Page 24 of Hawk and the Cougar

He stretched out kitty-corner on the sleeping bag and pulled her against his chest. The moon that lifted over the orange tinged horizon joined forces with the scent of earth and the unique masculine smell that was Hawk, and her stomach tightened with burgeoning desire. The arm wrapped around her lay heavy across her waist. A quiver radiated through her insides. Liz willed herself not to melt against the muscled expanse pressed close to her breast.

“This is low-key compared to last night’s warning,” she said, in a voice she prayed didn’t give away the desire that throbbed between her legs with every beat of her heart. He was silent, and she was sure he could feel her nipples hardening against his chest. How long could she resist before she kissed him? “I meant what I said. I’m not going to risk Emma’s relationship with you,” she said.

“Nothing that happens between us will change my mind about being her advisor,” he said.

“What?” Liz shoved up onto an elbow so they made eye contact in the dusky moonlight. “You’re going to be her advisor?”

“She didn’t tell you?”

Liz shook her head. It was like Emma not to tell her. Emma would give up his support before hurting her. Liz hadn’t considered the possibility that Emma would find a professor willing to advise her so early in her education. Her throat tightened. Emma’s upset hadn’t just been teenage embarrassment. Had she already gone too far?

“This is too big for me to jeopardize,” she said.

“The only person who can jeopardize Emma is herself,” he said, “and that’s only if she doesn’t do the work. I can’t see her doing that.”

“When things end between you and I end, you might feel differently.”

“You’ve already made up your mind?” he asked.

“You have to admit, chances of a long-term relationship between us are slim.”

“I’ve seen worse odds.”

Liz nodded. “Maybe, but I’m not willing to gamble with my daughter’s future.”

He laughed. “You have nothing to say about it, sweetheart. It’s a done deal.”

“What do you mean?” she demanded.

“I’ve already assigned her senior classes.”

Liz stared. “But she’s only an undergrad.”

“An immensely talented undergrad who deserves as much help as she can get.”

“You could still change your mind.”

His brows rose. “If you piss me off?”

“Wouldn’t be the first time something like that has happened,” she said.

“It would be a first for me. Not to mention, I’m not stupid enough to let a student’s mother get between me and some great funding.”

Liz blinked. “She’ll garner that much funding for you?”

Hawk shrugged. “She’s a hot commodity. I’m simply a smart enough businessman to have closedd the deal before someone else did, and I have no intentions of giving her up, no matter how hard you try to talk me out of it. Though I won’t stop you from plying me with your womanly wiles in order to try.”

“Talk you out of it? I…I don’t know how to thank you.”

“I didn’t do it for you, Liz. Much as I’d like to take the credit.”

“I know.” She swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat. “Which only makes it all the more amazing. You did it because you’re a nice person.”

“Mostly a good businessman,” he said.

She touched his cheek. “No. A nice person.”

“Careful, Liz.”