Chapter 1

"Don't forget your end of semester projects are due in two weeks," the Professor said.

Groans rolled through the half-empty lecture hall, but I could do little other than admire the way his shaggy brown hair bounced around his eyes. I should have been paying attention to the lecture, but sometimes I couldn’t help myself. He was a beautiful specimen. Besides, my grades were high enough to get me through the class. What was the harm in taking a little time for myself?

The Professor taught the Intro to Accounting and Finance "weed-out" class. I thought it was going to be boring but it turned out to be very informative, but I could see why the College of Business used it as one of their criteria for admission. At times it was like learning a foreign language - the language of business. It was the final obstacle in a long list of prerequisites for attending a top 10 business school.

My family didn't have much money when I was growing up. They had scrape and sacrificed to get me into a nice college - and I wanted to repay them with an education that would take me places. I had my other passions: music, literature, the arts, but I needed something that could pay the bills. That could let me take care of my parents for a change.

"Don’t forget to pickup your exams before you leave," he said. "Class dismissed."

Concerned murmurs dinned the lecture hall as students made their way down the aisles to the front of the room. The Professor held a large folder with each exam concealed away. He passed them out one by one, and the faces of the students exiting through the side doors were more pained than not.

I lingered behind everyone else, slowly placing my iPad into my large purse and killing a few minutes by pretending to text on my phone. I wanted to be the last in the line. I wanted a moment between just the Professor and myself. The semester was waning and soon the class would be complete. It’s not like I had any intention of pursuing a sexual relationship with the man - but a little flirting never did anyone any harm.

"Ms. Ellis," he said when he saw me approach.

A smile perked at the corner of my lips as he pulled my exam from the nearly depleted pile. He tilted his head down, and his tasseled hair fell in front of his eyes again; it was a small thing but it drove me wild.

Our eyes met when he handed me the exam; another wave of heat coursed through me. I managed to tuck it into my deep purse without making too much of a fool of myself.

"I was hoping to talk to you about my final project sometime," I said after composing myself.

"Please feel free to stop by during my scheduled office hours," he said curtly. He leaned to the side and looked to see if there were any other students waiting behind me. I already knew there weren't, and I had an overwhelming need to have his full attention on me.

I leaned over the desk, bringing myself closer to him. My cleavage hung in front of him; on display. His eyes fluttered over them, briefly, before they connected with mine again. His eyes were as stony as ever - immune to my charms.

"Was there anything else?" he asked. His body language told nothing.

Had I offended him?

I shook my head and managed to restrain myself from running out of the lecture hall as fast as possible. If he had a list of foolish students - surely I had just made it to the top.

"No. Thank you," I said, awkwardly.

I left in a rush, trying not to trip over my own feet in the process. I could feel his eyes on me, judging me. Why must I be such a foolish girl sometimes? I swear no one else went from calm and collected to complete mess faster than me.

I had walked halfway back to my dorm, still mortified that I had all-but thrown myself at the Professor, when I realized that I still hadn't looked at my exam score. I fished the exam out of my purse and turned it over. It took a moment to find what I was looking for. The front of the exam was a mess of red scribbling that left me completely miffed. Then I found what I was looking for. A tiny number in the margin at the top of the paper with a courteous little message attached.

"62% - What happened?"

Fuck me.

Chapter 2

"You don't understand," I said. "The entirety of my future hangs in the balance."

Dana looked at me, her eyes sad. She brushed a strand of hair from my eyes and gave me the warmest look I'd ever seen.

"Kayla, everything is going to be all right, you'll see."

"No it's not. Acceptance to the College of Business is very competitive. If I don't get an A in this class I can kiss my future goodbye. Everything I've ever worked for goes up in flames. Like that - pfft!"

Her mouth quirked upward in a smirk. "You're overreacting. Don't forget, I took the class too. I know what you're going through."

I sobbed, giving up the futile attempt to hold back the tears. The tissues in my hand were wet and soggy already. Dana just didn't understand. She and I were best friends, but I had no illusions that we were the same. Not by a long shot.

"But your father graduated from the college. You're a Legacy. Everyone knows it's easier for Legacies to get admittance."

Fire flashed in her eyes, and I immediately regretted saying it. I winced openly.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I know you work hard to make your own way." I dabbed at my eyes again with the wet tissue. "I'm just upset."

The fire lessened, but only slightly. She blew out a sight and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Have you talked to Professor Dewey about the grade yet?"

I shook my head. "No. Instead I made a complete fool of myself in front of him. You wouldn't believe what I did if I told you."

She frowned. "It can't be that bad. What happened?"

I sat as straight as possible and looked down at my breasts. I held my hands up, framing them for her.

"I put the Ladies on full display for him. Somehow I got it in my head that it was the perfect time to make things really awkward between us."

Dana's eyebrows scrunched suspiciously, and the corner of her lip turned up in a disbelieving smirk.

"You didn't," she said.

I nodded my head emphatically. "I most certainly did. I should have just stripped from him while I was at it."

"Oh," she said. "Well, I'm sure he was very flattered. What did he say?"

"No way he was flattered. You should have seen him. You know every slut in his class has tried to hit on him at least once or twice." I sniffed again and wiped away a new stretch of tears. "I thought I was better than that."

"He is a very attractive man," she said. Her eyes went a bit distant for a moment, then they met mine again. "But girl, you are better." She gave me a warm smile. "We all act a little crazy sometimes."

A new flood of tears streamed down my cheeks. "You're absolutely right. It was crazy."

She pulled me into her and held me tight. The warmth of her body was comforting, peaceful. I wanted to punish myself for being so childish, but I couldn't help but feel a bit better as she held me.

"Go to his office hours. Talk to him. Straighten everything out."

I pulled away and looked up at her. She was only six months older than me, but somehow she had a wisdom beyond her years. She had a way of breaking things down and making the answers so simple.

"He's going to think I'm just there to hit on him again. He's lost all respect for me."

"Don't be foolish. I was in a similar situation when I took his class and everything worked out." She paused for a moment, like she was trying find her words. After a time she said, "He's got a good head on his shoulders."

I stared at her, confused. There was something in her look that I hadn't seen before. We never kept anything from each other, yet I got the impression that there was something she wasn't telling me.

"What is it?" I asked.

She was silent for a moment and then waived her hand. "It's nothing," she smiled. "Not even I'm perfect. I struggled in his class too, but he was kind enough to let me do some extra credit as make up."

I frowned. “He told us that he never does that. He said that we earn our score by way of his tests.”

“I think that’s because there are so many people that fail. You know it's a weed-out class - the University expects the grades to be a bit lower because it's so difficult."

“So why would he give you extra credit?”

She shrugged. “He said that he can make exceptions in certain circumstances. He said I showed initiative and drive - two qualities the business school appreciates.”

Another moment of silence passed. I didn’t want to say what was on my mind – that he had given her the extra credit because of her father’s connections with the school. I guess it didn’t really matter anyway. It’s not like she had failed the exam for me – I had made my own bed and now I had to sleep in it. And if that meant that I needed to beg and plead for an opportunity to improve my score – I would do just that.

“So you think he’ll work with me?” I asked.

"Just talk to him.” She rubbed my shoulder again, and I felt immediately comforted. For the first time that afternoon I let a glimmer of hope creep into my mind. Maybe things weren't as bad as I had thought - the grade was just a minor set back. But I couldn’t get ahead of myself - there were still a lot of variables to consider; still a lot of things that could go wrong.

“You’re right,” I said resolutely. “The Professor has office hours tomorrow. I’ll talk with him and get the whole situation worked out.”

“Good. I don’t like seeing you this upset.”

Her eyes lingered on mine for a time, and a small pang of guilt lumped in my stomach. I wasn’t sure why I felt it - but there was something in her look that I hadn’t seen before. I didn't know what it was, but it looked like some kind of sadness.

“You’re the best friend a girl could have,” I said.

“And don’t you forget it,” she grinned.

Chapter 3

The next twenty-four hours felt like a lifetime. The Professor's office hours didn't begin until the afternoon, and I had no classes beforehand to distract me. I spent the time thinking about everything that had happened, and everything Dana and I had talked about. For a brief moment I considered calling my father to talk it over with him - he had a way of giving me perspective on things - but I didn't want him to worry about me until I knew there was something to worry about.

I thought about what Dana had told me. She had said that he had allowed her to do some extra work to improve her grade - but what exactly did that mean? I got the feeling that there was more to the story. We never kept anything from each other, and for the first time since meeting her I like there was something I couldn't talk to her about.

