Professor's Virgin Complete Series Box Set

Shellie’s eyes landed on me, took in my boring office outfit, my hair still pulled back into a ponytail. Why didn’t I at least pull it out of the elastic and muss it up a little before we’d come in?

“I’d normally ask to see some I.D. first,” she said, “but since you’re with Ian, that won’t be necessary.” She’d gone back to looking at him, making it sound like it was actually him she was doing the favor for.

“Shellie, you’re too kind,” he said.

She winked. “You’ll have to make it up to me later.”

I felt my face get red. Ian seemed completely oblivious and continued to talk to Shellie while she mixed up the drinks. I had no idea about the people they were talking about, or the little inside jokes they were making that cracked both of them up. Obviously, this had been a bad idea. I was not one of these people; I did not belong in a place like this. I was way out of my league.

But then Shellie came over and slid my glass across the smooth counter to me, and one in front of Ian. He casually slung his arm over my shoulders as he picked up his glass, waiting for me to pick up my own. There was a wedge of pineapple on the rim and a maraschino cherry floating in the bubbly amber liquid. It looked like beer, in a martini glass. I picked up my glass, clinked it together with his, and we both took a sip.

“Oh!” I said after I’d swallowed. The drink was sweet and bubbly and tasted nothing like I’d been expecting. “That’s really good! What’s in it?”

“Pineapple juice, champagne, vodka,” Shellie said.

“And some extra lovin’, of course, because Shellie made it.”

Ian pulled out a handful of bills and laid them on the counter for her. “Thanks, sweetheart,” she said, sweeping them up. She went over to the cash register, and when she was done there, I expected that she was going to come back over to us, but she didn’t; there was another customer waiting for a drink, so she went to help him instead. I half-listened as he ordered a Manhattan; Shellie was just as flirty with him as she had been with Ian. Maybe that’s just how she was.

I took another sip of my drink, and then another. I could barely taste the vodka at all. Actually, I couldn’t really; it was just like drinking a glass of fizzy juice. My face felt warm, and I suddenly found myself smiling, on the verge of laughter, even though no one had said anything funny.

“So,” I said, feeling emboldened by the alcohol. “Why did you bring me here?”

He took another sip of his drink and gave me an amused look. “Why did I bring you here? Ever hear of getting drinks after work? That’s something I rather enjoy doing. Also, it’s not always possible to really get to know someone during the workday; there’s always some sort of distraction or something going on. I like to get to know my employees.”

I realized that he had shifted on the bar stool and his knee was now resting against mine. Had he done that on purpose? Did he even realize it?

There was a tiny little voice in the back of my mind that was saying this probably wasn’t totally appropriate. Or maybe it was? I’d gone out and gotten drinks with everyone at the salon before; though it had been all girls, minus the two gay guys that worked there. It hadn’t been this small, intimate outing, and no one’s knee had been brushing up against my own. I also wasn’t sexually attracted to an

yone there—and there was no doubt that Ian was sexy as all hell. Was the alcohol just making me realize it even more? Was it playing tricks with my mind? Because as we sat there talking, he seemed to be getting better and better looking by the second, which really didn’t seem feasible considering how good-looking he was to begin with.

“Are you enjoying the job so far?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said. I picked up my drink to take another sip and was surprised to see that it was nearly gone. There was really only one sip left. “Whoa!” I said. “How’d that happen?”

“Magic,” he said with a wink.

His knee was still touching mine.

I took the final sip and set the empty glass down on the counter. I nibbled at the wedge of pineapple. I was usually pretty good about nursing a drink, but that one tasted so good it was all but impossible not to keep sipping it until it was gone. “I would just like to thank you for hiring me,” I said. “The job is great so far. What made you want to start a security company?”

“It seemed like the sort of work that would suit me. I was in the Marines for a while, and I definitely got some life experiences there, but I’ve always liked being my own boss, being the one in charge. Having a private security firm just sort of seemed the natural progression of things, especially when Jonathan and I reconnected. We went to school together. I’ve known him a long time.”

“That’s so cool you guys have known each other for so long. And now you get to work together.”

“Yeah,” he said. “It’s something, isn’t it?”

I reached for my glass, momentarily forgetting that it was empty, but it wasn’t where I’d left it. A few inches over, though, was a new glass, brimming full with that same bubbly amber liquid was in its place.

“When did that happen?” I asked, reaching for it.

“I told you, it’s magic,” he said. He picked up his first glass and downed the rest. “What do you like to do in your spare time? When you’re not busy being someone’s secretary?”

“Um . . .” I picked up one of the square paper napkins and fanned my face. “A lot of things. I go to the gym, which is where I met Jonathan, as you know. I hang out with my best friend. It’s weird—in college, I had a ton of friends, but then we all sort of drifted apart. Everyone seems so busy now. We’re still in touch on Facebook and stuff, but I really only hang out with my one best friend now.” I was racking my brain, trying to think of other things I liked to do. I sounded so boring! “And . . . I’m a writer.”

“Really? What sorts of things do you write?”

“Oh, all sorts. I’m actually not really working on anything at the moment.”