The many nights here with the Rossi men have left me on a whole roller coaster of emotions possible, but as I stand here with Dimitri's hand on my waist, the familiar guilt overcomes me. Guilt for having a crush on my boyfriend's brother - and my professor. For two years, Arabella Lucia has been in a relationship with Blake Rossi until one afternoon, he isn't hers anymore. Shattered by his betrayal, Arabella's sole comfort becomes her sinfully hot tattooed professor who explains Shakespeare in class enigmatically and whispers filthy things in her ears when they are alone. He becomes her passion. Her addiction. She becomes his obsession. But fate has other plans and getting it on with your ex-boyfriend's brother never ends well.
Chapter 1 Tingles
Arabella
The phone beeps immediately as I hit send on the message I prepared telling my best friend and dorm mate, Vanessa, that we had to reschedule our daily video calls to some hours later because I was going to visit my boyfriend who texted me he was sick.
Her name flashes on the screen, and I bite my tongue, picturing her annoyed expression before picking up the call.
"I'm sure you got him cookies again," she said fiercely without even saying hello. I imagined her giving me a look that she usually gives when she's a bit mad.
"Come on now, Nessa. I didn't say we couldn't talk later. I just got to stop there for a while and we could talk in the evening."
"Alright. You better not forget me"
"I won't." I texted back as I paced in front of his apartment building.
I received a message from Blake Rossi, my boyfriend of two years now, while I was just rounding up from lectures of the day. He mentioned he couldn't attend lectures because he was down with the flu. I understood because the weather has been a bit off lately.
Concerned, I decided to surprise him and come over. Like the good girlfriend I am, I plan to take care of him till he gets better.
"I don't know what you see in that guy Ara" Vanessa quips in a bored tone. "His brother, on the other hand..."
"Nessa, he's my professor for goodness sake"
"Don't tell me, you've not been crushing on him too," she says with a chuckle. "Besides, damn, you could totally get him."
I smile despite what I said earlier, wondering if she was right, but then I squash the thought. "Uh, no thank you."
"I mean, just saying," her voice takes on a breathy tone. "From the way I see it, I bet he thinks about you too."
"Oh, shut up girl. You watch a lot of K-Dramas"
"I mean girl, the man literally gave you his key." She clicks her tongue suggestively. "In biblical terms, that would mean an access to..."
I end the call before she can go any farther down the conventional road. But I mean, she isn't entirely wrong. I am probably the only student with a key to her professor's house.
There is nothing creepy about it since the said key was given to me by Professor Rossi himself when I started dating his brother two years ago. He would always be the one answering the door when I came to meet Blake. The act started to grow tiring on him such that he refused to do it anymore and instead made me a copy of the key to come over whenever I want to.
The said key is going to be the reason for the ending of my relationship with his brother.
Shoving the phone deep into my miniskirt's pockets, I enter Blake's apartment complex and take the closest elevator to the third floor. As I ride up, I think of the pain Vanessa can be.
She claims to have psychic powers and usually warns me to be careful around Blake. Even though he has always been nice to her, she always says she doesn't get 'good vibes' from him. I just wish she was more supportive of my relationship with Blake.
As the lock clicks, I push the door open cautiously, familiar with the creak it has the habit of making. The adjoining hall room of the Scandinavian duplex apartment is dimmed in darkness as the lights aren't hit on yet and the sun has just gone down.
I step inside the cozy home that has become like a second home to me since I started dating Blake Rossi. It always smells of something fruity like the men that live in it. I ease the door shut and listen for any movement, my eyes scan the manly decor, devoid of any feminine touch. I smile to myself, excited at the thought of surprising Blake.
Blake and his elder brother are the only ones who live here. Their father is always on business trips but tries to come home at least once every month to spend with his boys but there is no sign of their mother who according to Blake disappeared from their lives years ago. She was more passionate about her acting career than her two sons or so I have heard. She only came back into their lives.
I stalk toward the staircase that leads to the upper floor where Blake's room is, passing the walls where photographs of Blake and his elder brother's childhood with their father are fixed in an ascending manner. The last one at the top of the wooden stairs was taken a while ago when our football team in college won the game against The Wolves and Blake was announced the player of the match. It is a photograph of him holding the trophy as dark blond strands of hair fall over his eyes, his smile bright and his blue eyes shining with pride.
When I reached the upper floor, I happily sprinted toward Blake's door when a sound from inside made me halt before I could throw the door open.
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