I pulled my hand back and refused to leave the bathroom. "I can't believe it. You're having fun with all of this! Maybe the president was right; maybe you somehow brainwashed me."
Ford arched a dark eyebrow. Deep in his stormy-gray eyes was a blue sparkle. "You're mad because I'm happy?"
"Yes! How can you be happy with this insane mess? I don't want you to be sued for libel. It's not funny," I snapped.
Ford cornered me against the bathroom sink and smoothed his hands over my hair. I put my hands on his chest to push him away but found comfort in the solid warmth of him. He sighed happily as I rubbed my hands over his chest and brought them up to circle around his neck.
"You want to know why I'm acting this way?" Ford asked.
"Yes, I think you're entirely too happy for a man about to be dragged out of his apartment by security," I said.
He leaned down and brushed his lips across mine. His mouth returned to deepen the kiss and suddenly the whole world was far away. "This," he whispered. "This is why I'm happy. The rest is just incidental. This is the only thing that really matters to me."
Ford punctuated his words with a deeper, hungry kiss that left me loose and blissful.
A rough, impatient throat-clearing interrupted us from just outside the bedroom door. Ford chuckled and sighed, but I felt a flare of bright anger.
I shoved past Ford and marched to the door. The head of campus security stepped back as I stepped up to him and poked him in the chest. "You know this is wrong and you should be disgusted. Since when is it your job to go off campus to deal with faculty issues?"
"Ms. Dunkirk—"
"No, you listen to me," I snapped. "It goes completely against your job description to leave the campus at such a volatile time."
"Volatile?" his voice was gruff.
I brushed past him and went to the computer. Social media was plastered with photographs and videos of students organizing to protest. It looked like very few Landsman students were actually in class. My heart leapt with pride but I kept my face stony as I showed the head of security.
"Doesn't it fall to you to make sure situations like this do not get out of control? Don't you think that's more important than this little errand for the president?" I asked.
Ford sauntered out of the bedroom and joined us at the computer desk. "How about we go now and let these nice gentlemen get back to campus? Maybe you can go with and help them find out who is threatening you."
"Someone threatened you?" the head of security asked.
"Yes," I snapped. "You really haven't been listening to us at all, have you?"
The poor man rubbed the back of his neck and considered his options. He was clearly in the wrong place at the wrong time. The computer loaded new images of a restless student population and a bead of sweat broke out on his forehead.
"Now this looks like a party," Jackson called from the doorway.
Ford laughed and went over to shake hands with his friend. "Please tell me you aren't skipping class. I wouldn't want your truancy added to my long list of infractions," Ford said.
"Class? It's kind of hard to have class when all the students are on the lawns getting ready to protest. Seems like security is ... oh, wait, looks like security is right here," Jackson eyed the guards.
"Actually, they're just leaving." Alice marched into the middle of the room and, despite her small stature, captured everyone's attention.
Jackson wiped the smile from his face and the security guard's followed suit. They stepped back and gave her the floor.
All but the beleaguered head of security, who rubbed his neck again and scowled at Alice. "And who's this now?"
Alice had to crane her neck to meet the tall security guard's gaze, but it didn't diminish her command of the situation one bit. "I am Ford Bauer's defense attorney. And here is a written agreement from the judge that will be reviewing this case outside of court. The judge also kindly reminded the police that they do not have enough to charge Ford, so they cannot hold him. I am currently working with them to schedule a deposition. Until then, your presence is not required. In fact, your presence has very strange implications, don't you agree?"
Ford laughed. "Clarity pointed that out to them early."
"She's right," Alice snapped. She marched to the door and held it open. The security guards filed out and she slammed it behind them.
Ford slipped an arm around my waist. "Clarity's more than that," he admitted.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Ford
I listened carefully the stranger presiding over the court. He was younger, affecting a sterner face than was necessary, and he was acutely aware that everyone was watching how he worked. My attention, however, was caught by Clarity.
She sat in the first row and tapped her foot impatiently. No signs of any other stress besides boredom showed in her face. I knew the signs, I'd seen them sometimes in class. Clarity was done with this and ready to move on.
Nothing, not even what the judge was about to say, could make me any happier than that.
"Mr. Bauer, are you listening?"
"Yes, your honor. I am guilty as charged," I said.
The makeshift court snickered, but the interim dean of students silenced them with a glance. "We don't normally associate guilt with good aspects, though I was explaining to the students your reputation for pursuing the truth no matter the professional or personal consequences," he said.
Clarity smiled, and I knew the small curve of her lips was just for me. At that moment, I would have walked through fire for her, but all I needed to do was face the Honor Council and hear the verdict.
"You say it like he's being all noble, but he's a few years too late, don't you think?" Libby interrupted the interim dean of students.
I watched as Clarity's father, the former dean, whispered in his daughter's ear and she smiled wider. Everything was going to be all right. If Clarity could put my mistake in the past, then so could Landsman College.
"Ms. Blackwell, we've heard quite enough from you. More than necessary, in fact. I believe I can speak for the entire Honor Council when I say that your testimony sounded more like bragging to an audience."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Libby demanded. "Professor Bauer's the one that overstepped the rules and had relations with me. Was that stated prudishly enough for you, judge?"
The interim dean of students looked at Libby over the top of his glasses and tried to ignore how everyone in the room looked to Patrick Dunkirk. "Your obvious enjoyment at relating the details of your 'relations' was more than enough to convince the court that you enjoyed the situation. Now, your interruptions are not in the spirit of the Honor Council and I have to ask you to stop speaking."
Clarity's father leaned back and glanced around the room. He was in a Polo shirt and khakis on campus for the first time. The early-retirement look was good on him, especially coupled with a navy blue sport coat that still leant him an air of professional wisdom. His replacement looked at him briefly before addressing the assembled students.
"I would ask that the Honor Council please remember that it was Ford Bauer himself that brought this infraction to light. Despite the lapse in time, it was Mr. Bauer that decided to confess to breaking the rules of propriety, and not Ms. Blackwell," the interim dean said. He wiped his brow with a white handkerchief and shuffled his notes. "To own up to a past indiscretion is the mark of maturity as is the willingness to face the consequences."