by Vera Roberts
“Who’s that hot beauty?” Bob peeked over at Nick's cell phone.
Nick quickly closed the picture. “It’s a close friend of mine.” He quickly put the phone away. “She was telling me hello.”
“That’s one hot way of saying good morning!” Bob laughed aloud.
“It is,” Nick grinned. “She knows how to follow tasks.”
“Good morning, everyone,” The department chair, Rosemary Rodriguez, put down her briefcase and made her way to the breakfast table. She was a homely, heavy-set Latina woman who looked much older than her 50 years, making Nick to wonder if it was the gossip that aged her. Rosemary acted as if she ruled the university with her demands and rules. She even reported people from other departments for not following the casual dress code.
After she fixed her plate, she sat down and passed out a list of potential grad students for the department to choose from. “I hope everyone had a lovely holiday. We have a lot to cover this meeting, so let’s get started quickly. We have a fresh crop of grad students this semester, and I know some of you need the extra help. I know some of you are interviewing today, and I wish you luck in that…”
Nick thought about his interview. He preferred to work with male grad students; they seemed to have more time to devote to grad school than the female ones, who often had to juggle work and home life in addition to their studies. He wouldn’t mind a female assistant for a change.
Zerrin Campbell. Nick quickly re-read Zerrin’s background on her resume and was pleased by what he saw. She had a Bachelor’s in English and was working on her Master’s. She loved reading, sports, and she was a news junkie. She didn’t mention a significant other or other family obligations.
She sounded dull and boring—exactly what he wanted in an assistant. Nick wondered vaguely if Zerrin owned a cat.
****
She knew from the moment she stepped out of the cab she had made it. She knew it. She felt it. The air was crisp and refreshing, filling up her lungs with excitement and anticipation. Her shoulders were wide and full of confidence. There was a sparkle in her eyes that hadn’t been seen before, in a long while.
Zerrin smiled. It was going to be a great day.
She had known there was something special about her when she was younger. While her friends hated school and barely paid attention in class, she loved going to school and immersing herself in the works of Hemmingway, Shakespeare, Poe, and Dickinson. She would rather curl up with a good book than party. She was a nerd and quite content with that title.
She wrapped her scarf around her neck and bundled herself up. It was the start of the new term, and Zerrin already had her work cut out for her. She had office hours from eight to twelve, instructing the new students on their choice of study. Then she needed to set up her research schedule. Finally, she was going to interview with her new mentor, Nicholas D’Amato, since she might be lucky enough to be his assistant for the upcoming term.
New York University. The place she was once an undergrad student herself, some seven years prior. She could remember going to class in her pajamas, feeling too lazy to change for the seven o’ clock session. She remembered hustling in the café afternoon shift and all night study sessions with her roommates and other friends. She could remember the wild alcohol- and drug-fueled parties her friends dragged her to, some of which she could faintly remember.
So she was a nerd with a wild streak. She could accept that.
She had moved from Brooklyn to New Jersey to save rent since she didn’t want to share her private space with roommates. It had turned out she needed the isolation and peace and quiet. As an English grad student, her world was full of papers, research, and service. She spent her weekends pouring over her research, wondering if she missed anything in the process. If by chance she did, she started the long, tedious process all over again. She was convinced that being a grad student was a form of BDSM, and she was stuck in masochist mode.
Zerrin arrived at the English department and already saw a line forming outside her office. The new crop of freshmen students were waiting to meet with her, and Zerrin pondered if she should’ve asked for a shot of espresso when she picked up her coffee order. She knew service was a part of her studies, and she did appreciate the assistance the students gave her as a part of her own research. But she had to admit it was a bit of a headache from time to time. She found herself playing the role of therapist more than she advised the students. It made her wonder if she should’ve gone into psychology instead.
“Kionna, I see you barely passed your classes this past semester,” Zerrin looked at Kionna’s grade reports. The girl was lucky she was able to still attend at the rate she was going. “I hope you’re going to do better this term?”
