Bad Professor (An Alpha Male Bad Boy Romance) (71 page)

Chapter 28

Vivian

My phone buzzed beside my ear, pulling me
from the best night of sleep I'd had in months. I jerked up and grabbed it,
checking the time on the alarm and jumping up.

"Shit! I'm going to be late." I
rushed through the apartment, gathering my clothes and trying to get dressed
while forcing panic back down my chest. "Easton? You here?"

Nothing.
Where could he be? Asleep on the couch?

I finished getting my dress on, but
couldn't get it zipped without some serious acrobatics. I walked into the
over-sized master bathroom and turned, leaving my back to the mirror as I
contorted in an effort to get the dress zipped.

"Where are you?" I finished up
and jogged through the living room into the kitchen. "Easton?"

The note by the stove caught my attention,
and I read it quickly, realizing that he was either too sweet to wake me up or
didn't want to see me that early in the morning. Casey would force me to see
the positive in everyone, so I did.

He'd left a plate of food for me in the
microwave, but undoubtedly forgot that I didn't have a car with me. It was
still at Jaspers. I grabbed the key that hung by the refrigerator and walked
out with my heels dangling from my fingers, hoping like hell that the key would
lock the front door. It did, much to my relief.

I made my way down the elevator, my
fingers tapping frantically on the wall behind me. The door opened and a
nice-looking bellman nodded.

"Morning, Miss."

"Good morning. Is there any way that
someone can call a cab for me? I think Easton forgot that we left my car at the
restaurant last night." I ran my fingers through my hair, realizing how
incredibly slutty I must look.

The guy's eyes held no condemnation or
question as he smiled at me. "We have several drivers for our guests. I'll
have Frank take you back to the restaurant or anywhere else you want to
go."

"Thank you so much. It's
Jaspers." I moved to the lobby and sat down, tugging my heels on before
standing up on wobbly legs. The night of making love with Easton not only left
my body humming for more of him but left the stark reminder that he was a big
guy.

"Right this way." The bellman
held the door open for me as I jogged through it.

"I can't thank you enough." I
gave him a tight smile, still waiting to see the judgment in someone's face.

"No problem at all. Mr. Parks is a
good man. We'd do anything to help him or his friends out." He waved at
me, and I returned the gesture before getting into the back of the car.

"We going to Jaspers this morning,
ma'am?" The driver turned and caught my attention.

"Yes. Thank you." I sat back as
he pulled the car out into the street. I put my phone to my ear and called
Casey, wanting to know what time she would be back into town.

"Hey. Where are you? I just got back
to the dorm and you're gone. I was hoping like hell that your date with Mr. Big
Stuff went well and you were wrapped up with him somewhere." She snorted.

"Yeah, well I was at his place, but
now I'm trying to get back to Jaspers to get my car. I'm going to be late to my
first class, and you know the prof is a total ass." I let out a sound of
frustration. Why everything good had to always be accompanied with the bad was
beyond my ability to think through.

"What can I do to help? Want me to
meet you in Langington Hall with jeans and a t-shirt? I decided to come up
there for classes since I'm back already."

"That would be incredible. And bring
panties, a bra, and my tennis shoes."

"Right. I'm not even going there.
I'll just bring the full outfit." She chuckled.

"Why are you home already?"

"Long story. We can have coffee after
class at that little corner store bakery you like. They still have that bacon
grilled cheese right?"

"Yeah. I'll see you at Langington
around ten-forty. Don't be late. Class starts at eleven."

"Okay, but I want the full details on
last night. Every single minute. Play by play. Not a–”

"Alright. I get it. I'll tell you all
about it, even the part where I woke up to a damn note instead of the hot
guy." I dropped the call before she started a fresh wave of questioning. I
wasn't sure what to think about the note. I knew that Easton had to make a
flight to L.A., and there was a strong possibility that he had woken me up to
say goodbye, and I had simply forgotten. There had been countless times that
I'd done that to my mom in high school and Case in college.

He'd get the benefit of the doubt for now.
Innocent until proven guilty.

"Here you are. Have a great day,
Miss." The driver pulled me from my thoughts.

