Hawk and the Cougar Read Free Page A

am.” The obvious tightening of her lips against more laughter belied her words. “That’s a terrible thing to say. I don’t dress like a hooker.”
    “I didn’t say hooker. High-priced call girl.”
    “There’s no difference.”
    “There’s a huge difference.”
    She snorted. “Sure, and a multi-millionaire really is trying to kill you.”
    “That was four tons of steel coming at you,” Hawk said, all humour gone. “I’d say they were trying to kill you .”
    Her eyes widened, and he should have regretted her fear, but didn’t. The last thing he wanted was her thinking he played chicken for fun.
    He leaned past her to the glove box. She jerked back into the corner as if he were a rattler. He paused and shifted his gaze to hers. Liz lifted her chin, and he resisted a smile. With some time, he’d find out what that fire felt like when he slid inside her. His body clenched at the thought of her walls tightening around him in climax. Damn it, he was two seconds away from making an even bigger fool of himself than he already had. Hawk opened the glove box, pulled a card from those he’d thrown inside, then pushed it closed.
    He straightened and extended the card to her. “After you’ve spoken with Emma, give me a call. She’s a talented student. I don’t want to lose her.” And he sure as hell didn’t like this misunderstanding.
    She grasped the card, but he didn’t release it. “What’s your name?”
    She hesitated. “Elizabeth.”
    Hawk released the card. “I’ll wait until you’re in your car.”
    She stared for a moment and he thought she’d say something, but she got out of the truck without a word.

    * * * *

    Liz reached across the kitchen table and clasped her daughter’s hand. Last night, while Liz had paid her visit to the university, Emma had returned home with a cold. Liz hadn’t known she was there until she’d appeared in the kitchen twenty minutes ago.
    “I’m not mad,” Liz said. “You’re young. He’s older, and knows better.” Liz recalled Professor Hawkins’ cool composure when she’d accused him of sleeping with Emma. “The man is a cool character.”
    “What do you mean he’s a cool character ?” Emma’s eyes widened. “Oh, Mom, you didn’t—”
    “Em, I couldn’t take the chance he would use the dig as an opportunity to manipulate you.”
    Emma stared. “You went to my professor and accused him of fucking me?”
    “ Emma .”
    Emma wiped her stuffy nose with the tissue she gripped. “I don’t believe this.”
    “I never said that,” Liz insisted.
    “It’s what you meant. Professor Hawkins has never looked at me the wrong way, much less slept with me. He wouldn’t go for it, even if I wanted to.”
    “The guy is young and gorgeous. You’re telling me he would resist a young woman like you?”
    “I’m really surprised at you, Mom. If we were talking about a beautiful female professor, would you say that?”
    “It’s not the same,” Liz said.
    “Oh, my God. My mother is a sexist.”
    Liz hadn’t forgotten Professor Hawkins’ calm insistence that she talk to Emma, then talk to him. How many guilty men would have been so composed? She also remembered the confession that he’d thought she was a hooker. No, a ‘high-priced call girl’. That would account for the way he’d backed her against the truck and kissed her.
    Kissed her? The memory of nearly getting run over by the SUV mingled with the recollection of his steel arms around her when he’d pulled her to safety, and her nipples tightened as they had last night. Which was he; letch or hero? That question—and the memory of his hard body pressed against her—had kept her awake half the night. Was it really possible he was a hero?
    “You’re not protecting him?” Liz persisted.
    “I know better than to sleep with my professors.” Emma slumped in her chair. “I’m quitting the class.”
    Liz’s heart twisted. “No way. He said you were a talented student. He doesn’t want to