“Baby girl!”

Reagan couldn't resist a smile as she melted into Grant’s embrace. “God, I needed this,” she mumbled into his neck. He held her so tightly that her feet dangled a few inches above the asphalt.

“I get to hog you for weeks this time,” he said as he set her back on her feet.

She laughed and popped the trunk of her car so he could get her suitcase out of it. “I need a break from school, that’s for sure.”

“How are your friends?”

“Oh, I saw them yesterday. We had a small Christmas for the three of us.” She fingered the scarf she wore as she climbed the stairs with her brother. “Davis got me this scarf, and Luna gave me this pair of earrings she made.”

He glanced over at her and smiled at how happy she looked. “And your finals?”

She didn't answer him at first, merely followed him into the apartment and took off her jacket and scarf. It was so much the same that tears came to her eyes. “I did fine, I’m sure. I just had to get the hell out of Dodge after that last one.”

Grant set her bag down and wrapped her up in his arms again. “Are you really okay?”

Reagan sighed. “I promise. It’s so bittersweet being there, you know? I want to go, to learn, to get my degree and my dream job. It’s just that when I come home, I realize how much I miss you and this place.”

He nodded and kissed her head. “It’s normal, I’m sure. I mean, I can’t be sure, but I assume it must be similar for other freshmen.”

“Well, Luna assures me she felt the same way.” She pulled away to sit on the couch and he followed her. “Davis couldn't wait to go, but that’s because he doesn’t get along with his family.”

“Isn’t he rich?”

“Yes.” She raised a brow. “Why?”

He scratched his chin and looked toward the kitchen. “No reason.”

“Seriously, he loves Luna to pieces. He’s never given the slightest hint that it’s any other way.” She gave him a sidelong glance, knowing what he was thinking.

“As your big brother and legal guardian, I can only hope to see you well taken care of.”

She rolled her eyes. “I can take care of myself, you know.”

“That’s something we can agree on.” He patted her knee. “What do you want to do about dinner?”

“Can we just stay in? I’ll even make dinner if you don’t make me leave again.”

He laughed at the pleading look on her face. “I’ll order pizza.”

“Yes.” She nodded at the idea of their favorite local pizza place. “I miss good pizza, too.”

“Probably more than you miss me,” he said as he got up.

“It’s a toss up.”

He shot her a look as he reached for his phone on the table. “Extra cheese?”

“It’s an extra cheese kind of day,” she agreed with a nod.

Reagan left the living room while Grant placed the call. She wanted to change into sweats and take a minute to herself. She was more than a little surprised to discover that she regretted not giving in to the temptation to hide in Hudson’s office until the end of the school day. She missed him now that she was home, and she found that to be ridiculous. She thought she wanted distance and instead she felt . . . separated. She’d decided to unblock his number and read his texts, but not until bedtime. She didn't want anything to mar her time with Grant.

She went back out to the living room in sweatpants and a ponytail, feeling more at ease than she had in a long time. She and Grant joked around the way they always had while they ate their favorite pizza. She fell asleep on his shoulder while they were watching a home renovation show on TV. Grant carried her to her room and put her to bed without Reagan even realizing it.

She woke late the next morning, surprised to find that she couldn't remember going to bed. She made her way to the living room and found a note on the coffee table from Grant. She picked up the remote control he’d left on top of it and read about how he would see her after work and that he’d stocked the fridge and pantry for her.

She found her favorite cereal and poured a bowl as she flipped through her phone. Remembering her plans, she scrolled to Hudson’s phone number in her contacts and tapped the button to unblock it. She then navigated to her messages and pulled up the thread that had started on Saturday morning.

He’d really laid himself out for her. Her eyebrows shot into her hairline as she read that his father was a senator. She’d had no idea. Apparently, he came from a wealthy family, as well. If she’d learned anything from her friendship with Davis it was that a well-connected family often put a ton of pressure on their children, making them feel unworthy. Davis had told her how he was expected to go into the family business whether he liked it or not, and the consequences if he didn’t were to have his finances cut off and for his parents to stop speaking to him. As much as they bothered him, he still loved them and didn't want to be cut off from them. Reagan read further from Hudson about how his father had appeared on his doorstep the weekend she was supposed to come over. He was angry and reminded about how much his father’s approval was determined by what he did with his life and every move he made. His father thought teaching wasn’t an acceptable occupation for someone in their family, and that constantly weighed on Hudson.

She found herself feeling sorry for him, and that could be dangerous. She understood why he wouldn't tell her these things the first time they were together; after all, she basically ambushed him and begged him to fuck her. That was supposed to be the only time they ever saw each other. The second time they were together, though. That was his chance. Instead of kicking her out of his office and calling her a tart, he should have explained things. He could have given her some kind of explanation, anything at all.