The other thing that haunted my thoughts was the note the Professor had written on the exam. "What happened?" it read. What had happened, indeed? The long and short of it was that I had been cocky. I had done something very uncharacteristic before an exam and had stayed out all night drinking. I had such a massive hangover the next day I'm surprised I made it to class at all. It was a mistake that might have been forgivable in my freshman year, but not when I was preparing my formal application to the business college.

I had lunch at the student union then left for the College of Business. The Professor's office was on the third floor and I climbed the stairs up.

“Come in,” the Professor called after I tapped on the door lightly.

He looked up at me from behind his desk. For a moment my stomach twisted itself into knots - he looked so good sitting there. Papers were scattered all across the desk, and his face was tight with concentration.

"Ms. Ellis," he said, looking up from his work on the desk. He had a pair of tiny reading glasses on and his hair teased the corners of the rims as he peered over them. "Please, come in. What can I do for you?"

I shut the door behind me. "I wanted to talk about my score on the exam."

He leaned back in his seat and took me in. With a deft hand he swiped the glasses from his face and ran the edge of the tips along his lips. Heat solidified in my core, and I struggled to keep my thoughts innocent. He wore an expensive button up shirt with a bold red tie. The shirt was a light blue with fine white pinstripes. It was sexy as hell, and I had to remind myself why I was there.

"I hoped you would come see me," he said. His eyes watched me for a moment then he gestured toward one of the chair opposite him. "Please, have a seat."

I did as he directed, hoping all the while that I wouldn't make a fool of myself. I had never been this close - this intimate - with the Professor before, and I was already having a difficult time keeping my concentration. Now I knew there was a reason I had never been to his office hours before. It had been a subconscious decision - a way to protect myself from the vicious little thoughts I toyed with while in his lectures.

"So, what's on your mind?" he asked. He didn't budge an inch in his seat. He watched me like some predator ready to pounce, and I felt put on the spot by his question.

"I don't know what happened," I began, struggling to find my words. "I haven't had any problems in your class before." I hung my head, not wanting to admit what had really happened - but there would be no way around it.

"I got cocky," I continued, my head slumping as I focused at a neutral spot on the desk. "I was out late the night before. Drinking and partying."

There was a long silence as the Professor considered what I said. An eternity of silence passed between us, and a sense of dread crept through me. I wondered what the Professor must think of me.

He probably thought I was just some typical rich college girl that was here on Daddy's dime. He probably though I had no real goals or ambitions - that I was just going through the motions. He couldn't have been more wrong.

"That's a touching tale," he said, leaning forward on the desk to draw my attention. "And I'm sure it took a lot to swallow your pride and admit what you had done wrong. But I'm not sure what it is that I can do to help you."

His lips pursed together as he studied me, and my eyes searched him; pleading with him.

"Is there anything I can do to make up the grade?" I asked. "Maybe take on some extra projects or something? I'll do anything."

He leaned back in his chair again, his lips twitching in time with a jerk of his head.

"I made my policy very clear at the beginning of the semester," he said.

"Please," I begged. "There must be something. I won't tell anyone, and I'm more than willing to putting in the work." His face was stern; granite. "I don't want one stupid night at college to mess up my entire future."

I thought I saw a chink in the armor. His face softened a touch as he digested what I said. The hard exterior he was putting on was beginning to wear thin.

He considered me for a long time. The silence was deafening. In twenty years I didn't want to look back at college and have regrets - especially the one time I failed an exam in the most important class I'd ever taken because I had gone out drinking the night before.

"Maybe an exception can be made," he said finally. The weight on my shoulders immediately began to recede. His eyes glanced down over me, drinking all of me in. The heat inside of me ignited - hotter than ever before. The look in his eye told that he was hungry, too, and that I was beginning to look like a tasty meal.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked. My body had already begun to respond to what it thought was going to happen. Instantly, I forgot the whole reason I was there, the whole reason I had come to see the Professor. A primal desire and need was taking hold and was demanding that I give in to it.

The corner of his lip turned upward in a wolfish grin. He knew exactly what was on my mind - and that I was helpless to defend myself from his advances. He probably even knew that I didn't want to defend myself. That, right now, I wanted his advances more than anything in the world.

He licked his lips before he spoke.

"Be here bright and early tomorrow. Eight o'clock."

He didn't move an inch, and the hungry look in his eye remained.

"On a Saturday?" I asked. My voice had taken on a lower, more sensual pitch. "What do you have in mind?"

He considered me again, letting the tense moment draw out even longer. Then, his hands gestured toward the wall. Bookshelves filled to swelling stood there looming over the office.

"You'll be helping me on a research project," He said. "Be prepared to do a lot of reading."

Confusion officially overcame me. "Research?"

"You said you were willing to do anything. I have my own deadlines looming and right now I'm in need of a research assistant."

"Oh," I began, my thoughts and words trailing off.

"You are still interested, right?" His tone contained a hint of danger - of challenge.

"Yes. Yes, of course."

"Good," he said. "Then I'll see you tomorrow morning."

I sat there stunned for a moment as he disregarded me and returned to the work on his desk. The heat inside me had yet to subside. I raced out of the office, praying to God that I didn't make any more a fool of myself than I already had.

Chapter 4

The door clicked shut and Ethan let out a breath he didn't realized he'd been holding. The bulge in his pants, however, refused to subside. Maybe now that Kayla was gone it would go away - or maybe he would have to excuse himself to the men's room and handle the situation himself.

He looked at the papers scattered around his desk with a sense of frustration. There was no chance he was going to get any work done now, not after having Kayla there. It was Friday, he deserved to cut out a bit early - right?

Ethan sat back and closed his eyes. He had taken note of Kayla the moment he saw her in his class. She was sitting in the third row, bright eyed and excited to be there. It was a far stretch from the majority of her classmates that only took his class because the University required it. The more he saw of her work, the dedication and intelligence she demonstrated, the more turned on he became.

Then the most recent exam had occurred. It was the last before the end of semester finals, and her performance on it was sure to destroy her hope at earning an 'A'. All of the drive and hard work were going to be tossed out the window because of that one exam.

Perhaps that was why he had offered to help her out. Or at least that was the lie he was telling himself. He hoped giving her extra credit wasn't a mistake. He knew how he felt about her - and he hoped it didn't cloud his professional judgment. The University had given him some flexibility with regard to a student's final grades. Extraneous circumstances needed consideration - and that's all he was doing - giving a bright and promising student a little extra consideration.

Ethan rubbed at his eyes and looked at the clock. His day would be ending soon, and then he could flee campus as fast as possible. He desperately needed some distance, some perspective. And there was no better cure for that than getting lost in the heat of the gym.

Chapter 5

The next morning I climbed the three flights of stairs to the Finance department. My watch read 8:02AM - two minutes late. I was surprised to be there at all.

Keep it together, Kayla.

A last minute case of nerves nearly kept me in bed. It was like a part of me insisted on sabotaging everything. The Professor had definitely played his part in my hesitation as well. I was nervous to see him again - nervous that I would make a fool of myself, that he would see how much of an idiot I really was. I could ruin any possibility I had of earning his respect and trust.

But why did I care so much? I mean, sure, I wanted his respect. He was a well known - and liked - professor in the College of Business. Having him in my corner could open doors that I never even knew existed; but did his respect mean something more to me?

Snap out if it, you just have a little schoolgirl crush on your teacher. Stop acting so childish.

Was that all it was - a school girl crush? I’d had those before; what girl hadn’t? I knew I could move on from them, that I could focus on what was important and keep things in perspective.

Why, then, was I having such a hard time doing that with the Professor?

The light inside the office was on when I arrived, and I could see the blurred form of the Professor sitting at his desk through the frosted glass window. Heat crept over my face as I glanced again at my watch. At least you’re here, I bargained with myself. Better late than never.

I tapped on the window lightly.

“Come in,” he called from inside.

I eased the door open and entered. The office looked exactly as it had the day before with papers and files scattered wherever space allowed. What had changed, however, was the table in the corner had been nicely organized and cleared away. Yesterday there had been loose papers and books stacked high, now everything was orderly and prepared.

The Professor looked different too. I was used to seeing him in his expensive suits, but he wasn't wearing one this time. He had on a tight fitting polo shirt that nicely outlined his muscular build. I suppressed a groan of pleasure when he looked up at me from some of the papers on his desk. His beautiful brown hair fell in front of his gorgeous blue eyes and it drove me wild with delight. All of the cautions I had tallied before were instantly cast aside, and the wetness within me took control.

"You're late," he said.

I bit my lower lip timidly. "Only just."

