Page 9

Ivan is in the office with me today for a teacher planning day. He’s being quiet on his game, and I can’t be bothered to force him to read a book instead. I’m up to my ears with paperwork.

But when we go to grab lunch at the cafeteria, I hear the trio cackling and spot Olivia sitting with them. That doesn’t bode well.

I can’t hear their conversation from here except for the short few words from Britney. “Don’t get offended.”

My frown deepens.

Olivia has made friends with Nick Salazar, and Britney has been notoriously hounding him for a date. The jealousy in this interaction is obvious.

Angelica glances at me, catching my gaze on them, and her cheeks go rosy. Yes, I see what you’re doing, and I do not approve.

You would think it enough to make her change her behavior, but it’s never helped in the past.

When Nick bends behind Olivia to say something in her ear, the group goes quiet and still. I’m gauging whether or not I need to step in and separate them, but Nick helps her with her tray as she stands, leaving the trio with sour expressions, like their new toy has been taken away.

I will need to have a conversation with those three. Again.

Ivan frowns too, noticing them. “Dad, were those guys being dicks to her?”

“It looks like it.” The barest bit of gruff enters my voice.

My son seems to notice as he looks up at me. “You’re going to do something about that, aren’t you?”

I take a breath before answering. “Yes, but not here.”

Ushering Ivan back to my office, I write an email before I touch my food.

Olivia, please come talk to me today when you have a free moment. Dr. Rivers

Once I’ve sent it, I realize it probably sounds like she’s in trouble. I can’t take it back though, so I dig into my chicken Caesar salad and glance through the files I need to review. At least three of the new graduate students need to have someone evaluate their progress.

I send out a few more emails to get that started, spreading the work out since I cannot go and observe them myself.

It would usually be my job, but with Marie gone, I can only attend to half of my normal duties.

Only four more weeks before she’s back, although she messaged me yesterday to ask if she could start a little early from home to ease herself back into the swing of things.

I jumped on the chance. Yes, please take this mountain of paperwork from me. I feel buried alive under it.

After an hour, Olivia appears at my door, tentatively knocking. She smiles, but it’s a small, worried one.

And her beauty hits me again. Bright green eyes made brighter by the tone of her red hair. Round pink cheeks. A delectable red mouth. A smattering of freckles across her pale skin.

The way her top clings to her and outlines her ample curves. Those pants snug to her hips and thighs as she crosses one leg over another. They’re shapely and plump.

Mostly though, it’s the sweetness that radiates from her. The genuine care she exudes paired with her kindness.

“Hey. I’m not interrupting am I?” She glances at Ivan and bites the edge of her smile.

“No. Not at all. Please come in. Have a seat. This is my son, Ivan.”

She sits beside him, peering at the tablet in his hand. “Hello, Ivan. Ooo, is that Risk and Rain 2 ?”

He turns the screen to her so that she can see it better. “Yeah, it’s my new favorite.”

“I play that in two-player mode with my brother on his days off.”

My son’s eyes light up and he sits straighter in his seat, leaning closer to her. “Really? What’s your username?”

“LiveLawless. Add me. I could use another teammate when Theo’s busy.”

We watch him plug in her name, and he grins to himself.

Olivia turns back to me, mouthing sorry , but I enjoy how easily she connects with Ivan. Most other adults ignore him or talk to him like he’s a much younger kid.

I shake my head and offer her a smile to let her know I appreciate how she included him in this interaction. It speaks further volumes about her.

“Thank you for coming. I just wanted to check in with you.” I clear my throat. “I saw you with Angelica, Britney, and Jeremy at lunch today. I noticed that they seemed to upset you, and I wanted to be sure if something needed to be done about it, that I did it.”

Olivia blinks at me for a few seconds, looking taken aback by this, but her features quickly soften to approval and gratitude. “It’s nothing I haven’t dealt with my whole career, Dr. Rivers.”

“Matteo.”

The flash of her smile is its own reward for doing my job. I like her smile. I like having her smile at me like that even more. Causing it.

And I enjoy how she says my name far more than I should.

Ivan is staring at me from under his lashes. He’s not as stealthy as he thinks he is. Am I? Or is my pleasure from being the center of her attention obvious even to him?

“Matteo, I appreciate your concern, but their attitude toward my project is exactly why I’m pursuing it to begin with. There’s no need for you to intervene. I’m a big girl. I can handle criticism, even if it’s distastefully given. And when I can’t handle it, I promise to come to you.”

I sit back and study her, folding my arms across my stomach. She doesn’t droop or fidget under my attention.

My son though, more openly peers at me, bouncing his attention back and forth between us like we’re in a standoff.

Maybe we are. I need to be sure that she’s not simply saying this to protect them. Or herself from any potential repercussions of looking like a tattletale.

Since Angelica saw me clock their interaction, I’m sure it wouldn’t pan out that way, but that trio has been known to be petty. Any more special attention from me might make it worse in the long run, especially with Angelica’s past flirty behavior with me.

Ivan smirks as the silence goes on. It’s obvious he likes how willing she is to sit in it with me. Waiting me out. How competent she is. Confident in her own mind. Her own choices.

It has my thoughts turning in an incredibly inappropriate direction.

Would she fill my silences in other ways? Not take offense when I don’t jump to make her feel comfortable with them?

Imagining filling them by pulling breathy gasps from her as I busy my mouth elsewhere. Seeing how often and how loud I can make her moan…

Shaking myself out of that downward spiral, I finally nod at her. “Alright, Olivia. I believe you.”

The pleased look she gives me sparks more than one dirty thought in the back of my mind. The part I’m trying desperately to suppress.

What is it about this woman that has me so easily spurred on? So easily distracted?

Olivia leans forward, and it’s a hard-won accomplishment not to look down the V-cut of her top and the line of cleavage that appears when she does so. It’s more than enough to see it in my peripheral vision.

“Thank you, Matteo.”

I take a slow breath. “You’re welcome, Olivia.”

She nudges Ivan with her elbow. “I’m going to keep an eye out for the friend request. Don’t disappoint me.”

He flashes a huge grin at her, lighting up at the extra attention.

She stands and leaves.

Not two seconds after she steps out the door, my son says all too loudly, “Dude, she’s hot.”