Chapter Six: Hailey

I was early for Bio labs this time.

I had taken a seat closer to the front of the room and was unpacking my notebook and laptop.

The laptop was bulky and outdated. I couldn’t afford the latest gadgets like some of the other students here but the device worked and served its function well enough. It would keep me from writing my fingers off at least.

I arranged everything on my part of the table then pulled up the recorder app on my phone – again not the latest on the market, but it did what it had to do.

All I had to do was press the start button when the lecture started.

With no more preparations to do, I looked up and around the space. Only a few other students were already inside the room. A group of girls were having a discussion around an open notebook while a guy lounged in the back with a pair of headphones hanging from his ears and effectively saying “leave me alone”.

Wyatt wasn’t here yet.

The thoughts had my stomach cramping and sweat suddenly breaking out all over my body.

I had been dreading seeing Wyatt again.

The week had passed quickly and it was Friday when I stepped into the biology lab. My head is still reeling from that chance meeting along the path.

I’m not letting you get away from me that easy.

His words haunted me. They made me hot and bothered one moment, then panicked and angry the next.

Wyatt was a bad boy to the bone.

He tried to hide it behind a friendly smile and a laidback attitude, but the ruthless light in his eyes showed what an alpha he was under the veneer.

He was the kind of man so set to go after anything he set his sights on and determined that he wanted.

Once upon a time he had wanted me with that single-minded intensity.

His persistence was one of the things that drew me to him even when I hadn’t wanted it to. I hated the thought of being one of the cliché girls who fell for the bad boy but when I let myself for Wyatt, I had fallen hard.

When he left, it had destroyed me and had me doubting everything I thought I knew about myself.

I could never allow myself to feel so deeply for a man again.

Never.

Especially not a man like Wyatt.

As if I had conjured him, he suddenly appeared in the entrance.

I gasped, then my breath stuck in my throat.

Wyatt Murphy was the most gorgeous man; even if I didn’t want to admit it.

He was the walking definition of tall, dark, and handsome. His tall frame filled out a plain tee shirt and a pair of jeans. His attire was simple but he looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine.

He was accompanied by three other guys. They were all obviously younger than he was, yet none of them carried even one tenth on the raw sex appeal that he did.

I had been so overcome with the panic and worry his presence brought that I had mostly overlooked how sexily he had aged.

The force of all that sexiness hit me right then. There was no ignoring or pushing it to the side.

I was sensible to a fault according to some but all my senses went right out the window then. Hormones that had been dormant for almost five years flared to life and I could remember his intimate touch so clearly is was like those five years hadn’t passed.

I wasn’t the only one who noticed Wyatt’s entrance or his attractiveness.

The female students all perked up, smiles at the ready and trying to subtly fix their hair and clothing before he looked their way.

I caught a growl in my throat, barely suppressing the sound.

Being Wyatt’s girlfriend had brought out an unexpected streak of jealousy in me and it seemed to have reawakened with his reemergence in my life.

I moved to turn away, angry with myself for reacting so strongly to him still when his eyes landed on me. There was no turning away from his gaze. The heat of it brushed my skin like a physical touch.

Electricity raced up my back and made the hair at the nape stand on edge.

Wyatt’s grin was slow and knowing as if he knew exactly how my body was betraying me. My cheeks became hot and I knew they were red.

He said something to the guys he came in with.

Without waiting for an answer from them, he sauntered over to where I sat and took the seat next to me without invitation.

He never looked at those other women preening for his attention. I noticed one of them sending me a dirty look from the corner of my eye.

Go ahead girlfriend, been there done that. Not going down that road again.

At least that’s what I was telling myself. Or trying to.

More students suddenly rushed in and the professor came along with them. From then on, the atmosphere changed as everyone focused on the starting lecture.

I was able to tear my gaze away from Wyatt in the sudden bustle but he didn’t let me forget his presence like I wanted to.

The professor asked us to pair up in groups of two to work for the rest of the class.

Wyatt immediately scooted closer. He leaned toward me and his words feathered hotly against the skin of my neck when he said, “Told you, you aren’t going to get away that easy, partner.”

***

The class was a lesson in self-control and I was so very glad that I punched record on my phone because my concentration was shot.

The professor handed the groups each a sheet to complete as he lectured. We were to hand it back to him by the end of the class.

I tried to keep my focus on what the white-bearded man was saying. I really did. Just like I tried to take notes as the minutes went by as well as give my input on the answers to the handout.

However, the spicy scent of Wyatt’s cologne wrapped me in a fog of female want. I remembered that scent well. Late into the nights we used to spend together so long ago, I would put my nose against his neck and inhale a big whiff as we cuddled our way to sleep.

