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"So, the writer was brave and struggled with identity Why don't you tell me exactly what you feel the story is about?"

And that's when Connor realized she knew Up close, her dull brown eyes glinted with flecks of gold-green, pulling an observer in Her face seeaze--the knowledge he had no clue what he was talking about, and she was going in for the kill

Who would've thought a drab English professor could be so ruthless?

He regrouped and assessed the situation Tilting his head, he stared right back, refusing to back down "I think the story was ridiculous and contrived It was a big whine fest of a character trapped in a rooet herself out of the situation That's what I thought about the story"

The class tittered He waited for her attack, knowing he'd challenged her in class, which was her natural terrain Still, Connor didn't care That story sucked and it was a relief to admit it

A small smile touched her lips "A fair and honest assessment," she concluded

He grinned

"By a reader who has no idea what he's reading By a reader who has no desire to try and follow the writer or do more than lazily lay back and wait for the car wrecks, or sex scene, or shootout We've become a society ants so badly to be entertained, without using a brain cell, and refuses to do the work to engage and follow greatness Frankly, Mr Dunkle, you disappoint me I had expected much more of you"

His grin disappeared

She walked away on soundless shoes and pointed to the blackboard "Maybe we can salvage it for the rest of the class Let's begin"

Connor held back a groan

This was going to be a bitch of a semester

Chapter Two

"I thought how unpleasant it is to be locked out; and I thought how it is worse, perhaps, to be locked in"--Virginia Woolf

Ella watched her students file out of class but her attention was focused on one particular individual

Connor Dunkle

She sensed a play co provided her a sick sense of satisfaction when she got to take an egotist, s person and knock them down a few notches It also offered a perfect conduit to change the thinking and view of the world one student at a time Sure, sometimes she felt as if she made no difference with her classes But once in a while, she lasered in on a student who needed to be challenged

"Professor Blake? Can I talk to you a moment?"

She turned, and right on cue, there he was Ella hid her sed him from the first day, but sometimes a student

surprised her

"Yes, Mr Dunkle?" She peered over her thick-fralasses She could've picked trendy or delicate frames, but she liked the way these intimidated her students "What can I do for you?"

His charht bulbs or rendered one speechless Had she ever seen such perfect white teeth? Thedelectable treat for the female vision, but Ella had prepared She checked in with her body and was quite pleased Other than a recognizable huhs, she was coed there weren't many offers Connor made that were turned down The reason was all six foot five inches that towered over her desk with lean, cut muscles evident beneath his casual clothes Dirty blond hair lay , and the thick strands curled around the edge of his ears His face was sculpted quite beautifully, froh cheekbones, full lips, and perfect di Robert Redford from her favorite movie, The Way We Were Sure, Redford was old now, but Ella believed the greats like Newman and Redford and Brando paved the way for Pitt and Heers didn't itch just once to brush those gold streaked strands from his forehead

His eyes delivered the final one-two punch Crystal blue swirled with a touch of green, clear as glass and deep as the sea Eyes like that couldthe tiny tuaze on the prize

"Yes?" she asked with a bit of impatience He blinked, somewhat confused she hadn't ducked her head or stuttered Oh, this one needed a reality check Had he ever been rejected? Or was he one of the lucky ones who slid through life unscathed by others? Huh Another si to have to re-rent that ain

"I think there was a e reeked of open friendliness with just a touch of sex His navy blue T-shirt stretched tight across his chest, and his jeans orn low on his hips, which were now cocked in a very appealing angle He tilted his head to ensure intimacy, and daood