One Night With My Alpha Professor by Eve Above Story

Chapter 23

Audrey & Edwin

Audrey's POV

"Thank you again for dinner." I said softly as Edwin pulled up to the front of the dorm buildings. "That was really nice of you."

Edwin cut the engine and turned his head to regard me. "How many times do I have to tell you that it's nothing" he asked with a shrug of one broad shoulder. "Although if you don't mind me asking... are you und My eyes widened ever so slightly at his rather blunt question. How had he known?

"Well, L." I hesitated, chewing my lip as I debated how much to divulge. "My family doesn't have a lot of money, if I'm being honest."

It was true; ever since my first adoptive mother, Maria, had passed away when I was fourteen, I had been adopted by her sister and her sister's husband, Francine and Gary. They had three kids of their own an at-home mother and Gary being a high school science teacher, they weren't exactly loaded.

Edwin remamed silent, his dark eyes trained on me. I couldn't quite read his expression.

"They can't help you out at

out at all?" he suddenly asked,

My face reddened. "No, I. I mean, they would love to, but..

Now that was a lie. They didn't have much of an interest in helping me financially, or helping me

out at all, really, to them, I was the burdensome human in the family. The black sheep, so to speak. The only reason why they took me in as a teen was because Francine didn't want to face scrutiny from the res

There was a long silence after that. Edwin seemed to eye me almost suspiciously for a moment, a knowing look flickering through his gaze.

"Very well. I'll look into securing you some additional funding," he stated matter-of-factly. "Perhaps another scholarship or grant program you qualify for."

"Oh, no!" I protested, shaking my head vehemently. "You don't have to do that, really. I'm making it work. I was actually thinking of getting a part-time job, and—"

the bone with

felt my cheeks warm under his intense scrutiny. For a moment there, I had let myself believe that his concern extended past the standard student- teacher relationship. But of course it didn't I needed

diverting my gaze to my lap. "Well, thank

reached for the door handle and slipped out onto the sidewalk, letting the cool night air wash over my flushed face. "Thanks again for dinner. I'll see you

merely nodded, that same vaguely inscrutable look falling over his features once more. With a quiet "Goodnight, I swung the door shut

and pulled out my notebook and pencils, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. Frowning. I glanced up-and did

pair of jeans rather than his waiter's uniform, with a backpack slung over one shoulder. He flashed me a warm smile. "Hey," he said.

morphed into a bright smile of my own. "Thad no idea you were a student here

shifting his weight almost nervously? "I just transferred here this semester, actually. I was going to ask if this

was where Tina normally sat; but she was sick today. With a shake of my head,

his backpack on the floor with a dull thud. I chewed my lip

to thank you again for what you did the other night." I

Chapter 28

with a dismissive wave of his hand. "It was nothing, really. That

heat creeping up the back of my neck at his frank words, fiddling with the end of my

rueful grin rugged at one corner of Gavin's mouth as he gave a small shrug. “All I ask in return is that you respond

saucers. "Sorry, what?" I breathed,

a concerned look. "You didn't get

head, trying in vain to recall some sort of note on Saturday

"No, I

his phone. I could have sworn his smile kicked up a notch. "I wrote down number for you. Left

with trembling fingers. "Oh, um. I guess it did get lost." I said.

my

an excited swoop in my stomach as I rattled mine

text came in.

Number: "Now you

of butterflies in my gut at the text, and offered Gavin a nervous smile as I entered his contact into my phone, but just then, the classroom door

Edwin's POV

strode into the lecture hall a few minutes early, bracing myself