The Professor's Daughter [Part 1 of 2]

26 | Make It Work

Leah's POV

Waking up feels like a nightmare. Partly because Jennifer and I didn't got to sleep until about four in the morning and I'm exhausted, but mainly because I know this little fantasy world I got to live in for one night is coming to an end.

I blink my eyes a few times and turn my head and see Jennifer laying beside me with rays of sunshine covering her face. I bite my cheek and carefully sit up and move myself closer to her. I lean over, putting my hand on her cheek and I kiss her softly before laying down beside her. She begins waking up and she grins at me, "good morning." She mutters, her voice deep and a little husky. I give a closed smile and she lays her head on my chest and we lie in silence for several minutes.

"You know what's going to happen, right?" She finally asks me. I swallow hard and put my hand against her bare back, "Shh." "Leah, I'm not looking to get all tangled up in this again just to be disappointed by the outcome...." she confesses as she sits up to look me in the eye. "I don't want to let you go again, Jennifer." I say and frown.

I don't know that I can stand losing her again. It would truly break me.

"I know that, and believe me there is nothing I would love more than to be with you... but what happened last night doesn't change the fact that I'm twelve years older than you, and you're not even legally an adult yet." She says, making a valid point. I close my eyes and pull my hand over my face, "can I talk crazy for a second?" I ask. She giggles and nods her head yes while touching my thigh through the sheets. "I'll be eighteen next month, Jen. Just- let's figure something out because I am so in love with you, and living another day the same way the past couple of months have been doesn't seem bearable right now." I tell her. She sighs and licks her lips slowly, "so what exactly are you proposing here?" She asks me.

This is the part she might not be okay with.

"We can sneak around for a few weeks, can't we?" I ask quietly. Her eyes widen and she laughs, "and risk your parents finding out and having me thrown in a 6x9 cell? No, I'm good. Thank you for the offer though." She says, getting out of bed and finding herself a shirt and some panties. I frown and she comes back over to me and straddles me, "Leah, I love you. You know that. And when you turn eighteen next month things will get easier, I promise. I just don't know how I feel about sneaking around with you. This isn't just a low-risk game. This is high stakes, Le. Don't you get that?" She asks me, tucking my hair behind my ear. I nod slowly and she smiles down at me, "Take a shower with me before you go home, please."

Is she seriously only thinking about having sex with me right now?

"You have got to be kidding." I roll my eyes and push her off of me. I get up and put my clothes on and she sighs, "Leah!" "No, Jennifer. You just got done telling me that you won't keep sneaking around and having a relationship with me because it's too risky, yet here you are thinking about having sex with me in your shower. I'm sorry if you think this is just sex for me but-" "Stop it." She says and walks over to me. "No I-" "Leah. Quit. That is not what that was." She insists. I make a face and she sighs, "I won't sneak around with you because I'm afraid, that's it. I love you and I want you, but we have to be patient here." She tells me. "We can be careful, I promise." I beg. "So what? You tell your mom you are going to a friend's house every time you come see me? I doubt that would go over well, Leah." She says. Again, another valid point.

"Tell me you'll try." "I-" "Tell me you'll try and I'll work something out. I'll do anything to make this work, Jennifer. I swear..." I say and hold her hand in mine. She just looks at me in silence for several seconds, biting her lip and thinking very hard. "No more secrets, Leah." She says. I nod my head yes very quickly and she lets out a dramatic sigh, "Okay, I'll risk it all for you I guess. This better be worth it, Leah." She teases as she pulls my body into hers, putting a kiss on my forehead. I smile softly and squeeze her body lovingly for a minute or so.

"Are we showering before I have to go back to the dungeon I've been locked away in?" I ask her and she grins and nods her head slowly, "Mmhm. Most definitely."

-

I sigh and lean my weight against the front door I just walked through. Moments later I see my mom turn the corner holding a dish towel in her hands.

"Oh, there you are. Your father was just asking if you were home." She informs me. "Just me..." I sigh and she goes back to the kitchen while I head to my room.

I've only been away from Jennifer for forty-five minutes and I'm missing her already. I smell her scent on my shirt collar and my hair smells like her shampoo. The taste of her lips is still on mine and I just want to be physically with her again.

Knowing I can't call or text her, I devised another plan to see her. It isn't the best or most dependable plan, but it'll do for now. Setting up random places for her to pick me up at random times of the day will have to be good enough though, it's the only thing we have at the moment.

So for now, the countdown is on. Just under twenty-four hours until I can kiss her again.