Dallas and Averi walked out of the training field side by side. At school, he was in his combat uniform, and since being too close would attract attention, he didn't hold her hand.
Averi understood his concerns. Not to mention holding hands, just standing here and doing nothing was already enough to stand out.
Unlike Tess, who clearly seemed to be his kind of person.
Dallas asked, "Averi, how did you get in?"
"I couldn't reach you on the phone, and was about to leave when I happened to run into Darryl coming back from outside. He brought me in."
"You can't bring personal items to the demonstration, so I left my phone in the office." Warmth flickered in his eyes as he lowered his voice and asked, "What brought you here so suddenly?"
Did you miss me?
Averi deflected the question, "Am I coming at a bad time?"
She smiled, her jet-black eyes absorbing the light.
Dallas focused on her. Ever since they started seeing each other, she hadn't been using that roundabout way of speaking as much.
Averi pretended not to notice his gaze on her, turning her head to look into the distance and asked, "Is that the shooting range?"
"Yes," Dallas replied, following her lead. He introduced the surrounding buildings, "That building behind us, the third canteen, is where people come and go. Further back, that building is our department—"
Averi, wearing high heels that were more stylish than practical, began to feel the strain in her feet after walking a while. Dallas noticed her pace slowing and said, "Do you want to go to my office?"
"Alright."
Averi thought he meant his dorm, but Dallas took her to an office on the third floor of the Information and Communication Department.
Averi raised an eyebrow. "You have your own office now?"
Dallas replied, "It's temporary. Without an office, students wouldn't know where to find me when they need to drop off materials or assignments. Darryl applied to the school, and they assigned this space to me. His office is right next door."
He was a teaching assistant, and in addition to teaching, he was responsible for some extracurricular work. He needed to make sure students could find him.
The office was small, with a desk and chairs by the window. On the desk, besides a computer, were two books and a fountain pen neatly arranged, just like in Dallas's home.
Dallas pulled his phone out of the drawer, saw her missed call, and was about to speak when someone knocked and entered. It was a short-haired girl in military uniform.
"Dallas, here's the paper assignment Darryl gave last week," the girl said. Seeing Averi, she froze for a moment.
Averi could tell from her expression that the girl was confused and surprised to see an outsider. She smiled faintly, pursed her lips, and stood up to walk toward the door.
She had always known that she and Dallas were from different worlds. She knew it, but today, stepping onto Dallas's turf, she truly felt the difference.
Dallas groaned her name. "Averi?"
Averi replied, "I'm just going to the bathroom."
"I'll take you there."
"No, just tell me how to get there."
Dallas heard the indifference in her tone and, feeling constrained by the presence of others, didn't want to say more. He only asked, "Are you sure?"
Averi smiled. "I'm sure."
Not sure what's going to happen, is he really going to help her take her pants off? Truly a patient teacher, always willing to guide.
Dallas said, "Just head out, take a left, walk to the end, and it'll be on your right."
Averi replied, "Thank you, Dallas."
Averi stepped out of the room, habitually closing the door behind her.
Only two people remained in the room. Lyric asked, "Dallas, where should I put this?"
"Let go of me!" "Give it to me." Dallas took it and walked to the door, pushing it open.
Lyric Bailey realized that when Dallas was with that person earlier, the office door had been closed.
Every time Dallas met with girls, the office door was always open. The first time she came to deliver homework, not knowing Dallas's habit, she had closed the door behind her, and he hadn't said anything but had gotten up to open it himself. Later, she heard from the girls in the dorm that Dallas had great awareness in this regard, that he was truly a gentleman, which helped her understand the situation.
It wasn't just the students—once, Lyric came to pick up some materials and saw Dallas with Dr. Arellano, and the door was open then too.
So, the woman just now was Dallas's girlfriend?
No way, she didn't look like anyone from the team at all.
She wanted to ask but didn't dare to be too bold.
Dallas was okay during classes, but when leading team training, he was very strict, making everyone both respect and fear him. Moreover, the girls often talked about Dallas privately, and it was said that if he hadn't left the team for a few years, he would have already been a major—not a staff major, but one with real achievements, with first-class personal merit.
Some even said that during his time away from the team, Dallas had worked as a mercenary and fought on the African battlefield. Lyric believed that this must have been a rumor.
She asked, "Teacher, when should I come pick it up?"
"No need, I'll bring it to the classroom when I teach next week."
"Thank you."
The conversation ended, but Lyric didn't leave. Dallas asked, "Is there anything else?"
The girl smiled, her face radiating the clear and bright charm typical for her age. "Dallas, a few of us just watched your demonstration. You were so cool!"
Dallas said, "Thank you."
Lyric chuckled, "Dallas, I'm going to have dinner now."
"Okay."
Just as Lyric left, Averi returned, leaning against the door and looking at him, her lips curved in a faint smile.
Dallas looked at her with an unreadable expression, unable to figure out her current mood. He walked over, closed the door, and took her hand, asking, "What's wrong?"
Her eyes, dark as ink, fixed on his face as she softly said, "Dallas, why did you close the door?"
Dallas's breath caught.
When she called him Dallas just now, he felt something unusual, and now he was even more certain. A glint appeared in his eyes.
Averi's gaze shifted, her voice becoming softer and softer. "Dallas, are you going to give me a private lesson?"
She wrapped her arms around Dallas's neck, her red lips close to his, stopping just an inch away, her lashes fluttering as she looked at him.
Dallas wrapped his arms around her waist, lowering his head to kiss her. His breath was hot, almost burning her.
