Chapter 1
I kept my knees pressed tightly together as I listened to him talk. There was something about his voice, the cadence of it that sent goosebumps up my arms whenever he spoke and made other parts of my body hot for his attention. His voice made me think of how many nights I spent alone, when I could instead be with a man who excited me. A man like him. His voice, his mere presence, aroused me, I was embarrassed to admit. After all, I was his instructor, and he was my student. And while he was busy giving a presentation on mythical figures in Chinese history; I hadn’t been paying attention to a word he’d said, which was pretty unacceptable. Sydney get it together, you’re a professional, I told myself. I finally focused on the words actually coming from his mouth as he concluded his presentation and the class began to applaud. All my students were in their mid-twenties, currently in the process of earning their master’s degrees and were from different disciplines, hence their topics were always diverse and interesting. From the part I caught at the end, I realized that Paul’s presentation most likely had been the best of them all and if my mind hadn’t been in the gutter, I probably would have enjoyed it.
“Paul, thank you very much for such a fine presentation,” I said. He smiled at me in that friendly open manner of his. It was odd that I felt so attracted to him. He wasn’t my type, really. I liked the clean cut, nerdy, academic type who wore blazers and tweed hats. I know it sounded like I dated caricatures of men in academia, but that’s what all my boyfriends in my adult years looked like. Paul was the absolute opposite. He had a beard and even though it was expertly manicured, there was still something about it that made him look outdoorsy, as if he would be more comfortable in the mountains hiking than in a classroom presenting. He also kept his hair just a bit too long for my liking, but I felt myself wanting to reach out and touch his dark-brown curly locks whenever he was within distance. And then there was the rest of his body. He was tall, that was for sure, at least 6’5’’ with broad shoulders, and chiseled abs that I had accidentally seen when he was stretching in class one day, and long strong legs. Unlike most guys, he wasn’t just powerfully built at the top. No. Paul’s thighs were the size of two of mine put together, making me wonder if he ran track when he was younger.
I cleared my throat and narrowed my eyes at the class, as if I were thinking of something important, when instead, I was giving myself time to clear my mind of my wayward lust-filled thoughts.
“Were there any questions?”
No one said a word and I shrugged and said to Paul, “Well then, I guess you can take a seat.”
I wrapped up class, knowing that everyone was tired and we could continue the remaining presentations the next day. A few stragglers stayed behind to ask me questions and I was grateful for their presence given that Paul was still there, leaning against the wall with his legs folded across each other at the ankles, seemingly waiting for me. He held his backpack in one hand and I could feel his eyes on me the entire time. When the other students were gone, I didn’t immediately acknowledge him. Instead, I wasted as much time as possible, erasing the white board and packing my things.
“Need some help?” Paul said, pushing himself away from the wall and crossing the floor in a few long strides. He was suddenly next to me and I didn’t know how to react. He was so close; I could smell him. His aftershave did something to my senses, and then I wondered if it were actually his aftershave or just his natural scent that I was responding so strongly to. I sighed inwardly, this was going to be a long night, I said to myself.
“What did you think of my presentation? I thought it was a little boring and dry. I’m glad the class paid attention,” he chuckled a little and I felt my cheeks grow warm, even his laugh did funny things to me.
I was given a respite from responding when he continued, “I’ve never been the best presenter.” He waited for my reply as he cut off the overhead projector and the computer connected to the base of the podium. He then shut down the laptop that each student had been using for their presentation, leaving nothing for me to do but talk to him.
I bit the inside of my cheek. Don’t be awkward, Sydney. Answer his question.
I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant as I slipped my leather laptop bag across my shoulders and secured my tablet in it.
“I guess I would have liked to hear more information about how mythical creatures reflect certain societal ideologies. So mainly, more of a focus on the cultural significance of the creatures and less on the creatures themselves. If that makes sense,” I let my voice trail off, happy to have come up with a lame critique that at least sounded educated. However, truth be told since I had heard nothing but the last ten words of his presentation, he could have discussed the Man on the Moon and I wouldn’t have known.
He nodded and scratched his chin and then he turned his dark-brown eyes on me, “You’re right.”
I smiled tightly and shifted my weight from foot to foot, “Well, I’ll see you next Tuesday.”
He gave me another smile as he turned to walk away. I could have sworn that smile of his held a hint of amusement as he said, “Yep. Thanks, Dr. Gabardi.” He sauntered out of the classroom and I gave a sigh of relief. His presence was wreaking havoc on my nerves. And it wasn’t until he left the room and I had stared at his backside- a bad habit of mine- that I felt I was able to breathe again.
It was after nine o’clock at night and most of the evening classes had already wrapped up. I looked around the campus, appreciating the beauty of the ivy that covered most of the buildings under the moonlight. It was a full moon and the campus was illuminated. It was parents’ weekend, and I saw a few older teens accompanied by a proud mom and dad as they toured the campus at night. It was a pretty safe campus, so I wasn’t alarmed when I heard a sound emerge from near me.