He eyed me up and down, taking all of me in. I wanted stop time right that instant. With his eyes on me. I had never felt more vulnerable, or more secure, in my life. Thoughts of my future, and the reasons why I was standing there in the office were forgotten - were they really what was important, anyway?

"Please, have a seat," he said.

The Professor motioned to the table in the corner. I noticed how close it was to his desk - almost too close. We would be working nearly back to back. I could already smell the light cologne he was wearing, and it was driving me crazy. Could I handle being that near him for long periods of time?

Had he planned it that way?

I felt his eyes glued to me as I sat down. I tried to concentrate and glance over the papers that were there waiting for me, but it was impossible. All I saw was a mess of numbers, tables, and charts.

"What am I going to be doing?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder at him.

"You're going to help me with my research," he said plainly.

My stomach twisted; mortified. Who did he think I was. There was no way I was smart enough to help a professor with their research. I was just a lowly undergrad - and only a sophomore at that. I hadn't even been accepted into the College of Business yet, let alone really began to learn anything about how the business world worked.

"Don't you need a grad student for that? I have no idea what to do."

"I thought you were serious about this extra credit?" he asked, his voice deadpan.

My stomach did another back flip.

"I am. I'm very serious - I'll do anything. But I don't think I can do this."

"The business school has high expectations of its students," he said. "You're going to have to tackle some pretty difficult things if you want to make it."

"I know," I said, trying to find words. "I just, I mean, this is all so much." I waved a hand over the stacks and stacks of paper. "What do you even do with all of this?"

I could only imagine what my face looked like. A deer in headlights was more composed than me right then. The Professor's face was granite stone - emotionless. He stared at me with a blank expression for what felt like an eternity. Then the stony look broke into a wide smile, and he began laughing.

My stomach did another back flip on its own.

"I'm just messing with you," he said through his deep laugh.

"I don’t understand,” I said.

He composed himself before continuing.

“Of course I don’t expect you to know how to do everything.”

The grin on his face was on the verge of driving me crazy. Why did he insist on teasing me when it should have been obvious that I was out of my element? Didn’t he know I was having a hard enough time just being around him - I didn’t need him to go and make things even more difficult for me than they already were.

“You’ll be reviewing some of the data I’ve compiled for my latest paper. It's on the effects of bonuses in the workplace. It’s mundane and boring work - but someone has to do it.”

I breathed a small sigh of relief.

“Sounds interesting,” I said.

“You’re too kind,” he said.

“What made you want to study that?” I asked. “It sounds… random.”

He grinned at me. “It’s an important field of study, actually. Businesses need to know how to properly motivate their employees, and how to adequately reward them for a job well done.”

I bit my lip. “I see.”

The Professor was much smarter than I would have ever given him credit for - and that was saying a lot. I knew the Business school had a reputation for its scholarly work - but in a million years I would never have guessed what that work entailed. I looked at the stacks of papers in front of me and wondered how all of this work was going to help him out. It all seemed quite overwhelming, and the enormity of the task in front of me was finally beginning to set in.

“Don’t worry,” he said, as though he could read my mind. “What you’ll be doing is really straight forward.”

I looked back at him, and was surprised how much his gentle look comforted me. His shaggy brown hair had a way of putting me at ease.

“Here, I’ll show you.”

He scooted his chair up next to me. The subtle scent from earlier came on more strongly, and I instantly felt the heat of his body. My head did funny little loops around itself and my thoughts threatened to thicken like a good alcohol buzz.

It was going to be difficult keeping my thought straight while I worked with the Professor, and I suddenly realized that the research might not be the hardest part about the extra credit after all.

Chapter 6

The Professor was so close. Too close. He pulled a stack of papers from the piles on the table and leaned in to show me something. His shoulder rubbed against mine - it was as hard as rock and as comforting as a soft pillow. My body craved to be even closer to him - to curl up against his warmth.

But that would have been horribly inappropriate.

I leaned away, subtly; just enough so that I couldn’t feel him against me. The Professor didn’t notice - or he didn’t let on if he did. I tried to calm my racing heart and pay attention to what he was saying.

I was hopeless.

“Ms. Ellis?”

I snapped out of my daze.

“What?” I said reactively. “Sorry.”

“Where are you?” he asked.

“I’m sorry,” I said again. “It’s just all so much.”

He paused for a moment and regarded me.

“Let’s take it slow then,” he said. “Keep it simple.”

I nodded and agreed with him.

He pursed his lips in a tight grin. I had the distinct impression that he wanted to say something more - that he was censoring himself. I found myself wanting to say more, too, but I didn’t dare. How do you tell the man trying to look out for you that you want him to be so much more?

“And it’s just Kayla,” I said. His eyebrows pinched together. “If you call me Ms. Ellis again I’m going to be very upset with you.”

He recoiled, a distraught look darkening his features. “I’m sorry,” he said seriously. “I was just trying to be respectful.”

I flashed him a smile and nudged his shoulder.

“I’m just messing with you,” I said.

He smiled nervously, still off-put. “Right, of course.”

“So you can dish it, but you can’t take it? Typical guy.”

“It’s not that,” he said. “It’s just… I have a hard time reading you.”

He didn’t know how to read me? What was that supposed to mean? I didn’t think he was doing all that much “reading” in the first place.

“I’m an open book,” I said. “If there’s something you want to know just ask.”

He hesitated for a moment, but smiled and nodded his head.

He nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said.

We sat there for a few more minutes while he re-explained some of the things I would be helping him on. It was all pretty straightforward once I was able to pay attention. The heat lingered between us, still, but I was better able to keep it under control. Eventually he left me alone to get some actual work done - and I found it more difficult to concentrate when he wasn’t near me than when he had been.

What was this mysterious power this man had over me? I barely knew him and still I couldn’t stop thinking about him.

I scolded myself again. What was there to even think about? He was my Professor - just a guy that my tuition paid to educate me - nothing more.

A tiny pang crept inside of me. It was a pang I had felt only once before, but I knew exactly what it meant even though I was trying hard to deny it.

I wanted him to mean something more. Deep down, I didn’t want him to just be my Professor.

Don’t be so silly, Kayla. It’s time to grow up and ignore your school-girl fantasies.

I shook my head and tried to focus on work. There were stacks and stacks of papers that weren’t going to review themselves. The first few documents I reviewed might as well have been hieroglyphics, and I struggled to identify the key items that needed recording. Slowly I found a rhythm though, and soon I was cruising through them at full steam. I had made it through a third of the papers when something interesting caught my eye.

“Professor?” I asked after a while. “I have a question about this.”

I grabbed the sheet I had been uselessly looking over and thrust it toward him.

“It’s Ethan,” he said.

“Ethan?” I asked, confused.

He nodded sharply. “If you insist that I call you Kayla, then I insist that you call me Ethan.”

I was surprised by the seriousness in his voice - but it was swept aside as I rolled his name off my tongue for the first time.

“Ethan, then,” I said.

He grinned at me and took the paper. He studied it for a second.

“What’s your question?”

I pushed my chair closer to him and leaned in over his shoulder, pointing at one of the graphs on the paper. That was when I got another whiff of his striking scent. It was intoxicating, and its effect overpowered me.

Heat rushed to my face and I had to catch myself before I fell into him. My head went thick with a haze, and my heart pounded hard in my chest.

When I finally came to my senses I saw that his eyes were locked on me. We were so close, only inches apart. The heat of his breath washed over me - it smelled sweet; minty. His eyes bounced between mine and my lips, and I felt a sudden wave of numbness go through me.

I wanted to collapse into him - to let him whisk me away to some magical far off land. My eyes began sinking closed. I could feel my weight tipping forward, and the warning sirens in my head began going off. I was so close to the edge; so close to falling off.

“I think that’s enough for today,” he whispered in a pained voice. The soothing, minty breath washed over me again.

I shook my head, snapping out of the daze.

“Right,” I whispered back at him.

Our eyes lingered for a bit longer before I was able to break the contact. I pulled myself away. Slowly. It took every ounce of willpower I had. When there was finally enough distance between us I was able to form coherent thoughts again. Panic set in as I realized what had almost happened - I had almost ruined everything.

I pushed the chair away from the Professor - Ethan. Every instinct in my body told me to run from the room as fast as I could. To not stop running until I was in the safety of my home where I could pretend the whole day had been just a dream; or a nightmare.

“I should go,” I said sharply.

He nodded at me weakly, his eyes never straying from mine. He sat there rigid as I grabbed my things and fled toward the door. I cleared the length of the room in only three steps and threw it open. I was about to break into a run when Ethan stopped me.

