Forbidden Desires.

te's

irl in the seat next to me, it's whispered like

ans in, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind

my barely-touched

't take bullshit from anyone." She pauses for a

s Literature and Media Studies program for eye candy but after three years of lectures from prof

other girl chimes in. "I heard he lef

she tilts to face the gir

e walls might be listening. "No idea. But h

all kinds of things, plagiarism, departmental politics

ens and at that point, I r

e room goes silen

ed, with a strong jaw and glasses that

se with his gaze sweeping over the room like he's

ian Cross. If you're in this class because you think 'Contemporary Litera

students, and for a second, they

t flares in his expressi

me, the rumors suddenly become a lot more intriguing as this sem

olls around, the rumors about Professor Cros

m NYU for sleepin

some department scandal

Or was. Left

ad stu

into the seat next to me, d

f dark academic antihero," I muttered, f

o admit, it's kind of h

essor with a questionable past? If this were a

This isn't

efinitely getti

as I hate to admit it but she's right. My

of the semester, and Professor Cross i

ough to reveal the lean muscles of his forearms. His glasses rest on the bridg

s, voice smooth but firm. "What isn't

tening and taking notes. But ins

t trying. The way every girl in this class is

he turns

ond to realize he

sitting u

xpression unreadable. "What's you

from The Age of Innocence-a scene crackling with unspoken

mart or analytical. Inst

eady. "But they can't have each other," I

test shift, the briefest moment

"Good. Next ti

t, calling on someone else, b

w the same tension in his eyes, t

rstand why the r

see Professor Cross outside

im standing by the faculty building. He's alone, leaning against a sleek black ca

ut something about the way he's standing stiff, and guarded

just looking

t move before my b

pproach, "you look way t

a brief moment, surprise crosses his face. Then in a spli

his phone into his pocket.

ouldn't you

t. Instead, he pushes off the car, straightening to his fu