Teaching Teacher (closed for fireminx)

[PlayfulLittle1]

Tess paused before knocking on the door, taking a deep shaky breath. This might be it, she might actually not only be losing her scholarship but also put on academic probation or worse. How did this all happen? She sighed and rapped twice on the textured glass window. She could see two figures moving around inside the room, but heard no immediate answer.

Nervously she checked her watch. It was 3:15, right? Wasn't that the time they agreed on?

Finally the door opened, bringing at least one worry to a halt. Tess found herself standing toe to toe with Rachel, the professor's TA.

Rachel was a petit blonde bit of a thing with a sweet face and full pouting lips. It was too bad she was such a bitch, Tess mused.

"Oooh! Look who finally decided to show up for something!" Rachel cooed mockingly. Her eyes narrowed. "You can go in, I guess. I'm sure she's got your suspension letter ready." Her laugh echoed down the hallway as she walked away, pleased at her own joke.

Tess wanted to imagine that Rachel was just being her usual awful self. Of all the professors in the department, this one seemed to be the most fair, so perhaps she could plead her case. Even if it meant spilling her guts more than she'd really wanted to.

She turned and walked through the door, closing it behind her, and waited for the professor to acknowledge her.

 

[fireminx]

Pursing her lips in irritation at the faint sound of Rachel's mocking tone through the door, Professor Aria McCoy rolled her eyes and wondered again what had possessed her to take on the vindictive Ms. VanSmythe as her teaching assistant. Then she remembered … Rachel's uncle, the dean, had intimated rather gravely that if she didn't she would be teaching night classes in the coming summer sessions. Scowling, the professor cleared her mind, and tried to prepare herself to listen to Tess.

Aria had noticed that in the past few weeks, Tess had not been showing up to class as much, when she had previously been a straight A always present student. In addition, the normally fresh, sweet-faced girl of ten years her junior often looked drained and preoccupied when she did come to class. Aria was hoping that with this meeting, she could find out what Tess might be letting get in the way of her massive potential. If Tess was earnest, and there was anything Aria could do to help get her back on track, she would.

Before Tess walked in per Rachel's instructions, Aria straightened her long cream-colored linen dress, making sure any wrinkles were smoothed, and tucked an errant strand of her curly red-gold hair behind her ear. As the tired-but hopeful looking student stepped in and took a seat across from Aria's desk, she looked over at her with compassionate green eyes and gave her a friendly smile.

Opening up her small file for the student for the semester, Aria began , “So, Miss Banter, I've allowed this meeting today because you are an excellent student, and yet somehow things aren't looking too positive for you right now. I'm hoping to help you, but first – why don't you tell me what's going on?”

 

[PlayfulLittle1]

As Tess walked through the door, she took in her surroundings. She'd never been to Professor McCoy's office before. It was impressively crowded with books, papers, file boxes and all of the other cliche accouterments of a junior professor. There were two chairs facing her desk, but one was unusable, the other being occupied by several bags and a coat. The couch against the wall was similarly half-buried.

If she hadn't been so terrified, Tess would have smiled. It looked like something off of a movie set.

She lowered herself onto the edge of the only usable seat.

"I'm hoping to help you, but first – why don't you tell me what's going on?”

Tears of relief sprang to Tess' eyes, and words came pouring out, "I know that my work has been falling off, and I'm so sorry. I promise that I will try to make it right and try to catch up, I don't know how I let things get so far out of hand, I just haven't been feeling... I mean.... I've had some personal.... issues... and..."

Tess put her head in her hands, she was babbling like an idiot and she knew it. "My... girlfriend. She left me. I know it doesn't matter, I should still be taking care of my work, it's no excuse. Life goes on, right?" Tess tried to laugh, but it was a miserable and weak sound. She shook her head and wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "You didn't need to hear any of that."

 

[fireminx]

Listening to the young woman's tearful confession, Aria flushed slightly, and maintained her professional demeanor. While the story of messing up due to the loss of a significant other was nothing new to her, the admission that it had been a “she” surprised her. She hadn't gotten that vibe at all from Tess. Being Bisexual herself, she usually picked up on that.

Clearing her throat, Aria watched quietly as Tess composed herself, a soft hiccup rising from her. Leaning back slightly, she crossed her hands on her knee and looked over at Tess with as open and understanding an expression as she could muster.

