Between the lecture halls

Chapter 1: First impressions

The faculty meeting had started twenty minutes ago, but Dr. Zara Adeniyi was already losing patience. Papers shuffled, projectors hummed, and her colleagues nodded along to discussions she barely followed.

And then he walked in.

Dr. Liam Obafemi, the visiting media studies lecturer, tall, confident, and wearing that infuriatingly charming smile. Zara couldn’t help noticing the casual way he carried himself, like the world bent just slightly to make room for him.

Her stomach twisted. Focus, Zara. You’re here for work, not daydreams.

The department head introduced him, and the polite applause barely registered. Liam’s gaze swept the room, landing briefly on her. For a second, Zara felt it an electric, impossible to ignore spark.

“Thank you for having me,” he said, voice smooth, confident. “I look forward to collaborating with all of you.”

Zara forced herself to return to her notes, but she could feel him observing her from across the table. Every witty comment he made during the discussion made her pulse quicken, and she realized with a pang that this wasn’t just professional admiration.

By the time the meeting ended, Zara had drafted three polite responses, two excuses for leaving early, and one undeniable thought she couldn’t shake: This man is trouble. And I think I want it.