Cade (Alexander Shifter Brothers Book 2) Page 13

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  Please take a look at the Table of Contents to see what to read next.

  Bear Shifter Romance Collection

  Part I

  Bear Attack

  Shifter Romance

  About the Book

  Sydney and Paul cannot deny the spark that flies between the two of them like an electric current. When she hears his voice, her heart skips a beat. When Paul sees Sydney, he can’t help but smile. And besides the fact that they come from two different worlds, there’s also a vicious secret keeping them from being together. In the end, will their fire for each other be enough to sustain their relationship or will Paul’s dark secrets prove too much for Sydney to handle?

  Their love is forbidden, after all she’s his professor, and he’s her student. Not to mention, their age difference is also a point of criticism, since he’s still in his twenties, and she’s in her early thirties. And then there’s the fact that she comes from a prominent family while he barely knows his own. But they share one thing in common: A deep all-consuming desire to be with one another, despite the fact that they’re not exactly each other’s perfect match. But who needs perfect when you have fiery lust? When all is said and done, will that be good enough?

  Chapter One

  I kept my knees pressed tightly together as I listened to him talk. There was something about his voice, the cadence of it that sent goosebumps up my arms whenever he spoke and made other parts of my body hot for his attention. His voice made me think of how many nights I spent alone, when I could instead be with a man who excited me. A man like him. His voice, his mere presence, aroused me, I was embarrassed to admit. After all, I was his instructor, and he was my student. And while he was busy giving a presentation on mythical figures in Chinese history; I hadn’t been paying attention to a word he’d said, which was pretty unacceptable. Sydney get it together, you’re a professional, I told myself. I finally focused on the words actually coming from his mouth as he concluded his presentation and the class began to applaud. All my students were in their mid-twenties, currently in the process of earning their master’s degrees and were from different disciplines, hence their topics were always diverse and interesting. From the part I caught at the end, I realized that Paul’s presentation most likely had been the best of them all and if my mind hadn’t been in the gutter, I probably would have enjoyed it.

  “Paul, thank you very much for such a fine presentation,” I said. He smiled at me in that friendly open manner of his. It was odd that I felt so attracted to him. He wasn’t my type, really. I liked the clean cut, nerdy, academic type who wore blazers and tweed hats. I know it sounded like I dated caricatures of men in academia, but that’s what all my boyfriends in my adult years looked like. Paul was the absolute opposite. He had a beard and even though it was expertly manicured, there was still something about it that made him look outdoorsy, as if he would be more comfortable in the mountains hiking than in a classroom presenting. He also kept his hair just a bit too long for my liking, but I felt myself wanting to reach out and touch his dark-brown curly locks whenever he was within distance. And then there was the rest of his body. He was tall, that was for sure, at least 6’5’’ with broad shoulders, and chiseled abs that I had accidentally seen when he was stretching in class one day, and long strong legs. Unlike most guys, he wasn’t just powerfully built at the top. No. Paul’s thighs were the size of two of mine put together, making me wonder if he ran track when he was younger.

  I cleared my throat and narrowed my eyes at the class, as if I were thinking of something important, when instead, I was giving myself time to clear my mind of my wayward lust-filled thoughts.

  “Were there any questions?”

  No one said a word and I shrugged and said to Paul, “Well then, I guess you can take a seat.”

  I wrapped up class, knowing that everyone was tired and we could continue the remaining presentations the next day. A few stragglers stayed behind to ask me questions and I was grateful for their presence given that Paul was still there, leaning against the wall with his legs folded across each other at the ankles, seemingly waiting for me. He held his backpack in one hand and I could feel his eyes on me the entire time. When the other students were gone, I didn’t immediately acknowledge him. Instead, I wasted as much time as possible, erasing the white board and packing my things.

  “Need some help?” Paul said, pushing himself away from the wall and crossing the floor in a few long strides. He was suddenly next to me and I didn’t know how to react. He was so close; I could smell him. His aftershave did something to my senses, and then I wondered if it were actually his aftershave or just his natural scent that I was responding so strongly to. I sighed inwardly, this was going to be a long night, I said to myself.

  “What did you think of my presentation? I thought it was a little boring and dry. I’m glad the class paid attention,” he chuckled a little and I felt my cheeks grow warm, even his laugh did funny things to me.

  I was given a respite from responding when he continued, “I’ve never been the best presenter.” He waited for my reply as he cut off the overhead projector and the computer connected to the base of the podium. He then shut down the laptop that each student had been using for their presentation, leaving nothing for me to do but talk to him.

  I bit the inside of my cheek. Don’t be awkward, Sydney. Answer his question.

  I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant as I slipped my leather laptop bag across my shoulders and secured my tablet in it.

  “I guess I would have liked to hear more information about how mythical creatures reflect certain societal ideologies. So mainly, more of a focus on the cultural significance of the creatures and less on the creatures themselves. If that makes sense,” I let my voice trail off, happy to have come up with a lame critique that at least sounded educated. However, truth be told since I had heard nothing but the last ten words of his presentation, he could have discussed the Man on the Moon and I wouldn’t have known.

