Sweet Chemistry (4 page)

Hours later, in the hall outside lab, Kate sagged against the wall and sighed. She made it through her first week of classes.

* * * *

Kate spent the weekend hanging out with Meg, who did a good job at keeping her mind off James. Thankfully, he had stopped calling.

The second week of class came and went as she tried to avoid James. She kept her head down, and asked as little questions as possible. When she went to work, she stayed out of sight. James only looked at her warily during lab, seemingly content to keep a distance as well.

The next week was filled with a flurry of excitement over their first exam. The test was scheduled for the following Monday, and it was all anyone could talk about.

Friday after class, Angelica turned around in her seat to face Kate and Tim. “I’m hosting a study group. If you guys want to come, we’re going to start Saturday afternoon around four. It’ll be a potluck, so bring something to share if you’re coming.”

Kate and Tim had both been to her study groups when they were all in O Chem together last semester. She lived with her parents, and had a spacious house and a lovely yard to relax in while they compared notes and helped each other. Study group would be a perfect distraction.

The lab that day was an enzyme assay. While Tim went to retrieve chemicals from the inventory shelves, Kate worked to get the glassware set up, pulling it out of her locker. The laboratory was noisy and everyone was bustling to get everything done in time.

When she stood, she squeaked and clutched her chest. James was standing in front of her.

“Do you have everything you need?” His jaw was set in a firm line as he looked at her and then over to Tim.

As she struggled to understand the meaning behind his words, Tim came back with a tray full of brown glass bottles. “Come on, Katie, help me weigh these.”

Without looking back, she walked away from James and set her sights on finishing her lab on time. Spending a minute more trying to understand him would have made her head explode.

* * * *

Kate spent Saturday morning baking in the communal kitchen in her dorm. She danced around the large space, adding a little of this and a little of that to the blueberry coffee cake batter. Every time she made it, she changed the spices in it. This time, she added cinnamon and nutmeg. It was a lot like being in lab only she got to taste the concoctions she made here. Once it had cooled, she wrapped her cake, picked up Tim, and headed to Angelica’s house.

Nearly everyone from class was there, mulling around and chatting quietly. Ever the gracious hostess, Angelica gathered everyone and opened her notes. Study group had begun.

About an hour in, Angelica was pulled away to answer the front door. The room filled with excited chatter when she returned with James.

When Angelica came to his office and asked James if he would help at her study group Saturday afternoon, he said yes, and then he began to notice the way she touched his arm and played with her hair while she talked to him. James’ head spun. Did Angelica know about Kate and thought he was the kind of professor who had sex with his students? It was too late to change his mind. Angelica had his word.

Joining the study group would be the perfect distraction. Angelica told him it started at four in the afternoon, but warned him it always took a while before they got started. She also let him know it was a potluck. He stopped at the store on the way and bought a few bottles of soda.

Angelica greeted him at the door and played with her hair again. She offered to give him a tour of her house, but James declined. He made a point to be as short and gruff with her as possible. He didn’t want to give her the wrong idea.

He followed her into the living room and stifled a gasp when his gaze fell on Kate. What was she doing here?

“Where should I put this?” James raised the bag of soda. He couldn’t sit down. He needed time to think.

Angelica turned to face him. “In the kitchen, it’s on the right. I’ll show you.”

“No, I’ll find it.” James backed away and turned to the right. It was a long hall leading to bedrooms. She must’ve meant her right, not his. He retraced his steps and pushed open a swinging door to the kitchen.

His mouth went dry and his head swam when he noticed Kate standing at the sink drinking a glass of water. He froze. The sleek muscles of her neck moved as she swallowed. He wanted to trail kisses along her taut skin.
She’s your student. Remember?
The door slipped out of his hand and swooshed shut behind him. Kate’s eyes met his. If looks could kill, he would’ve died right then.

She opened her mouth and her venomous whisper paralyzed him. “What the hell are you doing here? This is a study group. For students.” Her gaze focused on the swinging door. Was she waiting for someone? Of course she was. She was waiting for Tim.
Lucky bastard.

