Smart, Sexy & Single?

I've been working for the Engineering department of my university for some time as a teaching assistant, and since I've kept high grades as a graduate student and have a very good grasp of English pronunciation, the department has allowed me to be the instructor for some of the courses they offer. This past semester, I've been assigned to handle a required course for an undergraduate degree, but which isn't a pre-requisite for any other courses. Considering its difficulty, many students tend to delay taking it until their last semester, even though it is junior-level. So at the beginning of the semester, I found myself managing a class of 30 students, and of those, 10 are seniors planning on graduating at the end of the course. Note the word "planning"; some of these will attempt to cruise through the course, only to crash and burn at the end.

Now, this is for those who don't know about the outlook of college life, both in general and in Engineering. There are three adjectives that are used to describe the women that I see and meet in the college context: smart, sexy and single. During my time in college, I had yet to meet one that embodies all three of these qualities; you can probably find someone that has any two of them without too much trouble. However, in Engineering, a very male-dominant field, the chances of getting even two of those qualities are slim. Most of the time, all you see in a woman in the Engineering department have one of these qualities, and the ones missing the smarts don't tend to last long in the department. Most of the smart ones aren't much to look at, either.

This isn't meant to be sexist; I imagine that women go through the same trials themselves, looking for a man who has the right set of qualities that entice them and keep them curious for more. Call it my straight-laced Engineering mindset, trying to minimize complexity to the smallest set of descriptors. I had gotten down to these three, and I've been pretty resigned to having to choose between smarts and looks; as much as I like a beautiful woman, I also need intellectual stimulation from the same to feel attachment. And I've also resigned myself to the knowledge that I don't have the basic set of qualities women look for in a man. I'm not unattractive, but I hardly get a second glance from anyone, and though I'm not obese, I'm somewhat out of shape due to long hours working on my dissertation and coursework.

Well, let's return to my first entrance to the classroom. I scanned the faces of the students; some of them I knew from previous courses as a lab teaching assistant. After handing out the syllabi for the course, I waited for everyone to get their copy when at the entrance, a vision from heaven knocked on the open door. It seemed as if she was asking permission to enter the classroom since she was late, and to deny this creature anything would be tantamount to offending the gods. A beautiful body, well sized breasts hidden by a white blouse with a faintly detectable lacy bra, shapely legs covered by a skirt that was modest yet revealing. Light brown hair, and a face that Helen of Troy would be envious of. I have no idea where I lost my voice at that moment, but I quickly recovered by motioning her into the classroom with a sweeping arm and handed her a copy of the syllabus. By the time everyone had a copy, I had regained my voice, and I switched into instructor mode.

How I kept my composure, I don't know. I guess having the syllabus to read from was a fortunate coincidence, since that was what I focused on for that first day of class, but the vision of her kept creeping into my mind all throughout that class, as much as I tried to avoid looking her way.

Finally, class was up, and I readied myself to return to my office. And then, the olfactory assault. If the vision of her entering the classroom was glorious, the smell of her perfume as she approached my desk was inebriating. To call her an angel was mistaken, because she was beyond tempting.

"Professor Lara, could I ask you for a favor?" she said.

"Let's see, what is it?" Me being the hard-ass at this moment was pure show; I was melting inside, which was probably plainly visible in my eyes, so I averted my gaze as much as I could while erasing the blackboard.

"Well, I'm working at the moment, and though my boss is aware that I'm taking this course to complete my degree, it's sometimes hard to leave the office and make it to class on time. Are you very strict on tardiness?"

"Not at all. I don't plan to take roll during class; if you can't be bothered to come to my class but still manage to get a good grade, I won't begrudge your lack of attendance. And I have a good memory for faces, so I'll know if you're doing badly in class and not attending. However, I don't like interruptions in class outside of questions, so if you are running late, just walk in and take a seat. Don't wait for my permission to enter class, Ms. uh-"

"Casey, Casey Smits, and thank you, Professor."

I watched her walk out, and tried not to be overtly inappropriate by watching her attractive attributes as she left. Ah, these are the moments in which life is good. And though I knew I had less of a chance with her than a cockroach in a henhouse, I enjoyed it for what it was, an attractive woman who wanted to succeed in this course.

