Chapter 4
4
Of all the classes Tovah had, her least favorite was Anatomy.
None of the material was difficult. Not even really challenging. The fact Zach seemed to be the center of some coed atom, where young women surrounded him like protons and neutrons irritated her to no end. He wasn’t really that special.
All right, if she was honest with herself the reason she was miffed at him was because he’d laughed in her face when she’d been open with him. Well, maybe not so open. She hadn’t gotten much out when the guffaws commenced.
Asshole.
And he was worried about showing her favoritism. If that was his idea of the concept, then no sweat. She’d never mistake contempt for favoritism.
After taking copious notes on the circulatory system, Zach called break time. Tovah rose and took her purse into the hall to get a drink and snack from the machine. She really should bring her own to save money, but never seemed to remember before heading out the door.
“He seems grumpy tonight.” The voice came from beside her. One of the same girls who had been gossiping in the bathroom the first night of class.
“I bet I could get him to smile.” The young woman with black hair and heavy eyeliner gave her friends a saucy smile—Eloisa if memory served. She pantomimed pulling down a zipper then taking out the goods behind it. “I’d lick him like an all-day sucker.”
The other women laughed.
Tovah’s cheeks heated. Yeah, Zach would love that. He seemed the type to enjoy sex in all its incarnations. However, according to his own sense of ethics and the governing board of the university, the Dr. Zach Quinn Fan Club was going to be sadly disappointed.
Tovah sipped her soda and pretended to scroll through social media as she listened to their plans get bigger and bolder. By the time Zach came around the corner to the classroom, they had practically planned out his abduction and group debauchery.
What would he say if he knew? Was he even capable of embarrassment? Probably not. He swaggered through life like his balls were too big to carry by a mortal man.
The second half of class was uneventful, with the exception of the fan club sending smirks and knowing looks to each other.
At one point, Zach stopped the lecture and looked up with a frown. “I have the feeling I’m missing some subtext here.”
Eloisa shook her head slowly. “Oh, no. Not at all.” She drew the words out, making them sound sensual. The tease and offer were there in the tone, even if the subject was innocuous.
Tovah watched Zach’s face closely. His mouth tightened slightly, but he threw the comment away with a look back to his notes. “Good to know.”
Not a smart thing to say. She’d probably take that as an affirmative.
The class ended with Tovah putting her notebook away while trying her damnedest not to pay attention to the atmosphere swirling around her.
Eloisa approached the podium where Zach placed his tablet computer into his messenger bag. “Any post-class plans?”
Zach looked up, meeting her gaze. “Yes.”
That one-word answer didn’t dampen her enthusiasm. “Could you break them?” Judging from her body language that line had worked a number of times before.
Not now.
“Going back on my word unless under extreme circumstances that includes bodily injury or death, isn’t in my DNA. So, no. I’m not going to cancel my plans.”
Wow. Burn city dead ahead.
The woman was not deterred. “Maybe next week.”
She left the room with a backward look over her shoulder that suggested she knew he’d cave.
The determination and confidence of some people was really quite the marvel.
After she’d gone, Zach glanced over at Tovah before his gaze moved away again. Nothing in his expression gave away his thoughts. Not even one of annoyance.
The man was totally devoid of any real emotion or feelings. He hadn’t even let the poor woman down easy. He’d been firm and rather surly.
Not that it mattered in this case. The refusal had fallen on deaf ears.
Without reason to linger, Tovah left and drove home with a running list of assignments she had to accomplish in the next week moving through her head. All of it important to her career change.
Her love of true crime and procedural shows had been a joke among her family. What they didn’t realize or taken the time to ask was if she watched out of an interest in the field of forensic science. None of the Reese clan cared. Only Rose, who had encouraged her to quit the family company and follow her dreams.
Thinking of doing so while still an abstract dream was one thing. Going through the process was quite another.
As she’d done the past few weeks after class, she made a cup of tea and a snack and sat down to begin her outlining strategy for the material. The first test was the following week and she wanted and needed to ace it. Anything less than a perfect score was going to result in a red face.
Trixie hopped off the stool she had made into her perch and ran toward the door.
Oh, no. No. No. No. No.
The only person Trixie ever reacted like that with was Zach. It wasn’t like Tovah could pretend she wasn’t home. Her car was visible in the driveway. The lights were on in the living room, and he’d probably hear the music filtering out onto the porch.
The predicted knock came and a thought of hiding in the bathroom arrived quickly on its heels. She dismissed it as fast. She’d never been a coward—not in so many words.
When Tovah opened the door, Zach stood there in much the same manner he had a few weeks before, as if he would trade the news he came to depart for a dental extraction.
“Yes?”
“May I come in?”
Tovah turned from the door and let him follow her. She took out the tea selection and pulled down a cup for him without him saying he wanted one.
Mostly it was to keep her hands busy and to focus on anything but the reason why he was standing in her grandmother’s kitchen/dining room without an invitation. Did he think because he had free rein to drop in on Rose at any given time, the same applied to her? She’d have to let him know that was far from the case.
“Look, I came to apologize for the other night. You tried to tell me something, then things…I’m not sure what…went sideways.”
