Desperate Measures (Men in Uniform #1)

by Sasha Jayne Moretti

  “Hi, I’m Dr. Natasha Bateman.” The goddess held out her hand. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard all about you.”

  A doctor? That explained this amazing house. I shook her hand. “I hope they were all good things.”

  She glanced back at him, and he winked. They were like a real-life Ken and Barbie. I’d bet they had amazing sex. Like something that would put porn stars to shame. As good as they looked in clothes, they had to be magnificent when they were naked. My core trembled at the thought. Okay, I was starting to turn myself on. I needed to stop focusing on them and remember who they were. He was my professor. They might be the sexiest couple I’d ever met, but I needed to treat them with respect.

  “Oh, yes. He told me you’re one of his best students.” She leaned closer. “And I suspect one of his favorites.”

  Her perfume was a sweet, fruity scent. It was heavenly. “Well, I hope so. He’s been one of my favorite professors.”

  “One of your favorites?” he questioned, smirking.

  Doctor Supermodel chuckled.

  My cheeks burned. “Okay, he’s my favorite.”

  His green eyes bore into mine and I nearly melted into the flooring. “That’s much better.”

  My palms were sweaty. I needed to focus on something else. “What’s that incredible smell?”

  “That’s the lasagna.” She grabbed two pot holders off the counter and opened the oven. Carefully, she placed a square-shaped metal container on top of a cooling mat. The scent of tomatoes and mozzarella wafted through the room. “This recipe has been passed down in my family for five generations.”

  For the first time, I detected something off about in her pronunciation of the word, family. “Are you originally from Italy?”

  Her amber-colored eyes widened. “Yes, how did you guess?”

  I crossed my hands behind my back. “I thought I heard a bit of an accent.”

  “She’s very perceptive, Tash,” the professor added, inching closer to me. “I told you. She’s one of my brightest students.”

  “Thank you,” I gushed.

  She pointed to the dish. “Would you like me to cut you a piece?”

  My stomach growled. “Absolutely.”

  “Good.” Nodding, she replied, “Sit down at the table and I’ll serve you both.”

  The four person wooden table was already set with three plates, napkins, silverware, and glasses. A silver bucket sat on the side filled with ice and a bottle of wine. The professor held out my chair and scooted me in like a gentleman. I couldn’t remember any other time a man had done that for me. It was old-school and incredible sexy all at the same time. When we were both seated, his wife brought over salads and scooped a slice of lasagna on each plate. He stood, and held out her seat for her as well.

  “Would you like a glass of wine?” she offered.

  I was twenty-one, but a complete lightweight. I got dizzy after just one glass. “No, thank you.”

  “You can drink though, right?” the professor asked.

  I never went out for my twenty-first birthday. Instead of spending a crazy night with my friends, I worked at the diner. When I got back to my room, Ella put a candle in a pink cupcake and that was my big celebration. “Yeah, I hit the big two-one last month.”

  She waved her hand in disgust. “I never understood the need for such strict legal limits.” She poured herself a glass, and then one for the professor. “In Italy, you can drink alcohol at sixteen.”

  “That seems a bit young,” the professor replied. “I would’ve been dangerous if I was allowed to buy beer as a teenager.”

  Chuckling, she reached for his hand. “We’re just more mature in Italy, I suppose.”

  He smiled at his wife before he took a sip out of his glass. “I prefer my wine with a bit more bite, but Tash likes everything sweet.”

  “I certainly do,” she replied in a sultry voice.

  They stared at one another like they might start tearing each other’s clothes off at any second. There was a ping of jealousy in my chest. The heat coming off of them was enough to steam the air. “How did you meet?” I asked.

  “She was a foreign exchange student staying with my parents.” His eyes grew dark as if he were reliving some sexual affair in his head. “I couldn’t keep my hands off of her.”

  “You still can’t,” she added, wetting her bottom lip with her tongue.

  My thighs trembled, and I squeezed my legs together. I had to get out of this conversation. I picked up my fork and ate a large piece of lasagna. I kept my eyes focused on my plate as I took one bite after another. The ground beef she used was perfectly seasoned. The noodle was so light and the cheese wonderfully gooey. I savored every morsel. Before long, it was gone and I went after the salad. It was Caesar, which was my favorite.

  “Do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend, Taryn?” she asked, being politically correct.

