professor.

Oh, and married. Did I mention that I also found out he was a married man? You could imagine the shock on both our faces when they walked into my coffee shop hand and hand, rings on display.

"Nate, don't," I whispered noncommittally, my eyes still closed. It was wrong. I knew that, but it felt so good. After my texting session with Cristiano, I was sexually frustrated, and I needed release.

Nate's hands moved up my abdomen as his soft lips found my hot skin. "That's what you said last time," he placed wet kisses up the seam of my neck. "And the time before that," his fingers began unbuttoning my white silk blouse. I did say that last time and every other time after I found out he was married, but I gave in every time. My teeth bit down on my lip when his hands cupped my breast under my bra. "Tell me again," he roughly pinched my nipples, making my body jerk in response. "And this time when you do, mean it."

Fuck him. I turned in his arms and slammed my lips to his, kissing him hard. Moaning, my arms snaked around his neck, and he lifted me off the ground before laying me back on his couch. In no time, our clothes were scattered all over his office carpet. I hated letting him affect me this way, but if I were candid, I enjoyed knowing how badly he wanted me. We both knew if I didn't want to do this anymore, I would transfer out or drop the class entirely, but I never did.

"We really need to stop doing that," I told Nate, doing up my shirt with my back to him. Turning around, I smoothed out my hair before putting my shoes back on. The sex with him was always amazing, but it was like overeating chocolate. It always seemed like a great idea at first. Then you feel like shit because your stomach is killing you. And right now, I felt like an asshole. But yet, I still craved that same sweet confection that hurt me so many times.

"I know, baby. But I missed you," Nate sat on the couch fully dressed, watching my every move like a hawk. He always looked at me that way, like he was trying to memorize everything about me. It used to bother me, but now I don't mind it as much. I didn't acknowledge what he said. It was easier if we didn't get into that conversation for the thousandth time.

He would say: I missed you. I'd say: Well, you're the one who's married. Again he'd say: Tell me to leave her, and I will. Then I would just look at him like he lost his freaking mind before leaving whatever room we were in. Why should I have to ask him to leave his wife?

"Fiona is pregnant," he whispered, sounding ashamed of himself. My blood ran cold, and I felt the color drain from my face.

Fiona was the wife.

"You're unbelievable," I snatched my bag off the floor and stomped towards the door. "Fuck you, Nate!" Jesus, this man was not worth the trouble. The next thing I knew, my elbow was jerked backward, and I was pulled to his hard chest. God, why'd he had to smell so good? I was such a fucking idiot.

"Goddamnit, Lola, do you think I want this? That I want to be stuck in a loveless marriage while I have to see the woman I'm falling for sitting in my classroom every other day?" Nathaniel asked, pulling my chin upward to look at him. "I didn't know when I met you that I'd end up having feelings for you. But I do. Lola, I love-"

Pissed, I yanked myself from his hold and slapped him across his left cheek, leaving a red swelling handprint in its wake. How dare he say those things to me? His hand came to his face, and he pulled his brows together, not bothering to reach out for me again. I was done, and he knew it—that was why he waited to tell me that information until after we had sex.

Clearing my throat, I looked up at him and said, "I just wanted to inform you that I will officially be dropping your class, Professor Mullens."

Snatching the door open, I walked out, not waiting to hear what he had to say. I was done with something I should not have even started in the first place.

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