Colette frowned. Things were not going the way she’d hoped. She needed some serious research experience, and she hoped to obtain a glowing recommendation from Professor McGill.

She really wished someone had told her about all this before she spent the first three years of college funneling beer and hanging out with frat boys. She was in a mess.

If Professor McGill wasn’t going to be able to help her, she had no idea what she could do. All her options had disappeared, and she felt as if the walls were closing in on her. Tears began to well up in her eyes.

The professor peered over his glasses at her. “Is there anything else?”

He seemed so eager to get rid of her as he sat there in his button-down shirt, all serious and mature. Much more mature than any of the boys she’d dated. This man operated on a different wave length than the party boys she knew.

The combination of his blunt rejection of both her presence and her offer to do more research sent her unshed tears spilling down her cheeks.

When he saw she was crying, he searched the room for some tissues. Retrieving some from a table in the center of the room, he handed her the box.

She dabbed her eyes and sniffled. “Thanks, that’s sweet of you. I’m okay. Sorry about that.”

“What’s the matter?” he looked both concerned and horrified, like he’d never had a crying girl in his office before, and he had no idea what to do.

“I’m just having a difficult time. I’ve been rejected by all the grad schools I’ve applied to, and I guess the pressure is getting to me.”

“Why don’t you sit down?” He gestured to a couch that was covered with books and papers. Seeing there wasn’t room for anyone to sit there, he started moving the books and papers to the table where the tissues had been. “Sorry about the mess.”

“That’s okay,” she said sitting down. She understood. Her bedroom was a disaster area.

He sat beside her. “I wish I had more work on the research project for you, but we won’t be moving onto the next phase until fall, and I already have the people in place I need.”

She nodded, suddenly aware that his thigh was centimeters from touching hers. His biceps bulged against the fabric of his shirt, and she wondered how she could have missed noticing how muscular he was when she’d been in his class. Maybe he’d started working out since then.

He continued to talk about his research, but she was distracted by how hot he looked with those studious glasses and his sexy Van Dyke beard. When she had been a student in his class, Colette had daydreamed about Professor McGill all through class and whenever she passed him in the hallways. She’d wondered what it would be like to kiss him and to feel his beard tickle her chin.

Then something inside her snapped. All the desperation, all the rejections, all the uncertainty she faced came crashing down on her, and as she watched his delicious lips move while he talked, she recognized an opportunity.

Feeling like she had nothing to lose, she leaned over and pressed her lips to his.

He grabbed her upper arms, and she thought he was going to push her away. Instead, he responded to her kiss.

Forwardly, her tongue darted between his lips, and he began to explore her mouth, a short groan springing forth from his throat.

Emboldened by his reaction to her advances, Colette placed a hand on top of his thigh, her heart beating faster in her chest. She allowed her hand to travel up his leg and rest on his crotch. The bulge in his pants was clear evidence that he found her attractive.

Colette slid onto the floor, positioning herself between his knees. Her blue eyes met his green ones. “I really appreciate you letting me work on your project,” she fawned, deciding if she kept talking, perhaps he wouldn’t send her away. Easier to talk about his blasted research project than what was happening between them. “You really have been helpful.” “I’m glad,” he choked out looking a bit dazed.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. What if he pulled away? Or worse, what if he kicked her out of his office? Reported her to the dean?

Remembering that he’d kissed her back, Colette summoned all her courage before reaching up and tugging at the zipper on his pants.