Lying With Temptation (11 page)

             
Russ looks at me, “No man, she just talked and I let her…but I will say this.  She really thinks you’re not into her.” 

             
I can tell he’s holding something back…I know Gabby whatever else happened she swore him to secrecy and Russ might be a man whore, but he’ll keep someone’s secret to the grave. I hear her coming in the door…Alright so I’m not going to worry about the roommate thing anymore…I’m just going to go for it.  Not full force for the next few days whatever has happened has her acting strange, but…soon.

             
I walked in the living room, “Hey Gabby what’s your plans for tonight?”

             
“Um nothing really, Daria said she’s staying with Cade.” She rolls her eyes, “I think they are roll playing or something.  I was just going to watch a movie or something.”

             
“Cool, Russ is going to meet with his tutor.  You wanna run out and grab a bite to eat and bring it back here; we can grab a movie from the Red box?”

             
She nods, “Sounds good.”  She grabs up her purse and we head out the door.

             
Driving through town we finally settle on Mexican food.  We are waiting on our togo orders and all of a sudden I feel her tense up beside me.  I look at her, “Are you okay?”

             
She nods, “Yeah.”

             
I hear someone clear their throat and start to speak, “Well hello Gabriella.  How are you this evening?”  It’s Professor Jennings.

             
She barely looked up, “I’m fine, we just got in from the game.  We’re gonna grab some take-out and go back to our room.”

             
“You are roommates with Mr. Addison here?”

             
“Yes, we live in coed housing.”

             
“Oh well, I’ll see you at work Monday morning and I’ll see you at class Mr. Addison.”

             
As soon as they came with our order, Gabby jumped up and practically bolted for the door.  Which makes me wonder
What in the hell he’s done to her?

             
After we get in my car, I put my hand on hers, “Gabby, what’s wrong?  Has he done something to you?”

             
She shook her head, “No, he’s just intense sometimes.”

             
“Gabby you looked terrified.”

             
“I’m fine really, let’s just go back to the apartment so you can watch this chick flick with me.”

             
I chuckle, “You just be glad that I know you’ve had a rough few days and need a pick me up.”  I’ll just leave the whole Professor Jennings thing for today.  But I know he did something and I’ve heard way too many stories about him for it to be good.

Chapter 14

Gabby

              Linc and I pretty much ride in silence to our apartment.  I know my reaction to Jennings was obvious.  I’m going to have to talk to him at work…I have to put a stop to this.  It’s not something I want to do again.  I can’t believe I screwed up so freakin bad, I just really can’t believe I would do such a thing.  I’m a freakin idiot. But I also think about what he said to me and what Russ told me.  God I hope I can get control of this.

             
“Gabby!”

             
“Oh shit sorry, I must’ve dazed off for a second, I didn’t realize we’d already made it back.”             

             
I help grab our bags of food and the movie so we can head up to our place.  Once we got in the apartment, I grab a couple of beer out of the fridge, “Linc beer okay with you?”

             
“Yeah Gab works for me.  You putting the movie in?”

             
I walk over and sit the beers down on the coffee table, “Yeah.”  I grab the DVD and put it in the player and flop down on the couch beside Linc.

             
We sit there eating and joking for the next hour of the movie.  We try each other’s food.  Then, Linc starts to rub my feet while we are sitting on the couch.  “Linc you don’t have to do that.”

             
“Gabby, it’s cool, I like doing things for you.”

             
I can’t help but smile a little smile and I can see this makes him happy.  I really want to be with him, but if he finds out about my stupidity…he’s not going to want me.  I’ve really fucked up…I can’t just not tell him if I really want to be with him.  The rest of the night is very PG.  After the second movie was over Russ came in and ate our left over’s. I pick this time to deflect attention from me and give Russ a hard time about my sister.

             
“So Russ, what did my sister say to you before she left?  She wouldn’t tell me, I know she’s too much of a goody goody to whisper dirty secrets in your ear, but the way the two of you were blushing, I really wasn’t sure.”

             
He flops down in a chair, “Damn what is it?  I’m nice to one girl and she’s nice to me and all of a sudden it’s like I’m being interrogated at Gitmo.”

             
I laugh, “No I just thought it was cute.  You guys…it was just cute.  My sister never gets like that with guys and the two of you just seemed so relaxed with each other.  Her last boyfriend was some uptight country club type prick.  Like I told you before, don’t ever think someone is out of your league…you just aren’t at that place yet.”

             
Russ smiles at me, “Thanks Gab, you’re a great girl.  You are going to make
some son-of-a-bitch
happy one day.”

             
I laugh knowing he’s talking about Linc, “I’m going to get a shower and go to bed, Goodnight guys.  Thanks again for this weekend.” 

~*~

              Monday comes a lot sooner than I want it to.  Now I have to face Jennings…what am I going to say?  As I walk out into the kitchen to grab myself some coffee, Russ is standing there waiting for it to brew.

