Learning the Hard Way Page 4

  “I would make the fire department’s job even tougher if I ran into any of the homes because then they would have to worry about saving me.” The logic seemed sound.

  Dr. Wunderlund shook his head. “Think about this. The decision to do nothing versus the one to take action.”

  She cleared her throat. “I’m not one of your students, Doctor. You mentioned something about a function.”

  He headed to the door, then turned. “Yes, there’s an awards ceremony for all department heads and the dean in two weeks.” He reached into his other pants pocket and pulled out an invitation. He threw the card on Ava’s desk.

  She allowed it to sit there, face up and upside down. She wouldn’t touch it until he left.

  “I’m not going to go. It would really grind their gears and get them thinking about your potential if you showed in my place.”

  Ava’s heart pounded as she reached for the invite.

  “It’s formal dress. It’ll be at the new art center downtown.”

  She stared at the gold lettering over the linen card.

  “So you’ll go?” He leaned against the door jamb.

  Ava broke her stare from the card to glance at him. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Don’t think. Go.” Dr. Wunderlund started to walk away.

  “Should I bring a date?” She really hadn’t considered bringing a date until a different man, someone other than Richard, popped into her thoughts this time. The reason she decided to go out with a student—well, an ex-student—stemmed from a bad past encounter with a colleague.

  “I’ve been married forty years and my wife has yet to attend a work function with me. Not necessary. Stand strong alone.” He winked and headed to the elevator.

  On the one hand, the prospect of going to this university party tickled Ava in her stomach. She would know firsthand what it would be like to be a department head. Going to the party would have her confronting all sorts of demons from her past.

  Stand strong? Sounded good. With the humiliation of Richard’s infidelity so fresh, and the idea of seeing a past failed relationship face-to-face, getting a date seemed like a great idea.

  Now that she no longer had Richard, she had been dateless. Wait. What was she thinking? She never had Richard. Richard had had her and Dina and Vonda and a whole host of other women. For that reason alone, Ava was owed a good time. She couldn’t let her past get the better of her, that she couldn’t date anyone else after him.

  Now the problem: where would she find a date in two weeks?

  * * * *

  Just as Troy suspected, students filled the hallways in the building where he had his classes. Heading to his last class of the day, he adjusted his backpack on his one shoulder.

  “You know, you should really put your pack on correctly to distribute the weight evenly.”

  Troy turned to where he heard the squeaky female voice. A young female student tugged on her ratty hair bun on top of her head as she attempted to get around him to go into the same classroom.

  “Thanks for the advice. I’ll remember that.”

  She had already ducked into the room and assumed a seat in front of the class. Instinct had Troy’s feet moving to the back of the class. His poor eyesight and sorry hearing, however, nudged him to the front of the class next to Miss Know-It-All.

  He set his heavy bag on the floor next to him and pulled out his book and a notebook. Looking behind him, he noticed most of the students had mini tablets on their desks. God, he felt old.

  “What are you doing here?” the young woman asked him.

  Troy glanced at his watch then looked around the room. “This is Sex and Ethics, right?”

  “Yes, but aren’t you the professor? I thought with your age—”

  One punch in the gut.

  “And the way your carried your bag—”

  Another body blow.

  “That you were just testing us.”

  Troy shook his head. “Nope. Just an old guy who apparently is out of touch.”

  “Oh. You still shouldn’t carry your backpack that way.” She shook her head.

  “Thanks for the unsolicited advice.” He nodded to keep her quiet.

  “Why are you carrying books anyway? Most classes offer their reading materials in e-book formats.” To illustrate her point, she pulled out a tablet and punched up the same book Troy had already purchased.

  “What can I say? I like it old school.” Nothing like putting hand to paper, highlighting what he needed, and dog-ear bookmarking pages as needed.

  She held out her hand. “My name’s Maggie.”

  With great reluctance, he shook it. “Troy.”

