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Chapter 6

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It's raining after office hours as I head to the campus bakery to meet my lover, caffeine.

Someone named Mark is coming shortly to finally take the ugly rosewood desk. Then I get to spend the evening assembling the new one.

You know you're officially adulting when the thought of new furniture makes you want to skip in the rain.

I push the door open with my elbow, welcomed by aromas of chocolate and coffee beans. Floor length windows nestle with couches and tables, where students study in oversized hoodies, unwashed hair, and existential crisis.

A disappointing line of coffee addicts stretch across the small space. I sigh and walk to the end of the line.

My eyes soak in the environment. Strangers living their own lives., their faces riddled with freckles and wrinkles.

In the corner, a man in all black is reading a textbook, head shoved so deep, he might as well be motor-boating it.

Although his face is covered, every detail about him intrigues me.The way his fingers grip the edges of the book. The way his black curls connect like hills on top of his head. The way his spread legs exude dominance. Util he sets the book down to check his phone and⁠—

Of course I'm checking out Jake. Why is this guy everywhere? Good thing he can't see me. God, I'm looking away now. He's not even that cute.

Look away...

Today would be nice...

I hate myself.

"MA'AM, are you going to order today?" The barista snaps in my left ear, waking me up.

I blush. "Sorry, can I please get a small hazelnut latte with oat milk?"

"Grande, venti, trenta?"

"Small."

"One demi hazelnut latte with oat milk, your total is $5.65" She repeats flatly.

"Overpriced gibberish bullshit..." I mumble and reach inside my bag. "Ah fuck, I left my wallet in my office."

"Excuse me." A now familiar husky voice spills over my shoulder. "I got it."

"Don't." I plead but the credit card is already being swiped. I glare at Jake under my lashes. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Buying coffee for my favorite professor." He flashes an innocent smile. "I'm a good student."

I scoff as we move to the bar area. He stands in front of me with his hands in his pockets, hair messy from the rain, veins in forearms protruded.

"I have questions about class, Professor," he asks with amusement.

"Office hours are over, student." I roll my eyes.

"But it needs to be after office hours, otherwise how are you going to hide the huge crush you have on me?" He smiles playfully.

My coffee gets placed on the counter. I snatch it and head out the door. I glare at the cup, wondering if I should throw it away.

"You know we're stuck together for ten weeks right? Unless you plan to run from your job." Jake appears beside me. It's gloomy and cold, but this guy radiates sunshine and rainbows.

"Fine," I spit out. "But I swear it better be a real question."

I sneak a glance and instantly regret it. Jake under the rain with wet biceps, holding a leather jacket over his head is illegally hot.

I mean inappropriate. It's totally inappropriate.

Thankfully the wind slaps me for nearly losing my shit. I shiver and tighten the cardigan around myself. Watch me get sick by next week.

"You're freezing." He notes and starts moving his jacket towards me.

"Stop! Are you crazy?" I shout and hop to the side.

He chuckles. "What are you, a bunny? Wear my jacket."

I hop again as he approaches, leaving his arms in the air. Everyone hastily takes cover and doesn't pay attention, but my nerves go on overdrive.

I rush ahead, determined to escape, when a sudden weight of leather material drapes over my shoulders.

"Stay warm. I'll walk around the building and meet you inside." He says and turns away in the opposite direction. Under pouring rain. In a fucking t-shirt.

Once inside my office, I hang the jacket in front of a small heater and proceed with a grooming ritual. Booger check, T-zone blot, hair flip, lip balm.

You know, to look professional.

Normally, I'd light some candles and switch on string lights. But when Jake appears in a soaked shirt clinging to his sculpted chest, I choose the sobering route of fluorescent lights.

"Your jacket's warm." I motion with my head down. "You should put it on." Please.

He does, then we take a seat. And even though his chair is much lower than mine, his gaze overpowers me. I clear my throat, folding my hands together.

"How can I help you?" I roll my eyes when he quirks a brow. "Your question, Jake?"

"You think I had a question?" He smirks.

My mouth drops open, but we get interrupted by a knock on the door. I look over Jake's shoulder to see Kayden, or Dr. Cohen, a Professor of Cognitive Psychology.

His silver hair is accentuated in a grey suit and a white button- down. Even though he's in his early forties, a gym membership shaves about ten years off.

"Hi Mia, sorry to interrupt." He smiles.