"Thank you." I pulled a twenty
from my wallet and tried to tip the guy, but he wouldn't take it. I thanked him
again and got out of the car, jogging toward mine and praying that traffic
would be light. I had twenty minutes to make a twenty-five minute drive free of
traffic. My professor for my senior literature class loved to crucify students
for being tardy more than anything else. The thought of having to face her made
my stomach ache.

"Yeah right. Your luck stinks on the
good days. This should be fun."

*****

I made it to Langington with two minutes
to spare. I'd never dressed so fast in my whole life. Casey stood outside the
stall, barking at me to hurry until I wanted to punch her in the mouth.

"Done." I moved out and smiled.
"Wait. What day is it?"

"Monday, silly." She opened the
empty bag she'd brought my clothes in. "Put your stuff in here."

"Monday? Crap. I must have been out
of it this morning. My first class was at nine. Tomorrow it's at eleven."
I pressed my back to the stall and let out an exasperated sigh. "Fuck my
life."

"Not happening. So...when is your
next class?" She smiled and moved toward the mirror, leaning over the sink
and checking her teeth.

"I only have one class on Monday.
Tomorrow is my long day."

"Cool. I didn't want to go today,
anyway. Let's go grab some food and gossip. You owe me a juicy porn story and I
owe you the same-old-shit story." She shrugged and turned to face me.

"Oh no. Your folks were on your case
again about school?" I took the bag from her and walked out into the
mid-morning sunlight as my stomach grumbled.

"Aren't they always?" She
pointed across the street. "Hey they opened that new sandwich shop. Can we
go there instead? I've been waiting for it to open."

"I know you have, and yeah. That's
fine." I slung my bag over my shoulder as momentary gratefulness washed
over me. My parents had a lot of issues, and them getting a divorce was going
to be painful, but neither of them ever once tried to shit on my dreams.

"So, how was the night with Easton? I
assume you spent the night with him."

I chuckled. "Yes, and it was amazing.
He's an incredible guy, but him leaving me a note this morning is a stark
reminder that his career comes first."

"He couldn't help that he had to go
out of town though." She gave me a cocky smirk. "You're being
ridiculous if you're upset over that."

"No. I get it, but he could have
woken me up. I felt like Julia Roberts in
Pretty
Woman,
walking from his complex with my heels in my hand, no car, and my
hair a fucking mess." I growled, not realizing how pissy I was over the
situation until I started sharing it with Case. "It just irks me. I'll get
over it."

"Did you guys talk about a
relationship at all or was it just pure carnality, rip your clothes off type
stuff?" She opened the door to the sandwich shop and moved back, letting
me go in first. A few guys from the football team waved at us, and I returned
the gesture before grabbing a menu and getting in line.

"He wants to date exclusively, or he
thinks he does. Most of what was said was uttered in the middle of us making
love, so who knows how much of it is legit."

"I would assume all of it, but then
again, I'm an optimist and you–”

"Aren't. I know." I scanned the
sandwiches and pointed to three that looked good. "I'm getting all of
these. Share them with me so I don't look like a fatty?"

"Yeah, whatever. I just want to get
two bags of chips. That okay?"

"Yep. My treat." I pulled out my
wallet and stepped up to the counter, ordering for us and moving back as Casey
grabbed the soda cup from in front of me.

"What do you want?" She glanced
over her shoulder as she moved away.

"I don't care, just nothing
diet."

After paying, I found her sitting at a
booth in the middle of the football boys and joined her, not really interested
in fighting over where we were sitting. She loved their attention, and I knew
most of them from playing every sport available to me in intramural.

"So are you going to date him
exclusively?" She asked me as she slid the drink to my side of the table.

I took a quick sip and shrugged. "I'm
not interested in dating anyone else, and I'm pretty into him. He's everything
I want in a guy and then some."

"I think he's a safe bet, but make
sure you figure out if his career really would come before you. That doesn't
sound like the kind of guy you want to invest your future in."

I leaned back as my phone buzzed.
"Maybe not, but again, there aren't many prospects on the horizon, nor
would I pay attention to them if there were."

The text from Easton was simple and sweet.

Easton: Have a good day, baby. I'm
thinking about you.

Me: You too. Thanks for the ride this
morning.

Easton: Oh fuck. I'm sorry. You figured it
out, I guess?"

