Bleacke's Geek (Bleacke Shifters) (17 page)

He’d wanted to wait for a more romantic time but he couldn’t help himself. “I’m hoping you’ll want to marry me.”

Her mocha eyes widened as she let out a soft gasp.

He released her, dug into his pocket for the engagement ring, and dropped to one knee with her left hand in his. “Badger gave me these rings. He said they belonged to your parents. And, honestly, I can’t afford anything but a Walmart ring.” He slid it onto her ring finger.

It was a perfect fit.

He looked up at her. “I’m not as strong as Beck. And I have a feeling your family is going to chew me up and spit me out when I finally meet them. But I’ve never felt like this about anyone in my life and the thought of not waking up with you in my life every day rips my heart out. If I lose you, life would really, really suck. Will you marry me?”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she flung her arms around his neck, nearly knocking him over. He heard her gasp, “Yes,” before she burst into tears.

He held her, stroked her back. “Please tell me those are happy tears.”

She started laughing as she leaned her head back to stare into his eyes. “Very happy.”

“Okay, so can I ask a favor?”

She nodded.

“Please don’t eat my students. That wouldn’t look good on a resume.”

She burst out laughing, burying her head against his shoulder.

* * * *

Brenda Stillings showed up ten minutes early for her conference. Ken kept his office door open. Dewi stood just outside, ostensibly checking her email on her iPhone. But he knew her ears were carefully attuned to every sound in the office.

He hadn’t missed how Dewi’s nose wrinkled as the coed walked into his office, as if testing the air for the girl’s intentions.

Which, unfortunately, were soon made very clear.

Brenda started off asking a very basic question about programming syntax in something he’d covered early in the semester. That confused him, because they were well past that part of the curriculum.

Brenda leaned forward in her chair, showing several extra buttons on her blouse were now undone.

And wasn’t wearing a bra.

He leaned back and tried not to lose his train of thought as he finished answering her question. “Was that all?”

“No. Actually, I had another question.” She tried to look him directly in the eye, but he kept his gaze firmly fixed on the open doorway behind her, where he could see Dewi’s leg propped up against the frame as she leaned against the wall.

Brenda dropped her voice. “I was wondering if you could come over for dinner toni—”

“I’m sorry,” Dewi said from the doorway without entering. “We can’t come over for dinner tonight, but that’s so sweet of you to invite us. We have an appointment with the florist to go over arrangements for our wedding. Would tomorrow work for you, hon?”

Brenda immediately sat back in her seat, red in the face. Without another word, she bolted from the chair and down the hall.

Dewi stepped into the doorway, staring after her. “Let us know what night would work best for you!” she called out after her.

“We have an appointment with the florist, huh?”

She shrugged. “I work fast.” Ken sat back and laughed as she returned her attention to him. “Still sure you want to wait four weeks?”

“Not if this shit keeps up.”

She grinned, showing teeth. “Hey, I didn’t growl at her.”

“That time.”

“I consider it personal growth.” Her brow furrowed. “How many more girls want to see you today?”

“My other three conferences are guys.”

“Oh.” She smiled. “Safe for me to go grab a coffee downstairs?”

“I think so.”

She walked in, leaned over the desk, and kissed him. “I’ll be right back.”

“I hope so.”

She grabbed his tie and pulled him in for another kiss. “Don’t worry. I’m not about to let you go, either.”

“Good.”

“Do you want anything?”

He grinned. “Nothing that you can bring me from a vending machine.”

He was talking with his next student when she returned. She stood outside the door again, but Ken sensed how relaxed she was this time. When they finished and the student left, Dewi returned to the office and smoothly slid into the chair on the other side of the desk.

“Better?” he asked.

She nodded as she sipped her coffee. He didn’t understand her subtle shift in demeanor, a cloud darkening her features. “Sorry.”

“What for?”

She shrugged. “I should be better than petty jealousy. And this isn’t because of anything you’ve done.” She stared at the ring on her hand as a wistful smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

Curiosity piqued, he leaned forward. “What’s going on?” He suspected this was far deeper than mere territoriality on her part.

“You’re all mine,” she mumbled as she picked at the edge of the plastic lid on her cup. “I’ve never had someone who was all mine before.”

“But you said…” He stopped to think. She’d had partners before him. “I don’t understand.”

She took a deep breath and let it out. So softly he almost couldn’t hear her, she said, “No one’s ever been
mine
before. I knew they weren’t permanent relationships. I never…” She shrugged, then her head snapped up just as his next appointment appeared in the doorway.

