By Jove by Marissa Doyle Read Free Book Online

dinner the other night.”
    “Why, thank you. It’s rather a hobby of mine—well, more than a hobby, now that we’re recording.” He let his gaze travel over her. “I understand that you’re a teacher. Enjoying coming back and playing student again? I’m sure we have lots we could teach you. At least,” —his voice dropped— “I know I have.”
    Theo wiped her palms on her jeans and glanced around to see if Grant was anywhere in sight yet. All she could see were two tables of female graduate students, their attention riveted on her and Paul. Or at least, on Paul. A few of them had their mouths hanging open.
    “We’re a close-knit group in the department,” Paul continued, leaning a little closer. “Very close-knit. We spend most of our leisure as well as professional time together. I should get my claim in now for the pleasure of your company at the next symposium. If you’re teaching in the department, you’ll be invited. It’s where we let our hair down, so to speak.” His voice lowered. “I would love to see your hair down. Spread over a pillow, perhaps.”
    Theo was glad that she hadn’t ordered a drink yet or she might have choked, or more likely, thrown it at him. Then, to her relief, she felt a pair of warm hands on her shoulders. Grant’s voice said, “Hello, darling. I’m sorry I’m late. Arthur kept me talking.”
    Darling? Theo twisted in her seat and stared up at him. Had he just called her darling ?
    “Do join us, Grant,” Paul drawled. “Theo and I are having a lovely time.”
    Grant muttered something under his breath and pulled a chair from another table, bringing it close to Theo.
    “We were just discussing music,” Paul continued. “You’ll have to come over and see my instruments some time, Theo. I’ve got two lyres and a kithara based on ones found—”
    “Uh-huh,” Grant interrupted in a bored tone. Theo stared at him in open surprise. He glanced at her and rested his arm along the back of her chair so that it just touched her shoulders. “Great concert the other night, by the way. Your ensemble was almost professional-sounding. I was astonished.”
    Theo darted a glance at Paul, sure he would be outraged at Grant’s rudeness. Instead, he smiled.
    “I expect I should be running along now, shouldn’t I?” he said. “Very nice talking to you, Theo. Maybe another time? Bon appétit , Grant.” He rose, and with another dazzling smile at Theo, left them.
    Theo watched as he drew near the first of the occupied tables. One girl, quicker of thought than her tablemates, dropped a pen directly in Paul’s path so that he was forced to stop and retrieve it for her. The other table of female students looked daggers at her. One actually hissed. Judging from his wide grin as he handed the girl her pen and accepted her invitation to join them, Paul didn’t seem too put off by his conversation with Grant.
    Theo turned back to the culprit who still sat next to her, now looking slightly dazed. “Um, Paul’s not a friend of yours, I take it?” she asked tentatively.
    “Actually, he is. Known him forever.” Grant shook his head once more. “I can’t believe I did that.”
    “Well, now that you mention it—”
    “No, Theo, you don’t understand. I saw him sitting there across from you, undressing you with his eyes, and I wanted to put my fist through his face. I was jealous.”
    She caught her breath. Jealous? “Er, should I take this as formal notification that you’re interested in me as something other than a teaching colleague?”
    “Hmm? Well, yes, of course I am. I just never thought it would hit me that way. Jealous,” he said, with a wondering sigh. “Me, jealous.”
    Theo laughed. “Don’t you think you’ve got it a little backward?”
    “What?” Grant looked startled.
    “Well, when most people start falling in—um, I mean feeling interested in someone else in a—er, romantic sense, they don’t spend a lot of time thinking about how they’re