The Burn

"You're struggling with Conrad again, Miss Hayes?" Dr. Reed’s voice was dry, like old paper. She didn't look up from the manuscript she was marking, red pen slashing across a page.

Chloe shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "It's the... the ambiguity. In Heart of Darkness. I just — I need to nail this essay for the exam." And your eyes, your damn eyes.

Reed finally lifted her gaze. Grey, sharp. Like a winter sky. They pinned Chloe for a second before flicking back down. "Ambiguity is the point, Miss Hayes. Life isn't a neat little package." She capped her pen with a decisive click. "Alright. Sit."

Chloe pulled the worn wooden chair closer to the imposing oak desk. Reed's office smelled of old books and something else… something faintly like her perfume, a scent Chloe had caught once when Reed leaned close to point out a passage.

Clean, a little sharp, like verbena. Fuck, get a grip.

"So, what's the specific passage giving you… trouble?" Reed’s fingers tapped on the desk. Long, elegant fingers.

"The women," Chloe blurted, then cringed internally. "Kurtz's Intended versus his African mistress. The... the dichotomy."

Reed leaned back, one eyebrow arching. A tiny, almost invisible movement. "Dichotomy. Interesting word choice." A ghost of a smile touched her lips, then vanished. "One represents the 'civilized' lie, the other the 'savage' truth he embraces. Or so the surface reading goes. What do you think, Chloe?"

The use of her first name. It snagged on Chloe’s breath. Reed usually stuck to 'Miss Hayes', formal, distant. "I… I think it’s more complicated. I think Marlow pities the Intended, but he’s… drawn to the other woman. The power she has." Just like I’m drawn to you. The power you have, sitting there, all cool control.

Reed’s eyes stayed on hers. "Power. Yes." Her voice was low. "She’s 'wild and gorgeous, thorough Dantesque'. He sees her and he doesn’t see savagery, he sees… a queen." Reed’s gaze drifted to the window for a moment, then snapped back to Chloe, intensified. "Tell me, Chloe. What kind of power do you think a woman like that has?"

Chloe’s mouth went dry. Oh god, those eyes. "The kind… that makes men forget their promises? Their… propriety?" The kind that makes a student think about her professor far too much.

A soft hum from Reed. "Perhaps." She picked up her pen again, turning it over in her fingers. The silence stretched, thick and heavy. Chloe could hear the frantic thump of her own heart. She knows. She has to know what she’s doing. The way Reed’s thumb stroked the smooth plastic of the pen. Slow. Deliberate. Chloe imagined that thumb stroking her skin. A shiver ran down her spine.

"The key to Conrad," Reed said, her voice dropping even lower, making the hairs on Chloe's arms stand up, "is understanding that the horror isn't out there in the jungle. It's in here." She tapped her own temple, then her chest, right over her heart. Her eyes bored into Chloe's. "What we're capable of. What we want, despite ourselves."

Chloe swallowed hard. "So… how do I write that?"

Reed’s lips curved. "You write it honestly. You show the raw parts. Don’t flinch." She leaned forward, forearms on the desk. The faint scent of verbena again. Chloe’s gaze dropped to Reed’s mouth. Full lips, usually set in a firm line. What would they taste like?

"Let's look at page forty-two," Reed said, her voice a little husky. "The description of the river. 'Going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world...'"

As Reed spoke, Chloe wasn't just hearing about Conrad. She was acutely aware of the small space between them, the charged air. Reed's hand gestured, and her fingers brushed Chloe’s arm where it rested on the desk. A spark, quick and hot. Chloe flinched, pulling her arm back.

Reed paused, eyes narrowed slightly. "Are you alright, Miss Hayes?" Back to 'Miss Hayes'. The distance slammed back into place.

"Fine. Just… static." A stupid lie.

Reed's gaze lingered, unreadable. Then she nodded curtly. "Right. The river. Think of it as a descent. Into the self. Into… desire."

Desire. Oh, I'm thinking about it. Chloe stared at Reed’s throat, the way a small pulse beat there, just beneath the skin. Want to put my mouth right there.

Another session, a week later. Chloe had deliberately worn a softer sweater, one that clung a little. She’d put on a touch more lip gloss. Small rebellions, tiny signals.

