Bad Teacher(57)

She narrows her eyes at me. “Something’s wrong. You wake up screaming, and you go check every damn thing in the house?”

I sigh. “It’s nothing. Just let it go.”

I push past her, but she still opens her mouth. “It’s something you’re not letting go. You just don’t wanna tell me.”

I go to my kitchen and take a bottle of whiskey from the cabinets, then pour myself a much-needed drink.

“Drinking? In the middle of the night?” She comes closer and raises her brow at me, gazing at me with a judging look.

“What?” I say, holding the glass. “It’s my house. I can have a drink when I want.”

She picks up the bottle and grabs another glass. “Fine. Then I’m drinking too.”

I place the glass down on the table. “You can’t do that.”

“Why not? You’re drinking too.” She picks up the glass and holds it close to her mouth.

“Stop.”

She pauses, her eyes darting to me.

“If I stop, you stop,” she says. “You told me I should quit smoking. Well, you should quit drinking.”

I frown. “I don’t have a problem.”

“Oh, really? Then what are you doing with two bottles of whiskey and rum?” She points at my trashcan, which contains more bottles.

Fuck. She caught me.

Sighing out loud, I turn around and growl at the sink. Then I throw the contents of my glass down the drain. Goddammit. Why does she always have to do that? Why does she always manage to puncture me and go right to my soul?

“What did you see?” she asks.

“What?”

Suddenly, she’s behind me, and she places her hand on my shoulder. “You were dreaming. It was a nightmare, wasn’t it? Something you’ve dreamed many times before. That’s why you’re barging around.”

“I’m not …”

Her arms wrap around my waist, and she rests her head on my back, silencing me. “It’s okay. I’m here.”

A sudden rush of terror washes over me.

Those words undo me.

Literally make me want to sink to my knees and cry.

That, or run a million miles, as far away as I can get from her.

I don’t know what it is about her that scares me so much.

Maybe it’s because she forces me to face myself. Or because she gives me something I’ve not had in such a long time, it scares the living shit out of me.

Love.

Actual love.

Not just the love of my dick or the love for the way I fuck.

But compassionate love. Someone to talk to. Someone who listens.

And it terrifies me … because I’m not supposed to have that.

I don’t deserve it.

And especially not with her. A student. Someone I’m not supposed to want.

But I want her in more ways than just around my dick.

“Fuck …” I mutter.

“It’s okay if you don’t wanna talk. I’m still here for you,” she says, hugging me even tighter.

I know she does. That’s exactly my problem.

I’m on the verge of giving in, and it’s not supposed to happen.

I can’t tell her anything … because it’s the greatest shame I have.

And that says a lot, considering I’m fucking one of my students.

I place my hand over my eyes and brush away the impending tears. Sucking in a breath, I say, “Let’s go to bed.”

“You sure?” she says.

“Yeah, I feel much better now.” I turn around and wrap my arms around her. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She pats my back. “Everyone needs someone sometimes.”

I don’t.

At least, I didn’t use to.

Not until I met her.

Or maybe that was all just a lie in order to stop me from feeling anything when there was no one to turn to.

When we stop hugging, she reaches for my hands and gently pulls me along, back into the bedroom. We crawl back into bed, and right when I lie down, Ninja jumps straight on my balls. I groan and grab them while he lies down next to Hailey, gazing at me with a conceited look.

“Fuck …” I say.

Hailey laughs. “He hit you right in the nuts, didn’t he?”

“Yeah. Fuck you, Ninja.” I give him the side-eye. “Just because you’re not having pussy doesn’t mean you gotta be a dick.”

Ninja gets up and starts rubbing his head against my hand.

“Okay … I forgive you,” I say.

“Well, that was quick,” Hailey muses.

“How can you not forgive something so adorable.” I snuggle him, and Hailey looks at me with a funny face.

“You two make a cute couple together,” she jests.

“Shut up,” I joke back.

Meanwhile, Ninja jumps back to her side, crawling up next to her.