He was smiling at her, but his pale blue eyes didn't seem nearly as friendly as his smile should have suggested. Predatory. That was how it felt. As if he was imagining her without her clothes on...
"You're a bright young woman, Serena."
Trying not to betray her nerves, she said, "Thank you. I'm very passionate about literature."
"Passionate," he repeated in a low voice.
The word hung between them, and she inwardly cursed herself for saying exactly the wrong thing. For all she knew, he'd think she was trying to lead him on.
"What I mean," she said, fumbling over her words now, "is that I really enjoy reading. Everything from classics to genre fiction to literary novels."
"When I first received the class list and saw your name on the roster, I'll admit I had my doubts. But your analysis is spot-on, your use of language is far beyond your years, and you have a knack for explaining your reasoning in a way that often helps the others better understand the material."
Again, she thanked him, but where pleasure at his compliment should have been was only wariness about what he might be leading up to.
"As this is the first year I've taught such a select group of students, I have come to realize that I should make some changes, and quickly, so that everyone will get the most out of the course. How would you like to be my teaching assistant for the quarter?"
"I thought teaching assistants have already taken the classes they're helping with?"
"Actually, it's far better that you haven't yet taken my class. What I'm proposing is that you and I work together a week or two ahead of the rest of the class. I will run my weekly plans by you and then you can let me know where I need to clarify or highlight certain aspects of my lectures and assignments."
She should have jumped at the opportunity. It was all of her dreams come true to work with an academic of Julian Fairworth's stature. But...he made her so uncomfortable.
Rationally, though, Serena knew that every guy in the world didn't want to get in her pants, no matter how much her mother had raised her to believe that they did. And she'd be crazy to give up this opportunity when she needed his recommendation to the admissions department so that they would make her a permanent student after this quarter.
"I'd love to help you out in any way that I can."
He returned her smile with another one of his own that she couldn't quite bring herself to buy into, even though she wanted to. "Wonderful. I will email you several things tonight and if you're able to get through them quickly, we could meet Monday afternoon a couple of hours before class begins."
"Okay," she said, belatedly adding, "Great!" just in case it sounded like she wasn't as excited as she should be about helping him. And, really, with all the windows in this room looking out on the main Quad, it would be pretty difficult for him to actually try anything inappropriate with her. No doubt, she was worrying for nothing, letting her mother's endless and crazy warnings poison her.
"I'm so pleased you're amenable to my plan, Serena. I know we're both going to get a great deal out of it. As there is another class in this room before ours, I'd like for you to come to my office for our meetings. In any case, given that all of my materials are already there, it makes the most sense to meet there."
He hadn't said or done anything inappropriate. Despite that, she could still barely stop a shiver at the thought of being alone with him in his office next Monday.
"Sure," she made herself say, "that will work."
Serena was just reaching for her bag to sling it over her shoulder when he held out his hand to shake on the deal. She willed hers not to tremble as she put it in his, but when he closed his fingers around hers and somehow managed to tug her closer, she froze as renewed panic skittered up her spine. Unlike what she'd imagined most English professors would look like, he was fairly tall and muscular. And all she could think in the few moments that he held on to her hand was that if he wanted to overpower her, he could easily do it. Very easily.
During the course of her modeling career, she'd been in many high-pressure situations. But standing here alone with her professor on campus felt more stressful than all of them combined. Her mother's hovering had often frustrated Serena--but at least Genevieve Britten knew precisely how to scare men away from her daughter.
No longer able to pretend to be comfortable, she said, "I need to get going." She slipped her hand out of his and quickly grabbed her bag to hold it between them like a shield. "The dining hall closes soon and I've got to get all the way across campus before it does. I'll look for your email and see you on Monday in your office. Thanks, 'bye."
She didn't manage a full breath until she'd made it down the long pathway to the corner of the Quad and onto the bike-and footpath between the buildings.
What had she just gotten herself into?
Because no matter how much she tried to tell herself that she was making something out of nothing--would Professor Fairworth really jeopardize his career at one of the most prestigious universities in the world just to try to get into her pants?--she couldn't stop freaking out about it. Especially now that their private Monday meeting in his office was looming over her like a dark shadow.
When she blinked, she could feel wetness on her lashes and was afraid she was going to start full-on crying any second now. But she couldn't. Not here in the middle of campus, not when she'd seen so many students take pictures of her on their phones during the past few weeks and there was a good chance someone might catch this moment on film, too.
Needing to get some place where no one could see her, Serena ducked off the main footpath and walked quickly through the doors of a random building.
Straight into a guy's broad chest.
"Whoa," he said as his size and her speed nearly sent her toppling backward. He had to put his hands around her waist to keep her from falling. "Steady now, I've got you."
His voice sizzled through her system a beat before his touch sent a rush of scorching heat through her...and she looked up, stunned, into Sean Morrison's green eyes.
CHAPTER FIVE
He'd been smiling at her, but the moment he saw her face--and the fact that she'd obviously been about to lose it--his smile fell away. "Serena, what's wrong? Did I hurt you?"
She shook her head, but before she could manage to get any words out, his hands were already moving over her. Not in a deliberately sexy way, but with concern.
"No," she finally said, although given how his touch was making her feel, the word sounded like it had at least two syllables. "You didn't hurt me."
His hands finally stopped at her waist again, and he was still frowning at her. "But you're upset." His frown deepened as he asked, "Did another jerk bother you for a picture?"
"No." Although in many ways, her professor seemed way worse than any of those guys who hadn't even bothered to hide their dirty thoughts about her.
"Then what happened?"
"It's nothing," she said automatically.
"I doubt that," he said softly, and from the way he was looking into her eyes, she knew he could see he was right.
Sisters, she reminded herself. He'd told her last week during his apology that he had sisters. She could guess that he'd probably spent plenty of time soothing them when they'd skinned their knees or had their feelings hurt.
Still...she didn't know him, so it felt risky to trust him. Besides, how would it sound if she told him how much her professor creeped her out? Or how lonely she felt in her crowded dorm even though she was surrounded by a hundred other people? Or how she wished she could just be normal for one day of her life?
"Sorry about barreling into you like that." She made herself step out of his arms. Arms that were, amazingly, just as comforting as they were arousing. "The dining hall will be closing soon and since I missed lunch I should get go--"