Chapter 3

Three

A s soon as Ford entered the classroom, his cock stretched to its full ten inches. He didn't bother trying to hide it with the books he carried under his arm—he wasn't apologizing for wanting Angelina. And his cock didn't feel the need to hide it either.

Especially after yesterday. The little vixen had tormented him for two solid hours, prancing up and down and back and forth in those fuck-me red heels. He wanted to throw her down on her wide oak desk, hitch those sexy heels up around his ears and pound all ten inches into her tight body.

Fuck, he was having a hard time controlling his urges today. He'd had a hell of a battle of wills with his CO this morning, and the argument had earned him another five miles tacked onto his run.

He'd done it without complaint—he loved to push his body to the max and it only benefitted him in combat zones.

And stateside. He had more than enough stamina to pump into Angelina all fucking night.

She hadn't entered the room yet, which happened more often than not. He guessed she waited until everyone was there rather than wasting her time waiting for them. Ford took his seat at his regular table and looked around. He was early, but only a few were missing.

And Ashwood was one.

Ford tensed as voices carried through the door. Hushed at first, though he had excellent hearing, and then growing louder. More insistent.

Until all hell broke loose.

Ford was on his feet and moving toward the door in a blink, propelled by Angelina's commands.

"Stand down, soldier. I won't be bullied into giving you a better grade on work that was less than acceptable."

Ford threw open the door to find her nose-to-nose with Ashwood. The asshole towered over her, but she wasn't backing down.

Something like pride for her action slid through Ford a split second before the fury hit. And when it did, it was equal to a grenade going off in the corridor outside the classroom.

He shoved Ashwood in the shoulder—hard. The man swung around with a glare and a sneer.

"You're a tough guy, aren't you? Coming to Professor Dawn's rescue? I think we know who the teacher's pet is in this class. She was strutting around you in those red heels yesterday like a dog in heat."

Before Angelina could unleash the torrent of words she'd opened her mouth to say, Ford's fist shut the fucker up. His knuckles smashed square into Ashwood's nose. Blood spurted, and he came at Ford like a wild animal.

"Security! Security!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, and several men in uniform came running from around the corner.

Ford buried his fist into Ashwood's jaw and another into his gut with all his force, sending him into the opposite wall. He was back on his feet in a blink and rushing him, head down.

"Stop it, this minute. You're out of my class, Ashwood," she yelled.

The guards reached him, each restraining an arm before he'd had a chance to smash into Ford. Which was good, because Ford was poised to break his fucking neck if he laid a hand on him.

The fact that he'd yelled at Angelina had him shaking with the urge to do real damage to the man.

"Get him out of here. Charges pending from Professor Dawn," he barked.

Ashwood narrowed his eyes but went quietly with the guards. Only an idiot wouldn't know he was in for a hell of a punishment from his antics here today. Ashwood knew what awaited him.

Angelina, shoulders thrown back, her head held high, watched the guards guide him out of the building.

Once the doors at the end of the corridor closed, a soft noise issued from her.

Ford let his gaze wander over her, checking for damages. Her chest was moving a lot, as if she were trying to keep from screaming, and her pulse raced in her long throat.

"Are you okay?" He kept his voice low.

Her gaze flashed to his, and her cheeks reddened.

Her blush was painful to look at. Why was she blushing? Was she embarrassed by her lack of control over the situation with Ashwood?

"You did everything right here, Professor. He's an asshole—always has been."

She opened her mouth and shut it again. "Get back inside, Ford. Please let the class know I'll be there in a minute."

With that, she turned on her heels, her normal black ones this time, and strode down the hall to the women's room. He watched her go, his gut tight with a desire to protect her and his cock hard with the need to claim her curves for his own and erase all the bad memories that asshole just created for the woman.

He went back inside and told the class what she'd said. A couple of guys asked him about what was going out in the hallway. He didn't fault them for coming to see for themselves since most military guys knew better than to get in a fight that wasn't his own. Ford just said Ashwood wouldn't be returning, and several cheers went up. They'd all put up with his heckling the professor long enough and it showed on everyone's face.

His inner clock ticked by the seconds, and he swore she returned at the stroke of a minute. Breezing in as if she hadn't just argued with—and kicked out—one of her students.

She was composed, her face its regular hue, her hair twisted on her nape in that perfect figure eight.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to the class and introduced the lesson for the day. Without hesitation, she launched straight into the material. Starting with a short story about a crazy scientist who had been shunned by society, but it hadn't mattered because his discoveries had advanced science to what it was today.

