“Of course. I took over her class, but I wasn’t aware that she was currently advising anyone,” I tell her, grabbing the handwritten note on my desk from Tabitha Parry. She is up there in years and recently took a bad fall. I don’t think she was quite ready to retire, but it became medically necessary. Reading it again, I see nothing about it. Her sudden departure has sent the entire department into a frenzy as to who would be the new department head. There has been no announcement on that yet, but I am hopeful that it will be me. I am the youngest tenured professor, so while I am eligible, some of the older professors will fight that hard.
“I think I was the only one and we weren’t due to begin until after Christmas. If it’s too much trouble, I can find someone else.” Over my dead body, I think as I watch in fascination as she plays with the cuff on the sleeve of her sweater.
“That won’t be necessary, Ms. Savion. I would be happy to advise you,” I tell her.
“Oh, please call me Madalinn,” she says holding out her hand to me. As soon as I touch her soft fingertips, the jolt of electricity that courses through my veins tells me I was right about Madalinn.
“Jim. Everyone calls me Jim,” I tell her.
“Thank you so much, Jim,” she breathes, before launching herself into my arms. Shit. She fits perfectly in my arms. Her perfume is going to be the death of me.
“You are very welcome,” I all but growl in her ear. I know it’s wrong. I know she feels it too, whatever this is between us, as her breath hitches.
“I-I’m very behind on my thesis. I think I might need lots of help,” she says.
“Are you going home for the holidays?” I ask. If I am going down, I might as well start my descent into madness right now.
“I don’t really have a home,” she says. “I mean, um, my parents died earlier this year. I just have my tiny apartment off-campus.”
“I am sorry for your loss,” I say honestly. How terrible that must be for her, all alone in the world. It makes me want to protect her. It’s an animalistic feeling.
“Thank you,” she says, into my chest. Why hasn’t she moved away from me? Why does this feel so right?
“You should spend Christmas with me. My step-mother really puts on a show,” I blurt, without thinking of the consequences. Once it’s out there though, I realize that’s what I want.
“You don’t think that would be inappropriate?” she asks, still not moving out of my arms.
“Totally. But that’s half the fun, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Where do you want me?”
In my bed, but first things first.
“I am leaving to head home in about an hour. Bring whatever you need for the week,” I tell her.
“Okay,” she says pulling away from me. She grabs a pen off my desk and a piece of paper. “This is my address and my number. Come get me in an hour. I don’t have a car, so you’ll have to pick me up if that’s okay.”
“Not a problem. See you then,” I say, taking the piece of paper from her.
She grabs her things and flits from the lecture hall. Taking one last look back at me, she smiles, and I could swear my heart explodes in my chest. Son of a bitch, what am I doing? Entering into a relationship with a student can get me fired, but I don’t give a fuck.
In my last class of the day, my world changed, and it took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting this feeling and I certainly wasn’t expecting the cause of that feeling to be a student, but it is what it is.
Merry Christmas to me.
Chapter 2
Madalinn Savion
What the hell am I thinking? I wonder as I all but run home from class. I don’t have a lot of time to get ready, but I am totally doing this. I am sure that it is a thousand percent normal to go home for Christmas with your professor. Right?
As soon as I walked into that room, everything changed for me. I get the feeling that the clean-cut professor vibe he gives off isn’t all there is to him. I saw the tattoos peeking out of ridiculously hot sweater. I mean, within an hour of meeting me he’s already inviting me to his house for the holidays. I’ve heard he does this every semester. Picks a girl, fucks her, and then moves on. Despite never having done this, I want this. With him. I am not sure what that says about me though. The university’s code of conduct is very specific about students and professors getting it on, but I don’t care. The fact that he makes me feel something other than sadness makes it worth it. Even if I am delusional, it’s worth it.