Reed seemed even more brusque than usual. The lines around her eyes tighter. Chloe saw the silver band on Reed's left hand. Always there. A constant, dull ache in Chloe’s chest.

"Your draft is… improved," Reed said, handing back the papers. Minimal red ink this time. "You're getting closer to the core of it."

"Thanks to you," Chloe said, meeting her eyes. Look at me. Really look.

Reed shuffled some papers. "I'm merely guiding. The work is yours." Her phone buzzed on the desk. She glanced at it, her expression hardening for a split second before smoothing out. "I have another student waiting soon."

Chloe felt a pang of… something. Jealousy? Ridiculous. "Right. Of course." She started to gather her things. Her notebook slipped, scattering loose papers. "Oh, damn it."

They both bent down. Heads knocked. A soft thud. Chloe was suddenly inches from Reed's face. She could see the faint lines at the corners of her eyes, the surprisingly soft texture of her skin. Verbena, stronger now. Mixed with the scent of Reed herself. Earthy. Real.

"Sorry," Chloe whispered, her breath catching.

Reed’s eyes were wide, her lips slightly parted. For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Chloe’s gaze flicked to Reed’s mouth, then back to her eyes. Now. Kiss her now.

Then Reed blinked, pulling back sharply. "Clumsy," she murmured, but there was no bite in it. Her cheeks were faintly flushed. She gathered the remaining papers, her movements jerky.

"Dr. Reed?"

"Yes?" Reed didn't look up.

"Can I… can I ask you something? Not about Conrad."

Reed finally looked up, wary. "What is it?"

Chloe took a breath. "Are you happy?" Fuck. Did I just say that out loud?

The air crackled. Reed stared at her, face unreadable. Then, a muscle in her jaw tightened. "That is… monumentally inappropriate, Miss Hayes."

"I know. I'm sorry. I just…" I see the sadness in your eyes sometimes. When you think no one’s looking.

Reed stood up. "Our time is up." Dismissal. Cold and final.

Chloe’s heart sank. She’d pushed too far. "Okay." She turned to leave, shame coiling in her stomach.

"Chloe."

She stopped at the door, hand on the knob, not turning around.

"Friday," Reed said, her voice strained. "My last office hours are at four. If you… if you have further questions about your final draft."

Chloe’s breath hitched. She turned slowly. Reed was standing by the window, back to her, looking out. But her shoulders were less rigid. "Okay," Chloe said softly. "Friday."

Friday. The word thrummed in Chloe’s veins all week. She replayed that near-collision, Reed’s flushed cheeks, the strained offer of another meeting. Was it pity? Or something else? She wants it too. She has to.

Chloe arrived at Reed’s office at four on the dot. The door was slightly ajar. She pushed it open. "Dr. Reed?"

The office was empty. But on the desk, there was a single sheet of paper with one word written in Reed's distinctive hand: Library. Special Collections. Ask for the 1899 first edition of 'Heart of Darkness'.

The Special Collections room was quiet, hushed, smelling of leather and aged paper.

The librarian, a stern-looking older woman, retrieved a slim, buckram-bound volume. Chloe took it to a secluded carrel in the back, the book feeling strangely warm in her hands.

She opened it. Tucked inside the front cover was a small, folded note.

Page 73. Second paragraph.

Her fingers trembled as she found the page. Paragraph two. It was a description of the African wilderness, but then, underlined faintly in pencil, were the words: "the thrilling sense of wild liberty... the forgetfulness of all restraints."

Below the underlining, in tiny, almost invisible script: My office. Now.

Oh my god. Chloe’s whole body flushed hot. What was this? What was happening?

She practically ran back to Reed’s office. The door was still ajar. She slipped inside, closing it softly behind her. Reed was standing by her desk, facing her. Her expression was… unreadable. Intense.

"You came," Reed said, her voice a low thrum.

"You told me to." Chloe’s voice was shaky. She held up the note.

Reed took a step closer. And another. Until she was standing right in front of Chloe, so close Chloe could feel the heat coming off her body. Verbena and Reed. Overwhelming.

"The passage I marked," Reed murmured, her eyes dark, fixed on Chloe's mouth. "What did you think?"