All the time she spoke, she didn't look toward Ford. He stared at her unwaveringly, wondering at her embarrassment from earlier and why she wouldn't look at him now.

He dragged his foot across the floor, and her gaze flashed down to his boot but didn't wander higher to his face.

Dammit, why wasn't she looking at him?

Halfway through the lesson, his agitation got the better of him and he purposely dropped his notebook on the floor to bring her attention around to him.

This time she stared right into his eyes—into his soul. Slowly, she walked toward his table, crouched and picked up his notebook. As she set it on his desk, she said so quietly nobody could overhear, "Thank you, Ford."

Her quiet gratitude shook him to the core. Fuck that. It was like a gut punch. Damn, she was so controlled. She adhered so strictly to the rules. Though he knew deep down there was much, much more to Angelina.

And he was damn well going to find out every detail by peeling away the layers one at a time and as slow as he could manage before sinking into her tight hole.

" F ord, can I speak with you please?" Angelina didn't look up as she made this request, afraid that she'd relive her fantasy from the previous night when she'd buried her fingers in her pussy to her wild fantasy of it being him giving her multiple orgasms.

As students filed out of the room, she waited, pretending to be engrossed in her class notes. Though she knew this material by heart and didn't need them, she always had them handy. She was the woman who was always prepared for anything.

Except her feelings about Ford at this minute. Hell, since he first walked through her doors and took a seat in her class, if she were honest.

He approached her desk slowly, and she steeled herself to keep from lunging over the surface and into his arms. So silly to feel a surge of emotion for him after he'd come to her defense against Ashwood. But it made her stop lying to herself that these feelings hadn't been brewing for months.

She swallowed hard and looked up at him.

Her breath caught. His eyes. They pierced her soul.

"Angelina, are you okay?"

His name rolled off his tongue so naturally, his voice deep and caressing against her senses.

She gathered her reeling libido closely and nodded. "I wanted to thank you again for what you did out there. I could have handled him myself, but I'm appreciative that I didn't have to."

As he glanced up and down her body, his smile quirked the corner of his lips. Before he said what he was obviously thinking about her being a lot smaller than Ashwood, she held up a hand.

"I have training too, and I know how to take down an attacker." Okay, so that sounded a smidge more arrogant than she'd intended but that smirk of his made her do it.

"Even if he weighs a hundred pounds more than you do?" He crossed his thick arms.

She raised her chin a notch. "Even then. But it wouldn't have come to that."

"Listening to his verbal abuse is enough."

Ashwood's words fell between them. The way he'd said she'd been strutting around in front of Ford...

She met his gaze. A dark warmth slithered through her body.

Still holding her gaze, he edged around the desk. Skin prickling and hot liquid wetting her panties, her alarm bells went off but not so loud that she couldn't ignore them. Just for a moment, so I have something to fantasize about later.

When he placed his hand along her cheek, she barely resisted leaning into his big, rough palm. "You're sure you're okay?"

"Yes." She was breathless, too breathless. Fuck was he a warlock or something? Power in his fingertips?

He skimmed his thumb over the corner of her lips, and her pussy squeezed hard, drenching her panties with girl cum. She wanted this guy like no other, and resisting him was torture.

But she must.

She pulled back. "I'm fine. Thanks again, Ford. You can go now." Get rid of him before you jump him is all she could think.

Something sharp flashed in his eyes. Anger?

"Dammit, Angelina, I know you feel this attraction between us."

Definitely anger. She didn't know what to say—she'd been on the receiving end of student/professor crushes before, but never had she wanted one of her students this way.

With a burning, I-want-you-fucking-me-hard across any surface kind of want.

He groaned. "Fuck, you're blushing again. Is this why you were blushing in the hallway? You know what I'm talking about. You want me as bad as I want you."

Without thinking her gaze dropped to the bulge in his pants.

Holy shit.

He was huge.

His bold words struck her deep like flaming arrows. She shook her head, dazed and confused even as her cheeks grew hotter.

He took a step toward her, turning her so her buttocks rested against the edge of the desk, hemming her in with his muscled body. All he had to do was lift her onto the edge, spread her legs, and take her.

He practically growled. "I'm taking you out tonight. Get your things."

His high-handed command was one a soldier wouldn't think twice about giving, but a man couldn't order a woman around this way and get away with it for long.

Yet Angelina found herself shaking, on the verge of relenting to his wishes. Or giving him everything he asks for.