The plastic handles of the bag started to cut into the skin of his hand. “I didn’t know you’d be here either. Angelica asked me to come tonight. She said it would be helpful if the group ran into any problems.” Why was he apologizing? He was doing his students a huge favor.

Her murderous gaze returned. “I see you’re moving on to the next student. I suppose you’re
married
too.” She clutched her glass with both hands.

How could she say something like that when it was obvious she and Tim were together? “You’re one to talk.”

“Dr. B, there you are,” Angelica said sweetly. She looked at James, and then at Kate, and gripped James’ arm possessively. “Sorry, I should’ve shown you where you should put the drinks. You’re so nice to bring anything at all.”

James shrugged and tried to pull out of her grasp, and only succeeded when the rest of the students came in to load their plates with the odd assortment of food. It was pandemonium. As he backed away from the swarm around the table, he scanned the room. Where had Kate gone?

As he waited in line, James nibbled on the piece of blueberry cake on his plate, which practically called his name the moment he saw it. His mouth watered. It was soft and delicious, and melted against his tongue. He glanced at the pan and decided he would come back for another piece after the line died down.

When James joined the study group, Tim and Kate were sitting together, whispering, and eating off the same plate. To make things worse, Tim put his hand on her knee and squeezed it.

James forced down the last bite of blueberry cake and turned to the group. “Thank you for the food. This blueberry cake is the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”

“I know, right? Kate can seriously cook. Not that the rest of the food isn’t delicious,” Tim added quickly. “Angelica, this seven layer dip is awesome.”

Strike that. It was the
second
best thing he’d tasted. Kate still held first place. He looked at her while he licked his finger. Did she just shudder?

“Thanks for bringing soda, Dr. B.” Angelica sat in the chair next to him and batted her eyelashes. She smiled for too long and it made his skin crawl.

James buried his nose in his textbook, scanning through the material as the students quizzed each other, hoping she would take the hint.

Around the edge of the book, he could block out Tim and look at Kate. Why hadn’t he taken things slower with her? If he had known he would only have one night with her, he would’ve worshiped every inch of her body, every inch of her relationship-committed body.

James squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn’t spend the next twelve weeks pining for a taken woman.

The pieces started to fall into place during the second week. Tim’s hand on her back, the protective stance he took when James tried to talk to her, and the way he escorted her from class. It was all the proof he needed Tim and Kate were together. He was familiar with this feeling of betrayal, but this time, she hadn’t cheated on him, she had cheated
with
him. Apparently when she said ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this,’
this
meant cheating on Tim.

When Kate got up to leave, James’ heart sank. Of course, Tim went with her.

James went back to Addiction that night. He needed a distraction more than ever. He had been there every Saturday in the hopes of finding someone who would spark something inside him again, but no one did.

During Sunday dinner, Jeff was a complete ass.

“It’s not funny, Jeff.”

“No, not funny. Ironic. Leave it to my hermit brother to finally go out and find the
only
woman he can’t have.” Jeff laughed.

“Thanks a lot. What am I supposed to do?”

“What do you want to do?”

“I want her. She’s all I can think about.”

“Well then, I guess you’re fucked.”

Heather put her fingers on her husband’s lips. “James, don’t give up on her. Have you actually asked her if she’s dating that Tim guy?”

“You told her?” James scowled at his brother.

Heather shook her head. “No, I asked him. You didn’t come over last Sunday, so I knew something was up. Well? Have you asked her?” She raised an eyebrow.

“No,” James admitted sadly. “She wouldn’t answer my phone calls, and now…You should see the way they are together. He calls her ‘Katie.’ It makes me sick.” He shook his head. “I wonder if he knows.”

“Knows what?” Jeff peeled his mouth away from Heather’s hand.

“That she cheated on him, with me.”

“Bro, he’s not your friend, you don’t owe him anything. If she really was with him when you two hooked up, she’s not the kind of girl you should even be wasting your time on.” Jeff dusted his hands together to emphasize his point.