I looked in the direction of the sound and then felt a blinding pain up the back of my skull. I hit the ground hard, my head hurting so badly, I couldn’t even see. I was in pain and all I could do was moan. The pain was immobilizing. I felt my body being dragged into the bushes and I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. I was finally able to get one eye open, but that was all. I realized the other one was caked over in blood, probably from when I hit the ground. The pain was receding finally, and I struggled against the hold the person pulling me into the bushes had on my legs. I kicked out with all my might and I heard the person struggle to keep his hands on my legs. He was breathing heavily and apparently he was angry as he abandoned my legs and I saw him lean over me and raise a fist, aiming towards my gut. I screamed then and I heard footsteps heading in our direction. I continued fighting, kicking and punching at him as I screamed. I never saw his face, but then I heard a sickening thud and realized it was my head hitting the concrete. Searing pain coursed through my head, almost knocking me unconscious. Something large and black loomed over me, and first I heard a scream and then I heard what sounded like a roar, and I assumed it was my own ears ringing, as the next thing I knew everything faded into blackness.
“Dr. Gabardi?” I heard my name being called from a distance. “Dr. Gabardi, can you hear me? Hello?”
I blinked once and opened my eyes. I realized that the voice was actually pretty close, as in right next to me. I tried to look around, but my neck hurt. It hurt badly and I realized I must have hurt it when I fell.
“Oh, thank God, you’re awake,” I heard another voice and I turned towards it. It was my mother and I blinked a few times wondering what happened. Why was she here? Where was I?
“Mom?” I peered up at her face in confusion and then focused on my surroundings. From the smell of antiseptic chemicals, the beeps of various machines and the fluorescent lighting, I knew I was in the hospital.
“What am I doing here?” I attempted to sit up again, but she stopped me.
“Take it easy, honey. You only just got here.”
I did as I was told, “How did I get here? How did you know I was here?”
“Paul Jenson saw you being attacked by some wild animal and brought you to the emergency room. He’s still here by the way. Your knight in shining armor.”
I was too shocked to respond. Paul had saved me? And what wild animal was Paul talking about? I had been attacked by a person. I remembered that perfectly.
My Mom leaned in towards me and her eyes, a vivid shade of green that matched my own, twinkled mischievously, “And oh gosh, he’s a cutie. He told me that he’s your student. Lucky you, if I had him in my class, I would be reported to the Dean for coming on to him.”
I couldn’t help but smile. My Mom was a troublemaker and like me; she had a doctorate degree in sociology and worked as a faculty member at a rival university. She also happened to be married to my father for the last thirty-two years, so I was pretty sure she wasn’t planning on hitting on any students. She just liked to say outrageous things to get a response from me, I was sure of it now.
I giggled like a little girl, not feeling like the thirty-year-old I was and said, “Oh, Mom. Stop. Or I’ll tell Daddy.”
“Tell me what?” My Dad said entering the room. At fifty-two, he was still a handsome man and I was pretty sure that it was because of all the years he spent working as a carpenter. He came from old-money and had the luxury of doing whatever he wanted. His passion had been using his hands, so he became a carpenter and barely touched his trust-fund. He was now retired, at least that’s what he called sitting on the porch and watching his garden grow.
“Nothing, Daddy, just Mom misbehaving like usual,” I reassured my father, and Mom winked at me.
“Where’s Paul? Is he still here?” I asked Mom.
She shrugged, “I think so. You want me to go out and get him?”
“No!” I said, not wanting him to see me in a hospital gown, and I was sure parts of me were bruised and swollen. My parents gave me a funny look, not expecting such a forceful refusal. I tried to cover up, saying, “I just think it would be awkward, you know since he’s my student and all.”
My Dad nodded and Mom shrugged, “Oh well. The doctor said you’re fine, but who knows where that animal came from that attacked you, I mean we’re not that close to the woods. Such a scary occurrence. I wonder what it was.”
“Probably a bear,” my Dad said with a decisive nod. The more they discussed it the more I thought that maybe they were right and maybe because of the stress of the encounter, my memory was blocking out the details of the trauma of it. Surely it hadn’t been a person who attacked me; it had to have been an animal.
“Am I free to leave?” I asked. “Yep, you sure are. Do you want me to go get a nurse?”
“Yeah that would be great.”
Mom and Dad walked out of the room still trying to decide who was right about what animal had tried to attack me.
I leaned my head back against the pillow and closed my eyes. I thought I had only had them closed for a second but when I opened them again, dark-brown eyes stared down at me.
I immediately tried to sit up and Paul reached out his hand and stopped me.
“I’m glad you’re okay.” He said without preamble, worry still etched across his face. His voice seemed to caress my ears even in my drugged state. I wondered if I was given some sort of tranquilizer. It sure felt like it.
I said, my voice already slurring, “Thank you for helping me. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t? Did you see the animal that attacked me?”
He shook his head, “Not exactly. It was dark. I’m pretty sure an animal was involved one way or another.”
His words were odd to me, but I was getting tired and my mind felt lazy; I didn’t want to question him anymore.
I guess he could see the exhaustion on my face as he reached out and stroked my straight red hair away from my forehead. His hand felt good against my face and I wanted it to stay there, but suddenly I felt very tired, so tired I could barely keep my eyes open.
“Go to sleep, Sydney, I’ll see you when you wake up.”
I reached up to touch his hand and as I did, heat seemed to emanate between us and I held his eyes until I couldn’t keep mine open any longer, slowly releasing his hand as sleep overtook me yet again.