Free Teaching Roman by Gennifer Albin Page B

across my tightly clenched eyes. I felt them sizzle across my skin and burst through my limbs. It was downright applause worthy.
    Which is why it took me a few seconds to register that the clapping coming from somewhere in the near distance was actually not all that distant—and not at all in my head.
    I could see the smug, self-satisfied grin Cassie was wearing before I turned to find her dark eyes trained on us. They twinkled mischievously even in the dim light of the not-actually-deserted villa. “If you two are going to fuck like bunnies, you should shut your door.”
    For once, I had to completely agree with her advice.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
    S ilence is golden. Cassie gloating is torture. I sat cross-legged on her bed as she tried on another summery dress. This one was white, but its virginal simplicity stopped there. In true Cassie fashion, the skirt stopped centimeters below her butt cheeks and its straps crisscrossed in a revealing pattern down the length of her back. It looked fantastic against her skin, which after only a couple days of sun already had tanned to a sexy bronze. She’d dragged me back to the beach all day, even going so far as to confiscate my phone. Since I’d totally hooked up with a very off-limits guy—in front of her, I might add—I couldn’t blame her for demanding I spend today with her.
    “I can’t decide which I hate more,” I said, thinking out loud, “your legs or how easily you tan.”
    Cassie shrugged, her eyes flickering to me in the mirror as she applied mascara. “Benefits of having a Greek mama.”
    “That and the baklava,” I pointed out. My stomach rumbled at the thought and I checked my phone for the time. “Speaking of, any chance we’re eating today?”
    “Looking this delish takes time, asshat.”
    “Have I ever told you how endearing your nicknames are?” I asked, twisting a scarf around my fingers. Cassie had yet to start grilling me about Roman, but I knew it was coming.
    “You haven’t, but there’s more where that came from if you play your cards right.” She shot me a smile over her shoulder.
    “I thought we were just going to grab something down the street.”
    “Oh, you aren’t getting off that easily.”
    “Whoa!” I stopped her. “I promised food and unlimited dirty jokes at my expense, but—”
    “But nothing. I have something you want.”
    “And that is?” I left the question hanging in the air, even though I wasn’t sure I wanted her to answer me.
    “I might have invited a certain hottie prof.”
    “You didn’t!” Where was a nice hole to fall into when you needed one?
    “All’s fair, Jess.”
    I moaned, burying my face in my hands. There was no way Cassie would be on her best behavior in front of him. In fact, it was entirely likely that she would be worse. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”
    “You were probably a war criminal in your last life,” she said matter-of-factly.
    “Do you really think this is a good idea?” Since Cassie wasn’t always known for thinking things through, my question was genuine.
    Her answer was not. “How should I know? You’re the teacher’s pet.”
    “It’s not like that.” I felt the heat rising on my cheeks.
    Cassie spun around to face me, lipstick poised precariously in her fingers. “How is it then? You can tell me now and I’ll behave around Markson, or...”
    I didn’t have to ask her what my other option was. Cassie unfiltered was hilarious when you weren’t the target of her musings. When you were—well, it could get ugly. Jillian had dumped a pitcher of beer on her once.
    “Fine,” I caved. “We’ve agreed to see each other for one week.”
    “One week?” she said incredulously. “What good is that?”
    “Oh, I don’t know. He’s just a teacher at our college,” I reminded her, “and I’m getting over a break-up.”
    Cassie laughed at this. “I’m getting over a break-up. You’re back in the game.”
    “I dated Brett for almost a year.”
    “You