Basic Chemistry: LOVE 101 - WILLOW BAY NOVELLA Read online

  Basic Chemistry

  LOVE 101 - WILLOW BAY NOVELLA

  HARLOW LAYNE

  BASIC CHEMISTRY

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  The Big Bang isn't just a theory. I felt it the moment I laid eyes on her.

  Her ruby red lips and lush curves called to me on a primal level, and I instantly knew I would do anything for her to be mine.

  And then she walked into my College AP Chemistry class and introduced herself as the teacher.

  Never one to back down from a challenge, I decide to get creative. Looks like I’m going to need some extra tutoring after class.

  Now it's just a waiting game on how long it will take to get her out from behind the desk and into my bed.

  BASIC CHEMISTRY by Harlow Layne

  Copyright © 2021 by Harlow Layne. All rights reserved.

  Edited by: The Polished Author

  Proofreading by: The Polished Author, Amira El Alam, Brittany Bailey, Fiona Larbi

  Cover Design: Cormar Covers

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Manufactured in the United States of America.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are use fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Epilogue

  Enjoy This Book?

  Acknowledgments

  About Harlow

  Also by HARLOW LAYNE

  1

  AUGUST

  “Here,” Walker thrusts a paper cup into my hand as he walks past me on the sidewalk.

  “There better be coffee in this,” I shout over my shoulder.

  His only response is to flip me off before he ducks inside the music building. I give him shit, but I know he won’t be around for much longer. There’s been a representative from Titan Records sniffing around him and his band, Crimson Heat, for the last couple of months, and soon he’ll be gone making the music he loves.

  Flipping open the lid, I inhale the aroma of coffee and then take a long sip even though it burns going down. The asshole probably asked for it to be extra hot, knowing I’d drink half of it in one go, but I don’t care. If I could, I’d mainline coffee into my system. It’s my senior year of college, and I already know there’s going to be countless all-nighters if I want to graduate with honors.

  The company I’ve interned at the last two summers is giving me a hefty bonus if I graduate with honors, and I’ll do whatever it takes to start my professional career off right.

  I finish the last of my coffee as I step inside my chemical process design class and stop dead in my tracks when I spot the best and most luscious ass directed right at me. She’s bent over, going through a bag on the floor, letting her tight skirt showcase what I’m sure is her best asset. That is until she stands up and I get a look at the rest of her body.

  She’s all curves and sexy as sin. Everything about her oozes sex appeal, from the fabric of her shirt that’s straining from her large breasts to the way her hips look like they’re made for my hands to grab onto as I take her from behind. Her long brown hair curls and frames her flawless face, but what really stands out is her bright red lipstick.

  Fuck, I can’t help but imagine her down on her knees in front of me, sucking my cock and leaving red rings all along my shaft.

  Damn. I’m going to have to thank the professor for giving us such a fine as hell TA.

  Normally I’m the type of guy who sits in the back of the class, but not today. Not now. No, I’m going to be up front and center so I can get a better look at her.

  I sit directly in front of the teacher’s desk, hoping that the TA will do some more bending and maybe sit on the edge of the desk, so I can fantasize about fucking her on it.

  Pulling out my phone, I shoot off a quick text to Walker.

  Merrick: Thanks for the coffee asshole.

  I almost got a second-degree burn on my tongue.

  Immediately three bubbles pop up, and then he sends me the middle finger emoji. I can only laugh.

  I scroll through Instagram for a minute but don’t see anything that catches my eye quite like the woman in front of me. I can’t stop glancing up at her and wishing for the first time in my life for a class to start early just so I can hear her voice.

  The woman leans over again, but unfortunately for me, not in my direction. When she stands up, she’s donning a pair of red-rimmed glasses that match the shade of her lipstick.

  Holy fucking shit, she’s a wet dream come true.

  She looks down at her watch and then to the class at large. It’s not a large class since it’s specialized, but there’s only one seat left open.

  She moves to stand in front of the desk with her hands behind her back, accentuating a rack that I can only imagine is at least triple D. What I wouldn’t give for the sprinkler system to turn on and soak that white shirt of hers.

  “Good morning, class. This is Chemical Process Design. If you’re not supposed to be in here, now’s the time to leave.” She gives everyone a moment, and when no one leaves, she smiles. That bright red smile of hers glows almost as bright as the sun, making me melt in the front row.

  “I’m glad you’re all in the right place. I’ll be your teacher for the semester, Roxie Hart.”

  Say what?

  It takes everything in me to keep my jaw from gaping open at her revelation. How is she our teacher? She looks to be all of twenty-four if that.

