Page 14 of The Professor's Holiday Surprise

Subject: RE: you’re probably busy

Paisley,

Not busy at all. Having a quiet night at home. I’m glad I’ll see you tomorrow.

Noah

Paisley.

“Gonna breed you, Paisley.”

I can’t breathe.

Over the last week, I’d managed to convince myself that I didn’t hear him saymyname. He said…something. And then he noticed that GoodGardenGirl was still online, and he talked to her. Not to me. To a made up person.

But now, looking at this email…this absolutely normal email…my thoughts take the words and spin them in a whole different direction.

Paisley,

Not busy at all. Having a quiet night at home because I crossed the line last week and said your name while I was having an orgasm, and someone saw it, so now I can’t be CowboySanta anymore. Ethical quagmire. My cock is pretty pissed off, to be honest. Anyway, looking forward to seeing you tomorrow and only talking about academic stuff. No breeding at all. Try to be a good girl and not blush, okay?

Noah

Chapter 7

Noah

When I hearmy brothers moving through the house for morning chores on Monday, I join them, since I was just staring at the ceiling, anyway.

I still feel conflicted about cancelling last night’s stream, so it’ll be good to lose myself in some hard, physical work before I had to the college.

Where Drew is all gruff and serious, our youngest brother Zane has never met a good time he didn’t like.

He winks at me as I stride into the kitchen. “Good morning, professor.”

I fill a travel mug with coffee, and then cream and sugar, because five in the morning is not the time to deprive oneself. “Morning.”

“But it’s not a good one?”

“That remains to be seen.”

Drew stomps into the kitchen. “What remains to be seen?”

Zane answers for me. “Whether today is going to be good for Noah.”

Drew grunts.

“What do you have on deck after chores?” Zane asks.

“Office hours at the college.”

“All day?”

Not all day. I have a ninety-minute window for the rest of the class, and six and a half hours around that I’m holding open for Paisley. “I like to be available for my students.”

“Man, that school is lucky to have you.” Zane claps me on the shoulder. “All right, I’m heading out to the barn.”

“I’m right behind you. I’ll take care of the horses, because I want to get a ride in before I go to work.”

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