Undercover Professor (5 page)

“I can’t. Not knowing...” She gestured to the phone. “I just can’t. Not tonight, things are going too fast.”

“Right, of course.” He ran a hand over his chest, trying to cool his arousal so he could stand and gather up some bottles.

She walked stiffly down the hall and swooped up her gym bag.

“So, can I see you tomorrow?” He dropped a hand on her shoulder, wanting to touch her one last time, inhale more of her scent. Taste her.

Her throat worked as she swallowed and nodded, then frowned. “I shouldn’t. These complications are just too close to home.”

He pulled her close to kiss her once more. She had to feel this too, this wild undercurrent of attraction that made it impossible to keep his hands off her. Damn the complications. She kept the kiss light, despite his best efforts. She pushed him away gently.

“If you talk to Becca and clear it up, we can start fresh.”

He nodded eagerly. “I will, I’ll call her right away. I’ll make her understand.”

“I hate to ask you to lie, but could you not mention me or this when you talk to her?

“Of course.”

“I can’t let Becca know that I was here with you. I know she’s kind of crazy, but she’s my cousin and my best friend. Just don’t mention me.” She looked up at him.

“I won’t mention it. But I wish she would lay off a bit, she’s making something out of nothing. Nothing at all.”

Lucy nodded wistfully before turning to the elevator.

* * *

Wandering into the hospital cafeteria, Drew found an empty table and dropped into a chair and waited for Becca to meet him on her lunch break. Her breathless excitement on the phone made him cringe. Hopefully she wouldn’t take it too hard. Maybe he could hide behind the fact that he was only in town for a few weeks. Taking the wimpy way out sounded good. And perhaps he could get some insight on Lucy while they were being friendly.

He pulled his iPad out to jot down a few thoughts for his article. His joking title actually sounded better now. But he had to make sure to change it before he submitted it.

Gamer women weren’t fools. He met with a girl named Sara earlier that morning at the coffee shop. She revealed she chose avatars of men specifically so she wouldn’t be hit on. Which he hadn’t considered when playing online himself. Interesting. He asked Sara how a gamer guy could break down her barriers. She explained she usually went to mash-up meets and waited to see which person in the flesh interested her.

Sara had a friend he was meeting up with in a few days. His cover of working on an article for the
Shepherd Express
worked well and women seemed happy to help him. Unfortunately, Sara also mentioned she was on the soccer league with Lucy. No way could he tell Lucy the truth now.

This morning he had set his beard trimmer a little too close and Sara kept trying to place him. Since his picture was blazoned on any article he wrote in magazines, he had to be more careful. If word got out, his duck was cooked and he’d have to revise his approach. All his research would be compromised as soon as the gamer women figured out who he was.

“Andy! Hi!” Becca threw herself onto his back in an enthusiastic hug, then dropped into his lap and giggled. “Ooohh, I love this look on you.” She rubbed her hands over his chin.

“Hey there, you.” Embarrassed at her bold move, he glanced around. A few women in scrubs watched on, smiling. He shifted her into the chair next to him.

She waved enthusiastically at the women watching. “Those are my coworkers, I told them
all
about you.”

Yikes. Nip this in the bud now, before he had legions of women hating him for breaking her heart. “Listen, Becca,” he started. “The thing, is, um, it’s actually kind of funny, see...”

“Hi, Mary.” Becca waved at a woman walking by.

“Is this the guy? Hubba, hubba.” Mary managed to make thrusty hip motions as she hurried through the busy cafeteria.

Drew cleared his throat, trying to ignore Mary and the heat creeping up his cheeks.

“God, I’m so sorry to embarrass you. Sometimes things in the NICU unit get intense and I like to break the tension with happier topics.”

He paused. She took all the wind out of his sails. “Sure, I can understand that. But here’s the thing, I think you misunderstood what I was trying to tell you. I’m only going to be in town for a few weeks, and I can’t really commit to a relationship.”

Becca smiled at him. “Of course, sweetie. Are you planning on going back to Portland?”

“Exactly.” He relaxed back in his chair, relieved. This was easy, of course she understood. Wait, sweetie? Affectionate nicknames? Uh-oh.

“There are some fantastic NIC units out there.” She glanced up at him, twirling a lock of hair in her ponytail. “It won’t be any trouble for me to transfer.”