             
He looks over at me, “So are you going to be okay today…I mean with you know who?”

             
I shrug, “Yeah, I just gotta get it over with right?”

             
He pulls me to his side, “You know how to get up with me if you need me.”

             
I smile and wink, “Are you really this thoughtful or are you just buttering me up to get to my sister?”

             
He playfully shoves my shoulder, “Whatever Gab.”

~*~

              As I walk into Professor Jennings office he’s on the phone, so I get to work with my usual things. After he gets off the phone he shuts his office door, he walks over and wraps his hands around my waist. I take deep breathe and move away. He tries to pull me back and I shake my head.

             
“Look Professor Jennings what happened can’t happen again.  I just can’t…I mean it’s too much…I’m sorry.  The other night I was upset and vulnerable.  I really didn’t mean for it to happen.”

             
He looks at me and chuckles, “Oh you didn’t mean for it to happen. What kind of bullshit is that? You don’t understand, I say when this is done. I said I wanted to see you again and I meant it.”

             
“Well, I don’t want to see you again.”

             
He closes in on me and presses me up against a filing cabinet and runs his hands up and down my body.  “See you like this.”

             
I’m suddenly fighting the urge to vomit, I find the strength to shove him away, “No this is inappropriate and if you don’t leave me alone.  I’ll report this.”

             
He laughs, “Really… you’re going to say what? That you had consensual sex with me.  Sweetheart that’s going to get you in just as much trouble as me.”

             
I shove past him and open his office door, “Whatever. You should be ashamed.”

             
He chuckles, “See you in class in a little bit.”

My adrenaline is pumping, I shoot a text to Russ.

              Me:  I need help can you meet me?

Russ: Sure are you okay?  Where do you want to meet?

Me:  I’m okay right now, at the coffee cart in front of the student union.

             
Russ:  Okay see you in 5.

             
Me: Thanks!

             
A few minutes later I see Russ jogging up my way.  I stand up and walk his way, “Come over here with me.”

             
“Gabby what’s up you are scaring me?”

             
“Okay so operation tell Professor that it was a mistake didn’t go well.”

             
“What happened? Did he hurt you?”

             
I shake my head and relay the conversation we had, I see Russ’s face start to turn red.

             
“That egotistical son of a bitch. He thinks he can threaten you, with what happened.”

             
“Well, he kind of can.  I mean if I report it I have to tell the truth or I’m just as wrong as him.”

             
“No, I think we need to read the student bi-laws.  Also, you had been drinking that night. You can say that normally you wouldn’t make mistakes like that.”

             
“Yeah but, then everyone will know.”

             
“Gabby, just think, if he is doing this to you…how many others have there been?”

             
I nod my head, “I know, but what do I do?”

             
“Well, let me do some research, in the meantime I think you need to quit your T.A. job.”

“Russ I have to work.”
 

“Yeah,
I know the gym just off campus is looking for a trainer/desk worker, I’ll talk to the guy.  You have class with Linc right?”

             
“Yeah, but I still don’t want him to know.”

             
“He doesn’t have to, just stay with him.  That jackass won’t approach you with someone else around.  Okay….we are going to get you through this.”  He pulls me into a hug.

             
I smile, “Thanks Russ.  I really don’t know what I would do without you right now.”

             
“Just don’t find yourself alone with him.”

             
“What am I going to tell everyone about quitting?”

             
He keeps me tugged up under his arm, “We’ll figure something out. Don’t worry about that now.”

Chapter15

Linc

             
What in the Hell is going on with Russ and Gabby?  I understand being friends, but I saw them this morning hugging in the kitchen and now out here in the courtyard.  He knows I like her, what fucking game is he running?  Maybe he’s just talking to her about her sister or something, God I hope so.  I don’t think I can handle seeing her with someone else.  I’ll try to see what I can find out in class.

~*~

              I walk into Jennings class and slide into my seat next to Gabby, she looks up and smiles at me.

             
“Hey Gabby, everything going okay today?”

             
“Yeah, just still getting over this weekend.”

             
“Did Anna make it back okay and everything?”

             
“Yeah, she did.  Of course she was asking me all about that wonderful cousin of yours.”

             
I chuckle, “Yeah, Russ has a way with the ladies.”

             
She smiles, “He is really a good guy.”

             
“So…. I may be out of line to ask this but, is there anything going on between you and Russ?”

             
She laughs, “God No!  He’s just a really great friend.  I can’t believe you thought that.”

             
“Well, I mean you guys have certainly gotten kinda chummy these past few days.”

             
She smiles, that smile makes me melt.  “Russ has just been a great sounding board…I told him I think he should change his major to Psych…Plus I think he’s falling head over heels for my little sister.”

             
“Oh yeah, sorry…I just saw you guys hug a couple of times…I was ugh…never mind.”

             
“Mr. Addison, is that a touch of jealously I’m sensing?”  She winks.