“Kayla?” he called out.

I froze in place - as though he were some predator that would attack if I moved a muscle. I looked at him over my shoulder, but said nothing. He hadn’t moved a muscle either.

“Same time next week?” he asked.

My mouth tweaked, not wanting to reveal anything, and not knowing what to say. I didn’t trust myself to speak - so I just nodded my head curtly, and slammed the door shut behind me.

Chapter 7

What is wrong with you, Kayla?

I chastised myself, and not for the first time since leaving Ethan's office. Why did I let myself get that close to him? Nothing good would come of it - but I couldn’t resist. Boys were trouble, I knew that, but I still let myself get attracted to all the wrong ones.

I sat in my dorm room that evening, doing anything to distract me from what happened that morning. But nothing worked. Images of the Professor - Ethan - flashed through my head. I couldn't get the soft look of his eyes, or his overpowering scent, out of my head. He was intelligent, worldly, exotic. He was everything a girl could want in a man.

And that was the problem.

I had a short list of serious boyfriends for comparison, but Ethan blew each of them out of the water. Not many guys could handle my drive - my ambition. It was what got me through the awkward years in high school and what saw me through to success in college. I knew men were intimidated by me, and that made it easy to not pay them any attention.

My mom always told me that when the right guy came along I would know. He would be the guy that I couldn't push aside; the guy I was willing to make sacrifices for. That's when I would know it was right. Anything less wasn't an issue. If I never formed an attachment in the first place, then I couldn't be hurt.

Ethan wasn't intimidated by me, though - was he? So far he had been the guy to buck the norm. He had his own drive, his own ambition, his own reason for waking up in the morning. He paved his own way in life and was already successful. He wasn't like any other man I had met. So what happened if I couldn't ignore him? What happened if I couldn't control myself?

What are you even talking about?

Why were thoughts of Ethan and boyfriends even coming up together? It was a non-issue because it had to be. There was no scenario that led to Ethan and I ever being together - he was my Professor, nothing more.

I flopped onto my bed and stared up at the ceiling. The dorm halls outside were quiet, everyone was spending their Saturday night out on the town, getting in trouble or having fun in some other way. I was probably the only one cooped up inside; trapped with my own anxiety.

My dorm room was tiny, but it was my own. Being a Resident Advisor meant I didn't have to tolerate a roommate. My family didn't come from a lot of money and I knew a long time ago that sacrifices would be made to achieve my goals. In this case, a roof over my head and food to eat came with the price of my freedom four nights a month. It was a small price to pay.

My phone chirped and lit up on the nightstand next to me. The small screen read "Dana".

"Hey," I answered.

"What you up to?" she asked in her cheery voice. Judging by the noise in the background she was out somewhere.

"Sitting here, bored out of my mind."

"Come out, me and a few girls are at Chilis and we're going down to Fourth Ave after dinner."

I groaned in jealousy. "I can't. I'm on duty tonight. Got to stay here and make sure no one tries smuggle alcohol into the building or burn the place down."

She groaned, too. "I'm sorry, girl. We'll do it next weekend then."

A light of hope crept into me, but was dashed quickly.

"I don't know if I'll be able to," I lamented. "I'm going to be busy the rest of the semester."

"Ya, the end of the semesters are always difficult. Finals are a bitch," she said. There was a long pause. "Hey how'd the meeting go yesterday?"

My heart skipped a beat at the thought of the Professor. Images of that gorgeous smile flashed through my head again.

"It went… alright," I said. The hesitation in my voice was obvious. Dana and I had known each other for so long she could practically read my mind anyway. There was a long pause again, then the background noise lessened considerably; it was just the two of us now.

"Something you want to talk about?" she asked, her voice grave.

"It's nothing," I said. I wanted to tell her more, to tell her what had happened between Ethan and I, but I couldn't. It's not that I cared what she might think about me - she was my best friend and I could tell her anything; but I didn't want to make a big deal out of nothing. "We spent the day going over some of the research I'll be working on."

"You met him today too?" she pressed, her voice sounding overly concerned.

My voice caught up for a moment. She didn't know that I was going to be working with Ethan more than normal - probably more than she had worked with him a year ago.

"He didn't want to give me any extra credit at first. I had to beg him to get the chance," I said.

"I see," she said, but something sounded different. "So you're going to be spending your weekends with him?"

"Working on his research," I clarified. "It's an amazing opportunity, really. He's so smart and I'm already learning a ton from him."

Something told me to cut myself off - to stop talking - or I would be opening a can of worms I wasn't prepared to deal with. It was a gut feeling, nothing I could have verbalized.

"OK. Well, good luck with that, I guess. Let me know if you have time for me."

It was very obvious now that something was wrong. Dana never sounded that distant from me. We were a team; we did everything together.

"Did I say something wrong?" I asked.

"I have to go, I'm being rude," she said curtly, and hung up the phone.

I looked down at my phone, confused. What just happened?

Chapter 8

Ethan arrived to the lecture hall later than usual. Usually he arrived early, enjoying the extra time to mentally prepare for the lecture. More often than not he tried to get ahead on some of the massive amounts of reading he was subjected to. His life was all about finding those little moments when he could get more done. Minutes here and there added up over the course of a month. It was how he had accomplished so much at such a young age.

Today was different, however. He had dreaded the impending lecture all morning - he would have to confront Kayla. She would be there like she always was, sitting in the third row off to the left. Why was he so nervous to see her again? It was a rhetorical question - he knew the answer. He just wasn't ready to admit it to himself.

Kayla was an anomaly; she was unlike any other woman in his life. But, more importantly, she was a student. She was off limits - there could be no slip-ups again. He had been down that road once before, and it hadn't ended well.

Ethan stacked a few papers on the tiny podium at the front of the classroom. He forced his thoughts clear before addressing everyone. They were continuing their discussion on the market impact of expected earnings versus actual earnings. To him, it was a wildly riveting discussion, and much of his research was centered on the very topic. His students, however, usually struggled to stay awake through the lectures.

He looked up and scanned the room. He tried with all of his being to avoid looking directly at Kayla, but it was impossible. She was in her usual spot, looking as beautiful as ever. His heart caught in his chest when he saw her, and his eyes lingered on her for just a moment too long.

Damn she's beautiful, what could she ever see in an old professor like you?

"Today we're going to look at a case study," he said, finally able to divert his attention back to the class. "We're going to look at what happens when a company fails to meet their earnings expectations, even by only a few cents."

Groans rumbled throughout the class, but not from Kayla. Her face beamed. He hated that he had even noticed it - but how could he not?

The forty-five minute lecture progressed quickly, once he got rolling. Getting started was always the hardest part, and soon he hit his stride. He never expected any questions from the students - they were rare in the low level classes - and as usual, he had over-prepared his material. Before he knew it, time was up. The masses shuffled for the exits, distancing themselves from him as quick as possible.

But one student remained seated, letting everyone else pass before her. Kayla sat in her spot until the room was empty, and she made no effort to disguise her longing stares. It was just the two of them.

Ethan considered making a run for it. He didn't know what she had to say to him, but it couldn't be good. She was probably going to let him know that they couldn't meet anymore, that she couldn't do the extra credit because she couldn't be alone with him. He didn't know what that would mean, but he couldn't see any circumstances where that decision was beneficial.

Before he could gather everything, though, she was standing in front of him. His breath caught as he felt her beauty. She had a presence that he couldn't ignore - it drove him wild. He felt the familiar shift in his pants; his body had noticed her arrival as well.

Stay calm, you can do this, he reminded himself. She's just a student, maybe she just has a question about the lecture.

"Christ you're a mess," he muttered to himself, hoping she didn't hear.

Chapter 9

“Did you say something?” I asked.

Ethan looked at me, his eyes were wide and he blushed.

“No, sorry,” he said. He was frantically stuffing papers into his suitcase and looked like he wanted to get away as fast as possible. Did I do something wrong?

“What can I do for you?” he asked.

As far as professors went, Ethan had a boyish charm I found endearing. I didn’t expect it to be so difficult to sit through the lecture, but he had won me over. The entire time he stood talking about public markets and analyst projections I had been fantasizing what it might be like to be near him again - to feel the heat of his body against mine. To be so bold as to hold his hand.

Now with him standing so near, my heart was racing, but something was wrong. I could see something new in his eye - concern. It hadn’t been there before.

“Ethan, you’re acting weird. What’s going on?”

“Professor,” he corrected. His eyes darted around the room, but we were the only two there.