“Wait, no. That’s not what I’m trying to say. See, I don’t want you to think that we can have any future here.”

“Sure. I get it, and I’m okay with relocating.” She rested her hand on his, patting it gently.

How do you break up with someone who won’t listen? “No, Becca, I’m sorry, but I really don’t think of you as someone to date. I’m in the middle of a project, and my mom needs my help, and I can’t date anyone at all right now.” The words came out in a frantic rush, and the polite, kind look in her eyes didn’t change. Digging deep, he threw out his last attack bomb. “It’s not you, it’s me.”

She smiled and tilted her head at that old chestnut. “I’d be happy to help with your mom, if you’re busy. In fact, I’ll just stop in and see her after my shift today. I can pick up some books for her. Family’s so important.”

“What? Family?” He pulled his hand out from under hers, the smothering weight making sweat prickle on the backs of his knees. His brain leaped on that tangent. “Speaking of family, your cousin Lucy is... Well, wait.” She asked him not to bring her up. But Becca was impossible to crack.

“Lucy’s great. I just adore her. I really hope she and Dell work out, but I don’t think he’s right for her. Hey, do you mind if we get some food? I need to eat something. I’m on a twelve-hour shift today.”

“Oh, of course. Yes, let’s get you some food.” Horrified at how close he came to blowing Lucy’s story, exhausted from trying to keep up with Becca, he leaped to his feet and helped her out of her chair.

Following her through the line, he tried to bring the conversation under control again. “So why don’t you think Dell is good for Lucy? I thought he was pretty into her.”

“He’s perfect. Totally perfect. Just a perfect man.”

Drew grunted, picking up a soda. Not quite what he hoped to hear.

“But there’s something missing,” Becca continued as she scooped some cottage cheese and a cup of fruit. “Though, her rules make sense, considering what she went through.”

“What’s that?” Her rules. Brilliant, maybe he could figure out these rules she mentioned.

“Oh, God, it was such a mess.” She sobered abruptly. “But it’s not my story to tell. Plus it’s long and depressing.” Becca picked up a diet cola and he trailed her over to the cashier, paying for her meal.

“But she has dating rules? What are they?”

She settled across the table from him this time.

“Dating rules, every woman has them. Lucy just follows them a bit more strictly. And I can’t fault her: no liars, no dating a friend’s ex, stuff like that.”

No liars. Well. He wasn’t lying about his
entire
reason for being in town. His mom really was recovering from hip surgery. Guilt ate at a little corner of him. “That makes sense. What other rules?”

Becca scooped up a forkful of food. “Let’s see. The lying thing is the biggest. But also, doesn’t live with his parents. Has a job, a career, goals for the future. Doesn’t date a friend or relative. Those are the main ones. The rest she’s been known to waive. Like, no socks with sandals, athletic, doesn’t watch TV all the time.”

Drew stared into space. He broke all her rules. At least, the fake person he was pretending to be broke the rules. He was trying to break them all.

Every single one. It was no wonder she fought their attraction so hard.

“Lucky for you, I’m not nearly as neurotic.” Becca smiled under her lashes at him, and he nearly choked on his soda.

“You’re a rock, Becca.” He managed to keep a straight face.

“I just don’t think Dell is the guy for her, though,” Becca continued.

“Why’s that?”

“I don’t know. He’s perfect on paper. Has a great job, has his own apartment, isn’t a liar, as far as we know. But something about him just seems...I don’t know. Not right for Lucy.”

“Yeah?” He encouraged.

“Nurse Greene, I’m so glad we bumped into you!” A woman rushed up to the table with a stroller and diaper bags.

Becca leaped out of her chair to hug the woman. “Mrs. Dorring, I’m just thrilled to see you! This must be Tyler! So big and so healthy.”

“It’s all because of you. We’re here for our eight-month checkup. But we wouldn’t have made it eight days without you.”

Becca smiled. “Entirely my pleasure, I’m just so happy to see you healthy and here again! Who’s the doctor?”

Drew listened with half an ear as they talked about pediatricians and growth charts and sleep patterns. He tried to process the information Becca had given him. There must be one doozy of a story behind Lucy, to make Becca sober up so much. What was her history?

