Chapter 155

Joseph’s POV

“I would love to come to the game tomorrow, Brian. Thank you for the invite,” Tessa’s voice rang across the campus as she smiled up at Brian.

I was seeing fucking red.

My stomach clenched as a cocky grin spread across his face. Ruby, Tessa’s best friend, looked horrified. I would have been able to hear the conversation, even if Tessa didn’t speak loudly, but it was almost like she purposely wanted both Emily and me to hear her.

Emily had turned in their direction too and was watching them.

Brian soon turned and walked back toward the cafeteria, and Tessa turned to Ruby.

“It’s just one game,” Tessa said to her, shrugging.

“I don’t trust him, Tessa,” she said, quickly standing to her feet. “Lunch was horrible. Why are you doing this to yourself?”

“He’s going to be playing in the game. It’s not like he can do any damage there,” Tessa said shrugging.

She then glanced back in my direction where our eyes locked once more. I felt my entire body tensing and my jaw clenching as I swallowed hard. She quickly turned back to Ruby, tucking a fallen strand of hair behind her ear, and said, “Let’s just get out of here.”

Ruby sighed and cleaned up her food.

The two continued talking as they walked toward the academic center, toward us.

“Good evening, Professors,” Tessa said, giving us both a plastered smile as she walked by.

“Good evening,” Emily said, nodding her head.

We watched as Tessa and Ruby disappeared through the doors.

We were standing in a shaded area where the sun didn’t reach, so I was able to tolerate being outside. But if I stayed there any longer, I would soon start to feel uncomfortable. I knew I had to get inside quickly, but Emily asked for some company to get some air.

She invited herself to my office for lunch this afternoon and I hadn’t been able to get rid of her since. It seems since I agreed to go to the coffee shop with her on Friday, she thinks we are a lot closer than we are.

I suppose I have myself to blame for that. I should have just said no.

“Are those two seeing each other?” Emily asked, peering up at me. “Tessa and Brian.”

“No,” I was quick to say, glaring at Emily who looked at me with a frown. “They aren’t seeing each other. Not anymore.”

“I see,” she breathed. “Brian is one of my students. He’s an interesting guy. Very arrogant, but I honestly think he would be good for Tessa. He’s driven and passionate about his father’s business, just like Tessa is passionate about her writing. They compliment one another.”

What the hell did she know? She didn’t know anything about either of them. But she was right about one thing; Brian is extremely arrogant.

I decided to keep my mouth shut though, not wanting to give Emily a reason to question my relationship with Tessa. The last thing I needed was for rumors to spread. Even if they were once true.

“So, I was thinking we could meet around 8 Friday evening?” Emily said, bringing me out of my mind. “I know you have class at 6, so I figured we could meet afterward. The coffee shop closes at 10, so that’ll give us plenty of time.”

“Yeah, sure,” I said, trying to brush the thought of Tessa and Brian out of my head. “8 sounds fine.”

“Great,” she said with a large smile. “Do you want to come with me to the cafeteria? I’m craving a brownie.”

I frowned and glanced at the large building in the center of the campus. The sunlight was beaming directly on the building. There wasn’t a piece of shade in sight. I knew if I went with her, it would make me ill.

“I need to get back inside,” I said, motioning for the door. “I have a lot of stuff to do. But thank you for the company.”

I bowed my head slightly at her, ignoring her disappointed face, and walked back inside.

As I walked toward the large staircase that led to the faculty office wing, I thought about what I overheard last night.

Brian was on the phone with Amanda telling her that he was only using Tessa for positive publicity. Her blog had taken off and it was clear that Brian wasn’t expecting such an outcome when he and Tessa ended things. But now that Tessa’s blog is getting a lot of attention, Brian wants to use that to promote his family’s business.

The thought was sickening and the fact that Tessa was stupid enough to fall for that shit was nothing but annoying.

I paused when I saw Tessa and Ruby speaking by their lockers.

“I don’t see why we have to go,” Ruby muttered.

“I already told you—” Tessa began to say but stopped when she saw me approaching them.

I didn’t have a plan of what I was going to say, but I knew I needed to talk to her. Thankfully, there were little to no students around. Most of them were still in the cafeteria or hanging out in the student lounge. There were still about 20 minutes before the next round of classes began.

