Teaching Mr. Graham

Chapter Seventeen

    What did you do when the man you were crushing on was sitting right beside you? So close that you could smell his Cool Water cologne? So close that you could reach out and touch him, if you weren't sitting in a lecture hall filled with students just waiting for an excuse to pull out their cell phones and snap a photo?

    Tatiana tried her best to focus on the projection screen, strained to hear the narrator who was currently speaking about the life of William Shakespeare.

    Mr. Graham shifted in his seat and rested an elbow on top of the desk. He propped his head up on his hand while watching the screen.

    She stole a glance at him and admired the side profile of his face. How is it possible for a man to be so good-looking? she wondered.

    He turned his head and arched a look at her.

    She averted her gaze and looked at the projection screen, her heart racing. The narrator was still talking about William Shakespeare's writing, but the words "Up Next: Emily Bronte" flashed in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.

    He sat up straight and moved his arm so that it hung at his side, between them.

    She lowered her eyes and looked at the hand dangling between their seats. Raising her eyes back to the projection screen, she shifted in her chair and positioned her arm so that it hung between their seats.

    It didn't take long for his hand to bump into hers.

    She closed her eyes, feeling tiny little shocks of excitement coursing up the length of her arm.

    He bumped her hand with his again.

    She turned and looked at him, and found that he was already staring at her.

    An intense look burned in his eyes. She could see it even though the lights in the lecture hall were dim. He brushed his hand against hers again, and this time he didn't move it away.

    Her lips parted, and she moved her hand against his.

    His eyebrows rose, and he linked his fingers with hers.

    Her heart was pounding in her chest. It felt like it would burst through her ribcage any minute now, that's how hard and fast it was beating.

    He closed his hand around hers and held it, then turned his focus back to the screen.

    She stared at him a moment longer, then did the same.

                                                                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Going to sit next to Tatiana was a bad idea. Aubrey knew that. She was one of his students. Other students would probably wonder why he'd chosen to sit in a nearly empty row beside a beautiful girl when there were so many other seats free. Or worse, they wouldn't wonder - they would know exactly why. He couldn't help himself. He liked being near her.

    The touching and holding her hand was also not one of his smartest moments, but he couldn't describe in words just how excited he had felt when she bumped her hand against his. And the look she'd given him was so open and innocent. Her hand felt so good in his. While holding her hand and watching the documentary, it felt a lot more like a date than a class. Watch yourself, Aubrey, he cautioned himself. You're sliding into dangerous territory, now. You need to back up a few steps before you find yourself in serious trouble.

    When the documentary reached the cut-off point he'd designated, he reluctantly withdrew his hand from hers and stood up. He walked to the aisle and stepped down the stairs, raising the remote control in the air and pausing the video. "What did you think? Anyone awake?"