There were more messages about how he missed her and wanted to work toward a relationship with her. He wanted to continue being careful until the end of the school year because there was still the risk of termination for him if they were caught together. She sighed and got up with her bowl, rinsing it out and putting it in the dishwasher. She sat on the couch with her phone in her hand, trying to decide what to do. No wonder he’d been annoyed with her the day before. He poured his heart out in those messages and she’d never responded. She wondered if she should reply to his texts or call him.

She couldn't choose so she decided to watch some TV and try to distract herself from all of it for a while. She tried to immerse herself in something mindless, but it just didn't work. She could only think of Hudson and the look he’d given her when he said he tried getting ahold of her and she hadn't answered. He’d looked disappointed; hurt, even. She didn't want to hurt him, despite all the things he could have done differently. She wasn't perfect, either, that was for sure. She’d broken into his office after he'd told her to leave him alone. She’d pursued him when he’d made it clear he didn't want that. Sure, he’d enjoyed it in the long run and he’d decided he wanted to be with her after all, but that was only because she pushed.

With a deep sigh, Reagan muted the TV and picked up her phone. She stared at Hudson’s contact information as she tried to decide what to do. She didn't have a picture of him to go with the phone number, but she could see his face in her mind. He had a certain expression he adopted when he was focused that was serious and completely sexy. She frowned as it occurred to her that she had never asked how old he was. She pulled up the text conversation and typed in a simple question. She had to start somewhere.

Reagan stared at an inane commercial as she waited for his reply. With the sound off, it was harder not to want to look at her phone and will it to chime, but she focused on the ad for toilet paper instead. When his response came through a few minutes later, her forehead wrinkled as her eyebrows went up. His birthday was twelve days after hers, but he was eleven years older than her. Eleven. Biting her lip, she typed in a response.

She wasn't entirely surprised when her phone rang. Laughing, she answered it immediately.

“Are you trying to kill me?” Oh, God, his voice was warm and smooth in her ear.

“Just a bit surprised, I suppose. I didn't realize you’re almost thirty.”

“Well, you can call me sir all you want.”

She was getting turned on just by listening to him. “I might just do that.”

“So you’re not appalled that I’m so old? If I remember correctly, you said you didn't care about my age as long as I wasn't in my thirties.”

Reagan unfolded her legs and shifted on the couch. “I might have cared if you were anyone else, but it’s too late for me to mind, now.”

She heard his exhale and shivered. He seemed to have that effect on her. “I’ve been thinking about you. I’m glad you decided to text me.”

“I read all the messages you sent me. I didn't know there was so much animosity between you and your father.”

“Ah, well, he’s mostly concerned with himself and how Mother and I reflect on him.”

“That’s too bad. I don’t know what I would have done if I wasn’t close to my parents. They were killed in an accident when I was twelve, though.”

“Oh. Were you raised in foster care?” She heard the concern in his voice over the line and it softened her heart even more.

“No, my older brother took care of me. He was seventeen at the time, but he refused to let me go into the system.”

“Wow. I’m older than your brother.” He paused. “He’s going to hate me if he ever meets me.”

“Do you want to meet him?” Reagan tried to picture it, but she couldn't.

“Not any damn time soon. Can you imagine it? Hello, I’m the old man banging your sister in my office, even though she’s my student.” He snorted. “He’d kill me, and rightly so.”

“That’s entirely likely.” Out of instinct, Reagan glanced at the clock. She had enough time to talk freely without worrying about Grant.

“I wish you’d been there yesterday.”

She frowned, then whispered, “In your office?”

He groaned. “Yes, and also no. We have to stop meeting in my office, but I wanted to see you out of the classroom.”

“We both know what would have happened.” Reagan turned and stretched her legs out on the couch. “You would have fucked me on that desk again. I would have enjoyed it, of course, but I would have been disappointed when it was over and we went our separate ways. You have a tendency to make me feel like you don't really want me.”

“I promise, I want you. That’s the problem, Reagan. I want you so much that it hurts, but I’m not supposed to have you.”

“You always sound like you’re talking yourself out of a relationship with me.”

“That’s because I am.” She heard his frustrated sigh. “But I’m tired of that. I’m so tired of fighting it. I want more of this, more talking on the phone, more time together. Is that what you want?”

She chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about it. Of course she wanted that, too, but it was wrong. She could get him fired, just because she had feelings for him that she couldn't identify. She had to be honest, though. “I do.”

“You do?”

Reagan grinned as she heard the incredulity in Hudson’s voice. “Yeah. We need to give it a try.”

“It’s going to be hard being away from you for so long.”

“We’ve not really been together that much so far,” she pointed out.

“No, but I got to see you three times a week in class.”

“I knew you were watching me.”

“I couldn't help it, but I tried not to stare and make the other students suspicious.”

“I never noticed so it must have worked.” She took a deep breath. “So we’re going to give it a try?”

“We are.”

Her stomach clenched at the thought. She didn't think she was ready, but she was going to go for it.