Page 4 of Under His Protection
My problem is, if I so much as look at Haley, I get hard.
When I hear her voice, I get hard.
When she touches me, bam!
It’s like I have absolutely no control of my body’s reaction when I’m around her.
Focus, man!
On the drive to campus, we pass through a small shopping area right outside of the university grounds. Three blocks later, we’re surrounded by ivy-covered brick buildings, cobblestone streets, and large expanses of green space filled with towering trees and park benches. It’s a nice-looking campus. Picture perfect, just like on TV. It’s also packed right now with literally thousands of students moving into their dorms for the start of the term.
I glance up at the names engraved on each dormitory building we pass until I spot hers. “Bronte, Hemmingway, Milton. Is this it—Faulkner Hall?”
“That’s the one,” she says, craning her neck to look out the window at a four-story building.
The street is jampacked with cars, trailers, and pickups as students move in. The fall term starts Monday, so Haley has the weekend to settle in before classes begin.
I luck out and find an open parking space right in front of her building.
Jason continues past us to a nearby visitor lot. Fortunately, he’s familiar with the campus. He’s been coming here with Layla for the past couple of years.
The girls managed to schedule a class together this term—American History. I’m glad. It means Haley will see her friends in class at least three days a week. And I’ll get to see her in theevenings and on weekends. I have a feeling I’ll be spending a lot of time on campus.
I glance out the passenger window at the red-brick building where Haley will be living for the next two years. It’s a requirement for unmarried students to live in campus housing for the first two years. Layla didn’t have to, as she was able to get a housing exemption on medical grounds.
Somehow, Jasmine also got a housing exemption for reasons only Liam’s eldest brother, and boss, Shane McIntyre knows. Shane picked up the phone, made a call, and Jasmine received a housing exemption.
But as for Haley? Despite her reservations about leaving home, I think she’s actually psyched about the idea of living on campus. She’s ready to spread her wings.
We get out of the truck, and I start unloading the boxes, stacking them on the sidewalk. The sidewalks are teeming with students pulling carts loaded with boxes and suitcases and crates. They’re mostly young, either right out of high school or in their early twenties.
When the university baseball team jogs by, I catch a few of the guys checking out Haley. I can’t say I’m surprised. She’s—well, she’s hot. Her dark hair is long—right now it’s up in a ponytail. Her eyes are the color of dark chocolate. Her lashes are long. Her face is a perfect, sweet oval. She’s stunning. But what attracted me to her when we first met was her compassionate, gentle nature, and her brains. The girl is smart as hell—hence the full scholarship.
I’m damn good at my job, but I’m no Einstein. Haley was literally the smartest student in her graduating class, and she’ll be headed to law school one day because she wants to be an attorney like her mom and stepdad.
I notice Haley standing on the sidewalk a few feet away talking to a guy, probably in his mid-twenties, brown hair,wearing khaki slacks and a white button-down shirt. He’s holding a clipboard with the university’s logo on it, as well as an ID badge clipped to his collar. He must be a university employee, probably one of the dorm monitors.
As he talks, she smiles and nods. Then she points at the building in front of us, and the guy makes a notation on his clipboard.
Haley says something to him, waves, and walks away, heading back toward me. The guy’s gaze lingers on her as she walks away.
I guess I’m going to have to get used to this—other men taking an interest in Haley. I certainly can’t blame them.
“Who was that?” I ask when she joins me at the back of the truck.
“Ryan. He’s one of the RAs for my dorm.”
“RA?”
“Resident advisor—he supervises students living in the dorm. He’s a grad student and works as an RA to cover his tuition. He asked me if I had any questions or needed help.”
“How nice of him,” I say, but I don’t think Haley picks up on my sarcasm. She’s too busy taking in the sights.
By the time I’ve got all the boxes out of the truck, the others catch up with us. The six of us carry all the boxes up to Haley’s dorm room in one trip.
Haley’s room, which she’ll be sharing with one other female, is on the third floor. Thank goodness this old building has elevators. I’d hate carrying all these boxes up two flights of stairs. The hallways are crowded, and we have to wait for an available elevator, but eventually we make it to our destination.
“This is me,” Haley says as she checks her dormitory assignment using an app on her phone. “Room 317.” She grabs her keychain from her purse and unlocks the door.