Tovah gave him a look that asked the burning question if he was serious. “Are you honestly so removed from common decency that you have no idea why I got upset?”
She stepped back from the bar and waved her hand up and down to indicate her body. “People are more than cells, and blood, muscle and bone. They have emotions, too. When someone is attempting to explain something important to them, it’s bad form to break out in gales of laughter.”
He had the grace to look sheepish. “I know. I’m sorry for that. It had nothing to do with what you said, and more of what was going on in my mind at the time.”
“I don’t know if that’s better or worse.” Tovah parked her hands on her hips in pure exasperation.
Truly she had no clue. On the one hand admitting he hadn’t been laughing at her was a good thing. On the other, he hadn’t been paying attention. He’d been having his own conversation in his head.
Lord have mercy.
“Yeah, about that.” Zach rubbed a hand across his forehead. “I don’t know what it is about you that brings out the worst in me.”
“Wow. Not a compliment, either.”
“See what I mean?” He selected a packet of tea and tore it open. “It’s nothing personal.”
“You’ve said that before.” Tovah took the bag from him and put it into the cup, then poured water over it. She slid the cup across the counter to him.
“Because it’s true.” He dunked the bag up and down a few times. “What I’m trying and failing to say is there’s something about you that…I don’t know…you’re hard to relate to.”
As if he’d proved her point, she excitedly pointed at him. “That’s it. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. It’s hard for me to relate to people.”
“I can believe it.” Zach sat down on one of the bar stools and regarded her over his cup. Steam rose, curling into the air in front of his face. “What do you do to try and change it? That’s assuming you want to change.”
Tovah considered the situation for a moment. All her life she’d felt an outsider. Even in her own family—especially her family.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with me, but I do wonder if I’m not living my life to the fullest. Losing the opportunities for more experiences.” Tovah studied him as she admitted that particular failing. “I’m the type who would rather stay home than be out in the world. As a way to meet people, it’s kind of limiting.”
Zach rubbed his jaw as he studied her. He hadn’t replied. Not even so much as a sarcastic comment. His eyes had taken on a contemplative expression.
“Not to mention,” she continued. “I think knowing more about the world might help in my new career. Help me better think outside the box. Books and lectures are only going to teach me so much.”
“And you want me to teach you? To show you the wild side of life?”
“Exactly.” When he didn’t jump at the chance, she lifted a shoulder. “Or at least point me in the right direction.”
Zach shook his head, before lifting his cup to sip his tea.
Was she for real? First off, looks could be deceiving. Secondly, if he didn’t want to acknowledge in class that they knew each other, then how in the hell was he supposed to show her the world?
Actually, he could put her off for a few months. Wait until after finals and then take her out.
Out? Was she asking for a date?
Zach’s insides churned even as his dick decided to take that moment to perk up and listen to the conversation.
There had to be some way out of it.
And he had just the answer.
“I can’t do it myself. But I can hook you up with a friend who would be more than willing to show you the ropes and get you started on your journey to ruination.”
Tovah narrowed those lovely green eyes at him. “Do they know my grandma? I don’t think I’d feel comfortable with anyone who she hadn’t vetted.”
Surprised, Zach leaned back on the stool. “Miss Rose knows me, and she’d trust I wouldn’t turn you over to anyone who might hurt you.” He put up his hand to stall any argument. “Unless you want hurt that is. In a good way.”
“All right, I’m not going there or even asking you to clarify.” She picked up one of the little lemon cookies she had on a delicate plate and bit into it. As she chewed, she scrunched up her face as if giving the matter considerable thought.
“Tell you what. I’ll do one better and let you pick him. I can invite some friends over this weekend. Guys from my club and you can meet them, talk with them, and see if you hit it off. The rest will be up to you.”
Tovah pointed at him. “Now, that might work.”
Yes, and it would take pressure off him. Keep him away from her, while being able to keep an eye on her for Rose.
The perfect solution.
He smiled at his triumph and enjoyed the rest of his tea and a couple of cookies, before heading back home.
As far as he was concerned, the night was a complete success. Though in retrospect, she hadn’t accepted his apology.
He frowned at the thought as he let himself into his house.
What did it matter, he had mini-essays to grade from his three-hundred level class.
His phone beeped with an incoming text.
Hey sexy, want to hook up tonight?
Beva, one of the waitresses at the Gus Stop. She was Gus’s niece. Hot. Brunette. Limber as fuck. The idea of twisting the sheets with her was tempting, but not tonight.
He sent a one-word text back. Raincheck.
Beva had been a convenience in between other women. Back before he’d started dating Sasha, he and Beva had been going at it every night for about a month. She was enthusiastic and inventive in bed. Definitely someone he’d do again. And again.
Zach turned his attention away from the promise of great sex and to the essays on his computer.
He’d managed to work through about five of them when another text came through his phone.
I want to suck your cock.
The number wasn’t in his contacts list.
Wrong number? A bad feeling in his gut said it wasn’t and that he’d better take care. Instead of answering, he blocked the number.
If he didn’t have them in his contact list, then they didn’t need to send him a text. Especially ones that were so explicit. Hell, he might love a blow job better than oxygen, but not if he didn’t know who was offering.