“I know.” James rested his forehead on the dining room table. She didn’t seem like that kind of girl, but his perception and reality were obviously miles apart.

* * * *

James’ students were restless Monday afternoon, and when he passed the exams around, they all voiced the same question. “Where do we write our names?”

“No names. Student ID numbers.” He beamed while they frowned. “They’re on your ID cards. I like to keep an open mind while I grade.”

The truth was, he was painfully aware of the bias he might have toward Kate, but if he could grade his biochemistry exams using ID numbers, it would be better for everyone. His intro class was a different story. He used ID numbers and names for the ease of handing them back.

While his students worked, James sat behind the desk and graded their lab notebooks. Thirty minutes in, he started a pile of completed exams. A few minutes later, he looked up from his work and into Kate’s face. She licked her lips. His heart jumped a beat. She had done that the night they were together. He held his hand out, waiting expectantly for her to turn in her exam, and when she finally did, she caressed his hand with hers.

He was grateful for the position of his desk because it shielded his body, which was beginning to betray him. His eyes flicked to where Tim sat, to see if he was watching them. He wasn’t. Was she flirting with him? If she was, Tim was oblivious to it.

James cleared his throat. “Thank you, Miss Rhodes.” He still couldn’t bring himself to call her by her first name for fear his voice would betray his feelings. He put her exam on top of the others and then moved a stack of notebooks on top. He watched her spectacular ass walk away and attempted to adjust his uncomfortably tight pants.

Grading took him two days. There were a few exams that stood out from the rest, Angelica, Tim and Kate. It turns out Kate would’ve excelled without his bias. She was brilliant.

When he handed them back, Kate and Tim compared their scores and talked quietly. The mood in the classroom was a mixture of excitement and disappointment, except for Kate, who seemed prepared for her score. He wanted to congratulate her during lab, but never got the chance to get her alone.

* * * *

Like a fool, James went to Addiction Saturday night. He sat at the bar in his spot and flagged down the bartender.

“Your usual?” The bartender asked pulling a glass out from under the counter.

James scoffed. He was nothing if not predictable.

The bartender began to gather ingredients. “She’s already here.”

“Who?” His heart pounded against his chest.

The bartender’s eyes glazed over as he turned toward the dance floor. “I think you’re too late though, she and her friend came with a guy.” He let out a low whistle. “I’d love to be in his shoes tonight. Lucky son of a bitch. Just imagine, mm!”

James followed his line of sight, and there, on a platform on display for the whole world to see, was Kate, wearing a breathtaking dress that hugged her sensuous body like it was made for her. Tim was behind her, with his arms wrapped around her. Her friend was behind him, whipping her head back and forth to the beat of the music, dragging her long hair over his shoulders. James didn’t want to imagine them together, but his mind went ahead without his permission. He could see their bodies sprawled on a large bed, limbs entwined, mouths open, tongues moving, Tim taking turns fucking them both.

His stomach lurched.

“Do you want me to make your gin and tonic?”

James shook his head while his hands balled into fists. He needed to leave before she saw him, before she knew how much she hurt him.

Too late…

Their eyes locked and he bolted for the door. He fumbled with his car keys, unlocked the car, and then slammed the door shut as Kate came out to the parking lot. Why had she followed him outside? His tires screeched against the asphalt as he pulled away.

He stopped and bought a bottle of gin on his way home. Feeling numb was better than the alternative. At first, he drank in the kitchen, but eventually, he ended up in his bedroom. His bed still smelled like her, since he hadn’t been able to wash his sheets. It was the only evidence they’d been together. He buried his face in the soft material, surrounding himself with her lingering scent and passed out.

When he woke the next morning, he struggled to open his eyes. His head spun and he was sure someone was squeezing the sides of his face with a vice. A vile film covered his teeth and as his tongue involuntarily moved back and forth, his stomach churned. He made it to the bathroom just in time, where he proceeded to throw up until every muscle ached.