Page 42 of The Professor's Possession (Crystal River Billionaire Brothers)

Honestly, I can't figure out why I went ahead and did it. It could be the result of all the stress my body's holding onto after that email from the professor. Maybe it's the bizarre mix of feelings I've got swirling around about him. I'm just not sure.

The professor’s eyes still do not find mine. He must surely know it was me who asked that random question from within the crowd of students. He continues to glare out into his audience to a spot nowhere near where I am sitting on my own.

But even though he refuses to acknowledge me, he answers my question.

“I personally think women are to bepursued,” he says darkly. “And I agree with many of those male authors in that I believe women are complex creatures; full of an inner life that is begging to be explored. But, where I differ from the great male minds of literature, is that I believe women are not mysterious. When you are privileged enough to know a woman well enough, she will willingly bare all her mysteries to you. These male authors I talk of used their written words to study the female mind without even trying the easiest method of all:lovinga woman.”

I swear the room goes so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

And I sink into my seat in embarrassment as Professor Penmayne continues his lecture.

And I dare not squeak out another word.

At the end of the class, I wait until everyone leaves before I make my next move. As the last person from my row has shuffled out the doors, I look around the room to double check there are no other students around to witness what I am about to do, and then I dare approach Professor Penmayne standing by his desk. He’s reading a piece of paper as if oblivious to my advance. He still hasn’t registered my presence in the slightest.

He doesn’t seem fazed at all when I make the long way down to reach him.

“Professor?”

He looks up at me then. The first time our eyes have matched all day.

“Olivia.”

“You emailed me to meet you after class,” I mutter.

His face is emotionless.

“Yes, I did.”

We stand, facing each other like a standoff.

“You interrupted my lecture today,” he states matter-of-factly. “Students rarely do that. Not without my consent.”

I nod. “I did. I’m sorry. It just... happened.”

“Nothing to be sorry about,” he replies. “I liked it. You have a mind that wants to ask questions, and I respect that.”

“Is there a problem with my work?” I ask him, prompting him to move on from my stupid little interruption earlier. I can feel my hand starting to shake with nerves. “I got a pretty lousy grade for my assignment.”

“See? Another question from you. Youknowthere is a problem, Olivia,” he says calmly. “The coursework you handed in simply wasn’t good enough. I had to mark it the way I did.”

“I can do better,” I say quickly.

“To be honest, I expected more from you, Miss Weldon. I really did.”

His words cut me deep.

“I’ve been distracted,” I say. “I feel like I’ve let myself down.”

The slightest hint of a smirk passes across the professor’s lips.

“I can tell you’ve been distracted,” he replies softly.

“What can I do?” I ask him. “I will do anything to make up for it. I can retake the assignment, if that’s what it takes.”

“It’s too late for that,” my professor says. “I think we can come to another arrangement, though.”

“I’ll do anything to right it,” I reply. I guess the academic guilt is really tearing me up inside. I’ve always had it. Maybe that’s why I always did so well in school. The quiet academic achiever. Until I came to Crystal River. Until I got distracted by my professor.

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