Taking the final steps toward his workstation, I drop my bag on it and crack my neck.
“I didn’t tell you before, but Ben asked me out earlier this week, and I had to say no to him, too. Then I set him up with someone.”
I’m met with silence, and I swivel my gaze in his direction, where I see him shaking his head. “You are something else.”
“But never anything boring.”
He chokes on a laugh. “I can honestly say that I’ve never been bored when I’m around you.” He pulls me closer and kisses my neck. “I was definitely not bored with you on Tuesday.”
I giggle and push him away. “Down, boy. Anybody could walk in.” We both smile and stare at each other. My stomach dips, and lust builds inside my core. “Okay, this is a bad idea. I should go.”
“Why haven’t you texted me?” he asks warily.
I tilt my head to the side, caught off guard by his question. One that I wouldn’t have ever expected from him. “I’ve been working on my article between classes and went to my friend’s Zumba class before almost pulling an all-nighter.” I cross my arms. “The phone goes both ways, Professor.”
He shrugs, and for the first time, he looks slightly shy. I bite my lip to suppress my smile. “I was busy too.”
“Okay, so we were both busy.”
“Okay, we were, but we should figure out some kind of schedule.” A grin spreads across both of our faces. He wants to sort out a schedule. That’s a step in the right direction. “Come to my house tonight.”
I scrunch my nose up at the bad timing and disappointment. “I can’t. I already made plans with my friends.”
He frowns. “Tomorrow?”
“It’s Halloween. I have?—”
“Plans,” he finishes with a sigh. “Of course, it only makes sense. I think a friend of mine also invited me out. Wow, Halloween. That means…”
“The research for the article is almost done.” We both smile sadly, but there are still two and a half weeks’ worth of classes and the soup kitchen left. “On Saturdays, my friends and I get brunch at the dining hall when we can, and it’s rare to see them this often nowadays. Then on Sunday, my editor wants to catch up on some things, and I have an essay to write.”
“I have a work dinner on Saturday that I need to attend, and I’m visiting my friend’s restaurant on Sunday, so it works out,” he sighs.
“Wow, our schedules are pretty damn packed,” I say in surprise.
He scoffs. “It’s as if we’re adults with lives.”
I roll my eyes. “Next week and then next Sunday at the soup kitchen? My friend’s birthday is next Friday, and we might go out the next day as well. So, next weekend is packed as well.”
Grayson takes a deep breath and nods. “Next week and the weekend.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.”
Grayson smirks and pulls me in by the waist, kissing me softly and making me moan. “Yeah, that sound is going to be the death of me.” I choke on a laugh, already wet for him. “Get out of here before I take you over one of the stations.”
He lets me go, and I wobble for a second, with the scene already playing out in my head. “That sounds like fun.”
Grayson crosses his muscular arms over his broad chest. “Don’t tempt me, Ms. Haywood.”
Giving him one last body sweep, I shake out my arms as if that’s going to help. I grab my things and practically sprint out the door. “See you next week!”
Grayson’s chuckle trails behind me until I step outside the building in need of a night with some of my best friends to cool down from the guy who’s been the best sex I’ve ever had and the only one to fulfill my bookish fantasies.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
EMMA
