Foxy Professor (Zakrzewski Anthologies) by Zakrzewski Ashley

Author:Zakrzewski, Ashley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-16T00:00:00+00:00

2

“I was not trying to hurt you,” he said, more calmly. “Quite the opposite. I would have thought, if you thought so highly of me before, that you understood my intentions.”

Her lips twisted and she crossed her arms over her chest. The action pulled on her blouse, and she caught his eyes darting between her chest and her face. “Intent is meaningless. Isn’t that what you told me?”

He sighed and tried to give her a stern look. She was pleased when he averted his eyes and closed his mouth, pursing his lips.

“I’m more than qualified to be director of my department,” she continued, “and I’m the only one who wants it. I’ve worked my ass off the last two years, waiting for Dr. Gallen to retire. But you told the board to reject me.”

She said it more like the truth than an accusation, and he shook his head. “I did not tell them -”

Anger flowed through Nora, rushing through her veins and filling her with heat, her pulse skipping as her heart rate increased. Morel licked his lips, and she surprised herself when she noticed a flicker of desire curling low in her belly. She dug deep and latched on to her earlier frustrations, to all the harsh moments that had passed between them, all the times she felt small around him for no reason.

“Don’t lie to me!”

“I haven’t!” He fixed her with a glare and tapped his fingers, which she knew was a sign of his displeasure. “Doctor Averly, the conversations of the hiring committee are strictly confidential, and entirely professional. Your application was considered and -”

“Bullshit,” she said flatly. “We all know how it is around here. Jenna Fairfield just thinks she’s in charge, the board always follows your lead, you’re the bloody dictator of this place!”

“Doctor Averly, you forget yourself.” Then he exhaled and his voice lowered. “Nora, that’s not - I mean it’s -”

She shook her head. “Shut up.”

The ease with which he slipped in their old familiarity angered her. After everything that had happened or not happened between them, she didn’t think he had the right, not to use soft accented voice, not to turn those warm eyes on her. She walked around the desk and he fell back into the chair with a soft grunt. He looked up at her, surprised, but there was something more.

Morel said her name again, but this time his voice had an edge to it, his eyes darkening as she leaned over the chair, her hands braced on the arms just inches from his. He had made so many of the decisions that guided their relationship - the dissolution of their mentorship when he left the college, the strained work environment of the last two years - but now she had the upper hand. She was in charge, and she needed answers.

“Why?” she asked simply, catching the bob of his throat as he swallowed.

He sighed, his face relaxing just a touch as his mouth curved into a small, sad smile.

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