"I thought…" Chloe’s breath caught as Reed’s hand came up, fingers tracing the line of her jaw, feather-light. "I thought it was… about us."

A small, harsh sound escaped Reed’s throat. "What?" Her thumb brushed Chloe’s lower lip. "Why would you think that ?"

And then Reed’s mouth was on hers.

Not gentle. Not tentative. It was a hungry, desperate kiss. Reed’s lips were firm, demanding. One hand tangled in Chloe’s hair, tugging her head back, deepening the kiss. The other slid around Chloe’s waist, pulling her flush against Reed’s body.

Chloe gasped into her mouth, her hands flying up to grip Reed’s shoulders.

Reed’s tongue swept into her mouth, tasting, exploring. Chloe met it with her own, a raw need clawing up from her belly. Years of unspoken longing, of furtive glances and daydreams, exploding in this one, searing kiss.

"Ah…" Chloe moaned as Reed’s teeth grazed her lip. Reed made a low sound, a growl, deep in her throat. Her hips pressed into Chloe’s.

This wasn’t just a kiss. It was a claim.

Reed broke the kiss, breathless, her forehead resting against Chloe’s. "God, Chloe…" Her voice was rough, wrecked. Her eyes, when they met Chloe’s, were blazing. "You have no idea."

"Oh, I think I do," Chloe whispered, her fingers tightening in Reed’s hair. This is real. This is her. Wanting me. "Show me."

Reed’s eyes flared. "Impudent." But there was a possessive heat in the word. She kissed Chloe again, harder this time, backing her towards the desk. Chloe stumbled, her legs weak. Reed’s hand slid down, cupping her ass, lifting her slightly, pressing Chloe’s heat against hers. "Mmm..." Chloe moaned against her mouth.

The edge of the desk hit the back of Chloe’s thighs. Reed broke the kiss, but her mouth trailed down Chloe’s neck, hot and open. Biting gently. Licking. Chloe arched back, her head thrown back, a helpless sound escaping her.

"Shhh," Reed whispered, her lips against Chloe's pulse. Her hand moved from Chloe’s ass, sliding up her stomach, under her sweater. Cool fingers on warm skin. Chloe gasped.

Reed's fingers found the clasp of Chloe's bra. Unhooked it with an expertise that sent a fresh shockwave through Chloe. Oh god. She knows what she's doing.

"We are not supposed to do this you know" Reed’s voice was a dark purr, right by her ear, her breath hot. Her thumb was now circling, teasing the underside of Chloe's breast.

"… fuck, Evelyn…" Chloe panted, using her first name like a weapon, a prayer.

Reed went still for a second. Then her hand covered Chloe's breast, fingers kneading, thumb finding her nipple through the soft fabric of her sweater. It peaked instantly, hard and aching. "Ah!" Chloe cried out, her hips bucking.

Reed’s other hand was at Chloe’s jeans, fumbling with the button, the zipper. Rough. Urgent. "Fuck.. we shouldn't," Reed muttered, almost to herself. "but you are.. fuck."

Chloe’s jeans were undone, pulled down her hips a few inches by Reed’s impatient hands. Her own hands were everywhere – Reed’s hair, her back, clutching at her.

Suddenly, Reed lifted her head, her eyes wild. She looked at Chloe, really looked, a raw hunger in her gaze that made Chloe’s knees buckle. "Lie down," Reed commanded, her voice thick. "On the desk. Now."

Chloe’s heart pounded. She fell back, half-sitting, half-lying on the cluttered surface of the oak desk, papers scattering. Reed was between her legs in an instant, pushing her jeans and panties down her thighs, dragging them off her ankles with one swift, impatient tug. Chloe was exposed, open to her. The cool air of the office on her bare skin. Anyone could come in here this instant and find us. me and Mrs. Reed . Fuck.

"Spread those legs girl" Reed murmured, her voice like gravel and honey. "You'll taste heavenly. I know."

Chloe’s breath hitched. She obeyed, parting her thighs. Reed knelt between them, her gaze devouring Chloe. Oh, god. She's looking at me. Like she wants to eat me alive.

Reed's dark hair fell forward as she lowered her head. Her breath, hot and moist, brushed Chloe’s clit. Chloe gasped, her fingers digging into the wood of the desk.

