Kane watched Lucy disappear through the classroom door.
Only when the lecture room fell silent did he allow himself to breathe. His shoulders sagged, a hand dragging through his already-disheveled hair.
"Fuck."
The curse escaped before he could stop it.
He had kissed his student.
Well...
She hadn’t been his student then.
She had been a stranger. A beautiful, heartbroken stranger celebrating her birthday.
If someone had told him less than twenty-four hours ago that the woman he’d met at the club would be sitting at a corner of his first lecture, he would have laughed in their faces.
He hadn’t laughed this morning. Not when he’d unlocked his office...
The scent of fresh paint and old books greeted Kane as he unlocked the door to his office.
A few unopened boxes sat in the corner. His name had only been added to the doors less than two days ago, yet the university already planned to bury him beneath paperwork and lectures.
This was expected considering he was one of the youngest researchers in the country who had conducted several groundbreaking studies.
At thirty-one, his name was already well known in academic circles.
He swept a glance at the huge table in the middle of the office, his eyes landing on several files.
Course outlines. Faculty policies. Research proposals.
And, sitting neatly in the middle of his desk...
A stack of student records.
Kane loosened his tie as he dropped into his chair. He had every intention of looking through them after his first lecture.
A knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in."
The door opened, revealing a gray-haired professor with kind eyes and a coffee mug balanced in one hand.
"Settling in, Sterling?" He asked, stepping further into the office.
"As much as anyone can on their first day," Kane replied, and gestured to a seat, "have a seat, please."
The older man chuckled. "It gets easier."
"I’ll hold you to that."
He gestured to the files sitting neatly on the table. "Those are your students."
"So I gathered."
"You’ll need to appoint a student representative before today’s lecture."
Kane looked up. "A student representative?"
"Yes," the older man acquiesced. "It makes communication easier. Announcements, schedule changes, laboratory notices... saves you from answering the same email fifty times."
That sounded reasonable enough.
"The department usually recommends choosing someone with strong grades and a good attendance record," the professor continued. "Makes everyone’s lives easier."
Kane gave a small nod of his head in agreement. "I’ll take a look."
After exchanging a few more words, the older professor excused himself, leaving Kane alone once again.
One by one, he reviewed each student’s academic history.
Consistent. Average. Excellent. Average.
He checked all. Several students had impressive records yet none stood out.
That was until he reached another file. His fingers stilled for a moment as he read the name.
Lucy Bennett.
GPA: 3.98.
Highest score in Organic Chemistry.
Outstanding laboratory evaluations.
Faculty comments: One of the brightest students in the department.
His thumb lingered on the edge of her file.
Of every student in the department... it had to be her.
Kane leaned back. "You’ve got to be kidding me."
His eyes dropped to the identification photograph clipped at the top corner.
The room seemed to go unnaturally quiet.
"No..."
It couldn’t be.
He looked at the picture again. The same eyes stared back at him.
The same woman who had cupped his face as though she’d known him forever.
The same woman who had kissed him with heartbreaking desperation.
And somehow... the woman he’d been unable to stop thinking about since he’d walked away from her.
His heart thudded rapidly against his chest.
Of all the universities in the country...
Of all the departments...
Of all the classrooms...
She had to be his student.
Kane leaned back slowly, exhaling through his nose.
This was going to be a problem.
The ringing of his phone snapped him from his thoughts.
Kane ran a hand through his tousled hair as he brought out his phone.
He frowned at the screen.
Executive Assistant.
He answered. "President, the board is waiting."
"I’m not president."
There was a brief silence.
"Mr. Sterling’s will names you as his successor, sir."
Kane closed his eyes. "...I know."
"Should I tell them you’re on your way?"
"No."
"Sir?"
"Tell them I won’t be coming today."
Without waiting for a reply, he disconnected the call.
Again, his thoughts drifted to the phone call that had torn him away from Lucy.
Your father is dead.
Three words. Three words that had turned his entire life upside down.
He closed his eyes briefly.
Professor.
Researcher.
Heir.
Somehow... he was expected to be all three.
And now there was Lucy.
Brilliant. Determined. Entirely off-limits.
Kane stared at the empty doorway she’d disappeared through.
The next eleven weeks were going to test every ounce of restraint he possessed.
Eleven weeks. That was all.
He only had to keep his distance for eleven weeks.