“Relax, and don’t think about anything. Sometimes things like that happen, especially in this heat.”
“I need to go. I’ll take the water with me in case I feel weak again.” She stood but stumbled back into his arms. Her eyes searched his as she stood erect. She felt his hands tighten around her waist, helping her to stand. Their faces were inches apart; her hand reached to stroke his cheek. His strong hand grasped hers. She could feel his heat, his strength, and wanted nothing less at that point than all of him.
He became a willing participant, moving closer to her, wanting to kiss her so badly he could actually taste her. Reality knocked. “Brandi, don’t. We can’t do this here, and you’re weak from this heat anyway.” He held her hand tighter, staring into her dark almond shaped eyes. A knock on the door shattered the moment.
Thank God! He backed away from her and managed a breathy, “Come in.”
Eric came in waving a paper in his hand. “I forgot to give this to you, Dr. Polaris.”
“I shouldn’t take it. The test was due earlier today, Mr. Fontaine.”
Eric smiled smugly, looking at Brandi as he handed the test to Tim. “Hey, Brandi. What’s shakin’?”
“Hello, Eric.”
Eric took his eyes off Brandi long enough to ask Tim about the test. “I’ve had so many things on my mind. I didn’t mean to walk out with the test. Will you still grade it?”
“This time.” He walked over to Brandi. “Drink the rest of the water, then maybe in a few minutes I can take you home.”
Eric heard the exchange. “Did I interrupt something?”
“No, you didn’t. We all need to get out of here.”
Ignoring Tim, Eric walked over to Brandi. “Are you okay?”
She walked over to the door, Eric on her heels. “Yes, I’m fine. Dr. Polaris, thanks again for the water.”
Tim followed behind her. “Are you sure you’re okay to be leaving now?”
“Yes, the water helped. I think I was just really tired.”
“I’m sorry about all of this, Miss Miles, but we can reschedule for tomorrow, same time.”
“Could we?”
“Sure. What’s another day? But you should go home and lie down. This heat is bad right now; you could get really sick. Have you had anything to eat?”
“Lunch earlier.”
“You need more than that. It’s almost five.”
“He’s right. I can walk you to your car, Brandi.”
“I can do it alone, Eric. Thank you just the same.”
“Maybe it’s a good idea to let him walk you; if he doesn’t, I will.”
“I can do it, Dr. Polaris, thanks.”
He watched Brandi walk out with Eric still on her heels. He sensed tension between them, but didn’t know what it was all about. He grabbed his briefcase as Monica Shang came in.
“Tim, do you have time today to look over the book request form? We really need those for the writers retreat this spring.”
“I know.” He walked towards her. “I can look over it as we walk.”
“Was…was that Brandi Miles I just saw?”
He answered without looking at her. “Yes. Why?”
“How’s she doing with the Seymour?”
“Fine, as far as I can tell.”
“I wasn’t aware that she had this class.”
He looked up from the paper he was scanning. “She doesn’t. She’s in trouble in my writers comp and asked for some suggestions.”
“I could tutor her, since I oversee the tutorial lab. I would hate to see her fail.”
“She’s too smart to let that happen.” He and Monica were walking down the corridor leading to the parking lot when they heard bickering. Normally the halls were filled with student chatter, but it was past four o’clock and he knew just about everyone was gone. He stopped dead in his tracks, thinking he had heard Brandi’s voice.
“What’s wrong, Tim?”
“Shhh…Something’s going on. I had better see about it.”
He and Monica turned the corner to see Brandi pressed against the wall; Eric was blocking her way. Tim cleared his voice.
They turned and saw Tim and Monica staring at them.
Tim eyed Brandi suspiciously. “Is everything okay, Miss Miles?”
At that, Eric dropped his hands and let her pass.
“Thank you. I’m fine now.” She gave Eric a smug look and walked off.
He kept his eye on Brandi as she passed and headed for the parking lot. He glanced at Eric, who was giving Tim a hateful stare. Then he walked off.
