TAINTED HEARTS (ENGLISH)

TAINTED HEARTS 04

(TH) Chapter 04

My strange heart started pounding weirdly.

He is impossibly good-looking and distressingly perfect. I thought he was the most beautiful man I had ever seen.

He tore his face from the whole class just to look at me. “Which class are you in?” he seriously asked, unsmiling.

I let go of the door and closed it before smiling and answering. My knees were weak at the sight of the man in front of me.

“Here, sir. I’m sorry for being late,” I apologized with a smile.

“The next time you’re late, I will not let you in,” he warned firmly.

“Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!”

My lips parted when his gaze darkened. He turned back to the class, so I quickly moved to find a seat.

I smiled at the girl next to me, but she didn’t smile back. I looked away and took a deep breath. Maybe I’d have a hard time making friends in this school.

I sat up straight and stared at the handsome creature in front of us. The girls here were clearly smitten, blushing whenever he called on them. I pouted and played with the ballpen in my hand.

“You, what’s your name?”

I was looking at my ballpen when my classmates all turned to look at me. I raised my head to the man speaking in front and saw that he was standing with his arms crossed, leaning slightly on the desk. His bulging biceps caught my attention. I couldn’t help but stare at his sexy muscles dreamily. My classmates laughed, snapping me back. I quickly looked up at his face and saw that he was frowning at me sternly.

“Sir?” I asked. My classmates laughed again.

“I was asking you what your name is. You have no time to introduce yourself in front of others because you’re late. Did you forget your name while drooling on my body?” he asked irritatedly.

“She seems to be daydreaming,” teased the girl next to me.

Everyone laughed again at her comment. I blushed and felt slightly embarrassed.

“My name is Xena Peña Vega, sir.”

Sir what? I didn’t know his name. I didn’t know what to call him. I was too embarrassed to ask because I was sure he introduced himself earlier, but I came late.

He asked another question which I managed to answer. He let me sit down, but I noticed he kept glancing my way. He then handed out exam sheets, telling us to answer them. The students complained, but since he personally handed the papers, the girls couldn’t help but blush.

“Sir, Lennox! Abigail says she wants one too!”

Her friends pushed the grinning girl forward. She looked bold and wild, not embarrassed at all even when teased. Instead, she leaned her chin on her hand and smiled up at the professor.

They were right in front of me, so I also looked at the professor as he came closer.

Lennox? Was that his first name or his last name?

Usually, teachers used their last names. But Lennox didn’t sound like a last name. Then again, maybe it was. Or maybe he just preferred to be called by his first name instead of his family name. Come to think of it, he did look young—maybe that’s why he wanted something more formal.

I was lost in thoughts about him when our eyes met as he placed the paper sheet on Abigail’s desk. I quickly looked away and sat up straight.

“I was out of sheets. Take it and go to my office.”

I was surprised when he placed a paper on my desk. I looked up at him curiously.

“Sir?” I asked, confused, meeting his eyes.

“There’s a photocopy machine inside my office,” he said coldly, then looked down at the paper. “Make more than twenty copies.”

I glanced at it, unsure, and slowly took it.

“O-okay.” I looked back at him. “Um, I don’t know where your office is,” I admitted nervously.

My other classmates were staring at me. The front rows already had their papers, but the ones behind me didn’t because it ran out at my turn.

“Come with me. I’ll help you, then distribute it to your classmates.”

I wanted to say he should just ask someone else. But he had already turned and walked out. And honestly, I didn’t think I could say that to his face anyway.

I looked at the paper he gave me. It had questions from his earlier discussion. The questions were clear and detailed. I read them while following him. My eyes wandered to his broad back. His hands were in his pockets, walking seriously.

He looked clean and mature. I think he’s five or six years older than me. He’s tall and handsome. Rough but charming. He carried both a good and bad aura. I couldn’t explain it.

He tilted his head, watching the students playing on the field. I stared at the side of his face. Thick eyebrows. Deep, expressive eyes. Strong jawline. Perfect nose and thin, red lips. His hair was messy dark brown. He looked more like a model than a teacher.

Then he licked his lips while I was staring. My lips parted when I realized it. His lips glistened, looking redder. I bit my lower lip and quickly looked away. I shut my eyes tightly, scolding myself.

I was here to study, not to give in to forbidden desires! He’s your professor, Xena, for heaven’s sake!

Then he stopped at a door. He opened it and motioned me inside. I breathed deeply before walking into his office. He was already at the photocopy machine, fiddling with it.

I left the door open and stood near it, clutching the paper to my chest. He looked back at me and stepped closer.

My heart beat faster, triple its pace. I gasped loudly when he reached past me to grab the doorknob and closed the door behind me. He was so close I could smell his manly scent.

I was standing right in front of the door, and the knob was behind me. So when he shut it, we were too close—our bodies nearly touching if I hadn’t taken a step back.

But he didn’t move away even after closing the door. I tilted my head up to see why he hadn’t. I gasped and stepped back again when I saw his cold stare. He straightened, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“What’s with the step back? Are you afraid of me?” he asked coldly.

I shook my head, avoiding his gaze. “I’m not, sir.”

My eyes snapped back to him when he chuckled hoarsely. I leaned against the door when he stepped closer again.

“If you’re not afraid of me, then what?”

His deep, teasing voice made my eyes go hazy. I bit my lower lip hard when he raised one hand, bracing it against the door beside my head. His other hand stayed in his pocket.

I bit my lip so hard it nearly bled. I turned my eyes away as he leaned down, bringing his face close until our eyes met.

“Why are you always biting your lips?”

From the corner of my eye, I caught his smirk. His scent, his breath—it was making me nervous. I kept looking to the side or down at the floor, avoiding his gaze.

“Do you want to kiss me?” he asked huskily.

My jaw dropped as I turned to him. He was smirking now. My eyes darted to his lips when he ran his tongue over them. Now I realized—he probably licked them earlier on purpose, because he knew I had been staring at him from behind.

“Do you want to kiss your professor, Xena?”

I gasped and swallowed hard. My throat suddenly felt blocked. “S-sir . . .”

He pulled out his other hand from his pocket and set it on my waist. My lips parted as I looked up at him, my eyes darting to his red lips.

“Just say it, Xena, because I want to kiss my student . . .” An evil grin spread across his face. He bit his lower lip sexily, like he was trying to seduce me.

I opened my mouth, ready to say “yes.” But before I could, the loud bell rang, snapping me back to my senses.

“f**k!” I heard him curse as I pushed him away.

“Uh . . . I think your class just ended, sir.” I handed him the paper back, then quickly stormed outside.