  I met her stare and covered my mouth as I replied, “Neither.”

  “I find that hard to believe.” Her eyes lowered to my cleavage, and I swallowed hard. Was she actually checking me out too? “You’re so beautiful. You must have a ton of boys begging you for dates.”

  The professor nodded his head as if he were agreeing with her.

  “Thank you, Dr. Bateman.” I hardly believed what I was hearing. These immaculate specimens thought I was beautiful. I mean, it wasn’t a total surprise. I didn’t consider myself unattractive. I took care of my body with healthy eating and exercise. I wasn’t the best dresser, but I wore makeup and styled my long blond hair every day. And I had boys that were interested, but I never gave any a chance. School and work had been my life. I didn’t allow myself time for anything else. “I’ve been too busy.”

  “College is important. I certainly understand your dedication, but you have to have fun too.” She smiled mischievously at me as if I were supposed to know what she meant. “There has to be a balance or you’ll drive yourself crazy.”

  I agreed with her. The vacation we planned meant more to me than any of my friends. I desperately needed to let loose and have some fun for once. I’d been labeled a prude, and was eager to get rid of that well-earned reputation. But that was all gone now. “I had plans for fun. Lots of fun. But they fell through at the last minute.”

  His eyes were filled with sincerity as he replied, “I told my wife about what happened to you.”

  “And we think we can help,” she added, with excitement in her tone.

  My eyebrows knit together. “How?”

  She reached out for my hand. “Come with us.”

  I let her lead me onto their wooden deck. Beyond that was one of the biggest in-ground pools I’d ever seen. It had to be Olympic size. There was even a slide and diving board. I never had anything like that as a kid, but I would’ve loved it. At the far end of the property sat a small house that matched the design of their home. It was big enough to be a studio or a one-bedroom apartment. Or maybe that’s where they kept their lawn equipment. Surrounding the entire backyard was a high privacy fence.

  Doctor Supermodel stared like she was waiting for me to say something. “The pool is amazing.”

  Raising her eyebrows, she asked, “What do you think of the guest house?”

  Based on everything I’d already seen, I was sure it was gorgeous. “It’s pretty.”

  “Didn’t you tell her?” She glanced over her shoulder at her husband.

  He shook his head. “I wanted to wait until you two had a chance to get to know each other a bit.”

  I watched their exchange, not sure what they were talking about. “I think I’m missing something.”

  “We want you to stay with us,” he announced. “You can spend the next two weeks in our guest house.”

  I put my hands over my mouth. Was this really happening? I didn’t have to go home? I’d be able to stay in town and still spend spring break with my friends like we’d planned? “Can you do that?” I asked, not wanting to get him in any trouble. “I mean, as m
y professor?”

  “We already discussed this. I’m not your professor until classes are resumed.” He put his arm around his wife, and she leaned into him. “And as far as we’re concerned, we’re just helping a friend.”

  It still hadn’t sunk in. “You’re serious?”

  “Of course we are,” she replied, smiling from ear to ear. “The place is yours if you want it.”

  He motioned for me to follow them. We walked across the cement pavement to their guest house. They unlocked the door and I stepped inside. It was a cute studio apartment. The place was fully furnished with a queen-size bed and a dresser of drawers. A mini-kitchen with a sink, microwave, and small refrigerator sat on the far end. All the way in the back, I saw what looked like a bathroom with a toilet, vanity, and shower. It was everything I needed. I could’ve moved right in. “How much do you want for rent?”

  He held up his palm. “Nothing.”

  “I can’t do that. I have to pay you something.” I paused for a second. There had to be something I could do. Some skill I had that they might need.

  “No payments.” He chuckled. “Like I said, we just want to help you out.”

  How had I gotten so lucky? I couldn’t believe they were willing to share their beautiful guest house with me for nothing in return. No, I couldn’t accept that. It was too much. “I have to do something. If I don’t, I’ll feel awful about not paying you.”

  They looked at one another, then back to me. They seemed to have their own private conversation without any words. “If you insist, we’ll come up with something.”

  I put my hand out. “Deal.”

  Want to read more? GUEST HOUSE is available for FREE on Kindle Unlimited and $0.99 to purchase.

  Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Guest-House-Menage-Romance-Book-ebook/dp/B01M5J96BF/