“You would try to foist it off with an excuse like that,” Britton sneered. “But I don’t think the other students in your class would like that you’re making special arrangements for one student when they’ve done all the work and attended the classes as they were supposed to.”
“And their higher grades reflect that,” Eli bit off. “Let me tell you this in simple terms that even you cannot possibly misunderstand: I am gay. I assure you that I’ve never had an affair with any woman, ever.”
Britton’s face went blank, and he looked between Eli and the students and the panel, his mouth working like a landed fish. “What?”
“Dude. He’s, like, totally gay,” Isaac said. “It came up in class once when we were talking about Oscar Wilde and Kerry grilled him on it.”
Britton closed his mouth with a snap, and his back went stiff. “You’re lying.”
“Randall, I can attest to Eli’s truthfulness. I’ve known for years,” the dean said. “It’s time to drop this. Students, you may be excused, you too, Eli, though I’d like to speak with you later. Randall, please meet me in my office.”
“Wait,” Britton said with a note of desperation. For a moment, Eli almost felt sorry for Britton. The expression on the man’s face was that of someone watching all their dreams slip through their fingers. But the look of lingering, acute embarrassment on Whitney’s face as she slipped away was enough to harden Eli’s heart. “There must be some mistake.”
Ash stood up to follow the rest out, and Britton’s eyes widened as he stabbed a finger in Ash’s direction. “That’s who Eli’s been sleeping with. I caught them together several times in his office.”
“Oh, for the love of—” John threw up his hands and then rose. “If you caught them together, then why did you think he was with Whitney? Clearly, you don’t know what’s going on in your own department.”
“But I saw—”
“Dean Newton,” Eli said, cutting Britton off. The man sickened him. “There is one more thing that I would like resolved before the committee breaks up. I’ll make it quick.”
“Go ahead.”
“Please let my decision regarding Ms. Grenier stand regardless of the missed days.” He gave Britton a hard look. “I know what was in my syllabus regarding absences, but I think the humiliation she suffered needlessly today should account for something, not to mention the hard work she’s shown since I made it plain that she would fail if she continued on as she had been.”
The committee members glanced at each other, and then John shrugged. “If she’s done all of her work and hasn’t missed any classes after your agreement, I don’t see why not. I trust your judgment.”
“I concur.” The dean rose and glanced at Britton. “Randall, I would like a word with you.”
Eli turned away, his stomach doing crazy flips. He couldn’t believe it really was over. No more Britton hanging over his head, scrutinizing everything he did. The relief was palpable. He hadn’t realized how much it had weighed him down until it was gone.
He glanced up to catch Ash’s eye, only to see that he had disappeared along with the rest of the class. That was who he wanted to celebrate with, but it would have to wait for tonight. Maybe they could head up to the camp for the weekend… no wait, dammit, Ash had drill this weekend, which meant Eli probably wouldn’t get to see him before he left.
Well, that was just depressing. Eli’s heart sank all over again, and his victory turned hollow. To be honest, staying in Amwich if Ash wasn’t going to be there would be misery. Eli was a military brat. He was used to bouncing around from coast to coast. Ash might end up moving around often in whatever job he took, and Eli thought he just might be able to handle that, if he was with Ash.
At least next week was the final week of classes. As soon as the last grade was posted, he was telling Ash how he felt about him and asking him to move in. They could figure out their future together after that. His phone buzzed as he said the last of his goodbyes to his colleagues, and the text there had him grinning like a loon.
Congrats, Doc. Up for a new bet? Winner gets kink drawer rights. Think of that over the weekend.
Ash thought class would never end, not that they’d gotten too much accomplished. The rest of the kids were too keyed up over the hearing on Friday and over finally getting the chance to say their piece to Eli, not to mention celebrating the fact that Britton was stepping down as head of the department. There were even rumors that he wouldn’t be back at all in the spring.
