Tessa’s POVMy heart was pounding violently in my chest as I stared up at Joseph. We shared a kiss in the heat of the moment that set my entire soul on fire. His touch sent warmth throughout my body, and I knew my face was probably the color of an apple.The kiss was short, but it was sweet. His lips fit perfectly against mine and he cradled me in his arms like he was afraid I was going to break at any moment.At that moment, nothing else mattered and it felt like we were the only two people in the room. I tuned out the sounds of Mulligan yelling for his men to search the rest of the premises. I ignored Mulligan trying to get Joseph to get me out of here.Nothing else seemed to matter.His eyes were on mine, and I could see the questions circulating in them. I wondered if he felt the connection as I did, or if it was all in my head.“Joseph?” Mulligan said, stepping beside him. “Did you hear me? You need to get her out of here.”Joseph blinked, finally pulling his gaze away from mine
Joseph’s POVTessa sat up on the couch with her head resting on the back pillow and her journal still open on her lap. She had fallen asleep, and I wondered if she was waiting for me.This feeling in my chest left me unsettled. How could something so small have such an effect on my heart in this way?I admit that when I first met Tessa, I was drawn to her, and I don’t think it was just her blood that caused me to become curious. It was her aura and the look in her eyes when we passed one another. Her blood was scented strong, and I was intrigued by her, but there was something more at play that I couldn’t put my finger on.However, Tessa is a brilliant young, 20-year-old, woman with an entire life laid out in front of her. She has goals and plans for her future. She’s a very talented writer and I knew she’d be going places. She deserved a luxurious life in the city, dining with publishers, and doing interviews.A life with a vampire isn’t probable for her and I wouldn’t wish that on h
Tessa’s POVIn just seconds, my heart shattered into a million pieces.Joseph stared at me like I was nothing more than a bug.“Move out?” I managed to ask, my voice becoming way softer than I wanted it to.“Now that the city is cleared from new vampires, I don’t see a point in you staying here any longer,” he said, keeping his eyes locked on mine. “Plus, considering I’m your professor, it’s probably better if you didn’t live with me for much longer.”My entire body was numb, and I couldn’t find the words to say.He sighed.“We knew this wasn’t permanent,” he said, his tone a little softer. “I took the liberty of searching for some apartments close to the school. A real estate agent was also contacted and will be arriving in a few hours to take you to these locations so you can see them in person. But I left the pictures and important documents you’ll need for the agent on the kitchen counter.”I managed a head nod.He looked at me for a moment longer before turning away and leaving.
Tessa’s POVI laughed nervously, making Claire frown.“I’m sorry,” I chuckled. “Joseph isn’t my boyfriend. He’s my professor and mentor. He’s just helping me out.”Claire rose her brows.“Oh, I’m sorry. From my understanding, you were living with him. I just assumed you were in a relationship.”“I’m sorry for the confusion,” I said to her with as much sincerity as I could muster. “Like I said, he’s just helping me.”“Well, he certainly knows how to pick out really nice apartments. He was in communication with me for most of the night and into the morning. I hardly slept,” she chuckled. “He was very adamant about finding you the perfect home. He took a lot of notes on those photos. If you take a look at the back of them, you’ll see his notes and requests.”I frowned and dug through the photos.She was right. He put a bunch of handwritten notes on the back of them.He made notes such as:Preferably an extra room for an office.Laundry and dryer in the unit is a must.Preferably a view o
Joseph’s POV“Tessa. You can call me Tessa,” she said into the phone before hanging up.I heard her downstairs on the phone from my room even before I was fully awake. I could have tuned her out, but I wanted to be aware of when she returned so I knew she got back safely.I spent most of the night going through each apartment and making sure it had everything Tessa would need. I spent a lot of time talking to that realtor Claire and preparing everything for today to make it a smooth transition. I didn’t want Tessa to have to deal with a lot of stuff so I figured her only job would be to pick the one she liked best.I had a few favorites of my own but when it came down to it, it was completely Tessa’s choice.As soon as I heard her returning home and her phone ringing, I tuned into her conversation. I didn’t hear what the person on the other end of the line said, but I could hear Tessa as if she was right next to me.She sounded a mix of excitement and nervousness. It was a strange rea
Tessa’s POVThe moment was gone before it began. We stood only inches from one another. I could feel his breath on my features and his eyes were fixated on my lips. I knew what he wanted, and I wanted it too.I was seconds away from closing that gap between us and pressing my lips against his. To feel the softness and comfort that his kiss provides me. To taste him against me.But he stepped away, leaving me standing alone and vulnerable.I blinked several times, trying to wrap my mind around what had happened.Knowing that he cared enough to do research on apartments for me, I wondered why he wanted to keep the distance between us. Was it all about the professor and student thing? Or there was more than that?He ran his hand across the back of his neck and averted his eyes from mine. My face warmed and I glanced at my feet.“I chose an apartment,” I said, my voice sounding distant.He managed to look at me and raised both his brows.“I chose the one that’s closest to the school,” I t
Tessa’s POVI woke up early the next morning, momentarily forgetting where I was. I forgot I wasn’t at Joseph’s house any longer. My heart was still hurting, for the ambiguous attitude Joseph left me with. It felt as if he was pushing me away and pulling me towards him at the same time.The push and pull made me anxious, but I knew I still had to plant a smile on my face and get through today. I also had to figure out how to get through tonight.It was Monday, which meant I had to get through his class without breaking down. I tried my best to brush the thought out of my head as I grabbed a clean outfit and went to take a shower.Once I was done getting dressed, I looked at myself in the mirror. I wore a skirt that rested just above my knees and a black blouse with sleeves that hung just under my shoulders. I allowed my hair to freely fall around my shoulders but kept a ponytail around my wrist just in case.I added a little bit of makeup under my eyes to keep them from looking red du
Tessa’s POVI tried to pay Brian no attention despite being able to feel his eyes on me the entire time I was sitting with Joseph. Others were also noticing our awkward lunch and I knew they were whispering about it and probably starting rumors.I probably shouldn’t have sat down like this. What was he thinking? Having me sit with him like this. How could he remain so calm and casual?It was like he had no care in the world.“Are you prepared for today’s exam?” Joseph asked just as casually as he looked.Joseph had been talking about this exam for a little over a week. While I was out, he made sure I had everything needed to pass this exam. I studied like crazy, and it seems pretty straightforward. However, I was still a little nervous because it was the first big exam that counted for a bit portion of this quarter’s grade.I had to pass it.I nodded to answer his question.“Yes. I appreciate you for getting me all the necessary materials.”He nodded as well.“You’re my student. It’s