Enemies with Benefits

Chapter Twenty-Four

A low wave of oooh's from his students followed him all the way out the door. As the door closed behind David, I was suddenly crossing my arms over my chest and taking a step away, simultaneously too aware of how unprofessional I was being and how naked I realized I felt.

I'd never felt uncomfortable around the blond before me. This conversation, however...

"Did you say anything about Caleb last night?"

He frowned. "What?"

I gripped my fists tighter. "Did you mention him to Leah before you fucked her, David?"

He flinched.

Okay, so the aggravation in my tone was misplaced. Clearly. But I was riding the unwelcome groove of haunted past and unseen future, and he just so happened to be sitting with naivety on the edge of the divot I was stuck in at the moment.

David ran a hand through his yellow-blond hair. "Is she not supposed to know anything? I thought she was your friend, Rachel."

My teeth clenched at his answer. Because it was and wasn't one, and I didn't like how it sounded.

"Friend is...I don't...She's..." I growled at my own inability to explain it at all. "It's complicated. Just...Did you tell her?"

"Yeah, complicated. That was what you told me the night we went out. But I guess I still don't understand why you're friends with someone you have to hide from. Leah's a nice girl. She's studying to be a teacher, and she's stressed from it all and can't be there as often as you need her to. I'm sure if you two talked, you could work out whatever's happened."

My jaw dropped. "That's what she said?" I laughed, a loud sound that had no resounding humor even to my ringing ears. "She's too stressed studying to be the friend I need?" I laughed again—more, cackled than anything.

David's eyebrows pinched together, whether in embarrassment to be standing by me or worry of my next move, I had no idea. And I didn't care to find out.

"Be safe around her, David. Just know that my warning about her from the other week...it was well-intended."

I walked away before bothering to wait for any sort of response, verbal or otherwise. The trek to the main office was nerve-wracking as hell. And if it had been any longer, I wouldn't have had anything left of my thumbnail.

I barged into the closed door to the dean's office, but Caleb was nowhere in sight. I felt a twinge of panic strike my chest. If Leah knew, shit was about to hit the fan and I wasn't ready to lose the progress we'd made. But if he knew that she was...

I wasn't ready to open that can of worms. Not that I had a choice.

I let the door slam behind me and backed up against it, pinching my lower lip between my thumb and forefinger.

"Excuse the fuck out of me? Who the hell do you—Oh. Jesus, Rach, I was about to beat someone's ass for that bullshit." Caleb popped out of the storage closet on the far side of his office, chuckling as he shut the light off and stepped out.

I looked him over. The sleeves of his button-down were rolled to his elbows, and I squinted, sure it was the one I had worn the other night at his place. The smirk on his lips told me I was right and he knew what I'd noticed, but it also told me he was happy to see me. I had to hold onto that.

I was desperate to hold onto it.

"You still could," I taunted, stepping forward to bump my tits against his chest. "If you wanted to."

His lips pulled up at the corner. "Is that so?"

I nodded, holding my breath as Caleb's face descended towards mine. His lips tickled over my chin and neck, and I dropped my head to the side to allow the access I so wanted him to take.