Love and Chemistry

by Cheryl Dragon

  “No one is getting fired.” He checked his clothing and hers before grabbing her file. “Let’s go home.”

  “Then you’ll punish me,” she whispered.

  “No, you didn’t do anything wrong. You were perfect, and this is great.” He nodded to the file.

  She hugged Colin’s arm as they walked to the parking lot. “I wish I’d waited until we got home. Full celebration with no chance of being caught.”

  “We’re adults. We’re in a relationship. Stop acting as if you were caught being naughty at school.” He pinched her ass.

  “That’s what it feels like. I do want to be a student.” Her cheeks were bright red to prove it.

  “If anything, I’ll get a lecture on sexual harassment or something.” He shrugged it off.

  “You’ve got tenure.” She nodded. “I might be fired.”

  “No, and if that were to happen, worst case, you go back and be a student full time. I can afford you.” He smiled.

  She shook her head. “That’s not how I am. Thanks but no.”

  “I understand, but it is an option.” He kissed her head before she headed to her car.

  He went to his. They’d end up at the same place, but they hadn’t been leaving at the same times lately. Still, for those few minutes, he missed her.

  * * * *

  The next morning, it was time to face the grumpy old man. Marcus had never found fault with Colin’s work or demeanor before. Now it might be a different story. He knocked sharply on the office door, and Marcus called for him to come in.

  “Sir, I wanted to explain.” Colin wanted to get his story out.

  Marcus held up a hand. “First, sit.”

  Colin sat down and knew this would be torture.

  “Now, I know what I saw. I’m not a monk, so there’s nothing that needs to be explained. She’s a beautiful woman, but I don’t think that sort of playing around is good for the department morale. I can’t tell you what to do off campus, but here let’s not stick it to our admins. We don’t need a lawsuit.” Marcus leaned back in his chair.

  “There won’t be a lawsuit. Minny and I have been dating for well over a month now. We haven’t made a big deal about it. Technically, she reports to you, so it wasn’t an issue of supervision, and we wanted to make sure it had real potential before we said anything officially.” Colin cleared his throat.

  Marcus smiled. “Well, that’s nice to hear. Some of the group were worried you were some repressed type who might go a bit postal one day.”

  Colin frowned and wanted to argue but held his tongue. No reason to bring up kink or self-control virtues now. Marcus seemed happy. There was a more important point to make.

  “I don’t want it to reflect badly on her. She and I have both been doing a lot of extra work and not seeing each other as much. You know she applied to school here, and she was telling me all about it. We got excited.” Colin felt as if he were in the principal’s office.

  “I’m sure she’ll get in. Considering her challenges in high school, I’m sure the admissions board will give her every chance. I had her high school transcripts sent in. She did well her sophomore and junior years. Things went downhill. It’s very clear. Now, I can’t condone sexual acts on campus. If a student had walked in, relationship or not, it’s a bad example. Hell, married or not it’s not a good move where anyone can catch you.”

  “I know, I apologize. It won’t happen again.”

  “Good.” Marcus nodded. “In your own office behind a locked door, I don’t give a damn.”

  Colin smiled. “Thank you. Minny was worried about her job. I hope you’ll reassure her.”

  “I don’t want to discuss this with her. No, you can. I’d prefer to pretend it never happened. I look at Minny more as a daughter, and I don’t want to say the wrong thing. And considering you two do work in the same department, I think you need to be careful during the daytime hours.” Marcus drummed his fingers on the desk. “In fact, IT is looking for a new admin, but they haven’t posted the job yet. If you and she wanted to put a little distance between you during working hours, I’d be happy to recommend her for it before they put the position out there. That way this sort of spontaneous affection doesn’t happen again. I’d hate to lose her, but it might be overall for the best if you two aren’t on top of one another all day.”

  “I’ll mention it to her.” Colin realized no one was going to even get a write up. “Thank you.”

  “I’ll give her an excellent recommendation for anything she wants to do, and she’s not losing her job. But once the others in the department find out you’re dating her…well it might be tense for you.” Marcus nodded.

  “They’re just jealous.”

  “Absolutely. But you’ve already gotten more of her attention, and now I can see the change as I look back. If she wants a career, best not to sleep with someone so close to a boss-type. She does work for you even if she doesn’t technically report to you. I don’t want to have to battle this with HR.”

  Colin got the message loud and clear. Minny might not like it but, in the end, it’d be best for all of their careers. “No worries. I’ll take care of it, and she’ll be in here asking for that job in IT before lunch, I’m sure of it. I am going to marry her. Give it six months or so, and you’ll see the ring.”

  “Good.” Marcus stood up and rounded the desk. He clapped Colin on the back. “Glad to hear it. Don’t forget to bring her to the next fundraiser. She’ll charm the wallets out of those old billionaires.”

  “Damn right.” Colin shook the department head’s hand as they walked to the door.

  Epilogue

  Six months later…

  Minny unlocked the door and dropped her bag just inside. Something smelled wonderful, and after back-to-back classes following work, she was starving. It was late, but he’d kept dinner warm.

