didn’t look up when the teacher began to speak again.
“Class, this is our model for the day! And your name is . . . ?”
“Zeus.”
My head snapped up so quickly I thought my neck might break.
He was wearing nothing but a white bathrobe and the cockiest grin I’d ever seen. My eyes must have been like orbs, I was so shocked. He gave me a quick wink, and my mouth popped open in disbelief.
“Well, Zeus, thank you so much for volunteering to do this for us,” the teacher continued.
“It’s no problem,” he said. “I simply want to appreciate every art form out there. I thought if I was a part of the art, it would mean more to me.”
“We’re very happy you’re here,” the teacher said. Her eyes were glazing over as she stared at him, and I could almost see the fantasy she must have had playing in her head.
“Should I?” He pointed at the platform and moved to take his robe off.
“Oh, yes, please!” She grabbed an easel herself, never taking her eyes from him, and sat down.
I gasped as his robe came off, snapping my mouth shut and averting my eyes just in time. I could feel my cheeks blushing a million shades of red.
“This is officially my favorite class ever,” the girl next to me said with a grin, her gaze devouring the man in front of her.
“Uh-huh,” I agreed weakly. I glanced around the side of my canvas and saw Zeus, lying on his side with his legs stretched out straight, propped up on his elbow, facing me.
“Hey,” he said, cocking an eyebrow and smiling devilishly.
I gulped, my eyes still wide, and made sure my easel was positioned so that there was no chance of me seeing his lower half. If the professor had wanted a full body portrait, then I was getting half off—I wasn’t even going to look at that part of him.
I heard him laugh softly and peeked up again. He was still staring at me, a wide smile on his lips.
“Did you get my flowers?” he whispered.
I nodded and gulped again, focusing on my still-blank canvas. Maybe if I didn’t speak to him, he would quiet down himself.
“You know what? This position is a little bit uncomfortable,” he said to the class. “Do you mind if I move?”
There was a chorus of approval from the females in the room and some grumbling from the males. Zeus scooted a little farther down, laid his head on his arm, and bent his upper leg, so his foot was now on the floor behind his other leg. The position opened up his private area, and I squirmed as I readjusted my painting so I wouldn’t see it.
“We should go out tonight,” he whispered to me again. “It’ll be fun, I promise. We can talk about today’s class”
I died a thousand deaths inside. The girl next to me was sending a murderous glare my way. This was not an experience I ever wanted to talk about. To anyone. Ever. I remained silent, trying to paint his head and shoulders. Maybe a bust would still get me a good grade.
“Is that a yes or no?” There was laugh ter in his eyes as he spoke, clearly aware of my discomfort.
“I’m sorry, this one isn’t working either,” he announced loudly and stood up.
I ducked my head down—my easel was too short to cover anything up. I could hear him chuckling.
“So date or no date?” he whispered again, in spite of my bowed head. “Wow, it must be hard to paint me without looking. Unless you’ve memorized my amazing good looks. Have you? That would be so flattering, as well as a good indicator you want to go out tonight.”
I dropped my paintbrush and covered my face with my hands.
“Just stretching for a minute,” he announced again. From the girls giggling around me I could guess he was pointing his hips in my direction.
I dropped my hands, without shifting my eyes, and sighed.
“If I say I’ll go out with you tonight, will you stop trying to show me your crotch?” The whisper was soft and quick, but he heard it anyway.
“I don’t know, are you saying you will?” I could hear the laughter in his
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