My head feels fuzzy as I slowly open my eyes and a nagging pain twinges in my side causing me to wince.

“Shush,” my sister Pattie whispers, hanging over me. “Andie’s asleep in the chair.” Her head nods to the other side of the bed.

Slowly, I turn and my heart stops when I see Andie curled up asleep in what looks to be an uncomfortable chair.

“She’s been here all night and refused to leave. They tried to clear her out just as I arrived, but I told the nurse that she’s your fiancée so they wouldn’t call security.” My sister brushes the hair away from my forehead. “I’m not sure the nurse believed me, but I showed her my driving license as proof that I’m your sister.” She grins.

“What happened?” No sooner have I asked, I remember. “I was attacked?”

“Yeah,” Pattie says, morose. “You scared the shit out of Andie, and then me when she called. She says it’s her fault that it happened.”

Just as I’m about to curse that it wasn’t her fault, Andie stirs and whimpers.

“It was. It was my fault,” she says, tears in her eyes when I search her gaze. “If I hadn’t acted like a child, you wouldn’t be in here.”

“I only blame the guy who stabbed me, Andie. It could have happened anywhere, and, if you had been with me . . .” The thought that Andie could have been injured or worse makes me nauseous.

She shakes her head. “I left you.”

I smile regardless of the pain as I remember her words of the night before. “You came back and got me help.”

“You won’t win, so I wouldn’t try,” Pattie tells her. “Now you’re awake, I’m going to leave you in your fiancée’s capable hands.” She kisses me on the cheek, chuckling to herself and leaves before another word can be uttered.

Sighing, I slowly push myself up in the bed and let my gaze caress over the beautiful Andie. She’s been in my head and heart from the first moment I met her when she interviewed for the TA position. Best decision I’ve ever made. I’ve never been so damn tormented though.

Andie blushes with my gaze on her and suddenly jumps up. “God, that chair is uncomfortable.” She stretches the kinks out of her delicious body, still wearing the red dress from the night before. “Let me help you take a drink,” she offers when my eyes stay on her.

She picks up a cup with a straw in and places it at my lips. “Drink slowly so you don’t choke.”

I’d laugh at her words if she hadn’t put the straw in my mouth. I’m in more danger of choking from the view of her breasts as she leans over my bed. I’m not even sure she’s aware that they’re just about ready to fall out of her dress.

While I hold her gaze and use up a great deal of effort to not ogle her chest, my body suddenly lets me know that it works just fine when desire throbs along my dick. I’m so hard with having her close that when she straightens, I raise my knee so that my erection has more room without becoming noticeable.

Placing the cup back on the nightstand, she steps back and perches her bottom on the edge of the chair. Her eyes dart up to my face, which heats, but the smile she gives me has my balls so damn tight that my erection jerks under the sheet.

“Hmm,” she glances around the room, refusing to meet my gaze.

Inhaling, I sigh, and ask, “What happened to lover boy?” needing a distraction.

“Lover boy,” she raises a brow, “dropped Pattie at the hospital in a cab and then went home.” She shrugs and holding my gaze, asks, “Why did you find it funny when he helped me into my jacket?”

I pause and watch her for a minute when it clicks into place. “That’s what set you off? I upset you because I found that amusing?”

“Yeah, you did.” Her face goes somber.

“The truth is that I was amused. I was amused because the guy you were with, who helped you on with your coat, who kissed your neck,” I grit out, “wasn’t the guy you wanted to be doing that. You wanted it to be me.”

Her eyes widen and then sadness crosses her features. “You’re right. I wanted it to be you, but that will never happen. I know that now.”

“Andie, you have no idea how much you mean to me.” I sigh and have to swallow around the lump in my throat. “There are rules about Professors and students, but you’re not just any student. You’re my TA. It’s wrong to feel the way I do, which is why I’ve done everything via email. I’m afraid that I wouldn’t be able to control myself—that I’d yank you over my desk and have my way with you on top of student papers on Shakespeare.”

She’s stunned and then bursts out laughing, a beautiful grin splitting her face. “On top of Shakespeare.” She chuckles. “Well, he was a romantic.”

“I’m sorry if I made you hate me...upset you. If it’s any consolation, I’ve been just as miserable.”

“You have?” She perks up.

“You don’t need to sound happy,” I grumble.

With a wicked grin, she slips her feet out of her heeled red shoes and pads softly to the opposite side of the bed to my injury. She takes down the side of the bed and minding the wires attached, she lays down beside me. I reach behind her and tug the railing back up so she doesn’t roll off.

“I hope this is okay,” she asks as she rests her head on my shoulder. My arm goes around her and I hold her close.

“More than okay.” I kiss the top of her head. “Andie, as long as we’re Professor and TA, nothing can happen between us.” She makes to move away but I hold her tightly, only wincing slightly at the pain in my side. “Nothing can screw this up for you, okay? Getting your doctorate is important.”

“I want you and my doctorate,” she whispers softly against my chest. “I’m greedy and I want both.”

I dip my forehead to hers, and closing my eyes, admit, “I want you to have both, too . . .”

Her small gasp along with her hand on my chest causes my heart to pound heavily in my chest.

The sound of the door opening draws my attention.

We’ve been caught.

The nurse pauses in the doorway, looks between Andie and me, and raises her brows. “Hmm, now I know why your heart rate increased.”

“What?”

The nurse points to one of the machines that I’m attached to. “We’re monitoring you from the nurses station.”

“Oh,” I mumble and smile at Andie who looks embarrassed to be caught lying beside me. “I needed my fiancée close.”

Chuckling, the nurse moves further into the room. “Young love.” She sighs. “I’ll leave you alone.”

Andie buries her face into my chest, giggling. “That was embarrassing.”

“No it wasn’t. At least we have our clothes on.” I sigh dramatically and find that I’m unable to keep my eyes open. “I think I need to sleep.”

“Probably.” She moves closer. “Sawyer, you aren’t going to keep me away now, are you?”

I offer her a wry smile. “We’ll talk when I’m out of here, okay?”

Feeling happy with having my girl in my arms, I drift into a deep sleep.