Page 185 of Stranger to Love

A fierce, overwhelming surge of love flooded my chest. Holly let out a high-pitched, ecstatic squeal that echoed off the ceiling, causing several students to snap their heads around.

I immediately masked my expression, lifting my chin to shoot their table a sharp, cool, authoritative warning glare. Holly didn't care in the slightest. "So, what’s her name?"

Alex’s eyes locked onto mine, a brilliant, challenging glint in their depths. "Her name is Carrie."

"Oh, that’s a nice name," Holly gushed, entirely blind to the fact that the woman she was talking about was currently stepping away from the podium to inspect her worksheet.

I glided over to their desk, the subtle scent of my perfume washing over Alex. I didn't utter a word, but as I leaned over to review her notes, I looked straight into her eyes. It was a deep, unhurried gaze meant to convey a single, absolute truth: I heard every word, and I am so hopelessly in love with you.

The seminar concluded, and the room drained of its colour and noise. Alex stayed behind, lingering by the door to bid Holly goodbye before turning back to me. She strolled up to my desk, her hips swaying with a casual, provocative confidence that told me she wanted to play.

"Dr. Carter," she said, her voice dripping with sweet, deliberate honey. "You look particularly nice today. That dress is... very professional."

I kept my eyes on my laptop for a beat longer, acutely aware that the classroom door was still wide open. She was dancing right on the edge of a very strict boundary. I shut the laptop with a decisive, commanding click, standing slowly to bring myself to my full height. I leaned across the desk, lowering my voice to that velvety, dangerous register that I knew made her knees turn to jelly.

"Control yourself, Alex," I murmured, my eyes pinning her to the spot. "Unless you’d like to spend the rest of the afternoon in the library under my direct supervision. You are a student in this building, and you will behave like one."

The bratty smirk vanished from her face, replaced by a dazed, breathless smile. Safe. Submissive. Perfectly placed.

My expression softened, letting the strict academic mask slip just enough for her to see the woman underneath. "Since you didn't make your own way in today, darling, make sure you meet me at the faculty car park at exactly 6:15 p.m. Not a minute later."

I slid the strap of my leather satchel over my shoulder and brushed past her, ensuring the trail of my perfume left a distinct challenge in the air. As I reached the threshold, I glanced back over my shoulder, a wicked glint in my eyes.

"I believe your Mommy has some 'tending' to do tonight," I breathed, pitched perfectly for her ears alone. "And I’d hate to be late for our new seven o'clock rule."

At exactly 6:15 p.m., she appeared. The moment she stepped into my radius, I wrapped an arm securely around her waist, pulling her flush against my side to press a soft, lingering kiss to her lips.

"Ready to go home, darling?"

"Yeah, baby," she smiled, melting into my touch. "More than ready."

We began navigating the gravel toward my car when a sharp, aggressive exchange of voices broke the quiet of the faculty lot. Fifty feet away, past a row of sedans and SUVs, I spotted Ms. Davies.

And standing entirely too close to her was Mr. Hubbard.

Alex froze beside me. Hubbard was an insufferable, arrogant brute—a lecturer whose minor tenure had given him the delusional impression that he could treat female staff like conquests. I felt Alex’s posture turn rigid as she watched the dynamic unfold. Billie was backed against a parked vehicle, her hand extended like a fragile shield, while Hubbard wore an oily, predatory grin, encroaching on her personal space.

Before I could even formulate a strategy, Alex moved.

She didn't ask for permission. She didn't look back at me. Her stride was heavy, purposeful, and entirely fearless as she stormed directly into the fray. I watched with a mixture of intense pride and a dark, boiling rage as my girl stepped squarely into Hubbard’s space, forcing him to stumble back as she shielded Billie with her own body.

"Hey, Blondie," Alex whispered, giving Billie a calm, steadying smile.

I closed the distance behind them, my heels clicking like a death knell on the gravel. Hubbard’s oily bravado completely evaporated the moment he looked past Alex and met my eyes. I radiated a cold, lethal fury that had him frantically trying to piece his professional reputation back together.

"Where’s your car?" Alex asked firmly, ignoring the man entirely.

"It’s... it’s over there," Billie stammered, her eyes darting nervously between us.

"Well," Alex said, offering her hand with a grace that made my chest ache, "would you do me the honour of letting me walk you to your car?"

Hubbard didn't even attempt to speak. He read the absolute, unmitigated promise of destruction in my gaze and immediately began a cowardly retreat toward the faculty building.

"Let's get you to your car, Ms. Davies," I said, keeping my voice commanding yet deliberately gentle.

As we walked, Billie reached out and gripped Alex’s hand so tightly her knuckles turned white. Alex didn't pull away. She looked over at me, searching my face for a flash of possessiveness, but she found none. There was a time for our private games, and there was a time for honour. Right then, my girl was being an anchor for someone who desperately needed the ground beneath her feet.

Once Billie was safely locked inside her vehicle, she cracked the window. "Thank you, Dr. Carter. And Alex... thank you."