The Innocent (6 page)

The students simultaneously let out a soft groan and Serena blinked a tear away.

“As it turns out, I am free for the next little while, so… Well, hopefully I’ll grow on you.”

The class remained silent.

“I’ll do my best to fill in and teach you everything as Mr. Sorensen would have,” Mr. Elkins went on as he pulled out the day’s lesson.  “So, who can tell me what makes a sonata.”

The class was decidedly unenthusiastic about the lesson. 

“I’ll give you a hint… it has…”

Serena felt sorry for her old advisor, and tried to spark the class to life.  She answered him and in turn asked a few questions to get the ball rolling.  Soon the students got on board and Mr. Elkins was able to give his lackluster lesson.

Poor Mr. Elkins, Serena thought.  No matter how hard he tried, he just didn’t have the charm and charisma Sebastian had, nor did he have his passion for music.  While Serena tried to concentrate on every word Mr. Elkins said, she found herself repeatedly questioning this strange change of teaching assignments.

Sebastian had never mentioned the possibility of teaching elsewhere and she couldn’t help but wonder why he’d accepted this assignment so far away.  Surely he had the choice to go where he wanted to.  A man with his reputation could have his pick of assignments.

Was he avoiding her?

No, he’d specifically asked to see her.  It didn’t make sense.  As the hour passed she reviewed her last encounters with him.  He’d shown his desire for her.  He’d told her how much he longed for her.  And that last, quick text… it had to mean something.

Chapter 8

By the time class let out, Serena was convinced something was wrong.  Sebastian would never willingly change school, not without talking to her about it. He would never deliberately set out to avoid her. Rushing through the halls with the hundreds of other students, she checked her watch, and wondered if she’d have time to go to USC before Sebastian left for the day.

She had to see him; had to talk to him.

Newly invigorated, she pushed through the main door and walked out into the bright afternoon sun, but her plans to meet up with Sebastian were quickly dashed as reality met her head on.

Price’s private driver, Mr. Su was waiting in front of the school, ready to take her home, or wherever Price had instructed.  Serena had no place to run, no place to hide.  These last few days, Price barely let her out of his sight.

Price, she thought with clenched fists.  Was it possible? Could he be behind Sebastian’s new assignment at USC?  “What have you done?”

“What was that, Miss Sorensen?”

Furious that he would go so far, she wanted to hurry home to confront him.  How could he play with Sebastian’s career in such a cavalier fashion?  Shaking off her blinding anger, she looked at the older man in front of her.  “Sorry, Mr. Su.  I’m just going over this last lesson.” As she spoke she realized there was no point talking to Price.  He’d already made it clear he’d do anything to keep her out of Sebastian’s arms.  Fear gripped her as she wondered just how far he really would go.

“Of course. It’s good to review a lesson.  Keeps it fresh in your memory.”

Impossible to be mad at the man, Serena smiled.  He was only doing his job and he was always kind to her.  “Where are you taking me this afternoon, Mr. Su?”

“Just home.”  He opened the door to the elegant black sedan.

Home, Serena thought.  It was the last place she wanted to go.  Not only did she have too much on her mind, but she knew Price wouldn’t be home for a few more hours.  If she stayed cooped up at home alone, she’d go stir crazy.

“Since Mr. Turnsby and I have no special plans…” Serena said as the gears in her head worked double time.  She needed a plausible story that Mr. Su would buy without question.  “A friend of mine is home sick and I haven’t had a chance to stop by to see her in a while.  Do you think we could take a little detour and stop at her place for a few hours?”

“Mr. Turnsby said I was to take you straight home.”

“Yes, but Mr. Turnsby won’t be home for a few more hours.  There’s no point in my being home alone all that time, and my friend has been very lonely since her illness.”

Mr. Su considered her argument a moment then nodded.

Smiling, Serena got in the car and gave Mr. Su Laura’s address once he got behind the wheel.  She was a bundle of nerves as she sat in the back seat going over what Price would do if he found out.  When they pulled up in front of Laura’s home, she was relieved to see her car parked out front.

Serena stepped out of the car when he opened the door, and she flashed him a broad and innocent smile. “Come back in four hours, Mr. Su.  I want to fix her a light dinner and have a nice chat.”

