Page 38 of Hit Me With Your Best Shot

No. Can’t be.

He wouldn’t.

I round the corner, and there he is, leaning on the reception desk like he owns the place. Elbows propped up, his signature smirk firmly in place, Gio Montagalo is chatting it up with the other student aide, who looks about two seconds away from swooning.

My brain short-circuits for a moment, caught somewhere between shock and disbelief. What is he doing here?

Gio looks up just then, and our eyes meet. His smirk grows wider, like he’s been caught but doesn’t mind one bit.

“Professor.” He winks at me, his booming voice carrying down the hallway. “Fancy running into you here.”

I blink, my feet frozen to the floor.What the hell is he doing here? “What are you doing here?”

The student aide—Paul—looks between us, his eyes wide with fandom.

Gio straightens his stance, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets as he steps toward me. “I thought I’d surprise you.”

Surprise me? My pulse kicks up, but I do my best to keep my expression neutral. “I have a meeting in, like, two minutes.”

“It’s not an important meeting,” Paul interrupts, eager to help. “I can tell Professor Casey you have a fever.”

“A fever?” I repeat, my head snapping toward him. “We arenotgoing to lie to Professor Casey!”

Gio chuckles softly, clearly enjoying every second of this. “Ilike that plan,” he says, nodding toward the aide. “Thanks for having her back.”

“Oh my God,” I mutter, pinching the bridge of my nose. “This is not happening.”

Paul looks genuinely disappointed as he glances between us. “Are you sure you don’t want to bail? I can make it really convincing.”

“I’m sure we are not going to cancel on the department head one minute before the meeting,” I say firmly, though the corners of my mouth twitch despite myself.

Paul sighs, deflated—but Gio is undeterred. The man loves a challenge, it’s in his DNA.

“I can wait,” he announces, his voice too loud for someone who just invited himself into an academic building where people typically speak just above a whisper. He gestures to Paul. “He can show me to your office—I’ll occupy myself until you’re done.”

Occupy himself?! By doing what?!

“That’s not how this works,” I snap, turning my glare on him.

“It’s fine!” Paul says eagerly, perking up at the suggestion. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t touch anything!”

I want to smack them both.

“Paul,” I warn to no avail.

He’s already gesturing for Gio to follow him down the hall, like a student ambassador tasked with showing the new kid around campus.

I feel my defenses weakening.

“Babe, don’t worry,” Gio says, flashing me a grin that’s equal parts charming and infuriating. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”

Babe?

He’s calling me babe now?

What parallel universe am I living in!

“You don’t have a best behavior, I’m sure of it,” I complainunder my breath, even though they’re already halfway down the corridor, in the direction of my tiny office.

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