Sequel to Office Hours
Liam always did what he was supposed to do: stay out of trouble and get good grades. He thought college would be his chance to go wild, but instead of partying, he spent his first semester frustrated, flustered, and crushing hard on the one man he couldn’t have -- his brilliant, sarcastic professor, Blaise Levin. Now the term’s over, Blaise isn’t his teacher anymore, and Liam has an unexpected chance to make his fantasies a reality.
Blaise has built a life on rules and routines: respected academic, no risks, no drama. But this Christmas, he finds himself alone in San Francisco, with nothing to do except research ... until his former problem student offers to show him around. Liam’s charming and unexpectedly daring, and Blaise can’t stop wondering what it will feel like to finally break the rules. Especially when Liam shows up with chocolate syrup and a very unacademic holiday agenda.
Liam’s mother blew out a breath of relief as they crossed the street to her minivan. She never came out and said that she didn’t enjoy visiting her in-laws, but Liam could tell.
What were Blaise’s parents like? Not that they’d ever be Liam’s in-laws, he just wondered. He hadn’t thought of Blaise as a real person with a family and a history until, well, yesterday. Until Blaise had said, I always did the sensible thing, without asking if it would make me happy.
Liam wanted to be a thing that made Blaise happy.
It was a surprising thought. Last term, when he had been crushing on his professor unrequitedly, he had only thought about how good it would feel if Professor Levin praised him, or touched him, or smiled at him. He hadn’t been thinking about what the other man might need at all.
Levin had driven him to the airport and given him a gift, and Liam hadn’t even asked what Blaise was doing for Christmas.
I really am immature, Liam thought ashamedly. I don’t deserve him.
He could try harder now, though. If he had the chance.
A present, he thought as they pulled into the crowded parking lot of the shopping center. He could mail it to the professor’s house.
He frowned and pulled out his phone. Are you going somewhere for Christmas?
By the time they had parked and walked inside the mall his phone had buzzed with a reply. Lim tried not to bounce with urgency as his mother reminded him for the third time that they were meeting at the car one o’clock.
He ducked into the restroom to read his message.
No, I’m staying here and revising a paper for a conference next week. The conference is in San Francisco; I’ll arrive a couple days early and indulge in some tourism.
San Francisco. Did Blaise know how close that was to Walnut Creek? Had he mentioned it on purpose? Liam’s heart hammered.
Have you been to San Francisco before? he asked.
No. I hadn’t been to the West Coast at all before I accepted this position last summer.
I’ve been to SF lots, Liam wrote. My grandparents lived there until two years ago. I could come show you around.
There wasn’t an immediate reply, so he hastily added, I’m like forty minutes by BART so you don’t have to let me stay the night if you don’t want to.
Hopefully that made it obvious Liam wanted to stay. He wasn’t above begging, but that worked better in person.
Wouldn’t you rather spend time with your family and friends? Blaise asked.
That was definitely not a no.
Liam took a deep breath and wrote, I’d like to see you. I’d like to take you to dinner.
He watched the dots dance on the screen. I’m getting in on the 27th. We could meet on the 28th at any time convenient for you?
It’s a date! Liam wrote.
He waited for Blaise to say that it wasn’t a date, but nothing more appeared on the tiny screen.
Liam did a victory dance and then went to find a bookstore.