What kept Ash’s blood going was all those little glances Eli kept giving him. Heated and loving looks, no matter how much Eli tried to keep himself focused on the class as a whole. After a long week of zero satisfaction, those glances were playing havoc with Ash’s control.
And when Eli headed toward his office after class, Ash was two steps behind him until Kerry’s giggle stopped him. “Good thing the dean wasn’t here today taking notes. You two would’ve been so busted.”
“You’re just seeing it because you’d already figured it out before today.” They probably could’ve been more circumspect. There was only one more class to suffer through. “Besides, you’re hard-wired to see romance and forbidden affairs in everything. You who named your cat Lancelot and did your project on Abelard and Heloise.”
Kerry’s cheeks turned pink. “Maybe. Still, you should’ve done something to help Dr. Hollister on Friday instead of staying quiet.”
“You think me declaring my undying love in front of the whole committee would’ve helped him? More like gotten us both into trouble, and then Doc would be pissed at me as well. Romantic it might’ve been, my starry-eyed girl, but not a good idea.”
“Maybe,” Kerry said in a doubtful voice. “I still think you ought to make some kind of gesture. Something big.”
“You’d like that more than he would, I think,” Ash said with a laugh. “And I’m ending this conversation before you try to talk me into opening the final class with a serenade or something equally overdramatic. I’m not catering to whatever fairytale love story you have going on in your head about us.”
“Ha, make fun of me all you want, Mr. Southern Gentleman Ashley!” Kerry called after him as he made a strategic retreat. “I know a happily ever after when I see one.”
Ash couldn’t stop thinking about Kerry’s parting shot as he walked toward Eli’s office. Happily ever after. He liked the sound of that. The Hermitage might not be a castle, and Amwich was more of a village than a bustling capital, but those two places were what Ash thought of when he heard the word “home.” That and Eli himself. And he’d been looking for a place to call home for a long damn time.
His lover had his feet propped up on his desk and his eyes closed when Ash slipped into his office and locked the door behind him. A smile tugged at Eli’s lips, though he didn’t open his eyes. “I have no office hours today. You’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”
“What if I have a problem that just can’t wait?”
Eli’s eyes opened, and Ash was struck by the heat and love in them. “I suppose I can make an exception for you. Come here, Georgia. I missed you like crazy this weekend.”
Ash walked over to him, his heart thumping harder. It jumped with a hard, lurching throb as Eli grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down for a kiss that left his senses reeling and his thoughts scattered. “I missed you too,” he said when Eli finally let go of him.
“So the dragon is gone, I hear,” Ash murmured as Eli released him. “The meeting with the dean must’ve gone well.”
“Britton’s stepped down as head of the department and he’ll be retiring at the end of the year. The rumor is that he’s been diagnosed with dementia, even if it’s probably too early to tell for sure. I’m pretty much guaranteed my tenure, now that he’s not around to jeopardize it.” A faint line appeared between Eli’s brows and then disappeared just as quickly.
“That’s good news. That’s what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it?”
“Plans have a w
ay of changing sometimes. This has been the craziest fucking semester ever. I think I’m going to go to Tibet and become a monk.”
“Liar. You love it here too much to leave.” Ash laughed and stole another kiss. “Kerry just yelled at me, she seems to think that a white knight should’ve swooped in and rescued you on Friday.”
“I think one did. I wasn’t expecting Wayne to be there. He’d told me that he’d turned Britton down. I suspect you might have had a hand in changing his mind.”
“I might’ve said a few words.” A smile curved Ash’s lips as he lifted his head. All those lines of tension that had always been around Eli’s mouth and eyes when he was in this room were gone. “I have to say my opinion of Wayne went up a notch or two. He’d originally told Britton he wasn’t interested in talking to him. I convinced him that testifying for you would be a much better idea. I even promised to put in a good word to Cooper for him.”
“You could’ve told me your plan.” Eli tapped his finger against Ash’s chest. “It would’ve kept me from going crazy beforehand.”
