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 was better this

one of the drawers in the dresser and rifled through it for a moment before producing a plain

can wear

the soft, clean shirt. Our fingers brushed as I did, that all-too-familiar

in my chest, that unmistakable yearning heating up inside of me. This close, with our rooms right next to one another,

gone just as quickly as it came. Edwin lowered his hand and turned, heading

he said, seemingly oblivious to my turmoil. "I left a clean towel in there for you. Feel free to use whatever you

hall. Clutching the shirt to my chest, I 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,

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

as I stepped forward, observing the gesture. Slowly, I reached out to touch the

back abruptly and whirl armand when I heard a floorboard

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

kind of you," I said

me a curious look. "Are you sure? You look like

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Chapter 16

face redden even more, I shook my head and blinked the tears back. "No, it's..

as Edwin took in my words. Slowly,

I nodded and

my mother had died years ago. I could still reme After a long beat of quiet, Edwin let out a sigh. He strode forward and, before I even had so much as a chance to react,

knew that that tender touch had been devoid of all desire; more of a soothing gesture

disappointed look in my eyes. "It's fine. Thank you for