“Yup. I sure am,” he says, winking at me and throwing me one of his signature pretty boy smirks. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he buries his face into my neck. My arms instinctively go around his shoulders as I nuzzle my face into his hair, inhaling his intoxicating scent. I don’t want to let him go… I never want to let him go.

“You know you mean a lot to me, right?” I ask, feeling my pulse soar at finally speaking those words out loud.

Nodding with his face still resting on my shoulder, he says, “Yeah. Or, well, I didn’t know for sure, but I hoped.” He moves until we’re standing face to face. “You mean a lot to me too, Stone.”

The sincerity in his tone nearly chokes me up. “I know this is probably the worst time to say this, but I feel like if I don’t, I’ll always regret it. I’d really like to explore the idea of you and me. It’s wrong because you’re my student and I’m about to be going through a divorce, but everything with you feels right. You feel right, Cash.”

Moisture pools in his eyes, never running over, and he opens his mouth before shutting it again, clearly at a loss for words.

“You don’t need to say anything tonight. I just needed you to know how I feel,” I tell him. “I better head home and let you get back to your party, but I’m happy I got to see you.”

“Okay. Hey—I’m sorry you’re having to go through this. I know it’s what you want, but it’s still not ideal. And I’m here if you need to talk about anything… or if you need to not talk about anything, I’m here for that too.” He grabs my hand, his thumb rubbing softly. “And I want exactly what you want, but there’s no rush.”

Cupping him on either side of his face, I crash my mouth down on his. His lips part immediately, a gasp falling from him, as my tongue licks and tastes him. My chest wants to explode from the appreciation and adoration I feel toward him. I’m somehow able to pull away before I completely ravage him in the middle of the street.

“Goodnight, Cash. I’ll see you later.”

“Night, teach.”

I watch him walk away, a permanent smile plastered on my face.

The feelings swimming around inside me are different, and to some, considered wrong. He’s my student, I’m married, and he’s a decade younger than me. But they feel good, and they make sense to me. When I’m with him, it feels right. I can’t explain it, nor do I want to dissect it. The chemistry we share is unmatched, our bodies made for each other.