Loving Knight: Book One of the Cresswell Series

18. DEION

I honestly thought that I had dreamt the entire thing.

But no matter how hard I pinched myself, all of it was real. Aliyah telling me that she loved me. Aliyah becoming my girlfriend. All of it was real. And for the first time, I was happy to be in Professor Thomas’ class. No matter how much his hard-ass personality annoyed and drained me, I was happy to see her.

I walked in that Monday morning, tired from the early practice. That tiredness left me quickly when I saw Aliyah, her eyes focused on her textbook. I go and sit next to her when she looks up at me, smiling.

“Is this a new thing of yours? Not being late to class?”

“It was only one time,” I tell her.

“It was multiple times.” She pokes me with her pen. “I think you're only coming to class on time because of me.”

I grin at her. “And if I was? Is that a problem, Alicat?”

She gives me a grin back. “Never said it was, mister Knight.”

“So then I am definitely using you as an excuse for coming to class on time.”

“And I’m guessing you’re gonna be doing that for the rest of the semester?”

“Most definitely.” I give her a quick kiss on the lips as more students start to pile in, Professor Thomas coming in right behind them.

I try to focus my attention as he starts to give his lecture, but the scent of Aliyah’s perfume was making it hard to. I take a glance at her as she stares forward at the projector screen, only to look away to take notes. Smirking a little, I place my hand on her thigh and caress her skin, seeing her shiver a bit.

Aliyah side eyes me, mouthing for me to stop. Instead, I ignore her and move my hand up a little more, still caressing her skin with my thumb.

A small sigh escapes her as she tries to keep her focus, although she was cutely failing.

“Having trouble focusing?” I whisper to her in a teasing manner.

She glares at me. “Stop it,” she whispers back.

I smirk more. “I think you like it.”

Aliyah blushes, continuing to take notes while my hand stays on her thigh. “Cut it out,” she whispers through her teeth, not looking at me.

“What if I don’t want to?” I ask, my smirk growing wider.

Aliyah then reaches over and pinches me in my thigh really hard, making me wince and let go of her. “Ow!”

Everyone turned their heads to me, Professor Thomas included. “Ah, Deion. Did you want to comment on your thoughts about the epic of Gilgamesh?”

I clear my throat, shaking my head. “No, sir.”

“Then maybe not talk while I’m trying to teach,” he scolds.

“Yes, sir,” I say with a nod.

“Good.” Thomas returns to his lecture as Aliyah lets out a quiet laugh.

I bump her with the side of my knee with a grin, earning a smile from her.

Soon enough, class ended. Aliyah and I headed out of the room, hand in hand.

“You have practice today?” I ask her.

Aliyah nods. “Yeah. Which means you cannot be there.”

“What? Why not?”

“I need to focus, and you being there isn’t gonna help.”