Undercover Professor (2 page)

Glancing over at her, sitting on the plastic chair, he noticed her breasts and the hard nubs poking the thin cotton of her tank top. God bless the maker of that tank top, they should be given an award. He saw the look in her eyes, she was curious too.

Far be it from him to ignore an interesting exploration. Digging deep, asking questions, finding answers was his specialty.

His mom’s needing help after her hip replacement fell in perfect alignment with his break to research for an upcoming article in
Wired
magazine and a coinciding Comic-Con presentation, jokingly titled
The Gamer Guy’s Guide to Women: Love, Getting Laid and Beating Level Seventeen of Lords’ Lair
. His teacher’s assistant suggested he go undercover to get unbiased responses, since Dr. Drew Sullivan was a big name in the gaming community. Especially with the lady gamers. Chances are, if he interviewed a girl who realized she was with the professor who made gaming sexy, he would get different results. Thus Shlubby Andy, with the itchy beard and collection of ironic T-shirts, moved home to help his mom. He would use the cover of freelancing for the
Shepherd Express
, a local city scene paper for young Milwaukee urbanites, to get his interviews.

He wandered back to the chairs and picked up his book, studying Luscious Lucy as she sat. She wasn’t a research subject, but he couldn’t chance running into a friend of hers and blowing his cover. That didn’t mean they couldn’t enjoy each other’s company.

Her washer alarm went off, but she must not have heard it. He reached over and ran a hand over her ankle, startling her again. Those wide brown eyes stared at him over her book and she yanked the headphones off.

“Your laundry.”

“Oh, thanks. I should really turn the volume down.”

She hopped up and went back to the washers, and he pretended to ignore her, reading the same line a few times, hoping he’d have another chance to touch that soft skin.

“Hey, I hate to ask this, but can I borrow a few quarters?” She leaned over the back of the chair, her hair swishing forward. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for just a second, enjoying the torture. Lavender. She smelled like sunshine and lavender.

“Yeah, uh, you bet.” He got to his feet and walked over to his basket, plucking out a few quarters at the bottom. Turning, he held them in his palm. She smiled a little and took them from him, the lavender scent still teasing his nose. He leaned back against the dryer, watching her as she slid them in.

“What?”

“I just didn’t know what to expect when I moved back home. I’m really glad to meet you, Lucy of apartment 30C.”

“So, when you say you’re sort of between jobs, what exactly does that mean?” She watched him from the corners of her eyes, plugging the remainder of the quarters into the next dryer. Dropping one.

Great. The exact topic he couldn’t talk about, and that’s what she latches on to. He bent to pick it up as it rolled to rest right by the tip of her toe. Time for evasive actions.

He slowly stood, following the line of her leg with his eyes. Her hip, her waist, the flare of her breasts, the collarbone. He could see the furiously pulsing beat of her heart there.

She stared at him, her eyes half lidded, her breath puffed a little on his cheek. But she didn’t back away. Oh yeah, she wanted him.

He swayed forward, just the tiniest bit. She could make the move if she wanted.

“Oh, fuck it,” he could have sworn she muttered, right before she lifted her chin, leaning in to kiss him.

Closing his eyes, he put his hand down on the dryer to brace himself. The soft caress of her lips killed just about any coherent thought in his head. Until she pressed her long length to his, her breasts flush up to his chest, her hips to his, and wrapped her arms around his neck, tugging his head down to deepen the kiss. Her tongue slicked against his top lip, suddenly the most erotic spot on his entire body. Shockwaves. Like laser beams, blowing in from the ceiling, charging down his body, circling his cock a few times, and screaming to his knees.

She moaned, and he snapped out of the haze to possess the kiss. Tasting her, tangling his tongue with hers, all the things he might like to do with her sweet body, poured into that kiss. He wanted to make her gasp, moan, whimper and purr with pleasure. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he hauled her closer, her pebbled breasts pressed against him was almost too much to take.

She hummed, low in her throat. The sound traveled straight to his legs, making him weak. Pressing her back, he leaned her into the dryer that throbbed and pulsed under them. She slid up onto it one thigh at a time, not breaking the contact from their hungry mouths.

