Baby Cage Read Online Free

me. “You know, you’re a very smart and funny person. I’m sure you’d be able to add a lot to the community here. We can help one another.”
    Something about the way she talked reminded me of an over-eager kindergarten teacher. Exhaling through my nostrils, I focused on staying calm. “Thank you so much for that,” I said. “But I really need to go.”
    “Okay. Just think about movie night. We’d love to have you there!”
    By then, I was half way out the door. I waved back at her without turning around, heard the glass bounce shut, and trudged back through the winds. My strawberry blonde hair frizzed in the breeze, whipping around my face. Ignoring it, I rushed back through campus and was breathing heavily by the time I made it to Kaden Hall, the building which housed most of the general education classes.
    At a glance, I pulled out my phone and clicked on the time.
    Crap! I was two minutes late. Hopefully, my phone or the classroom’s clock would be off so Professor Rowland wouldn’t notice. His was the only class where I didn’t talk a lot. Unlike most teachers, he could recognize and had no problem calling out his students when they didn’t know the answer or couldn’t keep up with him. So far, I hadn’t been sure enough to take the chance.
    Head down, I scampered back down the hall. It was empty, all the doors shut. As I passed one room, then another, I heard the voices of professors as they started their lectures. Crap, crap, crap, I kept thinking to myself.
    I made it to the room, paused, and tried to steady my breath. My heart was pounding in my chest as I regretted ever being nice to Angela. She really, really didn’t deserve it, not if she was going to make me late for one of my favorite classes.
    After a second to regain my composure, I took a final gulp of air and forced my lungs to move more slowly now. I opened the door and stepped inside.
    Professor Rowland stopped talking. His eyes were on me. All of my classmates had their eyes aimed at me as well. I didn’t normally blush, but this time my body made an exception. Bright pink must have colored my cheeks. I felt the heat run through my skin, dancing in a storm of sensation as I tried to move as quickly and quietly as possible.
    “Lena,” said Professor Rowland, “you’re late.”
    “Sorry,” I said, mumbling. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t look up to meet his stare. The disappointment I might find there scared me too much.
    Few things managed to fluster me. Disappointment from one of my professors—one I respected, no less—definitely ranked up there on the list. I murmured another apology and quickly sat down.
    I kept my face down through the process of retrieving my things: pen, paper, binder, textbook. When I peeked up like a nervous little animal, I hoped Professor Rowland would have moved on.
    Nope. No luck there. He had his eyes on me. For an instant, I felt a flicker of something entirely different. Yes, the shame continued to pummel my insides, yet for an instant, I felt a flicker of desire. He was powerful and made me feel small and inexperienced, young and vulnerable. Those sensations should have turned me off. They should have embarrassed me further and made me want to smack him. But no, if anything, I felt a tick of arousal jump through my body.
    Professor Seth Rowland stood above me by nearly half a foot. While I’m pretty small and lithe, more like a pixie than an Amazon, Professor Rowland was thin but muscled. He reminded me of one of the more ninja-like super heroes. He had short, dark hair, a strong jaw, and burning brown eyes. Brown should have made them seem more average and plain. Not his. He stared out the world, calculating and discerning. I wanted to understand and learn from him.
    Right then, he wanted to teach me an entirely different lesson.
    “So Lena, tell us, why were you late?”
    “What?” I squeaked. A mouse could have sounded more confident.
    “You’ve been here for my mini-lectures on