"Nope, not quite. In fact, I might take a shower," I said.
Ford rattled the door knob. "Unlock the door, Clarity. This isn't necessary. I'm ready to take my lumps. It'll be fine; you'll see. Journalists shouldn't have anything to fear from the authorities. I know my rights."
I unlocked the door and yanked it open. "Well, I'm sorry, we didn't quite get to that lesson in class before all this happened."
Ford smiled and leaned on the door frame. "I think it's already been established that I'm not the best professor."
I crossed my arms tight. "What am I supposed to do while you're being dragged off by security?"
He stood up and took my hand. "First, I think you should come out here and tell them about your fears. If you are afraid to set foot on campus, that is more their business than escorting me to the police station."
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.