Page 3 of Teach Me Your Ways

“Shit.”

Yelena sighed and stepped back, rolling her eyes. “Dean Carver again? She’s been calling all morning.”

“Yeah. This is the fifth call.”

“Tell her to wait her turn,” she said, a pouty look on her face.

“She’s my boss. She doesn’t get a turn.” Not that she had never tried.

“She sounds intense.”

“That’s one word for it.”

“Think she’ll fire you?” Yelena asked. “If you end up tentless, you can crawl into mine. Nice and tight quarters. I might have to sleep on top of you. Or you can sleep on top. I’m flexible.”

Every part of me wanted to throw the phone into the jungle, sweep Yelena off her feet, and take her somewhere no one else existed.

With a grown, I swiped to answer. “Grady Stone.”

“Finally,” barked Dean Joyce Carver. “Do you have any idea what time it is back here?”

“Uh—”

“No, of course you don’t. Because you’re still in the jungle instead of on campus where you’re supposed to be. Your TA orientation is in two days. I’ve booked you on a flight that leaves Flores in four hours. If you miss it, I will pull funding from this project faster than you can blink.”

“I was planning to fly out tomorrow,” I said carefully. “I’ve already packed⁠—”

“No, Professor Stone. You were supposed to be on a flight yesterday. This little stunt of yours has already cost us goodwill with the Board. If your insubordination continues, I’ll bring it up at the next review and recommend disciplinary proceedings. You may have tenure, but you’re not untouchable. Am I clear?”

I had to grit my teeth to keep from telling her to fuck off.

“Yes, you’re clear,” I said instead.

“Good. Get your ass on that plane.” She hung up.

I sighed and lowered the phone. Playtime was over. I knew I had pushed the boundaries. Hell, I fucking blew up the boundaries. I hated being on a leash and fucking Carver thought she had the right to yank it whenever she wanted.

“I have a feeling I’m not going to get the Grady Stone experience,” Yelena said with disappointment.

“I have to go,” I said.

She tilted her head, giving me a slow, catlike smile. “Right this minute?”

“Yeah.”

“I can take you to the airport,” she said. “I’d be happy to give you a ride. Quick and dirty but with AC.”

I laughed despite myself. “You’re relentless.”

“Tenacious. That’s a word used to describe me quite often. It’s how I got on this project.”

I shook my head before gently rubbing my gloved fingers over her cheek. “If I miss that flight, the dean’s going to send a drone strike.”

She popped out her plump bottom lip in a sexy pout. “Then I guess I’ll have to save my seduction techniques for the next tall, sexy archeologist.”

“He will truly be a lucky man,” I said, feeling incredibly unlucky I couldn’t stay just one more day.