“Couldn’t do that, Doc, sorry. You have the worst poker face of any man I’ve ever seen. You’re too expressive, and Dean Newton was going to be watching you. The more genuine your emotions were during Wayne’s testimony, the more credible you were going to look. Your worry over seeing Wayne there was taken as worry for a friend by the time you were done having your say, not worry over what Wayne might have told the committee.”
“You have a streak of deviousness in you that I never imagined.” Eli drew Ash down for another lingering kiss. “Thank you.”
Ash grinned at him, too buoyed up to be subtle. “So how long have you been in love with me?”
Eli blinked, his mouth falling open as his heart skipped a long beat. “What?”
Ash plucked the rubber band off the end of Eli’s braid and threaded his fingers through his hair, unwinding it. Anticipation rose, and Eli found it hard to catch his breath. “It’s a simple question, and I’m dying to know the answer. But if it’ll make you feel better, I’ll go first.”
Ash wrapped Eli’s hair around his fist. Eli’s heart sped up until it was slamming rapid fire in his chest. “I want to stay in Amwich and be with you,” Ash said in a husky voice.
It took a moment for that to sink in and then warm pleasure lit up inside Eli. “You do, hmmm? So is this your way of saying you feel the same way about me?”
“It is. I’ve never told a lover this before.” Everything went still inside as Eli looked at Ash, waiting for those words. He’d never seen Ash look so damn nervous when he finally spoke. “I love you.”
A grin split Eli’s face as everything in his world seemed to right itself and settle into place. He tugged Ash down onto the chair with him, needing him close. The chair squeaked and Eli chuckled. “I don’t think this chair was made for two. I’m going to need to get a couch in here for you.”
“So you’ve given up on the idea of going to Tibet?” Ash asked as he nuzzled Eli’s smiling lips.
“Screw Tibet, I’ve got everything I need right here.” Eli wrapped his hand around Ash’s nape and tugged him down for another breathless kiss. “I was going to wait until the end of the semester to ask you, but I can’t wait any longer.”
“You’re only giving in by a few days. I won’t tell if you won’t.” Ash’s green eyes gleamed with silent laughter.
“Move into the Hermitage with me.”
Ash pretended to consider it, his face drawn in thought, as nerves jumped in Eli’s stomach. “I don’t know, are you still going to insist that the American League is better than the National League? And what the hell kind of a position is designated hitter? I mean, really.”
“Just wait. I’ll convert you yet.”
“The hell you will. You’re a bit of a fanatic. I don’t know if I can handle all of that Red Sox talk every day, and Jabbers has a cold nose in the morning.”
“I prefer to think of myself as a true believer,” Eli huffed.
“That’s what all fanatics say.” Ash’s hand tightened in Eli’s hair as he lowered his mouth for a kiss. “I would like nothing more than to move in with you. Being with you only part-time has been driving me crazy.”
“I’ve changed my mind. You’re definitely a grand slam.” Eli sighed against his lips. “I love you.”
“I know.” Ash stole another lingering kiss. “Now, about that bet….”
About the Author
Marguerite Labbe has been accused of being eccentric and a shade neurotic, both of which she freely admits to, but her muse has OCD tendencies, so who can blame her? Her husband and son do an excellent job keeping her toeing the line, though. Together with her co-author Fae Sutherland, Marguerite has found a shared passion for beautiful men with smart mouths.
When she’s not working hard on writing new material and editing completed work, she spends her time reading novels of all genres, enjoying role-playing games with her equally nutty friends, and trying to plot practical jokes against her son and husband. Her son is learning the tricks too quickly and likes to retaliate. You’d think she’d learn.
Visit Marguerite’s website at http://chasethedream.net/.
Also from Marguerite Labbe
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Table of Contents
Copyright
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
About the Author
Also from Marguerite Labbe
All Bets Are Off Page 32