Chapter 131
**Sara**
I nursed my drink, watching Jessica flirt shamelessly with the bartender. She was in her element, all sultry smiles and batting eyelashes.
"Another round!" Jessica called out, waving her empty glass. The bartender winked at her and started mixing our drinks.
I pulled out my phone, my fingers hovering over Tom's contact. Screw it, I thought and fired off a quick message.
Me: Hey, professor, where are you? Are you still at your parents' place? Give me a call when you're free.
I stared at the screen, willing those little dots to appear. Nothing. With a sigh, I tossed my phone back into my purse.
The bartender slid our fresh drinks across the bar, his eyes never leaving Jessica. She leaned forward, giving him an eyeful of cleavage. "When do you get off, handsome?"
He grinned crookedly, shaking his head as he wiped down a glass. "In about an hour. Why? Are you planning on whisking me away?"
"Maybe. Depends on how good you are at mixing drinks or... other things."
I took a sip of my own cocktail, the warmth of the liquor sliding down my throat, and rolled my eyes. I felt like I was watching a live rom-com, with Jessica co-starring as every sultry heroine ever written.
"So, handsome," Jessica purred, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Got any plans after your shift?"
The bartender leaned in, speaking softly. "Nothing set in stone. You offering to change that?"
Jessica batted her eyelashes. "Maybe. But I don't even know your name yet."
"It's Blake," he replied, flashing a million-dollar smile. "And yours?"
"Jessica. But you can call me trouble."
Oh, for fuck's sake. I downed the rest of my drink in one gulp, desperately wishing Tom would text me back. Anything to distract me from this cheesy display.
Blake chuckled, pulling out a napkin and scribbling something on it. He slid it across the bar to Jessica. "Here's my number. Give me a call later, and maybe we can... plan something."
"Oh, I'll definitely be calling, Blake. Count on it."
As Blake moved away to serve other customers, Jessica turned to me, grinning from ear to ear. "Did you see that? He's totally into me!"
"Yeah, Jess. I saw. Hard to miss, really."
She punched my arm playfully. "Don't be such a buzzkill."
I winced, rubbing my arm where Jessica had punched me. "Ow! Easy there, slugger. Some of us bruise like peaches, you know."
Jessica just grinned, completely unapologetic. "Oh, come on. Live a little! We're young, hot, and single. Well, mostly single in your case."
I raised an eyebrow. "What about Brad? I thought you two had a thing going on."
"We're just casual, remember? No strings, no drama, just... fun." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"Right," I said, taking another sip of my drink. "And now you're on the prowl for fresh meat?"
"You bet your sweet ass I am," Jessica declared, scanning the bar with predatory eyes. "A girl's gotta keep her options open, you know? Besides, variety is the spice of life and all that jazz."
"You sound like a walking Cosmo article."
She stuck her tongue out at me. "Better than being a stick in the mud. Why don't you try finding someone new? You know, branch out a little?"
"What? No, thanks. I'm good."
"Come on. There are plenty of hot guys here. Ooh, what about that one?" She pointed to a guy in a suit, nursing a whiskey at the end of the bar.
I shook my head. "Not interested. Really."
She pouted, looking like a disappointed puppy. "But why? Is it because of Tom? Just because you're sleeping with your professor doesn't mean you can't have a little fun on the side."
"Keep your voice down," I hissed, glancing around nervously. "And no, it's not just because of Tom. I'm just... not in the mood, okay?"
Jessica studied me for a moment, her eyes narrowing. "Holy shit. You're actually falling for him, aren't you?"
I felt my cheeks flush. "What? No, I'm not. It's just... complicated."
"Uh-huh," she said, clearly not buying it. "Complicated like, 'I want to ride his face while reciting corporate finance formulas' complicated?"
"Jessica!" I spluttered, feeling my face turn even redder.
She cackled, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Oh my god, you totally are! I bet you fantasize about him bending you over his desk and spanking you with a ruler."
"I do not fantasize about that!" I hissed, glancing around to ensure no one overheard Jessica's outburst.
"Oh, come on," Jessica teased. "You can't tell me you've never thought about it. The forbidden fruit, the naughty student and her sexy professor..."
