I should tell her. I should tell her everything that happened today, but the way she’s devouring this food, it makes me want to just watch her eat—so I do. Until every single bite is gone from the container, I silently watch her.

“You’re going to have to tell me what’s up, Thomas,” she demands.

My eyes snap to hers and she shakes her head, wiping her lips with a napkin. “I know it’s something. I can tell by the way you fucked me, and by the way you’re staring at me. Something’s up, now just spill,” she demands.

I almost laugh, unsure of how she already knows me so well, and yet, I shouldn’t be surprised. I feel like I know her just as well, myself. “Two major life-changing things happened today,” I begin.

Her eyes widen, and she tries to tug the sheet up to cover her chest, but I don’t let her. Fisting the fabric, I pull it down and expose her bare tits for my viewing pleasure. She makes a sound in the back of her throat, but in this bed, I like my Ines naked.

“I knew Danielle was going to fuck with me some more, and I was right,” I grumble. “I had a meeting today with the Board of Regents. I’m on probation, unpaid probation, pending an investigation,” I state.

Ines gasps, reaches out toward me and wraps her hand around my wrist. “It’s okay, angel eyes,” I say. Her shocked and worried expression is almost too much to bear. “I had an interview this morning with a laboratory. It’s research, testing, and all the things I haven’t done since my doctorate. I got the job,” I announce.

“Thomas,” she scolds. “You’re making my head spin.”

I chuckle, removing her hand from my wrist, but only to hold it in my own. Giving her a squeeze, I explain about the job, about the salary and what I would be doing, then I tell her about my evening.

“An anonymous tip was sent in. A photograph of us together the night we were engaged. In the letter your name was given, and of course it’s easily proven that you’re one of my students. It was Danielle, I know it was. I prepared for this, and I made sure I already had job interviews lined up, just in case,” I explain.

“I can’t believe this,” she gasps. “She was there that night, she’s been planning this.”

I nod. “I figured she was planning something, and when the divorce didn’t yield the results she wanted, she went a different route. Honestly, Ines, I’m not worried about me. I got my shit handled, I’m more concerned with you now. My unpaid leave of absence will just be over the holidays, my new job starts right after the first, and even after paying Danielle her portion of the house, we’re going to be fine financially.” I explain, trying to ease her worries.

“Is she really that angry, Thomas? Is she still in love with you?” she asks, her wide eyes innocently looking at me.

I shake my head, glancing at our hands, which are in one another’s grasp, her ring still shiny and new on her finger. “She’s not in love with me, Ines. She never was. She’s angry because she’s used to getting her way, and she didn’t this time. It will all work out, we have each other and that is all that matters.”

Ines inhales a deep breath, releasing it, then tips her head to the side. “You said I could get in trouble, too. If we were caught.” I nod slowly.

“The chancellor will probably be contacting you for a meeting soon,” I state.

Ines presses her lips together. “Then I won’t go there anymore. I don’t see how I can next semester anyway, plus I still have zero clue what I want my major to be. Kosmo was right, it’s a waste of money,” she practically whispers.

Leaning forward, I cup her jaw in my hand and gently glide the pad of my thumb over her bottom lip. “Education is never a waste of money, angel eyes,” I murmur. “However, if you want to take some time off, then I’ll support you. If you don’t, then I’ll support that as well. Whatever you want to do, I’ll support,” I explain.

“I’m a mess,” she says. “How could you want to marry someone, and have a baby with them, when they have zero direction in life, Thomas?”

I shake my head, closing my eyes slowly, then reopening them. “You don’t need to have everything planned out, Ines. It’s okay to take life one day at a time, one season at a time. Right now, you’re pregnant, and we’re getting married. I’m switching careers, and we need to find a new place to live. I think that alone is enough on your plate. If you want to go to school, any type of school, in the future, then I’ll help you any and every way that I can. Let’s take this one moment at a time.”

Ines finally gives me a smile, a real smile, although it isn’t as bright as my favorite ones of hers, but I’ll fucking take it. “I can’t believe that she really did that,” she exhales. “What a bitch.”

I’m unable to hold back my laughter, and I nod. “Yeah, she can be. She’s cutthroat, which is why she’s done so well in the corporate world, and probably why I had no desire to be part of it.”

“You could do it, your dad did it,” Ines shrugs.

I crawl up the bed, laying her down, and then joining her on my side. Lifting my hand, I trace little patterns on her belly. I can’t believe that my child is inside of her, growing, and soon I’ll be able to feel him or her kick against my hand when I do this. I can’t fucking wait.

“I don’t have that kind of drive in me, sweetheart. I love being behind the scenes, I love science and creating a theory, then developing it, and experimenting with it. The business world just isn’t for me,” I shrug.

Ines lifts her arm, and traces my jawline with her finger, moving toward my lips and tracing them as well. “Whatever you do, I want it to make you happy,” she smiles. “And when you told me about this new job, your eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. I get it now, why you say that about me. I witnessed yours doing the same.”

