Exposed Affections

by Rene Folsom

Realizing she was a little less than a foot shorter than me, I quickly went to the edge of the room to get a stool.

  I helped her up, savoring the fact I was able to touch her once again. Not ever wanting to let go, I held onto her hips as I asked, “You see what I see, right?”

  My hands splayed over the sides of her hips and my thumbs brushed against her upper cheeks. I was soon eye level with her luscious ass, causing my cock to respond again with a vengeance.

  Attempting to ignore the growing discomfort in my pants, I looked up in her direction and saw the stunned look on her face. She was clearly speechless, and it looked like tears began to form in the sides of her eyes.

  To hopefully keep her from shedding tears, I continued explaining, “The lines flow through each piece perfectly, like they were random puzzle pieces just waiting to be met with their mates.”

  “Oh, my,” she gasped as her hands flew up to her mouth in an attempt to hide her surprise.

  “This is perfect,” she said as she started to lean forward. I strengthened my hold on her so she wouldn’t fall. I would never let her fall.

  Worried about her lack of preservation and her leaning too far forward, I squeezed at her hips in an attempt to motion her down off the stool and back to earth.

  With eagerness in her eyes, she quickly complied and turned toward me to climb down from the stool. Unable to resist, I lifted and guided her, allowing her body to slide down my front while I positioned her back on the floor again. As she slowly glided down my body, I felt every inch of her luscious curves—her full breasts pressed into me like fragile balloons. Her hands gripped my biceps and her hair brushed along my hands bracing her back. I pressed my body hard into hers, and it took all the strength I could muster to control myself as I let her go.

  Needing her to look away so I could compose myself, I gently turned her, still keeping her close, so she could look back at her masterpiece.

  “If you use black mats and frames to separate each print, it will give the viewer a chance to use their imagination while the photos provide suggestions and guide their visualization down the right path,” I said as I held her close.

  “And what’s even better is, the three other negatives I want to play around with will work perfectly in the top row… assuming they come out well. They would make it complete,” she added as she turned around to face me.

  I kept my hands on her the entire time she turned, causing my fingers to graze the small of her back so sensually it killed me to keep my erection under wraps.

  She looked at me with such longing and finally said, “Thank you.”

  “No, Julia. I should be thanking you. The caliber of work you do inspires me. I love watching prints transform into something so remarkable. And to see the look on your face right now is such a reward to me.”

  Footsteps out in the hall had her scrambling away again, but I held her firm. There was no way this amazing woman was going anywhere. She must have realized my intent, because she brought her arms around to embrace me in return. Confident, yet soft arms wrapped around my waist, her hands gently inching up the center of my back.

  God, her touch, her hold on me was like fire and ice—blazing agony. As I looked into her eyes, I knew she felt it too.

  Aware we shouldn’t be in such a vulnerable embrace on school grounds, we both slowly receded and let each other go.

  She confidently walked over to her work and began marking each print with a number. She looked so fuckable as she bent over the side of the tall lab table. I had to busy myself with something else in order to keep from lunging at her right at that moment.

  I swiftly walked over and opened the classroom doors. Maybe I would behave myself if I knew there was a possibility someone could catch us.

  Just as I repositioned myself near her, she looked around her shoulder, still bent over the side of the table, and smiled a devilish grin in my direction.

  My cock immediately reacted and I smiled so big, my face was likely going to get stuck that way, or so my mama always said. I let out a nervous chuckle and muttered, “Tease.” But I don’t think she heard me because she didn’t seem to react.

  Attempting to busy myself further, I walked over to shut off the light table and a student promptly walked in for my next class, but quickly retreated to the portrait studio across the hall.

  She finished packing her things, walked confidently over to me, and set out to shake my hand as she said, “Thank you for taking the time to look at my work and speak with me, Mr. … “

  Shit. She didn’t even know my name this entire time? That’s right. She missed my introduction and I doubt she ever had time to look at my revised syllabus.

  “Stone, Mr. Stone,” I said, smiling at the fact she was so turned on by me and never even knew my name. Oh, what I wouldn’t give for her to say my first name. So, I leaned in and quietly demanded, “But when we’re alone, you will call me Aiden.”

  The smirk I plastered on my face just then should tell her just how much I wanted her.

  I looked to make sure the other student was still gone. Confidently, I lifted her hand to my mouth and kissed her soft, sweet skin.

  “And, Juliana? The pleasure is all mine.”

  Chapter 4

  “A force more powerful than my own soul was drawing me to this magnificent woman, and I was determined to know more about her.”

