Page 2 of Dean Daddy

“Don’t worry about that. I was just starting out myself once. I know how important those first paychecks can be.”

“Thanks for being so understanding. Sometimes I overshare and regret it later.”

I want to tell her that she can’t possibly overshare because I need to know everything about her. But we’re just starting to build a rapport, and I don’t want to scare her off. It would be a lie to say that I didn’t want to know her on the most intimate level.

“How’s the paperwork coming?” I ask, desperate to pull my head back out of the gutter.

“I think I’m finished. I brought my transcripts with me so you could attach them.”

“Great, I’ll just make a copy of those and then take you on a quick tour before lunch.”

I walk around the desk and take her by the hand, helping her out of her chair. She stands and looks up at me as I hesitate to release my hold on her. We’re so close that I begin to wonder what she would do if I just leaned down and kissed her.

She hasn’t attempted to pull her hand away and seems content to look up into my eyes, so I inch closer and watch as her breath quickens. I’m so close that the scent of her fruity lip gloss penetrates my sinuses. If she lets me kiss her, I’ll have difficulty resisting the urge to throw her down on my desk and fuck her. No matter how badly I want to touch her, it’s just too soon for that. So I hesitate for a moment and then kiss her gently on the cheek.

“Welcome home, Marcie. It’s great to finally meet you,” I say.

2

MEETING MY STEPBROTHER

MARCIE

My mother remarried in the middle of a semester so I didn’t fly back for the wedding. I’d only met her new husband a handful of times. Once, they flew to London to see me, and twice when I came home to visit during the break. Her husband’s son and I always seemed to miss each other so until today, I had no idea what he looked like. My mother told me that he was forty and I imagined him as a balding, pot-bellied middle-aged man. Boy, was I wrong.

Mason doesn’t look like a College Dean. He looks like the Hollywood heartthrob that would play the college dean in a romantic comedy, if that heartthrob lifted parked cars and small buildings to keep in shape.

I’m already having difficulty keeping my composure when he takes my hand and leans down like he wants to kiss me. It’s probably wrong of me to want him to since we’ve just met and he is technically my stepbrother. But if he places his lips on mine, I’ll probably melt into his arms.

He kisses my cheek, which is a nice but mildly disappointing gesture. I know that I should be ashamed of myself for feeling this way but I can’t help it. He’s the most handsome and alluring man that I’ve ever met, and I’m trying my best not to drool when I look at him.

We walk closely as he takes me for a tour of the facility and each time his arm brushes against mine, I get goosebumps. I don’t think I’ll remember where anything is because all I can think about is his big, strong arms and the way his pecs move when he flexes them. He’s so much taller than me I feel like a schoolgirl walking beside a fully grown man.

He’s showing me the library when he hears my stomach grumble. I haven’t eaten yet today, and my body isn’t about to let me forget it. I close my eyes and purse my lips in embarrassment.

“We should head to lunch now. The rest of the tour can wait.” He places his hand on the small of my back and escorts me out to the hall.

“I’m not in a hurry. I can wait if you’d rather complete the tour now,” I make a feeble attempt to save face so he doesn’t think I’m incapable of feeding myself.

“It’s fine. We’ll go now,” he replies. “I just need to go back to the office for my phone and keys.”

He escorts me out to the parking lot and opens the passenger side door of his Mercedes for me. It’s an older model in pristine condition and smells of his cologne.

“Do you like Mexican?” he asks me.

“I haven’t had Mexican food in over a year. That sounds great.”

“Good. There’s a little family-owned restaurant in town. Everything there is amazing, and the atmosphere is very laid back.”

In an attempt to cut through the obvious tension, I decide to make small talk.

“Has college administration always been your career choice?” I ask.

“No. It just sort of happened. I taught in the physical fitness department for several years and coached the men’s wrestling team, but the school was having financial difficulties and wanted to cut our funding. It was quite a battle to keep the programs on the books. When the opportunity to move up to the Dean spot came along, I decided to take it. Sometimes, I miss the teaching side, and believe me, I loved being in the gym all day. But the pay is better and I get to make sure the physical education department and sports teams are safe from budget cuts.”

“So you don’t personally get to work in the programs anymore, but you can make sure the programs exist for the students. That’s very noble. Someone else might have just applied to teach at a different school and not care what happens here.”

“Thank you, but you’re forgetting that I also got a massive pay increase.” His grin makes me squirm in his leather seat.

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