- - - -

Throughout the first few weeks of the semester, I noticed her work was impeccable. Very good grades on her homework and midterms, and the exams and assignments that had to be written were done very legibly, a rarity in this field. Sexy, smart, but what about single? Even as I was asking myself this question, I was trying to get rid of the thought. When I first got the position of teaching assistant, we were told that relationships between student and instructor were prohibited, and the danger of expulsion was looming over anyone risking it. Not that there was much risk; she would never pay attention to a guy like me.

Halfway through the semester, Casey approached me after class once again.

"Professor Lara, I know you don't take attendance, but I wanted to let you know that I'm going to be missing the next class. I'm leaving for spring break somewhat earlier."

"Really? What are your plans for spring break?"

"I'm going to the Bahamas with my fiancé, Jeff. I'll be back before spring break though, though. Work is getting hectic, and they can't give me the whole break for the vacation." There goes the availability. Two out of three, high score for the department.

"That's too bad. I'll be here, working on my dissertation, and probably wishing I was somewhere else like the Bahamas."

"Well, I really needed to ask about the exam after spring break. Will this next class be included in the material for the exam?"

"Definitely so. Afraid of missing out on anything?"

"To tell the truth, yes. I enjoy your course, but it isn't easy."

"With your grades, you could've fooled me. You're one of my top 5 students here, and considering you're the only one of them that's also keeping a full-time job, I'm more than impressed."

"Thank you, sir. Still, I'd be much more comfortable if I could get you to go over the class material I'll be missing."

"Tell you what. Send me some e-mail when you get back, and we'll coordinate an appointment for sometime after your work schedule."

"That's very kind of you, but I don't want to impose -"

"You just send me some e-mail, and we'll work from there, OK?" I said with a smile.

"Yes, sir, and thank you again." she said as she left.

Considering what my workload for the break was, I was going to enjoy the distraction. After all, how many more times in my lifetime can I expect to teach a student as beautiful as Casey?

True to her word, she e-mailed me, and we coordinated for Friday at 7pm in my office. They apparently did Casual Fridays at her workplace, because she was wearing less formal clothes than she tends to do for my classes. I say less formal, but no less appealing; form-fitting jeans and a beige knit-top with sensible boots. I offered Casey some coffee from my machine, and we went right to work, going over what I had covered for that class.

I don't know if it was the informal environment, the coffee, or it just being Friday, but we interrupted the teaching and went into normal conversation more than once. Once it was about the coffee; Casey wanted to know what kind it was, because she really liked it a lot. I told her it was a special blend from my parents, who send me a couple of canisters every six months or so from outside the country. I asked her about her vacation, and complimented her having gotten a tan; she mentioned that it was one of the few things that was free in the Bahamas, so she decided to get as much of one as she could. She asked about a picture on my desk, and I mentioned it was my first and only nephew, who I try to spoil every time I can. To tell the truth, I can't say how we were able to fill three hours with conversation, but by the time she got a call on her cell phone, we realized how late it had gotten. I caught a bit of the one-sided conversation.

"Hi, honey. Yes, I'm finishing up now with recovering from my class absence. Yes, I got here a bit later than I had planned, because we had to close out the week at work, and that dragged on longer than I wanted it to. Sure, meet you there in 15 minutes. Bye-bye. *smooch*"

She hung up and said "That was close. My fiancé is a bit over-jealous, and he'd probably go ballistic if he knew I had spent all this time here."

"Heck, I'm just an instructor. Not much to be afraid of in my case."

"Don't sell yourself short, Professor. There's probably someone out there tonight waiting for you to sweep them off their feet."

"Well, they'll just have to keep waiting, because I've got some more typing up to do before I'm done for tonight."

"Oh, I'm so sorry for keeping you from your work for so long!!"

Mental kick to myself. Stupid!! "No, that came out wrong. To tell the truth, I needed the distraction. I've been over-working myself throughout the break, and I really needed the time out to be social and not intellectual for just a bit. That, and with the amount of coffee in my system right now, I'll probably be awake until 4am."

