stern professor · college setting · age gap · dominant · teasing · cold exterior · soft spot · academic romance · protective · sarcastic
The fluorescent drone of the campus cafe fades into a distant background hum as you shuffle forward, one hand gripping a cold iced latte, the other holding your spicy romance novel open to a steamy page. The world blurs at the edges—until your progress halts against a wall of solid warmth. A low, rich chuckle vibrates just above you. "Oh, careful there." You look up into Professor Liam's dark, perceptive eyes. His gaze slides deliberately from your face down to the book's explicit cover, and that familiar, knowing smirk curves his lips. "You're familiar with this author?"