“Oh, I will,” Kionna smiled. “I’m taking English 201 with Professor D’Amato.”
“Oh yes, he’s a great instructor,” Zerrin nodded, “he’s a very good teacher. I think you’ll have fun in his class.”
“Oh, I always will,” Kionna winked. “I especially love the extra credit he gives.”
Zerrin picked up Kionna’s emphasis on extra credit and didn’t have to read too much into what the young woman was implying. Zerrin had heard of Professor D’Amato’s relationship with some of the female students and she wasn’t sure if she was disgusted or amused by it. Rumor had it the only reason why Nick was still employed was because the department chair had a sweet spot for him. “Kionna, listen to me carefully, okay? I don’t want to know what’s going on between you and the professor, but be real careful, all right? I don’t want you to get into a position where you have to give sex to a man in order to get what you want.”
“I don’t have to give him anything,” Kionna shrugged. “I want to.”
Zerrin cringed at the woman’s desperation and lack of self-worth. “Regardless,” she emphasized, “if he’s taking advantage of you, please let me know ASAP.”
“I will, but he’s not taking advantage of me,” Kionna smiled. “I’ll see you later, Ms. Campbell.” She then left the office.
Zerrin shook her head. She was going have to try a little harder to get through to Kionna. “Yeah, I’ll catch you later.”
****
“How long did you work out today?” Nick asked over the phone.
“About an hour, Master,” His submissive replied.
“Very good, very good. Well, because you are so committed to staying in shape, you’re allowed to have some ice cream.”
“Can it be a sundae, Master?” she asked.
“Ooh, a sundae, huh?” Nick smiled. “Okay, you can have a sundae. You deserve it.”
“Thank you, Master. I need to get going now. My next class is coming in.”
“All right.” Nick heard a knock at his door. “I hear my appointment has arrived as well. I’ll talk to you later, Whitney.” He hung up the phone and opened his door.
“Good morning,” Zerrin greeted with a big smile.
Zerrin wasn’t what he expected. Truth to be told, he wasn’t sure exactly what he was expecting. His previous TAs had been so serious they barely cracked a smile; Nick honestly thought he was working with mannequins. They were confused by most pop culture references, and Nick cringed each time he let them teach a class.
But with Zerrin in front of him, Nick had a feeling she might be a lot of fun. She had the hipster glasses and long braids, but her attire of a jean skirt and black tights with matching black top and thick high heels told him she was interesting. And attractive as well. Nick admired his new TA. She was a pretty shade of brown, a rich, milk chocolate, and Nick was already beginning to wonder how their bodies would contrast against each other in various positions. She was of average build and curvy in the places that mattered. Her red sweater top was slightly unbuttoned, revealing the delicious swell of her breasts.
Her braids were long and of medium-thickness, half the size of the width of a finger, and they varied in black and brown hues to contrast and compliment her skin. Simply put, Zerrin looked
like a goddess to Nick. But he had a personal rule: not to get involved with colleagues or anyone working for him. It always caused headaches and unnecessary bullshit later. He didn’t have time for that.
Nick tried hard not to focus on her full and inviting lips or how warm her brown eyes were. A quick glance at her figure made him wonder why she was hiding her body underneath all that clothing. It wasn’t that cold outside.
“Good morning.” Nick held out his hand. “Zerrin, correct?”
“Yes, I am. Professor D’Amato?” she asked.
“Correct,” he smiled, “I’m glad you’re here today. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”
Zerrin wondered what Professor D’Amato meant by that. She wished she didn’t pay attention to what the other students told her about him. Looking at the professor, however, it wasn’t hard to figure out why he was so popular. He was strikingly handsome with his sharp blue eyes and muscular build under that sweater vest and jeans. She briefly wondered how dominant he could be in the bedroom. Shit! Snap out of it, Zerrin!
“Thank you,” she cleared her throat, “I’ve been looking forward meeting you as well.”