  He nodded and scratched his chin and then he turned his dark-brown eyes on me, “You’re right.”

  I smiled tightly and shifted my weight from foot to foot, “Well, I’ll see you next Tuesday.”

  He gave me another smile as he turned to walk away. I could have sworn that smile of his held a hint of amusement as he said, “Yep. Thanks, Dr. Gabardi.” He sauntered out of the classroom and I gave a sigh of relief. His presence was wreaking havoc on my nerves. And it wasn’t until he left the room and I had stared at his backside- a bad habit of mine- that I felt I was able to breathe again.

  It was after nine o’clock at night and most of the evening classes had already wrapped up. I looked around the campus, appreciating the beauty of the ivy that covered most of the buildings under the moonlight. It was a full moon and the campus was illuminated. It was parents’ weekend, and I saw a few older teens accompanied by a proud mom and dad as they toured the campus at night. It was a pretty safe campus, so I wasn’t alarmed when I heard a sound emerge from near me.

  I looked in the direction of the sound and then felt a blinding pain up the back of my skull. I hit the ground hard, my head hurting so badly, I couldn’t even see. I was in pain and all I could do was moan. The pain was immobilizing. I felt my body being dragged into the bushes and I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. I was finally able to get one eye open, but that was all. I realized the other one was caked over in blood, probably from when I hit the ground. The pain was receding finally, and I struggled against the hold the person pulling me into the bushes had on my legs. I kicked out with all my might and I heard the person struggle to keep his hands on my legs. He was breathing heavily and apparently he was angry as he abandoned my legs and I saw him lean over me and raise a fist, aiming towards my gut. I screamed then and I heard footsteps heading in our direction. I continued fighting, kicking and punching at him as I screamed. I never saw his face, but then I heard a sickeni
ng thud and realized it was my head hitting the concrete. Searing pain coursed through my head, almost knocking me unconscious. Something large and black loomed over me, and first I heard a scream and then I heard what sounded like a roar, and I assumed it was my own ears ringing, as the next thing I knew everything faded into blackness.

  “Dr. Gabardi?” I heard my name being called from a distance. “Dr. Gabardi, can you hear me? Hello?”

  I blinked once and opened my eyes. I realized that the voice was actually pretty close, as in right next to me. I tried to look around, but my neck hurt. It hurt badly and I realized I must have hurt it when I fell.

  “Oh, thank God, you’re awake,” I heard another voice and I turned towards it. It was my mother and I blinked a few times wondering what happened. Why was she here? Where was I?

  “Mom?” I peered up at her face in confusion and then focused on my surroundings. From the smell of antiseptic chemicals, the beeps of various machines and the fluorescent lighting, I knew I was in the hospital.

  “What am I doing here?” I attempted to sit up again, but she stopped me.

  “Take it easy, honey. You only just got here.”

  I did as I was told, “How did I get here? How did you know I was here?”

  “Paul Jenson saw you being attacked by some wild animal and brought you to the emergency room. He’s still here by the way. Your knight in shining armor.”

  I was too shocked to respond. Paul had saved me? And what wild animal was Paul talking about? I had been attacked by a person. I remembered that perfectly.

  My Mom leaned in towards me and her eyes, a vivid shade of green that matched my own, twinkled mischievously, “And oh gosh, he’s a cutie. He told me that he’s your student. Lucky you, if I had him in my class, I would be reported to the Dean for coming on to him.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. My Mom was a troublemaker and like me; she had a doctorate degree in sociology and worked as a faculty member at a rival university. She also happened to be married to my father for the last thirty-two years, so I was pretty sure she wasn’t planning on hitting on any students. She just liked to say outrageous things to get a response from me, I was sure of it now.

  I giggled like a little girl, not feeling like the thirty-year-old I was and said, “Oh, Mom. Stop. Or I’ll tell Daddy.”

  “Tell me what?” My Dad said entering the room. At fifty-two, he was still a handsome man and I was pretty sure that it was because of all the years he spent working as a carpenter. He came from old-money and had the luxury of doing whatever he wanted. His passion had been using his hands, so he became a carpenter and barely touched his trust-fund. He was now retired, at least that’s what he called sitting on the porch and watching his garden grow.

  “Nothing, Daddy, just Mom misbehaving like usual,” I reassured my father, and Mom winked at me.

  “Where’s Paul? Is he still here?” I asked Mom.

  She shrugged, “I think so. You want me to go out and get him?”

  “No!” I said, not wanting him to see me in a hospital gown, and I was sure parts of me were bruised and swollen. My parents gave me a funny look, not expecting such a forceful refusal. I tried to cover up, saying, “I just think it would be awkward, you know since he’s my student and all.”

  My Dad nodded and Mom shrugged, “Oh well. The doctor said you’re fine, but who knows where that animal came from that attacked you, I mean we’re not that close to the woods. Such a scary occurrence. I wonder what it was.”

  “Probably a bear,” my Dad said with a decisive nod. The more they discussed it the more I thought that maybe they were right and maybe because of the stress of the encounter, my memory was blocking out the details of the trauma of it. Surely it hadn’t been a person who attacked me; it had to have been an animal.

