The Neighbor #2 (The Neighbor Romance Series - Book #2) (4 page)

“Did you drop this?” A male voice asked.

A hairy arm reached under the divider. It was a male
arm holding my bar of soap.

“Yeah, thanks,” I said as I grabbed back the white
bar.

“This is awkward. I’m Eric. I live upstairs and I’m
visiting Diane.”

“I appreciate it Eric. I’m Jenna. I am sure to see
you in the halls. I will recognize the arm, I guess.
Hi
Diane.”

“Nice to meet you Jenna.
I know your roommate Kelly…she’s from Kansas right?” Diane asked.

“Yep.
Well, have a nice day.” What else was I going to say?

So went my introduction to the shower facilities at
college. I thought of my life a month prior and I realized that there was
little remaining that could surprise me. I was wrong. I grabbed my essentials
and headed back to my room.
 

I changed my clothes as Kelly began dragging herself
out of bed. There was a knock at the door, which was a surprise, as I wasn’t
expecting anyone.

“Kelly, please check who that is. It must be someone
for you but give me a sec to get dressed,” I said. I was going to run five
miles after my first class so I had on my athletic gear with a t-shirt on top.

“Yes, who’s there? This is Kelly and Jenna’s room.”
Kelly had not opened the door yet.

“I am here to see Jenna Walsh.” It was Ryder’s
voice.

The past few weeks flashed before my eyes. Kelly had
not even opened the door yet. I was caught in an avalanche of memories when I
heard Ryder’s voice. I stood still as Kelly opened the door to reveal Ryder
dressed in Jeans, an oxford, a tie and a golf cap. Time seemed to stop as his
gaze met mine in an instant. In unison, we both shook off the stare. Ryder
turned his attention to Kelly who had not said a word.

“Hey, I’m Ryder Curran. You seem familiar. Perhaps
you are in one of my freshman lectures.” Ryder approached Kelly with an
extended hand.

“No, I am in the smaller class. They added an extra Sex
Ed lecture to accommodate the unusually large freshman class. I would remember
you Professor Curran.”

Kelly looked at me after she spoke. She knew she had
said too much. Now Ryder knew that she knew who he was and why he was at our
door. She looked at me with a questioning glance.

“Kelly, would you mind giving Jenna and I a few
moments. If it is okay with you Jenna, I have to speak with you regarding
class,” Ryder said.

My heart thumped hard in my chest.

“That’s fine. I will head to the showers and if you
need more time I will go visit with Diane down the hall,” Kelly said.

“Oh yeah.
I met Diane in the bathrooms. Nice girl. I’m
thinking maybe
you should visit Diane another time
. I believe she has a guest. We won’t
be long.”

“All righty then.”
Kelly left the room tentatively as she looked at Ryder and me. She closed the
door behind her.

Ryder started to approach me. I was not sure if he
anticipated a warm embrace.

“Ryder. You cannot come to my room like this.” I
stopped his advancement towards me with my palm as I threw out my arm. “There
are rules. A professor – a Sex Ed professor who is involved with a student is
highly inappropriate. I will be thrown out of this university, leaving me
little chance of being accepted anywhere else. You will lose your job. You will
be blackballed within academia. Are you willing to survive a life without golf?
You won’t be able to afford a round of golf at the public course. I am not willing
to go back home and live with my mom in my childhood bedroom.” I stopped.

Ryder stood motionless and allowed me to rant. A
grin started forming.

“Really Jenna?”

“Don’t
really
me. Didn’t you hear a word that I said? This whole relationship can have
serious repercussions,” I stammered.

“I don’t mean to discount what you are saying Jenna.
I was just as shocked as you were when I saw you in my class. I should have
known or at least suspected that you would be in my lecture.” Ryder paused to
clear his throat. “I did not realize how much I missed you until I saw you.
This relationship – as you called it – means something to me.”

“Doesn’t everything I said mean anything to you?” I
whispered.

“You mean more Jenna. The money isn’t a problem and
I’ll be able to afford golf still.”

How would he still be able to afford it? I knew if I
asked, he wouldn’t answer. He seemed to like having secrets.

“Oh.” I sat down. With my bare foot, I kicked an
empty frosting container under the bed.

“Jenna you will not have to drop my Sex Ed. class.
The last thing I want to do is have a negative effect on your future.”

“Ryder do you think we can keep
this thing quiet while I finish out the semester?
Maybe until I’m at least a junior.”

“I think we are worth a try. It is obvious Kelly
from Kansas knows something. She seems like a nice girl. Do you think you can
talk to her?”

“I think she will be cool. Max knows the whole
story. He knows
everything
Ryder. You
don’t know Max, although you called him out for talking in class.”

“Shit Jenna! You’re not fucking Max are you?”

I liked the jealousy that was raging through him. It
hinted that he was actually into me.

“No…I knew him before you and we’re just friends. We
go way back. I could have fallen into some sort of thing with Max but there
was
you. I will tell you all about Max later.”

I wouldn’t ever tell him about having sex with Max
though.

“Good. The thought of you with that twerp makes me
ill.” Ryder took a heavy breath.

I was flattered and scared for Max if Ryder ever
found out about us.

“I can trust Max,” I said and hoped I was correct.

“Then there are a couple of girls from class. I was
concerned at first because they overheard Max and me talking. They are no threat.
I saw them before I went to Ryder the barber. I don’t think they have the
intelligence to figure us
out
. I told a lie that I
will probably go to hell for and they fell for it.”

“Who the hell is Ryder the barber?” Ryder asked.

