Page 14 of Blurred Boundaries

“Good night, Mike,” he says finally, smiling a little as he leaves.

It takes every scrap of willpower I have not to grab him and kiss him senseless against the door, which is concerning because I’ve known this guy for what? All of five minutes in the grand scheme of life? Yet he has somehow worked his way under my skin like he always belonged there. I can’t make sense of it.

When he reaches his door, he looks back and catches me staring at him, he then winks at me before disappearing inside and closing the door behind him. The reaction stirring in my body at that simple wink feels completely ridiculous, like I have no control over it at all, and I have to remind myself again that I need to be sensible and not do anything that could mess up my career.

I know I’m doing the right thing by keeping my distance, I really do. But as I finally turn away and step into my room, that knowledge doesn’t stop my chest from tightening in a way that makes it hard to breathe.

9

TAJ

—Falling by Harry Styles

It’s been three weeks since Mike’s friends visited. Ever since they left, it feels like he has gone into hiding.

I mean, I still see him around because he shows up to lectures, answers questions, and goes about his day like normal. But something has changed. It feels like he has withdrawn, like he has shut a door I didn’t even realise I’d been standing in front of. And no matter what I do, I can’t seem to get close to him again.

I’ve tried everything I could think of. When I went to his apartment with his stupid Frappuccino one morning, offering to drive him to school again, he just thanked me and got on the bus right in front of me. The very next day, he showed up with a car of his own.

The few times I managed to catch him in his office, he was never alone. There was always someone there with him, like he planned it that way, and I would stand there for a moment, hoping for an opening that never came. I understand what he’s trying to do, but I just don’t want to accept it. Because the truth is, I want to get to know him. I can’t properly explain why, but there is something about him that stays on my mind. So, if what I’ve been doing isn’t working, then maybe I need to change my tactics.

I get to class earlier than usual today, the room is still empty when I walk in, and I take a seat near the front, hoping he might arrive before everyone else so I can talk to him. But there’s no such luck. Soon, Lukáš walks in and takes the seat beside me.

“Are you avoiding me?” he asks without even saying hello.

I turn to him and lean closer, reaching up to ruffle his hair. “My guy,” I say, “I can never avoid you. I was just sorting some things out.”

He sighs and leans in even more, lowering his voice. “Is it about Professor Sawyer?”

Lukáš is a very perceptive person, so I’m not surprised he has picked up on things. He might not know everything that has happened, but I wouldn’t put it past him to guess and not be far off either.

“Yeah, but I’m handling it.” I shrug.

He studies my face for a second. “Have you hooked up with him?”

“Before I knew he was my teacher,” I admit, leaving out what happened in his office.

It’s not that I don’t trust Lukáš. I do, but I just want to keep some things to myself.

He leans back in his chair, a wide smile spreading across his face. “I never thought the day would come,” he teases. “Taj wanting to hook up with the same person more than once. It’s a miracle.”

I huff out a small laugh and shake my head. “He’s different,” I say, because that’s the only way I can explain it without sounding completely gone.

Lukáš opens his mouth to say something, but the door opens before he gets the chance. Mike— Professor Sawyer—enters the room among the sea of other students rushing in. The air whooshes out of my lungs the moment I look at him.

He’s dressed casually today, in a simple sweater and a pair of jeans. Somehow it makes whatever is wrong with me even worse. Because him looking more relaxed and real, does nothing to help me focus. He moves to the front of the room, turning slightly as he plugs his computer into the projector. My eyes drop to his arse without permission, appreciating how the jeans are hugging his pert arse just right.

Such a tease. I groan. I have to physically stop myself from staring too long. This is exactly my problem, because even if I mean it that we can just be friends, my body is clearly not getting the message.

“You’re drooling, Taj,” Lukáš whispers beside me.

I close my mouth and swallow, then adjust myself as discreetly as possible. Meanwhile, my professor stands at the front, none the wiser about the torture he’s putting me through.

He turns to the board and points at the slide for today’s lecture, then starts explaining it. I try to be attentive, I really do, but my focus keeps slipping. Just like the first day, and every day after that, my eyes keep drifting back to him. To his lips when he speaks, to the way the deep baritone of his voice settles in the room. And when he turns around again, I find myself looking lower because I can’t help it.

Damn, that is one fine arse.

I drag my attention back to my notebook and force myself to write something down, to make it look like I’m learning, even if I couldn’t remember a thing if my life depended on it. By the time the lecture ends, my dick is tenting my pants. He packs up quickly and leaves almost immediately, like his fine arse is on fire.