Page 65 of Switching Graves

And I obviously can’t be around you after what has happened without wanting to throw myself over a cliff.

“I don’t care about any of that. Plus, I’m sure Mr. Ashbluff would be able to help you settle into the role. You two are close, are you not?”

I scoff at that. I thought we were. “Hardly.”

“Interesting. I assumed you would be more selective about who you chose to break the university code of conduct with.”

My heart stops. “Excuse me?”

“I’m sorry. Were we going to pretend that didn’t happen?” he asks, his tone laced with amusement.

“So, youwerewatching,” I accuse, crossing my arms over my chest.

I thought having him avoid the subject was torture . . . No, I’ve now decided that being called out on writhing around on a desk a few feet away from him while his assistant eats me out is much worse.

“You were in my office, Miss Ellery.” Something about the way he says my name this time—so condescending and playful—feels wrong.

I shake my head, as if denying it will make it all go away. “That is a complete violation of privacy.”

“What did you expect me to do? You two had me trapped the moment you came stumbling in here.”

“You could have sat there quietly until we were finished,” I whisper-hiss, checking behind me to ensure the door is securely closed.

I must be living in another dimension, speaking to him this way. All my tentative shyness has flown out the window with the snarky gleam in his eye, as if he’s only brought this up to toy with me. He clearly has no intention of punishing us for it.

“That would have taken all night,” he scoffs, throwing his hands in the air with a smile ghosting his lips. I can’t even recognize this teasing, cocky version of him. I cannot reconcile the man before me with the cold, aloof professor who hardly looks in my direction.

Something between us has shifted and I’m embarrassed that it’s taken me this long to realize it.

“It doesn’t matter. Hayes and I are no longer on speaking terms, and I hardly think he’ll be thrilled to train me as his replacement after the argument we just had.”

“I’m not interested enough to pry for the details,” he says in his usual dismissive tone.

Dropping my eyes to the carpet, I nod. “Thanks. That saves us loads of humiliation.”

“I’m not humiliated. Though, I suppose if you are, you shouldn’t have been so quick to lay yourself bare in such a public place.”

Leaning back in his chair, he taps a finger against the armrest with a calculated smirk.

My mouth pops open. “You’re unbelievable. I should report you.”

The smirk blooms into a full-blown smile, flashing all his teeth as I point my finger at him only serves to enrage me even further.

“And say what? You were seeking some kind of thrill, so you decided to have a hookup in my office with my assistant? Believe me, there was nothing worth reporting happening on that desk.”

I should keep my mouth shut—allow him to lead the conversation and see where he’s taking this. But between him now and Hayes earlier, these egotistical, elitist men have gotten so far under my skin, I can barely see straight.

“Don’t try to lie now, sicko. It was clearly good enough to keep you from looking away. Is privacy such a foreign concept to you?”

I’m sure there are a million ways we could digest his behavior and what it says about him as a person. Doing so would only put a microscope against what’s actually wrong with me.

“Ah, so you’re pretending you weren’t enjoying my eyes on you.”

“I’m not pretending anything,Professor.” I spit the title to prove how inappropriate he is.

Shrugging, he leans back into his chair and folds his hands across his lap, biting his lip like he’s contemplating even voicing his next words. Unfortunately for me, his ego and desire to watch me squirm wins out. “You tried to fake your orgasm.”

“I did not!”

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