So what if we had a certain reputation on campus? It was almost like being famous without the money part. Then again, both me and Finn were loaded, and Slater? Well, he hid the fact that he had money very well, but we all knew who his father was; the guy wasn’t fooling anyone, least of all us.
But we let him pretend.
“All right.” I stood. “I’m out. I’ll text you guys later, we’ll go semi-off campus, so we don’t come home with bras and thongs stuffed into our jeans.”
“Worst day ever,” Slater grumbled.
I just grinned, grabbed my shit, and shut the door behind me. Senior year; one more semester, and I was done.
Out of here.
Finally.
I kept a smug expression on my face as people whispered when I walked by. Some were brave enough to wave, others strategically took pictures with their phones.
It was a thing.
A thing I was finally used to after three years of putting up with it.
The business building wasn’t necessarily close, but I needed the walk anyway, I hadn’t worked out that day yet, and you don’t get an eight-pack like mine without putting in at least two hours a day.
After around twenty minutes of speed walking, I finally made it to my building. Shit, I was going to be late. I took the steps two at a time and at the top checked my phone, only to come to an abrupt halt when I collided with a warm body.
“Shit!” Papers went flying, a large black binder hit the ground along with two notebooks and several colored pens. I quickly bent over and grabbed the things I could reach. “You know, they have bags for this kind of stuff…”
“Sarcasm, how shocking to find that in a college student.” The warm voice wrapped around me.
I froze and slowly looked up.
And there she was.
Woman of my dreams… or at least several schoolboy fantasies.
Mrs. Robinson.
My grin grew. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?”
Her eyes narrowed. “We have nothing,” She jerked her stuff away from my hands and stood. “You should really watch where you’re going.”
“I was texting and walking, a crime punishable by kiss… ” I winked. “Wait, I think I got that wrong.”
“Ah, so you’ve lost more brain cells since graduation, how sad.” Her stony glare was doing nothing to deter me. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m late.”
She was wearing her light brown hair in a tight bun, had diamond studs in her ears, and if her black dress were any more boring, I would say she looked like she was headed to the nunnery or at the very least a funeral.
Hah, mine probably.
I reached out and touched her shoulder, just light enough for her to look at my fingertips and then my face. It always worked; it was the point where the female realized that my touch was commanding, warm, and oh so very promising.
My favorite part.
The soft intake of breath she sucked through her mouth.
The way her eyes tried to focus on anything but mine and failed miserably.
“See something you like, Mrs. Robinson?” I whispered it low, so only she could hear me.
She jerked back like she’d been electrocuted and scowled. “Like I said, I’m late, and you have something on your face.”
“No, I don’t,” I said smugly.
“You do.” She turned on her heel and marched off.
And because I was just that vain, I quickly checked my selfie mode on my phone just to make sure she was wrong and was relieved to find out that she had needed an escape.
From me.
It had been four years.
She looked like she needed a good orgasm—or seven.
And I was only too happy to volunteer.
I smiled the entire way to my class, jerked open that door with a stupid grin on my face, only to look at the front of the room and see Mrs. Robinson standing where our professor should be standing.
“Mrs. Cordy went into labor, so I’ll be your adjunct professor for the rest of the year while she takes her maternity leave.” She smiled warmly at the class, nearly knocking me on my ass. Damn, she was beautiful. “Mr. Blackwood, is this going to be a habit for you?
“Smiling?” I offered, slowly making my way to the first available seat, noticing all the girls fanning themselves as I passed them.
I really couldn’t help it.
“Being tardy,” she said through clenched teeth while I sat and put my hands behind my neck, giving her a full view of my massive body.
Pink flushed her cheeks while she waited for my answer.
“That’s one thing you’ll never have to worry about with me, Mrs. Robinson,” I said her name with reverence. “I’m very punctual in all areas of my life, physical, mental, educational…” I gave her a confident grin. “Any self-respecting man knows that it’s always important to show up on time—you never know what you could miss, maybe even a blast from the past…” I cleared my throat and flippantly waved my hand. “For example.”
“Right.” She dropped a book onto her desk and gave me an annoyed grin. “Let’s hope you’re not just talking out of your—”
I waited.
Silence fell.
“My what?”
She clenched her teeth. “Nothing.”
The class snickered.
“All right, now that we have that settled.” She pasted another fake smile on her face. “Let’s talk about your senior projects…”
I heard nothing the rest of class.
I did, however, take notes on every single movement she made, from the way she addressed the class, to the way she seemed to hide behind her ugly as fuck black dress.
Ninety minutes later, I decided she needed me.
I waited for everyone to leave and, still sitting at my table, raised my hand.
She rolled her eyes. “I have another class.”
“And I have a question.”
“Fine, what’s your question?” She crossed her arms and leaned back against the desk.
I stood and slowly made my way across the room to her, towering over her in a way that made her seem to shrink into herself. Instinct told me to pull her into my arms, but my brain reminded me she’d probably knee me in the balls, so I refrained.
“My question…” I searched her eyes. “It’s more of an observation, I guess.”
She gulped. “And?”
“You’re sexually repressed.”
