He rounded the table, and Willa flinched as he neared, holding out her hand. Xander ignored her outstretched hand, leaning in close to breathe in along her neckline. “Come to my car. I need to talk privately with you.” He whispered the words, his eyes nearly lolling back in his head. There was no mistaking that she was the one.
“I have accommodations for the week,” he said to Tyson. “Tonight, we’ll talk over dinner.”
His son opened his mouth, but no words came out. He was probably expecting more of a fight, a barrage of angry words from his father. That would come later.
Right now, his focus was on the beauty next to him. This was the woman he’d been talking with on the phone? The young tutor he paid to teach his son?
He wasn’t disappointed. She was all soft curves, lush and pure innocence. He’d come here to put some fear into his son, but now he’d have to figure out how to convince a human her mate was a werewolf.
Chapter Two
Willa tried not to be afraid, but it was pointless. This man was scary. No wonder Tyson was so afraid. She had never seen any man command so much respect with just a few words. Everyone around him was affected. Did he notice that? Did he see how people changed when he walked into a room? It was so odd, and yet, quite appealing.
What Willa didn’t like was being singled out.
She’d screwed up. There was no mistaking that.
He wanted his son to succeed and she’d failed. This mess-up had everything to do with her. She couldn’t engage Tyson enough to help him learn.
Over the past few months, she had noticed Tyson wasn’t nice to anyone. He was … okay with her. It was like everyone offended him. What was with the whole skin-crawling thing? Did he have allergies? Was he a germaphobe? She had no idea.
They stopped next to a very fancy car. It was out of place next to the lemons most students could afford to drive. Willa knew the cost of the vehicle was more than she made in a decade, possibly more. Some people had all the luck.
“Do you have a boyfriend?” Xander asked.
As far as questions went, it was so unexpected she had no idea what to say. She was expecting him to ask for credentials, to blame her for his son’s failings.
“What?”
“A boyfriend? A lover? A man you fuck?”
Willa felt her cheeks start to heat up. No one had ever talked to her like this before. So blunt. So unabashed.
“I don’t see how my personal relationship status has anything to do with Tyson. As you can see, Mr. Blackhawk, Tyson is not handling higher education well. I do believe hehas the skills, but for some reason, a social environment is not benefitting him.”
“Tyson will learn to do as he’s told. I have strict instructions when it comes to him, and he has to obey them. A lover?”
Why did he care so much about whether she was dating or not? Did he think she was after his son? That was the furthest thing from the truth. Honestly, no one ever looked in her direction. It was why she was able to keep her own schedule at the university. There was no husband, boyfriend, or lover to occupy her. It was why learning was so much fun. Also, it didn’t accuse her of being too fat.
She’d gone her whole life without a single boyfriend. It was an achievement she didn’t brag about.
Was that why Mr. Blackhawk wanted to know about her previous experiences? He thought a sexual partner was getting in the way of teaching his son? Of course, it had to be that.
“Mr. Blackhawk, I can promise you that nothing is interfering with me teaching your son. I have no boyfriend, husband, or lover. I take my tutoring work seriously.” She nearly let slip that she also didn’t have any friends either, but that would just make him feel pity for her, and that wasn’t going to happen.
Willa, the lonely fat chick with no men and no friends.
Nope, she didn’t need pity.
All her life, she’d been quite content with her own company as she never fitted in with anyone anyway. People always tended to hurt or disappoint.
She forced a smile to her lips.
“I’d like you to join me and Tyson for dinner tonight.”
“Oh, I … don’t you think you should talk to your son alone? And your wife surely wouldn’t want his tutor there.”
“I have no wife.”