Chapter 12
The clock on my mantel ticks a slow countdown. She should be back from class soon. I’ll wait a little longer, then go downstairs and talk to her. It’s taken me days to admit it, but Phoenix is right. I shouldn’t block her thesis proposal for my own personal objections.
I also shouldn’t have her schedule memorized. But I do.
I try to tell myself it’s because I’m her advisor, but the lie is harder to believe lately.
There’s something about Madison that’s captivated me since our first meeting.
It was last spring. I’d given an open lecture on the value of archeological research.
Afterwards, she came up to me and told me how much the lecture meant to her.
She mentioned Ocearus, too, and her aunt, April Adams. Before her shocking death, April had been a colleague.
I admired her passion. Madison reminded me of her.
At first, it was easy to tell myself that I was simply looking out for her because of what happened to April. Madison has her aunt’s single-minded focus, but she’s nothing like the older woman I respected.
And I can’t stay away from her.
“You’re going to pace a hole in the rug,” Phoenix says without looking up from the book he’s reading on the mating habits of eels. He’s lounging on the leather couch in my study, where he’s been most of the day.
I’m surprised he’s still here. Usually by now he’s hopped on a ship, gotten someone to fund some outlandish research project, or claimed Sebastian needed him back home.
Yesterday, he got a phone call from Sebastian. Well, he said it was from Sebastian. But he took the call in the other room. I still don’t think the man exists. But I could hear muffled yelling as he talked to whoever was on the other end of the line.
Returning to the window, my gaze drifts toward the quad, and I immediately spot her.
Even if I wasn’t obsessed with her, it would be hard to miss Caspian’s blue hair.
He stands out like a shiny gem among rocks.
They come closer, and I notice he’s wearing more appropriate clothing now.
More casual than the button up and slacks I’m currently dressed in, but these clothes at least fit him.
Madison looks at him like he hung the moon. They pause just outside of our building, talking about something. He moves closer, backing her against the brick wall, and out of my view. I can’t see them now—not without sticking my head out the window. And I refuse to do that.
I’m moving before I stop to think about what I’m doing.
“Where are you going?” Phoenix asks.
“Out.” The door slams loudly behind me. I’ll catch them as they come inside so I can talk to Madison about her thesis.
She should know I’ll approve it, so she can get started.
This will be better than waiting until she comes to class or schedules an appointment.
Plus, I want to ask Caspian about those marks on his hands.
Does he know their connection to Ocearus?
Maybe even something about the city itself?
When I reach the bottom of the stairs, they aren’t there, so I knock on her apartment door.
Her roommate answers. I wish I could remember her name.
Since she’s part of another department, we don’t interact apart from occasionally passing each other in the building.
She’s a petite omega with curly brown hair. Cute, but nothing compared to Madison.
“Is Madison in?” I ask.
“She hasn’t come back from class yet,” the young woman replies, shaking her head.
“I thought—” I bite my tongue. The last thing I want is to admit I was watching Madison out the window. “Would you tell her to schedule an appointment with me during my office hours? Maybe next Monday? I’d like to discuss a change in her thesis.”
“Of course.” She studies me for a long moment. “Is that it?”
“Oh, yes. Thank you.”
The roommate shuts the door. I look at the stairs, knowing I should go back up and leave it at that. Instead, I turn toward the entrance to the building. Are they still right outside? I could use a bit of fresh air. I’ll just set out for a walk. That’s all.
Upon opening the door, I see Madison and Caspian heading toward the path to the cliffs. Is she going to search for clues about Ocearus right now? When I told her not to? Or are they just taking a casual stroll, two lovers out for an afternoon?
Something I don’t really want to examine compels me to follow. I’ll just catch up with them, tell her about the dissertation and my requirements for approving it, then go back to Phoenix. We can treat ourselves to a nice, quiet dinner. Steak, maybe. Wine, definitely.
Woodhurst University isn’t far from the water.
We’re quite lucky because the beach isn’t too long of a walk from campus.
In fact, there is a trail that leads right off this quad, through some trees, then to the winding path that zig-zags down the cliffside to the sand.
The beach is maybe a one mile stretch of openness before it hits more cliffs and caves.
Madison and Caspian stay a good bit ahead of me, of course, because I’m not about to run to catch up. I’m a professor, after all. I’ll meet them on the beach once they stop.
For a few minutes, they’re obscured from my view as the path dips behind a steep outcropping in the cliff face.
When I come out onto the sand, Caspian is shirtless.
Even turned away from me, I can tell he has the physique of a Greek god.
I nearly stumble when I catch a glimpse of his eight-pack abs.
Eight? Does the man live in a gym? Besides the symbols I saw on his hands, he has two solid black bands around his left bicep that are far hotter than they have any right to be.
Without hesitation, or even a brief look around to ensure they’re alone, Caspian drops his shorts, revealing a toned ass that makes my dick twitch.
Fuck, what am I doing? Standing here like a creepy old man ogling a student. Well, not a student. I don’t think. But he may as well be. Madison is. And Caspian is bonded to her. Bonded! He’s probably half my age.
Before I can turn away, it gets worse. Though my cock might argue differently. Madison gives a brief look up and down the beach, failing to look behind her, and takes off her shirt. Her bra is a bright blue that nearly matches the ocean.
Take it off. Don’t take it off. Take it off. Don’t!
I am a creepy old man!
In a mad dash to keep myself from fully claiming the title, I turn and run back up the path. By the time I reach the top, I’m out of breath. Yep. Old. Man.
But I’ve preserved at least some of my dignity. Sort of. Right?