"No worries." I wave him off. "Is this about Molly?" Her daughter's been a patient of mine for the last six months.

"Oh no, Molly's fine. She actually won't stop talking about you."

My heart swells. "Aw, well your daughter is my favorite patient."

He smiles. "I just dropped by to congratulate you for breaking another university record. And it's only been your first week!"

Oh God. They know. I'm going on the Guinness World Records. I can imagine the headline: 'A dumbass professor jumps a student before classes have even begun.'

Kayden tilts his head at my reaction. "You know you've been filmed, right?"

Please. No way. I look at Jake, but he seems just as confused.

"You really have no clue, do you?" Kayden chuckles in disbelief. "I'm talking about your lecture on attachment disorders! One of your students posted it online and it went viral. Not only are you the youngest professor in university history, you've now put us in the social media spotlight! Two firsts in the space of a week. You really are something."

My heart starts beating again and my shoulders sink forward. "My lecture? Viral? On YouTube?"

"Congratulations." Jake beams and turns to Kayden. "She killed it, didn't she?"

"Thanks. Uh, Kayden, can you send me the link?" I interject anxiously.

Kayden ignores me and nods at Jake. "She sure did. She's got a lot of eyes on her now." He looks at me and winks. "You should be proud. I gotta go, I'll see you later."

I don't even get a chance to take a deep breath when he leaves, because my phone rings with a text message. I get up from my seat in relief when I check who it's from.

"Oh thank God, this useless session is over. Mark's here to pick up the desk."

"You're getting rid of this desk?" Jake points at the furniture between us.

I deadpan. "No. He's just here to lift it for fun, then put it back and go home."

"Do you know the guy?" He asks dryly, ignoring my joke.

"Why? Are you going to protect me?" I ask sarcastically.

His lips pull into a faint smirk. "Among other things."

My pulse quickens, until someone knocks again. A pocket sized woman in a blue peacoat and a monstrously pregnant belly stands by my door.

"Hi, I'm Sophie? Mark's little sister? I'm here to pick up the desk."

I glance at Jake and lean in to whisper. "My God, she looks murderous. I'm so glad you're here. Kick her ass."

He doesn't seem amused, which makes me suppress a giggle. I get up and walk around the desk, smiling at Sophie. "Are you parked out front?"

"Yeah. Oh my God, I'm so sorry. I've never done this before, I thought you're going to put it in my car."

I wave her off. "Of course. No worries. I got it."

"You got it?" Jake stands up and raises an unimpressed eyebrow.

"You got a problem with that?" I retort with the same tone and scoff. He has no idea how intimidating I am at the gym.

I roll up my sleeves, grumbling under my breath about being patronized and shoo Jake to the side. I bend forward on the desk and grip the edges.

"Hyynnnnn.......uuughhhhh"

I push with vigor, with power, and with honor for women who don't need a man. All my days at the gym have led to this moment, to use the muscle mass and sass to change history.

But not today. This rosewood desk is a HEAVY motherfucker.

I blow the hair out of my face. "Not a problem, not a problem. I will move you with my brain." I cackle and walk to the bookshelf to grab a notebook and rip some sheet dividers from it.

If you use some kind of slippery material under heavy furniture, it should glide like butter. I've seen it in a Facebook video. So I place the sheet dividers under the desk and bend again. The outcome is pitiful.

"Why won't this damn thing move." I hiss in between grunts.

"How about you move?" Jake gently shoves me aside, clicking his tongue. I watch as his arms flex over the desk and swiftly pick it up.

"Do you even lift, bro?" He chuckles at my raging glare before leaving the office.

"Wow. Your boyfriend is so strong." Sophie wiggles her eyebrows.

"He's not my—" I begin to protest, but she's already following Jake out the door.

It has stopped raining, thankfully. Jake secures the desk in the back of her truck. Sophie pays me and leaves. I say sayonara to the desk and go back inside, with Jake still mocking me about my gym gains.

"Is this the new desk?" He asks when we pass the unopened box by the door.

"Yup." I beam. I can't wait to get started.

"Do you need help assembl—"

"No, thanks. Get out." I grab his stuff and push them on his chest, kicking him out.

"You sure? I'm scared you'll break a finger—" He smirks as I shut the door on his face.

"Good night, Jake!"

~~A/N ~~

To be fair, Mia DOES lift heavy at the gym, and Jake is just a SHOW OFF.

Question: What's your favorite coffee order?

If you liked this chapter, please vote :)