  As soon as Julia walked out the door, I felt weak in the knees.

  Well, fuck me. What the hell was that all about?

  I needed to know more about Juliana Petersen. Thinking quick on my feet, I stalked over to my private office and closed myself in. The student files were stored in here and I was determined to sift through every single sheet of paper in her file.

  I knew violating her private information was probably a bit immoral and borderline stalkerish, but I couldn’t help myself. A force more powerful than my own soul was drawing me to this magnificent woman, and I was determined to know more about her.

  With less than five minutes before my next class, I thumbed through the filing cabinet in search for her file. All the student files were in the computer system, but Mr. Barnes was old school and liked to have paper in his hands. Luckily for me, this meant I could access her files without a digital trail and possibly even take them with me.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket and I cursed at how jittery I was for a phone vibration to make me jump. My brother’s number flashed on the screen and I noticed he had programmed a photo of his ass as his profile picture. With his slack-ass maturity level, you’d have no clue we were born minutes apart.

  “Your new contact avatar suits you,” I said as I answered his call.

  “Like staring at my ass?” he responded with laughter.

  “Not nearly as much as you like showing it, apparently. I’ve got a class in a few minutes though, so what’s up?”

  “Well, I was wondering what porno you were just watching so I can rent it later. It’s obviously a good one.”

  “Porno. What?” I asked, wondering what the fuck he was blathering about. Then realization hit me. He was feeling my attraction to Julia. “Oh, shit.”

  “What?”

  “Coda, I just met the most amazing woman. She’s smart, talented, and oh so beautiful. I’m amazed I kept things as cool as I did considering how I wanted nothing more than to drag her sweetness into the dark room.”

  “Holy hell, Aiden. You’re serious,” he whispered as I heard some shuffling and a door close in the background. “You’ve looked at hot chicks before and I’ve never really been affected like I am now. This has got to be more than wanting to get in her pants.”

  “It is. It’s way more than that. She’s breathtaking. I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do,” I said honestly as I ran my fingers through my hair in an attempt to calm down.

  “What do you mean? Just pursue her—ask her out. Turn on the charm I know is deep inside you somewhere.”

  “It’s not that simple,” I sighed.

 
; “And why not?”

  “She’s a student of mine.” Yeah, as soon as the words popped out of my mouth, I felt like the douchemaster of the year. Perving on one of my students is an all time low for me.

  “Aiden, not good. Definitely not a good idea. You could lose your job, she could get in trouble. That would be all kinds of messy,” Coda warned, stating the obvious. “As your brother, I’d say fuck the system and go after her. As your lawyer, I’d say… run.”

  “I know. Fuck me. I have no idea what to do. All I know is that I won’t be able to control myself around her for long.”

  “Is she really that amazing? Or do you think she’ll just be a good piece of ass?”

  My blood boiled as I heard my twin brother speak about Julia that way. “Coda, it’s not like that,” I seethed.

  “Keep your cool, asshat. I’m just trying to figure out what it is about this girl that has you so fucked in the head to even consider getting involved with a student.”

  “Well, I’ll just have to talk to you about it later because I have a class that’s about to start. It would be just my luck she’s in the first class of the day, huh?” I chuckled in an attempt to lighten the subject a bit between us. “Oh, and not only that, but I have an independent study with her three days a week. How the hell am I to control myself when we’re left alone for that long?”

  “You are so fucking screwed,” Coda said, stating the obvious.

  “I know.” Looking at the clock, I realized class would be starting soon. “Shit, gotta go.”

  “Okay, dude. Just, be careful and call me if you need anything. I’m just going over several different cases in my office today. So, I’ll be available if you need to talk,” Coda offered.

  “Thanks, Bubba,” I muttered, hanging up the phone before he could respond.

  Taking a deep breath, I tried to remember what I was doing before Coda called to razz my ass. Ahh, her student file.

  As I held her file in my hand, I stopped to think if what I was doing was totally unethical. In reality, the student files were completely at my disposal. I was allowed to access them at any time. But, for personal use? I had to wonder if I was crossing some imaginary line.

  “Ahh, hell,” I muttered. Holding my breath, I slowly opened the manila file folder.

