Not at all.
Because this man is irritating and a total jerk and nothing about him is sexy.
Except maybe the way he smells. Clean and woodsy.
Darn it.
No. I will not think about how he smells.
Instead, I glare at him and try to sound professional.
“Is there a reason why you’re here? Besides terrifying my students.”
His gaze narrows as he looks around the room.
I swear a student breaks into a run.
“I’m not scaring your students,” he says in his low, grumbly voice. “You said I should come to you. So I came.”
That voice does things to me that it shouldn’t. Warm, gooey things.
“When I said you should come to me next time, I meant that you should schedule an appointment and meet me in my office.”
I cross my arms over my chest, wishing I could glare down at him.
The fact that I can’t glare down at him when I’m standing on a dais that’s at least six inches above the ground and I’m in four-inch heels is proof we live in an unjust and uncaring universe. I should be able to glare down at him from this height. Instead, I can almost meet his gaze eye to eye.
Almost.
Whatever architect designed this room should be fired.
“I came here,” Max grumbles, “because I wanted to see if you’re any good.”
“Oh, I’m very good.”
“Excuse me if I’m not impressed with your in-depth analysis of Heidi Klum’s social media presence.”
I grit my teeth.
I knew it.
I friggin’ knew it.
I suck in a breath. And then exhale it quickly, because there’s that yummy pine scent again.
No. I am not going to let this jerk get in my head.
“Do you even know who Heidi Klum is?”
“Based on your slides, she’s a ‘social media influencer.’”
“So, in other words, no. You don’t know who she is.” Ha! Yeah, look who’s smart now. “But that’s okay, because every one of my students does. More to the point, they knew who she was before today’s lecture, because she’s one of the most important women in fashion.”
I see the beginning of an eye roll and cut it off by jabbing a finger in his direction.
“Also, you could learn a thing or two from Heidi Klum. Because if there’s anything harder in the modern world than a beautiful woman over the age of forty remaining relevant, it’s making dirt sound interesting.”
I swear, he practically flinches at my jab about dirt.
