by Melissa Jane
“I have something for you,” Leo announced during our chat on Sunday night.
“Oh, do tell.” I was lying in bed with just the glow of the bedside lamp listening to his silky smooth voice. He sounded tired and overworked but still his accent helped carry a rhythm.
“No telling. You’ll have to wait and see on Tuesday night.”
“My mind wanders.”
“I would love to know the places your mind wanders.”
“I would love to show you.”
“Bella,” Leo sighed. “You’re going to leave me craving you in real life and my dreams.”
“Maybe that’s my plan.”
CHAPTER 12
“Maybe I should ask to re-sit the exam,” Marge suggested, frown lines marring her round face. I followed her gaze down to where Professor Jolly stood with Laney, a young up and coming history tutor under the wing of the teacher.
He lived up to his name. Jolly always seemed to be…well jolly. Walking on stage in the amphitheater with a glass of red wine, he would sip during sentences and gesture widely without spilling a drop. He was the professor all universities needed and apparently the right professor to charm your way to the top. Laney was beautiful and worse still, she knew it. Her behaviour caused a few raised eyebrows and rumors were spreading fast. Marge, however, being rather naïve, remained immune to the ‘actual’ gossip and assumed Laney got what she wanted because she simply asked.
“Marge, it’s a given Laney passes, whether she deserves it or not.”
“Why?”
All I could do was stare in amusement. “Look at them,” I indicated down at the stage. “And look closely.”
She followed my gaze and together we watched as Laney, dressed in tight jeans and a black crop top took to touching Professor Jolly coyly on the arms before sharing a laugh. It quickly escalated as they both leaned closer to each other whispering, followed by a laugh. Jolly then gestured for Laney to walk next to him, his hand falling to her lower waist. They disappeared through the left side curtains as I turned my attention back to Marge.
“Do you see?” I asked.
Marge faced me, her confused expression from earlier even more pronounced now. “I just don’t understand. I try to talk with him all the time and never once has he given me an answer longer than two words.”
“Marge! Are you for real? You don’t give him pussy that’s why.”
A look of horror possessed her face and it took all the will I could muster not to laugh. The poor dear.
“Laney gives him pussy?”
Hooking my bag over my shoulder I stared in dismay. “I think you have selective sight, Marge.”
“I don’t stand a chance at re-sitting the exam then.”
“I’m sure you didn’t do too badly.” I could reassure all I wanted, but Marge did struggle with the theory element.
“Hopefully not bad enough I have to offer myself as a sacrifice.”
***
I caught up with Marge after she left me dumbfounded with her last statement. I honestly didn’t know what planet she lived on. And while I could credit her for not listening to rumor, she really did need to be more observant.
“Lunch before life drawing?” she asked, eyeing off the bar.
“Yes, save me a seat. I’m just running into the supply shop.”
Marge left and I wandered the lanes of the art supplies. Picking a few items, I loaded my basket and checked out. Tomorrow, I would make the delivery and hope Mimi could put the items to good use. I was certain she had read those books to death and could use some form of different entertainment.
***
“Well…this is anti-climactic,” Marge stood on the threshold of the drawing-room whispering her disapproval of the night’s model. Granted…he was no Leo. With protruding bones and absolutely no muscle structure it was clear our focus was on skeletal forms.
The rest of the women in the room were back to their usual unenthused selves. The apparent lack of stimulus having depleting everyone’s motivation.
Professor Lindsay sauntered over reeking of cigarettes and wine. It occurred to me that the university was full of alcoholics.
“Ms. Marks. Have you made your decision yet?” she asked, folding her skinny arms across her chest.
“Ah, no I haven’t. I’m sorry.”
She looked at me like I was the biggest waste of air. “I cannot fathom why you have not responded. There are plenty of others who would love to be in your position. The least you could do is demonstrate some enthusiasm.”
Although it was obvious there was no love lost between us, I plastered on my most sincere smile and offered my most believable reassurance. “I understand. And believe me, I am beyond honoured to have been offered this position. I just didn’t expect it to have actually become reality, so I have a few things to sort out before I offer my final decision.”
“Your mother would expect better.”
That stung. That hurt like a jagged knife through the heart.
From the corner of my eye, I could see Marge was confused by the last comment.
With a final indignant shake of the head, Professor Lindsay left me to reel from her careless words. I felt the familiar tightness in my throat and eyes burned with tears. Heat flooded my cheeks and as I turned to Marge, she took my hand and squeezed it. She knew about my mom. Spending four years together studying in varying subjects had resulted in some life sharing.
Now, she could see my pain. “I’m sorry, Josie. That was an awful thing for her to say. But I’m confused. How does she know your mom?”
Swiping a tear, I swallowed the lump to allow me to talk. “Professor Lindsay or Katherine and mother were art students together also. Back when they were younger they traveled Australia to study the landscape. She saw my surname when I enrolled and saw me as a mirror image of her.”