Tim walked on with Monica at his side. “I should make sure she gets to her car. She was sick just moments ago.”
“Good idea. Not many men would do that.”
“I only want to make sure she doesn’t have a relapse. Can I sign the papers in the morning?”
“Sure, we have a few more days, but I do want to get those in as soon as possible.” Tim followed Brandi into the student parking lot, and saw her get into her car. He tapped on the window. “Brandi, I think I should follow you home.”
“I’m not sick anymore. I can make it.”
“Okay, if you’re sure you can.”
“I think I can.”
“You think so? That’s not good enough. Let me get in on the other side. You can take me to my truck in the faculty parking lot.”
“That’s really not necessary.” She didn’t want Timothy Polaris in her car, in a closed-up place, a tight-fitting place. It would be too tempting, but she could see he wasn’t taking no for an answer and she reluctantly pulled the lock up on the other side.
He got in, fastened his seat belt. “I know this is highly irregular for a student to be driving a teacher around, but I’m concerned about you. Suppose you pass out while driving?”
“It won’t happen.”
“It could, and that’s why I’m going to trail you home.”
There was no bucking him. She did as told, and waited until he started his truck and pulled up behind her.
Brandi turned into her driveway and got out; he parked and walked her to the door. “I feel better now that you’re home safely. You need to go in and rest. Take the rest of the evening off.”
“What about going over my paper?”
“You can do that with me tomorrow. Now, will you go in and take it easy?”
This is not fair! He cares for me; he’s polite, sensitive and gorgeous. Why can’t I have him? She forced a smile for his benefit. “Sure, I’ll go in and take it easy, but it’ll be hard. I’m used to working on something, not lying in bed waiting for my parents or my brother to cater to me.”
“I’m sure in this case you can manage.” He looked at his watch. “I have to go.”
Brandi watched him leave, holding back tears for as long as possible before running to her bedroom.
Tim realized he was getting in way too deep for his own good. He had never followed a student home. He hated the idea of falling for another woman, because it could only spell trouble. Frustrated, Tim couldn’t wait to get back to the safety of his home in Queens Jamaica Estates district, far away from Brandi Elaine Miles.
* * *
Brandi couldn’t even remember if she had turned the ignition off in her car. All she did after leaving Tim was collapse on her bed. Almost falling into his arms had made her examine her real reason for staying at Madison. Surely, the scholarship could be transferred to another school. Then there was Eric. She knew him, and he would stop at nothing to make her life hell. As she rubbed her tired eyes, her mother tapped on her bedroom door. “Brandi?”
“Yes, Mom?”
“Can I come in for a minute?”
All she had wanted to do was sleep, not answer any questions about her day. She dried her eyes, trying to look as normal as possible. “Sure, Mom.”
Mrs. Miles immediately saw the pain on her child’s face at once. “Brandi, have you been crying?”
“No. I don’t feel well. I think it’s the heat.”
“The heat’s never gotten to you before.”
“Always a first time.”
Mrs. Miles sat on the bed next to Brandi. “Okay, now tell me what’s really wrong.”
“Everything.”
“Like what?”
“Eric finally showed up in class, and he’s been a pain in my butt ever since then.” Say anything to hide the real truth behind her tears.
“Maybe you’re reading too much into this because of the problems you two have.”
“He’s a cad, and wants to further his education about as much as a drunken fool does. He’s following me, keeping track of me, even though I broke it off with him over two months ago.”
“With him sleeping around, I was glad you got rid of him. You deserve better.”
“I know I do. We don’t want the same things. I want a career and someone who doesn’t cheat.”
“That man is out there. Don’t you want a career and a family?”
“Yes, but when the time is right. I don’t want to run around with a baby in each arm, and chasing behind another. That’s all he wants—someone to be a slave to him.”
“I would hope your father and I raised you better than to settle for that.”
“You did, and that’s one of the main reasons I broke it off with him. There’s too much that would drive us apart. I want someone who’s going to be good to me, someone I can be good to and make a life with. I want someone who wants me the way I am, not the way he wants me to be.” I want Tim!