Unexpected Love (4 page)

TC yelled, “Oh my God, what the hell. It’s you!”

TC’s hand was caught in mid swing as she was about to slap the professor out of reflex. “Didn’t your mother teach you never to walk up on a woman like that? I could have really hurt you. Everywhere I turn, there you are.” She was so loud she scared the cashier. “Next time you can say hello from a distance. You already know my name, Professor Howard.”

“Yes, I do, and I prefer you to call me Seth since you’re no longer in my class. There is no longer a conflict of interest.”

“You’re very persistent aren’t you, Professor. Oh, excuse me, Seth. Well I would love to shoot the breeze with you, but I don’t have that type of time. You see I am on a schedule. Everything I do is planned out. Every hour and second is accounted for. When I last checked, you were not on the schedule.”

“You’re right, Ms. Shaw. I understand. Can I at least pay for your items since I approached you wrongly. I didn’t mean to grab your hand, but I didn’t want to feel the wrath of your slap either.”

TC noticed the professor was still holding her hand. The scent of his cologne and the strength of his hand made her melt on the inside.
This man is getting under my skin and making me feel like I want him inside my underwear.
“Professor Howard—I don’t feel too comfortable calling you Seth—I would also like my hand back, please. Thank you, but I can pay for my own, and anyway I’m in a hurry, and I have to leave.”

TC left the store and headed toward another building. She chose the first empty room, which turned out to be the Billiard Room, a place where students went to relax and hang out.
Here is a place where I can unwind, no worries, and no concerns, especially no Professor Seth Howard.
TC sat her bag down while leaning against a pool table to slip her shoes off.

“I tell you the truth, some people are like magnets. They just want to cling to you, to the point that they won’t stay away. Once the smoke clears, I’ll go home,” TC assured herself as she took a deep breath. She rubbed her foot. “Got-daggit, it’s hard walking in these new shoes. I guess there’s a price to pay to look sexy.”

“Are you implying that I am the a magnet and the smoke that is preventing you from going home? If you stop brushing me off, and stop avoiding me, I just want you talk to me. I could have helped you with your bags, or maybe even carried you, and your feet wouldn’t be hurting,” stated Professor Howard jokingly.

“How did you know I was here?” demanded TC.

“I followed you,” the professor replied in a frustrated tone. His gaze showed his confusion. “I have been trying to catch up to you for weeks. You transferred out of my class with no explanation. Every time I do get close enough, it sounds like you are telling me to kiss something. And if it’s what I think it is, I am not into that type of business with just anyone. The only way I would even come close to performing such an act is with someone I am very intimate with, which I really wouldn’t mind if I could have an intimate encounter with you. Ms. Shaw, this is definitely not the time or the place.”

TC lashed back by saying, “Are you stalking me? I can file charges against you. I saw you in that parking lot with that woman. I saw what you did and how you treated her. And now you have the audacity to come and harass, stalk, and badger me? Well it’s not going to happen.”

The professor moved closer to TC. “Hold on, Ms. Shaw. Allow me to explain myself. You are wrong! I don’t know what you’re talking about or what you thought you saw, but it sounds like you are confused and misinformed.”

TC distanced herself from him with the heel of her shoe held in her hand pointing at the professor like a dagger. She smelled his cologne, and this time knew the name of it. He wore ‘OMG’ by Usher. TC felt her knees buckle, and she knew she better keep her distance if she wanted to stick to her guns.

This man is playing hardball, and he knows his way with the ladies. Somebody come rescue me. I am losing my focus. No, I can’t give in. This man is the enemy, even though he is bulging in all the right places. He is the enemy… can’t give in.

TC continued to argue her point. “Like hell I am. I know everything, and if you don’t leave me alone, I will make sure everyone else knows as well.”

