She walked back toward the town house, Luke close behind. Stopping in front of her car, she turned and found herself staring into Luke’s hard chest. She stepped back, trying to create space between them, but found her back against the car door.
He lifted his hand toward her face but let it fall back to his side before making contact. He offered an apologetic smile instead. “Thanks for hearing me out. I’m glad we got to talk.”
“Me too.”
Luke didn’t move to leave, and he stared down at her intently.
“Well, I’ll see you Monday,” she offered awkwardly.
That seemed to snap him out of it. He stepped back and shoved his hands in his back pockets. “Yep, see you then.”
When she unlocked her car door, the sleeve of Luke’s sweatshirt fell past her hand. She spun around, pulling up on the sweater. “I should probably give this back.”
Luke caught Embry’s hands, stilling her movements. “It’s chilly out. Keep it.”
“You sure?”
He nodded and dropped his hands, his steel blue gaze boring into hers. She was rooted to the spot, once again lost in his eyes.
“Come here,” he said, holding out his arms, his voice nothing but a sexy rasp.
Embry didn’t hesitate. She stepped forward, and Luke wrapped her in his arms. He nuzzled her neck, breathing her in. A small strangled whimper escaped her lips. At the soft sound, Luke’s head lifted, his eyes ablaze. He ran his hands into her hair and slammed his lips on hers in a bruising kiss. For just a moment, Embry surrendered, reveling in the feeling of being consumed by him.
It ended as fast as it began. Luke tore himself away, sadness flooding his features, and Embry ducked into her car, offering a short wave. As she pulled out of the driveway, her eyes cloudy with tears, she lifted her fingers to her kiss-swollen lips, knowing that it was good-bye.
14
Embry was dragged out of a delicious dream by her alarm clock blaring. She rolled over to silence the music, and she was immersed in Luke’s scent, warm and woodsy. She shot up, groggy and confused, to search for him. Finding her bed empty, she looked down to see that she was still wearing his sweatshirt, and the events of the previous night came crashing back. Pulling it to her nose, she inhaled deeply, taking in as much of Luke as she could before ripping it over her head. She folded it and left it on her pillow, knowing that was the closest she’d get to Luke. They’d drawn their lines, and both of their futures depended on them staying on their own sides.
She ran through her morning routine, grabbed her books, and headed to class. Her first research meeting with Luke was that afternoon, and she was jumpy and nervous. Her anxiety grew as she sat in her first class.
What would it be like with Luke? Would he be friendly? Could she really pretend he was nothing but a professor to her? She was confused and upset over they way they had left things. They’d agreed to keep their relationship professional—make it work any way they could—but then they’d shared that kiss. It was supposed to be an ending, a good-bye, but it didn’t feel like it.
She caught herself running her fingers over her lips, remembering the feel of Luke’s mouth. Pulling her hand away, she glanced at Jeremy to see if he’d noticed her petting her lips like a freak. He winked, reached in his pocket, and put whatever he’d pulled out into her hand.
Her cheeks heated as she looked at the stick of lip balm. Busted. “What’s this?”
“Chapstick,” he answered.
“I can see that, thanks. Why are you giving it to me?”
“Chapped lips?”
“My lips are fine,” she said.
“Well you were rubbing at them, so I figured you needed some relief. Unless it’s another kind of relief you’re after. You know I’m good for that too.” He wiggled his eyebrows in typical Jeremy fashion.
“Ick, Jer!” she said, throwing the Chapstick at his chest.
“Hey, take it easy!” He threw his hands up and laughed.
“Mr. Price.” Embry and Jeremy jumped to attention when the professor called Jeremy’s name.
“Yes, sir,” Jeremy answered.
“Were you volunteering for the next case or interrupting my class to flirt with the pretty girl next to you?” the professor asked.
Embry felt her cheeks turn an embarrassing shade of red.
“Neither, sir?” Jeremy answered, shrugging.
“Well, in that case, why don’t you tell us about State versus Jackson and the felony murder rule.”
By the time Embry had to meet with Luke, she was ready to go home and hide under her covers. Jeremy hadn’t been prepared, and the professor had torn him apart. Since Jeremy couldn’t answer the questions, the case was dumped on Embry, and she’d done a shit job of analyzing the case law. She’d never felt so stupid.
Then there was contracts. Two hours of Professor Brody was its own special brand of torture, especially since she couldn’t stop daydreaming about his mouth on hers. They’d avoided eye contact for the duration of the class, both struggling with their newfound professor-student relationship, but when she wasn’t looking at him, she felt his eyes on her. She kept to herself, not volunteering and trying to avoid any emotional outbursts, all the while squirming in her seat.
As she made her way up the stairs toward the faculty wing, dread settled heavy in her stomach. Their meeting was at four o’clock and she was already running behind, but she couldn’t seem to get her body to cooperate. She dragged her feet when she should have been rushing. She walked down the long hallway until she found “Professor Lucas J. Brody” printed on a small, gray plaque next to a door. She breathed deeply, trying to calm her unruly nerves, and knocked.
“Yes?” he called from the other side of the door.
She pushed the door open and peeked in. “Professor?” The word felt all wrong on her tongue. Especially when she still felt the ghost of his lips on hers. Focus, Embry.
His face lit with a gorgeous Luke smile that quickly melted away as he shut down his emotions and put up a wall. Enter Professor Brody. “Yes, Miss Jacobs, come on in.”
She walked in and sat in one of the leather chairs facing his desk. She perched awkwardly on the edge of the seat and hugged her bag.
“How are you?” he asked, the words bursting with meaning.
“I’m …” She distracted herself with the zipper on her bag before looking into his penetrating stare. “I’m okay. You?”
“I’m good,” he answered, holding her gaze.
“That’s good.”
They sat in awkward silence. The room was charged with all of the emotions and desires they couldn’t act upon. She wasn’t even three feet from Luke, but she suddenly felt worlds away. He cleared his throat, and Embry shook herself from her thoughts.
“So where are you with Coleman’s research?” he asked.
“I-um …” She let out a small nervous laugh. “Sorry”—she pulled her bag open—”let me grab my notes.”
Embry gave Luke the rundown on her work with Coleman, and they came up with a new research schedule. They’d meet two to three times a week in his office to go over her findings and work together. She had a feeling that meeting so often wasn’t necessary, but she didn’t say anything. He gave her a few small tasks to work on for him then stood and walked around his desk as she packed up.
“So I’ll see you on Friday at four?” he asked.
“Well, I’ll be in class, but yeah, Friday at four.” She started toward the door, but she jumped when she felt Luke’s hand on the small of her back.
“Sorry.” He pulled his hand back and rubbed his neck. “I just, um … I’ll walk you to the door.”