"Ford, I can't do that."

"Like hell. We need to explore this more. Neither of us will be satisfied until we do. And you know it's going to either begin or end with your pussy spread wide over my cock. Tell me that thought doesn't make you wet right now." His eyes scorched her and where his hand had cradled her face felt as if it was melting off. God, what would happen if he touched her between her thighs?

"I..." She looked into his eyes, imploring him to understand. "It's the university's policy. No fraternization."

"I'll quit."

Her mouth fell open. "You can't do that. You're a few weeks from earning your credits."

"Look, I run on gut instincts, and mine is telling me to take you somewhere tonight where we can get to know each other."

Was that soldier code for fuck her senseless and peel her off the ceiling? Because she was one stroke of his thumb from giving in.

As if knowing his actions devastated her, he did just that—running the pad of his thumb over her entire lower lip this time while staring at her as if he was ready to eat her up.

Her heart juddered in her chest. "Maybe coffee would be okay."

His grin was a ray of sunlight breaking through the clouds. His eyes crinkled, and her body revved at the sight. "Good. Let's go."

"I'd like to go home and change first."

His gaze licked over her breasts, hips, legs and lingered on her heels. "You look amazing. Please don't do that on my account. I like you how you are, baby."

Fuck me.

Nipples puckering at his words, she shifted on her heels. "My shoes are pinching a little and walking sounds like a terrible idea. You know the Rise and Grind?"

"Of course. Meet you there in a half-hour?"

She couldn't help but wonder if he was rushing the time they were apart because he was afraid she'd back out. She nodded. "See you then, soldier."

He flashed a grin at her address. "I look forward to it, Angelina."

A quiver began in her core at that moment, and after a short drive home and a quick change of clothes, it never left her. She leaned over the sink to inspect her appearance. She always wore a nude lipstick, but she picked up a tube of bright red and screwed it upward.

Ford ran on gut instincts. She could see that about him. A man in war had to trust himself first and foremost. Well I'm trusting that I need to apply this red lipstick.

Maybe it was a little like wearing the red shoes yesterday. Today she was suffering from discomfort, but surely the lipstick wouldn't have that same effect.

Or maybe she'd find she couldn't walk after Ford fucked her.

No. This is just coffee in a public place. No fucking, no date.

By the time she walked into the Rise and Grind and the fresh aroma of coffee and pastries hitting her, she was a jittery mess. But she hoped she appeared cool and collected—she didn't want Ford to think his professor was an idiot. She'd made a fool of herself too much today already, blushing about her scorching, dirty thoughts concerning him.

He was already there, taking up the end of a table for two. In a plain white T-shirt, jeans and boots, he stole her breath. When his gaze latched onto hers, she nearly stopped walking.

Her inner thighs shook with the need to spread them wide and draw him into her. But somehow she propelled her feet on and she managed to slide into a chair without falling on her face or cumming all over herself the second his eyes met hers.

At once, his eyes warmed to bright coals and he took her hand where it rested on the table. A jolt of need slammed her as electricity passed between their fingers.

"Fuck, you felt that too. Shit, Angelina."

"I..." she eased her hand from beneath his and laid it in her lap, "don't know what you mean. But thanks for meeting me."

He tightened his lips for a minute, pulling them across his teeth and giving him a fierce appearance. Then in a blink, his expression cleared. She had a feeling that he didn't like her skirting the issue, but she had to keep this professional.

Didn't she? It was probably too late for that, but for her own comfort maybe the white lie to herself would carry her through this ‘meeting'.

But the way he was looking at her...

The waitress came for their order, and he let Angelina go first. She ordered a black coffee and a cinnamon roll.

"Same," he said without looking away from her.

But the waitress sure was staring at Ford. But it was impossible not to notice a man like him.

When they were alone again, he stared deep into her eyes. Leaning over the table, he took her hand again. "Don't deny what you're feeling for me. You're not the type of woman to ignore a situation staring you in the face."

She needed to pull her hand back but wanted so badly to leave it under his. Since there were people around them—who could turn her in to the university—she removed her hand and placed it back in her lap.

"You're right—I don't ignore anything. But this can't be more than a professional meeting, Ford."

"Like fuck. I'm getting you on the back of my bike and stealing you away to my cabin."

She swallowed hard against the rising excitement inside her. Bike? "You have a cabin?"

"Well it's a buddy's, but we all have open invitations, and I'm on a twelve-hour leave. I already know you don't have classes tomorrow, so our schedules are cleared." At that moment, their coffees and food arrived, so she couldn't reply even if she could find something to say.

