Whatever it is, I feel safe here. Protected. Home.
***
A low buzzing lures me from my sleep and I am vaguely aware of Ransom peeling me off him to root around on the floor. The buzzing stops and is followed by his voice, which is soft and a little gruff from sleep. The call is short, and then he is back, crawling into bed beside me.
“Are you awake?” he asks, and I roll away, making a sound of complaint. I’m not a morning person. Never have been, but Ransom is determined to make me one.
Pressing his naked body against my back, I can feel his desire for me to wake up burrowing between my thighs. His warm breath tickles the back of my neck and I tilt my head to feel his lips touch my skin.
“What time do you have to be to class?”
Reaching back to cup his head as he continues to nibble at me, I reply, “Nine.”
“Mmmm, then you have twenty minutes to get there.”
My eyes fly open and I shoot out of bed. “I’m going to be late!” Spotting him still in bed wearing only his smile, I shout, “Get up! I gotta go!”
Moving to the edge of the bed, he watches me rush around the room collecting clothes from the floor. “I’m all for dedication, especially when you keep bending down like that, but maybe today we should just call in sick and stay in bed.” I see that look in his eye, hooded and full of desire, and the offer is almost too tempting to ignore. But for once, reason wins out.
With his clothes in hand, I walk back to him. His knees open and I step between them, draping my hands and his clothes over his shoulders. “As much as I’d love to spend the day in bed with you, you have a job to get to. Besides, both of us absent on the same day? Not a good start if we want to keep this on the down-low.”
He releases a heavy sigh and presses his forehead to my sternum. “You’re right. God, why do you have to be right?” he complains, throwing his head back and squeezing his eyes shut.
I chuckle and step back, handing him his clothes. “You’d better run if you don’t want to be late.”
I don a robe as he dresses, and then I walk him to the door. Turning before he leaves, he hooks me around the waist and hauls me up against his chest, dropping a possessive kiss on my lips that leaves me feeling winded. “See you in class, Miss Hart.”
I’m smiling like a loon when he opens the door to go, only to have it fall away in an instant. Ransom freezes on the spot. Annie stands on the other side of the door, two coffees in her hand and a look of shock on her face.
Ransom clears his throat. “Good morning, Miss Guerra.”
Blinking away her surprise, Annie’s expression turns sly as she takes in my appearance. “Good morning, indeed, Professor Scott. Joe, what in the world did I just walk into?”
I rush to explain. “Annie, Professor Scott was just dropping by to…” My excuse dies, and I look to him for help. He is rumpled from head to toe, clearly having just rolled out of bed.
“Uh…tell her about a possible project idea I came across.”
“Right,” I say, snapping my fingers and pointing at him. “The project.”
Annie’s suspicious gaze shifts between us, and of course she’s not buying it. Even a blind person could see through the lie. “Riiiiight.”
“So, okay then. Thanks for the info, Professor Scott. See you in class.”
I reach past him and yank Annie by the forearm into the apartment. Ransom gives me a worried look as he exchanges places with her. I don’t know what to say or do, so I shrug and close the door in his face. Annie won’t tell anyone about this, and I will make sure he knows this when I catch up with him later, but right now, I need to do damage control.
“Thank God you brought coffee!” Relieving her of the extra cup, I gulp it, the hot liquid scalding my tongue on the way down. “You don’t even know how much I needed this.”
Reclining on my couch, she pulls her feet up on the cushion beside her and gives me a knowing look. “Oh, I can take a guess. How the hell did he end up here? I assume he stayed the night?”
“It’s a long story, and yes, he did. Don’t,” I say firmly as I point my finger at her, “tell anyone. Not even Jason.”
She holds up her hand. “I swear, my lips are sealed.”
I stare her down for a moment longer, and when I’m satisfied that I’ve gotten through to her, I nod. “Okay, I’m going to hop in the shower. Be back in five.” Her voice floats down the hall after me as I gather what I’ll wear for the day—a pair of cut-off shorts, a white tank top, and a black and white checkered button-down that’s two sizes too large.