Chapter 17

Luckily, the second part of the class was much tamer than the first. At least there was no more talk of sexually repressed characters. For that Ally was eternally grateful. The stories they critiqued were pretty mainstream for the most part-a couple of romances, a murder mystery, one science fiction piece, and a handful more Allison couldn't easily classify.

After Professor Salinger explained the next writing assignment, the students scattered. Some went back to the munchies to graze and chat about the class while others merely gathered their belongings to leave.

Realizing she had put off the trip for far too long, Ally caught up with Mandy and Erica. "Uh, can you guys give me a couple of minutes?" she asked sheepishly. "The little girls' room..."Ally jerked her head in the direction of the powder room.

"No problem," Mandy responded. "Take your time."

As Ally walked by, Erica's salsa-covered tortilla chip caught on the sleeve of her sweater. "Oh Ally," Erica cried out. "I'm so sorry!" She dabbed at the salsa with her napkin, only making the mess worse.

As if on cue, Mandy walked by and gasped at the stain. "You'd better work on that before it sets in," she said in a tone that was far too serious given the situation.

"I'll be back in a few," Ally said calmly, heading for the powder room. But she was anything but calm inside. The sweater was one she had borrowed from Kaija. It seemed the new Ally was borrowing a lot of Kaija's wardrobe these days... As she padded down the hall to the restroom, her feet sinking into the luxurious plus of the carpeting, she prayed the powers that be were on her side so she wouldn't have to tell her roommate what happened. Borrowing clothes was, after all, a whole lot cheaper than buying them all new! And while Ally did have the new-found desire to dress nicely after her makeover, she certainly didn't have the wallet for it.

First things first, Ally decided as she closed the powder room door behind her. She took care of her personal business and then moved to the sink to wash up and tend to the stain. Ally tried desperately to blot the smudge off rather than scrub it in, but luck was not with her. The more she fussed with it, the more the stain seemed to grow.

Allison was so panicked over destroying Kaija's favorite sweater, she literally lost track of how much time she spent in the bathroom messing with it. She tried the bar of soap from the bathtub; she used the liquid soap by the sink... When she was finally satisfied the stain had faded enough to buy her some more time back at the dorm, she made her way back to the great room. It wasn't until she stepped into the huge expanse that she noticed just how quiet it was. Where was everybody?

The room was deserted and dimly lit. "Hello?" she called out tentatively. There was no answer. Where had Mandy and Erica gone? They said they'd wait for her! Taking small, cautious steps, she felt her way through the great room. As she neared the far side, she saw a faint light coming from a window or door. Ah, the deck, she concluded with a relieved smile. It was a nice evening to be outside...

But why was everyone so quiet? Allison reached for the doorknob and turned it slowly. Instead of her class, she saw a solitary figure sitting at the patio table holding a wine goblet. She was all alone with Professor Salinger! Allison wasn't sure whether she wanted to hug or hit her classmates for abandoning her.

Or maybe, just maybe, it wasn't their fault at all, she decided. Perhaps the professor had arranged for the alone time to work on their project. Allison's eyes brightened with excitement, and then grew suddenly dim. A project I won't be having anything to do with, she reminded herself somberly.

With a heavy sigh, Allison decided now was as good of time as any to break her news to the professor. He was facing the opposite direction as she approached him. "Professor?" she half whispered.

He spun around in the swivel chair, neither startled by her presence nor expecting to see her. It was an odd expression really. One Allison wasn't quite sure how to interpret. "Hey, you," he smiled, again giving her no clue as to what he was thinking much less what his intentions were.

"Hey," she returned, an edge of shyness in her voice. When he said nothing, she eyed him in shock. What? No 'What are you doing here, Allison?' No 'I'm glad you could stay, Allison'? Ally fidgeted, not sure what to do next. It was obvious everyone else had left, and she couldn't exactly get back to campus on her own without a ride.

Then she saw it-the near-empty goblet of wine in his hand. Professor Salinger had been sipping on wine all evening. She wasn't too sure it was a good idea to have him drive her home, not if there was even a teensy chance he was intoxicated. A DWI charge wouldn't exactly do his college career any good. But she couldn't really call Kaija or Barclay either. They'd never believe she was left behind by accident.

Feeling she had no other option, Ally said, "So, ya ready to get to work?"

The professor gave her a blank stare. That couldn't be good, she concluded uneasily, taking a seat across the table from him.

"I'm not really sure I'm up to that," he mumbled, looking out over his beautifully landscaped garden. An inviting oval pool shimmered a few hundred feet out from beneath the deck. And what was that on the far end, a hot tub? Professor Salinger rubbed his neck and shook off an involuntary shiver. "Where'd that draft come from?" he slurred, looking around for the source of his discomfort.

It was settled. There was no way she was getting into a car with him. It wasn't safe for either of them, much less the other people out on the road. She'd think of some way to get home later, but now her first concern was making sure the professor was in for the night.

"Shit, I could sure use some time in the hot tub," he groaned. He stretched lazily as he pulled himself to his feet.

Even Allison knew that was the biggest scam in the book. She grinned to herself, wondering how long it'd take him to invite her in along with him! "I really think you should get some rest," she pressed, standing to take her place at his elbow.

He waved her off, a gesture that nearly sent the young man stumbling to the ground in his current state. "Nonsense," he protested. "I can't sleep without taking my dip in the hot tub."

Ally rolled her eyes, wondering if it was in fact a nightly routine, or simply just another ploy to get closer to her. But the professor appeared to be determined. He shuffled toward the deck steps and gingerly placed his left foot down on the first tread. Allison looked on as he grabbed the railing and started his descent toward the garden. His unsteadiness quickly convinced her that she needed to help him reach his destination. If she didn't, he'd likely end up in a bloody heap at the bottom of the steep stairway.

Why was he doing this to himself, Ally wondered as she grabbed his free arm. He had so much going for him-good looks, a great job, wonderful home, publishing contracts...

"I'm sorry," he slurred almost incoherently as she wrapped his arm around her shoulders. They toddled along the stone footpath to the hot tub, the professor's breaths labored and fragrant.

Upon reaching the hot tub, Ally was greatly relieved to learn the professor wore a tiny, snug Speedo underneath his jeans. He must've been a Boy Scout, she mused. Always prepared. But Allison was far from prepared for what she saw. Young Colin Salinger had an incredible body. He wasn't bulky and muscular in the grotesque way some weightlifting zealots are, but he was firm and, well, shapely. Being human, her eyes drifted to the bulge between his legs, a bulge that was typically veiled in denim or khaki. Wow. Ally hadn't seen many-okay, any--half naked men in her life, but even she could appreciate what he had to offer.

Ally suppressed a giggle as he tried desperately to maintain his balance while slipping out of his jeans. With a satisfied moan, he slid his tired body into the steaming, foamy water. Not knowing what else to do, Ally perched herself on the edge of the hot tub.

"Why don't you join me?" the professor asked.

Ah, there it was, she thought-the come-on. She shook her head with a smile. "No, thanks. Unlike you, I don't wear a bathing suit everywhere I go." Ironically, she wasn't scared or intimidated to be alone with him. He seemed pretty unthreatening, especially half drunk and comfy in a hot tub. Heck, she'd be amazed if he wasn't snoring within the hour!

"But you are wearing underwear, aren't you?" he persisted.

"Jeez, that's kinda personal don't ya think?" she threw back, hitting him playfully on the shoulder.