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“I must insist on giving you a ride.”
I glared at him. Hating how cool and calm he was. Hating that he was standing there like chiseled perfection while my hair was frizzing by the second and the sugar from my coffee was sticking to my chest. A moment ago I had been keenly aware of all his earth-shattering attributes. I had never paid any man such attention before. But that was drowned out by the awareness of my own shortcomings and general lack of grace.
I was a twenty-three-year-old virgin, a fact I rarely gave thought to, but for the first time, I felt like it was written all over my face. The second dose of heat that burned through me was much different than the first.
Shame.
Embarrassment flooded me and I just wanted to get away from this moment. Adrenaline was crashing. I needed to run. From him. From this whole situation.
“I don’t take rides from strangers.” The Walk light was now flashing across the street.
“What is your name?”
My gaze landed back on him. “Katelyn.”
“Well, Katelyn, I really must insist on giving you a ride.” The way he said my name made a shiver roll across my back.
“No need, I’m just right there.” I pointed to the university and moved in step with the foot traffic and crossed the street.
Careful not to look back.
~
I snatched a shirt from the campus bookstore on my way in. While it didn’t go with my heels and pencil skirt, it was dry. When I walked into Professor Martin’s office, he eyed me with confusion.
“Well, I admire your school spirit,” he said, his belly rumbling with each word. A brown sweater vest atop a tan button-down and chocolate corduroys completed Professor Martin’s look. The only contrast to his obvious obsession with earth tones was his half-bald head and white mustache. He sort of looked like Santa’s second cousin.
“I’ve heard wonderful things about you, Miss Gunn.” He gestured for me to sit. The room had rich wood furniture, like the big desk he sat behind and the matching chairs in the corner, and was decorated in different hues of chestnut. Go figure. From the carpet to the paintings—brown, brown, and more brown.
“Thank you so much. I am excited to be your assistant this year.”
“Tell me, what is your long-term career goal, Miss Gunn? Academia or workforce?”
I folded my hands in my lap. “Well, I’d like to be a social worker.”
He sat back and nodded. “I see. That can be difficult. Takes a tough skin to see what goes through there sometimes.” He smiled. “But they need all the good people they can get.”
I couldn’t help but smile back. Professor Martin was nothing like what I’d expected. He was just so…jolly.
“I’m teaching a full load this term. Everything from entry-level sociology to upper division. I’ll need you to hold regular office hours, and, if you think you’re up for it, I would like you to step in and lecture my Soc one-oh-one classes from time to time.”
“I’d be happy to, Professor.”
“I’ve seen your transcripts—very impressive.” He winked. “I think that you will do really well here.”
“Thank you.”
“Here’s my schedule.” He handed me a piece of paper with the times and days he taught the various classes. “And these—” He circled the Tuesday and Thursday evening sociology classes. “—will be the lectures you take over.”
“Great! When would you like me to start?”
“Might as well start at the beginning.”
“Tomorrow?”
“That work for you?”
Excitement bubbled. “Yes, of course.” I was going to teach. A real college class. Granted, the first day was always short and generally you went over the syllabus and expectations, but it was still something!
The morning might have started out a bit rough, but things were looking up. Somewhere between a near-death experience, a sexy stranger with intense blue eyes, and Soc one-oh-one, I was feeling like my life just might be finding an even keel.
~
Professor Martin had left right after giving me a spare key to the office and telling me to make myself comfortable. It took only an hour to select my office hours, cross-reference Professor Martin’s schedule with mine, and successfully color-code and organized every weekday in my personal planner. Right as I opened my laptop to tackle my thesis paper, a man entered the office.
“Can I help you?”
“Delivery for a Katelyn Gunn.”
“That’s me.”
The man handed me a rectangular box wrapped in shiny white paper, with no card or any identifying writing on it. Odd.
Even though I had lived with my aunt and uncle for the last part of my high-school career, we weren’t necessarily close. They had never once sent me anything. The only time I spoke with my mother was when she needed something, and I’d just seen Megan this morning. That girl couldn’t keep a secret to save her life, so if she had gotten me something, I would have known then.
The messenger left and I unwrapped the mystery box. It was thin and light. When I pulled the last of the paper away, I saw the top of the box and frowned.
Saks Fifth Avenue.
I popped the lid off. Inside was a white silk blouse in my size. The card on top said:
Keep your eyes forward.
~A
What the hell?
How had he found me? Being borderline worried about the logistics of that should have been my first thought. Instead, I felt a little giddy and flattered.
A small smile tugged at my lips. Had he picked this out himself? Probably not. He looked like one of those important people who had others do things for him. He had a personal driver, for God’s sake.
The color of his eyes alone was seared into my memory. That intense stare could likely burn right through a person. A man like that had power. Not just in general, but power over women. That much was obvious. It was also clear that he was very aware of his effect on others.
Before I could let the embarrassment of this morning engulf me, I switched my thoughts to something else. Like the line of his strong jaw. Judging by his dark features and careful grooming, he probably had to shave every morning and by every evening he’d have a five o’clock shadow. He had to be in his thirties, but he was fit and obviously took care of himself. So much strength and poise seeped from every pore that he could easily pull off late twenties if not for those eyes. There was darkness in them. A kind of wild knowledge that no twenty-something could pretend to have without actual experience.
