Studious Desires
Mystical Signs: Virgo
STUDIOUS DESIRES
BY
MARY WINTER
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
STUDIOUS DESIRES
Copyright © 2006 by Mary Winter
ISBN: 1-59836-378-6
Cover Art © 2006 by Croco
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form without permission, except as provided by the U.S. Copyright Law. Printed and bound in the United States of America.
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Chapter One
Neal pushed his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose and squinted at the clock on the wall. Nearly ten minutes to one. He swore under his breath and gently placed the lid back on the Petri dish. He hurriedly closed bottles and vials of chemicals, placing a few of them in the lab’s fridge, then pausing long enough to grab his satchel, raced from the room. First day of classes and he was going to be late. Most of the students wouldn’t care, but this was his first semester as a teacher, even if he was teaching a beginning Organic Chemistry class. He raced from his office through the quad, ignoring backpack carrying students easily a decade younger than himself. Dragging his fingers through his dark brown hair and hoping he didn’t have a cowlick, he hurried through the corridors and slid into the room before any of his students.
Neal exhaled his breath and dropped his bag on the desk. Sitting at the desk, he scrambled to organize his notes and books, mentally rehearsing the first day of class speech he had prepared. About how this was only a basic course, but it would teach them the building blocks upon which all life was built, and it was important, very important to their future scientific careers. He remembered perching on the stools behind the scarred, worn tables, staring at beakers and test tubes and inert bunson burners.
Around him the bustle of students getting situated filled the room, shattering the silence as a cacophony of noise swirled around him. Stool legs scraped against the worn, linoleum floor, the chatter of a myriad of conversations, some among students others on cell phones. The steady beat of music from headphones sounded nearby, and someone had laid their perfume on too heavily. The cloying aroma made his nose itch and his eyes water.
He looked up and saw a sea of blue. Deeper than the ocean and deeper than the sky on a clear summer’s day, blue eyes captured him, and pulled him into their warmth and light. He’d only seen vivid blue eyes like that before, nearly a decade before. Eyes so full of laughter and joy with life as he helped tutor her through her final math courses, kept her safe from the frat boys always playing jokes on her. As he kissed her, and laid her down on the twin bed of his dorm room and lost himself in her body.
Kat.
It couldn’t be. She’d gone on to a job with NOAA, working out of Florida somewhere, and leaving him back in this Midwest college town. A few scattered letters, both of them busy establishing themselves in their careers—his academic, hers scientific, and eventually, like two boats lost out at sea, drifted apart.
Someone sneezed. The explosive sound pulled him from his reverie, and he found himself staring at an older, but no less beautiful, version of the young woman he’d nearly fallen in love with all those years ago. Kathryn Holmes.
Neal cleared his throat. He scanned his roster and saw her name. He made a show of counting, trying to find some composure. The last time he’d seen Kat both of them had sat on the same side of the tables. Why was she back? And why was she in his Organic Chemistry class, a class she had taken the last time she’d been in college?
“Hello,” he said. “I’m your professor, Neal Graves, but you can call me Neal.” He rose to his feet and stood by the old fashioned chalkboard like his professors had done. “I’m going to do a quick roll call,” just to make sure I’m not hallucinating, “if you all don’t mind.” He quickly rattled off the names, and there she was, right after Daniel Hollenbeck, Kathryn Holmes.
“Here,” she said, the simple word spoken in the low, alto voice he knew so well.
Neal finished the roll call and invited the students to turn to the opening pages of their book. Once more in his element, he began his speech, a combination of what he’d rehearsed. As he grew more comfortable speaking extemporaneously, he finally allowed his mind to wander.
And wander it did, right back in time to when he was an awkward student and she a graceful creature who happened to wander in his midst. If her friend hadn’t needed Algebra tutoring for her nursing degree, then he might never have met Kat. He remembered her back then, all legs and smiles, with tiny breasts that fit perfectly into the palms of his hands. From the looks of her, age had rounded out her curves and given her the womanly figure she’d claimed to have always wanted.
The room narrowed down to just the two of them. Oh sure, he spoke to the entire room, carried them into the thread of his one-sided conversation about the joys of Organic Chemistry and what he hoped to accomplish. But in reality, he saw only Kat. The young, jock-type sitting next to her, trying hard not to look bored, faded away, as did the young Asian girl sitting behind Kat taking notes and looking serious. Neal may have made eye contact with all of them, but in his mind, he was sitting in a quiet corner speaking only to Kat.
He glanced at the clock. The hour had nearly flown by. Reining in his thoughts, he made mental notes for next week, and then sat back down behind the desk. He glanced at his notes, then announced for next week they were to read the first two chapters in the book and complete exercises one through three. At the groan that emerged from some of the students, he wondered if he was being too harsh. Then remembered the syllabus, and knew that each student knew exactly what they were in for. No, he was simply doing his duty to impart knowledge. With a nod, he dismissed the class and reminded them they were back in three days for their first lab.