I was about to retort when Jessica's phone started buzzing. She fished it out of her purse, her eyebrows shooting up when she saw the caller ID.
"Well, well, well," she purred. "Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." She hit the answer button and brought the phone to her ear. "Brad, baby! What's up?"
I couldn't hear Brad's side of the conversation, but Jessica's responses were... interesting, to say the least.
"Oh, really? Right now?" She bit her lip, glancing at me. "Well, I'm out with Sara at the moment... Mmm, that does sound tempting..."
I rolled my eyes, mouthing 'Go ahead' to her. She grinned and winked at me.
"You know what, Brad? I can be persuaded. Give me about... oh, twenty minutes? Perfect. See you soon."
She hung up and turned to me. "So, shall we go now?"
"We? Don't you mean you? I'm sure Brad's invitation didn't extend to a threesome."
Jessica laughed, playfully swatting my arm. "Oh, hush. I meant, shall we leave the bar? I've got a hot date with Brad's... well, let's just say I've got plans that don't involve you, sweetie."
"Thank God for small mercies," I muttered, downing the last drink.
As we gathered our things and headed for the exit, Jessica couldn't resist one last jab. "You sure you don't want me to ask Brad if he has any single friends? In case you get tired of playing naughty schoolgirl with Professor Hottie."
"For the last time, Jess, I'm not interested in your matchmaking services. I can handle my love life, thank you very much."
"Suit yourself," Jessica shrugged. "But don't come crying to me when you're stuck grading papers instead of getting your world rocked."
"Trust me, that's not an issue," I muttered under my breath, memories of Tom's... skills flashing through my mind.
Jessica raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"
"Nothing," I said quickly, feeling my cheeks heat up. "Just... never mind. Shouldn't you be rushing off to your booty call?"
"Oh, right!" Jessica's eyes widened as she checked her phone. "Shit, I'm gonna be late. Brad hates waiting."
We stepped out onto the bustling sidewalk, the cool night air a welcome respite from the stuffy bar. Jessica started waving her arms like a mad woman, trying to flag down a cab.
"You look like you're directing air traffic," I laughed, watching her flail.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures," she replied, not missing a beat. Finally, a yellow cab pulled up to the curb.
Jessica turned to me, shoving my shopping bag into my arms. "Here, don't forget your new dress. You better wear it the next time you see Tom, or I'll personally come over and force it on you myself."
"Yes, mom," I said sarcastically, taking the bag.
She grinned, giving me a quick hug. "That's my girl. If you'll excuse me, I have a date with Brad's... well, let's just say I have plans that don't involve clothing."
"Gross, Jess. I really didn't need that mental image."
She winked, already halfway into the cab. "Oh, please. Like you haven't thought about Tom's-"
"Goodbye, Jessica!" I cut her off, slamming the cab door before she could finish that sentence.
I could see her laughing as the cab pulled away. I shook my head, a small smile tugging at my lips despite myself. Jessica was a handful, but I couldn't deny that she kept things interesting.
As I stood on the sidewalk, clutching my shopping bag and watching Jessica's cab disappear into the sea of traffic, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. Not because I wanted what she had with Brad - I wasn't interested in that kind of casual arrangement - but because she knew where she stood.
My situation with Tom was... complicated, to say the least. Sure, the sex was mind-blowing, and we had a great connection, but there was always that nagging voice in the back of my mind reminding me of the potential consequences. What if someone found out? What would happen to Tom's career? To my future?
I sighed, fishing my phone out of my purse. Still no message from Tom. I tried to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach as I shoved the phone back into my purse. He was probably still at his parents' place, dealing with whatever family drama had come up. That's all it was. Nothing to worry about.
Right?
Shaking off my doubts, I decided to head home. It was getting late, and I had a class tomorrow. Walking towards the subway station, my mind drifted back to Tom. Despite all the complications, I couldn't deny how my heart raced whenever I thought about him. The way his hands felt on my skin, the intensity in his eyes when he looked at me...
I nearly walked into a lamppost, lost in my thoughts.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
