I couldn’t stop shaking. Professor Elliot cranked the heat, the warmth twining around my legs and up my body. Even so, tremors shot through me until my teeth chattered. If I closed my eyes for too long, I saw Tucker, felt his hands on me. My stomach twisted in knots at the memory, and I wished I could wash it all away, as if it had never happened.

“You’re in shock.” Professor Elliot reached out to touch my leg, but I jerked back.

“I’m sorry.” I shook my head. I’d dreamed about his touch for so long, and now I was shying away from him?

His jaw tightened. “No, it’s understandable.” He withdrew his hand and turned onto a residential lane a few miles from campus. Older houses lined the block, and neatly-kept oak trees stood guard at intervals along the street.

He turned into the driveway of a white two-story home. Dark green shutters framed the windows, and a red door greeted the street. He drove along the side of the house and into an open garage. Two motorcycles sat off to the side, their metal shining under the overhead lights.

I wasn’t sure what to expect. All I knew of him was the harsh professor who ruled his classroom with an iron fist, but also somehow managed to star in all my fantasies. I glanced at his profile, his stoic face giving nothing away. He’d been quiet the entire trip, though I could feel something churning inside him.

He killed the engine and got out. I tried to figure out how to open my door, but the handle wasn’t immediately obvious. He came around and opened the door for me.

“Thanks.” I took his hand, his palm rough yet warm, and he pulled me to my feet.

“This way.” He led me through a door, a short breezeway between the garage and the house, and then into his kitchen. Everything gleamed—stainless-steel appliances, white and gray marble countertops, and dark cabinets.

“This is nice.” I tried not to gawk.

He dropped my backpack on the island, then took my hand again, pulling me behind him. We walked through a hallway and then started up a staircase.

Where was this going? “Professor Elliot?”

He froze, then turned to me. “Here, in my house, you can call me Ryan.”

A thrill of excitement shot through me as he peered down at me with an intensity that almost burned. He never met my gaze in class, though he would often stare daggers at students who didn’t live up to his standards. But I would have noticed if he’d looked at anyone else like this—as if he were a wolf or an even more lethal predator. I was used to the controlled, perfect professor. But here he was, the raw man underneath.

“Ryan.” My breath hitched as he brought his palm to my neck and gently rested it there. “Thank you for what you did back there. With Tuck—”

“Don’t say his name.” His hand tightened the slightest bit at my throat. My blood turned to liquid fire at his proprietary touch.

“With him.” I swallowed hard. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. When I saw him following you…” His eyes narrowed. “He’s lucky I didn’t kill him.” He dropped down a step until he was almost at eye level with me, though still taller.

I tried to figure him out, as if staring into the depths of his blue eyes would reveal his secrets. A thought fluttered around in my mind and landed on my tongue. “How did you know he was following me?”

Professor Elliot dropped his hand and continued leading me up the stairs. “I saw him. Come on.”

I should have been afraid, but I wasn’t. My “stranger danger” alarms should have been blaring at ear-splitting levels. They were silent. Something about him put me at ease, even after what had happened with Tucker. Professor Elliot made me feel safe.

We entered a master bedroom—a king size bed in the center with a sapphire blue comforter and four fluffy pillows. A sitting area was off to the left in front of two windows.

“Sit.” He pointed to the bed and let go of my hand before disappearing into what looked like a closet.

I stared around, trying to get my bearings, then sat on the bed where he’d pointed. It was surreal, sitting on his bed like I belonged here. His house was warm, so I shed my jacket. I was painfully aware of the fact that I wasn’t wearing any panties, and more aware that Professor Elliot had stuffed them in his pocket. I covered my face with my hands when that thought hit me.

“What is it? Are you okay?” He walked out of the closet, shirtless. My mouth went dry. Rushing over, he sank to his knees and stared up at me. He looked younger from this angle, his dark hair falling back from his forehead and his eyes brighter.

“I’m fine. Sorry.” I couldn’t tear my gaze away from him, the stubble dusting his jaw, the corded muscle along his shoulders.

“Don’t be sorry.” He took my hands in his. “None of this is your fault.”

“Why did you bring me here?” I blurted, unable to play it cool any longer.

He sighed and kissed the backs of my hands, then flipped them over and kissed my palms. Four perfect touches. Just that small brush of his lips—forbidden and gentle—sent a jolt of heat between my thighs.

“I shouldn’t have brought you, but I couldn’t help myself.” He kissed to my left wrist, his mouth warm and decadent against my skin. “I want to keep you safe. Here with me is the best spot for that.”

Was the room spinning? I couldn’t seem to get my breath. Professor Elliot was kissing me. I blinked hard and opened my eyes to discover this wasn’t some sexed-up wet dream. Professor Elliot was really kissing me.

“This is … I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

He shook his head, his hair falling in silky tendrils against the back of my arm. “My private life is mine, not the school’s.”

“No, I mean about what happened in the woods.” If the school found out he’d decked Tucker, I didn’t know what they’d do, but it wouldn’t be good. “If I told the police, would you be in trouble?” I fidgeted. “I don’t want that, but I don’t want Tucker to come after me again, either.”

He growled and rose, sitting beside me. “Going to the police won’t help, but I know some people who will get the message across. He won’t touch you, or any other woman, like that again.”

My eyebrows rose as I turned to him. “Will they hurt him?”

“Don’t worry about that.” His voice was cold, the tone almost venomous.

I chewed my bottom lip and thought about it. He was probably right about the police. A simple review of recent headlines told me they might not take my accusations seriously, and even if they did, Tucker would get a slap on the wrist.

Professor Elliot leaned back, the expanse of his washboard stomach on display. “I won’t stop you if you want to call them, but I can promise you my way is more effective.”

I sighed and tucked my hair behind my ears, first the left ear, then the right. My hands itched to repeat the pattern. Four was my favorite number. But I tried to control the impulse.

“Do it again.” His voice flitted across me like a quiet moth.

“What?” Color rushed into my cheeks. Were my tics that noticeable?

“Penny, I know. It’s okay. Do it again if it makes you feel better.”

I repeated the movements, then rested my hands in my lap. The pattern soothed me, helped me think straight. I glanced back at him and tried to bat away my embarrassment at my obvious mental issues.

“So, do you want to go to the police?” He scrubbed a hand down his face, the stubble ticking against his palm.

“As long as Tucker stays away from me and doesn’t try to hurt anyone else, I’m good with your plan.”

“He’ll never hurt anyone else, not after my guys get to him.” His lips turned down at the corners in his signature glower. “I can assure you.”

“Good.” I took a deep breath, then took a risk. I wrapped my fingers around his.

His glower faded when he met my eyes, and that heat of his returned, blazing even higher. He sat straighter, his arm pressing against mine.

“Why don’t you ever look at me?” I had to ask the one question that had been eating at me for months.

“Because you’d see.” He shrugged, as if his answer were obvious.

“See what?”

“This.” He pressed his mouth to mine.