****
Behind her, Kat heard the students leaving. She lingered in the hopes that Neal might say something to her. After all, it’d been a long time, but not so long that she’d forgotten him. He still had the same milk chocolate brown hair, and the warm, brown eyes that made you feel as if he spoke to you and only to you. His pale skin contrasted with the end-of-summer tans most of the students wore, and he looked at home in a worn pair of jeans, cross trainers, and a grey polo shirt unbuttoned at the collar.
Kat tried not to focus in the whorls of chest hair she saw in the open collar of the shirt. She tried to ignore the way the jeans were worn nearly white in all the white places, and he filled them out well. Slowly, she stuffed her books into her bag and fought the disappointment filling her. Neal had sat back down behind his desk and was straightening up his papers. He looked in a hurry, as if he had somewhere else he’d rather be.
She’d sat up front, hoping he’d notice her. His presence in the faculty played an important role in her returning to her Alma Mater to finish up her master’s degree. Seize the day. Something she’d forever wished her sister would have done, and then an icy road and an out of control semi truck took the chance from her. Kat vowed she wouldn’t let opportunities pass her by, and if she didn’t renew her acquaintance with Neal, as friends or maybe more, she’d
be letting a big one go.
So what was she doing moping around? Lifting the strap of the bag over her shoulder, she strode up to the desk. “I, uh, thought you gave a very good lecture.” Smooth line, there girl.
Neal looked up from his work. His eyes widened, and she felt him do a slow perusal of her body. At thirty-two, she looked good, using her twice weekly kickboxing practice to stay in excellent form. In deference to the heat outside, she wore a navy blue camisole tucked into her hip-hugging jeans, and a pair of wedge sandals. Her long, blonde hair was pulled back in a pony tail. Several of the students had checked her out, probably wondering what the hottie was doing in a science course.
“Kathryn.” Her name rolled off his lips in a seductive caress. “I didn’t expect to see you in Organic Chemistry 101. I know you passed the last time with flying colors.” He grinned, showing off the dimple in his left cheek.
He sounded so much more composed than she did. Sure, she needed the brush up in Organic Chemistry, but really, she just wanted to rekindle the chemistry between them. Moving away to pursue her dream job seemed the right thing to do at the time, and she didn’t regret one moment of it. No, she regretted not keeping in touch with this scientific hunk of a man.
Kat grinned. “I figured I needed a refresher course. It’s been a while since I’ve been in college.” Great! Remind him of the ten years since you last saw each other and the fact that you’ve passed the big three-o. “I’m working on my masters,” she said before he thought too much about their ages. “I just finished managing a project that studied the effects of global warming in hurricanes and decided now was the perfect time to head back to college.”
“Sounds interesting,” he said, now fully focusing his attention on her. He laced his fingers together, talented fingers if Kat remembered correctly and she knew she did, and rested his hands on his desk. “It’s nice to see you again.”
Do something. Say something to keep the conversation going. “So how have things been with you?” She made a show of setting down her book bag in order to give him her full attention.
“Great. I’m working on some research. If I can prove my theory, then I’ll be up for some patents, and maybe tenure. But its boring science stuff.” Back in college, she’d teased him about his “boring science” and the reminder told her that he hadn’t forgotten. Neither did she.
She still remembered the gentle touch of his lips, the reverent, yet commanding way he touched her body. Did he still like late night B movies and Chinese food? Did he still go to the homecoming football game, even if he didn’t like football, just so he felt in touch with real people and not hid away in some laboratory? Secrets they’d shared and memories they made filled her mind.
“So do tell. I was certain I’d see the great Neal Graves up for a Nobel prize. I’m sure the committee doesn’t know what it’s missing.”
He grinned at her joke. “Yeah, well, I’ve kept a pretty low profile.”
She scanned his fingers for rings and saw none, though that didn’t mean anything. The metal might cause a reaction in the lab, and some men simply didn’t wear rings. “Been busy?” Kat cursed her inability to come right out and ask if he were still single like her.
“I’ve been making do.” He glanced at the clock and sighed. “I’d love to catch up, Kat, but I’ve got a faculty meeting in ten minutes.” He frowned.
Kat’s stomach dropped. She supposed he really had to go to the faculty meeting. Then again, she’d just shown up after a decade absence. What did she expect? That he’d fall into her arms and confess his undying love? She nearly snorted aloud at her foolishness. She reached into her pocket and passed a card over the table. “I’ve got an apartment in town. Why don’t you call me and maybe we can get together sometime?” There, she’d left it open, put the ball into his court. She hoped he’d serve it back to her, and then they could see where things went.
Neal regretted not being able to stay and speak with Kathryn. Damn faculty meetings, and it was a mandatory one too. He thought for a moment, wondering how much time he could take away from his lab and his project. He was just about ready for clinical trials, and if his anti-emotion serum went over well, he could look at lots of money in contracts and patents. But what was all of that when compared to the woman he’d loved, and lost, so long ago?