  “Um, well, my parents always taught me to respect my elders. I should call you Mr.—”

  At that moment, Dr. Kushnell walked into the room. Thank God for small miracles. Maggie turned to the front of the class, and Troy had a great view.

  Although he liked her in her tiny shorts and transparent tank top, today she fit the role of university professor. She had her hair in her standard bun. She wore a cobalt blue button-down shirt, a black cardigan despite the sweltering heat, and black slacks. This woman stayed wound up no matter what the season.

  A good session with a paddle or whip could calm her down. It always surprised Troy how the submissives he played with became so calm after a hard play session.

  “Good evening.” She sat her briefcase on the desk in front of the class. “I’m Dr. Kushnell. If you’re here, then you must be registered for Sex and Ethics. I’ll give you an opportunity to leave quietly if this isn’t your class.” She scanned the room but never connected her gaze to Troy’s.

  Troy peered over his shoulder. No one moved. Hell, even if he had sat in the wrong class, he would have stayed just to stare at her. Although her plain pants carried no adornments, the garment hugged her body like a second skin.

  “I’m firm,” Dr. Kushnell began as she handed out the syllabus.

  “Yes, you are,” a young male student uttered from the back of the class, causing a ripple of laughter from most of the male students.

  Call it wisdom from age, but Troy knew better than to crack a smile at that crass comment…even if he thought the same thing.

  Dr. Kushnell cleared her throat. “As I was saying, since this is a summer semester, the work I demand will be intense. You may find after the first week that the pace is too much for you to maintain. Trust me. I will not make it easy on you.”

  In her entire diatribe, she never once looked at Troy. That didn’t stop him from wondering if she thought of him as much as he started to fantasize about her. How would she respond if he paddled her ass? Would she like to be bound to a St. Andrew’s cross and have him do unspeakable things to her body?

  “If you have questions or problems, I’m available during class, in my office or by e-mail. My office hours and e-mail address are listed on the syllabus.” She strolled in front of the desk in the class. “I’m not available at any time outside of those parameters.”

  At that statement, she glared at Troy, the only time she looked at him since entering the classroom. Point made.

  Maggie leaned toward Troy when Dr. Kushnell turned away from them. “Looks like she knows you need her.”

  “What?” Troy broke from staring at her backside to give his attention to his classmate.

  “Too bad you can only get help from her in class or during her office hours.” Maggie shrugged.

  Although not talking about the same thing, even Maggie knew that this sexy woman didn’t want a thing to do with Troy outside of the classroom. Talk about stubborn. Then again, Troy had settled in his mind that he didn’t need to get involved with anyone right now. Dr. Kushnell just made it even easier to stick to his guns.

  “Let’s get started,” Dr. Kushnell said.

  Indeed. Troy needed to start living again.

  Chapter Three

  “Help.” Ava plopped down on her bed as she pressed the phone to her ear.

  “What�
��s going on? Someone bothering you?” Dina’s lighthearted voice shifted in timbre to something more serious, like she had gone into detective mode.

  “No, no. Put the gun away.” Although Ava meant that figuratively, she thought she heard a drawer opening and closing over the phone. “I had a very frank discussion with the current department head.” Ava told her the dilemma that faced her about the university party and possibly attending without a date.

  “Wait, we need to three-way this conversation.”

  Before Ava could stop her, Dina had the other member of their sex-laden group included in their discussion.

  “The fix is easy,” Vonda began. “Go to the party stag.”

  “No.” Dina chimed in. “We’ve all talked about moving on after Richard. This would be the perfect time to get the rebound man, especially since there’s a past dude that could show up. Do you want to talk about it?”

  Ava shook her head as though her phone pals could see her. Then she answered, “Um, no.”

  Dina said, “Just pick a guy. Any guy. But you need to go to that party on the arm of a hot piece of ass.”

  A smile tugged at the corner of Ava’s mouth. Thank God the other three couldn’t see her. She had a sexy prospect in mind. Too bad she couldn’t date him even after he had approached her.

