“Thanks.”
She didn’t answer, just disappeared behind the glass and got swallowed up by a swarm of students.
Shaking off the whole strange encounter, Connor headed to the library. He’d won this skirmish. With extra credit, he usually had the whole semester to turn it in and his grade would get a nice boost. As for the sudden attraction? It was proof he’d been way too long without a woman. He wasn’t attracted in the least to Ella Blake. If he was smart, he’d take this Saturday night, go out with a pretty woman, and slake both of their needs.
He kept the thought firmly in his mind and refused to think of his not hot professor.
Chapter Five
“Better to be without logic than without feeling.”—Charlotte Brontë
A few hours later, Ella was still replaying their encounter.
She muttered under her breath and hurried through the parking lot, ducking her head against the brisk wind tearing through the trees. She’d had students who were egotistical and arrogant. But Connor Dunkle was a whole new breed. How dare he challenge her in class? His ridiculous views on women were archaic. Lord help his wife or girlfriend. She would’ve taught him a few hard-learned lessons about respect. Then he dared to ask for extra credit?
The worst part was her traitorous body. When she fell into his arms, her stomach got all floaty, and her blood ran hotter in her veins. She was attracted to an idiot. Why wasn’t she surprised? Her track record sucked.
Rain dripped down the back of her neck and she shivered. Spring felt a lifetime away. Of course, she’d forgotten her damn umbrella again. She had four in her trunk and never seemed to use any of them.
The well-lit parking lot cut through the dark and fog, leading to her white Honda Civic. She hit the button, slid into the seat, and turned the key.
Nothing.
Dread trickled through her. Oh, no. Please work. Please work. Please...
Keeping up her mantra, she tried the car again. And again.
It was dead.
Ella glanced at her watch. She was already running late and hated leaving Luke alone for too long. Her brain calculated through the possibilities. Triple A? No, she’d decided it was an easy expense to cut. She couldn’t look under the hood because she had no idea what she’d be looking for. Frustration coiled and she pounded her fist on the steering wheel. The word hovered on her lips until she finally spit it out with passion.
“Fuck!”
God, she loved that word. Saying it was her secret vice. Even the guttural, nasty sound of it on her tongue eased some of her tension.
A hard rap on the window caused her to shriek. A huge, muscled figure towered over her car. Peering out in the dark, she lowered her window a few inches.
“You need some help?”
Ella almost closed her eyes in defeat. Connor Dunkle. Of course, he’d show up trying to be her knight in shining armor. He’d probably ask her for a few extra points on the next quiz as payment.
She refused to think of other, more interesting, forms of payment.
“My car won’t start. I’ll call a tow company. Thanks anyway.”
A frown creased his brows. “Pop the hood. Let me take a quick look.” She pressed her lips together, considering. “Professor Blake? I’m getting wet out here.”
She let out an irritated breath at her hesitation. “Sorry.” She was glad the dark hid her hot cheeks. Releasing the latch, he disappeared behind the hood while the rain gained fury and flung drops like a toddler in the throes of a tantrum. Finally, he returned, his thick hair wetly plastered to his head.
“It’s the battery. I have jumper cables in my truck. Hang tight.”
“Wait! I have an umbrella.”
His smile was lopsided and full of wry humor. “Don’t need it. I work construction, I’m used to bad weather.”
“But––”
He’d already disappeared into the dark. A pair of headlights swung toward her as he angled his truck a few inches away from her car. She watched while he set up the cables, seemingly unaffected by the weather, and motioned for her to start the car.
The engine caught.
Relief cut through her. He gave her a thumbs-up and walked back to the window. “Keep it running a bit before you start to drive. Where are you headed?”
“Home.”
Again, that grin appeared. Her heart did a slow flip-flop at the flash of strong, white teeth. Why did he have to be so damn attractive? So...viral? “I know. How long is the drive?”
“About half an hour.”
“I’ll follow you.”
She shook her head. “That’s unnecessary. I’ll be fine. Thanks so much for your help.”
“I’m following you,” he said. “If you want to call your husband or boyfriend and let him know, that’s cool. I’m not a killer or anything.”