"I'm sorry, gorgeous," Gary said softly. I could practically hear his smirk as he added, "We could order dinner and I'll make you feel like a teenager again."
"Easy, professor," I teased. "How was your day?"
"Long," he sighed. "I need a hot dinner, a hotter shower, and the hottest girl."
"I hope I'm the hottest girl you have in mind," I said, pretending to be grumpy.
"Always, baby girl," he chuckled. "Always."
"You have one more class, right?"
"Yeah," he said. "You're on your way home?"
"Yeah," I repeated. "I'm driving home now."
"Great," he said gently. "Get home, change into something comfy, and find us a movie to watch. I'll be home in a little over an hour."
"Better hurry," I said in a teasing tone. "I'd hate to behave like a teenager without you."
"Don't even think about it," he said, his voice sounding like he said it through gritted teeth.
"Don't worry, baby," I soothed. "I mean, I can behave like a teenager by myself. I'm really good at it, but it's not nearly as fun without you."
"Damn, baby girl," he moaned. "How am I supposed to stand up in front of a room full of college kids when I'm imagining my girl at home, waiting for me?"
"You started it," I chuckled. "Get to class, Professor. Call me on your way home and I'll change."
While he finished up his classes, I cleaned the house and ordered dinner. The second he walked in, I jumped into his arms. Gary carried me to the couch and we undressed. He had to quickly throw on his pants when the delivery man dropped off our dinner. After eating, we continued what we were doing earlier upstairs.
I woke up to someone kissing my bare shoulder. I moaned as I turned around, instantly tucking into Gary's chest.
"Why are you waking up?" I grumbled. "It's Saturday."
"I have to get to office hours," he chuckled.
"Who in their right mind would get up early on a Saturday after a late night just to go talk to a professor?" I sat up as Gary got out of bed. Seeing his naked form made me smirk. "Never mind," I said, making him look over his shoulder at me. "Now I get it."
He turned around, leaned down, and pressed his lips to mine. I grabbed his face and pulled him so he was lying on top of me. He kissed me back before slowly breaking the kiss.
"Baby," he sighed. "I really gotta get to campus."
"Fine," I pouted, pushing him off of me. He kissed my cheek before getting out of bed. "But you better not run off with some co-ed."
"And leave my Gorgeous History Teacher open for the Hot Math teacher to steal?"
"Are you kidding?" I teased. "I got nothing in common with Mr. Hammon."
He playfully glared at me before quickly returning to the bed. I giggled as he crawled back on top of me. I wrapped my arms around his neck as our lips smashed together.
"Mr. Hamman can go suck a calculator," Gary moaned against my lips. "You're all mine."
"Absolutely, Professor Sexy Ass."
Without getting off me, he looked over his shoulder at the clock on the bedside table.
"Damn it," he sighed. "I'm officially late."
I giggled as he leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to my lips before getting out of bed. I slipped on his flannel that I tore off him last night. While he showered, I went to the kitchen and started making him some coffee. I was just pouring it into his to-go mug when he came in.
I turned around and handed it to him. He went to grab it but wrapped his hand around mine, trapping me. He pulled me in and kissed me.
"What would I do without you?" He asked, lowering his voice.
"I don't know," I shrugged. "Stop at Starbucks a hundred times a day."
He laughed as he continued to hold me close. "Wanna meet your man for lunch?"
"Sounds perfect."
Gary leaned in and kissed me again. "You know I love you, right?" He asked as he broke the kiss.
"Of course I know that," I smiled. "Just like how you know I love you."
"All I want is for you to be happy and safe," he said, the look on his face falling.
"Well, I am happy," I shrugged. "But why wouldn't I be safe?"
Gary paused. Something in his eyes changed. "You never know," he whispered. The fear in his eyes made my heart sink.
"Baby," I said, gently grabbing his face. "I am happy and safe. With you."
* * * * *
I walked into the office, to see Gary grading papers. I leaned against the doorway and watched his expression change as he marked things.
"Damn," I moaned, making Gary's head snap up. "You must have all the girls in your class swooning."
"They can swoon all they want," he smirked as he stood up and walked over to me. He pulled me into his chest and said, "You're the only girl for me."
I giggled as he leaned down and picked me up, wrapping my legs around his waist. I tightened my arms around his neck as he carried me to his desk. He put me on the edge and stepped between my legs.
"You know what I've always wanted to do?" He asked, his voice deep.
"Have your way with a student in your office, Professor?" I asked, smirking.
"Not just any student," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper.
I moaned as he leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. As our lips moved in sync, Gary carefully laid me on top of his desk. I grabbed his shirt, pulling him on top of me.
"Professor Johnson," I whispered as he broke the kiss and started nibbling on my jawline. I smirked when he moaned. "We should probably lock the door."
* * * * *
After Gary and I fulfilled his fantasy, we went to lunch. Everything was normal except for one text that he got. When he looked at his phone, he quickly shut it off and put it back in his pocket. I went to ask him about it, but he said it was just an annoying coworker.
On the way back to the college, I noticed Gary continually looking into the rearview mirror. The more he looked into the rearview mirror, the tighter he gripped the steering wheel. After about the fifth time of checking something behind us, I had to say something about it.
"Gary," I said slowly. "Honey, is everything okay?"
"Yeah," he chuckled awkwardly. "I just. . ." He paused and looked in the rearview mirror again.