Silently cursing the timing, Ken spoke to him. “Be right with you.” Before he could say anything else to Dewi, she was up and out of the chair, brushing past the guy and heading out of sight down the hall.

“Come on in,” he said, waving the student in.

Chapter Ten

Ken wasn’t just exhausted by the time four o’clock rolled around that afternoon, he was relieved. Relieved that the day was over, that he could go home with Dewi and relax, and that Dewi hadn’t mauled any of his female students for making passes at him.

Yet.

Although admittedly it had been a particularly odd day.

He noticed the tense set to her jaw as she cranked the car. He wanted to revisit what they’d started to talk about in his office, but hadn’t yet had time to finish discussing. “You okay?”

“Do women always throw themselves at you like that?” she grumbled.

The undeniably growly tone of her voice made him want to laugh. He reached over and patted her on the thigh. “No. This was a weird damn day. I’ve never had a student hit on me before, much less three of them in one day. I don’t understand it.”

He felt her muscles relax a little under his hand. She leaned over and kissed him. “I’m sorry. I’ll tone it down tomorrow.”

“I don’t know. I kind of liked it.”

“Liked what?”

“Having my own guard dog.”

“Wolf.” But she smiled.

“Whatever.” He ran his hand through her hair, gently twisting the ends around his fingers. His voice softened. “Seriously, that normally doesn’t happen. Please don’t be jealous. I only have eyes for you.”

“I know. I trust you.” She scowled. “I just don’t trust those horny little tramps throwing themselves at you.”

“That was…weird.” He sat back in his seat. “Completely weird. I don’t understand it. It’s like everyone went crazy today.”

“No, it’s because you’re mated to me now.” She shifted into reverse and backed out of the parking space.

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“Love rarely does.” She cranked up the radio and began to sing to it, obviously not wanting to continue the discussion.

I’ll have to revisit that topic later.

* * * *

“When are you going to let me teach you how to swim?” Dewi asked as he changed out of his jeans and dress shirt into a pair of shorts.

“We’ve only been home ten minutes and I have work to do. Can we talk about drowning me later?”

She sat on the bed, a delicious smirk on her face. “I won’t drown you. I promise.”

“I don’t even like tub baths.”

“Bet you’ve never had a naked swimming instructor.”

“You’re right. I haven’t.” He pulled on a T-shirt. “Doesn’t mean I’m going to be a good student. Can’t we skip swimming?”

“Come on, you’ll like it.”

“I’m just not a swimmer, okay?”

She studied him for a moment, her brow furrowing. “What’s going on?” she finally asked.

He felt his face redden, but he turned from her, grabbing his dirty clothes from the floor and sticking them in the hamper just inside the bathroom door. “Nothing,” he mumbled.

He didn’t want to admit why he was afraid of the water. How Dave liked to “play” with him at the pool at their house growing up, holding him under until he thought he’d drown, just to let him up to catch his breath before doing it to him again. All the while, Dave laughing like a loon, thinking it was the funniest thing in the world.

He jumped when he felt Dewi’s arms encircle him from behind. “You sure you’re not part cat?” he quipped as he turned in her embrace.

He didn’t read pity on her face, but he wasn’t sure her concerned expression was much better. “Please,” she softly said. “Tell me.”

He closed his eyes. “Can we do this later?”

He felt her rest her head against his chest as she pulled his arms more tightly around her. “Okay. But one of these days, I want to hear the story.”

He buried his face in her hair. On the one hand, she made him feel nearly superhuman, like he could do anything with her love to strengthen him.

On the other hand, in her presence he felt even more emasculated than usual. Here was a woman who could, literally, singlehandedly rip his throat out. And the most rebellious thing he’d ever done in his life was jaywalk.

Well, that and have anonymous sex in a ladies’ bathroom with Dewi.

“Okay,” he agreed. “Just not right now.” He had a thought. “I’ll tell you about it if you finish telling me what else you were going to say in my office this afternoon. Deal?”

She stiffened slightly, but she nodded.

* * * *

Ken finished grading papers just as Badger bellowed that dinner was ready. He’d made a vegetable lasagna for dinner, with roasted chicken on the side for the shifters.

Ken felt touched at the trouble Badger was going through. “This is delicious. Thank you,” he told Badger.

The older man gruffly waved away the compliment, but Ken didn’t miss how he also seemed to puff up a little at the praise.

“Oh, Dewi,” Badger said, “we got a call today from Tayla Barrons.”

Dewi let out a groan. “What now?”

“She’s worried about Kendra. She can’t get her on the phone, and Kendra’s husband won’t let Tayla talk to her.”

“Shit.”

Ken had to ask. “What?”