I bit my lip, certain that I had crossed some boundary. I cursed myself again for getting too close to him - I should have kept well enough to myself in the first place.

“Sorry, Professor. Are you okay? You look like something is the matter.”

“Everything is fine, thank you for asking.”

He slung his now over-stuffed satchel over his shoulder and was eyeballing the door. I regarded him for a moment. I should have just left when class had ended. I was going to see him again on Saturday anyway, there was no reason to make things even more awkward between us.

“I just wanted to thank you, again, for the opportunity that you’ve given me,” I said. “I’ll be sure not to waste it.”

He scrunched his face at me, but then looked… relieved. He took a deep breath before turning to face me fully. His mouth twitched for a moment before he said anything.

“I’m sorry Kayla. I’m not used to this,” he said finally a moment of bare honesty. “There are boundaries that we must keep - and sometimes you make me forget them.”

“Boundaries?” I asked.

He nodded.

“Student-teacher boundaries,” he continued.

I felt my cheeks burn bright red. I knew it! I had stepped over a line and there was no going back. Ethan - the Professor - was putting on the brakes already. I had never been punched in the stomach before - but I imagined, at that moment, that I knew what it felt like.

“Right. Of course,” I said. “Well, thank you all the same.”

He nodded and his eyes sunk to the floor. His shaggy hair dropped in front of his face, again, and I was annoyed by it for the first time. I realized that I didn't want boundaries, I wanted to be close to him again - just like we'd been last Saturday. But that had been a mistake, clearly. It wouldn't happen again, he would make sure of that.

"I was hoping we could get some extra work in on the project," I said finally.

"Extra work?" he said, sounding confused.

"I told you I was committed - and I plan to stand by that."

He studied me for a second and then nodded his approval.

"I like that, Kayla," he said. "Why don't you come by my office on Friday, instead of Saturday. That should give you more time to get ahead."

A slight weight lifted off my shoulders. Maybe I could salvage things, yet.

"Great," I said enthusiastically. "I'll see you in Thursday's lecture then."

I turned to leave and he followed me out. He held the door or me and we left the lecture hall together. Outside we turned to leave in separate directions. Ethan gave me a smile and a nod.

"See you Thursday," he said awkwardly.

I nodded at him. I wanted to say more - to do more. A hug felt more appropriate than some uncomfortably formal salutation. But before I could act, he turned to leave. I didn't dare stop him or call out to him. Rather, I fled in the other direction.

Chapter 10

The rest of the week dragged on. I didn't know what to do with myself - all I could think about was Ethan. He consumed nearly every one of my waking thoughts. He wasn't there with me, but at the same time he wouldn't leave me alone.

I worried I would begin falling behind in my other classes. I worried that my new-found obsession with the Professor would lead to a slow decline in my other grades. But I was safe. My grades were high enough that I had leeway to slack off a bit.

Isn’t that what got you into this situation int he first place?

Midweek I called Dana to see if she wanted to get lunch, but she never answered. I didn't know what I had done to upset her, but I didn't want to be invasive if she needed some time to herself. I could respect that need, and had been in similar situations before. Still - I hoped that she would come around soon. I missed my friend. There was so much I wanted to tell her - so much that had happened since we last talked.

But what could I tell her, really?

I didn't dare voice my feelings for Ethan yet. What were my feelings for Ethan, anyways? Dragging her into the mix would only add more confusion. Or maybe she could put things in perspective for me. Let me see things from a new point of view, and help me get clarity. I really wanted her to call me back so we could figure things out together.

No one had ever gone out on a limb for me like Ethan had. He was risking his reputation - and possibly even his career - by giving me the extra credit that I probably didn’t even deserve. Not many people got a second chance when they messed up; but Ethan was giving me one anyway.

How many men would put everything they had known - their livelihood - on the line for someone they barely knew? He didn’t want anything from me in return. He wasn’t doing it to get laid; though I knew I would melt in his hands if he ever put them on me. He was doing all of these things because he had faith in me. He saw what I could be and knew that, at the end of the day, I had made a mistake.

Thursday couldn't have come soon enough. I woke up early that morning and wore one of my favorite outfits.

Kayla, you're acting so childish.

But I didn't care. I busted my ass all semester, and I was entitled to enjoying myself a bit - wasn't I? Besides, feeling sexy never hurt anyone. Maybe it was the exact boost of confidence I needed to figure things out.

As I inspected myself in the full-length mirror in my dorm I imagined the look on Ethan's face when he would see me. I was wearing tiny, tight shorts and a tight blouse that showed just enough cleavage to be distracting. Would he be distracted? Would he be impressed? Would he think less of me? I tried not to dwell on that last thought for long - it would only worsen my mood.

When I arrived at class I discovered that my efforts had all been in vain. An adjunct professor was there to tell us that he would be giving the lecture since Ethan had been called into a last minute meeting.

Annoyance and concern distracted me for the entire lecture. I hoped everything was all right. I wondered what the last minute meeting could possibly be - but, more importantly, I wondered if he would be at office hours the next day.

He better be. I knew finally that I couldn’t wait any longer. I was ready to burst at the seams. I knew exactly what I had to do - and tomorrow would be the day I did it.

Chapter 11

I found myself standing outside of Ethan's office for the third time in less than a week. I was relieved to see the light on, and to see his familiar form sitting at his desk through the frosted glass window. No one else was there, and I remembered him telling me that no one ever showed up to his office hours. He was all alone. I inspected myself one last time, and patted down the slight crinkles in my skirt. I tugged my shirt just a bit lower - nothing too scandalous, but I wanted him to notice.

I tapped on the door lightly before entering.

I stuck my head in first and found Ethan working away on his computer. He looked up and shot me the biggest smile I’d ever seen.

“Kayla,” he said, louder than I expected. “Come in.”

My heart raced when I saw that he was dressed in a suit. A coat hung from a peg in the wall behind him; he looked incredible.

“I’ve been waiting for you all day,” he said.

I shut the door behind me when I entered. A deadbolt lock was directly above the door knob. It clicked when I turned it. Then I spun around and faced him squarely.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his brow pinching tightly together.

There was no turning back now, I would have closure one way or another. I leaned my back against the door, centering myself while I studied him. He stared at me, confused, but that didn't bother me. All of my doubts and fears were swept away by his look. I was used to going after what I wanted - it's what I had done all my life. Ethan was no different. If I wanted something to happen, or if I wanted some questions answered, I was going to have to ask them.

I crossed the room in only a few steps. The desk jammed hard into my legs as I leaned over it.

"Do you find me attractive?" I asked.

I had to know, I couldn't take it any longer. He sat there with a shocked expression on his face for a while.

"Attractive?" he stuttered. His mouth worked and his eyes darted around to make sense of my sudden attack. "I… uh… you…"

Finally his voice trailed off and he looked at me. He took a deep breath and composed himself. His face was no further than a foot from mine; I could smell the mint in his breath again.

"If you don't - just say so." My voice was harder than I intended.

My eyes darted back and forth between his. There wasn't granite in his face anymore; a softness replaced it. I searched it deeply, wishing to see something that would give me hope. That would let me know I wasn't off my rocker.

His eyes searched me too, and came to stop on my lips. The intensity of his look made my heart pound violently. The friction between us was almost too much to bear. I needed something to happen. Anything. I didn't think I could handle his silent look much longer.

Then something did happen.

Ethan's face rose upward. His lips pressed into mine and his hand curled around the back of my neck. He pulled me into him, into the deep kiss. But he didn't need to.

My own hands wrapped around his back as I tried to pull him toward me. His tongue dipped into my mouth and danced with mine. My pulse raced as I began to fall into him. I clung to him more tightly, my knees growing weak as he pressed into me.

He pulled me with even greater strength. My feet lifted off the ground and I was up on his desk before I knew it. I kicked and pushed myself into him, sending papers rustling to the floor in a mess. Ethan stumbled and fell backward into his chair, pulling me clear over the desk with him.

I spread my legs and straddled him in the chair, my hips pinning him there. My fingers tangled themselves in his shaggy brown hair. He pulled my hair to the side and began kissing my cheek, and down to my neck. My body responded positively to his exploring lips. His tongue traced the gentle curve in my neck and I pulled his head back.

I needed to look at him, to make sure that he was really there with me. His soft gray eyes looked into my own. Lust burned bright behind those beautiful eyes - but there was something more. He bared his true feelings toward me without even saying a word. Truth lay hidden in those eyes. Honesty. Sitting there on top of Ethan, on top of the Professor, I felt safer and more whole than I ever had before.

"What is it?" he asked, his breathing deep and heavy.