"What's going on?" I asked as I turned around.
"Don't," he said harshly as he grabbed my arm and turned me back.
"Gary," I whispered, "You're scaring me."
"I'm sorry, baby," he sighed as he let go of my arm and grabbed my hand. "It's just. . . It's complicated."
"What do you mean?"
He looked over at me and the fear in my eyes made the focus in his soften. He gently squeezed my hand.
"We're being followed."
"Wait, what?" I stuttered as I sat up.
"Don't worry," he tried to soothe. "I can get us out of this."
"But why. . . Why would someone be following us? We're teachers." I looked over at him, my heart sinking into my stomach. "Gary," I whispered. "What's really going on? Why would someone be following up?"
He looked at me and sighed. "Baby," he slowly started, "I promise I will tell you everything once I get us somewhere safe."
"Safe?" I stuttered.
I gasped when he quickly turned the truck. With both hands on the steering wheel, Gary weaved us through traffic. I couldn't help but continually look behind us. I wasn't sure what Gary saw, but I didn't notice anyone following us.
"Are you sure we're being. . ." I cut myself off with a gasp when he turned the car again.
"Blue GMC truck, two cars back," he said, sounding different. I don't know what side of him I was seeing, but I wasn't sure I liked it.
"Gary," I whispered. "Will you please tell me why we're being followed?"
He looked over at me, his eyes sinking. He checked the rearview mirror again before getting back onto the freeway.
"Look," he sighed. "I'm not actually a professor."
"What are you talking about?" I asked, my fear choking me.
"It's my cover."
"You're what?!"
He looked over at me and I could clearly see his nerves building. He looked back at the rearview mirror, relaxing a little.
"Baby, can we continue this conversation at home?" He asked, his voice full of hope.
"Okay," I said slowly. I looked away from him but I could still feel his eyes on me. We drove home in silence. Usually, I let him walk around and open the door for me but this time, I just wanted to get inside.
He quickly followed me. Once he was inside, I noticed him check the street before locking the door. He instantly walked over to me, grabbed my hands, and pulled me closer.
"Y/N," he whispered, "I really want to explain."
"You mean tell me the truth?" I scoffed as I tore my hands out of his and pushed him away from me. I walked past him and into the living room with him right on my heels.
I sat on the couch as he sat on the coffee table in front of me. He went to grab my hands but I moved them away.
"Sweetheart," he said softly, "I really am a professor but it's a cover."
"A cover for what?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest."
"It's kind of complicated," he stuttered. I scoffed as I scooted away from him. "Y/N, baby, I'm sorry."
"Sorry for lying to me?"
"Honey, please," he sighed. "I had to lie to you."
"What could possibly make you lie to me?"
"I work for the police as an undercover hitman," he rushed out.
"Gary," I scoffed as I stood up and started walking away. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Gary jumping over the coffee table to stop me from walking away.
"Y/N, I'm serious," he said, grabbing my hand and turning me around. "I work for the police as an undercover hitman."
"Saying it again doesn't clarify it," I said, pulling my hands out of his, "and it doesn't make it believable either."
"Then let me explain further," he sighed. "Y/N, I do work at the college, but I also help the police. I have a couple of aliases who people hire to kill their loved ones."
"What?" I gasped as I stepped away from him.
"I haven't," he said quickly. "Y/N, baby, they only think I will. It's a setup. They hire me to kill their loved one and I agree to it. Once they pay me, the police move in. See? I would never kill anyone."
We stared at each other as I tried to connect the dots. My mind was going everywhere as I looked into the eyes of the man I loved but wasn't sure I knew anymore. Gary must've known what I was thinking.
"Please believe me, gorgeous," he whispered desperately as he walked toward me. "I am still the same guy you met and fell in love with at that teaching conference three years ago. I just. . . I lie sometimes."
"Have you ever slept with one of your clients?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Of course not, baby," he said, stepping closer to me. He grabbed my hands and looked deeply into my eyes. "I promise, darling. I would never ever ever cheat on you. I'd rather lose a client, have my chief yell in my face, and never work for the police again than cheat on the woman of my dreams."
He pulled me into his chest and wrapped his arms around my waist. When I wrapped my arms loosely around his neck, he took that as a good sign because he slowly leaned in and kissed me. It took me a second before I started kissing him back.
When I started to kiss him back, he pulled me closer. Soon, our lungs were burning. He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against mine.
"I swear on my life, my love," he whispered, still out of breath, "I have never cheated on you."
"Okay."
"Okay?" He asked, slightly leaning back.
"I'm not okay with you lying and having aliases and agreeing to fake-kill someone," I sighed, playing with the buttons on his shirt. "But I love you."
"I love you, too, baby," he said quickly. I couldn't help but smile when I finally realized he was constantly calling me pet names to soften me up.
"You're careful, right?" I asked, my voice softening as I looked down at our feet. He reached over and gently lifted my head with his pointer finger.
"I'm always careful, sweetheart," he tried to reassure me. I couldn't help but take a step closer to him as I remembered what brought all this up.
"Gary?" I whispered.
"What, baby?" He asked.
"What about those people that followed us earlier? Who were they? Did they know who you were? Were they tracking you? What if they followed us home? What if they come back when you're on campus? What if they try to take me in order to get you to. . ."
"I won't let anything happen to you," he said firmly. "I promise, Y/N. I will always protect you."
