“Tell me who you are. I need to know.”
“That’s impossible, precious.”
“But you came back,” I pointed out.
“Foolish,” he hissed in that seductive voice. “I won’t come back.”
“What if I want you to return?”
“You don’t know what you ask. This is dangerous for us both.”
“You’ll protect me.” I could feel the urge deep inside him to make sure I was safe. That alone should have sent warning bells into my brain, but I brushed it aside. Right now, all I wanted was his presence. “Don’t leave.”
“I can’t stay forever.”
“Then make it one night,” I begged.
“And tomorrow?”
“Come every night until the sunrise.”
A chuckle left his lips. “You feel it, don’t you?”
“This weird connection? Yes.”
“Tell me your name,” he whispered as he pulled me to my feet and into his embrace.
I rested my cheek over his heart and barely noticed the tremor that rose up from his skin. “Piper.”
“I’ll return, Piper.”
The hooded stranger disappeared, and my arms fell to my sides, empty.
“Don’t make me wait long.”
He was gone but I spoke the words aloud anyway.
An echo of his voice drifted in on a low current of wind. “Wait for me . . .”
When my eyes opened, I felt both sad and confused.
Would I ever meet the man all in black again?
Torn between tears and the need for sleep, I lay back down and burrowed beneath the covers. Maybe if I was lucky, he’d come back soon.
My phone vibrated for the third time in the last two minutes. If I wasn’t stuck in Biology with the professor glaring down the aisles every two minutes to try and catch someone on their mobile device, I’d have checked long ago who was being so persistent. It wasn’t like I had a huge list of contacts. My mother and father. My best friend Hepsibah. A scattering of relatives and a few acquaintances from school. That was about it. I already knew my parents were aboard their early morning flight overseas so they wouldn’t be trying to reach me until close to dinner. Hepsibah – Hep, for short – was listening to our professor with rapt fascination so she wasn’t cognizant of my dilemma.
“Hep,” I whispered, trying to catch her attention.
She stared dreamily at Professor Good Lookin’ and completely focused on his presence alone. She’d nicknamed him weeks ago during orientation. Hep was sucked in by his charm from day one. Alright, so she may have a tiny crush on the tall, dark, and handsome Biology professor. He was a little too perfect. A chiseled chin and striking eyes. Well defined muscle and a killer smile. A gaze so hypnotic it tuned out the entire world save the souls in this room.
So? She wanted to admire him from afar and who was I to interfere?
I genuinely had zero interest in his ripped and male model physique or the fact that he looked like he should be gracing the front of every magazine and romance novel in existence. Truly, he was too much. Besides, something about him rubbed me the wrong way. Was it his confidence? Or his uncanny ability to detect my unease on every occasion that we spoke?
The phone buzzed again, and I decided to risk being caught as I glanced at Professor Black. His back was turned as he walked toward the front of the room and I didn’t hesitate to take advantage of his distraction. The screen lit up with multiple messages and I gasped aloud when I saw the most recent one. Sent only minutes ago, it was an extremely odd text.
Unknown Caller: You can’t ignore me forever, gorgeous.
Clearly, this person had me confused with someone else or wanted to pull a stupid prank. I shoved my phone back in my pocket and glanced up in time to catch Professor Black’s frown of disapproval. He didn’t call me out in front of everyone, but I knew he’d have plenty to say once class ended. I wasn’t wrong. As I stood and slung my backpack over my shoulder twenty minutes later, he made a point to ask me to stay behind. I caught my best friend’s smirk as she slipped out the door to await my eventual release.
I didn’t know why I felt guilty. It wasn’t like we were in high school anymore. This was a state college and although it wasn’t Ivy League, at least I was trying to make a future for myself. The student loans would plague me for years to come regardless and I decided that I might as well go for broke. Hello, Ph.D. Goodbye, social life.
Professor Black gestured for me to sit in one of the front desks and I stared up at him reluctantly as I obeyed. “Yes?”
“Have you given serious thought to your career choice, Miss Vanek? I assumed your name on my roster meant that you were interested in the sciences, but your lack of focus is becoming an issue.”
One glance at my cell and now I was unfocused and unsure of my future? “I disagree. I’ve been entirely focused during your class and currently carry a 97.4%. That’s hardly a lack of focus.”
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Grades are a completely different aspect of this discussion. I want to know that you’re committed to being here when you’re in my class. No distractions. No devices. Am I understood?”
If I didn’t need this course so badly, I would have told him to shove it up his ass, no matter how good looking my best friend and other young women believed him to be. He was arrogant and controlling. A combination that I loathed. “I can assure you I’m entirely focused.” Rising from my seat, I headed toward the door without saying another word. Pausing with my hand on the knob, I turned and caught him watching my departure. “Good afternoon, Professor Black.”
Head held high, I left and slammed the door shut behind me.
Hep was sitting with her cute little behind parked on the nearest concrete slab as I exited the building. I didn’t miss the curiosity in her gaze, but she bit her lip in humor and shrugged. “Let me guess. He saw you glancing at your phone.”
“He made me feel like I was a five-year-old and snuck into the cookie jar. What an arrogant ass!” I complained, plopping down next to her side, and leaning my head on my bestie’s shoulder. “He’s so annoying.”
She patted my cheek affectionately. “You whine too much.”
Huffing out a breath, I sighed dramatically. “Maybe.”
“What was so urgent anyway?”
I pulled out my cell and checked the messages. Twenty-one . . . and they all said the same thing.
Hep pulled the phone from my hand and perused the messages. “What the hell? There are exactly twenty-one missed phone calls too. Do you recognize this number?”
Shaking my head, I snatched it back and slid the phone in my pocket. “Nope. It’s bizarre, isn’t it?”
“Weird and disturbing,” she agreed. “What are you going to do about it?”
“Nothing.” Shrugging, I stood up and slid my backpack on. “Someone has the wrong number. I feel sorry for the person they’re trying to reach,” I joked. It was far too odd to think it meant anything more.
Hep laughed. “Right? It’s super creepy, though.”
“I’m not gonna worry about it. How about we grab one of those fattening cheesesteaks and a beer from Charley’s? I’m starving.”