sm

se building in Lower Manhattan, staring at the add

was

Jackson'

. It was the kind of place that belonged in an architecture magazine-all exposed bri

l what I'

turn around and leave before I ma

I seriously

Pretend this arrangement had never happened and

s, then a laugh slipped from my lips a

interest. And I couldn't

larship committee wouldn't care that I'd been drunk, or

ee a student involved with her professor, and everything

whenever money got tight. About every application I'd filled out, every

ght wasn't miserable enough al

nd on my best friend's waist, the guilt flashing

y hit lik

cheated, I wo

e walked into that bar. And if I hadn't walked

released a slow breath before

ve, but I kept walking anyway. By the time I reached the e

n't locked. Neithe

hy that bothere

en the doors slid open, I found myself staring down

cked up as

ned the moment

ock

come. The thought irritated

inside, only for every expectation

asn't what I

ing that would confirm every terrible thing I'd thought

pace felt stra

h exposed brick walls, enormous windows overlookin

tening the industrial edges of the space. Books were stacked o

y scattered acro

e smell of fresh coffee. And somehow, that unsettled me fa

're

ward the voice. Professor Jacks

the suit, he looked different

pushed up to his forearms. The city lights spilled through

ere instead of in a classr

se stu

" I said, crossing

is mouth lifted

rritation. It gave me something to focus on b

d the roo

im. His height. His poise. The steady way he lo

u c

I didn't have

swept across his face

r en

ably. "Can we just

on me for a mome

low

r him deeper i

the more artwork I noti

ile others had been ab

. "You st

ver his shou

ght you

everyo

estions, ones I had no business

was da

ad never be

kspace. A raised platform stood

it made my st

ddenly impossi

tion anymore or a thre

was

d his arms. "Before we

allo

happen here. Whatever happens in

ttled heavil

on outside t

away firs

ntinued, his voice lowering sl

d back

us

elt almost

h. "You blackmailed me into being h

stratingly calm. "And yet I

reasonable

cause he wasn't behavin

ug th

us satis

ofessio

But instead, it made me more uneas

the overhead lights, completely focused on the tas

oked up suddenly. Our eyes met, and

the words catching me off guar

escaped me. We both

e the platform. The bright beam spilled across

ys the hardest," Profess

unreadable. For some reason

ened around the

really

delaying it. No more pr

ld my gaze for a mom

our clothes

ice. If anything, it sounded d

eath

hing insid

tening to choke me, I slowly re