Free Bare by Morgan Black

1
    I sat like a deer in the headlights, and sucked in a deep breath. How could this happen? How could my two worlds collide in such a ridiculous way? I felt, for a moment, like I was being set up.
    He rubbed his hands along the outside his pants, probably trying to get rid of sweat. I knew I was nervous. I couldn't imagine that he wasn't. Everyone’s eyes were still on me.
    He cleared his throat. “So, I'm actually just going to give you an online assignment for this class today.” He ran his hands through his hair, but tried to appear calm. “I mean, I’m no teacher. I have more important matters to attend to.” His eyes narrowed in on me. Everyone knew it was a lie. He turned around, and fumbled with his briefcase as he pulled out a laptop. I'd only seen him this vulnerable once before, when we were on the beach together in France. Eyes were on me from all over the room. The girls were noticing how nervous I made Hudson, and the guys were trying to figure out what was so spectacular about me. How had I made this powerful man in a crisp black suit come crashing down at my knees?
    “Yes. Here it is, uploaded. So go home.” No one moved. I could tell the other students weren’t sure if he was serious or not. “I said go home. Class dismissed. Whatever it is that professors say these days. Just get out of here.”
    Everyone collected their things, and stole glances at me, with hushed whispers. I didn't move. I didn't grab my laptop. I just sat there, waiting for him to say something. When the door closed behind the last student, I expected him to turn around. To look at me, to say something. But he didn't. I watched his body hunched over the desk at the front of the classroom, deep in thought.
    “Should I leave too?”
    He spun around, and looked at me with such desperation in his eyes that I'd never seen before. “I don't want you to go.”
    “Then I stay.”
    He slowly ascended the stairs to the right of me, walking up into the seats. He stopped just a row short of me, and moved across the aisle until he was leaning against a chair directly in front of me.
    “I swear I had no idea you were in this class. Though I should have.”
    “What does that mean?”
    “I was offered this gig by one of my bosses. With or without me, they’re keeping tabs on you, Calla. I guess they wanted us to be reintroduced.”
    “I don't like people messing with my life.”
    He nodded. “I'm sure you don't. But, when you entered into a relationship with me, that's kind of what you get. I told you. I hurt people.”
    “But you don't want to! You sent me all those flowers, you try to make up for what you did. But I'm just so damn mad at you! You lied to me. Do you know how that makes me feel?” I pointed to myself for emphasis.
    He hung his head in shame. “I know what I did to you, Calla. And there's no excuse for it. But I just want a second chance. Can you just give me that?”
    I looked at my laptop to avoid his eyes. “I want to.”
    He bent across the chair so that he was inches from my face. “Then just let me try.”
    I sighed. “Fine. But I want a real relationship, Hudson. I don’t want to just be your call girl anymore.”
    “With me, you were never just a call girl.”
    I leaned forward so that our lips just barely touched, and it sent a tingle through my body. Suddenly I was back in France with my hands bound and waves of pleasure ripping through my body. I had missed this. When we parted, a smile crossed his face, and reached his eyes. Something I had rarely seen.
    “So, next time you teach my class, do you think you can handle yourself enough to actually get through class?”
    He laughed as he leaned back. “Not my best first day, was it? I'm sure the Dean or whatever is going to be asking questions about that. And the other students.”
    “Yes, so much for being discreet. Everyone on campus is going be talking about the hot new professor, and how he dismissed class so we could talk to a girl.”
    He laughed.