They had been close friends. Years of traveling had resulted in a strong bond being formed. But they were young and impressionable. While my mom focused on the beauty of nature and continued her journey to discover unseen landscapes, Katherine was greatly influenced by a new set of friends who at the tale-end of feminism, aimed to reignite the movement. Soon, their common interest in art clashed. Dad had told me this story when he inquired into my lectures. I had come home angry and downtrodden when Professor Lindsay dismissed my art as being outdated and stale. When he revealed who she really was, I learned to treat her continual stabs with a grain of salt.
But she was right. I did have to make a decision and a huge part of me wished it wasn’t mine to make.
CHAPTER 13
“Why aren’t you ready?” Standing in Nicole’s doorway, I looked horrified at the pajamas she was wearing.
“I’m not going,” she mumbled as if it were a non-issue.
“To hell you aren’t! This was your idea if I remember correctly.”
She pursed her lips together and made a squeaky noise in contemplation. “Yeah, I do recall, however…” her eyes looked around the room in a guilty fashion.
“However?”
“I’m not exactly feeling the best. I think I have food poisoning.”
“Bullshit you do. I just saw you wolf down a bag of potato chips and full KitKat.”
Maintaining the charade she clutched her stomach as if in pain and pulled the sheet higher to her chin. It was then I noticed the hair. It was perfect. Thick, lustrous red locks perfectly groomed and makeup, flawless.
“You’re ditching me for someone else!”
“Technically I’m not ditching you. You’ll be falling into Leo’s arms later after eye-molesting him all lesson, so I figured I should use my time wisely.”
“Mm-hmm,” my hand rested on my hip. “Well, it seems you’ve made up your mind. You might wanna put your vibrator away before whoever gets here.”
Nicole bolted upright wearing a look of shock realizing she had indeed left ‘him’ out on display.
“Go dance you ho and I don’t expect you back anywhere before midnight,�
�� she instructed like the good friend she was.
“Have fun, whatever it is you plan to do under those sheets.”
“Oh, I plan on it. Enjoy that Spanish stud of yours.”
Oh, I certainly intended to.
***
I arrived with two seconds to spare.
I could hear Curvy’s voice announce the students to the floor as I entered and saw the interchange of bodies as the freestyle dancers headed back to their tables. So focused on my destination, I walked straight past Leo, who was at the bar. His hand gently wrapped around my wrist pulling me into his firm hold. His sweet-spice cologne intoxicated me, my head swimming with a deliriousness that came hand in hand with Leo.
“The others might think you play favorites,” I teased, his affection for me on full display for all the other students to see.
“Luckily, I’m not one for what other people think.” Leo’s lips fell to mine, his hand snaking its way under my hair to the nape of my neck. When our tongues met, I groaned and he kissed me harder, possessing me in a way that had me a willing captive.
Pulling away, I could feel the stares of at least forty others in the room. Conversations had ceased, curiosity running rampant. A shiver ran up my spine, a sense of embarrassment taking hold. Being an artist, I was more introvert than social. Situations that had me as prime focus only caused me to become clumsy and awkward.
“Relax,” Leo whispered in my ear, lips grazing. “You’re a beautiful woman who can hold the attention of many, with or without a kiss from the teacher. Come.”
Taking my hand, he led me to a booth where we both sat down. Next to him was a large black shoe box. “This is for you, Bella.” Handing me the gift, I felt giddy inside.
Removing the lid, I folding the tissue paper to the sides and picked up one of the shoes.
“Holy shit!” I breathed, but he heard me over the music.
“I want these sexy legs of yours to be dancing in proper heels.”
They were simply beautiful. Unlike the heels I’d been wearing to class, these were made for dancers. They were elegant and sexy all at the same time. The black silk had a filigree gold threading through it and I was almost too scared to wear them out.
Taking the other from the box he showed me its attributes. “See, they are flexible,” he bent the sole back and forth with ease, something that couldn’t be done with a standard heel. “The bottom sole has no grip other than this fabric. It’s there to help you move across the floor with ease, but they cannot be worn outside. Walking on concrete and everything else with only destroy the fabric.”
I nodded in understanding. “How did you know my size?” I eyed him with mock suspicion.
“Your shoes on the rack near the front door,” he responded with the simple and believable answer. “Try them.”
Without needing to be told twice, I removed my heels and slid the new ones on, securing the strap across my foot.
“Oh my God,” I exclaimed in disbelief. “It’s like my feet have died and gone to heaven. All these years being a woman and I feel cheated. How can high heels be so comfy?”
Leo laughed, clearly not understanding the pain women go through on a daily basis simply to look good. “They are made for women who are on their feet continually moving. They need to be comfortable.”
Right then, I swore to all that was holy that I would never wear another pair of conventional heels again.
Ben, the barman, appeared at our table carrying a tray with two shot glasses filled to the rim. Placing one each in front of us, he smiled a dashing smile before turning to leave.
“Is this a ritual of yours?” I was curious.
“Only since you arrived on the scene.” He threw me a dashing smile. “I want you to enjoy the experience, but I can see how nervous you are. It’s in your eyes, how they dart around the room. A little bit of liquid courage can see all that doubt fade. I wish I’d had a bottle on me that night I first saw you.”