“Excuse me?” She looked ready to murder me on the spot.
I just grinned and gestured toward her left hand. “No wedding ring.”
“I have a boyfriend.”
“Then he’s clearly doing it wrong,” I fired back and then lowered my gaze to her clenched fists. “All fucking wrong.”
“Language.”
I pressed my lips together in a smile. “You’re not offended. In fact, by the blush I see on your cheeks, you’re both intrigued and aroused. Trust me, I know my women.”
“Ah, so you decided to grow up and become a manwhore? Pimp? Which is it? Both?”
I burst out laughing. “Oh, sweetheart, none of the above… Some might say I’m their worst nightmare dressed as a daydream.”
“Did you just quote Taylor Swift?”
“So what? She has catchy lyrics.” I chuckled. “Ask around about me, if you’re that curious. Just know, I could make all of this—” I pointed at her. “—feel like an old school Herbal Essences commercial with more moaning and at least ten more minutes of shower time.”
Her expression was unreadable. And then finally she sighed. “Not interested.”
“Liar… By the way, how’s the ex-husband? Rotting in Hell? If not, I’ll add in a little voodoo doll and give you the pins. Works every time.”
“You charge extra for that?”
“What makes you think I’d charge you at all?” I countered.
“So, you are a pimp?”
“Nope.” People started shuffling in, I slowly backed away and locked eyes with her. “Th
anks for the help… Mrs. Robinson…”
“Yeah.” Her voice was hollow, her expression a bit unnerved, her cheeks still rosy from our conversation.
She didn’t know.
I had her right where I wanted her.
Chapter Two
“I’ve always had a thing for librarians. Nothing hotter than a pair of spectacles and a face that says I’ll spank you later.” — Leo Blackwood
Kora
Later, in my office, I seethed. I was going to murder him with my bare hands. It had been at least two years since I’d felt such rage directed at the opposite sex.
Who knew it would be directed at Leo Blackwood, of all people! He just had to attend this specific university? I dug into my lame turkey sandwich with fervor.
I’d been able to distract myself with class all day, but now that I was alone eating dinner behind my new desk, I couldn’t escape the memories of his smoldering looks or the brazen way he’d talked to me with suggestively charged references to moaning and shower time. Didn’t he realize that a university had rules about this sort of thing? Granted, I hadn’t actually seen the rule book, but they had to have some clause about professors and students.
Not that I was interested.
Not at all.
I mean, it was laughable.
I bit my tongue and dropped my sandwich onto the Ziplock bag in front of me then reached for my Diet Coke.
The audacity of that boy.
Boy, hah, he was anything but.
He was six feet five inches of pure masculine godlike beauty, all wrapped up in a pretty package with wavy golden hair, deep green eyes, and a tendency to smirk way too often.
Heck, he’d had a killer smirk back in high school. There had been no escaping his good looks even then. He was just this massive presence that refused to be ignored, like a hot teddy bear.
I shuddered. Bad example.
He’d stood up for me when my ex was being condescending again. I was so embarrassed that an eighteen-year-old student had to be the one to tell my husband at the time to stop touching me.
And sadly, things had gotten worse soon after.
I wrapped my arms around my middle and held myself still, trying to just breathe in and out, but nothing was really helping the rising panic or the bile in my throat.
He wasn’t here.
He wasn’t in my life anymore.
I stared at the small sandwich in front of me and tried to focus on the positive. I had a new job that would help me possibly get tenure at UW if I played my cards right. I had no debt to speak of or wouldn’t once my ex paid out what I was due.
And I was happy.
So. Happy.
My thoughts went back to Leo, smirking Leo.
How dare he assume I would even want to start up with someone seven years younger than me!
His arrogance was borderline insulting.
I managed to take another small bite of my sandwich and turned toward my computer just in time to see a little email pop up.
From the devil himself.
Dear Mrs. Robinson,
I’ve been having some trouble with deciding the topic of my Senior Project, can you please send me a copy of your office hours so you can make yourself available to a star student?
Regards,
Leo
I wanted to reply with irritation, but this was my university employee email. And he wasn’t technically out of bounds asking for my office hours. I just knew he had ulterior motives.
With a sigh, I typed a response.
Dear Star Student,
I regret to inform you that I must remove said star before your name as every single person in my class has already chosen a topic—meaning you’re the last to decide what your senior project should be on. That doesn’t speak of stardom but laziness. My office hours are every afternoon from one to five, though I’m not sure I can help motivate you—I can give you a list of topics that would be appropriate.
Sincerely,
PROFESSOR ROBINSON
The all caps probably weren’t necessary, but I had no other choice. He needed to be reminded who I was, how old I was, just… everything.
I reached for my sandwich and continued eating, hating myself that I was disappointed that he wasn’t hovering over his laptop or phone, ready to email me back right away.
I was just about to take another bite when there was a soft knock on my door. A glance toward the sound revealed Leo lounging against the jamb. I started choking on my bite, tears filling my eyes.
And Leo, with his superhero complex fully intact, rushed over to my chair, pulled me to my feet, and started doing the Heimlich.
