Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

" I bid you adieu, ‘parting is such sweet sorrow.' Get me that paper on Wednesday," Ambrose instructed at the end of class. Chairs screeched over the floor and bags thumped against the backs of students who stalked out of the room.

Only I lingered, as instructed, at my desk. I took my time packing my belongings, slipping them into their compartment within my bag and only stood as the last student crossed the threshold.

Ambrose closed the door behind them. The action alone was enough to send a million butterflies tumbling around in my gut.

"Are you doing anything this evening?" he asked, rolling his sleeves up his arms.

"I have to work at the library." My gaze was utterly indecent, but his forearms should have been pornography. Slopes, veins, tattoo ink, and muscle. One of his ringed fingers brushed over the image of David on his arm and I inhaled sharply.

"Right, the library. I forgot." He shook his head. "Well, how would you feel about having dinner with me, in my home, after your shift tonight? Unless you'd rather eat whatever they're serving in the dining hall."

I balked. "You're inviting me to dinner?"

"Of course, I am." He offered a crooked grin, swaggering toward me. He immediately sucked the air from my bubble, leaving me breathless and drowning in his fog colored eyes. Cool knuckles brushed my cheek. "You were just offering me your virginity. Here, in this very room. On my desk. Certainly you'll allow me to make you dinner first."

I laughed a wooden, shaky sound. "To be fair, I wouldn't mind my first time being here, in this very room. On your desk."

"I know you wouldn't. But rest easy, Vivian. I will have you on my desk." His voice was smoke and velvet as his hand came around my neck, squeezing gently to pull me into him and place a soft kiss on my lips. I was malleable under his touch and my knees wobbled.

"Tell me how," I whispered against his mouth with some new found sense of confidence. My mind flitted through a million different conjurations of him taking me over the books and papers on his desk.

Where he stood every day, instructing students who perhaps wanted him as much as I did.

"Mmm, first, I'll place your ass right on top." He gripped my hips, hoisting me onto the table where I usually sat. I let out a shocked laugh that quickly died as he came to his own knees before me. "Then, I'll part your lovely thighs."

He did as he spoke, thumbs gliding close to my center for a moment before they slid down and spread me wide. I wasn't breathing as I wet my lip.

"You'll be wearing one of your tortuous little skirts, though, won't you? And all I'll have to do is tear open your tights and move your panties out of the way just so I can kiss you here." Ambrose's thumb pressed right over my throbbing clit, sending a sharp jolt of pleasure through my body as I jerked, a gasp escaping my lips. "Right. Here."

His thumb circled so deliciously, pressing against my clit so that I could barely think straight.

"And then?" I murmured, fingers wound tight around the edge of the desk to support myself. He rumbled a growl of need as he stood, pulling me to him and gripping my jaw.

"And then, once you've come on my tongue until you're trembling and barely coherent, I'll fuck you the way you deserve to be fucked—senseless. I'll fuck you until the only name you know is mine and you can no longer walk." His mouth danced over mine and I fought to breathe in his heady exhales.

"Promise me."

"Promise you?"

"Promise me you'll do it."

"I vow it." Ambrose ran a hand through my hair, bringing it over my shoulder and inspecting the tangled waves as he spoke. "Now, get to class. Work your shift at the library and when you're finished, I'll pick you up. No walking to Roosevelt House on your own, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," I replied, practically purring for him.

"Such a good girl." He kissed me again, a savory dance of tongue before pulling away and allowing me a moment to come back to reality. He knew what he'd done, for I spent the entire rest of the day in a daze.

Mrs. Cocoran was quiet tonight. I spent the majority of the evening pushing the cart around on the first floor, shelving everything she'd given to me and trying to learn what I could of the layout. Students worked quietly for once, everyone poured over their studies as midterms approached with so much seriousness one could cut the tension with a knife.

Sam was one of them, leaning over her book with so much concentration I wasn't sure she was aware of the world around her.

The tote for upstairs was nearing full but I knew Mrs. Cocoran couldn't handle carrying it—frail as she was. And once I'd finished my third or so round on the main floor, I made for the beast with sheer determination.

My fingers curled around the lip of the plastic, hoisting it up and into my arms with a grunt. My muscles trembled and my knee jumped to help get a better grip on the load as my arms and back screamed in protest.

I let out a huff.

"No, no, dear. That's for Dr. Wilder," Mrs. Cocoran protested, waving her hand toward the ground in a signal for me to drop it.

I refused. "No, ma'am. We can't rely on the men around here; I'll get it up there and put away."

"Vivian. You'll die if you try to carry that thing up those stairs!"

"Watch me." I winked, taking short, measured steps toward the spiral staircase. It was a blessing to use my thighs to hoist the tote back up as needed. Which was, well, quite often.

Until about halfway, when my muscles were considerably weaker, rebelling more and more every turn.

"I can fucking do this. We don't need a goddamn man to carry these up here," I cursed, adjusting the tote so that my hold wrapped around instead of relying on the handles. Sweat beaded on my forehead and each new breath had turned to a gasp.

I was going to feel this in the morning. Maybe the gym was a better option during weekends than pouring over books I'd already read .

Before I reached the top, steps echoed behind me, climbing the iron stairs until they stopped due to the slower than usual traffic. There was no room for them to get by, not with how wide the tote was.