I shook my head dismissively and pulled his mouth back into mine.

Chapter 12

Kayla's hips dug into his expanding crotch. Her skin was velvety soft and he couldn't keep his lips and hands from exploring every inch of it. His heart pounded hard and his legs quivered as he rocked back and forth against her.

He kissed down along her neck again and a soft whimper came from her mouth. It was almost too much, he had to restrain himself from ripping her shirt off her right there. He still didn't know what had come over him, what had possessed him to actually make a move on her.

Or had she made a move first?

He couldn't remember anymore - and it didn't matter either way. What was important was that they were there in each other's arms. She had crawled over the desk and thrust him back into the chair, and he wouldn't soon forget that moment. She smelled like fresh lilacs, and she tasted like sweet fruit. He couldn't get enough of it.

"Wait," he said.

He pushed her back from him a bit to look at her. "We can't do this here. If someone comes in…"

He didn't say what would happen if they were caught - he didn't need to.

The corner of her mouth twisted upward in a half smile. "That's why I locked the door," she said.

He grinned. "Did you have this planned the whole time?"

She shot him a devilish smile. "My plans didn't include this much talking."

She pulled his head back to her neck, and his lips sucked on the soft spot just above her collar bone. Kayla moaned again and dug her hips against his fully erect cock. Suddenly he was upset and very annoyed by the clothes separating their bodies - but there were lines that he just couldn't cross. Not yet. It was too soon to be thinking about taking her right there in his office; no matter how much he wanted to. There would be a time and place for that to happen.

The tiny skirt she wore rode up even higher around her hips. Her beautiful pink panties were exposed. His hands groped along the side of her body until they came up to her large breasts. She had worn a low cut button up shirt that looked like it belonged in some porno about Catholic school girls. The sight of her when she came in had stunned him - he guessed that was the point.

He pulled one of her breasts out and his mouth closed around the tiny hard nipple. He flicked it a few times with his tongue as he sucked in the rest of her breast. She squealed in pleasure and dug her hips in deeper.

His other hand ran along her tight abs down to the moist center between her legs. The pink lace panties were made of a soft silky fabric. Kayla didn’t shy away from his touch - her hips pushed forward, deeper into him. He rubbed her swollen clit through the panties while her fingers dug hard into the back of his head. Then she leaned back against the desk. Her body was on display for him. Her legs spread farther apart, giving him even better access to her warm center.

Ethan leaned into her and began kissing her exposed stomach. He wrapped a strong arm around her back, supporting her while she rested against the desk. His thumb continued its violent attack on her juicy center, and he felt her body already tensing. He knew the signs, this wasn’t his first rodeo. Her legs tightened against him and began to quiver as he pressed harder into her. His tongue swirled in small circles on her stomach and her back began to arch upwards.

Her moan filled the room as her legs spasmed against him. For a moment he was worried that someone would hear; but then he didn’t care anymore. Her orgasm was the most beautiful thing he had felt in a while - and knowing he had caused it drove him wild with desire. Desire to be with her more intimately than the confines that his office allowed.

Afterward she lifted herself and wrapped around him. He leaned back in his chair, pulling her body tight and close. He could feel the beat of her heart against his chest; it fit nicely next to his own racing heart.

They sat arm in arm for long minutes. Neither said anything while they communicated through soft touches and the rise and fall of their breathing into one another.

"Wow," Kayla breathed softly.

Ethan looked up at her, still stunned by her beauty and the suddenness of their actions.

"You look amazing up there," he said. "I think you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

She grinned down at him and hid behind the strands of hair that fell in her face.

"Stop it, you'll make me blush."

"I'm just being honest," he said with all of the sincerity he could manage.

She looked down at his crotch and worked her hips into his still hard manhood.

"I think it might be your turn," she said.

A hunger erupted in his gut, and he had a nearly incontrollable desire to throw her back on the desk and take her right there.

Chapter 13

I could feel his manhood grinding into my still hot center. The distant look in his eye let me know where his true thoughts were. I wanted him inside of me right then more than I had wanted anything ever before. I wanted him to take me, to make me his.

He blew out a long and hard breath.

“We should wait. We can’t do this here,” he said. “Not the way I want to at least.”

The fierceness of his words, along with the promise of more made me squeal with glee. But why did he want to wait for another time? My eyebrows scrunched together as I studied him, confused by his hesitation. Here I was, a beautiful and willing girl who obviously wanted him wholly - what guy wouldn't leap at the chance?

"Don't get me wrong, I want to - I really want to - but not here, not like this."

He looked up at me with his soft eyes. I could feel his heart still pounding against my chest. He was just as turned on and ramped up as ever, but he controlled himself.

"I don't want to cheapen anything with you," he said.

The right guy. That is who wouldn't jump at the chance to take me right here. Right then I wanted him more than ever - but I knew he was right. I pulled his lips in closer to me, pressing them into mine. He kissed me back, his arms pulled me even tighter against his hard body. We clung to one another for another minute, our lips not wanting to part.

"You should go," he said, finally.

“What about the research?" I asked, only slightly confused.

He smiled at me, his beautiful charming smile. "I don't think either of us would get much done if you stick around. Besides, we shouldn't be seen together that much on campus anymore. It's too dangerous."

He was right. Again. But a large part of me still felt rejected. Was he pushing me away from him already? Had this all been a mistake?

I pulled myself off of him and tried to stand. My legs wobbled from all of the activity - they weren’t used to it - but I steadied myself against the desk. The office was a mess. Papers and pens lay strewn about, a product of my antics on top of his desk. I blushed when I thought about what he had just done to me, but my embarrassment was quickly replaced by uncertainty.

He had made it clear that I wasn’t welcome there anymore. I knew I needed to get going. I walked toward the door, unable to look at him for fear I would throw myself into his arms again. He followed closely behind me.

“So… I’ll see you in class on Tuesday?” I asked when we reached the door.

He put a hand on my shoulder and gently turned me toward him.

“Come see me tonight,” he said. “We can talk more at my place.”

"You want me to come to your house?" I asked, the uncertainty clear in my voice.

"Nothing like that," he said. "Scouts honor." He held up three fingers as he did, and I couldn't help but giggle. The boyish charm I had been so attracted to before was still there. "We can talk more about whatever this is.”

I wanted to throw myself at him again, to feel his arms wrapped around me. If I did, I knew there would be no way to pull myself away. I told him I would be there, and he wrote his address on a piece of paper for me.

When I left, there was no goodbye kiss. Ethan gave me another lustful look, and the swelling in his pants was still there. I felt his fiendish eyes on me as I walked all the way down the hallway.

Chapter 14

The afternoon wasn't as blissful as I was hoping it would be. I destroyed my closet in search of the perfect outfit, and even considered running to the mall to pick up something new. Thankfully, I discovered a tiny black dress I had tucked away behind everything else. It had been meant for a date I was supposed to go on six months ago, but he had flaked out on me that night, and the dress went unused.

Perfect.

As I took it out and tried it on to make sure everything still looked good I began thinking about the meeting with Ethan. What did he want to talk about tonight, and was he going to take away the extra credit he had already offered me? Did I seal the fate on my future when I kissed him? Without the extra credit I surely wouldn’t get into the business school - and that meant no business degree. Where would that leave me?

I chewed on my lip nervously as I thought about it. Was I really ready to sacrifice my lifelong dream for the sake of some man?

Ethan wasn't just some man, though. My heart skipped a beat anytime I thought of him, and when he was around there was nothing else in the world that mattered. When he was around he was the only thing - he was everything. The thought of it alone scared me.

What did that mean for us tonight, I wondered. A pit formed in my stomach when I realized that he could still call things off. I could drive out to his place just to have him say that we're not going to work out, and that we should go back to a more professional relationship - him the Professor and me the Student. Isn’t that the very thing he had tried to do earlier this week? What if he changed his mind about me and said it again?

The thought of it horrified me more than anything else.

My phone rang as I slipped the dress straps over my shoulders. I looked over at it - Dana. The phone rang a full two more times before I could bring myself to answer it. I hadn’t heard from her all week - she didn’t return any of my calls. I bit my lip nervously before answering.

"Hello," I said.

"Hey, what you up to?" she responded with her usual greeting. She sounded perfectly normal, as though we hadn’t been playing some sort of petty game all week.

My mouth cocked to the side nervously as I looked at myself in the mirror - the dress fit just right, and was practically brand new. It was perfect!

"Oh nothing, just sitting around my dorm studying," I said. I hated lying to her, but I wasn't ready to tell her the truth.

"What are you doing tonight? We should talk.”

