Temptation (The Hunted, #1)(67)

I groaned. "I don't know what happened, I completely lost it."

He walked over to me. I thought he might hug me or try to kiss me, but he just dropped my backpack on my chair and stood there and looked at me instead.

Finally he spoke. "I didn't have Melissa's number. I used your phone to text her so that I could let her know I had gotten your bag. I didn't want you to worry." He pulled it out of his pocket, put it on my desk, and slid it toward me. His eyes were locked on mine. God, does he know about Professor Hunter? Why hadn't I changed his name to James in my phone?

"Do you want to tell me who your speech was about? Or should I try and guess?"

I gulped. "My ex."

"Now, is that the same ex as it was when we first met?" He shoved his hands in his pockets. He looked so pissed. And he should be. It was awful for me to sneak around with Professor Hunter behind Tyler's back.

He definitely knew. "Tyler, that's what I wanted to talk to you about at dinner tonight. It's true, I had started seeing someone else. But it didn't work out. We're done. I'm going to end it. I was going to tell you."

"And why do I find that hard to believe?"

"It's true. It's over." I could feel the tears welling in my eyes. "Tyler you have to believe me."

"You told me you weren't ready to see anyone because you were still getting over your ex. So I guess what you meant by that is that you just didn't want to date me?"

"Tyler, that's not what it was at all."

"Remember when we were watching The Princess Bride together and I asked you why Buttercup was always so mean to Westley?"

"Yes."

"You said that it was because she didn't realize that she loved him yet."

"I know." I bit my lip.

Tyler laughed. "You know, I convinced myself that was what was happening between us. That one day you'd just wake up and realize that I was perfect for you."

"Tyler, I really like you."

"But it's never just us. You never liked me enough to date just me. I'm always competing with someone."

"No, there's no one to compete with. Tyler, it's just you."

"Penny," he laughed. He was shaking his head back and forth. He looked down at his sneakers. "It wasn't just one kiss, was it?"

"What?" My heart was racing.

"With that professor. Your answer to the most scandalous thing you've ever done."

"You read my texts?"

"Penny I would never invade your privacy. I didn't read your texts. But when I went to text Melissa, Professor Hunter tried to called you."

I swallowed hard. "No, it wasn't just one kiss."

"You were dating Professor Hunter this whole time?"

"Yes, I was, but I'm not now. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you. He didn't want me to tell anyone. We'd both get in trouble."

He nodded his head. "Look, I just wanted to make sure you got your stuff. I'm not here to give you a lecture about how it's wrong to date your professor. I'm just gonna go. I'll see you in class, Penny."

"Tyler, please don't go. You don't understand. I met him before I even knew he was a professor. Everything was just so complicated. I should have told you that I was seeing someone, though. I'm sorry."

"Penny, you're not the person that I thought you were." He opened up the door and walked out.





Chapter 45


Monday

I pulled my knees into my chest. Tears ran down my cheeks. Tyler hated me. His rejection stung worse than I ever imagined. I didn't just like him, he was also one of my closest friends. And I had ruined everything. I was mad at Professor Hunter for not being honest with me, and I had done the same thing to Tyler.

I deserved to be hated. I wasn't the person that I thought I was either. I had fallen in love with a married man. And I had strung Tyler along for far too long. Who had I become? I lay down in my bed and pulled my comforter over myself. I felt so cold. Before I knew it, my pillow was damp. I cried until I couldn't cry anymore. I had gotten what I deserved. I had broken the rules.

My phone buzzed but I ignored it. I just wanted to be alone. I didn't think it was possible, but I started crying again. I got off my bed and went to my closet. I pulled the dead roses out of the vase and threw all of them in the small trash can, then slammed my closet door. I grabbed the single rose that Tyler had given me from my desk and threw it down on top of the others.

I opened up the fridge. A pint of Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey was waiting for me. It was soft from being in the small, weak freezer portion of our mini-fridge, but that wasn't going to deter me. I grabbed a spoon and sat back down on my bed. Delicious. Who needed men when there was ice cream in the world? I ate half of it before I started to cry again.

A knock sounded on the door.

I tried to stay as quiet as possible, but continued to eat my ice cream. Hopefully whoever was out there would just think no one was here. People on my floor could be so annoying.

"Penny?"

I stopped mid-bite. Professor Hunter? How the hell did he get in my dorm?

"Penny, it's me. Can I please come in?"

I set down the pint of ice cream on my desk. He couldn't be here. People would see him. I quickly wiped my tears away and opened the door. He was still wearing his suit from class. His hair was unruly from the rain.