That same scent had clung to the huge shirts he gave me to sleep in and his hoodie when I borrowed it.

It had wrapped me in an invisible cloak of security and love.

I fought against the memories that scent invoked but it seemed like an uphill battle. I almost sighed in relief when the professor announced the end of the class.

Wyatt went up the professor’s desk to hand in our assignment and I took this as my opportunity to escape. I hurriedly stuck my belongings into my bag. Everything inside, I hopped out of my seat and rushed for the exit.

“Hailey,” Wyatt called but I ignored him.

In the hallway, I headed straight for the parking lot and my car. This was my last class for the afternoon and I had to pick Noah up from the daycare.

“Hey Hailey, wait up,” I heard Wyatt’s voice call.

The voice sounded a lot closer than I expected and I turned only to run into what felt like a wall.

A warm, hotly fragrant male wall.

I bounced off the hardness of Wyatt’s chest. The force of the sudden contact sent me toward the floor. I was falling and couldn’t stop the descent.

I let out a startled squeak in anticipation of the hurt from landing on the tiled floor but strong, male hands grabbed my upper arms to keep me from becoming intimate with the tiles. They pulled me back to that hard chest and my breasts became plastered against him. I drew in a sharp breath as my nipples immediately pebbled at the contact. Damn his hotness.

At the same time, my fingers tangled in the fabric of Wyatt’s shirt. I flew a startled gaze up to his to find him watching me with a warm mirth.

“We worked well together today. Just like we did before.”

“That's probably not a good idea.”

I gave him a look.

“With our history, I don’t think I have to explain why.”

“I hardly think our history factors into the fact that we work well together.” He said this slowly as if speaking to a child.

His tone didn’t help my disposition one bit.

I sighed, not about to get into this in the middle of the hallway where several other students were moving about.

“It's just not a good idea, Wyatt. Let’s just leave it at that.”

I hoisted my bag on my shoulder, ready to continue on my way. The considering look Wyatt gave me sent a premonition of impending disaster but my feet remained rooted in place even though I told them to move.

Before he opened his mouth I knew he was going to say something that would make me mad.

I was right.

“No, let’s discuss this. Why don't you think we should study together? Is it because you don’t think you can keep your hands off me?”

He raised an eyebrow to end his proclamation.

My outraged inhale seemed loud even with the noise around us.

“You’re not nearly as irresistible as you think,” I told him, hand coming up to rest on my hip in a show of attitude.

Something inside me said, Liar.

I ignored that voice.

“Then prove it. Let’s be study buddies. We hit the books without letting the past get in the way of our school stuff. We are both responsible, sensible adults. There’s no harm as long as we act that way. I mean unless you don’t want to…”

There a challenge in the words he spoke and I could stop from accepting his dare.

“Wyatt!”

“Fine, I’m joking, but really let’s study. You were always a good partner.”

I sighed. I would show him. After all, responsible and sensible were my middle names.

“Fine,” I said, the word coming out from between clenched teeth. “We can study together.”

His smile was wide. Triumphant.

I wanted to kick myself for falling so neatly into his trap but I couldn’t back out now though.

“How about we start tonight?”

That eyebrow rose again in challenge and I found myself unable to back down. Again.

“Tonight,” I agreed.

“Want me to come over to your place?”

“No!” My denial was too loud as I imagined the horror of Wyatt coming into my home. Of him meeting Noah.

I couldn’t let that happen. Not for as long as I could help it.

Wyatt gave me a puzzled look and a few of the other students did too.

“No,” I said more calmly. “We can meet up at your place. Are you staying with your mom?”

“No, I got my own apartment so I could be closer to campus.”

Oh. Wyatt and I all alone in the confines of a space that smelt like him. Where I couldn’t escape his charm, or have a distraction from his sex appeal.

What could possibly go wrong?

He pulled out his smart phone – a slick-looking, clearly new model - from his back pocket and said, “Give me your number and I will send you the address.”

He looked at me expectantly.

Even though warning sirens were blaring in my head, I began to rattle off my number. He picked up from the middle, finishing the last four numbers for me.

“You have the same number,” he realized before adding, “So do I. It’s-”

I become stuck on the fact that he still had my number memorized but then remember that I knew his by heart too. Even after all this time had passed.

I made a big deal about scrolling through my phone like I was entering the digits but they were already saved.

I never deleted them.

“I’ll text you my address in a few minutes.”

“Okay, I have to go now. I am late for… an appointment.”

If Wyatt noticed my hesitation, he didn’t show it.

He beamed another smile at me and said, “See you tonight, Hailey.”

I walked away knowing I was making a huge mistake and still helpless to stop myself.