The pit in my stomach came back with a fury. It held me transfixed, unable to speak. She had picked the worst possible time to finally want to talk.

"I can't. I… have a date." The truth came out before I could censure myself. It was a date, right?

The silence on the other end of the line was deafening.

"With who?” she asked, her voice more serious and inquisitive than ever before.

"A guy I know," I lied as gracefully as I could.

"Oh,” she said. Her tone lightened a bit, but was still suspicious. "What’s his name?”

"Um… Evan,” I cringed. I was the worst liar I knew - she was most certainly going to call me out on it. “Can I call you tomorrow? Now isn’t the best time."

"Sure," she said. There was another brief pause. "Kayla, is everything okay between us? I'm sorry if I was a bit snippy the other night."

"Yeah, we are. What happened, anyway?"

"I don't know. I think I just got jealous.”

“Jealous? What would make you jealous?”

“Your time with Professor Dewey, for one,” she said. “He… he’s a great Professor. I’m sure your experience with him is invaluable.”

"Is that all?" I asked excitedly. "You don’t have any reason to be jealous of that. If you want, I could put in a good word for you. He has a ton of stuff he needs done for his research.”

"No, it's fine. He doesn't really work in the field I want to be in anyway."

I scrunched my brow a bit, but was still relieved that we were able to clear the air between us.

"I'll let you get ready for your date. Call me tomorrow, I want to hear all about it."

We said our goodbyes and I clicked the phone off. I studied myself in the mirror again, making sure everything was just perfect.

Chapter 15

Ethan’s house was nestled back in the mountains west of the city. When he had told me how to get there he made it sound easy. In truth, the roads were windy and curvy with a lot of cul-de-sacs to get turned around and lost in. The houses may as well have been mansions, and it was rare to see a car that wasn’t a Mercedes or Beamer. To say I felt out of place would have been an extreme understatement.

Was this really where he lived?

After ten minutes of driving in circles, sure I was lost, I finally found his house. It wasn’t at the top of the mountain, but it may as well have been. It was an old Spanish style home with a little cobblestone drive that led up to a three car garage. A large fountain was out front with a cobblestone path that led around to a giant solid-oak door. The door had a sequence of squares and triangles carved into it, and looked like it cost more than my Toyota parked in the driveway.

A large bronze knocker was mounted in the center of the door, and I thumped it three times against its setting. The thumps echoed back throughout the house. A minute later a lock clicked and Ethan appeared in the doorway. His face was bright with a wide smile, and he had a single red rose in his hand.

He wore a dark red shirt with a tie that shifted between black and red in invisible patterns. The black slacks he wore were completed by expensive looking black leather shoes. My jaw dropped when he handed me the rose - he looked like he should be modeling for GQ, not teaching business classes at the university.

“Wow,” I said while I eyed him up and down.

“I’ll take that as a ‘Hello’,” he chuckled.

Then he scooped me into his arms and kissed me deeply. The warmth of his body and the familiar musky scent soothed me completely. I struggled to remember the reason I was there in the first place - his presence was overwhelming, and I immediately wanted nothing more than to curl up in his arms and hold him tight to my body. I pulled myself into the kiss even deeper, and my feet lifted slightly off the ground. Ethan squeezed me tight once more before setting me back down. He pulled away from me and I begrudgingly let him go.

"Hi," I said, beaming.

"Please, come in," he said, stepping aside. He held his hand out and gestured for me to enter.

The foyer was massive and looked even larger from the inside than it had from the outside. The traditional Spanish theme continued throughout the house, and it looked like he had hired an interior decorator to coordinate everything for him - or he had an amazing knack for interior design.

"This place is magical," I said as he led me through a short hallway into what he called the sitting room. It was at least three times the size of my small dorm, and had a huge leather couch that literally wouldn't have fit into my room. In front of the wraparound couch was a pine-woven coffee table with a glass top; magazines and coasters were laid out in a haphazard, yet charming manner.

"It’s home," he said as he looked around with me.

"I didn't realize being a professor paid so well," I said, still staring around at the pieces of southwestern art hanging from the walls.

He laughed softly. "There's no way I could afford this with the university's salary."

I looked at him and suddenly realized that I knew surprisingly little about him. A week ago he didn’t even know who I was, and now - I was falling for him. I wanted to know everything; from where he grew up to what he was passionate about.

He motioned toward the huge couch in the room, and we sat down. The soft leather was much more comfortable than I had expected. It disproved my expectation of a hard, leathery surface, and I had the sudden urge to curl up into the depths of the massive couch - but I was wearing a dress, and that wouldn’t have been proper. I sat there and crossed one leg over the other, trying my best to look classy and sophisticated.

"Can I get you something to drink? Wine, a cocktail, a beer if you'd like."

I waived my hand slightly. "No, I shouldn't," I said. "I swore the stuff off until the semester is over. I can’t afford another late night binge before an exam like the last time."

He grinned at me and nodded once. "I can respect that."

We sat there on the couch looking at each other. A minute passed before I realized we hadn't said a thing. It wasn’t an awkward silence, either. We just sat and enjoyed the simple presence of each other. I had never dreamed that such a thing was possible. I would have been content to sit there with him until the morning Sun showed through the window. Judging by the look on his face, he was feeling the same way.

"So I asked you to come here so we could talk things over,' he said, finally breaking the silence.

The nervous seed leapt into my chest. Was he going to break things off before they had even begun? It was a distinct possibility - and maybe it would have been the adult decision to make. But I dreaded the idea of not being able to launch myself into his arms again, or feel the soft taste of his lips.

"I know things are complicated," I began, not giving him the chance to break the bad news. "But, the semester is almost over, and after that we really wouldn't have anything to worry about."

His soft gray eyes seemed warmer than usual, or maybe I was imagining it. I picked at the corner of the couch with my hand; it was a nasty nervous habit.

"You're right," he said. "The semester is almost over, but we still can't let anyone know what's happened between us."

I felt the tears welling up in my eyes, a heavy pain was pressing into my chest. I couldn’t keep looking at him, at his beautiful face. He was ending it, and I wasn't sure what to say to make him change his mind about me.

"And if we’re going to find out what this is between us, we’re going to have to be very careful.”

My hand stopped picking at the corner of the couch as he touched it with his own. I looked up at him, not fully registering what he was saying. My lips worked silently, not sure how to respond. He looked at me deeply with those gorgeous gray eyes.

"I know that our public relationship - the student-teacher dynamic - imposes certain restrictions on us; but I'm hoping you're interested in giving things a go with me."

Suddenly his lips had never looked more soft, his eyes had never been more inviting. My heart pounded deep in my chest, trying to keep up with the flood of emotions I was feeling. Ethan wasn't ending it after all. In fact, he was suggesting something very different. He was telling me that he was interested in me too.

"Would you be interested in seeing where this goes also?" he asked.

I realized I hadn't said anything the entire time, that he was probably wondering what I was thinking - wondering if I was on the same page with him.

Boy, was I.

I leaned into him and kissed him. My legs slid me along the couch until I was nearly on top of him, and his strong arms wrapped around me and held me tight. My hands held his face, pulling it into my own. His skin was silky smooth, freshly shaved, and he tasted even sweeter than before. Our hearts were both pounding hard against each other.

"So I take it you’re interested in seeing where this is going?” he asked.

I nodded quickly, not knowing what else to say. My body was responding in ways that left me rather speechless.

"Right now I see it going to the bedroom," I said, shocking myself with how forward I was.

There was a movement in his pants that set me on edge. This time he bit his own lip. His eyes were like smoldering flames of gray, and he made no effort to conceal his lust like he had earlier.

"I suppose I could give you a tour," he said.

I grinned and kissed him again.

Chapter 16

Ethan led me through the house. It was large and it felt like we walked forever. He held me tight to his body, like he was whisking me away to some magical land. He made me feel confident and secure - like I could handle anything he threw my way.

His bedroom looked like it was meant for royalty, and his bed was the single largest piece of furniture I had seen in the house so far. It was lined with blankets and pillows of matching designs - all plush and welcoming.

I squealed in delight as Ethan swept me off my feet. He carried me the rest of the way to the bed. He didn’t even flinch as he walked with me in his arms, and when we got to the bed, he ducked his head and kissed me softly. I latched on to him and kissed him back, not wanting the moment to end.

Heat raged between my legs, and every once in a while I brushed against the bulge in his pants. We were hungry for each other, and after lowering me to the bed he climbed on top of me with no delay.