  It doesn’t matter her age, though, because one thing I know for certain is that by the end of the semester, those red lips of hers will have touched every inch of my body.

  Her being my teacher is only a temporary setback.

  2

  I’m barely listening to a word my teacher is saying because I’m trying to devise a plan that will get her under me when she tapes a piece of paper onto the whiteboard.

  “Unfortunately, this semester, I don’t have a teacher’s assistant, nor are there any tutors for this particular class. Since I know some of you will need help on your research paper, I’ve opened up three slots where I will personally help three students. It’s a first-come, first-serve basis, so if you think you’re going to need help, please sign up today. I wish I could help more of you, but I don’t have a lot of extra time on my hands. If none of the times I have work for you, we can meet and see if there’s a better time that works for both of us, but I likely won’t be able to do any other times.”

  Even though I don’t need any help, I figure this is my way in to getting to spend some one-on-one time with my new teacher. While I feel bad I’ll be taking away from someone who actually needs tutoring, I’m not going to change my mind. I can play dumb. At least for a while.

  For the rest of the class, we go over
the syllabus and the projects we’ll have to do through the semester. When she dismisses class ten minutes early, I make a mad dash up to the front of the class to sign up. With my pen in hand, I sign up for Thursday nights at six, leaving the two other spots open.

  With one last glance at Ms. Hart, who’s got five students waiting to talk to her, I head out. I got what I wanted, and now I just have to figure out how I’m going to seduce my chemistry teacher. I know it’s not going to be easy, but I think I’m up for the challenge.

  With ten extra minutes to spare, I make my way to the library so I can grab a coffee at the Starbucks that resides inside. While I’m there, I decide to grab one for Walker as well.

  Since I’m sure he’s still in the music building, I beeline for the one room he’s always in. Walker is exactly where I thought he would be—in front of a piano, scribbling on a piece of paper. The amount of talent this dude has in his pinky finger is more than most musicians have in their whole body.

  I knock on the door, and when his head pops up, his dark hair falling over one eye, I hold up the other cup of coffee. Walker smiles and motions me inside.

  “For me?” He questions even as he takes the offered coffee from my hands and takes a sip.

  Sitting down on a chair a few feet away, I stretch my legs out and get comfortable. “I got out early and needed another fix.”

  “And you thought you’d bring me a cup?” He quirks an eyebrow at me.

  “I didn’t want to owe you,” I quip.

  He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “You’re a right asshole, you know that? I didn’t do it so that you’d owe me. If anything, I’m the one who owes you. If it wasn’t for your smart ass, I would have flunked out of college long ago.”

  I want to ask if it really matters when he’s not going to finish up his degree anyway, but I bite my tongue.

  Maybe Walker doesn’t believe his band is going to be the next big thing, or maybe he just doesn’t want to jinx it. Either way, I keep silent.

  He stares at me for a moment before he looks back to the paper he was writing on when I knocked. “What’s going on with you?”

  “Who said there’s anything going on with me?”

  He doesn’t look up as he says. “Because there’s something different about you. Did some girl break your heart over the summer?”

  I roll my eyes at him and shake my head. “There was no girl.”

  “But there is now?”

  “No, not really.” What am I supposed to say? That during the first class of my senior year, I decided I’m going to do everything in my power to fuck my teacher?

  Turning his head slightly, he narrows his black eyes at me. “Don’t lie to me, Merrick. We’ve known each other far too long for you to start now.”

  He’s right. I can’t remember a time when I’ve lied to him since we met on the first day of kindergarten. He knows me better than anyone, even though we’ve grown apart as music has taken over his life and college mine.

  Squaring my shoulders, I tell him. “I want to fuck my first-period teacher.”

  He barks out a laugh. “Well, that’s new. I can’t say I saw that one coming. So... what’s stopping you?”

  “Nothing, actually. I’ve already started laying the groundwork.” I only hope Ms. Hart doesn’t look into my grades and decides the spot would better off going to someone else.

  “I don’t see what the problem is then,” he laughs.

  Sinking back into the cool metal of the chair, I cross my ankle over my knee. “I never said there’s a problem.”

  “No, I guess you didn’t.” He goes back to looking at what he was working on. It’s then that I wonder if Walker has something on his mind.

  Being the good friend that I am, I ask. “Is there something you want to get off your chest?”

  “No,” he shakes his head and lets his long hair flop in front of his face, which lets me know there is something.

  We sit in silence for what has to be at least twenty minutes before he lets out a sigh and sets his pencil down. Still, I don’t say a word. Whatever it is he wants to say isn’t easy for him.

