Academic Affections

Part 10, Smutt.

Later that night

"Thank you for the ride," I said, stepping out of his car and into the chilly night air. Sebastian smirked and said, "If it were my call, I'd be your personal chauffeur."
"Yeah, I wouldn't mind having my own personal chauffeur," I responded, laughing.

He'd chosen the secluded back parking, a shadowy haven away from prying eyes. As I made my way to the staff entrance, Sebastian strode towards the front, where customers would stream in, oblivious to the secret we harbored. Before I could blend into the backdrop of the building, he caught my hand, spinning me around to face him leaving mere inches between us as our breaths mingled in the air.

"Mina," he whispered, his voice laced with urgency and a tinge of regret, "I'm sorry, but we have to be careful inside. The dean, the faculty - no one can suspect a thing about us, alright?" His eyes searched mine, a stormy sea of worry and affection.

I gave a silent nod, the weight of our situation settling in my chest. I attempted to pivot away, but Sebastian's hold remained firm, unyielding. Glancing back, I caught the shift in his gaze, something new and raw flickering there. He leaned in, the space between us disappearing, and as his lips met mine, a rush of warmth collided with the cool caress of the night air, sending a shiver down my spine.

Our kiss lingered, a fragile balance between desire and trepidation. Every touch of his lips against mine sent waves of exhilaration through every fiber of my being, leaving me breathless and yearning for more. In that stolen moment, time stood still, and the world around us faded into insignificance. But as the seconds ticked by, reality crashed back, reminding us of the risks we were taking. With a final, lingering touch, we reluctantly pulled away, our hearts heavy with the weight of having to pretend we don't care for each other.

He went in through the front without another word, and I headed to the back door. As I entered, Amy greeted me, 'Hey Mina, I need to take a quick smoke break, but there are only a few tables, so you should be fine.' 'Okay, is it just us tonight, or are there other waitresses?' I asked. 'No, just us. It's a slow night,' she replied. I nodded, relieved that it wouldn't be too busy.

I quickly threw on my apron, grabbed my notepad and pen, and headed to the front of the restaurant to scope out the tables. There were only two tables occupied-one had just been cleared and the other had a cute couple. But my attention was immediately drawn to the third table, where the dean and his crew, including Sebastian, had just sat down. My heart skipped a beat when I saw him, and a whole swarm of butterflies started doing somersaults in my stomach. So many thoughts were racing through my mind as I discreetly watched him take his seat. Oh, how he looked so good in those denim jeans, as his shirt sat perfectly showcasing his well-defined muscles. His shirt clung to him in all the right places, accentuating his strong physique, and those piercing steel blue eyes of his were impossible to ignore.

*cough, cough*

I panicked looking over at my boss who was looking at me with a "really!?" Look. "Sorry boss, I was just zoned out." I said sheepishly and apologetically. "Well don't make it a habit, you've got work to do." With that being said he turned and walked back into the bustling kitchen. Shaking off the awkwardness, I collected myself and approached the table with a bright smile and greeted everyone. "Hey everyone, I'm so glad to see you back! What can I get for everyone today?" I asked cheerfully. As I jotted down their orders, I could feel Sebastian's intense gaze on me. His expression was unreadable, not a smile in sight, but I brushed it off and focused on my task.

After putting in the order I sat and waited until I was needed again, and seeing as Amy was back from her break, she could take care of her section even though there was only one table left. Every so often, I attempted to catch Sebastian's eye with a discreet smile, but it was clear he was avoiding my gaze. Each unreturned smile made my heart sink a little more. Despite our agreement to act like strangers, the coldness from someone I cared about deeply stung more than I expected. Even though it was hard to do, I decided to put on a happy mask ignoring the feelings and doubt stirring inside of me and focused on work, hoping it would go by quickly.