Skullduggery {sapphic thriller}

* * B O N U S * *

Fall semester of 2010

It was only when the professor released us from our art history class that I realized I'd spent the entire period staring at the back of that chick's head again. From my seat, I could see just enough of her profile in the dark; the sharp line of her jaw, the gentle bump in her nose, and the adorable dimple in her cheek that formed when the slide of a Baroque woman beheading some dude flipped onto the projection screen. Overhead, the lights flicked on, but I continued to watch her.

She wore a long sleeved flowy wrap dress printed with black and brown paisleys. It reminded me of something Stevie Nicks would wear, but super high-end. As she stood and gathered up her notebook, her blue eyes fluttered up and met mine for the first time.

I froze.

I couldn't even scramble and pretend to tuck my own notebook away. I apparently never bothered to take it out of my bag today.

My heart flipped when the dimple dipped into her cheek as she held my gaze for what felt like forever. At least two hundred erratic heartbeats filled the span. I wanted to say something. Anything. Hi would be a great start. But her smile started to fade as she was pulled towards the aisle by the girl who sat next to her.

I watched them disappear into the crowd of students, hurrying off to their next classes. Leaning back into my seat, I muttered a few curses at myself with a sigh and fumbled for my bag at my feet. I slung it over my shoulder and strode up the aisle. Last one out the door and soon to be late for my sculpture studio across campus. There was no point in hurrying now as I entered the hallway.

"You have beautiful bone structure."

The accented voice made me spin on my heels. Next to the bulletin board just outside of the lecture hall, the girl from class pushed away from the wall. I glanced over my shoulder just to be sure she was talking to me. But we were definitely alone.

"What?" I finally managed to say.

"Your face." She gestured with her hands to her own. It was rare that I got to see her facing forward. Instead of being symmetrical, only one dimple dotted her cheek. It made her even more attractive. "When you looked my way, the light of the projector lit your cheekbones with this, this... drama. Eyes fierce and forlorn at the same time, like you were longing for something."

"Oh?" I reached up and rubbed my cheek. I could feel it growing warm with a blush. "You probably just caught me uh, longing for lunch."

She chuckled softly and took another step towards me. "I'm looking to expand my painting portfolio with some new faces and bodies. Three hour sessions typically, maybe longer. One hundred dollars an hour. Nude, of course."

"Did you check the bulletin board? Shit, with that kinda pay, I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding someone. I can take your flier over to the studios if you want? I'm heading that way."

"Oh..." Her slender eyebrows furrowed. "I uh, was hoping you might be interested."

I stood there staring in disbelief for probably too long. "You want me?"

"Yes," she laughed again, softening the wrinkle in her brow. She tucked a lock of chestnut colored hair behind her ear. Her eyes remained fixed to mine. "I want you."

For a second, I almost thought she meant it differently. The way she stated it with such certainty practically made me melt on the spot. I did everything I could to hold myself together and act cool. Three hundred dollars just to sit around naked for this girl I'd been crushing on since the start of the semester?

No big deal.

"Consider me yours then," I answered, far too eagerly. "For the painting, I mean. And well, whatever else you want me for. Any other projects, that is. I'm all yours."