A piece of food went flying out of my mouth and onto the floor. His arms were still around me. And I prayed for death.
Because, why? Why did bad things always have to happen to me?
“You okay?” He rasped in my right ear.
I could feel the heat of his breath, and of course, he had minty breath because this was Leo we were talking about; he probably had a huge dick too.
Shit!
I needed therapy.
I quickly pulled away and smoothed my hands down my black dress. It was ugly, but it did its job—repel everything except the unlucky gaze of the one that needed to be repelled the most.
“Thank you.” I managed to get the words out and put a chair between us. “I’m assuming you’re here for the senior project topics?”
“Sure.” He crossed his arms. “Because why else would I be visiting your office at four in the afternoon, by myself, where most of the professors have already gone home because… Friday.”
My eyes narrowed. “Leo, I think you have the wrong impression here.”
“No.” He said confidently. “Don’t think so.”
I gritted my teeth and tried a different tactic. Ignorance. “Fine, let me grab you a sheet, it has topics past Seniors have done their projects on. You’re already behind, so I’d hop to it.”
“Did you just say hop to it?” He grinned.
No. “Yup.” So, just… “Shoo.”
Could I sound any more like my grandma?
Probably not.
I inwardly winced as his expression turned from amused to dark, threatening. I moved farther back. I knew that look. I’d seen it countless times on my ex-husband. Panic made me freeze as I closed my eyes and flinched, then opened them as he neared. He lifted his hand. Oh God, it was happening again—
And brushed my cheek with his fingertips.
I trembled waiting for what might happen next.
“You had a crumb,” he whispered and then added, “And a woman should never flinch in front of a man. That tells me one thing. Your ex-husband is a complete asshole who should burn in Hell.”
He said it so softly but with such ferocity all at once.
I opened my eyes. He was staring at me like he wanted to take away all the bad, and part of me believed he probably could.
Or that if anyone could—it would be Leo Blackwood.
The teen I wasn’t supposed to find attractive my first year of teaching.
The teen who flirted with me for nine blissful months.
The teen who made me wonder what it would feel like if we had just one wild night.
That was then.
This is now.
“Mrs. Robinson?” Another voice broke into my thoughts, one of my sophomore girls stood in the doorway. She’d asked about a billion questions during Intro to Business Marketing. “Sorry if you’re busy I can come back.”
“No, Sheila, we were finished.” I grinned at her. “Leo, make sure you look over the worksheet and let me know if you have any questions.”
“Oh, I’ll have questions.” He winked and walked by Sheila without even making eye contact.
Huh, so he did have asshole tendencies.
“OMG!” Sheila shut the door and leaned against it. “I cannot believe you had Leo Blackwood in your office, and you’re still standing!”
“I’m sorry,
why wouldn’t I be standing?”
Her eyes widened. “Last year a girl said she had an orgasm watching him eat Lucky Charms.” She paused dramatically, then whispered. “I believe her.”
I burst out laughing. “That’s ridiculous and semi-inappropriate to discuss.”
“It’s true! The guys from Wingmen Inc are notorious around campus.”
“Wait, Wingmen Inc?” I repeated. “The dating app that’s worth a billion dollars and nestled nicely next to the Amazon campus in downtown Seattle?”
“Uh-huh,” She pulled out a chair like this explanation was going to take a while. “So, the main guys Ian and Lex wanted to leave a presence on campus, and they handpicked four guys. Knox graduated last year, and the other three are rounded out by Leo, Slater, and Finn. They make girls and guys, plants, grandmas, whomever—rediscover their worth and sexuality. Oh, and if you go through a shitty breakup, they’ll make you feel better… for a price.”
“Wait.” It was too ridiculous to even process. “What do you mean for a price?”
She held up a finger and tapped away at her iPhone then turned the screen toward me.
WingmenIncUniversity.com.
And there he was, shirtless.
“Having a bad breakup? Are you sad? Are you nervous for your first date? Or do you just need someone to tell you how incredible you are? Look no further! Sign up for a time slot today! Discounts for people who schedule out more than five sessions. We’ll make you feel all better. Wingmen Inc. You’re welcome.”
My jaw dropped. “Is this legal?”
“Duh, they’ve been featured on The Today Show like twice. Of course, it’s legal. Nothing overtly sexual ever happens. That’s in their little—” she wiggled her fingers, making air quotes “—'rule book.’ It’s like they know magical ways to make energy fields explode around a person’s body. This one time…”
She went on and on for another hour.
And I sat there slack-jawed, too intrigued to stop her.
“…And her grandma said that she felt her husband’s spirit when Leo touched her… and he barely touched her. Then his lips grazed her ear, and she cried. Oh, oh, and one time, Slater was doing laundry, and a girl was a total train wreck in the laundry room because her boyfriend had cheated on her. Well, ten minutes with Slater and I’ve never seen a person smile so big in my entire life. People jokingly call them the Pleasure Ponies, but I believe it, I mean I’ve been with my boyfriend for two years, but I would drop him in a second for a chance to date one of those guys…”
Seducing Mrs. Robinson Page 2
