Page 20 of The Professor's Holiday Surprise

He laughs. And then he says, as if it’s finally sinking in, “You’reGood Garden Girl.”

I smile. “Surprise.”

“It sure fucking is.” Then he kisses me again, harder than I kissed him. Where I sipped, hedrinks. Where I licked, heswallows. He kisses like he’s found an oasis in the desert, like he’s afraid I’m a mirage, like?—

Like I’m his student, and when we stop kissing, that’ll be the end of that, because he can’t do this.

He must feel the realization ripple through me, because he immediately slows his kisses and drags his hands up to hold my head gently.

“Okay, okay,” he says, dragging in a breath. He kisses my forehead. “Let’s go back to my office.”

Senses dulled by the loss of his embrace, I jerkily nod. He picks up my bag and slings it over his own shoulder before he turns us and ghosts his hand in the small of my back, propelling me up the stairs.

Chapter 9

Noah

As she leadsme back to my office, Paisley looks a lot younger and more innocent than her twenty-eight years.

I’m painfully aware that I hold way too many power cards here. I’m her fucking teacher. A trusted advisor.

She tastes like sunshine and hope and joy. Fuck everything else.

I honestly wouldn’t care if someone found us making out in the stairwell. I’d throw her over my shoulder and carry her back to my ranch, leaving this place behind for good.

Except she’s just starting her CSCC journey. Paisley’s reputation here matters more than my own does.

God, this is a hard line to walk.

I put her backpack down next to my desk.

When she goes to close my office door once we’re both through it, I clear my throat. “Maybe leave that open.”

She stares at me. Is her mouth swollen?

How fucking hard did I kiss her?

“Please,” I say hoarsely.

She frowns. “We haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Oh, I’ve done so many things wrong here. There isn’t even a short list. It’s just an infinite loop of mistakes. And that doesn’tmean that I didn’t fucking enjoy what just happened. I enjoyed that more than I can say. But I am yourteacher.”

She jerks like I’ve just slapped her. Like she’s going to cry.

That doesn’t change the basic facts, but I still feel like shit. “Just…” I wave at the chair. “Have a seat.”

“Because I’m yourstudent?”

“Yes.” When she doesn’t move, I stalk back to her. “Yes.This is the first and most foundational part of who we are. Obviously, I have complicated that beyond belief—and I will fix this. I just need some time.”

“What do you mean, fix this?”

“Well, the first thing I’m going to do is delete my OnlySantas account.”

“Why?” She looks genuinely confused. “Did you like doing it?”

I step back and shove my hands in my hair to keep myself from grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her silly. “That is not even a factor in this decision.”

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