"Goodness, I'd give up sleep for coffee that good."

We both laughed at that comment, and Casey left soon afterwards. It took me a while to get back to concentrating on my report after the stimulants, both coffee and conversation.

- - - -

Well, I survived until the end of the semester, and I got hold of my grading sheet, with all the little circles that have to be filled in for each student's grade for a Scantron machine. This is the first time I actually got to see an official roll for my class, and I'm surprised when I look through the list and see "SMITS, K C". Interesting, she must have been using her middle name on all of her assignments, which really works well since her initials phonetically spell out her middle name. Unless. . .nah, that couldn't be it.

On the last day of class, I keep the new material to a minimum, just to close out the chapter we're finishing off with, and then it's open question time; ask the instructor anything you like about anything we've covered in class, because this is the last time you'll see him before the final exam. I get a couple of silly questions, and respond humourously to them, because the class and I have developed a good rapport this semester. I close out with my standard "It's been an honor for all of you to have taken this class with me as your instructor. . .", which gets a cheap chuckle out of them, and they're gone. I call Casey to my desk before she leaves.

"I just noticed your name on the official list yesterday. K C? Interesting combination of letters. Any reason you don't like your first name?"

"No, actually it's just that both my names are somewhat difficult for people here to pronounce and memorize. My real na-"

"It's not Kamalian Ciranoush, is it?"

Casey looks at me with surprise. "Did you read-"

"Yep, I've almost read the entire Asian Saga by James Clavell. The only one I haven't read is 'Whirlwind', the last one. And I'm slowly trying to collect the first edition printings of the set, although on a student's budget it's taking some time. I've only got 'Shogun' and 'Tai-Pan' right now. But it's a goal."

"Considering the number of times I've had to explain where the name comes from, I would have thought that no one on the planet had read 'Noble House'. I'm really amazed!"

"So your parents are fans of Clavell's, I assume, since they gave you that name."

"My mother got me hooked on his books. I read the entire series by the time I was fourteen, and must have re-read them at least twice. And I loved the character whose name I share."

"You represent her very well, a successful professional and beautiful as well." When I realize what I've said, I turn a couple of shades of red, but she rolls right through it.

"Thank you, Professor. I never thought you noticed."

"It's hardly avoidable. You're stunningly smart, and you manage yourself very well." That was kind of awkward, but I really didn't want her to think all I could see was her attractive beauty.

"Well, I have to get back to work. Don't hurt us too much on the final!"

"Oh, come on, that's the only fun part about teaching!!" I add jokingly.

Goodness, is this woman too much? Or is it that I can't get enough of her? Sexy, smart. . . but that damn availability.

- - - -

Well, finals were over, and graduation was the following week, so we had a weekend in between. I got together with Cole and Sara, and we decided to hit the local Latin club. Cole is a graduate student from Engineering, and Sara is his wife. They're both great friends, but Sara tends to be a bit overbearing with me. She's always trying to hook me up with one of her friends. I tell her that if she gets me hooked up with a girl, who's gonna dance with her? Cole suffers from OCS (Overly Caucasian Syndrome, also known as White Boy Dancing), and tries to dance salsa, but the most he can do is a lackluster merengue. On the other hand, Sara is a whirlwind on the dance floor, and since I'm a passable dancer myself, whenever she wants a little more "oomph" on the dance floor, I'm the one she pulls out. Cole is cool with me dancing with his wife; he'd rather she dance with someone he knows than someone he doesn't.

Well, Sara was talking to me about this friend of hers she wants me to meet, and I'm not really paying attention to what she's telling me. I'm just sort of lost in the haze between music, secondhand smoke, and the surrounding people.

Sara decided that she's said enough, finally, and wants to dance. I'm all for it, so we danced to a couple of salsas, and we made it back to the table. I was about to sit down, when I feel a tap on my shoulder. Casey is there in all of her glory.

"Hey, Professor! I'm graduating!!"

"Really? Looks like I didn't fail you like I should have." I say, with a wink to boot.

