Christmas With the Professor Read Online Free PDF Page A

days. Two long days had passed since my interlude with Dr. Taylor. I glanced at my iPhone and knew his number would be listed under previous calls. Resisting the urge to stare at his number on the screen, I gathered up my purse and left my apartment. The cool air sent a shiver across my skin and reminded me of when Dr. Taylor scolded me for not wearing a jacket. Last minute shoppers scampered in and out of the shops lining the streets as I walked aimlessly through town. It was Christmas Eve. The few presents I’d purchased for family and friends were wrapped and sitting under the little tree in my living room. I would pass them out after the holidays. I was never organized enough to track people down the week before December 25 th or visit the post office in time to mail the few that needed to be shipped away.
    A flashing sign that said “coffee” caught my attention. I’d come across the café I used to work at. Hmm. Would anyone I liked be working there now? The relaxing aroma of coffee and baked goods hit me when I entered. Immediately I spotted Lucy standing at the espresso machine. She finished steaming milk in a canister, poured it in a cappuccino cup, and called out the order to a customer.
    “Angie!” Lucy’s face lit up and she gestured for me to come closer. Her hug knocked the wind out of me and I laughed, returning her embrace with enthusiasm.
    “Okay, okay,” I said. “You missed me. I get it.”
    She giggled and pulled away. “I have missed you! What are you up to?”
    I shrugged. “Just out for a walk.”
    “I’m off in thirty minutes. We should catch up.”
    Spending the evening — or at least part of the evening —in Lucy’s company sounded nice. After staring at the walls of my apartment for two days, I was ready for a change of scenery, even if she dragged me to a smoky bar.
    Sure enough, Lucy did drag me to a smoky bar. I didn’t complain and happily downed a few beers . . . something seasonal called “Noel Ale.” It hit the spot as we chatted about the last month. Even though Lucy was a nerdy Chemistry major, she was my favorite co-worker from the café. I felt like a jerk for not hanging out with her since I’d quit right after Thanksgiving. I’d saved up enough money to get by until my new job started in January that I’d decided to quit and devote all my time to my last five classes.
    “Ah, hon, you should spend Christmas with my family tomorrow,” she said after I told her my plans for watching The Christmas Story and getting hammered on wine.
    I smiled. “I appreciate the invitation, really I do, but I’m having a late Christmas get-together with my folks when they get back from Europe in a week.” And I don’t want to feel like the poor girl who doesn’t have a family to spend the holidays with , I thought as I downed the last of my fourth beer.
    Later that night I kept busy in my apartment. I scrubbed every surface of the place until it sparkled, reorganized my closet, read over the training manual for my new job —twice—washed and ironed my laundry, and did everything else I could find to keep myself occupied and my thoughts off Dr. Taylor. I didn’t even care that I was spending Christmas alone anymore. All I cared about was the reason he hadn’t contacted me since our kinky afternoon.
    Two days.
    My pulse quickened as I remembered all the wicked things he’d done to me, and my throat suddenly burned. I cursed and threw the dust rag down. He probably had a new fuck toy now. I was just another submissive notch on his big scary Dom belt. My therapist was going to have a field day with me next month.
    Midnight arrived and I collapsed in bed, too exhausted to think. I hid under the sheets the next morning until hunger drove me out. 11:15 AM. Jeez. Almost noon. Merry Christmas to me.
    Was Dr. Taylor surrounded by his family at this moment, opening presents and drinking eggnog? He might not even have family in the area. Maybe he’d hopped a flight and was a thousand