She made hot little humming noises and whimpered as he ventured to cup her butt. He pulled her forward to the edge of the dryer so he could press his hard length right up against her softness. She reached down and pushed her hand under his T-shirt, her nails biting as she scratched lightly down his back, arching into him further. Damn, they fit together perfectly. She felt like heaven in his arms, soft and muscular, sleek, powerful. He had to touch her. Had to have her naked under him, over him, crying out to him.

He slid his hand under her tank top at her waist, the warm skin soft as silk. Running his hand up her side, he cupped the bottom of her satin-covered breast. She moaned again, her hand teasing around the waistband of his sweatpants. She was bold, just as eager and curious as he was. He cupped her breast, tugging it out from the red lacy bra. If she wasn’t going to slow down, he wouldn’t either.

Prying his mouth from hers, he kissed and nipped his way down the elegant column of her neck to lick at the pulse in her throat. He inhaled hard, trying to remember if sex within an hour of meeting an amazing woman was wrong. He tugged the tank top down, plumped her breast up over the top and looked his fill for a moment.

That smooth, perfect curve of her breast overflowed his cupped palm, topped with a luscious berry of a pink nipple, just pouting for his mouth. He dropped his lips to tease her, taste her skin, breathe deep gasps of that lavender scent. Wrapping both lips around her nipple, he ran the ridge of his teeth over it, sucking just the littlest bit to read her reaction. She squirmed closer, almost falling off the dryer.

She gripped his hair tight, pressing his head to her breast. Oh she was just absolutely divine. A woman who knew how to ask for, demand what she wanted.

Focusing on the breast, he cupped her hip with his other hand, keeping her steady on the dryer chugging below her.

The buzzer from his dryer went off, both of them froze. Her eyes snapped wide, and he backed off.

“This is insane, I just met you,” she whispered, a small smile quirked on her rosy, kiss-damp lips. She cupped his jaw, kissed the corners of his mouth, eyes dancing with enjoyment. At least she didn’t look pissed, or worse yet, horrified. He captured her mouth with his again and sealed their lips together in another breath-stealing kiss.

The next buzzer from the dryer went off, and he rested his forehead against hers, gently tucking that delicious breast back into her top. Breathing hard, he tried to gather his thoughts as her hands ran up and down his chest, over his shoulders, down his arms.

“So, I guess this isn’t the best place to continue. Can I see you? Tonight? Tomorrow? When?” He couldn’t let his laundry room goddess walk out of his life without giving him her number.

She nodded, pulling back to adjust her bra. He backed away to move his laundry from the dryer into his basket. She adjusted her basket, and he heard the change jingling inside it.

Drew grinned to himself. She didn’t need his quarters at all, it was just a ploy. God she was goofy. She liked the same books as him, the same music, the same beer. All she had to do was plop herself on his lap, and he was pudding. Well, some parts of him were pudding, other parts were decidedly un-pudding-like.

She cleared her throat, brushing her hair back. “Tomorrow night’s fine. I can show you the Dirty Goat Pub, you’ll love it.” She played with the strap of her tank top.

“Wait, tomorrow’s no good. What about Thursday?”

“Sure, that works. Let me get your number.”

She pulled her phone from her backpack, and he gave her the numbers. She called his phone immediately, and he programmed in “Juicy Lucy,” even though she rolled her eyes at him. She hurried out the door to the elevator, balancing the heavy basket in her arms, and shot him an awkward finger wave as the doors shut on her. He rubbed his hand over his face, surprised to discover a goofy grin on his lips.

Chapter Two

“Lucy, I met the most amazing guy.”

Lucy sighed, folding her laundry from the pile on her bed, her phone propped to her ear. “Really? What’s this one do?”

Becca had interrupted a really hot daydream about the delicious Andy, where they sneaked into the bathroom in the laundry room, locked the door and finished what they had started. Except in the daydream, it wasn’t a dumpy laundry room bathroom in the basement of the apartment complex. It was a huge marble-floored bathroom from a swanky hotel downtown, with gold fixtures and a wall of mirrors so she could watch his face as he worshipped her slowly. Then hard. Then slow again. Then hard again.