“This is my boyfriend, Andy,” Becca announced, interrupting his thoughts. The mother swiveled the stroller to look at him. Inside a drooling baby with shining eyes and rosy cheeks gummed its fist. Drew gulped as he rose to his feet. The scent of baby powder surrounded him.

“Such a pleasure. This woman was an absolute saint. I mean that.”

Becca blushed and curled herself into Drew’s side.

“Isn’t Tyler just the most adorable thing ever?” she cooed.

In slow motion, she turned to him. “I wonder how ours will look.”

Blackness.

Chapter Five

Drew blinked a few times once outside the hospital. Somehow he’d excused himself, said a polite goodbye to Becca, ruffled the hair of the chubby Tyler and bolted for the outdoors. He gasped for breath, wiping sweat from his forehead.

“It’s like signing a pact with the devil, just having lunch with her,” he muttered as he headed toward the apartment complex. It was almost three o’clock. Tuesday. A week exactly since he first ran into Lucy in the laundry room. Was she a creature of habit? Would she be folding T-shirts again?

Maybe she’d have some idea of how to get through to Becca. And maybe he could piece together some bits of Lucy’s past and crack the code.

Grinning with anticipation and renewed energy, he hurried to the apartment complex.

* * *

Lucy peeked into the laundry room. The coast was clear. Exhaling lustily she marched in, dropped her backpack on the vinyl couch and started loading the washer. She tried to convince herself it was relief, but she was a little disappointed her extra efforts for her laundry day outfit went to waste.

Andy had been creeping into her thoughts way too much lately. She kept daydreaming about the kiss. She caught sight of a broad pair of shoulders, blond shaggy hair, and her heart would race. Or if she caught a whiff of his cologne, her knees went mushy.

This had to stop.

The elevator dinged open in the hallway and Lucy froze. After last night’s kiss-—let’s call it what it was, teenage make-out session—she needed some time to process her thoughts. First and foremost she had to clear the air with Becca. And secondly, she had to figure out what the hell she was doing, involving herself with a guy like Andy. Was she really willing to risk her heart again? Hadn’t she learned anything from all her bad choices? Perhaps there was a fundamental part of her that was broken. Perhaps she was more like her fickle mother than she wanted to admit.

Lucy shook out the cuffs of her capri pants and loaded them into the washer. No point belly button gazing.

The door swung open. He walked in, laundry basket in front of him and a huge, dangerous smile on his lips.

Her temperature rose a few degrees and her breath hitched. She locked her knees against the urge to sag. No matter what her head said, her body screamed that he was a sexy beast.

“Fancy running into you here.” She leaned back against the washer, crossed her ankles in front of her and tried to appear unaffected. As if her dorky smile wasn’t a giveaway.

She liked the rush—the zing, as Maddy would say—from being around him. He was all wrong for her. But this was exactly her problem. The excitement. The list didn’t take into consideration the rush she got from being bad.

“Hello there.” He walked to the washers and started loading one up.

“Hello yourself.” Of course she had hoped he’d come down. The look he gave her, sweeping from her head to toe and back up, made her glad for the extra outfit effort. Her most flattering pair of yoga pants. With a thick sweatshirt this time, to cover her from neck to waist. And the extra coating of mascara wasn’t standard. Or the spritz of perfume.

“I brought something I thought you might like.” His deep voice sent shivers down her spine.

“Hmm?” Her brilliant response. Heck yeah he brought something she might like. He had on shorts and a T-shirt, another Portland University T-shirt with a hoodie. Tennis shoes today. Much better than the flip-flops with socks.

He pulled off the hoodie and tossed it into the wash. His forearms flexed as he reached for another pile of laundry, pulling his T-shirt taut across his back. That body had been hers for the taking last night. Licking her lips, she tried to ignore the dryness in her mouth.

“Come on, this’ll be fun.” He dropped quarters in the machine before pulling something out of his messenger bag. She trailed slowly after him to the TV in the corner. After he turned off Oprah and plugged in a bulky controller, Mario Bros. music tinkled into the room.

That music took her right back to her mother’s basement, making out with Steve, her high school boyfriend.

“I know it’s retro.” He handed her a remote paddle.

“God, I haven’t played this in forever,” she said as he pulled the vinyl couch around for them to sit.

“You said you used to play Mario. I saw this at a game reseller, I had to get it for you.”

