The Professor’s Holiday Surprise (Cam Show Crush #1)

5. Noah

Chapter 5

Noah

“And here’s the last slide for today. A reminder about our practical labs. There are three scheduled over the next two weeks. You can attend all three if you wish, but they are optional, and intended for you to get extra documentation time if your plants need extra time. They will all be assessed using a 360 model, with self, peer, and supervisor notes from the lab teacher on duty that day. So if you could use a few more marks for lab technique, then attending all three and getting those checkmarks might be worthwhile!”

That gets me the laugh it’s intended to. I take that beat to scan the seats again, wondering why Paisley isn’t here.

“After you have completed your practical lab, you will need to write up a formal report and submit that before your final exam. I will be available in regular office hours and by email if you have any questions.” I give the full classroom a reassuring smile. “You’ve all been very diligent this term. Apply everything you’ve learned so far and you’ll do just fine on the final assessments. Class dismissed.”

The clatter that follows quickly grows into a din of noise, but even through all that, I hear her name.

“Did you catch the second point he made about monoecious versus dioecious plants? I was taking notes for Paisley and missed it.”

“That’s the flower vs the sex difference. Umm?—”

I stride over to those two students. “The slides are posted on the class site already.”

“Oh! Right.” They both look slightly embarrassed.

I move on to the most important point. “Is Paisley sick?”

They exchange a look. “I think just…behind on work? She’s here. Upstairs on the third floor. She was working on her computer and said she couldn’t come down.”

There is no way that my star pupil is behind on work. I grab my computer bag and head up the closest stairwell, two steps at a time.

Paisley is always the first student to walk through the classroom door. But today I didn’t get the update I’d been craving about how her other classes are going. I didn’t get to just see her and listen to her voice. Bask in her sunshine.

If she deprived me of that, it must have been for a good reason. Maybe she’s helping a classmate.

I frown at another thought. Maybe one of my colleagues has been too harsh on her.

Fuck.

I speed up, taking the last flight of stairs three at a time.

There are some study desks in an open space at the near end of this floor, but she’s not at any of them. I stride down the corridor, and it’s not until I see a denim-clad knee peeking out from a deep window seat at the end of the hall that I realize I’ve been holding my breath.

I close the distance between us, then lean against the wall by her feet. Her head is bopping along, to music I assume, although she only has one earphone in.

When she doesn’t look up from her computer right away, I adjust my glasses, then cross my arms over my chest, and say, “I missed you in class today, Paisley. Whose ass do I have to chew out for that?”

She jumps. “Dr. Lowry!”

She glances up as she says my name, but then immediately looks back at her computer, her cheeks turning red.

“I was worried you were sick. But now I suspect someone has made you feel like their work should be your priority during my class time.”

Fumbling a bit, she shoves her computer in her backpack. “That’s not it. I’m sorry I missed.”

As she zips up her bag, her wireless earbud falls out.

I lean over and swipe it up off the floor to hand back to her. “What are you listening to?”

“Christmas music. Thanks.”

Her fingers only brush my palm for a split-second, but it’s enough to send a possessive spark racing up my arm. I want to catch her wrist and pull her close.

Instead, I simply fall into step beside her as she hurries toward the stairwell. “You know, I’m not sure I trust the note-taking skills of your classmates.”

“The slides are on the class site,” she says. “Can I email you if I have any questions?”

“Of course.” I get in front of her and hold the door open. “I have office hours now, if you?—”

“I’m sorry, I can’t. But I will email you. Thank you.”

And then she takes off running down the stairs.

I start to follow her again, because what the fuck, but then I hear my name called from behind me.

“Noah?”

Fuck .

Turning around, I give a short nod to my department chair. He’s a nice enough guy, about a decade older than me, but a stickler for the rules.

Chasing down a student who gives me hard-ons is definitely against the rules.

“Chris,” I say politely. “What’s up?”

“I heard a kerfuffle.”

“Did you?” I glance around. “No kerfuffle here.”

“Must have imagined it.” He scratches his jaw. “Hey, do you have a minute to talk about the new extension program we’re proposing?”

Swallowing my frustration, I nod. “In your office?”

Figuring out what’s wrong with Paisley is going to have to wait until the next opportunity to talk to her.