"I'm sorry, I'll be out of your way in a moment!" I glanced behind me, fumbling the next step as I realized who it was.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?" Ambrose drawled from behind, one hand on the railings of either side.

"I'm doing my job, what does it look like?" I blew a stray piece of hair from my face, suddenly annoyed that of course, he'd be here to save the day.

"It looks like you're being incredibly stupid."

"Excuse me? Did you just call me stupid, Professor?" I spat, taking another step as my calve locked.

"Not necessarily, I merely said you were being stupid. That tote is entirely too heavy for you to be risking your neck on this death trap they call a staircase." His hands came from behind, no doubt to extract the books from me.

"No!" I shouted, too loud for the library I knew, and hurried my pace with a burst of determination. He would not take this from me. I would make this climb myself. I was so close. One more twist in the stairs and I'd have done it.

"Vivan! Don't be ridiculous!"

My breath was loud in my ears and the landing to the second floor was but four steps away. My arms were near giving out, sweat slicked the plastic under my grip. I would do it. I would make it. My foot propelled me forward until finally?—

I had done it!

The tote landed on the floor with a thud and I whooped, jumping into the air and twisting to find Ambrose leaned against the railing, an impressed arc of his brow.

"I did it!" I cheered .

"You did. Are you proud of yourself?" He took an armful of books from the tote.

"Very," I panted, hands on my hips. "That was not easy."

"No, but you accomplished it, and I find myself most dazzled." Ambrose disappeared into the stacks and I gathered my own books to follow behind.

"Did you think I wouldn't be able to?" I asked, coming to stand beside him as he threw the books into their homes without so much as a second look.

"Believe me when I say, I of all people knew you could, Vivian."

"Then why did you try to take it?" I countered.

"I didn't. All I did was give you the inspiration to finish." He winked.

"Bastard." I laughed lightly, leaning against the shelf. "I'm beat now."

"Hopefully you're not too beat. Because I've come to take you home with me." Those eyes surveyed me with dark expectation.

"Professor," I teased, handing him the books in my arms. "If anyone might hear you, it would cause a scandal."

"How so? I'm simply being an effective instructor and trying to help you with your paper, of course," he said with a wicked smirk.

"Is that what you're telling Mrs. Cocoran?" I leaned in, guilt like a vice around my neck.

"Of course, it is. Surely even you know that I can't admit to taking you home and seducing you to the librarian."

"Seducing me?" I echoed as my cheeks heated.

"Isn't that what you were doing this morning, Vivian? Seducing?" Ambrose placed the final book on the shelf, rolling his sleeves to his elbows in that entirely too indecent way.

"I suppose that's one way of looking at it," I admitted, the wood of the shelf dug sharply into my back. "But really, I just wanted to make sure that what happened on Saturday wasn't a one off thing."

"And what made you think that it was?" he asked, towering over me.

"I didn't hear from you on Sunday. You were nowhere to be found and I thought maybe you regretted kissing me. You're my instructor after all. I don't think your father condones this sort of behavior in his faculty."

His fingers came under my chin, the pad of his thumb running over my lip and lust flashed through my veins.

"How could I possibly regret kissing you?" He made to move in, but thought better of it, dropping my chin and clearing his throat. "You're going to be the death of me. Let's go."

Ambrose laced his fingers through mine, pulling me back toward the landing before he finally dropped my hand.

"I should finish the tote," I said feebly, reaching in its direction. He snatched my wrist, applying firm pressure over the pulse point until I brought my eyes to his.

"You'll leave it for Tuesday and you'll come with me before I take your virginity in this very library."

"Of all the places one could have sex for the first time, the library certainly isn't a bad one." I let him tug me as he chuckled darkly, shaking his head while we made our way down the stairs.

"Perhaps I will add the library to our list, then? Alongside my classroom?"

My breath hitched. We hit the first floor and I paused, gazing up at him, my reflection in his lenses staring right back. "Don't make me a promise you can't keep," I muttered.

"What makes you think I would do such a thing?" Those dark brows dipped.

"Vivian!" Sam called in a whisper-yell, marching toward us, her backpack hung on one shoulder. Dr. Wilder took a step back, clearing his throat and running a hand through his hair. "Everything alright?" she asked as she approached.

"Yes!" It was an over enthusiastic reply, a damning one at that. Sam's knowing eyes flittered between our Shakespeare professor and I.

"Professor Wilder," Sam greeted him, turning her attention back to me. "Are you coming? I heard they're doing pizza tonight in the junior dining hall."

"Oh, no, I'm actually heading with Dr. Wilder?—"

"Dr. Wilder?" Sam's expression was incredulous.

"Yes, I'm helping Vivian with her paper," he interjected.

"With her paper?" Still, she seemed less than impressed.

I only nodded, my eyes wide with innocence, hands clasped in front.

"Right. Well…have fun with your…late night learning." Her head tossed back and forth as she spoke.

"Goodnight, Samantha. I expect more from your analysis this week," Ambrose threw in her direction. Sam bristled, her arms snapping to her side and cheeks reddening.

"And I expect a full report," she hissed as she headed for the door.

Ambrose's attention found mine the moment the door shut behind her, and he grinned.

"I suppose she'll be wanting to know exactly what you'll be learning this evening," he said, snagging my things from behind the counter where Mrs. Cocoran had stashed them and guiding me out of the library with his hand on the small of my back.

"I'm afraid so." I sneaked one last look behind us, catching the briefest flash of black on the second floor.