Me: Yeah. I'm resourceful like that. Have
a safe trip.

Easton: I will. I'll call on Friday when I
get back in.

"Why not sooner?" I pressed the
off button and dropped the phone back into my pocket as Brett, a handsome
linebacker from our football team, winked at me.

"Why not sooner what, pretty
girl?" He turned his attention on us, as did several of his friends.

"My new boyfriend is on a business
trip, and isn't going to call until he gets back. I was just wondering why he'd
want to wait all week." I shrugged, not thinking much of it.

"Because you'd interrupt his time
with the other women in his life. Duh." Brett pushed at my shoulder
playfully. "Naw, I'm just kidding. I'm sure he's the one guy in the
universe who doesn't cheat. Right?"

I nodded as my stomach turned. There was
no way I was going to start judging Easton based on what some dumbass meathead
thought, but that didn't mean Brett's words didn't bury themselves deep inside
of me and fester.

"He wouldn't do that, right?" I
glanced across the table at Casey.

"Hell no." She looked over at
Brett. "Shut up, dude. Not all men are pigs."

"Right. Only the breathing
ones." He laughed and turned back to his friends, leaving me to stew in
the possibility of Easton not wanting to talk simply because it would get in
the way of him seducing some other woman.

I really didn't know him that well at all
in all actuality.

It had only been a week.

"I can't do this," I mumbled and
glanced up at Casey.

"Awww fuck. Not this again."

Chapter
29

Two Days Later

Easton

"Not much longer." I walked
around the hotel, trying to talk myself out of faking a cold and leaving early.
Something about being away from Vivian for the last few days after not kissing
her goodbye, but simply leaving her sleeping, left me raw, unnerved.

I picked up my phone, trying to think
through what I would say if I called her. I mentioned too many times in Florida
that I was interested in being with her only to have her turn me down. Calling
her throughout the week would leave me looking weak and needy, which I was
trying like hell not to be. My mother and father had convinced me to take
things a little slower after I explained the situation between me and Vivian to
them, but I hated the idea of moving slowly.

"It wasn't but a week ago that you
weren't going to
move
at all." I
turned and walked to the kitchen to grab my phone as it rang.

Unknown number.

"This is Easton Parks."

"East. It's Kev. Hey buddy, I just
wanted you to hear it from me that I got let go by Jon this morning. Some
bullshit about the La Mage people filling a suit against us over something they
alleged that I did or didn't do. Such bullshit." He'd been drinking from
what I could tell.

"Well, maybe this is one of those
moments in life where you go to bed one man and wake up another." I
pressed my hand to my face and hoped that we'd be off the phone quickly. The
guy deserved every bit of shit that landed at his feet, but it didn't mean that
I wanted to be in the center of it.

"Whatever that means. Did you know
about this?" His tone turned from friendly to accusatory.

My phone beeped, and I pulled it from my
face to see that Jon was calling. "Let me call you right back, Kev. Jon's
on the other line and I'm out of town, trying to wrap up a situation we've been
dealing with."

"Yeah, whatever. Fuck all you
guys."

"Alright. Good talking to you too,
buddy." I pressed the button to switch the call to Jon. "Boss? How's
it going?"

"Great. The baby was delivered a
couple of days ago, and I'm just getting into L.A. right now. Let's meet up for
dinner and talk. I have a few résumés for food critics that have come in. Some
of them don't look half bad." He cleared his throat. "Zuppa at seven
good with you? The one on Rodeo."

"Yeah, that sounds great. I'll be
there." I pursed my lips, trying to make a decision where Viv was
concerned, though I knew that I should call her and just talk it through. Did
she want the opportunity to work for my company, or would that be another layer
for her to have to discard if things didn't solidify between us?

I grabbed my jacket and walked out of the
hotel, taking my valet ticket to the front of my rental car and chewing on my
lip as I worked through the possible outcomes of pushing my weight around with
Jon. He was almost like a second father to me, though he wasn't any more than
twenty years older than me.

After getting in the Lexus, I plugged in
my phone and called the only person besides Vivian who could help me think
through what to do.

"Hi, baby. Are you still in
L.A.?" My mom's voice was joyful and filled with warmth.