  “I know a lot of single cops but I wouldn’t throw one at you even if it was for just one lay.” Dina chuckled.

  “Yeah, at least not until Miss Dee has gone through them first,” Vonda laughed even harder.

  “Fuck you, V.”

  “I don’t know any single guys,” Vonda said. “If I did, I would be dating them.”

  “No, Ava, I think what you need is a bit of strange.” Dina complemented her statement with a salacious chuckle.

  Dina’s statement and laugh made Ava blink. “What are you talking about? A bit of strange?” She kicked off her black pumps and brought her feet up on her bed.

  “The unknown dick to rock your world.” Dina’s drilled down the statement into something understandable if not crude.

  “No, she’s a professor. She can’t just get some arbitrary man like some loser pool boy or something. He’s got to be of her standard,” Vonda said.

  “Oh no, honey. I think she needs down and dirty.” Ava could almost see Dina nodding with her normal twinkle in her eyes. “When was the last time you went to the gym?”

  “Excuse me?” Ava glanced at her thighs, thinking her friend alluded that she needed to do some toning up first before embarking on the manhunt.

  Dina continued. “You can find a lot of hot, fit, single men at the gym.”

  “Dina’s right. But some of those guys take steroids so their dicks are—”

  Ava cut off Vonda before they could venture down another penis debate. “Look, all I really want to know is should I go to the party with or without a date?”

  At the same time the ladies said, “With.”

  “Vonda?” Ava unbuttoned her shirt cuffs and relieved the top two buttons on her shirt of their duties. “I thought you were all for me going alone, looking strong and independent on my own.”

  “Now I’m with Dina. You should have an attractive date with you. You know the other professors there will have someone on their arms. Why not you, too? Show them that not only are you competent, but also that you’re a vibrant woman with needs and desires.”

  “I think it’s crazy that in this day and age, I should care about what anyone thinks about me. It’s ludicrous. I’m better than that. I should date on my terms, no one else’s.”

  Yes, Ava’s argument sounded plausible. She delivered the message in a convincing manner. Something needed to prompt her love life again.

  A pause lingered before Ava spoke. “I do have to admit, Dee, you were right about something.”

  “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

  “You said I should get loose, let my hair down, dance in my office. It worked. As soon as I stripped down into that outfit and danced my butt off, the department head came to see me about the party.” Ava would leave out the part with Mr. Troy Whitten.

  “That’s great.”

  Ava heard the applause through the phone.

  “Way to go.” Vonda echoed.

  “But there’s more, isn’t it?” Leave it to a detective to see through Ava’s smokescreen.

  Ava cleared her throat and undid the rest of the buttons on her shirt. “A man came to my office.”

  Both friends released a juvenile howling noise that raised the hairs on the back of Ava’s neck.

  “And was this man doable?” Dina asked.

  “Dee.” Vonda tsked.

  “Hey, I can ask.”

  “Completely,” Ava said as the two women bickered.

  “So did you ask him out?” Dina inquired.

  “Actually, he asked me out for coffee.” Ava rubbed the back of her neck.

  “Ohh, bring him to Vonda’s place so we can take a look at him.” Dina giggled like a schoolgirl.

  “That’s where he wanted to take me.”

  “Wanted? What do you mean?” Dina pressed.

  “I turned him down.” Ava’s stomach twitched at her admission.

  The silence on the phone almost sounded like every one of the ladies disconnected the call at once.

  “Why the hell did you do that?” Dina couldn’t hide her irritation in her voice.

  “He’s one of my new students. I’m not going down that path again.” Ava shook her head.

  No matter how incredibly sexy she found Troy Whitten, she wouldn’t be repeating the same mistake she’d made with Richard, even if Troy dropped out of her class.

  “I can dig it, Ava. Stick to your guns.” Vonda’s voice softened. “But I do have an idea.”

  “What’s that?” Ava stood and undid her skirt.