“It is a very long story. I am not having sex him in
case you were wondering. It has been a very long couple of days. My encounter
with you is only one morsel of the drama I have endured.”

Ryder crossed the room. We smiled at each other and
then he wrapped his arms around me.

“We can work this out,” he said into my hair.

“We can,” I said hopeful. “You must have some idea
as to how we will tackle this situation.”

He released me from his grip.

“How is your golf game coming along? After all, I am
your instructor.” Ryder smiled.

“You have been thinking about this haven’t you? It
is something you have planned…”

“Yep.
After my fingers started to bleed from continually texting you, I had plenty of
time to think.” I giggled.
“Seriously Jenna.
You’re
worth it. I don’t think there is anything I wouldn’t do to—”

“To?”

“See you again,” he said.

Our conversation was exhilarating. I thought we were
over after I gave him a blowjob. I thought that perhaps I gave away too much
too soon. I knew second chances were rare and I had one with Ryder.

“Jenna.”

“Yes?” My heart sank. Could he have changed his mind
so quickly? It had been too good to be true.

“There is a bad odor in this place. Was it clean
when you moved in? You had better have it checked out. I can’t put my finger on
the scent. It smells a little like a dead animal.”

I was relieved and I couldn’t stop laughing.

“Like I said, we have a lot of catching up to do.”

Ryder grabbed the back of my head and pulled me in
for a kiss. “See you in class tomorrow. I don’t know how I am going to keep my
eyes off of you,” he whispered against my lips.

“Bye.
Text me.”

“I will. I expect a response this time. Don’t forget
to get the stench taken care of.”

Ryder left and I screamed with delight into my
pillow.

Chapter
Four

Ryder and I texted each other constantly from the moment
he left my room. That was a few days ago. I felt like I had waked up from a
nightmare. Everything was going to work out. I decided to be vague with Kelly.
I trusted her but I could not risk my relationship with Ryder.

My phone rang and it was Ryder. When I picked up my
phone, the display was of a golf ball. It would fit well with our story that he
was my golf instructor.

“Hey, do you miss me?” I asked.

He laughed. “Not really. I was going to send you a
text. I thought I left a notebook at your place and I was going to see if you
had it.”

“Oh. I see.”

“Of course I miss you.” Ryder laughed. “Are you
wearing that cute athletic gear again? Your body is amazing and men will
notice.”

“Would you rather I dress as a Mormon or perhaps I
will be a Muslim and throw on a burka.”

“How about one of those cloistered
nuns?”
Ryder suggested.

“I consider myself a deist.”

“I thought your Mom was Catholic.”

“Yeah.
It doesn’t mean I am. I had history class and we talked about Thomas Jefferson.
He was a deist and a very smart man.
Good enough for him –
good enough for me.”

“Why are we discussing religion?”

“Getting to know each other – I guess. What religion
are you?”

“Not sure yet.
I will tell you when I figure it out. I can’t tell you how relieved I am.”

“How so?”

“They say to avoid talking about things like
religion and politics. We got over the first one fast.”

“I guess. Let’s discuss politics another time,” I
said.

“Yeah.
I don’t envision you as a politician’s wife.”

“Very funny.”

“It was meant as a compliment. You are a strong and intelligent
woman. I see you as a politician rather that a politician’s wife. I just don’t
see you in a supporting role.”

“I think of myself kind of like Hillary. Willing to
stand by my man but smart enough to make a go of things myself,” I said.

“So if you are a Clinton fan, you are a Democrat.”

“You think you have me figured out. It will be fun playing
question and answer with you someday.”

“What are you doing this evening?” Ryder asked.

“I have some reading to do and shit like that. I
don’t want to get behind.”

“The semester just begun.
You have plenty of time to catch up. Don’t lose the momentum you built up with
your golf game. As your golf instructor I am advising you to work-out.”

“As your golf student I would have to agree. As a
student, I have a variety of gyms from which to choose. Where do you suggest I go?”

“There is a new facility on the west side of campus.
It is neither, filled with faculty nor students. It is state-of-the-art and not
many people know about it yet,” Ryder suggested.

“I will be there at about 6 PM.
There
are plenty of exercises that will enhance my golf game I’m sure.
Any
chance you will be there?”

“As a matter of fact, I think I will be,” Ryder said

“I guess I will see you there. Thanks for the tip.”

After hanging up, I ate a quick dinner and ignored
my required history reading. Max attempted to contact me. He called and I never
answered. He sent quite a few texts too.

I finished my dinner in the dining common, which was
passable. I ate the “heart healthy” option, which
was
a spinach salad and a side of quinoa. I was used to frozen meals from home so
it was actually a step up. I sat alone because I knew I would be a poor dinner
companion My mind was focused on Ryder. I did manage however, to do some people
watching.

Diane was sitting with a man that I assumed was
Eric. His arms were extra hairy so I knew they were the ones from the shower. I
was jealous that they were allowed to share their love in public. It was
something Ryder and I didn’t have. The rouse was necessary if we stood a
chance.

I sighed and headed for the gym.

****

I arrived early. Ryder was correct in that the place
was nearly empty. There were some folks around so Ryder and I would have to be
careful. There were free weights on one end of the gym and machines on the
other. In the center of the room were treadmills, exercise bikes and elliptical
machines. Mirrors covered the gym walls. I had been to many athletic facilities
because I played soccer and I liked staying fit. The Gym looked like a lot of
money had been put into it. As I wandered around, a staff member approached me.
He was eager and he was brand new and shiny like the facility itself.