I sighed and stopped at the red light just
beside the hotel. "I am, but I needed to think something through with
you."

"You want me to put you on speaker?
Your dad's right here too."

"Yeah. That's fine." I turned on
the heater, though it wasn't too terribly cold. I must have been coming down
with something, because I couldn't seem to get warm in California. Maybe it was
the wind blowing continuously.

"Hey, buddy. Talk to us. What's
up?" My dad's voice came on the line, filling the car.

"You guys know what happened with
Vivian and her ex. I told you on Monday over breakfast that he cheated on her
multiple times after they were together for ten years. She's going to have
hang-ups over me traveling all the time, unless I can get her to travel with me
after she graduates school." I hit the gas and checked my mirrors as my
mom spoke.

"Right, which is a great idea, but
you can't expect a young woman that just finished paying for a four-year degree
to leave her career behind to follow you around."

"Your mother's right, Easton. Women
nowadays aren't like that." He yelped. "Ouch! Stop pinching me,
Mary."

"Okay, guys." I shook my head.
"I have a possible opportunity to get her into my company. She wants to be
a food critic, and it's a hard gig to find an opening for. I'm having dinner
with Jon now."

"So what's the question? Get her the
job. That gives her income, speaks to her dreams, and lets her be beside you
all the time. It's a no-brainer." My dad was forever the simpleton.

"But if she's already got commitment
issues," my mother started, "then you helping her get her first job
might push her away. I mean, if things don't work out for you guys, then what?
She loses her job and her boyfriend?"

"Exactly!" I smiled, knowing my
mom would get it. "So what do I do? I can't not try and help her with the
job."

"Have you talked to her about
it?" My mom asked.

"No. I wouldn't want her to know that
I tried to get her the job. I need to think through all of this. I mean, how
else would she get the job if I didn't get it for her?" I groaned.
"Why does all of this have to be so damn complicated?"

"It doesn't. Get her the job and tell
her she's welcome." My dad huffed. "Women. Such a pain in the ass at
times. Ouch!"

"Ma. Stop pinching him.
Seriously." I pulled up to a long line of cars waiting to get on the
freeway and turned the heater down. "I should just call and see what she
wants me to do, but I don't want to look needy."

"You're over-thinking this a
lot." My mom complained at me. "If my boyfriend didn't call me all
week long, I would think he was with another woman. Plain and simple."

"That's ridiculous, Mary. Easton is
busy, and he's right. Calling a girl all the damn time makes you look silly and
immature. Just stick to your guns, son."

"Alright, you guys have been no help
at all, but I love you all the same. I'll call later. Stop beating each other
up." I laughed as they gave their closing comments.

Calling Vivian was something I wanted to
do, but I couldn't shake the fact that it wasn't something she would appreciate.
I would ask Jon his opinion and see what he thought about all of it. He used to
be a regular ladies man, though how I had no idea. The guy worked more than I
did.

"So the baby is good, and Bethany is
too?" I asked as I pulled my napkin into my lap and reached for the
breadbasket.

"Yeah, they’re both great. The little
girl is Starla Magnis. We couldn't agree, so we both got to choose a name. Beth
still isn't talking to me over the middle name, but it’s fun." He shrugged
and picked up his wine, drinking half the glass in two gulps. "Check out
these résumés. One of them is green behind the ears, but the woman submitted an
article. And honestly, I'm thinking of visiting the location just based on her
write-up. It's sexy, fresh, insightful. I like her already, and I think that if
someone like yourself would be willing to split your time between resorts and
fine dining for a while, we could make it work."

"Alright, but I want to talk to you
about the girl I met. She's incredible, Jon. Both from a critique perspective
and just as a person." I took a bite of my roll, chewing it slowly before
taking the applications and setting them down.

He scoffed at me. "You're not going
to help me until I talk to you about this chick, are you?"

"No. She's soon to be my girlfriend,
and I can't not mention her to you. She'll be graduating from NYU soon, and she
would just be great for us." I shrugged. "I know you're not liking
the part where she's connected to me, but it would work out well for me. We
could travel everywhere together and I'll teach her all I know. Just the way
you like things done."