She understood Tess's pain, of course – her first love had been in college too, and when it ended she had been utterly distraught. After three years of dating, it was heartbreaking. It took months for her to really enjoy life again. For her, her studies had been her refuge. Over the years, though, she had watched her friends wax and wane in their relationships, and saw all manner of behaviors, from the prudent to the hedonistic.

Her lips turning up into a soft smile, Aria gently asked “She was something special then … how long were you together?”

 

[PlayfulLittle1]

Tess crossed her arms over her stomach and leaned forward slightly, her shoulders rolled forward.* Tess has not expected the meeting to take this sort of turn.

Her voice cracked as she looked down, away, anywhere but meeting the instructor's gaze, "Uhh... not long enough for me to be... so... lost, I guess?* It would have been 9 months a few days after she left..."*She took another deep breath and continued*a little stronger.* "My family was not too happy when they found out that this Sam I was seeing was attached to a pair of tits rather than a pair of balls I guess."* She smiled a crooked smile, and glanced to see if her crude humor got any sort of reaction.

She was surprised when she found that the green eyes were not, at least at that moment, fixed on her face.* Tess straightened and fiddled with the straps of the blue tank she wore under her hoodie, pulling the front up a little higher self-consciously, but looking again at the teacher a little more closely this time.

Professor McCoy had become her favorite instructor.**She always seemed much more in-tune with the students.* It probably had more to do with her relative closeness in age compared to the bulk of the faculty here than anything else, but Tess always felt like she actually enjoyed what she taught, and the bulk of the students responded to that.* Which was good, because if it hadn't been for that Tess probably would have been caught daydreaming about her even more often.

Her lapses had been a source of guilt over the last year, finding herself thinking more often about her redhaired professor, a sort of unattainable figure, rather than her volitle and firey dark haired girlfriend.* Very little guilt about that now, after having discovered Sam had never quite broken things off with her LAST girlfriend.* Anger flared deep in the pit of Tess' stomach, and she shook her head to clear it, returning to the conversation at hand.*

"I'm sorry, ma'am, uhh... Oh.* I did bring the essay you asked for, the one you wanted me to revise..."* She pulled the slightly crumpled pages from the messanger bag at her feet. *She tried her best to smooth the curled edges before handing it across to Professor McCoy.

*

*

 

[fireminx]

Aria stifled a smile at the roughly handled sheaf of papers passed over to her care. Even at her very best, Tess was a bit absent-minded. Maybe that's why she found her so endearing. Well – that, and that adorable little brown bob and stylish blue glasses she wore. She had to admit that, were it not for their student teacher relationship, Tess was definitely her type – all soft curves, spirited, feminine, and smart as a whip.

Clearing her throat and bringing her attention back to the work before her, Aria read over the material, seeing some of the changes that she had suggested, and then a few reworkings of items Tess had not wanted to revise how Aria had suggested. She admired the girl's conviction. The paper was a thesis on how mathematics could be applied to teaching middle school; an extra credit assignment she had given this semester's Precalculus class, to try to get them to think outside the box. It was obvious Tess was a talented writer, and that she had taken the project seriously.

Professor McCoy looked over at Tess, and nibbled momentarily on her lower lip before laying the papers on the desk in front of her. Sliding her legs up under herself in her chair, and adopting a more casual pose, she sighed softly, and began speaking. “So Tess – We both know that you deserve your scholarship. You're a smart young woman, and you earned it, fair and square. I would hate to see you lose it for what is an honest …. learning experience. But the thing is, you have to keep it, fair and square too. I can speak to the board on your behalf and seek probation for you, but with regards to improving in my class, I can't offer you something that I am not offering to the rest of the class.”

Aria cleared her throat, and continued, idly tracing the edge of the shoulder strap on her sundress. “I do a lot of work tutoring at a nearby inner city high school. I have been thinking about letting students do volunteer hours for the opportunity to do make up assignments. Does that sound like something you would be interested in doing?” Aria intended to watch Tess's expression, looking for sincerity, for intent. Her eyes, however, had a mind of their own, and gravitated to Tess's soft cupid's bow lips.