"So pretty," Reed breathed, then her mouth found her.

Oh. Fuck. Yes.

Soft at first. A gentle lapping. Then firmer. Her tongue circling, pressing. Chloe moaned, her hips instinctively lifting. Reed’s tongue was incredible. Flicking. Darting. Finding that perfect spot and staying there, a relentless, exquisite pressure.

"Ah - Evelyn!" Chloe cried out, thrashing slightly.

Reed pinned her hips down with one strong hand on her thigh, the other arm bracing herself on the desk. Her mouth didn't falter. She increased the rhythm, sucking gently, then harder, her tongue a wicked, wonderful torment.

Her tongue… ah… fuck, it’s so good. Oh god… Chloe’s mind was short-circuiting. Sensations flooded her, too much, too fast. She could feel the pressure building, coiling tight in her belly.

"Mmm. We should .. fuck.. i should . stop.. ah," Reed growled against her, her voice muffled but clear. She lifted her head for a moment, eyes blazing, a sheen of Chloe's wetness on her lips. "Look at me."

Before Chloe could speak, Reed’s hand slid between her legs, fingers slick with Chloe's arousal. Two fingers slipped inside her, deep. Chloe screamed, a choked sound.

"Fuck… ah… yes…"

Reed fucked her with those fingers, curling them, hitting that spot inside that made Chloe see stars. Her thumb found Chloe’s clit, rubbing small, firm circles, while her mouth latched onto one of Chloe’s already swollen nipples through the fabric of her sweater, sucking hard.

Oh god… too much… can’t think… her mouth… her fingers… Chloe was sobbing, bucking, completely lost. She didn't want her to stop. yet - she wanted more, so much more. Reed’s rhythm was relentless – fingers, mouth, thumb, all working her, driving her higher and higher.

"You like that, baby?" Reed’s voice was hoarse against her breast. "Being taken apart on my desk?"

"Yes! Fuck, yes, Evelyn! Don’t stop!"

"Not going to," Reed grunted, her hips subtly grinding against Chloe’s leg. Chloe could feel the hardness of Reed's desire, even through their clothes.

Suddenly, Reed’s head snapped up. There was a sound. Footsteps in the hallway outside the office. Getting closer.

Chloe froze, eyes wide with terror. Oh god, no.

Reed didn’t stop. Her fingers kept moving inside Chloe, her thumb still tormenting her clit. She just shifted slightly, her body shielding Chloe more from the door, and put her other hand flat on Chloe’s stomach, pressing down, a silent command to be still.

Her eyes locked with Chloe’s. They were dark, dangerous, thrillingly alive.

The footsteps paused right outside the door. A light knock. "Professor Reed? It’s Mark. From the review committee? We had a quick question about the new curriculum proposal…"

Reed’s fingers inside Chloe gave a slow, deliberate curl. Chloe bit her lip so hard she tasted blood, trying to stifle a whimper. Reed watched her, a slow, predatory smile touching her lips. Her thumb never stopped its devastating work on Chloe's clit.

"One moment, Mark," Reed called out, her voice unbelievably calm, only a fraction huskier than usual.

She leaned down, her mouth close to Chloe’s ear, fingers still moving, still stretching her, her thumb a relentless tease. "Don’t you dare make a sound, little one," she whispered, her breath hot, sending shivers all over Chloe's skin. "Or he'll hear just how desperate you are for me. How much of my water is wetting your pussy."

Chloe could only nod, tears streaming down her face, a silent scream building in her chest. The sheer audacity, the risk… it was terrifying. And so fucking hot.

Reed leaned back a little, still fucking Chloe with her fingers, still working her clit. "Now, stay quiet for me. Be a good girl." Her eyes glittered. She then took a thick, leather-bound volume of Shakespeare’s sonnets from the shelf directly behind her head without looking.

"Professor Reed?" Mark called again, a little louder.

Reed brought the heavy book down, not hard, but with undeniable intent, pressing it flat against Chloe’s mouth. Muffling her. Her other hand, the one that had been on Chloe’s stomach, moved up, her fingers splaying across Chloe’s throat, not choking, but a firm, possessive grip. A reminder of who was in control.