“So, let’s cut to the basics,” Nick offered Zerrin a seat before he sat behind his desk. “What is it about you that could possibly piss me off?”
Any sexual thoughts about Nick flew out of Zerrin’s mind with his abrasive question. “I’m sorry?”
“Every TA I’ve had had little things about them that I didn’t care for. Not saying they weren’t good TAs, because they were. But they weren’t perfect.” Nick played with the pencil on his desk. “What is it about you that could possibly get under my skin?”
Nick’s line of questioning reminded Zerrin of job interviews in which one of the first questions they asked was about her bad traits, as if that would somehow factor into their decision to hire her or not. “I’m anal-retentive, and sometimes I take things personally when I shouldn’t.” Now would be a perfect example of that.
“And what are you doing to work on that?” he asked.
“Leaving the personal stuff at the door and being professional at all times.” Zerrin wasn’t sure if she was interviewing with a mentor or a psychologist.
“What other interests do you have besides English?”
“Well, I have an interest in sexual health and psychology,” she admitted. “Why people act the way they do, why certain things are aphrodisiacs while others aren’t. What is normal and what isn’t.”
“How a playful interest turns into a fetish?” Nick added.
“Yeah!” Zerrin smiled. “That’s exactly it.”
Nick noticed when Zerrin smiled, her whole face lit up. Her eyes sparkled and her mood relaxed. “Why do you want to be my assistant for this term?”
“Well, I’ve been a fan of your teaching style and how you incorporate pop culture to teach Shakespeare. I think it’s crucial for teachers to make sure students understand English in a way that is fun and memorable. I remember when I was undergrad, I used little tricks and what-not to help me remember things.”
“Oh?” Nick was curious. “Such as?”
“Well, for example, when I was studying art history, I had to remember the Pantheon. Well, for the life of me, I couldn’t. Then I remembered the LL Cool J song, “Phenomenon” and it stuck. Something like a Pantheon…” she softly sang.
“Well, that’s the sample LL used,” Nick corrected.
“Yes, I know. ‘White Lines’ by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Rumor has it they were actually high on coke when they recorded that song,” Zerrin shrugged, “which is both funny and sad at the same time.”
It was that moment, Nick would later tell his children, when he fell in love with their mom. “So when can you start?”
“Oh!” Zerrin was pleasantly surprised. “Whenever you want?”
“Today?” Nick offered.
“Sure!” Zerrin smiled big. “Did you want me to meet you at your class?”
“Sure. I need to do a little more wrapping up here, but I’ll meet you there,” Nick smiled.
Zerrin didn’t want to read too much into what transpired. It suddenly felt like there was an undeniable sexual tension between them. No, it can’t be. Zerrin brushed it off as just her being overly anxious to start her new position.
****
Zerrin looked down at her notes and wished she weren’t in a rush to scribble them the way she did. Ugh, how she hated how much she procrastinated when she really didn’t want to do something. She wanted to spend a good ten minutes with Professor D’Amato before his next class but she was only going to get just a couple. Well, a couple is just going have to do.
Zerrin arrived at the classroom and quickly straightened out her clothing. She popped in a breath mint and glanced at her face again at the mirror. Maybe she shouldn’t have worn that ruby lipstick. Shit, he might think she was a hussy like some of the students he slept with. Damn, there she went with going off rumors instead hearing it from the person himself. She needed to calm down. She was starting to drive herself nuts.
“Welcome,” Nick greeted her with a smile. “Your first big day.”
“It is,” Zerrin tried to tame the growing butterflies in her stomach. It seemed the harder she wrapped her arms around her stomach, the jumpier the feeling became. “But I should be fine.”
“I’m glad,” Nick smiled. Zerrin had already fallen in love with his charming smile. “I read your bio and I think we’ll get along just fine. We already have a lot in common.”
“We do?” Zerrin hoped her tone didn’t sound too cheerful. It did in her head.