 

[PlayfulLittle1]

Tess nodded, a wide grin breaking through for the first time all day. "Sure, I would definitely be interested in something like that. I mean, I would need some help getting my feet wet, I guess, getting started, but if that's what it takes that sounds good." She trailed off as she realized she was rambling, but her eyes kept straying to the professor's fingers as they played with the fabric of the sundress. She did have such lovely soft looking skin...

There was a series of quick sharp raps against the glass window of the door, startling Tess from her thoughts. The Professor McCoy's next appointment must have arrived already, how had it already been 15 minutes?

Impulsively, Tess hurried, "Actually, I have a few more questions about it, but would like to get started on the tutoring as soon as possible. I work at the Bookshelf Coffee Shop, and have to run there now, but it's only a short shift, I'm covering for someone else. Do you have time to stop by and talk to me a little more about it? I'll be done at 6." She flashed a foolish smile, realizing what she sounded like, and decided she had nothing to lose at this point. "I'll get you a free coffee. Won't even cost extra credit!"

 

[fireminx]

Aria arched her eyebrow and a small smile twitched at the corner of her mouth. Tess certainly did seem earnest and eager to get this situation righted. It made her feel good about her decision to reach out and help her. Maybe the distraction of helping the younger students would also help her get her mind off of her breakup.

Knowing that the appointment that was waiting was actually an interview for the campus paper regarding the very tutoring that she had just proposed, the Professor needed to end this quickly. Thinking to herself that her daughter Morrigan was staying with her dad this weekend, she thought Why not? It would do me some good to get a coffee. What with her work, her tutoring, and motherhood, she hadn't been making it out of her apartment much lately. Perhaps she could even go to a movie after she left Tess.

Looking over at that cute, eager little face, Aria gave into her smile, and nodded her head, eyes crinkling. “Fine, I'll see you at six – but I'm buying my coffee,” she laughed, standing, and walking around her desk to show Tess out. “Good luck at work – and don't worry – you're a great student. We'll get you back on track.”

 

[PlayfulLittle1]

She rose and followed the professor to the door, but before her hand could reach the handle of the door, Tess threw her arms around the teacher in a tight hug. It was again an act of impulse, brought on by the relief of finally having a possible course of action, a way out of this mess.

Once her fingers touched the soft skin of the back of Professor McCoy's shoulders though, and her cheek brushed against her hair, it was another matter entirely. Tess' mind began to whirl, taking in each touch and heartbeat and sensation, suddenly acutely aware of the curves beneath that white sundress as they stood so close, the clean scent of her shampoo, the warm soft arms returning around her...

It wasn't until the teacher made the first move to pull away that Tess realized she'd had no wish to pull away herself, but she stepped back, embarrassed and stammering. "Sorry, just... thank you. So so much. Um. Six then. Thank you again!" And with that she bolted out the door, nearly knocking the girl outside the door over in her haste to leave.

She spent the next several hours at work, berating herself, her stomach in knots, not exactly sure what had come over her... Yet each time her mental scolding slowed she found herself reliving that brief moment. It made her guts twist, sending her mind wistfully back to the good times with Sam... and then to how wretchedly things ended.... and then again to how good it was to have arms around her again...

And then Professor McCoy walked in. Tess' shift wasn't quite over yet, she was pouring a coffee for a regular and came very close to pouring it all over her own hand, distracted by the sway of the white sundress and the flash of a warm smile as she was spotted.

 

[fireminx]

This truly was turning out to be a beautiful Friday. Aria had finished up her interview, and then taught her last class for the day. After she sat down with Tess to go over what they would be tutoring and how she liked to do things with the students, she had nothing she had to do for the rest of the evening. She was musing on whether she would go to a movie, or grab some Chinese takeout and snuggle up on the couch with an old John Hughes movie when she walked into the coffee shop.

As she saw Tess and waved over at her and smiled to let her know she had arrived, the professor slung her leather book bag over the back of a chair near the register. She noted with a tiny twinge that the espadrilles she had worn with her sundress that day might not have been the best walking shoes for the short trip from campus to the coffee shop. Shrugging to herself, she walked over to the short line in front of the counter and perused the options.

