And out.
Xander held my gaze, his eyes piercing mine as I slid the robe down my shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. Goose bumps broke out along my skin, and I was intensely aware of my body. Of the sweat prickling the back of my neck, the tendrils of hair tickling my ear, the way my nipples pebbled.
Was I… Did this turn me on? Or didheturn me on? The idea of him watching me, more specifically.
I froze in place, tilting one hip as I placed both hands on the back of my head. It wasn’t the most original pose, but it would be easy enough to hold.
As Xander continued to stare at me, my skin flushed with heat, and I itched to rub my legs together to ease the ache. But I had to remain as still as possible. No wriggling. No talking. And certainly, no…rubbing.
“Perfect. Absolutely perfect.” His tone was filled with awe.
I tried to remember everything I knew about Professor Alexander Kline. He was new to the faculty, an adjunct professor. Everyone had been buzzing about his classes, which were impossible to get into. He was known for his work with oil paint and charcoal, but he liked to mix a variety of media, creating a distinctive style that presented a unique perspective on the world.
“I’ll be right there,” Xander said, only moving away when a student asked him a question.
I’d almost forgotten there was anyone else in the room, that’s how powerful the pull was between us. And the longer I stood there, the more I realized I wasn’t intimidated like I’d feared. But rather, empowered.
I couldn’t turn my head, couldn’t so much as scratch my nose, but I could feel his eyes on me even as he shifted away.
I wondered if that was normal. I’d never paid much attention to what the professor was doing when I’d been in life drawing class. I was usually so intent on getting everything down in the short time before the next break that I was in the zone. But watching Xander was all I could focus on. Watching his long fingers as he gestured to a canvas. Watching the way his Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed.
I wanted to trade places with him and not just because I was standing in front of fifteen or so people, completely naked. No, I wanted ample time to gaze at him,allof him. Not stolen glances whenever he happened to pass in front of me. I wanted to study the structure of his jaw, to trace every muscle with my pencil, and to recreate the elegant lines and colors of the tattoos snaking out from beneath his shirt.
“All right,” he said, breaking my trance. “Stretch your legs. Grab a drink of water and be back in five.”
Already?I thought.
Sure, my body ached from holding the same pose for twenty minutes. But he’d been such a good distraction, the time had passed quickly. And I was grateful for all the yoga I’d done—it was certainly paying off.
Xander crouched to the floor, gathering my robe before handing it to me. Our fingers brushed in the process. I didn’t know whether it was because I was naked or because it was him, but his touch sent a fresh wave of goose bumps rippling up my arm.
“Thank you,” I whispered, not trusting my voice.
“Anything to keep my model comfortable.” He grinned, keeping his eyes trained on mine as I wrapped the silk robe around me. “Are you doing okay?”
I nodded, surprised by how true the answer felt. I was okay. I hadn’t died of embarrassment or shrunk under the weight of everyone’s scrutiny. If anything, I felt…beautiful. Like my body was being admired for the sake of art.
“You’re doing great.”
“Thanks,” I breathed. “That’s a relief, considering it’s my first time.”
He jerked his head back. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope.” I grinned, gratified by his stunned reaction. “I’m a virgin. I-I mean novice. I’ve never modeled like this. Before.” My cheeks filled with heat, and I glanced toward the floor.
Oh my god.I wanted to cover my face with my hands. Standing naked in front of the class wasn’t nearly as bad as what I’d just said. I’d basically admitted to him that I was a virgin. Which I was, but he didn’t need to know that.
He opened his mouth to say something when a girl called his name from across the room. He held my gaze a moment longer before excusing himself to speak with her. I released the breath I’d been holding. The rest of the break, he was occupied with the other students—evaluating their work and giving them pointers.
When the break ended, I resumed my position on the dais. It was a little easier this time, though the idea of disrobing still had my heart pounding. Again, I focused on Xander. And as I held the next pose, I tried to catalogue everything about him. The raven-colored waves of hair and bronzed skin. The blue eyes. And I was a sucker for a strong, square jaw, especially one lined with scruff.
Tattoos peeked out from beneath his fitted black T-shirt, making me wonder just how much of his body was covered in them. Judging from what I could see—a lot. I wanted to explore them, to know the story behind each and every one. It was ridiculous, really, but I couldn’t help but fixate on him.
I listened to his voice as he circled the room, circled me. It was easy to pick out—deeper than the rest, yet soothing. And it was even more beautiful than his body, if that were possible.
He was a good distraction from the way my arm ached from holding the pose. A good distraction from the fact that I was basically doing yoga—naked yoga—in front of a bunch of fully clothed people.
“That looks good,” he said to one of the students. “I really like the shading you’ve done. Even though it’s in black-and-white, you’ve given me a sense that her hair is blond. And I get a hint of the pink coming through, or at least that there’s another color.”