“His name is Andy, he’s in apartment 26B,” her cousin cooed. Lucy could picture her twirling around, doing a happy dance.

Her breath caught. “Andy? 26B? My Andy?” Lucy collapsed on the bed, sending freshly folded laundry to the floor. “Becca, wait. Before you get excited about this guy, I have to tell you, he asked me out just about ten minutes ago. This guy is a total player.”

She felt slightly sick to her stomach, realizing just how soundly she had been played. Man, he was good. She was all ready to throw her list out the window for him.

“Andy? No, he’s just really friendly. You know, eager to meet people in the area.”

“No, Becca, he asked me out too.”
And had his hand up my shirt
. Yikes.

“Well, it must be hard to be new in town and not know anyone. I met him moving in yesterday, and we’re going out tomorrow. You have to double with me. He seems really smart and I need you there. Will you call Dillweed?”

Lucy dropped her head to her hands. Once Becca had her mind set, she simply would not hear any objections. She tried again. “He just moved in yesterday, and he’s already asked us both out? That screams player, don’t you think?”

“Naw, he’s just a really friendly, outgoing guy.”

Friendly and outgoing with her tonsils. How in the hell could he have ruined it so fast? “Becca, he kissed me.”

“Oh.” Finally, Becca heard her. “Well, do you like him?”

“No, he’s totally wrong for me, he breaks every rule on the list.”

“That list is full of crap. Besides, you have Dell, he’s perfect according to the list. You can’t hog all the hot guys in the entire city.”

“Hog all the guys? Huh?”

“Listen, if you’re passing, I still want to go out with him. And if you and Dillweed come, he’ll understand that this is all out in the open, and you give us your blessing.”

“You want me to call Dillweed? Didn’t you hear what I said?”

“Yes, call Dell. Wait, do you think he’ll get all alpha-male possessive if he knows you kissed Andy? Whatever, we just won’t tell Dell, you’ve only seen him twice now.” Becca chattered on, and Lucy’s mind spun to keep up with her logic. “What do you think about the Electric Lounge? They have some really good burgers. Andy said he’s a computer guy, or a gamer or something. I don’t know. But he has these amazing blue eyes and he seems really smart. You know I’m not that smart. Please?”

“You are smart, and don’t let anyone tell you differently.” She narrowed her eyes. No way would this creep get away with battering Becca’s self-esteem,
and
being an apartment complex gigolo. “I’ll come. But Becca, this guy is no good. I’m only coming to protect you.”

“Just remember, you passed on him,” Becca sang out, cheerful once again.

She hung up and tried to wrap her brain around how fast her stupid little horny daydream had turned so very, very sour. She’d confront Andy. He wouldn’t get away with this crap. Not with her cousin. Not on her watch.

Swearing, she stomped away from the laundry waiting to be folded and pulled a beer from the fridge.

Dammit. This was
exactly
why she had to follow the dating rules. When she got swept away and ignored the warning signs, she got tangled up with idiots who are no good. Idiots who pick up her cousin one day, then rock her panties the next.

Idiots.

Herself included. This was no way to find a husband or her happy ever after.

Dillweed, rather Dell. Now, he was solid husband material. Fully employed, has his own apartment, he’d never hit on a friend. Unfortunately, when he kissed her, it had been brief, a quick twist of his lips on hers, a quick thrust of his tongue into her mouth like a snake and a strange aftertaste of dill. Thus the unfortunate nickname that Becca latched onto. It had all happened so fast, she hadn’t had time to react.

Andy’s kiss had tasted warm, seductive, a little bit like mint, a whole lot like delicious, hot man. There had been time to kiss him back, his lips had teased hers, encouraged her to kiss back, to participate.

Of course, you couldn’t tell everything from a kiss. You couldn’t tell anything at all from a kiss. And she and Dell had only been out twice. Maybe that next kiss would be better. Their lack of chemistry was disconcerting, but it wasn’t a list item.

More importantly, she had to protect Becca. She’d go on this double date and call Andy out. She’d warn him to stay away from her dear, sweet cousin. She found Andy’s name on her phone and took a little pleasure in jabbing the delete button. She couldn’t wait to see the shock on his smug, bearded face when she caught him in his lie.

