Free Her Heart's Secret Wish by Juliana Haygert

 
     
    Chapter One
     
     
    “Anything for me?”
    Bells rang in Natasha’s mind along with the male voice addressing her. She stood from her crouch behind the shop’s counter, where she’d been looking for one of the fifty staplers they kept in the bookstore, and found Mr. Stone—or just Jason, when he wasn’t wearing slacks and polo shirts—smiling at her.
    “Hi.” Reminding herself to stay cool, she said, “In fact, there is something for you. It arrived this morning.” She picked up the small package under the desk and handed it to him.
    “Sweet!” He tore open the parcel and stared at the book and DVD inside. His bright blue eyes contrasted his indigo T-shirt, causing the butterflies in her stomach to flutter their wings.
    Wow, sweet is his scent . She didn’t dislike the aroma of books and pens around her, but whenever he was close, his cedarwood, nutmeg, and coffee cologne was the only thing her nose caught, teasing her mind and other body parts, including the butterflies.
    Natasha soothed the flapping of the wings, knowing she shouldn’t be so casual with him, but she couldn’t help herself. Illustration and gaming professor or not, she liked talking to him. Many times they had accidentally met at the library or the computer lab and chatted for hours about numerous topics, but mostly about design and graphics and all kinds of things from fashion to cars, and even his games.
    Not having to pretend who she was—or wasn’t—and turn on her charm was the best part of their friendship. For some reason, she allowed him to see the side of her only her roommate knew.
    “Early Christmas gift?”
    “Only if it’s from me to me.” Jason flipped through the book as though he was at the campus library, not the bookstore.
    “Are you going to tell me what it’s about?”
    “Don’t you recognize this?” He showed her the book and DVD, and she shook her head. “It’s the game I’ve been waiting three years for. It released yesterday.”
    “So, I’m guessing it isn’t one of yours?”
    The smile faded from his handsome face. “I wish. If my company sees me with this, they’ll fire me on spot.”
    “Storm might be one of the largest and most profitable gaming companies in the world, but there’s no way they’d fire you. You’re the best out there.”
    His gaze met hers, and the silence between them placed an uneasy feeling in her belly. When he looked at her like that, she saw someone else in him. Not a professor, but not a friend either. She couldn’t figure him out, and whenever she came close to discovering who lay beneath the dressy clothes and educated lingo, a shadow moved across those stunning eyes, and he averted his stare.
    “Well, I should get out of here.” He handed her the proof of purchase, as though she hadn’t been the one who’d processed the transaction. “I still have some grades to enter into the system, and there are only a few hours left.”
    “The last day of the semester is always crazy.”
    “It sure is.” He retreated, still staring at her. “Merry Christmas, Natasha.”
    “Merry Christmas.”
    How could a nerd be so hot and yet so relaxed at the same time? Jason seemed comfortable in his skin. And what skin . Heat swirled low in her tummy at the sight of his back, with his firm butt in tight jeans and the hoodie hugging his broad shoulders as he exited the bookstore. Simply perfect.
    She sighed. He was nine years older and her professor. Unlike the other female students from the health or music programs who’d signed up for his class just so they could gawk and throw themselves at him, she respected the boundaries—even though her reputation portrayed her as being a player, a female Casanova. While they had never discussed that particular topic, she was sure he knew about it, too. What boggled her mind was why he kept talking to her.
    “There’s some drool right there.” Fallon’s finger touched the corner of her mouth.
    She slapped her roommate’s hand