A laugh erupted and before I could stop the words, it was too late. “A hot naked Spanish man with a large semi-erection and a bottle of tequila…I’m fairly sure you wouldn’t have walked out alive.”
His wicked gleam heated my cheeks.
Fuck me!
I was turning into Marge, just a sluttier version. Saying shit before I could process it.
Still chuckling to himself while I pictured drowning myself, he handed me my shot glass. Clinking, we downed the liquid.
“Maybe I should have accepted your professor’s invitation to model again. This time, I will come better prepared.”
***
If people were attempting to hide their curiosity, they were failing miserably. When Leo took my hand and guided me to the dance floor, I knew conversations, speculations and assumptions had been broken and created all at the same time.
Was this a Laney and Professor Jolly situation?
Grades weren’t at stake and I met him before I knew he was my soon to be dance teacher.
I didn’t care. Leo had been right. One shot with the burn soaring through my veins and their whispers and critical stares meant nothing. I wasn’t an easy drunk, but there was something about this Tequila 47 that had set me in the right place.
Releasing my hand, Leo took to the front of the floor and the rest of us fell into formation. Jimmy, was quick to replace Leo’s spot next to me. Looking up the line of students, I noticed Brett the smooth-handed IT dude was MIA. I should have figured it was him Nicole was ditching me for.
The lesson ran smoothly with Leo and Curvy teaching us five new steps that we could add on to last week’s routine. To my surprise, I was picking up the moves without fumbling my way through and the new dance shoes Leo had given me felt like I was dancing on clouds.
My ears could easily pick up the clave beat to the salsa music and I found myself enjoying the lesson. The only disappointment was not getting a chance to dance with Leo. He and Curvy had their hands full assisting a new couple who were absent from the first class.
It wasn’t until the class was applauded for their efforts at the end did my confidence take a hit.
Placing wine and a Corona on the table, Leo winked from the music box to indicate he would soon be joining me. A leggy blonde appeared by my side with a beautiful Miranda Kerr face, her eyes trained on where mine just were.
“He has a smoothness about him, don’t you think?” she asked about Leo.
I hadn’t been introduced to her and I was almost certain she wasn’t in class the week before. “Yeah, he does,” I admitted, playing it safe.
She swung her face to meet mine, beautiful Goldilocks hair swishing around her neck. “You haven’t been on the scene long have you?”
“The scene?” It sounded so juvenile.
She considered me for a moment and her silence was grating my nerves. She was the one who instigated a conversation with me and now she was behaving like she held the world’s greatest secret. “If you were smart, you would know never trust a Latin man.” And with that she left.
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
“Don’t listen to her,” came a familiar voice from behind. I turned to see Curvy’s sympathetic face. “Sandra is a force we all, unfortunately, have to deal with. She’s jaded.”
“From what?”
“From all the men she has slept with in the ‘scene’ as she so eloquently put it. She has a taste for Latin men and in a way she is right what she said. Most can’t be trusted. But Leo isn’t in that category. She’s just pissed that he’s never shown any interest in her and jealous of you for stealing his affections.”
“She’s very passionate about the cause,” I said with a small laugh recalling her audacity.
“You’re too nice,” Curvy said edging closer. I liked her vibe and her smile was warm. “Me, personally, I consider her a herpes. Just when you think she’s gone, suddenly she reappears on her rampages and nothing we can do gets rid of it.”
I was mid-laugh when Leo finally joined us. “Thi
s conversation sounds familiar.” His entertained voice revealed he’d heard at least part of the conversation. I turned and smiled, drinking in his handsome face. I didn’t give any credence to Sandra’s warning. I would probably be jaded too if Leo was the only man in the room not giving me attention. “Do you mind?” He extended his hand out indicating his desire to dance.
Accepting with a beaming smile, he led me to the dance floor where he spun me out wide before drawing me into his strong arms. It was where I craved. It was where I belonged.
“I have high hopes for you, Josie,” Leo murmured into my ear.
‘”How so?”
“You are picking up the steps faster than most. You are a natural.”
I couldn’t help it. I snorted at his overly generous assessment.
“Laugh like that again, and I may have to pick you up with your legs wrapped around my waist and take you into my office.”
My ovaries exploded.
Rampant desire heated me from the inside out.
I was almost certain Leo was doing all the moving for the both of us. My limbs had become numb and his hold had tightened.
Tilting my chin, he possessed my lips in a way that made me wet between the legs. I needed him to devour me. I needed my fantasies to be brought to life. To take the Leo that had been teasing and taunting me in my dreams to become my reality.
The music changed to a tune I didn’t recognize. It wasn’t salsa music and I couldn’t identify a clave beat. Leo kissed my forehead before leading me back to the table. “I’m sorry, Josie, I need to do a demonstration with Natasha and then I’m taking you home with me.”
There was a promise in his voice that left me breathless, the dark intensity in his eyes consuming my world.