He hesitated, checked his watch then nodded.  “Four hours.”

As he drove away Serena let her frazzled nerves out in one long, shaky breath.  Four hours of freedom was the breath of fresh air she desperately needed.  Only when he disappeared around the corner did she turn to walk up to Laura’s front door.

“What brings you here?”  Standing in the doorway with a concerned smile, she had a glass of wine in one hand and a box of tissue in the other.

“You know me too well.”  Serena walked into the house and gratefully accepted the glass of wine Laura offered.  In three quick gulps the contents were gone and Laura dutifully filled it.

“Who dropped you off here?”

“That was Price’s trusted chauffeur.  He has strict instructions to bring me straight home after class.  I had to make up some cockamamie story about you being sick.”

Laura grinned and coughed.  “How sick am I?”

Serena smiled.  “I knew I could count on you.”

“So how long do you have?”

“He’ll be back in four hours.”

“So, what’s going on that has you sneaking over here?”

“Price.”

“Yeah, I pretty much figured as much.”

“Sebastian wasn’t in class today.”

“What does that have to do with Price?”

“I know this sounds farfetched, but I think he may have actually had Sebastian removed from UC Irvine.  I don’t know how he did it, but he’s managed to get Sebastian over to USC.”

“Money talks.”

Serena grunted as she plopped down on Laura’s floral sofa.  “Sebastian sent me a text last night.  He wants to see me, and I desperately want to see him.”

“So go wait for him at his place.”

“I can’t,” Serena said with a shake of her head.  “Price has someone watching the place… keeping an eye on Sebastian.”

“Then go see him at USC.”

Serena shook her head again and took a shaky sip of wine.  “I’m afraid to.”

“Why?”

“Price is such a strange and unpredictable beast sometimes.”  She looked pointedly at her friend.  “Last night, Price fucked me in the private dining room of his new club.”

Frowning her confusion, Laura looked at her.  “Okay…?”

“Several male guests came into the dining room to watch us go at it.”

“Oh.”  Her eyes widened with surprise.

“When it’s just a matter of showing me off to a room full of strange men, he has no problem.  I’d even say he’s proud.  You should’ve seen his eyes.  It was such a power trip for him.”

“Some guys are really turned on by that sort of thing, I guess.  I mean, it probably makes him feel big and powerful to have a woman that other men can’t have.  I’m tempted to say you should be flattered that he wants to show you off, but to tell you the truth, I wish he’d find another way of flaunting his relationship with you.”

Serena nodded. “But just as he can flaunt me like last night, he can be so possessive of me; so diabolically possessive. I’m scared, Laura. I’m afraid of what he might actually do to Sebastian. I have no idea how far he’ll actually go to keep us apart.” She bit her lip and fought the tears that threatened to spill.  “I’m afraid for Sebastian.”

“All the more reason to go to him, Rena.  Don’t you think you owe it to him to warn him?”

“If Price finds out I went to him…”

“Look.”  Laura put her hand over Serena’s and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll drive you to USC.  It’s what, less than an hour away. While you're off with Sebastian, I’ll go on a little shopping spree and have myself a fun afternoon in LA.  I know this great sex shop that sells a lot of exclusive and high end toys and some really kinky lingerie.  I’ll pick you up a few hundred dollars worth of hot and sexy stuff, come back to pick you up and have you back at my place before your chauffeured ride arrives.  When you get home and Price questions you about your afternoon, you can show him your exciting little bag of goodies.”

Serena smiled. “You got it all figured out, don’t you?”

“I’ll have that bag stuffed with so many sexy treats, Sebastian will be the last thing on Price’s mind.”

Chapter 9

Feeling like a cheap prostitute, Sebastian pressed his lips into a tight grin as he finished the class. While the students appeared happy, even honored to have had him as their professor, he felt cheated.

He’d looked forward to his own class at Irvine, and had hoped to see Serena back in his class.  After sending her a final text asking to see her, he was certain she’d be in class that morning.  While he wanted a lifetime with her, he would have easily settled for five minutes alone with her. When he’d learned of his new assignment, he’d argued, but in vain.  His instructions were painfully clear.  He was to willingly leave the premises, or be forcefully escorted off. The whole scene had left a stale taste in his mouth; a taste that still lingered as the day came to an end.

