by Tia Siren
He was sitting on the stool next to her, looking at her with a frown. He was still in the same black Ralph Lauren Polo shirt from earlier that hugged his chiseled chest in a very delicious way, and his jeans gave away his long legs. His hair were all tousled and not his usual brushed back style. She wondered if some woman had been running her fingers in them. The thought made her jealous to an extent that she could feel it on her tongue.
“Are you following me, Mr. Giovanni?” Her voice was slurred. God, some drinker she was. “That’s not the answer to my question, Sofia. Should you be here?” His eyes looked almost black and his face was all grim. What was his problem?
“I will be anywhere I damn well please, Mr. Giovanni. This is not your classroom where you ask the questions and I am expected to answer,” she snapped at him and stood to leave. Her balance shook and she clutched Raphael’s shoulder for support.
“You are drunk,” Raphael gritted his teeth and got up. He easily towered her by good six inches. “No, it’s just my heels.” She brushed him off.
“You aren’t wearing heels, Sofia.” Damn, she couldn’t even lie straight.
“Listen,” she began to tell him to just leave her alone when her gaze went past his shoulder and stilled at the man behind. It was Michael. And locked in his arms was Lindsay, her best friend. She stared at them in horror. Of all people in Ontario, Lindsay was Michael’s new girlfriend? How could she do that to her? Hurt filled her chest.
“Sofia?” Raphael called but she couldn’t look away from her ex-boyfriend and ex-best friend. “Sofia, you are pale.” Strong fingers landed on her jaw and then she was forced to look up. Raphael’s dark green eyes met hers. There was something tender in them for the moment. Something soothing.
“Are you alright?” his words were soft whisper. “Kiss me, Raphael,” words slipped her mouth before she could stop them. Raphael sucked his breath.
“Sofia…”
“Please,” she didn’t let him complete. “I cannot take another rejection.” She was pleading him.
“I can’t.” Humiliation took over her and she broke away from his hold. He didn’t want her. What was she thinking? Tears threaten to fall as she turned away.
“Sofia, stop. Listen to me,” Raphael called from behind but she didn’t look back. He caught her by elbow and she was pulled back until she hit his strong chest. “When I tell you to stop, you stop, alright?”
“Just let me go, Mr. Giovanni. I can’t …” her voice faded as Raphael’s lips covered her mouth and he kissed her. She tried to fight him off first but that only made the kiss more furious. Moments later, she was kissing him back with equal passion. It was like she had never been kissed before. His lips moved in synchronization with hers and she moaned in pleasure.
Raphael snaked his arm around her and pulled her close. She could feel his arousal on her abdomen. That’s because of her? Was he affected by her as she was by him?
“Sofia, is that you?” the voice made her tear her lips away from Raphael. She looked at her right, Michael was gaping at her in surprise.
“I thought it was you but I wasn’t sure,” Michael engulfed her into a hug. Sofia looked up at Raphael whose face was impassive. “God, I missed you so much,” Michael was speaking into her ears but she wasn’t listening. Her eyes were stilled on her Professor whom she had just kissed in a way that could put heaven on fire. Her Professor. She kissed her Professor!
“Raphael, I…” she tried to speak but Raphael was already in motion. He walked past her without giving her a glance.
She was so screwed. And what the hell did Michael want?
*****
“For the coming session, I want you to do a research on the writing style of Thomas Hardy and write a review about it. You’ll be giving me a two minute presentation to convince that what you think of him and why. You may now leave.” Raphael dismissed the class and sat on the edge of the desk with his arms folded across his chest. Students left one after another, bidding him farewell for the weekend.
His eyes travelled across the hall to the curtain of dark hairs that were hiding the face of Sofia who had effortlessly managed to take away the peace of his mind. That girl was injurious to his sanity, yet he was incapable of looking away from her. It was weeks since he had kissed her and God knew he couldn’t stop thinking about it for even a second of the day. And specially the hours spent in lecture hall with her eyes on him, it only signified his sexual frustration.
The way those blue eyes followed him, he could barely concentrate on anything else. But whenever he had seen in her direction, she’d look away, not meeting his gaze.
Looking at her gave him mix feelings inside; lust and desire was fathomable, but there was another thing, infuriation. Seeing her in another man’s arms right after he had branded her, sparked ferocity in him. He told himself countless times that she was out of his league and thinking about her should be the last thing he should be doing. But he kissed her! How was he supposed to forget that big detail? Even after weeks, he could still taste her on his tongue and it made him hard like never before.
“Raphael,” Sofia was standing in front of him, looking away from him.
“It’s Mr. Giovanni for you, Ms. Hawthorn.” He stood straight and buttoned his coat. “Mr. Giovanni, may I have a moment please?”
“Make an appointment if you want to discuss anything related to your course.” He walked out of the room, never once looking back.
Yes, this was what he should be doing. Keeping the things professional between them. He walked into the room and closed the door behind him. Leaning against the hard wood, he closed his eyes and tried to do some pep-talk to himself. But was interrupted by the buzz of his phone. It was his mother. Always the wrong timing.
“Mom, now is not a good time.”
