“You still think I’m mad about the fact that you’re on this trip with us?” he asks, sounding almost incredulous.
My eyes widen. “Yeah. I mean, I know I wasn’t exactly invited, and I know I’m not your favorite student ever, so…” I trail off, and his expression softens. “Thank you.”
He nods once. “It’s not a problem, Wren. It’s not like the extra plate of food is going to break the bank for me, you know?” He laughs, and I smile. “I’m glad you’re here with Felicity. She won’t admit it, but she was really looking forward to spending two weeks with her mom. I know she’s disappointed.”
I tilt my head. “Yeah, I figured.”
He smirks, patting my arm awkwardly. “Okay, why don’t you get settled, and we’ll head out to explore the city in an hour?” I was hoping to nap, but I’d never admit that to him. I don’t want to seem ungrateful. He must read my mind, because he gives me a wry, lopsided smile that makes my stomach flip over a couple of times. “We just got here. You can’t possibly want to sleep the day away.”
I scowl at his assumption, neither admitting nor denying my utter exhaustion. “I just need a coffee and then I’ll be fine.”
He nods and then he walks away, shouting over his shoulder. “One hour, Wren.”
It’s a brisk day in Prague as we head out of the apartment. I’m grateful for my winter coat, hat, and gloves. Even my fur-lined boots manage to keep my feet toasty as we twist through the magical city, finally stopping in the Old Town Square for the Czech Republic’s version of a hot dog—sausage in bread rolls, topped with sauerkraut. They’re massive, and my grumbling stomach appreciates the fresh, soft bread and the juicy meat. I swear, food tastes a thousand times better the hungrier you are.
After we finish, we walk through other parts of the Old Town, and then Felicity and I ask Blake to take our picture under the Astronomical Clock in the Old Town Square. I try to ignore the way his eyes don’t leave mine right away, or how his light grey pea coat brings out the silver flecks in his thick hair. Every time he looks my way, I feel my stomach bottom out.
Have I always been like this around him? I’ve known him for almost four years now, since Felicity and I were freshman. We didn’t get along then, and I knew he didn’t like the fact that I was friends with his daughter. Nothing ever happened—nothing that should warrant his dissatisfaction with my and Felicity’s friendship. In fact, when I first met Blake, he seemed to dislike me instantly.
We managed to be somewhat cordial over the years, and I’d spent many nights at their house, but it had never been like this. Something changed recently. I’m just not sure if it’s me, or him. Whoever is to blame for the awkwardness now, and whatever I’m feeling when his dark eyes meet mine, has yet to be uncovered. Was it seeing me with Taylor a couple of weeks ago? Was it seeing each other every day of the week, and feigning hatred? Had the hatred turned into… something else?
It didn’t really matter, I suppose. It is forbidden. It simply cannot happen. I don’t even want to entertain the thought.
We head back to the apartment a couple of hours later, and we all decide we need a nap. He tells us to set an alarm for dinner, and I nearly cry with relief as I climb into bed with Felicity. My body is aching from all the walking, and my eyes are stinging with exhaustion. I fall asleep immediately and wake much to soon to the shrill sound of my phone alarm.
“Oh my fucking god,” Felicity groans, rolling over to face me. “I could sleep the rest of the night.”
I frown and rub my eyes. “I know, me too.”
“Will you go wake my dad? I’m going to pee,” she whines, climbing out of bed slowly and cracking her back. “Ugh. I’m also starving again.”
I laugh as we both exit the bedroom, and as Felicity heads to the bathroom, I tiptoe to Blake’s room. I softly push the door open, and it’s so dark at first that I can’t make anything out.
“Blake?” I say into the darkness. “It’s six. Time to wake up.” My eyes adjust slowly as I make my way into his bedroom. I can hear him breathing softly, and I squint as try to find my footing—
“Shit,” I hiss, stumbling over something and falling forward onto the bed.
Onto Blake.
I must startle him because he pulls me down, flips me over, and pins me to the mattress with such force that I can’t understand what’s happening at first. I gasp, my heart hammering in my chest as my eyes adjust to the darkness.
His eyes—they’re feral, glassy, unhinged. Like he’s still asleep. His hair is falling over his forehead, and my eyes travel down to his bare chest, and then to his tight boxers…
I can feel him—his hot skin, the rough callouses in his fingers that scrape against my wrists, and something poking the band of my sweatpants…
We both have the same realization at the same time, because he curses and stumbles off of me.
“Fuck, Wren,” he says, standing in the corner of the room. “You scared me.”
I’m still breathing heavily as I climb out of his bed, backing away. “Sorry. Felicity told me to wake you up, and it was dark, so I tripped over something—” My eyes flash to the pile of clothes on the floor. “Anyways. It’s six. Bye.”
I’d never run out of a room quicker.
We have a pleasant dinner at a nice restaurant across the river in the Malá Strana, otherwise known as the Little Quarter. The architecture is newer here, but not by much. We’d spent a few minutes wandering down the cobblestone streets, admiring the pastel tones of the houses. It felt luxurious, and nice cars passed us by as we headed to the place that Blake found. We eat pork and dumplings, more sauerkraut, crusty bread, and then delicious koláčes for dessert—jam-filled pastries that practically melt in our mouths.
I can barely keep my eyes open on the walk back to our apartment. As we head inside, the panic at what happened earlier rises to the surface. I fell on top of Blake, he rolled me over and pinned me to the bed in a way that told me he was a total dominant, and then on top of it all, I felt his large erection against my stomach?
What the hell was happening, and why was I starting to feel an inkling of interest toward someone who should remain my teacher? I guess I could psychoanalyze myself and say it’s because he let me tag along to Europe with him, but it started before this, if I’m really being honest with myself. Maybe Taylor was to blame, often leaving me high and dry just in time for history class with Mr. Cooper.
Or maybe it was the way I wanted to prove to him that I was a good student. I didn’t know why it mattered so much, but I guess over the years, I got sick of being known as Felicity’s bad influence. His opinion began to mean something to me.
It didn’t feel wrong to think about him in this way.
It wasn’t totally out of the realm of possibility.
But I knew it was for us.
I wait until Blake and Felicity are done getting ready before I brush my teeth and take a long, hot shower. I feel drunk with exhaustion, and I don’t even bother brushing my hair as I dry off and pull on my flannel pajama set. I stumble into my bedroom, and collapse beside Felicity, like a tired, useless heap of flesh.