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Without answering him, I’m out of my car, practically getting hit by traffic as I go, slamming my car door shut with more force than I should. Ash is climbing out of the passenger side, racing over to me, his face twisting in confusion and concern.
“Cal. What the hell, man?!”
“That’s Layla.” The words grate past my clenched teeth. I point at the blonde up ahead who is walking alone. Alone at close to midnight looking like that.
“Oh.” Asher snickers, his gaze casting back over to her and then he’s patting my shoulder. “Now I see what the problem is. Yeah, she’s something alright. I’d tell you not to do anything I would do, but I’m starting to wonder if maybe that’s exactly what you need. Something, or in this case, someone to shake you up a bit.”
“I’m not going to do anything with her,” I grumble, but that doesn’t stop me from heading in her direction. “She’s my student. Remember?”
“Right. Sure. Whatever you say, man. Condoms save lives. Rememberthat, Doctor.”
I flip him off.
“So, I’ll just drive your car home then?” he calls after me. “Cool, man. Thanks. You can swing by and pick it up from my place tomorrow.”
I throw my hand up over my shoulder acknowledging that, and then I take off into a jog to catch up to her because there are two college-aged guys near me staring at her like she’s their next meal and saying things that will have me toss their lifeless bodies into the Charles River if they’re not careful.
For a moment I take in the woman walking ahead, head held high, purse tucked against her side, heels clicking on the sidewalk, blonde hair bouncing. She’s unstoppable and unmissable and for a lesser man, unapproachable. Just looking at her makes you think you could never have a shot with a woman like her, and that might in fact be true. She told her ex to fuck off plain as day without a backward glance in his direction and she remorselessly snuck out of my place after getting exactly what she wanted from me.
I don’t think Layla needs my protection at all.
She’s her own force of nature. A powerhouse living by her own carefully crafted rules. She’s too smart, too beautiful, too irresistibly wild for us mere mortals to possess her.
It only makes me want to try harder to do just that.
But I won’t.
I’ll just make sure she gets somewhere safe so I can sleep tonight without worrying about her and that will be that.
“Are you trying to become a statistic?” I bark as I reach her, grabbing her arm and twisting her to face me. I’m angry and I have no right to be angry, but right now I don’t care so much. She’s been fucking up my world all week and now here she is like this.
Her giant doe-like ocean blue eyes blink wide at me, her fist balled up, clutching a black canister. Pepper spray. Good girl.
When she registers that it’s me, a smirk curls up her glossy pink lips. “Did you know that pepper spray can reach an assailant from as far away as ten feet and will last anywhere between fifteen to forty-five minutes as it causes involuntary eye closure, difficulty breathing, and burning of the face and skin? Incidentally, I also carry a knife in my purse.”
My hand dives into her hair, cupping the back of her head as I drag her body closer to mine. She lets me without even an ounce of resistance.
“Doesn’t mean it’s safe to be walking alone on the city streets at this hour of the night looking like every man’s fantasy.”
She’s smiling at me now in a way that tells me she’s beyond amused by my overprotective routine. “Slow your roll there, Dr. Hottie McSterious. My car is two blocks up.” She points out to her side with her pepper spray hand.
I don’t bother looking. I’m still too fired up. “Who were you out with tonight that let you walk out here alone?”
She squints at me, shirking off my touch. “No one, and since I am my own woman and keeper, I don’t have to ask permission for anything I want to do. I was at Stella’s restaurant. She had to work the bar tonight since two of her bartenders called out on her and I helped her for a while.”
“Dressed like that?”
She shrugs indifferently. “More tits, more tips.”
Jesus. I scrub my hands up my face, breathing harshly.
“Oh stop. You’re being way too dramatic about this, and frankly, it’s not your business. Stella made me promise I’d call her the second I got to my car or she’d—” Her phone rings in her purse and she gives me an I told you so quirk of her brow. She fishes her phone out and answers it. “I’m fine, Stella. I ran into a friend on the street.” She listens for a minute and then puffs out a half-laugh. “No. An actual friend. Not a hot streetwalking frat boy I can make my bitch for the night. Do those even exist and not spread PID?”
I grin and then laugh, all the tension in my body evaporating along with it.
“Oh my God, Stella.” Her arms flail. “I’m being serious with you.” She cocks a hip and rolls her eyes. “Fine. Fluffy marshmallows. Happy now? Dr. Hottie McSterious is going to walk me to my car since he’s unhappy I’m walking alone in my current state of sex-kitten perfection.” She gives me a wink as she continues to listen to Stella on the other end. “I know you were too, but you have a business to run, and I didn’t wantyouwalking back to your restaurant alone after you walked me to my car.” She lets out a heavy sigh as Stella continues on. “Stella, I’m legit fine. I swear. Here.” She thrusts the phone out to me. “Say hi so she knows you’re real and that I’m fine since she’s not taking our safe words as gospel.”
“Hi, Stella. It’s Callan Barrows.”