“Look, I’m really sorry about the meeting. Why don’t we catch dinner? Are you free tonight?” Inwardly, he cursed himself for dallying when he should be working. But this was Kathryn, and who knew how long she’d be in town. Long enough to get her masters, but he didn’t even know how far along she was in that. What if this was her last semester?
Across the desk from him Kat smiled. “That’d be great. Why don’t we head to the Greek restaurant downtown? It’s still there right?”
Neal nodded. “I haven’t eaten there in months. That’d be great.” He glanced at his watch. “Why don’t I pick you up around six? Is that too early?” That would give him a couple of hours after his meeting to spend in the lab and still have plenty of time to get ready. The best of both worlds, he decided. Research that inspired him and a woman who desired him. What a perfect way to spend an evening.
“That’d be great. Thanks.” This time, it was Kat who looked up at the clock. “I’ve got to head across campus for my next class. See you tonight.” She sketched a wave in the air and left Neal sitting behind his desk with a bemused smile on his face.
Neal watched her leave. Her jeans cupped her ass and her long legs, just tight enough to reveal that she’d kept her figure in the years since he’d seen her. With her bag jauntily slung over one shoulder, from the rear, she looked just like any other college student. He wondered how many twenty-somethings tripped over their feet trying to get a better look at her and battled the wave of jealousy the thought caused.
He quickly shoved his books and papers into his satchel and rose to his feet. If he hurried, he’d make the meeting on time. Hopefully it would be a short one, but he knew some of the older professors liked to drone on about insignificant issues. Maybe it was because he was closer in age to the student body, and maybe it was just because he had more important things to do, but Neal never liked the meetings, and wondered how some of the professors kept their students’ attention.
****
Four and a half hours later, Neal sat across from Kat in a booth at a Taste of Athens, the local Greek restaurant. She wore a short-sleeved pink cashmere sweater draped over a black miniskirt and pink high-heeled sandals that were driving him nuts all night. When he looked from her tiny bare toenails all the way up the endless length of her silky, smooth legs, his cock twitched to life behind the fly of his Dockers.
She’d done something to her lips, because they shimmered in the low lighting of the restaurant. With her hair held back in a French twist she looked sophisticated, elegant, and threw him completely off balance. She sipped her glass of iced tea, her neatly manicured nails curled around the glass, and then toyed with some chicken in her salad. She speared a piece of Feta cheese and brought it to her lips.
“Have I told you that you look beautiful tonight?” Neal asked, suddenly uncomfortable with the silence between them.
“Only about a hundred times, but a girl doesn’t get tired of hearing it.” She chuckled, low and husky. “You don’t look so bad yourself, but then again, I knew you always cleaned up nice when you got away from the lab. What are you working on?”
Relieved to have her bring up the topic of his research—he hadn’t wanted to bore her—Neal delved into an explanation of his serum which should allow people to be emotionally distant. It was the perfect thing for scientists who tended to get too close to their research. This way, they could conduct trials and be objective about the results. He paused to finish off the last bite of his meal. While he had spoken, Kat had finished her salad.
It was nice, being with her like this. Almost like the old days when they’d sit at the local pizza place and devour a large pepperoni with mushrooms and olives
while discussing scientific theories. She was a good listener, making appropriate little noises at the right moments. Beneath the table, she stretched out her legs, and he felt those damn sandals next to his good pair of sneakers. He didn’t own anything else, and tonight, the fact had bothered him, though Kat hadn’t seemed to notice, or care.
The waiter came back, suggesting desert, which both of them declined. He wondered if she ate sparingly because of him, or if she’d eaten a light meal. Back in college, she’d matched him slice for slice at the pizza place. He wondered if she compared him to the way he was back then, and decided she had no choice. It’d been ten years. Ten long and lonely years.
“I’ve probably bored you,” he said at last, though he doubted it. Back then—there he went again—she’d been quite the science geek. Once he’d tutored her in algebra, of course.
Kat shook her head. “Not at all.” She smiled a hundred-watt smile that lit up their booth and probably half the restaurant. “You sound excited about it. It’s nice to be passionate about your work.”
She sounded like she wasn’t. Had things changed? The waiter discreetly left the check on the table, and Neal knew he wanted to spend more time getting to know this new version of Kathryn Holmes.
Kat couldn’t believe that dinner was over so quickly. She watched as Neal paid the bill, ever the gentleman, and escorted her out to the balmy autumn night. He’d parked in a ramp a few blocks away from the restaurant, and as they strolled down the sidewalk, she found her fingers reaching for his. Patrons milled outside a renovated historical movie theater waiting in line to buy tickets for the latest thriller. She looked at the mingling of college students and wondered if she’d ever been so young.
Of course she had. After all, she’d known Neal back in college. Watching them, she marveled at how far she’d come, and yet, here she was, trying to walk hand-in-hand with the hunky scientist. Her fingers grazed his, and he clasped her hand, then turned and smiled at her.