… and damn, but weren't there a lot of options! Aria was usually a pretty simple woman – coffee, sweet and blonde. So when she looked up at the menu, she was a little lost – even moreso when she saw all the Italian staring teasingly back at her. Looking helplessly down at Tess from the board, it suddenly occurred to her that she looked very … appealing ... in that snug apron, with her generous curves, and the quirky smile she gave to the customers as she helped them with their orders.

When she got to the counter, she still had no clue what she wanted. Blushing over at Tess, she gave a crooked grin, and said “So, I'm SO not savvy with the menu.” pushing a five across the counter, she continued to Tess “Would you please get me the most coffee, chocolate, whipped cream and sugar that I can buy for this?”

 

[PlayfulLittle1]

Tess gave her a bright smile and a broad wink, "I know just want you need..." She went to work behind the counter, putting together a couple of drinks, taking off her apron and nametag as she concocted both drinks. "I'm off!" She yelled back over her shoulder at coworkers as she slide out from behind the counter, her bag slung over one shoulder, and drinks in both hands.

This coffee shop was very much Tess' environment, her home court. She loved it here, the smells and the sounds, the lively chatter of caffeinated patrons and the studious frowns of students pulling all nighters to finish a thesis. She leaned low as she set both drinks on the table and pulled out a chair for herself.

"I think you'll like it, but you can't really order one... it's sort of my own invention. Call it a Tesscafe," she joked with a giggle.

Outside of the classroom and her office, Tess realized that Professor McCoy looked much less authoritative. As a matter of fact, sitting here at this table, she could have been one of the older class of students. She sighed wistfully, as she traced her finger over a crack in the worn table. If only she was a student rather than a teacher...

Tess folded her ams in front of her on the table and leaned forward, supposing they should probably get down to the matter at hand. "So. This tutoring?"

 

[fireminx]

Enclosing her warm cup and shivering slightly in the cool air from the late afternoon air conditioning, Professor McCoy smiled brightly, and put her elbows on the table. Scrunching her shoulders up under her hair, she began “Yes, tutoring. It's at seventh grade level, and really – it's any subject they need help with. And the great thing is that each child is there voluntarily, so they really want to figure things out.” Taking a sip of her drink, Aria moaned ever so softly and closed her eyes. “Oh Tess – this should definitely be on the menu. It's heavenly!”

Licking her upper lip to clear it of foam, Aria continued “So, there's a session each day at four, and it goes until six. I was thinking that we could meet at my office, and then carpool over to the middle school. If you want to arrive separately, you would go in through the front. After signing in, we do the tutoring in the cafeteria, which is in the back on the left. The principal is Mr. Yothers – he looks kind of like Mr. Bean.” Eyes twinkling, Aria laughed, “Oh wait – you probably have no idea who that is! He's tall and slender with dark hair,” leaning forward and lowering her voice to whisper across the table conspiratorily “And he looks a little too intensely at people – but he's nice as can be.”

Looking over into Tess's beautiful laughing eyes, Aria stilled. Momentarily thrown off kilter, she cleared her throat, and sat back, taking another sip of her Tescafe. Scooting back to put a little distance between herself and the table, she crossed her legs, and continued “So – any questions?”

 

[PlayfulLittle1]

Tess' ears perked up, and she tried to keep a straight face. "Now, do you mean he looks like Mr. Bean, or does he just look like Rowan Atkinson? Somehow they mean different things to me." She had to laugh when the recognition of her familiarity with the reference registered with the pretty woman across the table. "My gir... my ex-girlfriend... always made fun of me for knowing a little too much about British television. Sort of a guilty pleasure for me..."

She began to rattle off various episodes, and soon the two of them were branching off into far reaching tangents, in the fast and breathless chatter of a pair who has discovered a shared uncommon interest. Each trying to grab more obscure references that the other might know.

Their cups were long empty by the time Tess finally looked out the front window of the shop and noticed how dark it was becoming outside and she looked at the time.

She realized that she didn't want to leave just yet, but they'd been there for well over a couple of hours.

"I know it's late, but my apartment is just down the block, and I've got a whole ton of that sort of thing on DVD, and usually no one to watch it with. Maybe you'd want to stop by and watch an episode or two? It wouldn't take long... Unless you have somewhere to be, of course."

