Had he gotten in trouble and blamed her? Was that why he was waiting to talk to her until after the test? She walked into the lecture hall expecting to see Shane. Although she knew he wanted the teaching assistant to proctor the exam, she thought he’d at least speak to the class first or wish them luck.
His absence made it even more difficult to concentrate, but she knew how much rode on her passing. Every higher-level class in business required this entry-level course first. She wanted to set a positive example for L.J., wanted to prove to Landon, Jason, and Tanner that their faith in her was well placed. That lending her money for school hadn’t been a mistake.
Across the room, Dan glared at her, and she didn’t know what to make of his attitude. He’d gotten the upper hand, after all. He could report Shane to the dean and… No. She couldn’t think about that now. Later. Later she’d see what had happened.
Pushing every thought aside but economics, she drew a deep breath and settled in to work.
* * * *
Shane paced the hall outside the dean’s office, waiting to be called in. Yesterday, after being caught by Dan, instead of letting the kid go and having yet another student make a mess of Shane’s life, he’d taken control of the situation. He’d marched Dan and his damned cell phone and the recording of Shane holding Amber in his arms straight to the dean’s office.
“Show him,” Shane said to a shocked Dan. “Show Dean Frost what you have on your phone.”
Sputtering and unsure what Shane’s end game was, Dan hit the play button and the video of Shane and Amber came up.
Dean Frost watched, an unhappy expression on his face, and Shane’s gut twisted hard.
“I see,” the man said, then turned his gaze on Dan. “And why did you film this?”
“Because she obviously slept her way to a good grade! It’s not fair. The rest of us have to work for what we get,” Dan said, his cheeks red with anger and frustration.
The dean stared at him. “You do realize this isn’t the first time you’ve come to me with accusations about a student cheating.”
That was news to Shane. He had issues with Dan’s unhappiness with bad grades, but he hadn’t known others did, too.
“But … this time I have proof.” Dan gestured to the phone on the dean’s desk.
“That remains to be seen.” The older man folded his hands across his chest as he stared Dan down. “You, however, have issues with everyone but yourself. After the last time you accused Jeanne Clark of cheating, which she hadn’t done – there were cameras in the classroom – I kept an eye on grades. You’re struggling, young man. And you blame everyone but yourself. One more incident and I’ll have no choice but to expel you. You can’t go on accusing others with no consequences.”
Fury lit Dan’s features and he stormed out of the room.
The dean then turned his gaze to Shane. “I know the boy’s father. I suppose it’s time we have a talk,” he said on a sigh. “As for you, would you care to explain?” He gestured to the phone, which remained on his desk.
Shane blew out a long breath, gathering his thoughts. The dean knew Shane’s history and he understood this video looked bad. But he hadn’t broken any school rules. And he’d covered himself regarding the test and grades.
He’d gone on to explain that Amber had a frightening situation with her son and he’d merely been comforting her. However, he admitted to having a relationship with her. One that he’d put on hold until class was over. He gave the dean the name of Amber’s tutor and asked the man to talk to the woman and find out how long she’d been working with Amber. Then Shane listed everything he’d done to keep the final exam fair and impartial.
“I can understand why you’d be careful, given your history,” the man said. “What exactly is going on with you and this student?”
“Woman,” Shane corrected him. “She’s a full-grown adult who decided to go back to school.”
“Aah. I hadn’t realized.”
Shane nodded. “But you need to know I intend to pursue a serious relationship with her now that class is over. And if you have a problem with that, if I need to choose between my job and Amber…” Shane’s heart nearly beat out of his chest as he drew a deep breath.
He’d been up most of the night contemplating this conversation and what was more important to him. And no matter how much he wanted tenure, no matter that he knew if he blew it at another school, his fault or not, he wouldn’t get a third chance, he came to the same conclusion.
“I choose Amber.”
The man’s expression was bland, his eyes not giving away a damned thing as he said, “I’d like the night to consider the situation.”
So Shane had gone home alone. Not wanting Amber to worry about the fact that a decision would be made about his career, he hadn’t called her. If he spoke to her, he didn’t trust himself not to tell her everything, and she needed to focus on passing the test. So he’d texted her back, told her everything would be okay, and left the details until today.
Right now she was taking the exam.
And he was awaiting his fate.
“I was up much of the night,” Dean Frost said.
Join the club, Shane thought.
“As you know, you haven’t broken school rules, but I do have to look at the ethical considerations of you dating a student.”
“A former student of mine as of yesterday,” he felt compelled to remind the older man.
Dean Frost nodded. “Yes. And she is an adult, as you said. Although there is the argument to be made that any of our students over eighteen are adults. I’d be setting precedent.”
Shane thought he was going to throw up. His career, everything he’d worked for, was about to disappear before his eyes.
“However, the fact that she is not a young woman but an adult with experience behind her does help your cause. As does the fact that you stepped aside while class was going on. You covered the exams, made them impartial, and handled things with impartiality.”
His hard stare didn’t allow Shane to read his final thoughts at all. He stood, hands clenched, shoulders tense, and waited.