“I can’t believe you remembered. I barely mentioned it.” The bulky controller was comforting in her palm and she tried to ignore the absurd leap in her belly at him remembering that random tidbit of her history.

“Gaming is my life, I don’t forget important things like that,” he adjusted the angle of the TV.

A little impressed he remembered such a tiny detail, she directed the character up onto a brick wall to bump his head on a coin box.

They laughed as they took turns playing the ancient game. Her body responded to his nearness. She was too warm with the sweatshirt and she considered pulling it off. But then, what if—
oops
—her tank top came off with it? And then maybe his shirt would be ripped off too, and the next thing you know, naked.

Or maybe it was a Pavlovian reflex, that stupid music got her a little worked up.

“There’s a secret passage up above that, if you can,” he instructed, but Lucy knew all about the secret passage already. Her laundry buzzed, followed quickly by his. He led the way to the washers and they worked side by side, occasionally brushing arms as they loaded up their baskets to drop their clothes into the dryers.

“Have you considered what you’re going to do, once your mom gets better?”

“Probably go back to Portland. I’m only here for a few weeks.” He huffed a laugh.

Lucy cocked her head at his chuckle.

“I tried to talk to Becca this morning, and I think it’s safe to say she is a master at manipulating men. Textbook.”

“Why?”

“She is job hunting out in Portland, probably as we speak.” He shrugged.

“That’s not funny. You have to tell her.”

He held his hands up. “I’m trying, I’m trying. But she’s living in an alternate universe. Yes means no to her. Up is down..”

“Do you have a place out there?”

“Uh, sort of.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s kind of complicated, I guess.”

Complicated? Lucy pursed her lips. Now he was deliberately not answering questions.

They continued in silence for a moment. “Hey, I talked to my friend Sara. She said you were writing a piece for the paper. How’s it going?”

He avoided her gaze, his mouth pinched tight. “Yeah, it’s an article for the, uh...the
Shepherd Express
.”

He said it like he forgot who would be paying him for his work. That was odd. “So how is it going?”

He shrugged, still not answering her question.

“There’s one right here.” She motioned to an old entertainment paper sitting on the end table. “How soon will it be published?”

“Not sure. Say, I forgot to pick up softener at the grocery store, do you have some?” He leaned against the dryer, a playful look in his eyes.

This is what got her in trouble last time. The warm comfort of the laundry, his easy sex appeal, that look in his eyes that said he knew she was interested, despite herself. She shoved the box of softener at him and kept loading.

He seemed to get the message. He dropped in his coins and returned to the video game, with the music binging in the background.

Lucy exhaled and finished her dryer load. Putting in the quarters, she glanced at her watch. If only he could be a jerk. If only she didn’t know how nutty Becca was about guys. She could fall for him so easily. Even doing laundry was interesting when he was around.

If only he didn’t have so many checkmarks against him. No job, lives with his mom, and Becca. How could being with him feel so right, yet he was so clearly wrong? She paced a few steps behind the couch, not sure what to do with the nervous energy that bubbled up like socks in the washer.

“Hey, wanna sit? You’re making me nervous, lurking around back there.” He didn’t turn from the game but she could hear the smile in his voice. She dropped into the safety of the chair and pulled her cellphone out to check for messages, eager for a distraction. Dell had called. Excellent. She dialed his number.

“Hey, Dell, sorry I missed your call.”

Andy flubbed an easy coin jump in the game.

“Are you free on Saturday? Whitefish Bay is having a Fall Apple Festival, and I’d love if you’d join me.”

“Saturday.” She watched as Andy directed the character. Muting the music so she could chat, that was thoughtful. “Whitefish Bay Apple Festival? I’ve never heard of it, but sure, I’m game.”

Andy stared at the screen, but Mario stood still as an evil mushroom marched steadily toward him.

“They do a three-on-three basketball tournament, so I have to coach some of the kids for a bit, but that should finish up fast, and we can just do appley stuff. Can I pick you up at eight in the morning? The tournament kicks off early.”

“Yeah, you bet. Thanks for the invite, that sounds like fun.” She hung up feeling virtuous and positive, like scheduling a date with Dell was the right thing to do.

“It’s your turn.” Andy held out the remote without turning to look at her. She moved to the far end of the love seat, trying not to brush against him. “Hey, I have a Twix, would you like the second half?”

