Li Jun stared at Li Na and the way she flinched at his voice. Shit, why did he have to ruin their relationship that was already going steady? He felt like grabbing her, kissing her, and staking his claim on her so that no man would be able to touch her. What he was thinking was dangerous. There was a reason he kept all his emotions locked down. He'd had to detach from them in order not to remember the cruel death of his ex-girlfriend and his parents and he'd done the same when he returned to Taiwan so he could survive real life.
So he could be the average twenty-six-year-old man he was pretending to be and not the boy who'd witness the death of people very dear to him.
"Mr. Li Jun, I don't think this is the appropriate place or time for you to speak to me. I told you that regarding any issue you are free to come and see me in my office at a specific time" She sounded irritated.
Li Jun slowly moved forward and focusing on the woman standing beside him. And for a second she looked like she was surrounded by an aura of light, black hair a halo around her head. Beautiful. Delicate. She was Breathtaking
Her cool gaze regarded him with animosity and he felt heat beginning to uncoil inside him, wanting to see that heat again in her eyes. "Yes, I know it is not the appropriate place for me to talk with you but at least hear me out. I'm not only apologizing for my rude behavior that morning but I need to tell you the truth and reason behind my misbehavior that day."
"Mr. Li Jun, I don't need you to tell me any tidbits about your life and concerning what happened the other day. And Apology accepted."
"Li Na, you are still obviously angry at me. You asked me for the truth, Professor. I will also give it to you."
Her mouth thinned. "Then you need to pull back on the truth, Mr. Li Jun. I will love for us to maintain our professional relationship. Because next time you're so frank with your rude opinions, I'll have no issue about taking this to the dean or student affairs."
She continued as she gave a dismissive kind of laugh. "This conversation is over. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to go to."
No, she wasn't going anywhere. He hadn't finished. Li Jun thought.
Li Jun suddenly reached out and closed his fingers around her wrist before she could move. She was wearing a white long sleeve blouse, even in the hot summer sun, and through the blouse, he could feel the warmth of her skin and the current that hummed between them. The current he'd felt the day he saw her in his classroom and introduced himself.
She stiffened, every bone and muscle in her almost vibrating with tension. She didn't look at him, her gaze fixed on the pathway ahead.
She was so warm. Bright. A string of dazzling sunlight in a dark, endless tunnel. The feel of her seeped through his palm and moved up his arm. And he knew if he kept hold of her, it would move farther still, going deeper inside him, lighting him up. Shining into the dark, cold part of him.
What would it feel like to have her in his arms? To be inside her? Wrapped up in all that light? He'd had fantasies about her, so many interesting fantasies. Yet he suspected that the reality would be so much more intense and heartwrenching.
Oh God, he can't let her slip away from his hand or his life. He had to have her. Somehow, some way. He had not felt such intensity with Chu Hua(or anybody in his life)
He moved this thumb, unable to resist, a repetitive stroke on her palms, and he felt the tremble that went through her in response. He looked up. Her face had set into hard and furious lines, her jaw tight.
"This conversation is not over, Our relationship cannot end just because of an argument," he said quietly, letting his voice harden through his words. The kind of voice he used to control the tune of his meeting whenever he is in a business meeting or among his employees. He had never used this kind of voice with her.
"In fact, we haven't even had a conversation. What we've had is you getting angry at me and making assumptions about me. Refusing to listen to me. Li Na after the lecture(s) you have for the day. I am going to visit you at either your office or your house, today or tomorrow, and we are going to sit down and talk. And You will listen to my side of the story. Okay?" He whispered into her ear as he let his eyes linger on her face.
A flame of intense feeling ignited inside her. Li Na tried to ignore it. "Mr. Li Jun, that was not an argument and I'm not making any assumptions about you. And what do you expect me to do with your side of the story, Lu Li Jun? I mean, seriously. You think I am going to be crazy again and risk my job for a bit of casual sex with a student?"
He lifted one lean, powerful shoulder. "What makes you think it would be casual? It is not casual and you know it."
"Mr. Lu, I don't think this is the conversation you should be having with your Professor. Even if my lapse of judgment had made me not realize my position. I will like you to respect it now. You are eight years younger than me, I'm not looking for involvement with anyone talkless my student who was practically rude to me after helping him home."
He studied her, the look on his face was unreadable. "Don't call me Mr.Lu, you've no problem calling me Li Jun, it was true that I was rude, you know that it was a lapse on my control after the dream I had. We both know that the feeling between us is more than what age and our current position can put a barrier to. Li Na give me a chance to talk to you."
"Mr. Li Jun, kindly take your hand off my wrist, now" Li Na frowned at him.
"Okay. But you will listen to what I have to say. Li Na" Slowly Li Jun uncoiled his hands from her wrist, putting his arms behind him, leaning back on his back at the wall, stretching out his long, muscular body. The denim of his jeans pulled tight around his thighs, the fabric of his shirt settling on the taut planes of his abdomen.
She shouldn't watch him, shouldn't notice those things, and yet she did. They made her mouth go dry.
"Expect to see me soon," he went on, the faint lilt of his accent making his deep voice even sexier than it was already. Which was something else she shouldn't be noticing. "For the relationship between us would never be casual. Bye, Li Na"
Then, very deliberately, he moved close to her and tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and moved back, adjusting the sling of his backpack as he walked away to attend his next lecture.
For a moment Li Na didn't move, staring at him as he walked. She was petrified as she watched Other people moved past her, a few in groups talking amongst themselves, a few alone with their headphones in, listening to their music players.
The sun was warm on her skin, the tension he had ignited on her was still thrumming through her body. Sagging against the wall she felt suddenly weak and disoriented at what happened just now.