No, I can't come to your cabin. But I want to with every cell in my body.

I'm already in a relationship.

No lies. She couldn't pretend she was something she wasn't, though she could not act on these desires and jeopardize her career.

He gave a nod toward her cinnamon roll. "You'd better get some sugar in you. You'll need the energy."

A quiver ran through her body, trickled into her lower belly and ended between her thighs. Somehow, she managed to pick up her fork. "You can't speak to me this way. I'm not a soldier buddy of yours. Or do you always command your women around?"

Instead of answering the only thing he did was arched a brow as he shoved a bite between his lips. Lips she wanted to feel all over her body.

Damn, her blush was back, and he was cocky enough to grin about it around his mouthful of cinnamon roll. But he didn't comment.

"So what do we do about this attraction?"

It was her turn to lean over the table. "Will you keep your voice down?"

"Fine." He leaned in too, so close she caught his scent—aftershave and pure male. A wave of dizziness hit her. Pheromones. It's just a reaction—I don't have to act on it. In a whisper, he said, "I'll keep it down when I say you'd better finish your food quickly, because I'm going to put you on my bike and make you wrap your arms and legs around me while I drive you to the cabin, which we will have to ourselves for the next twelve hours."

"Your leave ends in twelve hours. Cutting it a little close, aren't you?" Crap, she hadn't meant to say that at all. It sounded as though she was agreeing to his insane suggestion.

He grinned and sat back, shoving another bite in his mouth. Even when he spoke with his mouth full, it was manly as hell. "I know some shortcuts that will get me back on base in time."

A fire lit in her at that and before she thought about it too much she quipped, "I hope they're not shortcuts in bed." Oh God, she'd really said that.

He dropped his fork and was on his feet in a heartbeat. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her up too. Then he threw down some cash for the bill and gave a cursory, "Grab your bag, baby. We're leaving now." before marching her out of the coffee shop.

" P ut your leg over the bike and get settled before I get on." Ford's cock was pure steel and skimming his abs. As soon as Angelina had mentioned bed, his cock had popped out of his waistband and ached like hell. He could feel the wetness leaking from the tip, primed and ready.

He nearly growled as he watched her throw her leg over his bike, her thighs so damn shapely in a pair of skinny jeans, which he'd never seen her in before. Her figure was tight, curvy, and he couldn't fucking wait to get her against him. After peeling all those unwanted layers of cloth from her body.

When she was situated, she looked around as if afraid of being caught with someone who was off-limits. He hadn't been lying when he'd said he'd quit the university to make her available to him. He could take online courses if necessary, but he wasn't worried about getting caught.

He got on the bike and revved the engine. "Put your arms around me, baby."

She'd barely tucked them around his middle when he jumped on the gas, zooming down the street. She squealed and as he took the turn at the intersection, he said, "Hold on and lean with me."

She did, tightening her arms until he felt her breasts pressed against his spine and her pussy fitted against his ass. His cock grew another fraction, if such a thing was possible.

Everything about her felt good and right, but it was the electricity between them that couldn't make him stop thinking about getting her into bed. He'd done a hell of a lot in his lifetime, seen more, but this—this was new.

When he turned again, she leaned with him without being told. "You're a natural," he called back to her above the roar of wind. In minutes they were out of the rush of the base and heading into the quieter residential area. The sun gave one last blast of warmth before it would sink behind the horizon. It heated her skin, releasing a natural perfume that drove him fucking crazy.

His buddy, Valor, had recently purchased the cabin from their long-time friend who had been stationed elsewhere. But Valor and his new wife Allison were always happy to see him when he wanted to make an escape. This week they were gone on a vacation to visit family.

He hadn't been to the cabin for a while. His training was getting more intense, and he knew what to expect next—deployment papers.

He mashed down the thought, not wanting to think about walking away from Angelina and some other soldier snatching her up.

As he shifted down to a slower pace, taking the zigzagging roads leading to Willow's Pond at a leisurely pace, she relaxed her hold. He missed the tightness. Hell, she'd been clinging to him so hard that he'd swear he could feel the thud of her heat against his back.

As soon as he pulled up in front of the log cabin, she issued a warm breath across his neck. "This is beautiful."

He nodded. Not as beautiful as you. He couldn't wait to see her stunning features twisted in bliss as he made her come apart for him. He'd stuffed his wallet with enough condoms to get them through a long night, but if they ran out, there was always a box in the nightstand.