He pulled out the single chocolate bar and dropped the other half into her lap as she focused on the game. Refusing to look at him might make the gesture less thoughtful.

He was sharing a candy bar with her over a stupid Nintendo game, for God’s sake. This wasn’t high school. Far from it. Yet his leg brushed against hers in the most distracting way. His shoulder bumped hers gently and she jumped, sending her character directly into a pit.

“My turn.” He reached for the controller and Lucy froze. He was close enough, if she just turned her head like so, she could easily kiss him.

Oh, how she wanted to.

Would his lips feel like they did last time? Would they send tingles down her body again?

He leaned in, his lips inches from hers, his hand captured her wrist, and caught the remote by the cord as her fingers went slack.

“Lucy,” he sighed, his eyes heavy lidded. She could feel his gaze on her lips, feel the anticipation of his kiss warming her like a caress before he even touched her.

God, she wanted him. So much. Just one little taste. She could lean up into his chest again, and remind herself how good his body felt next to hers.

His fingers traced up her neck, coasted over her jaw in a featherlight touch. His thumb brushed her lower lip and her mouth parted by instinct. She wanted to touch her tongue to his thumb and taste his skin. Lean in and indulge in his warmth, his scent, his everything.

Jerking away, she leaped off the couch. Not again. It was ridiculous to get swept away, when she should be focusing on someone like Dell, with whom she could have a future.

“We can’t keep doing this. I just made a date with Dell.”

“I didn’t realize you two were exclusive.”

“We’re not. I mean, it hasn’t been discussed.”

He caught her hand and she stepped closer instinctively to him on the couch. “If you were my girl, Lucy, I’d make sure you’d never want to look at another man.”

She shivered at the hot words. He pressed his advantage. “Lucy, give me a chance. What does he have that I don’t?”

Her mouth watered. It was true, Dell didn’t affect her body or invade her mind one-third the way Andy did.

“Does he keep you up at night, tossing and turning? Does he kiss you like I do, and make you whimper? Do you scratch at him to get closer?”

“No,” she whispered as he tugged her closer.

“So what does he have that I don’t have?”

She closed her eyes, wanting so badly to not say the words. “A job.” She forced a hard tone into her voice as she pulled her hand loose. “He has a job, and he has an apartment, and he isn’t dating my cousin.”

Andy froze. “And a job and an apartment are more important to you than this? Exploring whatever you and I have here?”

“Yes. I wish it wasn’t. But you’re, what? Thirty-something? And you’re between jobs, living with your mom. And you play video games all the time. I mean, if I was ten years younger, I wouldn’t hesitate. Not for a second. But I’m past that. I need more.” She searched his eyes, hoping he understood.

“Some guy in your past really worked you over, huh?”

“You don’t reach your thirties without being bruised,” she snapped, moving to get more space between them. “But I can’t take another hurt. I’m not looking to screw around until you take off for where ever else you’re going. I’m not that girl. I have to protect myself.”

He leaned his elbows on his knees and his hands fell limply between his legs. Not meeting her gaze, he nodded.

“I’m not who you want,” she said. “You want someone who’s able to just go along for the ride, to enjoy it until you move on.”

He stood, winding up the controller.

“Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me that I have it wrong.”

“You’re not wrong. Not at all. I just wish this was different. I don’t want to hurt you. And I don’t want to be hurt.” He turned, a sad smile on his lips. “And I think you could hurt me quite badly, my lovely Lucy.”

The dryers buzzed. She stared at him. How rehearsed were those words? How much was sincere? How many other gals fell for that line?

She watched as he briskly dumped his dry clothes into his basket.

“See you around.” He nodded, not quite meeting her gaze

“Yeah. You too.”

Somehow watching him walk out hurt more than she expected.

* * *

Sitting on the bleachers, she reminded herself that one of the things she liked about Dell was his passion for his kids. She watched him, his nose pink in the cool breeze while his kids raced up and down the court. His brown hair ruffled lightly. He was a really attractive guy. Really.

With a tug on her scarf to tighten it against the brisk breeze, she refocused on the really nice guy she was here with, Dell.

But she was bored out of her skull.

From her perch on the top bleacher she could see the entire fair. Colorful vendor tents lined both sides of the street with crafts, clothes, apples and apple-type products. Strains of music reached her ears, teasing her with bluegrass beats.