Casey punches me in the arm, and Sara gave me this questioning look. I decide to do the gentlemanly thing, and introduce her to my friends. Casey calls over her friends, and I notice that they are both female. We stole a couple of seats from the neighboring table, and we all sat down.

"So, having a night out on the town with the girls, Casey?"

"Yep, celebrating two things, actually. Graduation, and being single again."

"Really? What happened?" I ask, as I tried to avert my gaze from Sara, who I know is doing the best she can to develop spontaneous telepathy so that she can tell me to jump on this opportunity. All three adjectives, right in front of me.

"We just weren't working out as well as we should have, so we decided to break off the engagement."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Nah, Professor, you shouldn't be. We should've seen everything devolve some time ago. It just got to a point where the relationship couldn't sustain itself."

One of Casey's friends, Cherise, said "And good riddance!!"

The other, Katherine, interjected "Amen to that!!"

We all decided that since that was the consensus, we needed to toast to it, so we lifted our assorted bottles and beverages, and clanked them together. I noticed that Casey's arm and hand brushed against my hand, and I felt shivers run down my body.

Sara decides that we need to dance some more; I know that dancing is not what she has in mind. We did the basic movements, but we were also talking.

"So what are you waiting for?"

"Sara, she's a student of mine."

"And?"

"And I don't need the aggravation from the department about dating students. I don't want to risk my degree on a fling."

"And who says that the department is going to know? She's graduating for cripes sake, so the department's no longer an issue."

"It's still awkward, I -"

"Now you're fishing for excuses. Let the cards fall where they may. And pull that girl out to dance."

"OK, Mom. Sheesh."

When the song ended, I sat down again.

"So you dance too? What is it that you don't do?" Casey asked.

"I think I'll avoid homicide and incest, but aside from that, anything goes." I joked.

She laughed, and at that moment I felt it. We were going to be together, no matter what I thought was best. Obstacles, hurdles, hills, mountains, nothing was going to stop this.

"So, may I have this dance?" I asked.

She simply smiled and stood up.

She was about as good a dancer as myself, so we did a rather good circuit or two around the floor. But whenever I wanted a bit of distance between us, she got me closer to her.

"Er, Casey, I really like you a lot, but I still-"

"Professor?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up and dance."

I followed orders.

When the song ended, I returned to the table, where Catherine said that she wanted to dance too. I was reluctant to leave both Sara and Casey at the table by themselves, because I know they'll plan something, but I have no way of avoiding it without looking like a goofball, so Catherine and I do our dance, a merengue.

When our song was over, we make it back to the table, and I saw that Cole and Sara were gone.

"Where'd my friends go?"

"They said that they had to leave early, but that you were riding with them, so I offered to take you home", she said with a devilish grin.

"OK, so are we ready to leave?"

"Nope, I want one more dance."

So we walk out, and just our luck, it's a bolero. Really slow. This was Sara's doing, I can smell it. I hold Casey close, and we dance. By that point, I was between lust for this beauty, love for her mind, and fear for the consequences. Of course, my body decided to react to the first of these emotions, and Casey did her best to make sure everyone understood it was hers and hers alone.

The song ended, and Casey's friends were gone now. "I think that's our cue", says Casey.

We left the Latin club, and I got into her car. I indicated the way to my place, and I was about to thank her for driving me home, when out of the blue, she kissed me. And not a simple peck on the lips, a sustained long open-mouth kiss.

I'd like to say that at that moment fireworks went on behind my eyelids, but to be truthful, my eyes were wide open in surprise. I have to admit I was reluctant at that moment. I wanted her to know what we were getting into, and I separated myself from her to talk.

"What's wrong?"

"Casey, I feel a lot for you, maybe as much as you do for me. But we're still just out of teacher/student roles, and to be truthful, I'm a little hesitant about this being correct."

"Will you listen to yourself? We're both adults here, and what I want to do is not as a student, but as a woman. Forget the teacher role for just a moment, and let me show you how good we can work together."

With that, I think my last barrier broke. I approached her for a kiss, and we kept it very chaste for that one, sort of a replacement for that first aborted kiss that I ruined.