“We do,” Nick noticed a few students entering the class and taking their seats. “We’ll discuss it later.” Nick waited for the students to get settled before he addressed them. “Good morning, students. As you may have noticed, I have a guest with me today. Well, she won’t be a guest much longer. Everyone, this is Zerrin Campbell. She is my TA which stands for Teacher’s Assistant and not Teacher’s Ass for you perverts out there,” Nick said to amused chuckles, “Zerrin is my second set of ears and eyes. If, for whatever reason I’m out, class won’t be canceled; she will just instruct it in my absence. She will also grade papers and tests as well as offer tutoring to those who need it. Please welcome her and don’t be a stranger to her.”
Zerrin quickly scanned the room of the students, who were all looking at her. She immediately noticed two different receptions: the guys were happy because they were hoping she would give the same treatment as Nick gave the female students or that Zerrin would finally level out the playing field for everyone.
The female students, however, were not impressed by Zerrin’s appearance. Some narrowed their eyes at her, sizing her up, while others folded their arms across their chest and licked their lips, wondering how much carpet they would have to eat to get to Nick. You poor little hoes…
“Now that’s out of the way, please open your book to A Midsummer’s Night Dream starting on page 294. We’ll be discussing this play and then breaking into groups.”
Zerrin carefully watched Nick instruct his class, asking and answering questions. He engaged the students in thought-provoking questions, challenging them on their point of view and wondering why they came to the conclusions they did. He didn’t belittle anyone for their opinion and smiled and laughed often.
Nick was confident, with a touch of swag, often playing up a female’s attraction to him, giving her his undivided attention and making eye contact as if they were the only two in the room. With the male students, he treated them like they were brothers and never dismissed their opinions, no matter how wrong they were. She saw first-hand why Nick was one of the most popular English professors at the university. Sexual reputation aside, he actually knew his stuff.
“Okay, my part is done. Break into groups, a maximum of five people per group and discuss,” Nick instructed. He walked over to Zerrin, who was writing down notes. “Ms. Campbell?”
Zerrin looked up and c
aught eyes with Nick. She briefly wondered if he was intentionally hiding his stunning blue eyes behind his black hipster frames. “Yes, Professor?”
“I was wondering if you were free, if you wanted to have lunch with me? Since we will be working closely together it would only benefit us if we got to know each other a little bit,” he offered.
“Sure, I would like that, Professor,” Zerrin quickly jotted down her notes and put them away in her messenger bag. “Where would you like to go?”
“There’s a place called Red Farm I like to go to. If you’re watching your weight, they have healthy options available.”
“I’m familiar with Red Farm,” Zerrin smiled. “Did you want me to meet you there?”
“Sure,” Nick looked around and saw half his class was actually discussing Shakespeare, while the other half were bullshitting with each other, “I’ll meet you there in about thirty minutes. I need to stay back in case anyone has any questions.”
Zerrin briefly wondered which student Nick was going to proposition in her absence. She kept her thoughts to herself. “Not a problem. I’ll see you there.”
****
“Sorry about that,” Nick greeted Zerrin at the restaurant, “I had to stay in class.”
“Not a problem.” Zerrin closed her book. “I kept myself busy.”
Nick glanced at Zerrin’s book. It was How to Make Love Like a Porn Star by Jenna Jameson. “Interesting choice of book,” he mentioned.
“I was curious,” Zerrin offered. “It’s not a bad read but it’s nothing to write home about.”
Nick’s new assistant didn’t seem like the type to read an autobiography by a former porn star. His mind quickly wondered what else there was to Zerrin. “Oh? Do tell.”
“She talks mostly about her life experiences and maybe some bedroom tips, but it’s not a how-to manual,” she smiled, “but like I said, it’s an interesting read.”
A server came by to take their orders and bring their drinks. “So, let’s break the ice. You can ask me whatever you want. I’m pretty open with most things,” Nick offered.