Professor Daddy (Dark Daddies 5)

But that’s what I want. I want to discover new potential, to find the next generation of people that are going to change the world. I think I can do that, right here, in this room.

This group though, I don’t know. Howard and Clara show serious and exciting promise, but the other three are just bodies filling out the roster. They’re smart enough, and hell, maybe one of them will surprise me.

But I doubt it.

I lean back and watch them work. I keep glancing over at Clara, letting my eyes roam over her form. Her eyes are screwed up, her face concentrating on some problem. I can’t help but smile to myself.

She looks so fucking gorgeous like that. Hunched over a computer, one leg underneath her, her fingers tapping away at the keys. It’s like there’s nothing else in the world for her, a sign of a truly intense mind.

She glances over in my direction and I have to look away quickly. I know she saw me looking and I clench my jaw.

What the hell am I doing? Staring at my intern like that…

It’s only going to lead to trouble.

But I am here to take some risks, right? I mean, she would be a huge risk. Getting involved with a student would definitely ruin my fledgling teaching career, although I don’t much care about that.

Mostly it would tank this project and taint me. The world isn’t what it used to be, and people aren’t so quick to overlook abuses of power when it comes to relationships anymore. Too many prominent men have gone down for having relationships with younger subordinates, and for good reason.

I don’t want to suffer the same fate. More than that, I don’t want to take advantage of someone.

I need to put her out of my mind. She’s young and sexy and exciting, but that’s not why I’m here. I need to try to stick to business.

Time wears on and I keep studying my new interns. As we get closer to the end of the session, I start to notice something. The four guys are sharing notes, chatting with each other, but they’re all ignoring Clara.

She doesn’t seem to mind. At least, she doesn’t say anything about it. She doesn’t try to insert herself or offer any solutions to the problems they’re discussion. Instead, she works on her modules, ignoring what’s happening around her.

I can already tell this is going to be a problem.

I clear my throat ten minutes later. “Okay, guys,” I say, and they all look at me as if they’re waking up from a spell. I grin at them. “Forgot I was here?”

They look a little abashed. I laugh and stand up.

“Good job today. That’s it for now, you’re all dismissed.”

“Time already?” Coop says, standing up and stretching. “Man, that felt like two minutes.”

“Five minutes,” Howard corrects. “No more than that, though.”

“Time dilation,” Alan adds.

I ignore their banter as the guys grab their stuff. Clara lingers at her station, chewing her lip.

“You still working?” Howard asks her.

She glances at him. I watch them carefully from across the room.

“Yes,” she says.

“Of course you are.” He gives her a smug little smirk.

She hesitates. I can see something cross her face, something like anger. I feel annoyed on her behalf.

“Maybe you should worry more about your own mediocre work than what I’m doing, Howard.” She turns back to her screen.

His jaw works. But he shakes his head and leaves, catching up to the other guys.

I smile to myself. Good job, Clara. Clearly, she can handle herself.

I wander over to her and pull up a chair. She glances at me as I sit down next to her.

“How’s it going?” I ask.

“Fine,” she says. “I have a free block right now so I thought I’d stay and do some more work.”

“Sure, that’s fine.” I lean back in my chair and look over her shoulder at what she’s doing.

I have to admit, her work is elegant. It’s simple and clean. I can understand what she’s doing instantly, just from looking over her shoulder.

She glances back at me. “Uh, sorry. Do you mind?”

“I’m making you uncomfortable,” I say simply.

She nods a little. “Yeah. I mean, you’re just…”

“Hovering.”

“Yep.”

“Sorry.” I laugh and stand up, stretching a little. “I was just admiring you.”

She blinks and stares at me.

It takes me a second to understand my mistake.

“Your code, I mean,” I say quickly. “Your code. It’s really elegant. Simple.”

“Thanks,” she says, softening a little bit, smiling. “I’m slower than those guys, but I like to think I’m cleaner.”

“Doesn’t matter how fast you are if your code sucks.”

“That’s what I figure. But I don’t have a dick, so what do I know.”

I laugh at that. “I noticed Howard isn’t exactly a feminist.”

“That’s putting it mildly.”

“Guys like that are all over the place.”

“I know.” She sighs. “I’m used to it.”