She startled when she saw me, her eyes going wide. “Xander? What are you doing here?”
The Viking glanced between us, a stupid look on his ridiculously handsome face. If I weren’t so pissed at Kate, I’d be asking him to pose for me because he had an amazing profile.
I clenched my fists. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your date?”
“What?” Kate looked between me and the blond Viking, and I saw dawning realization. “You mean Hunter?” She peered up at him then back at me. “He’s my brother.”
“Oh.” Something in my chest released, and even though I felt like a jerk, I was more relieved than anything. “Oh.” I laughed, feeling a little light-headed.
“Who are you?” Hunter’s voice was menacing, laced with a threat.
I opened my mouth to introduce myself, when Kate blurted, “Hunter, this Xander. He’s my professor. I mean boyfriend. I mean friend.” With each additional qualifier, her skin turned a deeper shade of pink.
Hunter glared at me. “Which is it,Xander?”
Though I wasn’t surprised she hadn’t told him about me, it still stung. That said, I found her bumbling introduction endearing. I knew she was nervous, and I could understand.
I held out my hand to shake. “My name is Alexander Kline, and I’m all three.”
Hunter’s eyebrows climbed up his forehead, his grip on Kate tightening. “Professor?” He gave me a once-over, his eyes lingering on the tattoos peeking out from beneath my shirt. “You’re dating your professor?”
“I’m, well…” Kate hesitated, rubbing her arms.
Before she could answer, a woman with blond hair, who bore a striking resemblance to Kate, grabbed her brother’s arm. “Hunter, darling.” She smiled, though it was forced. “Keep your voice down. People are starting to stare.”
“God forbid people stare, Mother.” Hunter rolled his eyes.
“What is going on here?” A man joined the group, speaking with authority. The cut of his tuxedo was expensive, and his gray hair was slicked back from his face.
“Professor Kline,” Hunter spat. “Would you care to explain to my father—SenatorPruitt—why you’re taking advantage of a female student?”
Oh shit.Well, this wasn’t quite the way I’d envisioned introducing myself to her parents.
“Is this true?” Her dad was seething, glancing between the two of us.
“Dad, wait—” Kate stepped forward, trying to grab his arm. But her dad didn’t see her coming, and he whacked her in the face with his arm.
She stumbled backward, covering her cheek with her hand. Her eyes shone with unshed tears, and Hunter curled his arm around her protectively. I stepped toward her, but her father was already advancing on me, blocking my path instead of asking if Kate was okay or apologizing.
I kept my eyes on her, not caring what her father said next. She was my priority, and if he weren’t a senator—and her father—I would’ve punched him. She shook her head, using the side of her index finger to wipe beneath her eyes.
“Larry Brown and I go way back,” her father continued. “And you can guarantee that he will be hearing about this.”
I furrowed my brow, struggling to follow. “Who’s Larry Brown?”
“Your boss. The chancellor of UCLA.”
I laughed, some of the tension easing out of me. “First of all, I don’t teach at UCLA. And secondly, LA CAD doesn’t prohibit students from dating professors, so long as they aren’t in a position to influence their grades.”
“What is he going on about?” Kate’s father asked, turning to her. “What is LA CAD?”
Her eyes were wide and glassy, and all I wanted to do was hold her, comfort her. I could understand why her parents might not be thrilled with the idea of their daughter dating her much-older professor. But I didn’t understand why they thought I taught at a completely different university.
A lone tear trickled out, streaking down her cheek. “It’s an art school, Dad. One of the best on the West Coast. And I’m a student there.”
“This is a joke, right?” her father asked. “Because I can tell you, Katherine.” He wagged his finger at her, and I wanted to snap it off his hand. He was being completely disrespectful to her. But the most shocking thing was that she was allowing it. “This is not amusing.”
“It’s not a joke.” She hung her head and sniffled. I marveled at the difference between the strong, assertive woman I knew and this…withdrawn, timid girl. “I dropped out of UCLA to attend LA CAD. I’d been meaning to tell you, but…”