  Student Name: Juliana Kasey Petersen

  Telephone Number: (352) 555-7235

  Email: juleskasey@gmail.com

  Date of Birth: 03/21/1989 (current age: 22)

  Sex: Female

  Program of Study: Fine Arts

  GPA: 3.9

  Attendance: Perfect attendance

  Degree(s) Awarded: N/A

  Awards:

  - First Place Photography, Alliance for Innovation, 2011

  - Outstanding Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture, National Sculpture Association, 2011

  - AFCP Graphic Design Award, 2011

  - Outstanding Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture, National Sculpture Association, 2010

  - Award of Excellence, Student Photography League, 2010

  - Outstanding Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture, National Sculpture Association, 2009

  Honors: 2009-present

  Certifications: N/A

  Athletics: Cross Country, 2009-2010

  Weight: 138

  Height: 5’4”

  Parents: David Petersen, Ana Petersen

  Siblings: Daemon Petersen (diseased)

  Damn. She lost her brother. God, I hoped that wasn’t recently.

  I definitely got excited when I saw her birthday was coming up in a little over two weeks. And she’s only a few years younger than I am. I wished there was more information in her file about her awards. She obviously had kicked some serious ass in the student art community over the past few years.

  Glancing at the clock, I noticed I was completely out of time. I quickly stuffed the file into my bag and tried desperately to forget Ms. Juliana Kasey Petersen—for now at least.

  Acknowledgements

  I have to give a huge thanks to my editor and freak cyber-twin, Cynthia Shepp. Without her, my stories would be a mess.

  Cynthia, thank you for bringing me balance and keeping me from falling flat on my… face.

  I would also like to give a shout out to my family: my sister, Michelle, for constantly putting up with my writing ADD and character addictions, my husband and kids for leaving me alone when I so desperately needed the quiet time, and my favorite authors for fueling my reading addictions.

  Lastly, I want to mention my online family for all their support: Amanda Phillips, Shannon Dearing, Jayce Grayson, and even the douche, Jason Brant. I also can’t forget my lovely street team. I’m so glad y’all haven’t gotten sick of me yet.

  If you enjoyed Shuttered Affections, try Rene’s Paranormal Romance, the Soul Seers series. Go on a journey with Ella and Jonah in the Soul Seers Boxed Set.

  The first novella in this series is always FREE! So, give it a try.

  Voices of the Soul (Soul Seers #1)

  Eyes of the Soul (Soul Seers #2)

  Truths of the Soul (Soul Seers #3)

  Blood of the Soul (Soul Seers #4)

  Secrets of the Soul (Soul Seers #5)

  Hearts of the Soul (Soul Seers #6)

  Throughout her entire life, Ella has heard voices. Voices inside her head. She’s never given much thought as to why she has this gift… or this curse, depending on which way you look at it. It’s not until she meets the mysterious Jonah that she begins to question her inherited abilities as a Soul Seer. Learning to deal with loss and love, Ella manages to live a seemingly normal life… or so she thought.

  Jonah has never experienced a woman more stunning than the beauty that haunts his dreams. Making his way through life, Jonah’s love of art becomes his outlet. His talents prove to be the only way to recreate his dreams. Her beauty is his constant.

  In life, a happy ending is something you only find in chick flicks. Yet no matter how often they are left with disappointment and struggle, Ella and Jonah still strive for their happily ever after.

  Purchase the Soul Seers Boxed Set

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  More from Rene

  Roommate Romance Series

  Heart You (Roommate Romance #1)

  Bind Me (Roommate Romance #2)

  Share You (Roommate Romance #3)

  Soul Seers Series

  Soul Seers Boxed Set

  (All Six Novellas in One Download)

  Voices of the Soul (Soul Seers #1)

  Eyes of the Soul (Soul Seers #2)

  Truths of the Soul (Soul Seers #3)

  Blood of the Soul (Soul Seers #4)

  Secrets of the Soul (Soul Seers #5)

  Hearts of the Soul (Soul Seers #6)

  Anthologies

  Paranormal Anthology with a Twist

  Stalkers Anthology (Coming Soon)

  About the Author

  Rene Folsom, author of paranormal romance and erotica, lives in Florida with her husband and three kids. She has officially diagnosed herself with creative ADD and, if it weren't for her day job as a web programmer, she would have a million and one writing projects going at once. In addition to web design, she is also a graphic artist who loves to create custom book cover designs for indie authors. She is definitely an artist at heart and would love nothing more than to be elbow deep in clay during her waking hours.

  Rene believes that all fiction is based on some form of reality—otherwise we would never have the inspiration or knowledge to dream up the r
ealistic situations we portray with our words. She is proud to say that her personal experiences have been inspirational, though perhaps not always identical to that of her fictional characters. Where reality and fantasy diverge, however, must remain her little secret…