He stared at her, caught between laughing at her examples and throttling her for not listening. Apologizing was hard enough.
“Do you get that?” she continued. “Do you understand what you said to me?” Her breath hitched, and she pressed her lips together so hard they nearly disappeared.
He lost the ability to speak as he realized that he’d hurt her. Deeply. Far more deeply than he had initially realized.
If life were fair, she’d refuse to have anything to do with him. Good thing he never counted on life being fair, because he was not letting this go. Particularly not now, not with her convinced she was a memory he could do without. He wasn’t sure what she was exactly, but she certainly hadn’t been a hardship.
First things first. If she was worried he’d be unfair in her practicum, he’d sort that out and put her mind at ease. He’d find somewhere she could gain solid, supervised experience with an objective psychologist. That would also free him up to actively pursue her and get her to admit that what was between them was greater than the sum of each of them individually, more important than the politics of higher education. He waved at a spare chair. “Have a seat.”
Sitting, she crossed her long legs, her pencil skirt riding up her thighs and exposing more leg than his mind could manage.
Memories of the slide of that silky skin beneath his hands made his chest ache even as his fingers twitched. The smell of her perfume teased his nose. He had firsthand knowledge as to where, exactly, she dabbed it. His cock twitched.
“What?”
The soft question pulled him back into the moment. “Nothing.” He adjusted the front of his trousers as surreptitiously as he could. No doubt she realized the truth given her slow blink and single shake of the head.
Reaching for the phone, he pulled his small Rolodex from graduate school out of his briefcase. He found the number he wanted and dialed. The phone rang three times before his former academic counselor picked up.
“Stephen Ramsey.”
“Dr. Ramsey, it’s Justin Maxwell.”
“Dr. Maxwell now, isn’t it?”
Justin couldn’t stop the slow smile. “Yeah. I suppose it is.”
“How’s life in the real world treating you?”
“First day at the new job and I’ve got a professional problem.”
* * *
GRACE STIFFENED. How insulting could this man be? I’ve gone from ruining his life to being labeled a professional problem? She started to stand.
Justin put his hand over the receiver. “Sit.”
“Woof.”
“Damn it, Grace. Let me fix this.” He refocused on the call. “Right. I have a former student doing her practicum with me. She and I...” He propped his elbow on the desk and dropped his head in his hand. “It’s not a desirable fit, Dr. Ramsey. What are the chances I could have her reassigned?” Whatever the man’s response, Justin shook his head. “No. She has to have the final eighty-hour practicum to graduate.” A pause. “Yes, sir. She’s already walked with the spring class.”
Grace sat there, adrenaline-fueled anger making her blood nearly boil. He was trying to have her reassigned. No discussion. No negotiation. Just wham bam thank you, ma’am, find a new place to work so you don’t screw up my life. Maybe she wouldn’t need the practicum because she was going to kill him. Dead. “No, sir. I’d rather not go into specifics. Let me just say I believe it would be in her best interest for someone else to mentor her.” Justin paused. “No, sir. I’m capable, but—” He paused again, hand gripping the telephone receiver so tightly his knuckles bleached. “I understand. Thank you for your input.”