“Nothing to be sorry for,” she said, reaching upward to push her braids behind her shoulder. “I initiated that.”

“Right,” he said, retying his hair into a more secure bun behind his head.

Victoria wanted to reach out and yank it loose. “You have a phone call.”

“Right,” he repeated.

“You have lipstick on your mouth.”

“Okay.”

Victoria grabbed her pile of books. “And I think I should go.”

John stepped in front of her quick escape. “Victoria, wait.”

She held the books at her chest like a protective shield. “What?”

“If you have to leave now, please come back tomorrow night.”

She shook her head. “I’m busy all week. I’ve got a million meetings.”

“Thursday then?”

His face was flushed and his expression was hopeful. Victoria found herself wanting to keep him hopeful. She wanted to be hopeful even if it meant being foolish and impulsive. Their kiss was only a taste of what could be even sweeter if she allowed herself to try. She relented. “Same time?”

John released a breath. “Yes.”

She reached up to his face and swiped her thumb over his lips. “Your mouth is a bit stained,” she whispered.

He caught her wrist and gently bit down on the tip of her thumb. “With you,” he said, speaking around it, his tongue grazed her. The jolt of electricity made a path from her hand to her breasts, and then down to her womb. Victoria stood there with a finger in his mouth until she was able to wake up from her stupor. He licked delicately, at first, only to devour her thumb, swirling his tongue around it. What was probably seconds felt like an eternity.

Wake up. Wake up. Wake up!

When her drowsy brain finally caught up to her racing heart, her eyes flew open and she pulled her hand away from his lips. “Goodnight, John, I mean Mr. Donovan.” She slowly pulled away and hurried from the History section, taking care not to look over her shoulder.

“Goodnight, Dr. Reese.”

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

After Victoria had hurried from the library, John had waited a beat before making his own exit. The phone call that had thankfully interrupted their serious make out session, was from his babysitter. Becca had started her first period and he didn’t know how to manage without John’s help. Luckily, it had been near the end of his shift. His drive home involved reciting a series of helpful comments for his niece. You see, Becca, when a girl gets to a certain age, her eggs need to go somewhere...

“Where is she?” he asked as soon as he opened his front door.