Teaching Harper (Tempting Mr. Bedford #2)

Seventeen

POV: Simon

Later, during lunch, I checked my phone to see who it was that was that Ji-Hye was texting. It was Chloe. I could swear I never got her number, much less saved it on my phone.

Are you free tonight?

Who is this?

Simon.

Oh. I was wondering when you'd get in touch.

Been busy, sorry. Also, you didn't seem too eager to talk to me again.

It depends. Are you going to run away from me again?

Never. I promise.

Why did you, anyway? I could only assume you found me disgusting.

You're beautiful. It was just all moving too fast for me.

And now?

I'm ready for you, baby.

Really?

Yes, really. Please give me another chance. Let me rock your world.

Let me think about it.

I'll be waiting.

I stared at the text conversation in horror. Ji-Hye, for some reason, made Chloe think I promised to have sex with her.

What do I do? My first impulse was to call Chloe and clear up the misunderstanding. But I was at school, and while my small office gave me some privacy, it was still the middle of the business day. My students might want to speak to me between their periods. Or a colleague might want to consult with me on a subject within my field of study.

But then, Chloe hadn't agreed to see me again. Maybe she never will. I might be panicking over nothing.

Taking a deep breath, I put my phone inside the middle drawer of my desk. I'd deal with this later.

Almost as though on cue, a knock sounded on my door.

"Come in," I call out as I wrapped up the remains of my sandwich. I got it from the cafeteria after my last class in the morning, and it sadly turned out to be barely edible.

Not wanting to have to go back to the cafeteria to pick up something else that would probably turn out to be just as bad, I forced myself to eat half the tasteless tuna salad on dry, stale bread.

"Dr. Bedford?" a sultry female voice called out from the door. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Ms. Miller, right?" I say, recognizing the tall blonde in a lilac flower print dress and bouncy ponytail. "Did we have an appointment?"

The blonde turned down the corners of her mouth in an exaggerated pout. "No, sorry. Do you want me to come back later?"

"No, no. Now is fine. Come in. Have a seat."

Her smile seemed to light up the room. She really was a singularly gorgeous girl, one I tried not to notice in class. She raised the package she carried in her hands. "Have you had lunch?"

"Yes, I, uh, had a sandwich from the dining hall."

She made a face. "That bad, huh?"

"I take it the food here isn't the best, is it."

"Oh, most of the dining halls have great stuff. Just stay away from the sandwiches and you'll be fine."

"Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."