The sensation of the cool, smooth leather against her lips, the smell of old paper filling her nostrils, mixed with Reed's scent, Reed's fingers deep inside her, Reed's thumb on her clit, Reed's hand on her throat, all while someone was right outside the door – it was so fucking hot and exciting at the same time.

Her orgasm hit her like a tidal wave. Violent, soundless under the book, her body convulsing, bucking against Reed's relentless fingers. Reed’s grip on her throat tightened slightly, her eyes burning into Chloe's, watching every shudder, every silent gasp. She didn’t stop moving her fingers until the last tremor had subsided.

Oh… fuck… fuck… what just happened? Chloe lay there, utterly spent, her body humming, tears still leaking from her eyes. The book felt impossibly heavy on her mouth.

Reed slowly removed the book, then her fingers, slick and glistening. She studied them for a moment, then, impossibly, brought one to her own lips, tasting Chloe from her fingertip, her eyes never leaving Chloe’s.

"Good girl," Reed murmured, her voice husky. She stood up, smoothing her skirt, completely composed. As if she hadn’t just brought Chloe to a shattering orgasm with a colleague inches away. She ran a hand through her hair, which was only slightly mussed. The silver ring on her finger glinted.

She walked to the door, took a breath, and opened it. "Mark, apologies. Just… caught up in some grading. Come in."

Chloe lay on the desk, exposed, trembling, heart still hammering, listening to Reed’s calm, professional voice discussing curriculum changes. The world had tilted on its axis. She… she just… holy shit. The mundane words, Reed's ordinary tone, were surreal after what had just transpired.

The wildness of it. The sheer, terrifying, exhilarating nerve.

It was only a few minutes, though it felt like an eternity. Chloe scrambled to pull her clothes back on, hands shaking. Her sweater was damp where Reed’s mouth had been. Her jeans felt tight, uncomfortable. Her whole body ached with a sweet, lingering throb.

Finally, Mark left. Reed closed the door, a soft click. She leaned against it, looking at Chloe, who was now hastily trying to smooth her hair, her face flaming.

Reed’s expression was… softer now. Almost vulnerable for a split second before her usual mask slipped back into place. "You're messy," she said, her voice quiet. But her eyes still held that possessive gleam.

"You…" Chloe didn't know what to say. "You're… insane."

A faint smile touched Reed's lips. "Perhaps. This is what you do to me, Chloe." She pushed off the door, walking slowly towards Chloe. "And I don't even know what I am doing" She reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind Chloe’s ear. Her fingers were warm. "But we can't do this ever again."

Chloe let out a shaky laugh, a little hysterical. "what are you so scared of ?" It was the hottest fucking thing that’s ever happened to me.

"that I'll want more." Reed’s gaze dropped to Chloe’s mouth, then back to her eyes. "This changes nothing, you understand. And it changes everything." She glanced at her desk, at the scattered papers. "Just focus on your studies. You are young."

Chloe stared at her. Studies. Young. Her, Evelyn. Wanting more. The forbidden, thrilling promise of it hung in the air. "I…"

Reed's eyes darkened. "Don’t tell me no, Chloe."

Chloe’s heart did a little flip. This woman. God, this woman. "You are stubborn." she managed, her voice still weak.

Reed smiled, a genuine, slow smile this time. It transformed her face, softening the harsh lines, making her look younger, almost… happy. "Tonight. Millburn Street. Eight o'clock." She stepped back. "Now, you should go. Before I decide to keep you here." The last part was a low murmur, almost a threat, almost a plea.

Chloe nodded, feeling dazed, electrified. She grabbed her bag, her legs still unsteady. At the door, she paused. "Evelyn?"

"Yes?"

"That book," Chloe said, a smirk playing on her lips, feeling a rush of boldness. "Shakespeare. Was that a deliberate choice? 'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?' or something more like 'My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun'?"

Reed's eyebrow arched. A slow, appreciative smile spread across her face. "Clever girl," she repeated, her voice a husky caress. "Very clever. Now get out. And Chloe?"

"Yeah?"

"Wear that sweater."

Chloe just nodded, her face burning, and practically fled the office. The taste of leather and Reed was still on her lips.