Page 133 of Protective Heroes

She turned her face against his chest, and he knew she was blushing.

“It was the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever known in my life.”

“I’m glad you liked it,” she said in a small voice.

“I fucking loved it.” He squeezed her ass.

A moment of silence passed, and then she said, “Ford?”

“Hmm.” He was drifting in a pleasant after-haze. This never happened with his past lovers. He got his pleasure, gave it too, and then left. He wasn’t the cuddling type.

“What you said about making me yours...”

That brought him around. “I meant it, Angelina.”

She pushed onto her elbow to stare down into his face. “You know this can’t go on. It can’t work between us.”

He stared at her, his chest suddenly burning. “It can if we make it work.”

“How?”

“We figure it out.”

“I’m your professor, Ford. I will lose my job if we’re found out.”

“Won’t happen. I’ll take care of it. Or we’ll just keep our relationship under wraps until I finish my classes. Easy enough.” He only had a few weeks of two classes before he graduated.

And got that promotion he’d been gunning for. Which meant within months he’d be in another country with heavy artillery fire raining down on him. Was it right to drag Angelina into that? She deserved better, didn’t she?

No, she deserved to be loved and cherished, and nobody could do that better than him.

“I don’t know, Ford.”

“Baby, we have all the time in the world to work out the particulars. Right now, let’s just enjoy each other.” He reached up and caressed the loose hair off her cheek. She leaned into his touch like a goddamn kitten, and his heart gave a jerk. No, he wasn’t walking away from her. No matter what.

Five

Their time together seemed like a dream world now. Five days after she’d spent twelve amazing hours with the beautiful god of a soldier, Angelina could still hardly believe the things she’d done.

Or let him do to her.

Her mouth watered just thinking about his body. She craved Ford like an alcoholic craved whiskey. She needed to taste him—needed him in her mouth.

She toyed with a strand of her hair, twisting it around her finger as she waited for her next class to arrive. Her notes were spread across her desk, and today she’d probably need them. Her focus was on a hot soldier, not work.

A step sounded, and she looked up to see a man silhouetted in the doorway. The light from the hallway kept her from seeing his face clearly, but it wasn’t the man she’d loved for twelve exquisite hours.

She sat up straighter. “Can I help you?”

“Yes, you fucking can.” The familiar voice filled her with dread. She jerked to her feet and grabbed her cell, prepared to call for help if Ashwood threatened her. “I need a grade for this class, and you’re giving it to me. I did all the work. I at least get a passing grade.”

She lifted her chin. She wouldn’t be bullied into giving undeserved grades. “You were expelled from my class, Ashwood. That means you don’t receive a grade. Now please leave before I call for security again.”

He strode into the room, right up to her desk. He towered over her, but he wasn’t as big as Ford. The difference was she knew Ford would never hurt her, but Ashwood’s menacing tone and body language made her stomach drop.

“Do you know what this will cost me? A promotion that I’ve deserved for a year. I keep getting passed over, though, in favor of men who have this degree. Now you’re goddamn not going to stop me from getting it!”

She swiped her phone with her thumb and poised it to dial for help. Before she could, he swung his arm, knocking the phone from her hand.

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