  “Honey, I’m home,” she teased.

  “About time.” He got off the couch and kissed her. “Good day?”

  “Long but good.” She let him steer her to the kitchen and into a chair. “You’re spoiling me.”

  “You are doing a job and a half.” He dished out a bowl full of stew and put it on the table.

  She grabbed a slice French bread from the center of the table and found he had the butter waiting. Colin liked playing house. “Thank you for all this. I miss you so much, but I need the college experience. I promise I won’t depend on you for everything. I’m getting back in the swing of school.”

  “I understand.” He grabbed her a soda and kissed the top of her head as he set it in front of her.

  “Good.” She sighed. Adjusting to a new department took time, but in the end she was happier there. More women of her age and plenty of help with the latest technology other college kids knew by osmosis. She’d placed well on the tests and was one semester in.

  The ring on her finger was the big new change. He’d just found the right ring even though he’d proposed a month ago. He was a perfectionist. The ring gleamed up at her, and she’d wondered if he did it to get her to quit and go to school full time. Yet, they were a month into the engagement, and he hadn’t pushed the issue.

  “Stop thinking. Give your brain a rest or no hot fudge sundae for dessert.” He grinned.

  “I love you. You can’t spoil me in this way forever. A degree will take years. You’ll get tired of it.”

  “Never. You pick your major and set your goals, I’ll be there. You’re stuck with me.” He sat down across from her and smiled.

  She looked at the ring again. The round solitaire diamond was perfect. Not too big and not too small.

  “If you don’t like it, we can take it back for another one, but she was pretty sure you’d like it,” he said.

  “She? You had help?” she asked. Then she shrugged it off. “The lady at the store.”

  “No, I took your mom’s picture along. She was picky. When I finally found the right one, she was a magnet.” He pointed to the food. “Eat before it gets cold.”

/>   “Don’t play around. You didn’t take the picture to the jewelry store.” She rolled her eyes as she took her first bite of stew. It was almost as good as a spanking! She buttered a piece of bread and devoured the food.

  Colin just grinned and watched her.

  “What?” she said with a hand in front of her full mouth.

  “This weekend we’ll go to Sherman’s Jewelers so they can make sure it’s perfectly sized.” He nodded.

  “It’s fine.” She shrugged. He must’ve taken one of her other rings in to get it right, not that she had much jewelry worth anything.

  “But I want you to hear it from Mrs. Sherman herself, I had the picture with me. You and Marcus both thought I was so anal and repressed, but I can be sentimental, too.” He looked at her as if he could see into her heart.

  “I love you. I knew you had a sweet and fun side, but you have to show it once in a while for others to get it.” She admired her ring. “We will need to pick out wedding bands. We can go look.”

  “I don’t care if anyone else sees that side of me as long as you do.” He leaned in and grabbed her hand. “And after the jewelers, you’ll get a serious paddling for not believing me in the first place.”

  She laughed. “You’re too good to me. That sort of thing, however, never happens in front of my mother’s picture!”

  “I promise. She stays in the vanilla bedroom. Though, technically she’s seen us having sex. Maybe we should move her to the living room?” he asked.

  Minny got up and flopped hard into his lap. “Now you’re being ridiculous. My mother always wanted me to go to college, even if I had to delay it. She also wanted me to find a man who loved me and was totally devoted to keeping me happy. She’d want me to have a great sex life.”

  “I think you’ve accomplished all those goals. Mom should be happy.” He hugged her tight.

  “She is, and I know I am.” She kissed him hard. “Now where’s my hot fudge sundae?”

  About the Author

  A lover of unusual things, Cheryl Dragon enjoys writing unique stories with sinfully hot erotic romance. Her two favorite settings are Las Vegas and New Orleans...where anything can happen! Cheryl lives in the Chicagoland area with her deaf albino cat. By day, she analyzes numbers for a division of a large international conglomerate, which leaves the creative juices free for her erotic romance novels.

  www.cheryldragon.com

  Want to read more Masters Wanted?

  Also Available from Resplendence Publishing

  Love and History by Cheryl Dragon

  Where are all the bedroom Doms? Sick of men pushing her limits, Bridget Sanger brings up the issue on her secret blog. Bridget is ready to give up on kinky love and focus on her career. The blog is supposed to be her last rant, but it takes off. A meddling coworker tracks the page to her and knows the perfect Dom for Bridget.

  Stuffy-outside-hot-inside History professor, Scott Kasten finds Bridget an intriguing challenge. History has taught him love never lasts, but their kink could be forever. She’s never thought of Scott like that, but it turns her on all the more to see his sexual side. He’s a man of his word, and she trusts him with her body. The sex is amazingly intense, but she wants a real relationship, and she won’t settle!

  Love and Language by Cheryl Dragon

  Thirty-something English professor Jane Wendell admits her need for a Dom on the Masters Wanted blog. She also needs an in depth language tutor to fully enjoy her first European vacation during the coming summer break.