With a frown, the dean said, “I can’t say I like it or that it’s going to make things easy on us going forward … but you would also have a case against us for unlawful termination if I fired you. Which I don’t want to do. You’re a good professor. A solid addition to the faculty. And you got a raw deal twice, first at your last school and now again here. I knew Dan was a loose cannon, and I did nothing to prevent him from causing trouble again.”
“So where does this leave us?” Shane asked.
Dean Frost extended his hand. “It leaves you with your position intact, Professor Warden.”
“Thank you, sir.” Relief filling him, Shane clasped the other man’s hand. “I appreciate your understanding.”
To Shane’s surprise, Dean Frost smiled, dropping the stern formality he’d held on to throughout their meeting. “I met my wife when I was eighteen. It was love at first sight. I’m not going to deny you what’s obviously true love.”
Shane grinned. Although he hadn’t said the words to himself, he knew it was true. Why else would he be willing to give up his job for Amber?
“So what are you waiting for?” Dean Frost asked. “Go get your girl.”
Chapter Seven
Amber finished her exam, too afraid to hope. Yes, she thought she passed. But did she get a C? C-? D? It was anybody’s guess. She needed the D to pass the class, and she really believed in her heart it was possible. But even with that huge concern off her shoulders, she wasn’t free of worry because she still didn’t know what Shane’s Don’t worry, I have it handled text meant.
She stepped into the bright sunshine and looked around. If she’d hoped to see Shane, she was disappointed. There were plenty of happy students whose final test of the summer had ended but no Shane.
She made her way home, taking the long way, needing to walk and clear her head. L.J. was coming home tomorrow with his g
randparents, and real life was about to descend on her. She was so excited to see her baby, but she knew it meant more responsibilities, more routine, more schedules. She’d have to find ways to find time to see Shane … if he still wanted to see her after what had gone down with Dan.
By the time she arrived on her street, she decided she was going to Shane’s house to talk to him and find out what was going on. Except she didn’t need to.
Shane sat on her doorstep waiting for her.
With trepidation, she met him at the bottom of the porch. “Hi.”
“Hi. How was your test?”
“You’re a hard teacher, Professor Warden. But I think, I hope I passed.”
A pleased smile lifted his sexy lips. “I asked Eric to grade them this afternoon,” he said of the teacher’s assistant. “They should be posted by morning.”
She blew out a deep breath. “Good. Another night tossing and turning.” She smiled wryly. “Don’t worry, I expected to have to wait to find out.”
She pulled her purse in front of her and looked for her keys, extracting them from her bag. “Want to come inside?” Her heart pounded in her chest, the fear of not knowing what was going on consuming her.
“Sure.” He smiled at her but she still didn’t know where they stood.
After letting them into the house, she closed the door behind them and turned to face him. “I can’t take it anymore. What happened with Dan?”
“I took him to Dean Frost myself and showed him the video. Dan has a history of reporting people for cheating when he doesn’t do as well as he’d like in a class. The dean wasn’t pleased with him. I don’t think he’s going to be my problem anymore. As for us…”
“Oh, my God. Is he angry? Am I in trouble? Are you?”
He shook his head and tried to breathe deeply and evenly.
“Then what did he say?”
Shane’s serious expression made her stomach twist with uncertainty.
“At first he asked for the night to think, which was why I didn’t want to explain things last night. I didn’t want to leave you hanging the night before a test. Well, any more than you already were.” He shook his head, a wry twist to his lips.
She twisted her hands in front of her, nerves getting the best of her. “And this morning? What did he say?”
“Before I tell you what he said, you need to know what I said. In no uncertain terms, I told him that if it came down to a choice between my job and you, I chose you.”
“You did what?” She got light-headed. “I need to sit down.”
Chuckling, he wrapped an arm around her waist and led her to the nearest sofa in the family room, easing her onto a cushion and sitting beside her.
He clasped her hand in his. “I’m serious. I know it’s early days, but I know what I’m feeling for you and it’s not casual. It’s not something I’m going to walk away from.”
“But your job, your career … tenure.”
“I’d have dealt with losing it if I had to… Luckily I don’t have to. Dean Frost is a smart man. He was able to discern the differences between us and me and an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old student. And regardless, I didn’t violate any school rules or policy. Although I have a feeling that might change going forward, but it won’t affect us.” His hands tightened around hers.
She swallowed hard, trying to come to terms with what he’d done. “You risked your career … for me.”
Meeting her gaze, his expression softened. “For us. I risked being terminated for us because I believe what we could have is too special to let go.”
Her heart thudded in her chest. “I think so, too,” she whispered, almost afraid to jinx what they shared.
“So we’re in agreement? We’re together?” He moved closer, as if her answer was a foregone conclusion. Which, of course, it was.
“Yes!”
He rose, pulling her to her feet.
Happy tears in her eyes, she grinned, took a few steps, and jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and trusting he’d catch her. Then she pressed her lips to his.
She kissed him and all her worries fled, replaced with hopes and dreams she thought she’d given up on. After the kiss, which was long and beautiful, she drew back.