  Shit.

  Is he leaving sooner than I thought?

  “You know the woman from Titan Records who’s been coming to our practices and shows?”

  Tall with long blondish-brown hair and alluring eyes with a body made for sin. Yeah, I know who she is. Every guy who’s been to one of Crimson Heat’s shows knows.

  “What about her?” I ask casually. I’ve seen the way my boy looks at her when he thinks no one is looking.

  “You have to keep this between us. Not even the guys can know.” His dark eyes drill into me, letting me know how serious he is.

  “You know me. I won’t say a word.” Those assholes don’t have my loyalty like he does. I’d keep any secret he tells me from them—from anyone. I’d bury a body for him.

  “You didn’t kill her, did you? I’m not really in the mood to bury a body today.” Or ever.

  “Fuck, dude, you’re morbid in the morning,” he smirks.

  Maybe, but what the hell is he keeping a secret?

  “We hooked up this past weekend.”

  That’s all he says and then stares at me. For what, I don’t know.

  “Congratulations,” I finally say after what seems like forever. I thought there would be more.

  “No, you dumbass,” he throws his hands in the air. “Not congratu-fucking-lations.”

  “Then what then?” I ask, exasperated. “Did she suck in bed?”

  He growls, and there’s murder in his eyes as he grits out, “Don’t ever talk about her like that.”

  His teeth grind together as he glares at me until I finally relent and hold my hands up.

  I didn’t say anything about her. It was a mere question. Then it hits me. Walker, my best friend since kindergarten, is in love. The only question is does he know it yet.

  “I won’t. There’s no reason to just about go nuclear.” When his jaw finally relaxes, I ask. “What’s the problem then?” Because there’s something that’s eating him from the inside.

  His fingers start to tap on the keys of the piano, but it makes no sound.

  “She said it was a lapse in judgment and a one-time thing.”

  Ouch.

  “So, you’re just going to give up?” That doesn’t sound like him.

  “Fuck, no,” he laughs bitterly.

  “Then I’m not seeing what the problem is,” I state. He’s never been one to back down from a challenge.

  “She’s into me. I know she is, but the problem is she can’t date one of her clients. That’s why she’s freaking out.”

  That makes me think about what I want to do to dear Ms. Hart and how there’s probably some rule stating she can’t have sex with her students. Well, not just her per se, although it would be wise since she’s hot as fuck, but all the teachers. I’m not saying there shouldn’t be because there are plenty of girls here who could be taken advantage of— exactly the same way I want to take advantage of my chem teacher.

  “Why don’t you give her time? Show her you can be discreet, and maybe if she’s interested in you, she’ll hook up with you again.” I throw that last part in to get a rise out of him, and it works.

  He stands and is in front of me quicker than I thought he’d be. Looming over me, he shoves my shoulder and then barks out a laugh. “You’re an asshole, you know that? Like she’s not interested in me,” he mumbles. I’m not sure if it’s to himself or if he meant for me to hear him.

  Walker’s never had to try for a girl. They’ve always thrown themselves at him, and now that he’s finally met his match, I can’t wait to see what happens.

  He gives my shoulder one last shove and then goes back to his seat in front of the piano like nothing happened. “So, what are you going to do about your teacher?”

  I shake my head because I have no idea. I’ll have to play it by ear and see how she responds to me when we’re alone.

  “Di
d you ever think we’d be where we are now talking about girls?” I laugh at the thought.

  “The thing is, we’re not talking about girls. We’re talking about women. Women who know what they’re doing and who don’t play games.” I’m not sure why he says the last part. I don’t think it matters the age girls or women are; they can all play games. Hopefully, for us, we found the ones who don’t.

  3

  “Mr. Landry, can I see you for a moment?” Ms. Hart calls after dismissing the class. It’s been one week of class, and I’m supposed to meet with her tomorrow night.

  Fuck.

  I know she’s going to call me out on not needing her help with my paper, and then I’m going to have to come up with a new plan.

  Slipping my laptop in my backpack, I shove my phone in my back pocket and make my way over to her. She’s sitting behind her desk with her sexy as fuck red glasses on.

  Red is my new favorite color.

  “Yes, Ms. Hart?” I stand and cross my arms over my chest and watch with satisfaction as she watches my muscles bulge with the movement.

  She taps her pen on what looks to be her planner and bites her bottom lip. “I wanted to confirm you still want Thursday nights at six for help with your paper.”

  Standing up straighter, I question. “Why wouldn’t I want it?”

  “The others who signed up… well, they canceled. I don’t have time for students who want to waste my time.”