Seduction After Class

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✤ Sera ✤

Common Grounds was crowded that afternoon, the usual mix of students, professors, and people who looked like they had just come in to hide from the rain. The smell of coffee and fresh bread filled the air, and the hum of conversation made it almost impossible to think. I scanned the café, searching for Lina. She had texted me earlier, insisting I meet her between classes. I spotted her near the back, waving me over from a corner booth. I smiled and started toward her, weaving through the crowd, but then I froze. Adrian Thorne was here. He was sitting near the window with Professor Cross. The two of them looked deep in conversation, but even from across the room, I recognized his posture, the way he always sat a little too straight, one hand curled loosely around his cup. My stomach tightened instantly. He hadn’t seen me yet. For a moment, I considered turning around and leaving. I told myself it would be smarter, safer. But my feet refused to move. The memory of the last time we had been alone still lived in my body, the tension in his voice, the way he had said my name, the heat in his eyes when I whispered that I wasn’t wearing anything beneath my skirt and that it was all for him. I could still feel it. The space between us had never been just professional, and now it wasn’t even pretend anymore. I took a slow breath and kept walking.

“Professor Thorne,” I said softly when I reached their table. Both men looked up. Julian Cross smiled first, all charm and confidence. He was the kind of man who looked like he enjoyed being looked at.

“Sera D’Amour,” he greeted, and it was almost as if he was proud of himself for remembering who I was. “Comparative Literature, right? You are in Thorne’s class, right?”

“That’s right,” I smiled politely, aware that Professor Thorne hadn’t said anything yet.

“We were just talking about the faculty’s never-ending meetings,” he said, and then he chuckled. It was awkward, and I regretted coming over here.

“Ah, Professor, I just wanted to ask if you have had a chance to look over my essay yet?” I asked. There was no essay. But I needed an excuse. “The one I gave you for extra credit?” I added. Professor Thorne’s gaze met mine, and the look in his eyes took my breath away.

“Not yet, unfortunately,” he finally answered. There was some tension between us, buried just beneath the surface. I noticed that he wasn’t looking at me like a professor. His gaze lingered just a second too long, and my pulse jumped. Professor Cross didn’t seem to notice. He reached out and clapped Professor Thorne on his shoulder.

“You best get to it,” he said, and then he looked back at me. “It’s always nice seeing engaged students. You should stop by my class sometime. I like when literature students challenge philosophy majors,”

“I might,” I said with a smile, though I didn’t mean it. Julian grinned as he got to his feet and checked his watch.

“Adrian, I will see you later,” he said, and then he smiled at me. “Pleasure meeting you, Miss D’Amour,” he left before I could respond. That left just Adrian and me. The air between us felt heavy. He looked down at his coffee, then up again, and I could tell he was fighting with himself.

“Hello, Professor,” I said quietly.

“Sera,” he whispered, and it sounded like a secret, and I shivered. I smiled, but it felt dangerous to stand there for too long. The café was too open, too full of people who might be paying attention. I nodded toward Lina, who was sitting across the room, half-distracted by her phone.

“I should probably—”

“Yes,” he interrupted quickly. “You should,” his tone was firm, but his eyes weren’t. There was something unsteady in them, something that made my chest tighten. He wasn’t avoiding me anymore. He was watching. Closely.

“Have a good afternoon, Professor,” I said softly. He gave a small nod, then glanced down at his cup again. And then, as if I didn’t even exist, he picked up his pen and wrote something in his little notebook. For a moment, I thought that was the end of it. I started to turn, but then I felt it. I frowned as I glanced down, and I saw him slip something into my jacket pocket. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t even look at me. I hesitated for a moment before I hurried over to Lina.

“Finally!” she exclaimed as I sat down across from her. “I was about to order without you,”

“Sorry,” I said as I tried to sound as normal as possible. “Got caught up for a second,” she nodded, but I knew her attention was elsewhere.

“It’s fine. I already know what you are getting anyway,” she said as she left me alone to go and order. That gave me a moment to breathe. I carefully took out the piece of paper, and my eyes went wide.

Text me: 555 0198 4728

For a moment, the world seemed to tilt. My chest tightened, and I could feel the heat rising to my face. I read it again, just to make sure it was real. He had given me his number. I slipped the paper back into my pocket before anyone noticed. Every rule, every warning, every internal voice that had been telling me to stop: it all faded. This was it. This was real. We had both crossed the line. There was no turning back. I had no idea what it meant, but I knew that things had changed. I carefully looked toward the window, but he was gone. I hadn’t even seen him leave. I slipped my hand into my pocket and brushed my fingers against the piece of paper. It wasn’t just an invitation. It was an acknowledgment. A surrender. He was giving in, even if he couldn’t say it aloud. When Lina came back, she set our food in the center of the table. She immediately started complaining about one of her classes, but I wasn’t paying much attention. I took a sip of my coffee, and the warmth settled my nerves.

“Are you even listening to me?”

“Oh…yes,” I said as I looked at her. I pushed thoughts of Professor Thorne aside for now. I would deal with his little note later. In private.

✤ ✤ ✤