Cody grins. “I understand. Connie, it’s nice to meet you. I assure you I’m not the boy I was then.”
She looks him up and down. “You hurt her, and they’ll never find your body. Got it?”
Cody’s eyebrows shoot up. “Got it.”
“Are you ditching me for this guy?” she asks me.
I shake my head. “Cody is walking me to my car. We’re going to talk, and then I’ll meet you at the bar. Drinks on me, okay?”
She scoffs. “Talk?”
I plead with my eyes, and Connie finally gets the message.
“Okay. But don’t keep me waiting too long.” She turns to Cody. “And I meant what I said.”
Then she spins on her heels and sways out of the building as at least a couple of students stare after her.
“So… that was Connie,” I say.
Cody laughs. “She’s tough. But she has your back, and that’s good.”
Usually, I agree with that. But I already know I’m going to catch hell for spending time with Cody, and frankly, I’m not in the mood. A night out with Connie was supposed to be fun and relaxing.
Hopefully, she’ll let me off easy. I laugh to myself. When has she ever done that?
“Let’s go.” I lead him down the hallway, and he places his hand on my lower back, sending heat radiating from his hand throughout my body.
I shouldn’t like it as much as I do. As we move, I take in how he scans the area, and I feel safe. Protected.
“How long were you married?”
His question startles me.
When I recover, I answer, “Two years. But I knew it was a mistake that first year. I hoped I could fix things, but I couldn’t.”
Damn, Lucy, he asked you one question, not the history of your marriage.
He nods. “What went wrong?”
I laugh. “I married a narcissistic asshole who also had a major gambling problem and is a compulsive liar.”
He stops to open the door. “I’m sorry.”
I cock my head. “I shouldn’t have rushed into the marriage. When we met, he was charming and said all the right things. I fell for it.”
“How long have you been divorced?”
“Also, two years. But enough about me, you said you would tell me why you left.”
We walk the rest of the way to my car in silence, and I’m wondering if he’s going to say anything. Rain begins to fall. Most of the other professors have left for the day, so we are alone in the parking lot.
“Do you mind if we sit in your car and talk?” he asks.
“Sure.”
I unlock it and we get in; he looks like a giant in the passenger seat of my Audi. He’s always been tall, but he has filled out since he left.
The moment I close my door, his scent hits me. It must be his cologne. Woodsy. Tempting.