The next few minutes were a haze of mouths, tongues, and hands as we ripped and tore at each other’s clothes. He pulled the little black dress up and dug his fingers between my legs. I felt the heat there, and knew he did too. My legs were as wide as they could go, welcoming his every touch.

“God you’re hot,” he said as he slid the dress up over my head.

I wore matching Victoria’s Secret panties and bra and was immediately happy that I had saved them for the right occasion. But I think I could have been wearing anything at all and he still would have made me feel like the sexiest woman alive.

“It’s not fair,” I whined. “I’m in my underwear and you still have your pants on.”

He shot me a wolfish grin. “I guess you better do something about that,” he said.

He pushed himself up and sat back on his knees. The massive bulge in his pants swelled and protruded, threatening to release itself if I didn’t get to it fast enough. I licked my lips, suddenly hungry to have it inside of me.

I sat up and grabbed the belt. It unhooked and I pulled it free of its loops in one quick motion. I fumbled with the pants’ button, but eventually it was free too. My hands ran along his giant manhood as I eased the zipper down. His slacks slid down easily and he was left wearing nothing but his shirt and underwear. His enormity strained, still, but as I ran my fingers along the upper seam of his underwear he stopped me.

“You don’t get to have all the fun here,” he said.

He pushed me flat on the bed and his hands began exploring my body. An eager finger plunged past my panties and sunk into my depths. I groaned with delight and arched my back, hoping he would sink himself even deeper.

When he had explored me in his office everything had been new and unfamiliar; foreign. It had been a long time since I had let someone get that close to me. But this time body was prepared and willing.

“You’re so wet,” he breathed as his finger began working me even faster, deeper.

I bit my lip. “I need you inside of me.”

A wolfish grin spread across his face, and he drilled the finger inside me even further. He swirled it around and rubbed my clit with his thumb at the same time. Desire and need was driving me crazy. The finger vanished from my depths, leaving an emptiness. He traced it around his lips. He licked all of my juices from it, savoring every little drop. I whined at him again - I couldn’t take the teasing anymore. I needed to feel all of him; and, like so many other needs with Ethan, it was a more powerful desire than I had ever felt before.

The hunger was in his eyes, too, as he eyed my body up and down again. He feasted on the sight of me. I felt like a helpless little girl, and he was the big bad wolf out to get me.

“Take me now,” I said.

He gripped the sides of my panties as I lifted my legs high in the air. He flung them off to the side, and my naked flesh was exposed for him. He slid his underwear down, unleashing his own need. It hung there between us, like a weapon he was about to use on me. I felt a flood of juices rush from my center.

He reached over and drew out a condom from the night stand. Watching and waiting while he rolled it onto himself drove me wild. I wanted him right then and there with no delay, and if our positions were reversed I don't know if I could have waited for him to get it all the way on.

Ethan took himself in hand and leaned into me. He was gentle when he slid his thickness into me, and I gasped as it went deeper and deeper. It was much larger than the single finger he had used before, and for a moment my breath caught. I couldn’t exhale. He didn’t stop until the entirety of his manhood was buried fully inside me.

He began thrusting his hips; each brought waves of pain and pleasure. The hunger in his eyes flashed with concern when I let out a little squeal.

“Am I hurting you?” he asked.

“No, keep going,” I said.

I didn’t want him to stop - ever. I clawed at him, pulling his hips deeper into my own. My hips bucked and rocked up into his, and soon he was pumping me even harder. My need grew and grew as he continued the onslaught. Juices dripped in all directions and soon we hit a rhythm, our hips in sync with each other, and I knew I wouldn’t last long in his clutches.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, trying to pull him nearer. He lowered himself to me, and our tongues began their sensuous dance while my breasts were pressed against his hard chest. The numbness was already beginning in my toes, and soon it would spread upward into my legs, into my core.

My legs twitched and I locked them around his waist. I climaxed, hard, and every muscle in my body tightened at the same time. His manhood was stuck inside me, and the warm breaths that were coming stopped for both of us as I squeezed his chest tight against mine. The wave rocketed through with a violent crash, and I held on to him as hard as I could, never wanting to let go.

“Oh my,” he said distantly. His hips still bucked lightly, pushing their way inside of me. My legs fell limply. “Oh Kayla… you’re so…” He had that look about him. He was going to blow any second; there was no turning back. His hips rocked into me, hard, as his own body tightened and convulsed.

Then, his mouth opened wide while his eyes rolled backwards.

“That’s it baby, harder,” I said, encouraging him.

He pumped violently twice more, his twitching manhood reaching new pleasurable depths as they did, and then he collapsed on top of me.

We kissed deeply. I had my arms around him, pulling his chest tighter against my own. We were both breathless, and our hearts slammed against one another. Finally, Ethan pushed off of me with what little strength he had left. We laid there for long minutes, both of us trying to recover ourselves. My legs were still numb and lolled limply against him, and my fingers touched him lightly.

“That was phenomenal,” I said, rolling over into his arms. They wrapped around me as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

“That’s the biggest understatement I’ve ever heard,” he said as he kissed my forehead.

Chapter 17

“Don’t think this means you can start slacking off in my class,” Ethan teased her.

The two lay tangled in his bed after having consummated the beginning of whatever this was between them; he wasn’t sure, but he didn’t want to try and rush or force anything. He wanted their relationship to play out as naturally as possible, and that was going to be difficult enough with a few more weeks to go in the semester.

“I don’t think I could if I wanted to,” she grinned and curled into him even more.

Her back was against his chest, and her head was nestled under his chin. Her blond hair was soft and smelled radiant. Holding her there against him, he realized he had never felt this close to a lover. There was something unspoken between them, some connection that bound them together whether they gave voice to it or not.

"Speaking of which," she said, her voice getting more serious. "What does this mean for my extra credit?"

Her voice trembled slightly, and he knew she was dreading the topic as much as he was. He had already given it some thought, and had come to the only conclusion he thought to be reasonable.

"We're both adults, I think we can keep things professional. You can still have your opportunity for extra credit, but you'll probably need to handle it outside of the office to avoid arousing suspicions."

There was a long moment of silence that hung between them. "Thank you," she said, after a while.

"Kayla I was serious earlier when I said that I was interested in finding out where this can go. You're special somehow, and I'm only just beginning to realize just how much you might mean to me."

She turned and looked up at him with a grave expression on her face. He felt his pulse race a few beats when their eyes connected.

"I've never slept with someone that fast," she admitted, and he could tell by the tone of her voice how important that fact was to her. Kayla wasn’t the type of girl that took sex lightly - it was a big decision.

He thought about it for a moment. "What made this time different?"

She shook her head, "It felt right. Everything just feels so natural with you, like we've settled into some old, forgotten routine. It's like everything is just supposed to happen this way."

He squeezed her gently. "I hope you didn't think it was too routine," he grinned.

Her giggle sent little shivers of delight through him. "Maybe routine was the wrong word - the sex was mind-blowing."

They lay there tangled up for another hour without saying much. The rhythm of their hearts did the talking for them, and each slipped into and out of a gentle, light sleep before Kayla said she needed to get home. Ethan considered asking her to stay, but he knew there would be plenty of time for that in the coming weeks - no need to get ahead of themselves. He watched from the bed as she dressed, and felt a slight pang in his gut as she lowered the sexy black dress over her ass.

He led her to the front door and was flattered by her wide-eyed amazement. She had the look of a curious puppy that wanted to explore its new habitat; it was endearing. He was sure there were lots of questions she wanted to ask, and there were even more things he wanted to share with her, and ask in return.

Soon, he reminded himself.

"You better be in class bright and early on Tuesday. Don't be late just because you’re sleeping with the teacher." He winked at her as he held her car door open.

"Yes, Professor," she teased him with a devious smile.

Kayla pressed into him and they kissed deeply. Another wave of desire washed through him, and he knew if the kiss lasted much longer he wouldn't be responsible for what happened. He could tell that she felt the same thing, and their lips parted grudgingly.

He stood there watching as she drove off, sad that he was apart from her once again. He had lived alone for a long time, but never felt a loneliness that compared to what he felt right then.

As he made his way through the house he grabbed his phone. There was a missed call on it; he didn’t recognize the number. Ethan pushed a button and the voice mail clicked on.

“Listen, you manipulative piece of shit, stay away from Kayla. The school board may be very interested in what I have to say.”

The voice mail ended abruptly and Ethan sat there stunned. The bottom of his gut dropped like he were in a free fall. Just as he thought he was getting his life on track, his worst fear was coming back to haunt him.

He wasn’t sure how, but Dana knew about Kayla; and he knew she was spiteful enough to do something about it.