* * *

“Lucy, I don’t know what to wear,” Becca wheezed into the phone at six-fifteen, just as Lucy finished getting herself ready. She expected this call, planned for it even. The workday had dragged on. She snapped at two of the sales-floor boys as they monkeyed around with the batting cage machine. As if she wasn’t already irritated. Going through this farce of a double date, and irritated with Andy for being such a jerk.

And why was she nervous? It was stupid, really. All she had to do was make sure Andy knew she had the upper hand. Convince him to leave Becca alone.

And perhaps make an impact on him for all womankind. Hah, no pressure.

Hopefully Becca wouldn’t be too upset when Lucy sent Andy packing. And also, try to find some sort of spark with Dillweed. Can’t forget that this is date number three.

“Just calm down. Let me finish, and I’ll come over.” Lucy snapped on her silver watch and a few simple bracelets. God bless Becca, her closest friend and only family. Becca and her mother, Aunt Ruby, were the last family she had left. They saved her ass when she needed the help. She would stand by Becca, thick or thin.

“You’re such a lifesaver. I’ll open the door.”

Lucy put the last swipe of mascara on her eyes, tossed her little bag together and swung on her scarf, mittens and fleece. Fall in Wisconsin could be brutal. She patted her new skis hopefully. Soon the slopes would be covered in powder, and she could break them in. Locking the door on her way out, she pushed into Becca’s apartment next door and hurried into the bedroom, ignoring the tornado of clothes strewn around her pastel-pink room.

How she ever lured men back to this princess cave was a mystery. Correction—Lucy only had to look at Becca’s body and remember why guys catered to her particular brand of crazy.

“That’s what you’re wearing? Jeans and a T-shirt? Shit.” Becca scrabbled at the zipper on the back of her sequined dress and kicked out of the heels, spinning in circles. Lucy put her hands on Becca’s shoulders, looking her in the eye.

“It’s just the Electric Lounge. It’s burgers and beers, and maybe some drinks after, right?” Lucy nodded, seeing a bit of realization come into Becca’s eyes, and gently turned her around to help unzip the silky bit of gown. Becca pulled it over her head, and threw herself down at the vanity to curl a thick strand of hair.

“You’re so lucky to be pretty without trying, Lucy.”

Lucy snorted, digging into the overflowing dresser for an appropriate T-shirt. “I try, Becca. But thank you, my love, it’s always nice to hear.”

Just another reason she adored her nutball cousin. Even if she was a fruit loop to other people, they stuck together. It was just them and Aunt Ruby against the world.

“No, I’m serious, Lucy. You have that hot bod.”

“I work out all the time.”

“You have a great job.”

“But no college degree.”

“And you’re tall.” Becca sighed the word
tall
, like it was magic.

“Well, yeah. I guess I am, compared to you.”

Lucy shoved a few stuffed animals off Becca’s bed, and sat back to wait for her cousin to finish changing. She slid into her jeans, tugged on the T-shirt and boots and belted her pea coat before dabbing on a last bit of eye glitter. Lucy picked up the fallen stuffed unicorn. There, in the corner, laid a big stack of brand-new gaming equipment, a console, a pile of games, a few different controller options. Becca was all ready for Andy to be her True Love, and they hadn’t even gone out yet. Typical Becca. This had to stop, and Andy would have to be the one to pull back, since Becca had no restraint.

She rolled her eyes and followed her glittery cousin out. If the girl wasn’t a fantastic pediatric ICU nurse, she’d be an awesome stripper, with her silly outfits and glitter.

* * *

They hurried to the restaurant, right on time to sit at the bar and wait. Dell introduced himself politely to Becca, greeted Lucy with a kiss on the cheek and bought them both a drink while they made idle chitchat and waited for Andy.

“How was work today?” He helped her out of her jacket.

“Fine. Christmas prep is starting to roll in, so I’ll have to pull some staff to help me set up at night, but it should be good. How about you?”

“I had a good day. We’re setting up our spring/summer programs and my third-grade boys’ team is really coming along.”