She took a deep breath and watched her closely as they both leaned in across the table. She knew she had little hope of her invitation being accepted, and yet she had to ask, if only to extend the most pleasant evening she'd had in weeks just a little longer.

 

[fireminx]

Aria looked over at Tess, and bit her lip. She had enjoyed their conversation … it had been quite a while since she had just lost herself talking with someone. It was nice … and Tess wasn’t asking for anything inappropriate, right? Maybe a little unorthodox, but innocuous.

Releasing her bottom lip, Aria smiled, and nodded “That sounds great. I was thinking about getting Chinese tonight – how about I pick up some and come over?”

Seeing Tess smile, her soft green eyes lighting up, Aria felt better about her decision. The poor thing had been through a lot lately – it would probably do her well to spend some time having fun, and not thinking about her ex. Grinning widely, Aria continued “What would you like?”

 

[PlayfulLittle1]

Tess hadn't even realized she'd been holding her breath, but when the Professor agreed to come over, she released it and grinned widely. She leaned back and started digging out a crumpled wad of bills from her jean pocket, her tip money from her shift.

"Are you sure? That sounds fantastic. Are you getting from Kam Wok? Their veggie lo mein is amazing... and... split some cream cheese wontons?" She whispered conspiratorily, "I can usually eat an order of the wontons myself."* She made a silly face and laughed as she counted out enough money for her half of the order.

Then she got up and ran to the register and leaned over the counter. Her feet lifted from the floor as she stretched to rifle through for a piece of scrap paper and a pen. She brought it back to the table and scribbled out her address.

"Probably best this way anyway, it will give me a few minutes to pick my undies off of the floor." She giggled. It was amazing how comfortable she was had become in the space of a single day, and how much happier. Her stomach fluttered with excitement, and her cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

"Alright, so... see you in half an hour or so then, Professor?"

 

[fireminx]

Chuckling, Aria answered “Yes, splits, and a half hour – all good.” And then, standing and sliding her book bag onto her shoulder, she looked over at Tess “And we're not in class, so – you can call me Aria, if you like.”

Feeling light and happy, Aria turned and walked out of the coffee shop smiling. She set off at a brisk pace, and it didn't take long at all to get back to her car. She called ahead to Kam Wok and ordered the veggie lo main, cream cheese wontons, and Saskechuan Beef.

Traffic was good, so it only took a few minutes to get to the restaurant. Running in and picking that up, she slid back into her car and drove over to Tess' apartment. She was surprised to see how cute it was. She had been expecting student housing, or something of the like. Instead, she found that Tess's place was the lower level of a renovated Victorian.

She had knocked on the front door and was just oohing and ahh'ing over the wraparound porch when Tess came to the door. She was momentarily speechless, seeing her. In the short time that they had been apart, Tess had scrubbed up and slid into a cami, pajama pants, and ridiculously fluffy bunny slippers.

She was sure she had just been getting comfortable, but she had to swallow. The pale blue of the camisole clung to her curves, and the pajama bottoms betrayed every wiggle of her bum as she walked away, saying in her bouncy tones “You ready for Bean?”

Aria blushed, and stammered “Oh, most definitely!” hoping that Tess didn't notice her pause. She followed Tess, unsure where they were going.

 

[PlayfulLittle1]

Tess was still sort of out of breath by the time Aria arrived. She'd practically run the whole way home, and raced around the apartment in a whirlwind, trying to get the place in some semblence of order for fifteen minutes. She only had time for a five minute shower to scrub the smell of coffee from her skin, replacing it instead with the scent of a citrus bodywash she loved. It was such a cheerful smell.

She finished tying her hair back into two short pigtails just behind her ears as she opened the door. Her feet practically slid over the wood floor in her slippers. She was feeling unreasonably cheerful at the prospect of a little comedy and some company. She smiled wryly. Pretty company at that.

She turned around and lead the way down the hallway, explaining only half-apologetically, "Sammy took the other TV when she left, so the only TV I have is the one in the bedroom. It's been too big for me to move out to the main room myself, I hope that's okay?* I prefer to watch movies this way myself, but not everyone likes it..."

Her bedroom was certainly that of a student, a boxspring and mattress on the floor, and a huge television at the foot of the bed on a low second-hand entertainment cabinet. She'd done her best to make it pretty though. Sammy had always made fun of how pink and frilly the bedroom was, but Tess thought it went well with the age of the house.