“L.J. is coming home tomorrow,” she told him. Although he was saying all the right words, she felt compelled to remind him of her real life. The one he hadn’t experienced yet.
He met her gaze, all the while holding her tight. “And I can’t wait to meet him.”
“Really?”
He tilted his head to the side. “Really. Haven’t I done everything possible to prove that to you?”
She nodded. “You really have. Now can we go to bed and let me prove to you how much I appreciate you?”
He strode out of the family room, down the hall, and into her room. Laughing, he tossed her down on the bed and stripped her out of her clothes. She did the same to him and they came together, skin to skin.
Pressing her cheek against his, she closed her eyes and breathed in deep, feeling his chest rise and fall beneath hers. “I love you,” she said, the words tumbling out. “I mean–“
“I love you, too, so you’d better not mean anything else.”
She let out a puff of air. “Well, no. I don’t. I just thought maybe it was too soon or I shouldn’t have said it yet…”
“It’s soon. I get that, but if we feel it, what’s wrong with saying it?” He slid his lips over hers and his thick erection pulsed against her belly.
At the feel of him hard against her, her legs opened and his cock came to rest at her entrance. “Amber.” He let out a groan.
“I’m on birth control for other reasons. And you know I haven’t been with anyone in a long time. I’ve had an annual exam and I’m clean. I want to feel you bare inside me.”
He visibly swallowed hard. “I wouldn’t put you at risk. I’m fine, too.”
His cock seemed to throb in response and she grinned. “Then what are you waiting for?”
He slid into her and everything inside her settled. Her world seemed brighter. Everything that was uncertain fell into place.
Long after she climaxed and he came right along with her, she lay in his arms, happy and complete.
* * * *
The next morning, after a breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon, made by Amber and Shane together, he was dressing after a shower, stuck in his clothes from the day before. His gaze fell on a long tube leaning against the wall.
Amber strode out of the bathroom, makeup complete, dressed for the day in a pair of jeans and a tank top, looking fresh and sexy. “What are your plans for the day?” she asked him.
“I was going to go home and change. Then I hoped to come back and meet L.J.?” He heard the hope in his voice. But how could they become closer, more like a family, if he didn’t first meet and spend time with her son?
“Sounds good! I want you two to meet.” She braced her hands on his shoulders, leaned down, and kissed him.
“Hey, what’s that?” He pointed to the rolled tube he’d noticed earlier.
She grinned. “A Spiderman Fathead. L.J. wanted a life-size superhero on his wall. I thought I’d surprise him when he came home, but I didn’t anticipate how big it actually was. I can’t put it up by myself.”
“Then let’s do it. He’s going to be home soon, right? So let’s hurry and put it up.”
Her eyes lit at the idea.
For the next thirty minutes, they struggled getting the life-size decal onto the wall behind the head of the bed, but between the two of them, they managed.
“You do realize it’s going to have to come down when I paint the room blue?” she asked, a little out of breath from their work.
He groaned. “We’ll deal with that when the time comes–“
The sound of the doorbell cut him off.
“Who could that be? It’s too early for L.J. They said they were leaving around eleven and would be home by lunch.” She headed for the fron
t door and Shane followed.
Amber peeked through the side narrow window and let out a shriek of excitement, unlocking the deadbolt and yanking the door open.
“Baby!” She knelt down and pulled a brown-haired boy into her arms.
He hugged her back but very quickly began squirming to escape her hold.
“I think you’d better let him go,” a muscular dark-haired man with a scruff of beard said from behind him.
Shane knew immediately from photos he’d seen this was L.J.’s father’s twin. His Uncle Landon.
Amber released her hold but her gaze never left her son. “You’d better believe I expect more hugs later.”
“Mooom!” He groaned her name. “I have to go to the bathroom!” he said and took off at a run.
Shane chuckled, drawing the other man’s attention to him. “Who are you?”
“Landon, don’t be rude!” Amber held up a hand against his chest. “Landon Bennett, this is Shane Warden. Shane, this is L.J.’s uncle,” Amber said, eyeing the man warily.
Shane extended his hand and Landon took it, shaking hard.
Okay, he got it. The man was protective of Amber and L.J. Well, he’d damn well better learn he came second to Shane now. “Nice to meet you.”
“It’s early for you to be here,” Landon said pointedly.
“And you’re ridiculous! I’m a grown woman. You have no say in what I do. Although in this case I better warn you, you’re going to be seeing a lot of Shane, so I’d appreciate it if you got to know him and didn’t just act like an ass on first meeting.”
“Mom! Five bucks in the swear jar,” L.J. said, rejoining them.
She sighed. “I unpacked it and it’s in the kitchen. You can watch me add money later.” She ruffled his hair. “I swear you grew a couple of inches. We need to set up a measuring wall here.”
Landon grinned. “He’s certainly eaten enough to have a growth spurt. Which reminds me, we stopped for breakfast on the road.”
Clearly the reprimand had been forgotten. Shane didn’t need Amber fighting his battles for him. He could win L.J.’s uncles over on his own, but he appreciated her coming to his defense.
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