Page 3 of Snowed in with the Professor

Who would have guessed Genetics in Physical Anthropology would be the class I looked forward to every day?

But then again it wasn’t the course that fascinated me, but the person teaching it.

I thought about Professor Baldwin, all the little things he did, things I doubted anyone really noticed in lecture.

The way he furrowed his eyebrows when he was poring over his papers, immersed in contemplation. The fact his gaze was dark, deep… consuming.

Or the way he curled his long, muscular fingers around the eraser right before he cleared off the board. He was articulate and precise. He made sure his lines were exact as he put quotes on the dry-erase board. He was stern in the way he spoke; in the manner he gave us our responsibilities.

It was hard concentrating in his class, hard to do anything but yearn after a man I’d never have.

“What do you think about Professor Baldwin?” I looked over at Alexis, who was busy grinning at a guy currently seated at the next table over. I shouldn’t be asking her anything about this, shouldn’t attract attention to my curiosity where he was concerned. “Alexis?”

She glanced at me, the expression on her face indicating me she hadn’t heard. “What?”

I might tell her never mind, not bring this up again. She’d never know the difference. But I felt myself licking my lips and repeating, “Professor Baldwin. What do you think about him?”

I observed her brows knit; her look puzzled as to why I was asking. I grew flustered as I gazed down at the plastic-wrapped sandwich in front of me. I felt her look on me, as if she were dissecting me, trying to read more into the question.

And there was more in the question, so much more, but I’d never tell her. I couldn’t. It felt awful to even think it.

“I was just curious about what you thought about him… as a teacher.”

“Mm-hmm,” she murmured, doubtful. “You mean Professor Make Me Feel Good?”

I whipped my head up, felt my eyes widen. “What? Oh my God, Alexis.” I felt my face heat as I looked around, wondering if anyone had heard. She was giggling alongside me.

“He’s seriously hot, and I know a shitload of girls want to bang him in one of the empty classrooms.”

“God, you’re really going there.”

She chuckled. “You’re such a virgin.” She laughed harder as I looked at her, my expression obviously revealing how mortified I was.

“Alexis, good Lord.” I looked around again. “Could you say that any louder?” I felt my cheeks heat. I had no doubt I was scarlet, my embarrassment a bright beacon for everyone in the library to see.

“Wait, why are you asking about Professor Baldwin?”

I glanced down and started putting my books away, regretting even bringing this up. “It’s nothing. Never mind.”

She didn’t answer, but I felt her watching me. When I had my books in my backpack, I looked up, telling myself to appear like I wasn’t absolutely ashamed.

She observed me with this puzzled expression on her face.

“What?”

Her eyes expanded and her mouth opened in a tiny O.

“Oh, my fucking God. Gracie, you’ve obviously got the hots for the professor.”

Lord, my cheeks felt like they were on fire. “No. I don’t. You’re insane.” I was rambling, stuttering.

“You’re a horrible liar, by the way.”

I gave an embarrassed chuckle, which just made this scenario much worse.

“I don’t know why you’re embarrassed.” She shrugged and leaned back in the chair, looked back at the table, giving the guy who sat there a come-fuck-me smile. “You know how many guys I find hot at this school.” And then looked back at me and chuckled. “Your face is so red.”

I grew even more frustrated.

“You know how many guys probably think you’re hot?”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

Compared to Alexis, I was a poor example of what might be termed hot. Her Lebanese DNA gave her a stunning olive-toned skin and a gorgeous head of black hair. Not to mention her body was fantastic, with contours that I could only dream about.

There were no doubt men that gazed at her regularly.

“That’s easy for you to say,” I murmured, feeling sorry for myself.

“You’re insane if you don’t think you’re hot.”

I gave her a get-the-fuck-out-of-here look.

“What?” She genuinely looked shocked that I didn’t believe her. “You are gorgeous, Gracie. You’ve got that gorgeous alabaster, flawless complexion, and incredible hair with red highlights. And your eyes,” She made a disgruntled noise.

“You have the bluest, prettiest fucking eyes I’ve ever seen.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re ridiculously hot in that innocent- schoolgirl way, and it’s annoying.”

I giggled at how upset she looked. That was all good and sweet that she said that, but it didn’t mean I believed her.

Would she still see me the same way if she knew I hadn’t so much as had a guy feel me up?

If she knew I was a virgin, so inexperienced it was ludicrous, she’d definitely believe there was something wrong with me.

“So, about Professor Baldwin.” She wagged her eyebrows.

“Nothing. Never mind.”

“Come on,” she murmured and smirked. “Don’t be embarrassed.”

As I glanced at Alexis, seeing the way she was so confident, how she knew what she wanted and wasn’t scared to go after it just put me in a horrible mood.

“I’m not embarrassed,” I eventually answered and stuffed my books in my bag. “But I am going to be late for work.” I flashed her a smile and noticed on her face that she wanted to fight, maybe ask more, wonder why I’d brought this up like an idiot.

“Okay,” she replied in submission and slumped back in her chair. “How about drinks later tonight?” And just like that the subject was changed.

Movement out of the corner of my eye had me looking to the right.

My mouth quickly got dry, my stomach churning.

I watched as Professor Baldwin stepped in, his dark brown leather satchel over one shoulder, a stack of papers in his palm.

His black hair draped over his forehead and out to the side, as if he’d run his fingers through it, pushing it aside.

He had this hard look on his face, a harsh attitude. But I’d become used to that, come to know it was just him.

And that was one of the reasons I’d fallen so deeply for him. He was immovable, like a mountain, like steel. Hard and unapologetic, Professor Baldwin was as intellectual as he was stubborn.

It was all those qualities that pulled me to him, that had me thinking of— fantasizing—about no one else. It was him. Only him.

I couldn’t look away from him, couldn’t stop watching as he stalked into the library and headed back to one of the unoccupied tables. It was as if he ruled the room, filled it with this cold air that had goose bumps growing on my arms, my hair standing on end.

And then he lifted his head and turned and stared right at me, our gazes clashing, the feeling of my eyes enlarging giving away how I genuinely felt.

Bared and vulnerable, as if I were looking into the eyes of a violent beast, of a predator about to pounce.

But the point was… I wanted to be his prey.

The way he gazed at me was planned. It felt as if time slowed, as if there was no one else in the library other from the two of us.

I felt this tie between us, tugging me closer to him, like if he were my lifeline.

It was such a consuming feeling, one that perplexed me as much as it frightened and thrilled me.

“So, drinks?” Alexis asked, breaking through the granite-like hold I had with Professor Baldwin.

I looked across at Alexis, thankful she was busy looking down at her phone, not noticing who I’d been starring at, how closely I’d been studying him.

And although he’d stared at me as well, I felt like it was an innocent glance, one done in passing. I was the one who couldn’t have looked away, who felt my heart plummeting into my stomach.

“Earth to Gracie.”

I blinked a few times, my vision focusing as I peered at Alexis. She studied me, one of her dark, elegantly arched eyebrows lifting.

“Drinks, are you up for them tonight?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I have to work until six, but after that I’m free.”

Alexis smiled. “How about you meet me at the Olive?”

I nodded and found myself staring at where Professor Baldwin was seated. My heart jumped into my throat as I noticed him studying me, his gaze concentrated, as if he demanded me.

“The Olive. Six. Sounds good,” I muttered those words, and when I looked back at Alexis, I could see a curious expression on her face. But she didn’t probe for more information.

And I was happy for that since I didn’t know how I would explain my infatuation with Professor Baldwin.