"And what happens when you guys break
up? You're married to your career, Easton. Everyone knows that. Even your
folks." He sat his drink down and picked up the menu. "You just want
someone to tag along with your dreams. What are her dreams?"

"Alright, fuck the job idea for now.
I need to talk through my shit with her any way." I let out an exasperated
sigh and put my full attention on the man across from me. "She's been
cheated on in the past, and I know she's not really ready to commit to anything
with me because I travel. I don't blame her honestly, but I'm pretty sure she's
the one."

"Wow. That's big coming from
you." Jon picked up the bottle of wine and refilled my glass. "Was
she cheated on recently?"

"Yeah. Back in February I
think."

"How long have you known her?"
He nodded toward the glass. "Drink. I'll take you back to the hotel if
needed."

"I bumped into her multiple times at
the airport, on the flight and at the hotel in Miami this last week. It was
almost like everywhere I was, she was too." I picked up the glass and took
a long drink. "I've not wanted to try to be stable for anyone in a long
time. I spent my college years being a selfish prick and sleeping around. The
last two and a half years working for you guys have been the best years of my
life. I feel like to be the man this girl might need me to be, I'd have to give
up what I love."

He chuckled. "I was in your same
shoes years ago. I know exactly how you're feeling. But let me tell you this,
Easton, the girl isn't as fragile as you think. Someone who's been cheated on
doesn't need stability, they need honesty. Tell her how you're feeling and what
you're up to. If you pull out anything that looks like a lie, then it quickly
becomes one. Have you asked her about working for me?"

"No. I didn't want to seem too pushy,
too interested, too involved."

"Too controlling?" He lifted his
eyebrow at me.

"Fuck you." I smiled and slumped
down in my chair. "Why didn't you just send Raymond to Miami? My whole
world feels shaky right now, and I hate it."

"Love always makes that happen, even
to the strongest men we know." He chuckled. "Look at the résumés and
call the girl when you get back to your hotel. Tell her how you feel about the
job stuff, and if she's interested in talking with me about a job, I'll
interview her. But only for you, buddy."

"Alright. Deal." I sat up and
pulled the résumés over, scanning through the first two and quickly discarding
them. The third was only a synopsis write-up of one of the restaurants at La
Mage. "The steakhouse."

"It's a great write-up. Got me harder
than Bethany has in months. Read it, but be warned." He chuckled as I
glanced up.

"Whatever." I pulled the paper
up to block my view of him and read through it as my body warmed at first, but
quickly grew into a raging fire. The words were beautifully chosen, the flow
exquisite, and the underlying sensuality intense. "Wow."

I put the paper down and reached for my
glass as he belly-laughed. "See? I told you. I want her in my bed.
Hopefully I can talk Beth into sharing."

"I want her in my bed, and I was
completely sold out on never getting near another woman if Vivian said
yes." I pushed the paper across the table. "I'm not working with that
woman. I want to start a new life with my girl. This chick that wrote this is
on the prowl. No thanks."

"Vivian? That's her name." He
shuffled the papers in front of me. "Where's the résumé?"

"It's not in this pile. Are you
saying that my Vivian applied?" Excitement danced deep inside of me. If
Vivian had applied on her own, then my problem was solved.

"I don't know if she's your Vivian,
but if she is, you better hold on tight. This woman is unique." He bent
over and dug through his bag before pulling out a crinkled up piece of paper
and clearing his throat. "Vivian Hall."

I snatched the paper and read over the
information as a smile drew my lips up. "This is her. This is my Vivian,
Jon."

"Then happy day. I'd give her a job
off that write-up alone. I've never been so affected by someone's critique.
Every restaurant in the world will be hammering down our door for her to visit.
Get her on the hook now. I want her."

I picked up my wine with a shaky hand as
everything started to fall into place around me. "You call her. Make this
about her applying and her accepting. Leave me out of it for now. I'll tell her
the truth after the dust settles. I want it to be all about her forging a path
into her future."

He chuckled. "Incredible how fate
works some times. You said you bumped into this woman in the airport?"

"Technically, she bumped into me, but
yes." I brushed my fingers across her name on the résumé and took a shaky
breath. She would get the job, and I would have her beside me everywhere I
went. It was the future I wanted. Now to make sure she did too.