Page 5 of Claiming His Student

I’m gathering some of my notes when the Dean returns. I expected that he would. He stalks toward me and I straighten to my full height, looking down at him. He has the sense to look intimidated by my presence.

“I don’t know what the hell you’re doing just don’t involve my daughter,” he hisses. “She’s special and deserves a man who will know how to treat her. She deserves a good man of her own age. She doesn’t need her professor lurking around and trying to distract her from her studies and from finding a good man.”

Why does he assume that I can’t give her those things? I’m an esteemed professor. I make good money, as he knows. I’m strong and protective and completely obsessed with her. I want her more than any other man ever will. Why does he assume that I’m no good for her? I clench my fists at my sides once again. There is a fury and fire in my veins, fueling me through this. He doesn’t understand the connection I have with Cora.

“I was just doing my job,” I growl through gritted teeth. “It seems that you’re being very protective of her, but there’s no need. She’s in good hands in my class.”

I know that I want more from her than any other student. I know that our relationship will go beyond the walls of the classroom. But it doesn’t mean that I won’t care for her. It doesn’t mean that I can’t also be a good teacher to her. What the Dean doesn’t understand is that I intend to give her everything, body, and soul, and that includes being a good teacher to her. If he’d only back off, I’d be able to show him that.

“I don’t trust you,” the Dean snaps. “I don’t trust that you have good intentions. So until you prove that you do, I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”

I glare back at him and he sighs.

“You don’t have children, do you? You don’t understand what it means to want to protect your child with your life. So I don’t expect you to understand why I’m being this way. But let me make this clear, Dylan.” He leans in close. “I will not let you lead her astray. I won’t have you ruining her future by trying to become a part of it. One more year and she’s going to leave here. She’s going to go out into the real world and become a real success. That was her destiny way before you got here. So don’t derail those plans. Stay away.”

“She’s my student. I can’t stay away.”

“You know exactly what I mean,” he snaps as he leaves the room once again. And I do. He’s telling me not to get close and personal with her. He’s telling me not to try and fulfill my desires...to kiss her, to worship her body, to fuck her senseless, and fill her with my babies. But that’s not his choice. It’s mine and hers. If she wants this as much as I do, then there’s no chance in hell that we’re staying apart. This is happening whether he likes it or not.

She’s going to be mine and mine only.Chapter ThreeCoraI moved through the rest of this day in a complete daze. I can barely believe that I’ve met someone who I’m so utterly obsessed with in such a short amount of time. The moment I laid eyes on Dylan, I was infatuated. Now I can’t stop thinking about him. I can’t stop wondering what might’ve happened if we hadn’t been interrupted. I keep questioning what would’ve happened if we’d had more time together, maybe set up a date…

But my Dad split us apart before we could make any plans. Now I have to accept that until I see him again, I’ll be kept in the dark about what’s going on between us. I wish I could fast forward time, but as I sit at home, impatiently waiting for something to happen, I realize that time has never moved this slowly for me. It’s a form of torture I never expected to endure.

“You’re very quiet tonight, Cora,” my Dad comments as we’re eating our dinner. Or rather he is eating his dinner and I’m poking at mine with a fork.

“First day blues,” I mutter. It’s not true, of course. I normally love the first day of classes. But meeting Dylan as my new professor has changed everything. How am I supposed to walk into class every day and resist the urge to throw myself at him? How am I supposed to sit there and listen to him talk about classic literature when I can feel this intense longing between the two of us driving me crazy? Penny has been messaging me all day, trying to figure out why I was kept back in class, but I can’t explain this to anyone yet. Not when I don’t even understand it myself.

---