“I hope you enjoyed this class on dodecaphony,” he said with forced enthusiasm.

“Mr. Sorensen?” A tedious student called from the back of the room.  Throughout the lesson the young man had bombarded Sebastian with questions.  “Is the twelve note technique the only contribution Arnold Schoenberg made to music?”

Sebastian glanced at his watch and chuckled.  Only two minutes remained before the end of the class.  “No, and if you’d like, we can talk more about the Austrian composer’s contribution to music tomorrow.  For now…”  He clapped his hands.  “That’s all for today.  Please bring your compositions to my desk on your way out.”

As the students made their way to the head of the class and piled their compositions on his desk, Sebastian turned his attention to the growing stack of paper.  He’d asked the class to prepare a short composition using the entire chromatic scale, something that would show him their degree of talent and understanding.  As the pile grew he glanced at a few of the sour notes that dotted the pages.  While one or two showed great promise, the majority were a dismal disappointment.

“Sebastian.”

His heart pounded at the sound of the familiar voice. He turned to see Serena at the back of the empty class.  An exquisite vision in a long sleeved, black and red knitted mini dress, she looked at him with eyes that held all he ever wanted. God, she took his breath away.

“Serena,” he whispered.

She hurried to the head of the class.  “I don’t have much time, Sebastian, but I had to come see you.  I got your text last night.  You wanted to see me.”

“Of course I want to see you.  I want to see you every day, every night.” He pulled her into his arms.  “Damn, I’ve missed you.  You haven’t been in class and…”

“I know, but I’m here now, and I want to hear you out.  You said you wanted to talk to me about…”

“Yes, but not now.  Serena my head isn’t in the right place to talk now.  I just want to…”  He pulled her close and kissed her, his lips heated with the need to devour her.

Her response was instant as she melted into him.  She clung to him, her fingers digging into the tender skin at the nape of his neck.

Her mouth was pure honey as he swept his tongue in to taste her.  “Sweet Jesus, I’m not going to be able to stand this much longer.  I have to have you.”

“Sebastian, I really don’t think…”

“Don’t think, Serena. Just love me.  Come with me and love me.”

He turned to his desk and carelessly tossed the stack of papers in his briefcase.  “Come.”

“Sebastian, I only have an hour or so before Laura comes back to pick me up.”

“Then let’s make the most of it.”  He led her to his car and sped down the boulevard to the nearest hotel.  After securing a room, he returned to the car with the key to a room.  “This may not be the Ritz, but I don’t want to waste another minute driving around.”

It was an old, and outdated motel, but  Serena didn’t care.  It didn’t matter that the décor was straight out of the eighties.  It didn’t matter that the television was large and bulky instead of a flat screen.  It didn’t matter that a few of the tiles in the bathroom were cracked. 

It had a clean bed.

All she wanted to do was lock the door on the world and spend an hour alone with Sebastian.

The instant he closed the door to the room, he tore off her dress and slipped down her panties.  He left her with her four inch pumps and the beaded choker at her neck.  For a long, heated minute he simply stared at her.

“I’d almost forgotten just how beautiful you are.”  He ripped off his shirt and pulled off his pants.  “Look what you do to me.”  He gazed down at his hardened shaft.  Reaching out for her hand, he pulled her to him and felt the strong burn of desire mount as his erection came in contact with her skin.  He kissed her, hard and hungry as the exquisite senses took over his body.

Taking a rough hold of her hips, he picked her up and set her on the dresser.  “Spread your legs,” he ordered.

Serena propped herself up and bent her legs up and apart, setting her feet on either side of her.

Sebastian ran his finger from her navel down and to her asshole and back up again.

Sighing with pleasure, Serena tossed her hair back.

“This motel has paper thin walls.  Be silent,” he ordered.  Licking his finger, he looked at her, and knew his orgasm would be quick in coming, but he was in no mood to control it or stave it off.  He wanted her.  Hard and unrelenting, he wanted her.

Wrapping his arms around each thigh, he nudged his erection to the warm opening that awaited him and quickly plowed in.  She was intoxicating and he pounded into her, enthralled by her round, firm breasts that bounced with every thrust.