Forbidden Lessons by Noël Cades Page A

school. It was disconcerting to have all these reminders.
    "This isn’t something I’ve ever done before," he said. "Crossing the line with a pupil is the most serious thing any teacher can do. I don’t know what is different about you, but from the first time I saw you I haven’t been able to get you out of my head."
    Laura could hardly speak. She managed to say "likewise".
    They were sitting apart, not touching, and she didn’t know what to do with herself except hold the glass of water.  
    "Come here." He took the water out of her hand and pulled her closer to him, his arm around her.
    "You have no idea of the times I’ve seen you and had to walk away, because I feared I would do something that I would regret."
    "I used to love it when you came and talked to me," she said.
    He gave her one of his rare smiles. "Now at least we can do that without fear of the bell."
    He asked about her time at Francis Hall, her parents, what she liked and what she didn’t like. And he told her about his life, what he’d done at university, his previous jobs, his plans for the future. She was very comfortable now, resting against his side, the warmth of him next to her.
    It felt that they talked for hours, Laura lost track of the time. She was amazed how well they got on, how easy it was. Even despite the differences in age and experience they were on some same, shared level. Occasionally she worried about sounding childish but mainly it was fine. She felt, as she had felt the times before when he talked to her, that they were like co-conspirators. It was the two of them against school, against the world. They laughed at the same things, admired the same things.
    It was the little things he noticed about her that amazed her. He remembered the books he had seen her reading, even trivial things she had said. He was genuinely interested in her.
    Then he noticed it was getting late. "You must be starving." Laura realised she was. She had totally lost her appetite the past week and barely been able to eat a thing earlier in the day.  
    "My plans were to cook for you and take you to bed, but I’m running behind schedule," he said.
    Her stomach flipped. He noticed the apprehension in her eyes, and sought to reassure her. "I know what I said the other day, but there’s no pressure. Just being with you and holding you is enough."
    They ate, and then he led her up the narrow stairs to the cottage’s small bedroom. It had a double bed at least.  
    Afterwards when the others asked she could never remember how she took her clothes off, it was a blur. She did remember that he unbuttoned her blouse, unhooked her bra, slipped her underwear down.
    "I want to see you naked, completely mine."
    Mine. It was the first time he had said anything possessive towards her. Although she felt like they were on the same team, the two of them, it had never been expressed. She didn’t know what she was to him. It felt absurd to use a word like "boyfriend" that got used for St Duncan’s boys and the tame, pen-pal relationships they had.
    Laura felt shy but also strangely proud as he uncovered her. She was amazed that she affected him so much, her body arousing the desire that she saw in his eyes. He took her to the bed. His hands were warm on her skin, and she wanted him to run them over her body but didn’t know how to ask.
    He threw his own clothes off quickly, and lay next to her, resting on one elbow. His chest was so broad and strong, he looked so powerful. She loved it as much as it made her nervous.
    He kissed her. "You’re still a virgin, aren’t you?"
    She nodded.
    "I want you very badly but if it’s too much we can hold off. Just let me know and I’ll stop."
    She wasn’t sure what she wanted yet. She wanted him as close to her as possible but she didn’t know if it would hurt or if she was ready.
    He caressed her body, moving his hand over her left breast, playing with her nipple. No one had done this to her before. It felt unbelievably