Victoria Lum

I can’t do that. The vulnerability. The never ending loss when they inevitably leave, and they always do. The Anderson men aren’t lucky in love. Plus, I can never put a woman’s needs first, and if I ever love someone, that’s what they would deserve, isn’t it?

So, no. Love is the last thing I need.

My jaw clenches. A flash of wispy blonde hair and beguiling, innocent eyes rises to the forefront.

Fake. All of it. The cheating snake. But I’ll take that secret to the grave.

Ryland

No woman. Hell will freeze over before I fall for any of them

It’s only the first day of class. Nothing’s going to happen other than introductions and reading the syllabus. Not to mention the weather doesn’t look so great, so everyone will probably be late. We Angelenos can’t drive in the rain. Plus, you’re only here one year, so you’re just like an exchange student. You can treat this as
a vacation.”

“Yep, I see you know who I’m talking about. He’s the face of the family, the one most often featured in the press other than his playboy younger brother, Rex. And more importantly, he’s hot, like movie-star hot.”

Her eyes take on a dreamy, faraway look as she lets out a wistful sigh. “I’ve seen him from afar before and I’ll never forget those cheekbones, that jawline, and those broody eyes. A man has no business looking that good. He’s not even human

I blow out a calming breath and try to focus on my surroundings. Looking around, I frown, unable to find Jocelyn. Isn’t she supposed to be in this class too?

“We’ve already covered the syllabus, important exam and project dates, and my grading scale. This class covers the fundamentals of business ethics. And before you think this is going to be an easy A, let me disabuse you of that notion. It. Won’t. Be.” Professor Anderson’s voice vibrates in the room, his speech measured and direct, clearly someone who’s used to getting the attention of everyone in the vicinity.

“I’m reminding you again, half of the material in papers and exams will be from class lectures and not from the textbooks. So, Godspeed if you think you can skip class and get by. Now, I want to discuss the theory we’ll spend the next two weeks discussing …”

A flurry of sounds rustles through the classroom as students start typing on their laptops or frantically scribbling notes on their thick
notepads.

“This is such BS,” I mutter and shake the uncooperative machine, a last-ditch effort to revive it.

Suddenly, the hairs on my forearms stand at attention and the air thins around me.

I feel him before I see him.

A whiff of woodsy cologne with hints of citrus hits my nose and I can’t help but take a deep inhale, wanting to savor the scent.

“Is there anything you want to share with the class, Miss Callahan?” The smooth, lethal voice which will probably appear in my nightmare tonight questions from my right.

I close my eyes and grimace before slowly turning to look at a fuming Professor Anderson, whose countenance has only gotten darker and angrier with time.

Biting my bottom lip, I shake my head and whisper, “Nothing to share.”

His nostrils flare and a muscle twitches in his forehead before he whirls around and strides back up to his throne in front of the classroom

and it’s unsettling to see Professor Anderson’s apparent dislike of me.

It feels wrong and I need to correct whatever this is. It’s a necessity, like how my lungs need their next breath of air.

“Read chapters one through three before class on Thursday. Be prepared for your first debate. Don’t be late.”

Dear Faculty and Staff,

As a new academic year begins, we wish to remind you of our university’s policies regarding faculty-student relationships within our community. It is critical to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethics in our everyday interactions.

1. Faculty-student relationships: All romantic or sexual relationships between faculty members and students are strictly prohibited.

2. Consequences of non-compliance: Failure to adhere to these policies will result in investigation and disciplinary action, which may result in termination of employment.

We trust you will continue to contribute to our university’s reputation for excellence by upholding these standards.

Sincerely
,

University of Los Angeles Human Resources Department

This must be related to a sordid scandal between a TA and her much older, married professor during the summer session that rankled the academic community. Why would anyone risk their reputation for a quick lay is beyond me.

I try again, stuffing my hands in my pockets. Anything to keep from reaching out and shaking her and any other student who is treating this class like a date with a billionaire instead of taking it seriously
.

Ashley shrugs, staring at me with those annoying stars in her eyes. I pinch my nose again and raise my voice, the impatience seeping out in spades.

She leans forward on her desk, her hands clasped in front of her, deepening the shadow of her cleavage showing above the round neckline of her unassuming red T-shirt. Renewed heat circulates in my body and I force myself to drag my eyes back to her sapphire gaze again.

“Precisely,” I begin, my voice sounding hoarse to my ears.

. I tear my gaze away from her and step away, resisting the impulse to look back.

But I feel the heat of her gaze boring into me. A sensation so visceral it’s almost physical, and I crack the stiff joints in my neck, my hands clenching in my trouser pockets.

“Under the utilitarianism theory, what should InstaEats do in this case?” I turn back to the rest of the class and the thumping in my heart intensifies.

More. More. More. It clamors for more.