One Night With My Alpha Professor by Eve Above Story

Chapter 16

Audery

My face instantly paled upon hearing Edwin's proposal.

"You can stay with me tonight."

Without meaning to, I took a step back and quickly shook my head. "Not" I blurted out, "I can't. —"

"Relax, kid" Edwin finished stirring the pasta and tapped the wooden spoon on the side of the pot, then reached over to saule the garlic and spices in the pan. "I didn't mean is like that. I have a spare room here you can use

My mouth worked uselessly for a moment as I watched him work. A thousand refusals reached the tip of my tongue, but they all died there,

I didn't have much of a choice, Linda was waiting outside my dorm to get revenge, and besides...

Dinner was ready.

The guest room that Edwin showed me to was small, just big enough for a twin-

sized bed, a side table, and a dresser. He flicked the lamp on, casting the little room in a cozy amber glow as he began stretching

the clean sheets over the bed. In the far corner were some piles of cardboard boxes and plastic bins.

"Sorry for the mess," he said as he worked. "I've basically only been using this room for storage."

"It's okay." I helped him tuck the sheets in, carefully avoiding his gaze, I didn't want to admit it, but I actually felt a little disappointed; I supposed that a part of me, maybe the same part of me that had had that er bed.

was fine. And it

dresser and rifled through it for a moment before producing a

you can wear this," he

tighten ever so slightly, I hesitantly reached out and took the soft, clean shirt. Our fingers brushed as I did,

yearning heating up inside of me. This close, with

came. Edwin lowered his hand and turned, heading for

seemingly oblivious to my turmoil. "I left a clean towel in there for you. Feel free

scurried toward the bathroom, where I turned on the water and jumped A little while later, I stepped out of the bathroom wearing Edwin's shirt. It fell almost to my knees because of our disparity in size, practically becoming a nightgown on me. But it smelled like him, and with my ski The apartment was mostly dark as I padded back to the guest room-save for a single light in the living room. Figuring that Edwin was reading. I

when I saw what was waiting for me on the bedside table a tray with warm

breath caught in my throat as I stepped forward, observing the gesture. Slowly, I reached out to

pull back abruptly and whirl armand

momentarily flicked over me in his shirt, his expression betraying nothing, before he nodded to the snack. "I know it's late, but I was having some myself he said, leaning against the doorframe I swallowed and east my gaze back to the floor, the gesture was so sweet and tender that it not only made me blush,

kind of

me a curious look. "Are you

0

420 PM

Chapter 16

the tears back. "No, it's.. It's just that it reminded me of my mother. That's

a silence as Edwin took in my words. Slowly, haltingly, he took a few

I nodded and

every night. She'd tell me bedtime stories and tuck me in, too. But... She's gone now." 1 cringed at the thought, my mother had died years ago. I could still reme

devoid of all desire; more of a soothing gesture than anything rom

disappointed look in my