Tess turned back towards her guest. "Oh! I'm so sorry, let me take some of that!" She took the brown paper bag from Aria and motioned for her to make herself comfortable while she sorted through the contents. She'd already brought a couple of plates and things in and busied herself portioning out the food, keeping half an eye on the professor as she took in her surroundings.

"I've already got a DVD in, you can just start it if you'd like, or we can eat first..." She licked a little bit of the seseme oil from the lo mein from her fingers.

 

[fireminx]

Aria looked at the room, and had to smile to herself. Despite being sparse, Tess had definitely made it feel homey – she liked the way it fit the mood of the old Victorian. Having a soft spot for older architecture, she admired Tess's taste and ingenuity in working with a smaller budget. Sitting on the bed, and bending down to start untying the laces on her espadrilles, Aria said “No worries – a few pillows, and this will do nicely.”

Looking up at Tess as she took off her first shoe, Aria was momentarily distracted by the sight of Tess's little pink tongue sliding up her finger. Looking quickly back down, and studiously working to not think about her cute little pigtails, Aria finished taking off her other shoe, and sat both of them neatly at the head of the bed. Turning and shifting on the bed, straightening her dress on Tess's soft pink duvet, she grinned and said “If you're okay with it, why don't we eat and watch? If you like, I'll be happy to sit on a towel – I would hate to mess this pretty bed.”

 

[PlayfulLittle1]

Tess portioned the hot food onto simple plastic plates all the while keeping one eye on Aria.* It was so surreal, seeing her outside of the sterilized environment of classrooms. Outside of office hours and advising sessions she didn't look like a professor or an authority figure.* Tess' breath caught slightly and she spilled a little of the chicken off of one of the plates as she watched Aria remove her shoes and get comfortable. No, here she was simply a beautiful woman sitting on Tess' bed.

It occurred to her that Aria was looking at her expectantly and she realized she'd been asked a question.* Tess shook her head and blushed, rambling and speaking quickly to make up for the silence. "Oh!* Yeah, a towel?* Ummm.... No, really the bedspread is just some second hand thing, you don't need to worry about it, it washes up easily.* I'm sure it's had far worse than Chinese food spilled on it, and it's fine."

She turned away*while she*replayed her words in her head.* She wondered if the statement struck Aria as being as suggestive as the words suddenly sounded to Tess.

She handed Aria a plate and fork, hit play on the DVD player and moved to close the drapes, dimming the room.* "Even in the evenings the glare from the windows is distracting.* I can leave them open if it's too dark to see your food though."* Tess grinned in a way that she hoped appeared less lecherous than she suddenly felt.*

And that was the moment she made up her mind.* Tess, I hope you know what you're doing, she thought to herself.* She took a deep breath and climbed onto the bed with her plate, laying on her stomach, her shoulder against Aria's hip.

Even that incidental contact made her heart skip a little.

 

[fireminx]

Aria smirked slightly at Tess's far worse than Chinese food comment and looked down, hoping she didn't notice. She was so young and innocent; she probably had no idea what that had alluded to. In fact, as she lay down next to her, she probably had no idea how electric, how enticing her nearness, her dress was.

As Tess settled to eating her food, Aria's lids dropped, and she surreptitiously observed the young woman's body as she lay next to her, unsuspecting. She was not a thin girl, but rather, curved and sinuous. As she followed the graceful arch of her calves to her full thighs and rounded bum, Aria cleared her throat, and snapped her eyes back to the television.

Really, she had a very hard time focusing on the show, as Tess would wiggle, or shift, and her eyes would stray back to that pert, full posterior, and that waist, that flowed back outward to pale, smooth shoulders and those damn adorable pigtails. “Dear lord,” she thought, “I am lusting after a student! What's wrong with me?”

Admonishing herself mentally, Aria forced herself to eat her food. Though at first mechanical; she took slow, even breaths and studiously ignored Tess, she was able to focus on the show and enjoy her meal ...

