When familiar brown eyes met hers, she felt a jolt of electricity run through her body.
Li Jun.
All of the words vanished from her mind for a split second.
In a light-blue T-shirt and perfectly maintained trousers that sat low on his slender hips, he was so tall and gorgeous. The fine wristwatch he wore wrapped his wrist, and one hand was shoved into the pocket of his trouser.
She remembers the deeds of those hands and what they had done to her. How many times he'd shown her what nirvana was like, and all the nasty, seductive words he'd muttered in her ear while doing so...
"Good afternoon, Professor Li Na and Professor Xiu," he said as he walked up to their table.
"Wow, Li Na," Xiu exclaimed. "Oh, hello there..." she looked at Li Jun as her eyes darted up and down his body.
"Ha! I have a lecture right now, but I'll see you soon," Xiu said as she rose from her seat and kissed Li Na on the cheek before smirking at Li Jun and raising her thumb towards Li Na.
Li Na shook her head in disapproval at Li Na's antics. "How was your day, Mr. Lu?" she inquired pointlessly, blurting out whatever came to her.
"It was cool. I have been calling you since morning, you didn't pick it up, Li Na." His voice was quiet, level, full of an authority that stole the breath from her body.
Li Na's mouth was instantly dry as she blinked at him. "Excuse me?"
"I believe you heard what I said." He stood there casually, yet something was burning in his brown eyes. Something glued her to the spot, causing her heart to race and a familiar yearning began to form between her thighs.
You've got to be kidding me. Was it true that he said what she thought he said? In the middle of the school cafeteria? In the presence of her coworkers?
Calm down, you love-struck nitwit.
But shock paralyzed her, and she remained immobile, staring at him.
"We should discuss this in your office," he said as if it were a done deal already. "Now is good."
But people were watching their interaction. Shit, had they heard what he'd said? The way he called her?
"I _ my phone is my office… but I don't think I have the time," she forced out, looking at her watch so she didn't have to look at him. "I have a lecture so—"
"You can spare me five minutes."
No. Nope, Nada, Bu, she couldn't spare him anything. "I am not—"
She stiffened as he stretched past her, a flood of heat sweeping over her. He didn't touch her, though, and as he drew back, he was carrying her purse. He handed her the purse and said, "Here." Professor, I'll be in your office waiting for you. As he proceeded toward the exit, he made a loud proclamation.
And Li Na stood up and found herself turning and walking away, off down the corridor toward her office in a kind of daze, her heart racing, anticipation coiling tightly inside her.
Li Na stopped in the middle of the corridor, still dangling her purse. What the hell was she doing? He was not doing this to her at work. Just because she'd say they are in a relationship, did not mean he could waltz in and start doing the same thing in her workplace. That kind of behavior could jeopardize her entire career.
She turned, only to see his tall figure striding down the corridor toward her, the look on his face intent. It makes her emotions go haywire.
"Li Jun," she began forcefully, fighting down the feeling, determined to make a stand.
But he didn't let her continue. "Let's go into your office," he ordered. "This'll only take some minutes."
And much to her extreme irritation, she found herself responding instinctively to the command in his tone. Opening up her office door without a word and going inside.
She headed straight for her desk, needing the barrier and the feeling of authority it gave her to stand behind it.
Li Jun followed her in, closing the door shut with a decisive click.
Li Na put her purse in her desk drawer, her pulse strumming loudly. She folded her arms, stiffened her spine. "Don't shut the door, please."
He ignored her, coming to stand right in front of her desk. Staring at her in that way makes her want to look away.
But she wasn't going to. She was at her work. He was also extremely out of line. She responded, infusing as much coldness as she could into her voice, "How dare you perform that stunt in the cafeteria. Just because I had agreed that we are in a rela—"
"You didn't pick up your phone," he interrupted flatly, "I was worried about you. Remember you have a penchant for overthinking"
She took a deep breath to calm herself down. So, he was upset. And, yes, he very likely had a right to it.
But she wasn't going to deny it; she could own it. "I apologize for not picking up your phone, Li Jun. However, you must be mindful of your surroundings when attempting to communicate with me, especially at my workplace, Li Jun. That is all there is to it. I understand that we choose to have a relationship, but you can't just walk into the lunchroom where I work and tell me what to do and act as if you own me. Okay"
His gaze bored into her, hot and black as a swirling black storm. "Okay, I will be more careful but make your phone a handphone and not a drawer phone."
"Whatever," she said as she started packing her instruction materials into her bag.
"I missed you, Professor," Li Jun continued.
"What"
Li Na stopped what she was doing as she hugged her arms tight to her chest, trying to stop her heart from racing even faster than it was doing so already. Trying to stop the strange longing that kept twisting inside her. "I... ."
"Oh, I see. You can't say you long to see me too..hmm?"
"I have class soon, Li Jun." She swallowed as she tried to start gathering her books.
Li Jun put his hands on her desk and leaned forward, getting even closer. "Class, Li Na?" he demanded. "Can't you say you missed me too?"
She swallowed. "Okay. I miss you" she stammered out, her cheeks redden at the same time.
His gaze flickered over her face, studying her in that focused, intense way he had. Then after a moment, he pushed himself away and started coming around the desk. Toward her.
Her heart hammered in her chest, her breathing getting short.