As the days moved on and she seemed nervous as hell in class, I had tae assume her fear of crossing lines had made her not want tae go there with me. That’s the reason I assumed she didn’t come tae my office.

But I wasn’t about tae back off.

Time I could give her, but when it was all said and done, I was a Scot that wanted his woman.

My time filling in as professor was coming tae an end, but I wasn’t going tae just walk away from Molly. I wouldn’t. I canna even think about that.

I’d already claimed her as mine. I was going tae show her exactly the lengths I’d go tae make that a reality.

The class left, and I packed up my belongings. I meant to call for her, tae tell her I needed tae speak with her, tae tell her she was mine. But when I glanced up, I saw she was gone. A cold hardness filled me.

I grabbed my bag and headed out. I had one focus, one purpose. I was going tae make it known Molly was mine.

The rules could go fook themselves.

I dinna care about the students and university staff I passed, or the repercussions that may or may no’ happen because of what I was going tae do. I was done waiting to make my claim. Now was the time, and fook anyone or anything that stood in my way.

I pushed open the front doors tae the main campus building, momentarily blinded by the sunlight. My heart was thundering, the blood rushing through my veins like waves crashing against the shore.

And then I saw her, standing just below the stone steps. “Molly, lass,” I said, but froze, the words stalling in my throat when I saw some little arsehole talking with her.

He was smiling at her, his stance telling me he wasn’t there for some friendly conversation. And then he reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her shoulder.

Possessive need and aggression slammed intae me.

That little fooker was going tae understand what it meant when I said she was mine.

* * *

I stepped away from Brad, a guy from my economics class. I smiled, trying to be nice, even though I didn’t like the way he was inching closer to me.

“You need a ride?” Brad asked.

I shook my head.

“No thanks.” I was going to walk the few blocks to my place, and although I would have taken a ride from someone I knew, this guy was not one of them.

He lifted his car keys and pointed them toward the parking lot. “You sure? I mean, you live a bit of a ways away, yeah? I can drop you off, or we can hang out for a while?”

“Thanks, but no.”

“Mr. Harrison, I’m sure you have somewhere else tae be.”

I felt my face heat, and my body tingled. God, that Scottish brogue did it for me. I turned to see Mr. McGowan standing there, his face fierce, his stance aggressive.

Alastair was huge, imposing, and so damn muscular. He reeked of possessiveness, and this territorial air covered him. I didn’t know how I knew that, how I felt it, but it surrounded me, covered me like a second skin.

“Excuse me?” Brad said, his attitude already coming through.

Alastair stepped between Brad and me, his big body blocking out the much smaller man from my view. I had no clue what would happen, what was about to happen, but I was frozen in place, confused as hell about why this professor was acting like I was his.

“I believe Molly said no’, right?”

Brad glanced at me but said nothing. Finally he shrugged. “Yeah, whatever.”

He left, and I stood there, not sure what in the hell was going on. Mr. McGowan turned around and faced me, and I cocked my head back and stared at him, not sure what to say or do.

“Will you come with me?”

And I was so transfixed, so confused that all I did was nod and follow him into the school, down the hall, and back into his office.

“Shut the door, lass.”

The way he said that endearment had my heart pounding harder. I closed the door and watched as he made his way back to the desk.

He faced me. “And lock it, please.”

My heart thumped even harder, but I obeyed. This certainly wasn’t right, not in the eyes of a lot of people, the school included, but honestly I was excited, anticipating what was about to come.

Although there were still classes going on, the day was nearing an end, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before it was just some staff and custodial employees around.

“Mr. McGowan?”

“Call me Alastair, lass.” He stared right at me. “Come closer.”

I did as he asked, not sure if I was ready to say or do anything. Truth was I wanted to just touch him, to run my hands up his hard body, to see if he wore anything under that kilt of his.

And then I was right in front of him, his big form making me feel feminine, so small and fragile. I started breathing hard, so fast that I thought I’d pass out.

And then he surprised the hell out of me by reaching out and cupping my cheek. His hand was massive, slightly calloused, and the heat from his body went right into me.

I shook, couldn’t even control myself if I’d wanted to. “Alastair…” My voice was soft, so distant that I wondered if I’d said the words out loud or thought them. “What’s going on?” My heart was pounding in my throat.

He leaned in close, his warm breath on my face. My pussy was wet, my nipples hard.

“I see the way you watch me, the way you act around me.” He looked down at my chest, probably seeing how fast I was breathing. “You could lie and tell me you don’t want me.” He tipped my head back even more. “But you and I would know it would be a lie. Isn’t that right, lass?”

I couldn’t control the sound that left me, so instead of trying to pretend that I didn’t want this, that I didn’t want him, I nodded and let my inhibitions go. I couldn’t believe I was doing this, about to say this, but I didn’t care anymore.

“Yes, I want you.”