I shook my head. “No, I, we, it’s—”
He held up a hand. “Tessa, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
I stepped forward, wanting to assure him it wasn’t his fault, but he held up a hand, stopping me in my tracks. Duh. I can’t step close to him. I may launch myself at him. He was clearly warding me off.
“We can’t,” I blurted out. “It’s inappropriate. You’re a teacher. I’m a student. This is wrong,” I muttered. Shame washed over me.
My eyes moved to the open door, and I’m sure I blushed eight shades of red. What if someone had walked by? Even worse, what if a student had stopped by to see the professor? I felt like a complete fool. I was not one of those girls who got hot for teacher and actually acted on it.
I glanced around the room. “I better go.”
“Tessa, please,” he started, but I didn’t give him the chance to say another word.
I practically ran down the hall and out of the building, sucking in gulps of humid sea air. I cannot believe I let myself get carried away. I can’t blame him. I followed him into a quiet, secluded space. Clearly, I needed to watch more horror films. A girl wasn’t supposed to do such stupid things.
I had to tell someone, to confess my sins, and, hopefully, the last five minutes would be nothing but a distant memory. I couldn’t even blame alcohol for my mistake.
Bursting into the library, I headed straight for the back. I took a deep breath before I walked through the door.
Maria was sitting at her small desk in a room similar to the one I had just vacated.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, concern written all over her face.
I stared at her. Unable to put my actions into words.
“Tessa?” she said, rising from her seat and walking around the desk towards me. “Hon, what happened? Are you okay?” she asked, putting a hand on my arm.
Nodding, I replied, “Yes, yes, nothing bad. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m kind of freaking out, though.”
“Why?”
“You will not believe what I just did!” I screeched, trying to keep my voice down, but not completely able to combat the nerves.
Maria walked around me and shut the door I had just burst through.
“What did you do?” she asked, the concern was less for my physical health, but what I may have done to someone else.
I took a deep breath. “I kissed him.”
She blinked, waiting for me to clarify. I couldn’t. I couldn’t actually say the words.
“Who did you kiss?”
I groaned. “Him.”
Maria put a hand on her hip. “Tessa, there are a lot of ‘hims’ on this campus. I’m going to need you to be more specific. Please tell me it was at least legal. I’ve seen some of those high school boys roaming around here hoping to score a college girl.”
I rolled my eyes. “He is definitely legal. Very legal.” I exhaled a long breath, “Ian.”
She looked at me with confusion. “Ian? Who’s Ian?”
Her eyes widened when she realized who I was talking about. I nodded my head vigorously. “Yes, Ian!” I screeched again, in a very high-pitched voice that was uncharacteristic for me.
“You kissed Professor Hotstuff?”
I groaned. “Yes. In his office. With the door open.”
She was squealing and clapping her hands like it was a good thing. I was having a mild panic attack, and she was happy.