The professor took another step closer. Face to face with TC, he lowered his tone to a point that sent shivers up her spine. “Well, Ms. Shaw, I thought I could talk to you like a civilized adult, but I see that is pointless. The words you use to express yourself are cutthroat and mortifying. I’ve seen your grades as well as your GPA, very impressive, but the way you choose to conduct, handle, and demonstrate your knowledge, comprehension, and understanding of circumstances disappoints me. I really expected more of you.”

Professor Howard seemed to study her every move. She felt her breasts bouncing against his chest as she waved her shoe in the air, as if it was helping her to pronounce her choice words, along with the hardening of her nipples as she stared into the eyes of this tall statue. TC knew she was at a point of no return, but she was also intrigued by what really might be on the professor’s mind. She wondered why he tried to figure her out and why his gaze appeared to be locked on her assets.

She knew too well how men liked admiring her curves, but that was usually black men, not white. Maybe she just never paid attention. She thought she saw the professor take a glance or two at her playground, admiring her twins, but she wasn’t sure if it was her own hormones getting the best of her. Before she realized what she would do, she was embracing him and curled her tongue with his.

With her eyes shut tight, her head spun as if she was in a dream, and liquid passion filled her lacey thongs as Professor Howard welcomed the kiss and pulled TC in closer. She could feel his sculptured hardness as his body pressed against hers. Excitement and fear flooded her mind. While still engaged in a passionate kiss, the professor lifted TC up to allow her to wrap her legs around him tight. He pulled her closer to grind against his erection.
Oh yes, this feels so good. What I’m I doing? I don’t want to stop. I must, this can’t be, it’s not right. I… I can’t give in to this wonderfulness…

TC pushed away from the professor, jumped to her feet, and returned to her rage, a safer place than the passion she’d been about to give into. “Where do you get off? You don’t know me from Eve. I don’t owe you a damn thing. Mr. High and Mighty Professor Seth Howard, I don’t have to prove myself to you or anyone for that matter. You are nothing to me. You need to get your own life straightened out before you try to work on mine. I also wouldn’t think too much on or put too much into that kiss. Don’t you ever touch me or put your lips on me again!”

TC knew she better soon hurry out of that billiard room because the more she looked at those sexy eyes the more she felt her armor breaking down. Her emotions stirred sexual desires she hadn’t felt in a long time. She began to feel weak and knew if Seth Howard touched her one more time or brushed against her, she would just melt in his hands. She looked at that curly coal black hair and wondered how it would feel running her fingers through it, or how it smelled, then shook her head to get rid of the thought.

El was so right. This man is so hot. I totally understand why women would drop everything for him including their underwear.
TC wondered why she felt like this. How was it possible to hate this man so much but be so attracted to him at the same time?

“I have nothing else to say to you, professor. You may have these women and young girls around here falling at your feet, but I am not the one. You will not get your way with me. So I advise you to stay away from me and out of my way,” TC warned.

Professor Howard turned and headed for the door. “Ms. Shaw, that was the most intelligent comment you’ve made during this entire conversation. That will not be a problem. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.”

TC couldn’t help darting over to the door to watch the professor walk away and gasped at seeing him touch his lips. She stood there alone in the billiard room, trying to process what just happened. Her emotions were totally discombobulated. She didn’t know if she was horny, angry, excited, or afraid.
What in the hell just happened? I can’t believe I talked to a professor like that. I cursed him totally out. That fine, sexy man! No, wait. I can’t forget what I saw. I know what I saw. Why am I so angry, and why am I so attracted to him? Or, am I that stressed as everyone keeps telling me? I don’t let men in close enough to get to me like that, so how can this man upset me? Ugh, I don’t like this. I feel so out of control.

TC walked to her car. She thought she was being watched, but didn’t see anyone. She walked faster, and as she backed out of her parking space, she accidently scrapped against a Jaguar. She wasn’t sure if it was Professor Howard’s or not, but still left a note on the windshield with her contact information and an explanation of the accident before she sped off and circled the University’s parking lot to exit.