“I need to speak with you,” I said quickly and in a gruff tone.

“Right now?” Tessa asked, raising her brows.

I didn’t answer her; I grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from Ruby. I was surprised by how easily she went with me. Ruby didn’t protest to me taking Tessa away; she just yelled, “Okay, bye!” As I pulled Tessa around the corner and toward a janitor's closet.

“Where are you taking me?” She asked, struggling to keep up with me.

I still said nothing as I opened the closet door and walked inside, taking her with me. I released her wrist as I slammed the door shut behind us. There was a faint light from the creaks of the door, making it so we could see each other. Not that I needed the light; as a vampire, I could see perfectly in the dark.

But for the most part, the closet was completely dark and smelled of an old mop.

“What is wrong with you?” She growled, and I could feel her anger radiating off her.

“What is wrong with me? What is wrong with you?” I asked in return, trying to keep my tone low and in control. “Are you seriously still hanging out with that asshole?”

“Who I hang out with isn’t your business, Joseph,” she said through her teeth.

So, she went back to calling me Joseph. Even though she was angry, it came as a relief to me. She sounded like her normal self. At that moment, I wasn’t her professor. I was the man who broke her heart. I broke my own heart too.

“Do you have any idea how infuriating it is for me to see you with him?” I asked, stepping close to her so I could practically feel her breath as her breathing quickened. “To see him touching you,” I said that last part while lowering my tone drastically, so she had to strain to hear me.

She audibly swallowed, keeping her large eyes locked on mine.

“And how about you and Emily?” She asked in a broken whisper. “How do you think that makes me feel?”

“Nothing is going on between Emily and me.”

“That’s not what it looks like,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “It looks like there a lot is going on.”

“Emily is just a friend,” I replied, my breathing beginning to harden to match hers.

“Brian is just a friend too.” She spoke with hesitation.

I lowered my eyes and watched her chest move up and down as she took deep breaths. She wore a low V-neck and loose-fitted T-shirt that showed off her collarbone and her cleavage.

What I wouldn’t give to touch her body. If only she knew how much I craved her. The sweet smell of her blood was intoxicating; I could hear her blood flow with each beat of her heart. But that wasn’t the part I craved the most.

“You don’t have any right to be upset with me, Joseph,” Tessa said, and telling from her voice, without looking into her eyes, I knew there were unshed tears.

I lifted my hand and ran my fingertips down the side of her face; feeling her soft flesh sent warmth throughout my entire body. I moved my thumb across her bottom lip; it was plump and a little moist. She parted her lips slightly and closed her eyes, leaning into my touch.

I sighed and closed my eyes as well, pressing my forehead against hers.

“What are you doing to me, Tessa…” I whispered.

She said nothing, but I heard her breathing grow heavier just as her heartbeat quickened.

I swallowed hard as I ran my lips across hers; I just wanted to feel her against me. I needed to taste her. My hands ran down the sides of her waist and I cupped her body to keep her against me. She kept her lips parted and her eyes closed, granting me silent permission to take what was mine.

I parted my lips and kissed her. It was gentle at first, testing the waters and bathing in the softness of her mouth against mine. It was her that deepened the kiss, running her hands up my chest and around my neck. Her tongue slid across the inside of my mouth, and I tasted her sweetness.

I took her bottom lip in my mouth, sucking on it until it grew swollen and red.

I ran my hands down her lower back, running them inside the back of her shirt until the palms of my hands were touching her naked skin.

She was just as soft as I remembered.

Everything about her was perfect.

Just as I reached the latch of her bra, she gasped and pressed her hands against my chest, pushing herself out of my embrace.

We were both breathing heavily.

She quickly touched her lips with her fingers, and I saw her body trembling as she adjusted her shirt.“We can’t do this…” she whispered hoarsely. Tears pooled in her eyes. “You broke up with me, Joseph…”

“Tessa---” I tried to say but stopped when I saw the utter pain on her face.

She shook her head and ran toward the closet door.

“We can’t do this…” she repeated. She paused before opening the door and added, “I can’t do this…”

Then she opened the door and ran from the closet. She ran from me, and she didn’t look back.