  Finding both in the much younger and very sexy Ben Whitbeck turns her world upside down. Lessons and kink blend as the PhD candidate dominates the cougar. He offers Jane everything she ever wanted if she can let go of the age difference and fully give into the love and submission.

  Also Available from

  Resplendence Publishing

  Cuffed for Pleasure by Lacey Thorn

  Pleasures Series, Book One

  The Greyson sisters have always craved pleasure. One by one, they find it with men they never knew they needed.

  Mandy was hoping for a new start far away from the rumors circulated by her ex-boyfriend. She would be smart this time. Reserved. She would curb her wild side and be the professional she should be. But one look at Mitch and Tanner and those goals fly out the window. And that’s before she even knows about Dylan.

  From the first glimpse, Tanner is smitten. It’s easy to see Mitch shares the feeling. And neither has any doubt Dylan will feel the same. There’s just something about Mandy. Now if they can only persuade her to give them a chance.

  One woman with three men satisfying all her needs. Let the pleasure begin.

  Briar’s Cowboys by Brynn Paulin

  Daly Way Series, Book Five

  Over a decade ago, Briar Rhodes’ mother dragged her kicking and screaming from Daly. Briar didn’t understand her mother’s sudden hatred of the idyllic town where Briar had lived her entire life. With no other choice but to go, she’d found herself adrift in a city so foreign to her it could never be home.

  Now years later, Briar is shocked to inherit a ranch from the father she never knew. However, it’s the foreman, Jax, and his team, Ram, Cannon and Hawk who entrance her. Stunned by the almost immediate attraction, she finds sensual pleasure and sexual satisfaction at their hands—all their hands…and mouths…and bodies.

  Suddenly she understands why she was taken away—to protect her from this ménage lifestyle. But she doesn’t want protection; she only wants more. For Briar and her cowboys, the Daly way is the only way.

  Cuffed and Stuffed by Destiny Blaine

  Trouble in Paradise Series, Book One

  Annabelle Agnew is a gal with money to burn and too much time on her hands. Known to pull all sorts of capers while visiting her family’s summer home, Annabelle pushes the limit when she returns to Tybee Island to celebrate her recent college graduation.

  News of Annabelle’s arrival is the talk of the town, and the first round of citizen complaints soon reaches the police department. Darren and David Shanks, two officers and brothers, are sent to deal with the unruly hellcat and her obnoxious friends. Darren and David reconnect with the young woman they’ve known for several years and devise a quick and quite intimate scheme.

  The Shanks brothers realize Annabelle Agnew isn’t the same young woman they’ve known for most of their lives. There’s something different about her and they’re pretty sure they know what. Hard-core Doms, they recognize a submissive woman when they see one. Instead of reading the sexy vixen her rights, they decide to taunt her and see if she puts up a fight. And the crimes Annabelle commits are certain to lead two officers to cuff and stuff her in a way they'll all enjoy.

  Playing Four Keeps by Kris Norris

  Phases: Book Two

  February's full moon is rising, only this year, it's bringing a new brand of hunger...

  For coyote shifters Caden and Talon Brady, the upcoming hunger moon has ignited a different kind of appetite. They've been waiting several years for a chance to court their intended mate, and now that she's finally in their sights, they'll stop at nothing to win her over. But when local livestock start disappearing, their coyote refuge is put in the hot seat, and more than just their way of life is suddenly in jeopardy.

  Sheriff Rebecca Savage never planned on returning to Beckit Falls, or for falling for two handsome men. But fate seems to have different plans for her. Unfortunately not all of them are sexy and look fantastic in jeans. The local mayor is trying to run the Brady boys and their coyote refuge out of town. Nothing seems to make sense, but when she starts digging deeper, a new danger rises with the full moon—one that just might get them all killed.

  Gun Shy by Emma Hillman

  SEALS at the Ready Series, Book Two

  Tired of coming back from missions to find their utilities cut off and their house strung with cobwebs, Scott and Drew, fellow SEALs and surveillance experts, decide to rent their spare room to someone who’ll help them take care of t
hings. They need someone they’ll never fall for, however, someone homely and definitely not sexy.

  Kristyn seems to be the answer to all their problems. She wears drab clothes, is a junior high teacher and loves gardening. But she’s a lot more than that. As the weeks pass, and she slowly reveals the woman hiding behind the façade she’s carefully built over the years, the two men realize they were very, very wrong.

  She’s going to rock their worlds…in more ways than one.

  Salesmen on the Rise by Cheryl Dragon

  Lucky Springs Series, Book Six

  With the Lucky Springs factory expanding, the sales force needs to step up their game. Marketing guru Zoe Avery is retraining the sales force. Two hot sales teams are just as interested in seducing her as they are in raising their sales numbers. The last thing Zoe wants is to settle down in such a small town, but she can’t turn down a lot of fun while she’s looking for a better job in a big city. There isn't much to do except those four sexy men anyway. Unfortunately keeping it casual and secret isn't as easy as Zoe hoped!

  www.resplendencepublishing.com

  Table of Contents

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Love and Chemistry Copyright © 2013 Cheryl Dragon

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five