Campus Hottie (Campus)

Carson’s words roar back to me. Maybe he’s right and I’ve been naïve this entire time. I had assumed Dr. Holloway was being nice because he genuinely cared about my progress in his class. It never occurred to me that it could be anything more.

Still frozen in place, I whisper, “I’m sorry. I—I don’t feel that way about you.”

I wince when his fingers bite into the flesh beneath my shirt.

He pins me to the front of his body as his lips hover at my ear. “If that’s the case, then my guess is that you’ve been playing a dangerous game, Elle. Leading me on. Pretending to want something more.”

What?

No!

I shake my head frantically, uncertain how he could arrive at such an absurd conclusion. “No, I haven’t. I didn’t realize...”

He snorts as his fingers turn harsh. “How’s that possible? We went out to dinner and exchanged numbers. You had to realize that my interest went deeper than you just being my student.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t.” Emotion wells in my throat, thickening my voice.

“You know what I think?” He doesn’t give me a chance to respond. “That you’re a cock tease who enjoys showing up to my class in your short skirts and flirting so I’d give you a higher grade.”

“What?” The floor drops out from beneath me as his cruel words reverberate inside my head. “No, that’s not what—”

“Of course it is. And now I’ve caught you at it. What do you think the university will do when I make them aware of your disgusting behavior, hmmm? Maybe kick you out of school? Certainly tell your family.”

Tears prick the backs of my eyes as everything he says churns inside me.

When I remain silent, his voice turns harsh. “All of you girls are the same. You think you can bat your eyelashes and wear lowcut tops that show off your tits and you’ll get a higher grade. Well, it’s not going to work this time. You picked the wrong guy to play games with.”

His fingers loosen before they slide from my shoulders to my breasts. The moment he squeezes them, I come alive, twisting in his arms until we’re facing each other. His eyes flare as I bring my knee up and slam it into his crotch. I do it exactly the way Brayden taught me when I was in middle school and attended my first dance.

With a grunt, Dr. Holloway doubles over and staggers back a few steps. “You fucking little—”

“Don’t you dare say it,” I snap. Even though I’m pissed off, my hands tremble as I grab both my jacket and scarf. Instead of pulling them on, I rush toward the closed door.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he wheezes, still stooped over. It’s tempting to kick him again for being a lecherous asshole in sheep’s clothing. “We’re not done discussing this.”

“Oh, trust me, we’re finished.” As I reach out, wrapping my fingers around the handle and yanking it open, I pause, turning back to meet his gaze. “And I’ll be the one talking to the head of your department about you attempting to sexually assault me. I don’t care if it means I have to retake statistics next year, I’m not going to allow you to take advantage of any other students.”

His eyes widen as he blanches. “Wait—I think there’s been a misunderstanding. Sit down so we can discuss this.”

I shake my head as adrenalin continues to pump wildly through my veins. “No. There haven’t been any misunderstandings. You were perfectly clear about your position.”

“Elle—”

As I step over the threshold, I slam the door closed behind me. For just a moment, I lean against the thick wood before sucking in a deep breath. My head swims, unable to believe this actually happened and that Dr. Holloway turned out to be such a creep. My legs quiver as I push away from the door and walk down the long stretch of hallway to where the secretary of the department is parked behind her desk.

I have to remind myself to breathe the entire time. My hand flutters to my lower abdomen as if that will stifle the queasiness roiling inside. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this nervous in my life. Not even when I’ve performed on stage in front of a packed theater.

“Hi.” I glance at the name on the office door behind her. “Is Dr. Redham available?”

Her gaze drops to the schedule on her desk. “He’s on the phone right now, but if you’d like to take a seat, it shouldn’t be long.”

I nod before forcing myself to one of the plush chairs and settling in to wait.

It turns out to be the longest five minutes of my life, but not once do I waver on what needs to be done.

Chapter Forty-Three

Carson

I hitch my backpack onto my shoulder and wind my way through the crowded union. It might only be eleven in the morning, but there’s already a ton of people grabbing lunch or a quick snack before their next class.