“Your time is never good enough to talk to your mother, son,” Rosalie Giovanni said in a stern voice. “Anyway, I just called to tell you that Samuel Vikings’ daughter, Leah will be meeting you at the engagement party. She is pretty, well-mannered and is from a well-off family. A perfect match for you.”
What?! His mother was matchmaking again?
“Mom, listen. You are not going to start this,” he warned her.
“Then who else is? Look at you, Raphael, you are so alone. You need someone.”
“I am seeing someone, Mom, and it’s serious. Please, don’t make things awkward with Leah. She’s a friend.” Lying was the only option, but that silenced his mother for a few seconds.
“Mom, you should leave my decisions to me. I can take care of myself.” He covered his lie, not wanting her to take more interest in him.
“I want to meet her,” Rosalie said quietly and he pinched the bridge of his nose. Word relentless didn’t even begin to cover his mother’s personality.
“You don’t have to, Mom.”
“I’ll only believe when I meet her, Raphael. Bring her to the party.”
With that ultimatum, the line went dead. “Fuck!” he kicked the chair and cursed.
Just then there was a knock on the door. He thought of ignoring but then opened. It was Sofia.Not now.
“I told you…”
“And I said I wanted a moment with you.”
They both stood glaring at each other. Her blue eyes sparked bright with unknown expression. He could feel her breathing heavily and her lips were slightly parted. All he wanted to do was taste those lips again.He shouldn’t repeat his mistake. That kiss was a mistake and thinking about it now was a bigger mistake. But damn, he was tempted to take her into his arms again and ravish her delectable mouth properly. This had to stop before he lost what little restrain he had.
“Make an appointment.”
He closed the door on her face.
Why was his life suddenly on a roller coaster? He needed to get a grip on himself. He never lost composure but at the moment it felt to him as if he never heard the word before. He waited for ten minutes to resume his normal self back and then stepped out of the ro
om. Thankfully he didn’t spot Sofia anywhere.
His relief was short lived when he saw her leaning against his car. She straightened as he approached.
“What do you want, Sofia?” he sighed in resignation. She clearly didn’t understand anything he said to her.
“I want to talk to you.”
“And I told you what to do.”
“It isn’t about course.”
“Then there is nothing to talk.”
The sharp exchange of dialog only made the air between them more palpable. She looked up at him, her blue eyes were now dilated.
“I wanted to talk about… that night. You left before I could talk to you,” her voice was hoarse and he could see blush rising on her dark skin. About time, Sofia.
“It should never have happened.” He fished out his keys and turned to the door. A small attempt to reduce the effect she was casting on him. But that only brought him closer to her. Bad move.
The enclosed space wasn’t serving in their favor to keep the things professional. The air was dense with the intensity of heat.
“I am sorry. I shouldn’t have hit on you like that.” Her voice was filled with embarrassment. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I was high on drinks and then I saw my ex with my best friend, it all messed up. But that’s not any excuse for my behavior. I am really thankful that you didn’t take it to the management. It could have end my academics here before it even started.”
What girl was she? One minute she was like a firecracker and other minute all shy. She was a complete package.
“Come with me to an event tomorrow as my date,” words slipped his mouth before he knew. Sofia shot her head up.
“Excuse me?”
Now that he had said it, the idea sounded appealing. He needed a date for the engagement party and she was perfect for him. She complemented his personality. She’d shut his mother’s matchmaking stunt.
“You heard me.”
“But why?” “I need a date.” He shrugged.
She scoffed. “Do you even hear yourself, Mr. Giovanni?” When he didn’t comment, she fidgeted uncomfortably.
“This is unprofessional thing to even consider.” Tell him about it.
“And you think seducing your Professor when you are half drunk and kissing him is professional, Ms. Hawthorn?” he leaned his head down and looked into her eyes. She blinked twice and swallowed.
“I can’t.”
“Then pack your bags, Ms. Hawthorn. Your stay here was unfortunately, only this long.”
“You’re blackmailing me.”
“You said you owe me. I am just cashing my favors in.”
“You are an asshole.”
“That’s not a news to me.”
They stood staring at each other. She was the first one to give up. “What do you want me to do?”
“Tomorrow at six thirty. I’ll pick you up from the back of your dorm. Wear a dress.” He didn’t wait for her approval, just sat in his car and drove away. He knew he was being a Grade-A idiot. But his mind had already stopped working since he had laid his eyes on Sofia Hawthorn, so whatever came out of his mouth, it didn’t surprise him.
He had opted to play with fire and he wanted to play it well.
*****
Sofia laid back on her bunker and let the entire night play in her mind all over again. It had went nothing like she had expected. She had been furious with Raphael for his blackmailing, but deep down it all excited her. Doing something that’s forbidden, the thrill was enticing. And that kiss they had shared in L.A.? She was on fire since then. And it had only made her more aware of his presence. Whenever she looked up at his face, her eyes went to his lips, thinking what magic they had worked on her. There was also a lump of disappointment that they’d been interrupted by Michael. A thought which she was terribly ashamed of.
