Indulging the Professor by Ella Jade Page A

remote town of Oxford just outside of New
Haven, Connecticut would help her heal and figure out what she wanted to do
with her life.
    As she drove down the back roads, she allowed her mind to
wander back to her childhood. She had so many memories of the quaint inn she’d
visited during summer vacations and much too short weekend getaways with her
family. Her father, a professor at Yale, loved to explore different locations.
Elyse had stayed in many gorgeous vacation resorts, lavish hotels and
sophisticated, historical inns. One her favorites had always been Pleasure Inn.
It wasn’t far from her childhood home, but every time she and her family went
there, they always came away with special memories. She thought of the warmth
the owners always exuded. They could make every guest feel special.
    She hadn’t been there in over a decade. Not since she was
sixteen, the summer before her father’s diagnosis. Once her dad fell ill, they
traveled less and less. Even after he passed away a few years later, she and
her mother never returned to Pleasure Inn.
    Elyse couldn’t get the place off her mind. Not since she’d
dreamt about it the night before. The dream seemed so real and made her miss
her dad more than she’d realized. When she ended things with Phillip, she
decided to go back to a simpler time in her life. A time when happiness
surrounded her and life held so many possibilities. She’d been so busy beating
herself up over what had happened with Phillip it seemed nothing could motivate
her. The memories of Pleasure Inn changed that.
    Impulse took over, and now she found herself pulling up the
long, winding path leading to the inn. The original sign still hung at the foot
of the driveway alerting guests to the entrance. Dusk was settling around the
large house. A solitary truck rested in the driveway, but no one else seemed to
be there. Elyse hadn’t bothered calling ahead because if there wasn’t a vacancy
she could always stay in town. She was hoping that the inn would have a room,
but figured it might be a long shot during the busy tourist season. But as she
got out of her car, it seemed too quiet; it had never occurred to her that the
place wouldn’t still be in business.
    A light came on in an upstairs window indicating someone was
there. Elyse walked up the front steps and tried the handle, but it was locked.
Just as she reached for the bell, the door flew open and a large, muscular
figure appeared. The old screen door and the absence of lighting in the foyer
concealed his face.
    “Hi,” Elyse said. “I was driving by and wondered if you had
any vacancies.”
    “Here?”
    “This is an inn, isn’t it?”
    “It hasn’t been for over four years.” He turned on the porch
light. “I thought everyone in this town knew that.”
    His disheveled appearance made her think he wasn’t planning
on entertaining visitors. His dark, thick hair looked as if he’d run his
fingers through it causing it to stand on end. He hadn’t bothered to button his
faded blue jeans or put on a shirt before coming downstairs. Elyse couldn’t
help but notice how his well-defined abs disappeared into his waistband.
    “I’m sorry.” She moved away from the door. “I’m intruding.”
    “No.” He stepped out onto the porch in his bare feet. “I
just didn’t expect anyone out here at this time of the night.”
    “I drove from the city. I thought I might stay the night. I
used to come here as a kid.” She looked past his shoulder into the foyer. She
saw a fresh stack of wood in the corner and several cans of paint. “Are you
renovating?”
    “Trying to.” He nodded. “It’s a work in progress.”
    She caught a wave of alcohol on his breath.
    “Are you just passing through?”
    “I’m not sure. I just needed to get away and I remembered
how perfect this place always was.”
    “Yeah,” he looked over his shoulder. “Not so much anymore.”
    “What happened?”
    “My uncle owned the place, but he couldn’t keep up