  “Am I free to leave?” I asked. “Yep, you sure are. Do you want me to go get a nurse?”

  “Yeah that would be great.”

  Mom and Dad walked out of the room still trying to decide who was right about what animal had tried to attack me.

  I leaned my head back against the pillow and closed my eyes. I thought I had only had them closed for a second but when I opened them again, dark-brown eyes stared down at me.

  I immediately tried to sit up and Paul reached out his hand and stopped me.

  “I’m glad you’re okay.” He said without preamble, worry still etched across his face. His voice seemed to caress my ears even in my drugged state. I wondered if I was given some sort of tranquilizer. It sure felt like it.

  I said, my voice already slurring, “Thank you for helping me. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t? Did you see the animal that attacked me?”

  He shook his head, “Not exactly. It was dark. I’m pretty sure an animal was involved one way or another.”

  His words were odd to me, but I was getting tired and my mind felt lazy; I didn’t want to question him anymore.

  I guess he could see the exhaustion on my face as he reached out and stroked my straight red hair away from my forehead. His hand felt good against my face and I wanted it to stay there, but suddenly I felt very tired, so tired I could barely keep my eyes open.

  “Go to sleep, Sydney, I’ll see you when you wake up.”

  I reached up to touch his hand and as I did, heat seemed to emanate between us and I held his eyes until I couldn’t keep mine open any longer, slowly releasing his hand as sleep overtook me yet again.

  Chapter Two

  “Hello, everyone!” I said waving to my students as we stepped out of our cars and walked to our trunks to retrieve our luggage. It had been two weeks since my encounter with Paul and the animal that had attacked me. It was still a mystery what type of animal it had been, given that I didn’t have a scratch or bite on me. However, I didn’t dwell on it. When I had woken up again in the hospital, Paul hadn’t been there as he promised and I didn’t see him the next week for class nor the week after that. I had been concerned but had other things to worry about, like the conference where we were presently.

  We had been invited to the conference months earlier and several of my students were presenting their findings, including Paul. It was a three-day overnight stay in a swanky hotel in the mountains and those of my students who could get away, signed up to attend. I figured Paul wouldn’t miss his chance to present findings from his research relating to mythology from across the world, and so I expected him to arrive eventually.

  There were only eight students in my class and they all had my phone number. I was disappointed that I hadn’t heard from Paul. I enjoyed the camaraderie with my students outside the classroom; I felt it improved my relationship with my students, which was important to me.

  I talked excitedly with them about what the conference had in store for us. And while I did so, I kept glancing around them, looking towards the exit, assuming that Paul would eventually show up.

  I didn’t have to wait for long as I heard the only other guy in my class, Corey, yell out, “Paul! What’s up man? We thought you weren’t going to make it.”

  I looked in the direction Corey had turned and smiled at Paul in relief. I couldn’t help myself. He smiled back at me and then the other students gravitated toward him. Paul was so charismatic. He chatted easily with all of them before approaching me.

  “Dr. Gabardi, can I talk to you for a second in private?”

  “Sure,” I said feeling suddenly apprehensive. I didn’t know what he wanted to discuss, but I assumed it was about missing class.

  “Is everything okay, Paul?” I said, trying to keep my voice even as the rest of the class moved towards the center check-in area and received their room keys. The conference was in what was known as hill country. The all-inclusive hotel in the country featured lots of outdoor activities and beautiful hillside views. I figured that’s why all my students had wanted to attend. I let my eyes wander across the landscape while Paul led me away from within earshot of anyone.

  There was a little conference roo
m to our right that was unoccupied, and we ducked into it.

  “Is everything okay?” I asked immediately, being sure that there was sufficient space in between us. That was difficult given that he seemed to shift forward any time I moved away, almost as if we were dancing. Stop fidgeting, Sydney. He’ll think you have some sort of nervous tick or something.

  I stuck my hands in my pockets and rocked back on my heels. I tucked my hair back behind my ears and trained my eyes on him.

  “I had some business to take care of out of town, that’s why I didn’t come to class. I apologize for not contacting you about it, but it came up suddenly and I had to deal with it quickly.”

  I nodded and wanted to ask if everything were okay, but I didn’t want to pry. I had a habit of becoming quite awkward when it came to subjects that I felt were personal. I also wanted to avoid looking into those dark-brown eyes.

  “Well, it’s good to have you back.” I said turning away and stepping towards the conference room doors.

  His next question stopped me, “How are you feeling? After the other night? You hit your head pretty hard. I don’t see any signs of stitches, so I guess you’re better now?” He stepped closer to me, so close that his body was only a few inches away from my own. I attempted to back up and realized that I was up against a wall and could move no further.

  “Do I make you nervous, Dr. Gabardi?” He said, a small smile forming on his face.

  “What? No! I just...errr...” I didn’t know what to say and it didn’t matter; he wasn’t going to give me the opportunity to say anything, that wasn’t in his plans.

  What was in his plans apparently was kissing me as he easily closed the distance between us and lowered his lips to mine.