Teaching her Heart: Hot & Heavy in Paradise, #6

By Dezi Dixon

Fiona Grey was certain she was going to fail. In her class, life, guys, it didn't matter, she wasn't good at any of it. She had all but given up hope when her friend set her up with a tutor to help her out.

Utah Richardson had abs of steel and arms to match, but he also had a big thick...brain. Taking off his clothes wasn't his only expertise. When Fiona needs a tutor to help her graduate business school Utah vowed to get dressed and help her pass the test, even if that meant taking off his clothes.

When Fiona's past comes back to haunt her, she's certain the only way to get past it is to continue on like she had, shutting herself off from the world. Utah isn't about to let that happen. If there's one thing he's learned, it's that there's nothing you can't do with a little hard work and a good plan.

Warning: This book goes to prove you can't judge a book by its cover. Between a male stripper who's getting his doctorate, and a girl who is one question away from the G-string coming off (please get the question right!), the Forrest Gump saying is true. You never know what you'll get.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dezi Dixon
• Release date: Jan 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393924838

Book preview

1

Fiona

My hands shook as I slipped my finger under the flap of the envelope to open it. Inside was my grade for the last class I needed to graduate. I had put it off long enough, and now at twenty-four, I was back in college. A lot of people would commend me for that, but it felt strange being among kids who were in their late teens and early twenties. We weren’t that far apart age-wise, but they were so fresh faced and had a view of the world I didn’t.

The world I lived in wasn’t happy and pretty. It was ugly and mean, cruel. That’s why I had dropped out of school the first time, locked myself away, and was content to let it all pass me by. Meeting Letty changed all that. She convinced me that people sucked, things sucked, but I should get back out there and give it another go.

I only had one more class, but now that I had my midterms in my hands, I worried I wouldn’t make it. It wasn’t going well. As I pulled the paper from the envelope, it confirmed my fears.

I have a D? I mumbled.

Down below the remarks read, If the student would apply herself and attend class, I’m sure her grade would improve. The work she turns in is good, it’s just not enough.

Shit, I cursed under my breath. Failing this class wasn’t an option. If I didn’t finish, I wouldn’t be able to move on with my life. I already had a job lined up as an office manager, but they wanted me to get this degree first. No degree, no job. The temp job the school had found me got me by, but I didn’t want a temp jobs forever.

My phone rang, but I wouldn’t be able to get it in time. The phone was buried a hundred miles deep, and everything I need seems to fall to the bottom while all the contents form an avalanche and rain down on top of it. By the time I’d unearthed my phone, the call had gone to voicemail. I was about to see if I needed to call back, but the screen lit up with a call from Letty.

Hey, I answer.

Hay’s for horses. Why do you sound so down in the dumps?

It’s nothing. What’s up?

I know what you’re doing, and you can’t get away with it. I’m in the area. Have a drink with me?

I looked down at the leggings and casual shirt I was wearing, knowing Letty was dressed to the nines. She always looked put together.

I don’t know.

Sure you do. Come on already. My treat. Besides, I’m not taking no for an answer.

And she wouldn’t. If I tried to tell her no, Letty would pester me until she got her way. She’d even come get me if it came to that. Some might find that sort of thing annoying. But after all the hiding I’d done in my life, I enjoyed having friends who cared enough to seek me out.

All right. But I’m not changing.

Please, I bet you’re cute as ever. Be there in a couple. I was on the way.

Sure enough as soon as I hung up the phone, Letty pulled up in the drive. I didn’t wait for her to get out of the car. I pulled my door shut, locked up, checked to make sure it didn’t budge, and then pulled on the door one more time for good measure. A girl can never be too careful. I made my way to Letty’s car and slid into her car ready to let Letty take me wherever she wanted.

I thought we’d go to the place around the corner. I have to get back to the office in a couple of hours, work and stuff, but I wanted to meet up with you, so I figured this would be good.

That works.

It didn’t take us long for her to pull up to one of our favorite places, Cheesy’s. They served some of the best drinks around and if you wanted food, well you could never go wrong with anything cheese covered.

Once we placed our order, Letty gave me a look, and I figured out it was coming before she even opened her mouth.

I’ll let you get a drink in you if you must, but before I leave, you’ll tell me what has you down in the dumps.

It was a toss up if I wanted to hug her or smack her. No one had cared about me for so long that it was a