  “Escort service.”

  Dina groaned.

  “No, no way,” Ava began. “For the same reason I can’t just date some indiscriminate guy or one of my students, I shouldn’t go out with a paid escort. It’s sleazy.”

  “As someone in law enforcement, I would discourage you from using a service like that.”

  “Thank you.” Ava imagined the self-satisfied smile on Dina’s face right now.

  “However,” Dina paused for heightened drama, “there are reputable services out there where the guys aren’t all on the make, trying to bag a rich, lonely, desperate woman.”

  “Wow. Thanks. Makes me feel good.” Ava stared at her reflection in her floor-length mirror. Wearing her standard high-waist white panties and minimizer bra, she did fit the profile of a spinster.

  “When is this shindig?” Vonda asked.

  “Next Saturday night. Why?”

  “Okay, Dee, here’s what we’ll do. You and I will find the guy for Ava and we’ll set everything up.” The excitement returned to Vonda’s voice.

  “No, no. Don’t do that.” Ava shook her head as she resumed her seated position on her bed.

  “Why not? If we arrange it and things go south, you won’t be implicated. If anyone finds out about him, you can say honestly that you were set up on the date by your friends and had no idea what the guy did for a living. It’s the truth.” Dina knew how to weave a good, if not honest, story.

  “I don’t know.” Ava held the phone to her ear using her shoulder and started to wring her hands.

  In a lowered tone, Dina said, “How much you want to bet that she’s wringing her poor hands right now?”

  As though she was being watched, Ava held the phone again in one hand and sat the other on her bed. “This is crazy. Will this guy be expecting something?”

  “What do you mean?” Ava heard Dina typing on her computer.

  “I don’t know.” Ava whispered this time. “Sex.”

  “If he’s hot, fuck him.” Vonda’s immediate reply came with a growl.

  “But don’t pay him for it. That’s prostitution.” Dina couldn’t leave that detective side of herself.

  “And for G
od’s sake. Make him wear a condom.” Vonda laughed.

  “Vonda, I can’t believe your stance on this.” Ava stretched her legs out in front of her and pressed her back against the headboard.

  “We all deserve to get a little something-something after Richard, right? He can’t be the only player out there. It would be nice to see the table turn for us for a change. So why not?”

  Ava took a deep breath. “Just don’t set me up with anyone crazy or demented.”

  “We won’t,” Dina and Vonda said at the same time.

  “And, Ava, don’t feel obligated to give the guy a happy ending, got it? If it happens, great. If not, don’t push it. Just go and have a good time.” Vonda sounded more like a mother than a friend right now.

  “I should give you guys some money or something for this, right?”

  “If we find the right guy, consider it a gift on us,” Vonda said.

  “I expect some sort of payment,” Dina quickly followed. “If anything happens with you and this guy, I want blow-by-blow details of the date, got it?”

  Ava laughed. “Got it. But don’t expect to hear much. The event is formal so he’ll need a tux.”

  “We’ll take care of it,” Dina said. “Just tell us a time he should meet you.”

  “I have a cousin that owns a limo service. I’ll have her send one out to pick you two up, that way the guy won’t have to know where you live.” Vonda sighed in satisfaction.

  “Looks like you all covered everything.” Ava could have used friends like these a long time ago. Keeping her head buried in books for most of her life prevented her from making any kinds of friendships, especially not lasting ones.

  “Not everything.” Vonda waited a beat before continuing. “Um, Miss Ava, when was the last time you had your va-jay-jay waxed?”

  Ava gasped.

  “Hey, if she’s going to do it, she had better be prepared.” Her new friend cackled and it didn’t sound so cute anymore.

  “She’ll need new underwear, too,” Dina said.

  Were these women looking at her right now?

  “Let’s just make a day of it. Shop for a new dress, makeup, hair, nails, the works.” Vonda got that giddy teenager voice again. “Next Saturday morning, ladies?”