Page 3 of Irresistible Professor

His eyes snapped open, locking onto mine. "Yes, Bonnie?"

"Your research," I began, gesturing toward the stacks of documents adorned with astronomical jargon. "What is it exactly that’s got you so absorbed?"

A rare smile tugged at the corner of his lips, his stern facade softening. "The possibility of discovering something new about our universe. It's...exhilarating. I’m working on proving a hypothesis and if I can just figure out the correct equations, I might be able to receive enough funding to establish a much-needed research center."

"Is that what keeps you up at night? The thrill of solving the unknown?" I asked, leaning forward, captivated by the passion that sparked in his gaze.

"Among other things," he replied cryptically, his eyes holding mine a fraction too long.

I quickly looked down. It was unprofessional to let these moments linger, to indulge in the heat I felt that seemed to simmer between us whenever Ford shared a piece of himself. But oh, how intoxicating it was to catch glimpses of the man behind the reputation, of the vibrant curiosity that fueled him. It was clear to me now; beneath that steely surface lurked a man driven not just by ambition, but by a profound respect for the secrets of the stars.

"Bonnie," he said, breaking the spell, "could you draft an email to the department heads about the change in the seminar schedule?"

"Of course, Professor." I turned away, hiding my smile as I set to work, my thoughts still orbiting around the enigmatic man in front of me who studied the heavens with such passion. What else was he passionate about? Part of me couldn’t help but want to find out.

***

The scent of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the buttery aroma of croissants as I slipped into the café where Melanie and I had agreed to meet. The warm buzz of morning chatter wrapped around me like a cozy blanket, but my mind was miles away, swirling around the events of the past weeks at the university.

"Bonnie!" Melanie's voice cut through the hum of conversations. She waved from our usual corner booth, her curly red locks bouncing with each enthusiastic gesture.

"Hey Mel," I said, sliding into the seat opposite her and taking off my coat. I wrapped my hands around the steaming cup in front of me.

“Thanks for ordering my coffee,” I said gratefully, reaching for the cream and sugar. The hot drink was just what I needed to stave off the chill of the late January morning. Her green eyes were alight with curiosity, practically demanding the latest gossip.

"Okay, spill it. How's the new gig? And more importantly, how's working with the infamous Dr. Ford Kingston?" Melanie leaned in, her expression eager.

I took a sip of my coffee, buying a moment to gather my thoughts. "Honestly, it's not what I expected. Everyone warned me about his temper, but he's just...stressed, you know? And when he talks about his research, there's this softness that comes over him."

Melanie's eyes twinkled with mischief. "Oh really? And I'll bet you don't find him at all good-looking, do you? I took his Introduction to Astronomy course to satisfy an elective towards my degree in interior design, and I remember all the girls were more interested in pointing their telescopes towards him than Mars. Except he never gave any of them the time of day. You must be special to have gotten him to open up at all."

My cheeks flushed with warmth, an involuntary response that betrayed more than I cared to admit. "Mel, come on. It's strictly business between us." I couldn't help the small smile that crept across my lips, though. "But yes, he’s handsome. I’ll bet he works off stress by putting in hours at the gym, judging from his muscles. And those eyes? They’re so striking they could make any woman swoon. But I'm engaged to Jonathan, so it doesn’t matter if I find Ford good-looking or not."

"Right, right, Jonathan, your fiancé, who finally proposed after dating you for six years," Melanie drawled, her tone playfully skeptical. "Well, just be careful, Bon. Hearts have a funny way of getting tangled up when you least expect it."

I let out a soft laugh, shaking my head at her dramatics. "There’s no tangling happening. I've got a wedding to plan and an MBA to earn. No room for distractions."

"Of course not," she said, grinning as she reached for a croissant. "No distractions whatsoever."

I mirrored her grin, grateful for her light-hearted teasing. It was a reminder to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground and my focus where it needed to be—my future career and married life with Jonathan Hildebrand, my high school sweetheart. Our parents were best friends, and our families were over the moon about our upcoming nuptials in June. Granted, it would help if I could only find a wedding dress I liked. I’d probably tried on at least thirty or forty, but none of them seemed quite right.

"Stop it." I rolled my eyes but couldn't suppress the grin tugging at my lips. "Dr. Kingston is just...intriguing, that’s all. It's not like I'm planning to run off into the sunset with the guy. I’m wedding-dress shopping, for heaven’s sake."

“How’s that going by the way?” Melanie asked, popping a golden piece of flaky croissant into her mouth.

“It’s not,” I admitted with a sigh. “It would probably help if I knew what I was looking for, but I really don’t know. My mother is definitely getting frustrated. She’s going to take me to Chicago to visit some bridal salons there if I don’t find something locally in the next few weeks.”

"Well, maybe you could ask Professor Grumpy’s opinion.” Melanie raised an eyebrow.

I nearly spit out my latte.

“Very funny,” I said. “Really though, Mel, there's nothing to worry about. Jonathan is my future."

"Jonathan," she repeated softly, her playfulness giving way to a touch of seriousness as she passed me a menu. "Just make sure he's not your future only because he's been your past, okay?"

I paused, the weight of her words pressing down on me. She had a point, one that I wasn't ready to explore, not with the wedding invitations already in the mail. "Let's not get all Dr. Phil here," I said lightly, trying to steer the conversation back into safer waters.

"Fair enough," Melanie conceded with a shrug, but her eyes still held that twinkle of mischief. "Just promise me you'll keep an open heart, okay? You’ve never been one to take risks, but just make sure you’re really following your dreams and not someone else’s."

---