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"Her Sunday morning runs have been a ritual for her since she was a teenager. As long as she's keeping her routine, she'll be just fine."
"I can relate. My gym routine keeps me sane and grounded."
He nods. "Yes, Olivia is a health fanatic, too. She's constantly making me juices, smoothies, and salads."
"She sounds like a kind daughter. She's been a brilliant student, and I know she’ll make a remarkable doctor." I hope my poker face is as good as it used to be. James smiles as if I've just paid him the best compliment in all of history.
"She is. Olivia's bright, funny, unbelievably kind, loyal, and fiercely protective of those she loves. She habitually puts herself last and has a hard time asking for things." He tests my poker face again as he says she has a hard time asking for what she wants. She's made her wants and needs pretty clear.
"Anyway, Tomas, I wanted to let you know I got the vote for your tenure track officially on the agenda for the next quarterly board meeting. That isn't until February since we skip the holiday season. Good luck. I would love to keep you around."
"Thanks. I'd love to stay." He nods and turns on his heel to leave. I swivel back to my desk and decide to go grab some coffee. Once I turn the corner and enter the lounge, the sight knocks the air out of my lungs. Shiny beads of sweat fall in glistening rivets down her taut back. It takes every ounce of restraint not to walk up behind her and lick them off one-by-one.Christ.
She turns rapidly and shrieks when she sees me standing there. Her coffee flies from her left hand, pooling around her on the floor. Immediately, her cheeks heat, and I can tell it's not from her workout. I'm not sure whether it's from the embarrassment of throwing her coffee into the air or that she just caught me eye-fucking her back. We stand suspended in time, unable to look away. Her mouth parts in a cute little O. Finally, she springs into action and grabs a roll of paper towels from the cabinet.
"Sorry, here. Let me get that for you." I take the roll from her hands, our knuckles touching briefly. She looks down at her hand like she's sad the contact ended. As I'm bending down to clean up the floor, I feel her eyes on me. I twist to look at her, and now she's full on crimson when I see her checking out my ass.
"It was leg day yesterday," I offer nonchalantly.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"I'm stiff today. It was leg day for me yesterday at the gym." Her eyes roam my thighs and legs. When I catch her looking, she averts her eyes.
"I just finished a run." She’s about to pour herself the last cup of coffee and realizes that it’s the last, so she sets the carafe back down.
"You don't say," I say with mock surprise.
“Seriously, please take it. I didn't mean to startle you."
“Nope, all yours.”
I smile and shake my head. "That's rather kind of you, Miss Hamilton."
"What were you doing exactly?"
"Waiting patiently, like a gentleman." Her pupils flare, but she recovers quickly. Something in the air changes. The tension thickening like the bulge in my navy dress pants is threatening to do. She leans in like a little fucking temptress, her voice barely a whisper.
"Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't think many of the thoughts floating around in your head are very gentleman-like. Unless I'm misreading the situation. After all, you would know best, Professor." She shrugs like she knows she fucking has me. Infuriatingly, she's right.
"You've given me no opportunity to prove I'm a gentleman, or one lack thereof." She bites her bottom lip, and it's another test of willpower to not claim her mouth against mine.
"You're right. You staring at my ass until I turned around and caught you was extremely gentleman-like." I open my mouth to argue, but she has a look on her face that she's dying to say more.
"Go on," I say, extremely intrigued by whatever she has to say.
"Thank you. I'm sorry I ended up in your arms. I was trying to get the fuck away from Nathan, and I guess you were just lucky, but please know I didn't want you involved. It was very kind, and I guess I have to admit, gentleman-like of you, to come to my rescue." She looks down, picking at her nails timidly.
"That fucking prick needs to go. I'm sorry he's treating you so poorly."
There’s a ghost of a smile. “Whatever. I can roll with it. I really do appreciate you protecting me, though. Thank you doesn't seem like enough.”
"He won't be joining us in class any longer. I will make sure of that." An awkward beat of silence passes.
“Well, I guess I should be going." I run a hand through my hair, trying to stall when I know I can't.
"See you in class, Miss Hamilton."
"Oh, and Professor DeLuca?" She doesn't turn to look at me, but she doesn't need to. I hear the attitude already in her saccharine tone. "Au revoir."