Running into him was like a collision of fire. If another thing happened that included Professor Howard, she would scream. She would forget everything that had happened, and she wouldn’t mention one word to Dee or El. They shared everything, but this was over the top.

I kissed Professor Seth Howard with a lot of tongue. We could have just laid up on one of those pool tables. That’s what El would say, and I won’t hear the end of it. Or, I could say he took advantage of me. He knows better, he’s the administrator. No, that not right. I really don’t know what happened, or who initiated what.

Sitting at the light waiting to pull off campus, TC overheard a group of female students talking as they passed in front of her car. “Girl, he was all over me. He could not keep his hands off of me. He wanted to go all the way, but I told him wait till next time.”

“You’re lying. What’s his name?”

“He works here,” the first girl said. “I think he just started. He told me I could call him Seth…”

“What the f…” TC drove off screaming and left skid marks on the parking lot surface.

Chapter Four

Planning Spring Break

Ok listen. I have charts, notepads, maps, and markers,” TC explained. “We are going to stay here all night if we have to so we can make a decision about where we want to spend spring break. I thought about Nassau, Bahamas, Brazil, or Tahiti. These are my choices, so you two can write down your choices, and we will vote or pick from a bowl. But remember, it has to be somewhere you’ve never been before. Go!”

“Well, I’ll start first. Wait, where’s the food? We can’t do all this thinking on an empty stomach. I’m a thick girl. I have to keep my sexy figure up, and all this thinking burns calories. TC, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to set me up,” El implied.

“Girl, hush that noise up. I was going to bring a huge bowl of spaghetti out with some Texas toast and a side of salad. Plus I bought a bottle of Peach Verdi. You know how paranoid I get under the influence of alcohol. So this is the mildest I can get without any repercussions. Come on, you all are holding up the process. We need to conquer this task so we can book our hotel and buy the plane tickets. You know if we don’t check in, we can get put on standby at the last minute, so I would like to plan everything ahead of time and know for sure what we are doing.”

“Ok, TC, you have our undivided attention, because you are driving me crazy,” Dee said as she stood at attention, saluting TC. “Oh yeah, wait! One more thing before I forget, you received a letter in the mail today. It looked official and important. It was postmarked from Ethiopia, Africa. It was a very thick envelope. Don’t forget, it’s lying on the top shelf where your books are.”

“Maybe this trip will do you some good because home girl you are too wound up. Let me see, I think I would like to go to London or Barbados. Yeah, I miss seeing Richard and plus I could stop in—”

“To see the family, Dee? No, and you are not picking up some long lost love. I don’t think so. I said somewhere we all have never been before. We can consider Barbados, but not London. I don’t want to see Uncle Joe two times removed on your father’s side of the family with the roaming hands on my spring break. Plus you are starting to sound like El with all these men,” TC exclaimed.

With spaghetti piled sky-high El interrupted, “Well what about Germany? You know those German men love them some women of color. I don’t mind learning how to speak German. Girl, please, I’ll take on a couple of tutors.”

“You two sound like a couple of horny winches. Now let’s get serious! We have a lot of ground to cover.”

“So I have one question, all jokes aside,” Dee requested. “Can you tell us what is really going on with Seth? I know we joke with you a lot and tease you about hooking up with someone. What’s happening there because you are so tense and paranoid about everything. Trust me I am not trying to test the policy. I just… I mean, we want to know what you’re dealing with so we can be there for you.”

TC sighed. “I know, but don’t worry. I don’t want to talk about it. I really can’t wait for spring break. I am used to the sun and warm weather, so I can’t have it any other way. I’m am dreaming about going somewhere nice and warm, with clear blue-green waters and white sands squishing between my toes, wearing a bikini and showing off my belly-ring. Ha-ha! Yeah, I am really feeling this. Why can’t we focus, ladies? I promise, if we can focus on our plans, you won’t have to worry about me anymore.”