AMBER P.O.V.
Aug wanted me out of the house so he could prepare for this “surprise” he had later. So I just spent the majority of my Saturday in my office grading papers that I had to get back to the students so that they could prepare for an exam they had coming up. The contents of the exam would come directly from the papers.
I got a little hungry so I decided to get something from the vending machine on the second floor. My office was on the third. The only problem was it also happened to be directly in front of Westin’s office. I had successfully avoided him ever since I stood him up. And I didn’t not want any run-ins.
I figured it was a Saturday so he wouldn’t be there. I got my money out my purse and headed down the staircase to the vending machine.
“Thank God.” I looked at Westin’s closed door . That meant he wasn’t here.
I surveyed the vending machine and decided on a bag of Doritos. I put my 65 cents in, and pushed F -15 the number to get them pit. And just my luck, half way they got stuck.
“Are you kidding me?” I said to the machine.
I softly pounded the machine hoping it would work. I shook it a little. Still nothing. I just gave up on it and started down the hall when I heard a loud bang. I turned around to see Wes at the vending machine, and he got out the bag of chips.
I went back to get them, he just handed them to me saying nothing. And went into his office and closed the door behind him.
That was weird. Usually he always speaks to me. I didn’t want him going around mad at me, but he should understand that I’m married and that was the choice I had to make.
I knocked on his door, but he didn’t answer.
I slightly opened it and he gave me a look like he wanted to slap me for opening his door.
“The door was closed for a reason.” He turned from me, to some notes he was writing.
“You didn’t say anything and I --.”
“That’s because I’m busy and I don’t want to be disturbed.” He said smugly, not looking at me. “So please excuse yourself and close my door on your way out.”
What the hell was up with him? Might of fact, why do I care?
“Wes, if you’re angry about me standing you up I’m sorry.”
“You don’t owe me an explanation. I’m not your husband.” He continued to write not looking up at me.
“It’s not a matter of me owing you an explanation, it’s just I should’ve called.”
He didn’t say anything, he just got a book off the bookshelf behind him and opened.
That was the thing about his office. It was wall to wall in books. Like a mini library, and plus he had them on the floor stacked on by his desk. All kinds. Even in other languages. He spoke Swahili, French, Spanish and German fluently.
“Is there a reason you’re still standing there?” He looked up from his books.
“Just admiring your books.” I gave an awkward laugh.
“Professor Alsina, is there something else you want to tell me?” He put down his pen.
“Really are we being formal now?” I asked him.
“Would you prefer for me to address you as Mrs. Alsina?” He put emphasis on the MRs.
“I don’t understand why you’re mad. You knew I was married.”
“When I talked to you, you didn’t have a ring on. So are you married or confused?” He folded his arms, sat back and put his feet on his desk.
“You know what, I’m just gonna go.”
“No you wanted to talk, let’s talk.” He got up closed the door and locked it.
He peered down at me. He was as tall as Aug, maybe a little taller. And standing this close I noticed he had freckles that adorned his nose and rosy cheeks just above his beard that hid the rest of his face.
His eyelashes had a natural curl up, I’m certain women would pay to have lashes as beautiful as his. They gave his face a certain softness. And his eyes sparkled a radiant light-brown I hadn’t seen before.
Oh God, I need to step back.
I mentally said as I moved my body a couple of inches away from him. And folded my arms to cover my protruding nipples so he wouldn’t notice. It wasn’t cold, so that meant my body was excited. As it had been from the moment I sat on that panel with him. These feelings were sooooooooooooo wrong. But it was like a magnetic attraction with him, I hadn’t felt before. He wasn’t what I would call traditionally fine, but it was like intellectually he was gorgeous. A pure conversation with him was like sex. Jesus.
He needed to make this quick so I could go back to my office.
“What is it Wes?”
“I’m not mad you stood me up. I’m upset you’re weak. I thought you were stronger than that?”
“Weak, what are you talking about?”
He looked down at my ring finger which shined with my wedding and engagement rings. I tried to hide my finger in my arm.
“How does trying to work it out with my husband make me weak?”
“How many times have you tried to work it out with him? Probably since the beginning of your relationship and has he ever changed for a substantial amount of time?”
“For you information he has. You don’t know our relationship enough to speak on it.”
“Amb.” He smiled.
“You’re forgetting that no matter how great of a catch I am, because I am, at the end of the day I am a man. And I know how men think. We do enough to win you back, then once we’re secure in our position we go back to our old ways. Why? Because women like you never demand better. We know that you’ll be mad for a second but all we have to do is tell you we’re sorry. Give you some sob story. Pretend we’re changed. And you take us right back. Every single time. No matter the wrong we’ve done. Some men could beat their women into the ground.” He hit his fist against his open hand.
“And she’ll still take him back. When will you learn, it’s a game and your husband is playing you.”
“Whatever.” I tried to get pass him to get to the door.
“Amb c’mon man. I’m trying to hip you to game. You too beautiful and smart for that to be with a man whose not willing to put in the work it takes to make you happy. If you was my woman you’d be able to count your tears on one hand, because you’d always be smiling.”
“I gotta go Wes.” I tried to walk pass him but he stood on the door.
“Can you move so I can leave?”
“You don’t want to go, because you know you deserve better than what you got. ”
“Move, before I scream.”
“Scream.”
“Wes move!”
I wrestled with him for a minute before he had my hands pinned against the door and connected his lips and tongue with mine. I should’ve stopped him. But I didn’t.
Something about kissing him felt right. With Aug our kisses were mundane routine, with Wes it pure electricity. A grown man kiss.
There was a knock on his door.
We quickly parted from each other. We looked at each other and wiped our lips.
He opened his door.
“Professor Rashad I hope I didn’t interrupt, I wanted to meet with you about my paper?” A male student stood at the doorway.
“No.” He smiled. “You’re were on time. I was just talking to Professor Alsina.”
“Nice to meet you.” He held out his hand for me to shake.
“You too.”
“What do you teach?”
“Criminal Law. One of the best and the brightest.” Westin said with a smile.
“Thank you.” I gave a half smile. “Well I’ll let you two get to it.”
I closed the door and basically powered walked back to my office.
I sat at my desk with my head in my hands. My phone began to buzz and Aug’s name appeared on the screen. I hit ignore. I needed to process what just happened.
What on earth have I done?