Seeing Michael the other night, after sharing a very hot moment with Raphael had put at least one thing in perspective; her league was definitely not Michael. He had apologized to her and had wanted to make up with her. When she had questioned about Lindsay, he said she could never replace Sofia. At that note, she had left the bar too. And then looking at Raphael back in college, it had all messed up her thoughts. Raphael was someone she could never have, and Michael wasn’t whom she wanted anymore. For two weeks she had just gawked at him like an awestricken fool, fantasizing about him. And every passing minute, she had only fallen deeper into the well for him. Everything about him galvanized her. She was wrong to obsess after her Professor but she couldn’t help it. His personality was like fire and she was a moth attracted to it even after knowing that it will only kill her.
When she had finally gathered her guts to talk to him, he had acted so rudely that it had hurt her. What was she expecting? That he’s take her in his arms and finish off what they started in L.A.? And then he had asked her to be his date for an event. And not just any event but the engagement party of his brother. She played back the hours spent with him at the high profile event. He had been nothing but a perfect gentleman. He was polite, attentive and protective.
A smile appeared on her lips as she replayed the moment when she had tried to take sip from her drink. “Let’s not test your limits, Sofia.” He had taken the flute from her hand gently. “We both know what happen afterwards.” He had smiled at her and flashed her small dimple that she didn’t know existed. She had swooned inwardly. And then he had taken her to the dance floor and despite her protest, he had swayed her seamlessly across the crowd.
“Dancing is all about following the lead,” he had whispered in her ears. At the end of song, he had pressed a kiss on the back of her hand and she swooned a little more. When the night closed and he came to drop her, he just thanked her for the night. He made no attempt to touch her. That disappointed her big time. She wanted him to kiss her and tell her that he was right there with her, just as affected as she was by all this unknown thing going around them. But no, he had driven away as soon as she had stepped inside.
Raphael was all distant and formal to her after the party. He gave her no hint of recognition as she sat in the front row for his lectures. He didn’t as much as spare a glance at her. She tried to get his attention by asking questions and giving in her views but he never made the eye contact or acknowledge her.
It was third session since the party night and he was ignoring her, she decided to confront him. How could he act so alien with her? As the lecture ended, she waited for the hall to empty.
“You are coming?” Luke asked her. “I’ll be out in a minute.” She told him to go. Once everyone was gone, she stepped in front of Raphael who was tapping into his phone.
“Are you avoiding me?” she came straight to the point.
“The class is over, Ms. Hawthorn. Leave.” She stared at him in disbelief.
“Why are you talking to me like this, Raphael?”
“Like what?”
“Like you don’t know me. Like I don’t exist for you.” She was heading towards a big heartbreak. She could sense it already.
“Do you?” he looked up at her with those sinful eyes, sharp and challenging. And then returned to his phone.
“Raphael…”
“You can’t refer to me by my first name. And you can leave now.” Anger boiled inside her and she bent forwards and snatched his phone from his hands.
“How can you do this after…” “After what, Sofia?” he didn’t let her complete and snapped.
“Stop running ahead of yourself everywhere. You are my student. It will be better if you keep your mind clear on that.”
“I wasn’t the other night.”
“That was a give and take thing. I just cashed in my favor. We are equal now.” His tone was bitter and every word that came out from his mouth, hit her like an arrow. For him, that kiss was a favor.
Before she knew her palm hit his face with a loud smack. “There, now we are equal.”
She placed his phone back into his hand and walked out of the room.
There. Something broke. Oh yes, her heart.
*****
Raphael’s cheek still stung from that slap Sofia had given her. It was well-deserved, he agreed. He was being a jackass to her and he knew it. But what else was there that he could do? He was afraid of where his feelings were heading. The most natural thing to do was make the catalyst of those feelings run away. That was what he had done. Taking Sofia as a date to engagement party was a bad idea. He knew he was in trouble when he had first spotted her in that black dress on the corner of the street with her hair flowing around in loose curls. And by the end of night, the whole idea had become terrible, because he was just a fraction of centimeter close to drag her into the closest stairwell and lose himself inside her.
That night had been enlightening and the lesson learnt was to stay the hell away from Sofia. His lewd desires would only throw her out of the college and his own career would be put to an end. He couldn’t care less about his career because teaching was what he did out of passion. A seat was already at his disposal at Giovanni Enterprise if he wanted to takeover. But he had never given his family business much thought. As for Sofia, there was no other option for her if he couldn’t contain his horny urges to himself. So, in front of her, he pretended like he didn’t acknowledge her presence. And what happened today was exactly what he wanted all along. But, damn, he didn’t expect to hate it so much.
More weeks passed and he had no more encounters with Sofia. She attended his classes, of course, but never attempted to show her presence. Like he wouldn’t know she was there. He was aware of every bit of her. It was like his body was attuned to her, jumping to attention every time she passed him. He had expected his desire for her to die down with the time but only the opposite had happened. Instead of dying down, it has enhanced to the level of breakage.
It was the last lecture of the semester when he bid luck to his students. “I hope I don’t have to see any of your faces in the same class again.” He joked and entire class snickered. His eyes fell on Sofia who wasn’t amused. The expression on her face was disturbing.