I nip the tip of her finger, continuing to make patterns on her soft belly. “It’s not the job that makes my face that way, sweetheart,” I state. Her eyes glance up and meet mine, instantly. “It’s you,” I say.

Leaning forward, I press my lips to hers, shifting her so that she’s lying on her back and I’m pressed against her side. Ines wraps her arms around my shoulders and holds me against her, pulling my weight against her small frame.

“Let’s go to Florida next week. I want to meet your family, show them that I’m not a horrible man,” I mumble against her lips.

Ines drags her fingertips up my spine and tangles them in my hair, tugging my head back slightly. “You’re a good man, Thomas. The best.”

“You lie. I’m not, or I wouldn’t have touched you, I definitely wouldn’t have pursued you,” I chuckle.

Ines hums against my mouth, her sweet lips brushing mine again. “Well I don’t care, I think you’re the best man I’ve ever met.”

I grunt, refusing to argue with her about this because I know that I’m right, and she’s got love blinders on. Instead, I spend the rest of the evening showing her just how much I love her, just how good I think she is, and how I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her.

Thomas was completely correct when he said that I would get an email from the chancellor for a meeting. I sit in the chair, my knee bouncing nervously as I wait to be seen. I can’t believe that I really have to do this, to explain my situation with Thomas.

This morning, I talked to my counselor to see if I could drop out of my classes, and not lose every single dime that was invested. Luckily, it’s early enough to at least get half of my money back from tuition so I won’t be completely in the hole when my scholarship comes knocking and expects me to pay back what they spent on me. I’m definitely going to have to get some kind of day job. There’s no way I can expect Thomas to pay for my mistake.

“Ms. Nazario, the chancellor will see you now,” the secretary calls out.

I stand, wishing that I would have worn something more modest. My long sleeve shirt is thin, but extremely low cut and my jeans are skin-tight. I left my makeup lighter than normal, I don’t know why, I felt it made me look a little less trampy.

As soon as I walk into his office, the chancellor stands and points to the chair across from him. I slowly sit down on the edge of the seat and I tap my toe, waiting—just waiting, for him to say something.

“There were some allegations made against Professor Jacobson, complete with pictures. I would like to hear your side of the story, Ms. Nazario.”

Clearing my throat, I inhale a deep breath and straighten my shoulders in false confidence. “Thomas Jacobson and I, we broke the rules,” I admit.

“No, I don’t think you understand. You are a student, his student, you did nothing wrong.”

I almost snort at his words, they’re kind of funny. “In all fairness, chancellor, I’m eighteen years old. I knew what I was doing, the same as him. It doesn’t matter though, I love him, and he loves me. I wouldn’t change a second of it. I’ve already dropped my classes, and I moved out of my dorm room weeks ago.”

“Don’t ruin your life over this, Ines. You’re still a young woman, only eighteen, think about the repercussions of your actions and decisions.”

Standing from my seat, I shake my head, leaning forward and placing one hand on his desk and the other on my belly. “I haven’t ruined anything, chancellor. I’m going to have a beautiful life with the man I love, and we’re going to be married, and then we’re going to have a baby together. My life is going to be absolutely gorgeous,” I whisper.

The chancellor shakes his head and looks at me with something akin to pity swimming in his eyes. “You’re a naïve young thing. He’s preying on you, and you’re going to ruin your life for some washed up ex-college professor.”

Turning my back to him, I walk away, not wishing to engage any longer in this conversation. With my hand on the doorknob, I turn around one last time. “I’m not naïve, chancellor. I’m young, and maybe I’m ruining my life, but I can’t see how it’s possible when this man gives me more than I’ve ever had in my entire life. He’s not washed up, and he’s not a has been, but you’re right, he’s an ex-college professor.”

I continue walking away from him, not wishing to explain myself or Thomas, to him or anybody else on this campus. It doesn’t matter, they don’t matter. My baby, and Thomas, that’s what matters now. With my head held high, I continue on my path toward my parked car.

“Ines,” a voice calls out.

I cringe, turning around to see Alison heading toward me.

“Did you hear about that hot physics professor, hooked up with a student and got fired. Can you believe it? Crazy, I mean how many of these guys are boinking their students and he gets caught,” she shakes her head.

“Crazy,” I mutter keeping my lips closed.

She snaps her finger and points at me. “How’s your sugar daddy? That still a thing? I never found one, I was thinking of putting in an online dating profile, see what I can drum up.”

I almost laugh in her face, almost, if it wasn’t so sad. “I’m happy, Alison. Thanks for asking. We’re having a baby, and getting married,” I announce.

Her face pales and she shakes her head. “Are you fucking crazy? You’re only eighteen,” she practically screeches.

Tipping my head to the side, I smile widely. “Professor Jacobson and I are extremely happy together,” I wink. Her mouth hangs open in shock, but I don’t wait around. Alison is a bitch, and I’m glad that I’ll probably never have to run into her again—another bonus of dropping out of college.

Once I’m in my car, I start the engine and I head home—home to my fiancé, to the man who loves me. I don’t care what the chancellor says. Thomas and I crossed paths for a reason, and we were meant to be, there is nobody else for me but him.