TWENTY-FIVE: Together. In Front Of Everyone

I watch Harlan stare dead ahead through the windshield as he drives me through campus. His eyes are hidden under the darkness of his Ray-Bans, but the intensity of what is brewing between us isn't lost on me for a second.

There is a rippling heat between the two of us confined in the small space of his luxury car as we drive past students making their way to their classes. I watch them as we approach, and I watch them shrink into the background as Harlan speeds past them, leaving them in the dust.

It is electric. There they all are, and there I am. Harlan and I. Together. In front of everyone.

I feel like everyone is watching me.

And it ignites my blood.

I can feel the heat coming off of Harlan as well. He can't do anything about it; not like this. But even just being in the same car with him feels wicked and bad. I shift in my seat, suddenly quite cognizant of the heat between my legs, and watch his gaze twitch towards my direction from the corner of my eye. I bite back a grin.

With one hand on the steering wheel and designer shades masking any ounce of emotion that isn't visible on his face regardless, Harlan looks somewhere between a rock star and a wealthy CEO. He looks incredible and delicious, and I can't help but think how nice it would be to straddle him in the backseat of the very car we're in.

Mental note for later.

All that being said, it might have been too much for Harlan to drop me off anywhere other than Holdo Hall. Even though should anyone ask, the story is that I've been grabbing coffee and discussing next term's lecture and my newfound employment under Harlan, the implications of him dropping me off at home are just a little too... well, much.

Harlan pulls into his reserved parking spot behind the English Building and I step out of the car.

My heeled shoe hits the pavement and my dangerously sexy secret makes me feel glamorous and alluring. Harlan pulls his sunglasses down from his head, and I shoot him a certain look, my eyes pinched subtly the corners, lips pulled into a barely-there smirk.

He flashes me a warning look, but doesn't seem particularly bothered by the show.

Looking down, I grin, and trail after him through the back doors of the building.

This is my job now, I suppose, accompanying him to his office, making sure there is nothing else he needs, any preparations that I need to make on his behalf. I'm not employed yet, and I still have his final exam to worry about. But regardless of the extra time I want to spend with him, I would need help preparing for my new position that he could possibly offer me.

Honestly, I can hardly imagine keeping up with Harlan on an intellectual and professional level, but I know I will get there.

Eventually.

He is the smartest yet most sombre, grim but acutely intense human I've ever encountered in all my twenty-something years on earth, and I've never seen the man make a mistake. I, on the other hand, am rather prone to mistakes, and actually act like a real human being. I can only hope that he will grace me with an allowance of a few mistakes while I learn.

"You sure you're up for this?" he asks once the two of us are in the elevator. As if he is reading my fucking mind.

"What, now you're trying to talk me out of it?"

"I'm not trying to talk you out of it; I just want to make sure that I'm not holding you to the position against your will," he replies, stoically as ever.

"I want the position," I say evenly. "I want to learn from you and I want..." my voice trails off and I finish the sentence with a soft, breathy laugh, as I imagine the possibilities of being even closer to him.

My eyes flicker towards Harlan, and my breath sits heavy in my lungs when I see he is already watching me. Harlan can pick up on a single drop of desire coming off of me like he has a built-in radar for it, and this time is no exception.

Before I even realize how much I want him on me, his hands are cupping my face ungently, his lips smashing against mine.

The force of his kiss shoves me back against the wall, and a sickeningly loud smack shakes the confined air around us. I feel his tongue dive into my mouth, and parting my lips, I release a shuddering breath as my fingers snatch in his hair and pull him tighter against me. His lips are violent as they attack mine, but the kiss is fleeting. As he feels the elevator slow as it nears the top floor, he pulls away, looking down at me with a blank expression.

Searching for an answer in his face is fruitless, but I can't help but try. I stare up at him, silent, panting, trying to catch my breath and trying to read him and trying to calm my fluttering nerves.

"You should take the position for the right reasons. It would be a valuable experience for you."

"Well, I don't imagine you offered it so we could spend less time together."