Dell worked at the YMCA, coaching boys’ sports from daycare up through High School. And he was great with kids. Lucy reminded herself Dell was a fantastic guy.

He droned on for a while about the grade levels and basketball challenges, and Lucy tried to keep her head in the conversation. She glanced at her watch. Andy was about ten minutes late. Becca’s shoulders began to slouch, and her heart went out to her cousin. Not only was Andy a player, he stood up Becca. Now he needed a lesson on manners too.

Just as she was about to interrupt Dell’s discussion on adjusting the free-throw line for the littler kids to suggest they sit and eat, she noticed Andy standing outside, gesturing angrily at his cell phone.

She frowned. What
was
his story? He brushed his hand through his windblown hair and glanced up, catching her eye.

Staring at him for a moment, Lucy felt her whole body tingle with adrenaline. She was going to make him squirm. For once, she had the opportunity to stop heartbreak before it happened.

Becca leaped out of her chair as he opened the doors. She attached herself to Andy’s side. He tripped over her as she made introductions.

His face registered surprise at seeing her. It wasn’t quite the oh-shit moment she was looking for, but it would do.

Lucy opened her mouth and arched an eyebrow, ready to blast him with a sharp comment. She had tried out so many retorts in the mirror, waiting for this moment, she wasn’t sure which one would pop out. But Andy got the first word in.

“Lucy. Hey, so great to see you again.” His smile was warm and friendly as he pulled her close for a casual one-armed hug.

That took the steam out of her sails. “Well, it doesn’t appear you’ve been short on company.” Damn him. That wasn’t as stinging as it should have been. “C’mon, let’s sit, I’m starving and you’re late.”

Crap, now she just sounded peevish. Regrouping, she took a deep breath as the hostess sat them.

“So you guys have already met?” Dell asked.

“We ran into each other in the laundry room.”

“It turns out I ran out of dryer sheets, and Lucy had a few to spare. And I think you still owe me a few quarters, don’t you?” Andy put his coat on the back of his chair before sitting. Lucy gave her head a sharp shake, glaring at him again.
You lying liar apartment complex hoochie man.

“Oh, Andy, you are just so friendly,” Becca enthused.

“Yeah,
really
friendly, Andy.” Lucy pinched her lips together.

He had the grace to look confused. “So, how do you guys all know each other?” He shifted away from Becca who had scooted her chair closer to his, pressing her arm against him.

“Lucy’s my cousin, and just about my best friend in the whole world.” Becca smiled at her, and Lucy relaxed. That’s right, they stood up for each other.

She glanced at Dell. “Dell and I met, gosh, maybe two weeks ago? He came into Sports Authority asking for a donation of basketballs. He works at the YMCA.” She tried to keep the point of him having a
job
from making her voice snide.

“Yep,” continued Dell. “I went in asking for a donation, I walked out with a dozen balls and Lucy’s phone number. It was win-win.”

She cringed at the win-win comment.

Andy’s glance pinned her to her chair. “Win-win, huh.”

He tipped his head to read the menu, squinting and moving it in and out. “I can’t see for shit anymore,” he murmured, pulling a pair of glasses out of his jacket pocket.

Reading glasses made him look older, more attractive, if that was possible.
Gigolo, and a lying liar
, she reminded herself.

But the glasses didn’t really fit in with his slacker image. He looked like a professor, in a sexy sort of intellectual way. Not that she went for that sort of thing, she reminded herself.

“So do you guys game at all?” Andy asked after the waitress left with their orders, tucking his glasses back into his jacket pocket.

“Game? Yeah, I have a great pickup game set up on Thursdays at the gym.” Dell perked up.

“Oh. I meant video games.”

“I play some video games too,” Dell replied. “I play a little bit of Halo now and then, and I like to stay on top of what the kids are playing. It helps them open up to me, if we can strike up a conversation about gaming.” Dell leaned back in his chair, dropping an arm around the back of Lucy’s chair. The weight irritated her, and she tried not to squirm out from under it. They really weren’t at the casual touching part of their relationship yet. And with Andy watching her so intently, it was unnerving.