Valor and Allison knew the guys never brought someone here who wasn't worthy. One-night stands weren't brought here.

The weight of what he was about to do fell over Ford. Angelina was special. He hoped he made her feel that way by the time he was finished with her.

By the time I take her home—I'll never be finished with her. His internal correction of his thoughts messed with his head, and he sat on the bike too long, just staring at the front door.

"Ford, if you've changed your mind..."

"Hell no." He climbed off, and not waiting for her to do the same, he hooked his arm under her thighs and lifted her off the bike. She squealed again, breathy and feminine in a way that made all the hair on his body stand up. And his cock throb.

"Put me down. I can walk. This is..."

He ducked his head to look into her eyes a split second before he claimed her luscious, always moving lips. She tasted of coffee and cinnamon and sweet woman. As his senses reeled, he probed her lower lip with his tongue, urging her to open for him.

With a gasp, she did, and he plunged his tongue inside her mouth. They shared a moan and he almost wished he hadn't gotten her off his bike. He'd always wanted to bend a woman over it, spread her legs and fuck her. Angelina would be the perfect woman for the fantasy. Too easily he imagined her round legs parted, her juicy pussy just begging for his fingers...lips...cock.

A soft noise escaped her as she stroked her tongue against his. He gripped her tighter and started toward the house. When they reached the door, he set her down and gave her a long look.

Her eyes were shining, her lips swollen from his kiss. Sensitive. I knew she'd be easily marked.

Fuck, he wanted to mark her too. Make her his in a way he never had made anybody else.

"I didn't mean to kiss you yet." His voice was gritty, rough.

"Hmm. Why not?" Her long lashes swept over her downcast eyes.

He punched in the key code to unlock the door and they entered the cool, fragrant space. "Because I wanted to make our first kiss something more."

A strange ripple passed over her face. "We shouldn't be kissing at all. I?—"

"I'm not taking you back, Angelina. Not yet. God, you're so by the book you'd give Mr. Rogers nightmares, I swear it." He took her hand and led her through the rooms, which were newly decorated with beachy, country whites and faded blues. Photos of Valor and Allison stood on several surfaces, and a big one of them kissing over their wedding cake on the wall.

"I know him. He was in one of my classes." Angelina stopped to stare at the framed photo.

Still holding her hand, rubbing her fingers lightly with his thumb, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous of every man she'd ever encountered that wasn't him. But she was a beautiful woman—she would have had other lovers. Maybe even other soldiers like him.

"This way." He had to get her alone, and there was only one place in the world he could really feel alone. Their feet echoed on the hardwood floor as he took her down the hallway to the big guest suite.

"The cabin is bigger than it looks from outside," she said.

"It goes out the back all the way to the beach."

"Beach?" Surprise filled her voice, and he was glad to have given her something special tonight.

"Through the trees you can't see the pond, but it's there. We'll go down tonight after..." They were inside the suite decorated in the same whites and blues with the late sun slanting through the sheer curtains. He turned to Angelina, skating his gaze over her glowing skin and the pulse that throbbed in her throat.

"After?" she prompted him to finish his thought.

"After I kiss you the right way." He drew her in inch by inch until her body was flush against his. God, her curves fit him perfectly. Had anyone ever felt so good in his arms before? Gently he used his knuckles beneath her chin to nudge her head back. He had to take it slow. If not to make this first time with her special, to at least not scare her away.

Her long hair spilled over his other hand where it rested on her spine, a warm, live thing he wanted to twist and pin her to the bed with as he sank into her wet folds.

Easy man.

"Ford." Her whisper ripped all his control away like a rug yanked from under his feet.

Groaning, he lowered his mouth, slamming his lips over hers.

So much for going slow—he plunged his tongue in her mouth and kissed her with all the wild need inside him. She threw her arms around his neck and went on tiptoe, opening her mouth wide to give him access.

He angled his head and drank from her in long, sweeping passes of his tongue. Small noises erupted from her, feeding his need until his cock was strangling in his jeans.

He scraped his teeth over her lower lip, biting down gently and tugging. She opened her eyes and looked at him— into him.

"I see what you mean about kissing me the right way."

"Mmm." The rumble was a barely concealed growl of desire. The bed was close, and he could have her stripped in seconds. But when he'd imagined taking Angelina, it hadn't been a hard, fast fuck that got him off. No, it was a melding of bodies and wringing out every drop of pleasure from her before he took his own.