The Professor - Ch. 18.3

Aurelia’s eyes bucked. Did she just hear correctly? Did Baron just say that he was available?

Double yes.

“Wh…what happened to Jordin?” Aurelia stammered out, forgetting all about the rest of her troubles in this heated moment. “Did you recently break up with her or something?” It just made sense to her that Baron would be the one to call it quits. Not only was Jordin too shallow for him, she was also too enthralled by him to cut ties without the help of a major offense.

“Jordin and I were never really together,” Baron replied from his place at his desk. “We only dated sporadically and I never once agreed to exclusivity with her. We haven’t even slept together.”

Aurelia’s eyes bucked again. “You really haven’t slept with her after all this time?”

“Baby, I haven’t slept with anyone since you,” Baron confessed. “Every time I headed in that direction, memories of you popped in my head and I couldn’t go through with it. I even cancelled a date with Jordin last night because of you.”

Tingles went through Aurelia’s body at his words, at his delicious candor. “I’ve been celibate since our night together, too, baby.”

Baron moaned. “That pleases me more than you could ever know,” he whispered huskily, his eyes ablaze with hot desire and a heavy dose of something else - love. Leaning forward in his chair with his hands clasped tightly on the desk, Baron said, “Aurelia, I know this might not be the best time to say this, but I love you. I want to be with you in every way. I want you to be mine. All mine, starting today in word. Starting at semester’s end in deed because of that rule in AU’s school policy.”

The rule Baron referred to was simply this: No student/teacher dating during the semester in which they share a class.

Although the practice of student/teacher dating was heavily frowned upon at Alcove University as a whole, the powers that be recognized that love often blossomed in less than ideal places. Combine that with the fact that both parties are usually of consensual age when they meet in college. Thus the current ban on such dating only covered the semester in which the teacher and student shared a class. This meant that Baron and Aurelia could date without fear of administrative consequences when the current semester was over.

“You…you love me?” Tears pricked Aurelia’s eyes, making it hard to see clearly.

“Yes.” Baron got up from his seat and walked around to the front of his desk where she sat. “I have loved you for quite some time now.”

“I…I love you, too,” Aurelia replied, realizing at this very moment that she really was in love with him. Somehow her feelings had turned from lust to love. But when?

It happened the night of the jazz concert. That’s when Baron had held her while she cried, willingly drove her home in his expensive car to a crime ridden part of town, and given her a credit card all without asking for a thing in return. Had Aurelia not tried to entice him in the car, he might have acted even more chivalrously that night.

“I love you so much, Baron,” she reiterated, calling him by his first name for the first time. Happy tears streamed down her face in droves. They were so welcome after all the anxious tears she’d shed last night and well into the morning hours on her brother’s behalf.

Baron moaned with pleasure at the sound of his real name on her lips. He dropped to his knees in front of her, humbled by her heartfelt declaration twice spoken.

Could this be true? Could the woman of his heart’s desire already share the depth of his affection?

Oh, yes.

“I want to kiss you so badly right now that it hurts,” Baron said, reaching up to wipe her tears away with both hands. “If it wasn’t for that school rule and if we weren’t on school property, I would.”

“Blak dat rule. I need dis kiss…now!” Aurelia said right before she threw her arms about his neck and attacked his lips.

© 2009 by Mi’Chelle Dodson/Suprina Frazier