 

[PlayfulLittle1]

As the screen flickered and scenes changed, Tess found herself laughing louder than she'd done in weeks.* She was genuinely enjoying herself, having someone else who appreciated the same humor was a refreshing change.* Though even more than the show, Tess was enjoying being so near the warm body of a beautiful woman.* In her bed, no less.*

Tess knew she should probably restrain herself, but she took every opportunity to lean against Aria, to brush against her leg.* The older woman never made a move to pull away, Tess reasoned with herself, so it couldn't be making her too uncomfortable, right?

 

[fireminx]

Aria tried … she really did. She tried not to focus on Tess, and her wiggles, and her touches – to no avail. Though in her scattered attentions to the TV and Tess, she realized there had been sincere laughter, she had also realized that Tess was touching her … intentionally.

That brought forth a rush of thoughts, of emotions. This absolutely adorable, sexy young woman was coming on to her. That in itself was lovely – Tess was everything Aria liked in a woman, and more. But the very poignant truth was that she was also Aria’s student. Throughout Mr. Bean and The Black Adder, Aria pondered. This young woman … she was very smart. She had no doubt that she knew what she was doing. She was attempting to seduce Aria!

Having spent the semester teaching her and seeing how conscientious she had been before the breakup, Aria knew instinctually that Tess was not doing this in order to gain favor, or to put Aria in a compromising position… she was genuinely interested in her… And quite frankly, the professor was more than enticed by the idea of enjoying what she was being offered.

As the last showed finished airing and Tess clicked the TV off, the room was lit only by the light of the street lamps outside shining through the curtains that Tess had pooled and a small decorative Tiffany-style lamp on Tess’s bed stand. Clearing her throat, and then taking a breath, Aria made a choice … once she sincerely hoped she wouldn’t regret. Taking a hand, she grasped Tess’s foot as it “accidentally” stroked her arm. In a low voice, she whispered to the back of Tess’s head as her fingers began to stroke firmly along the sensitive arch of Tess’s foot “Tess … Is there something you want to tell me?”

 

[PlayfulLittle1]

Tess froze for a moment. The tone of Aria's whisper made her shiver slightly, even while the firm pressure of fingers on bare skin sparked heat deep inside her. The young woman rolled slightly, onto her side as much as she could while leaving her foot clasped in the professor's gentle but firm grip.

The expression on Aria's face was complicated; it was intense, but there was a hint of uncertainty, and a hint of...hope?

Tess pulled her foot away and rose up onto her knees, shuffling silently closer to this vision of a woman, almost angelic in the soft cream colored dress. There was no answer Tess could give to her question, none that mattered anyway.

Without giving herself time to think, time to stop herself, she raised a hand to cup a soft cheek. Her heart pounded as she pressed her lips against Aria's. When she pulled away, she tucked a stray strand of Aria's hair behind an ear.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her cheeks glowing a delicate pink, "What was the question again?"

 

[fireminx]

Aria looked back at Tess, and smiled wryly. “I think you answered my question, Tess…” Leaning forward, she took the tip of her index finger and slid it slowly back and forth across Tess’s full bottom lip. “… and I have to say, it is very appealing, your response. But …” looking into the Tess’s earnest eyes, watching her blush, “I am your professor … you know that this shouldn’t go any farther.”

Before Tess could comprehend what she was saying, before any look of disappointment or hurt could cross her sweet face, Aria leaned forward. She whispered in her ear, her finger sliding down her chin, down the column of her neck and stroking back and forth across her collarbone “We both know that.” Her lips slightly swollen from the spicy peppers in her food, Aria pressed them below Tess’s ear in a kiss, and then gently sucked as her fingers slowly stroked up to Tess’s pulse, feeling it race beneath them.

 

[PlayfulLittle1]

The hiss of breath through Tess' teeth was quet but forceful as Aria's lips closed in over her skin. Her head tilted to one side to give her better access, the whispered words about restraint forgotten as soon as they were spoken.

Almost instinctually, Tess' fingers found their way into the other woman's hair, curling into the soft tresses. She arched against Aria, her soft, curvy body fitted perfectly into the other. She found her breaths deepening, growing more urgent with each passing moment.

She needed more. Her hands slid down Aria's back before they settled over her round and perfect ass. They dug in hard, pulling hips together. She couldn't supress a need groan as those lips worked relentlessly against her neck, sucking and nipping...