The Protege Read online

  As far as looks go, he was anointed by the gods. As far as talent, no one else can compare. He was where Serena hoped to be someday. A highly-sought after Oscar-winning film composer, a professor, and even a show producer.

  “He’d be perfect as an adviser,” she murmured as she spread her fingers over the keys and played a G chord. He was highly acclaimed in the music department and the musical community as well. He was in her chosen field and in the perfect position to help her. Though she mentally ran through the other possible candidates, no other professor at the university suited her needs the way Professor Sorensen did.

  If only he hadn’t made such an absurd request of her; escorting him to his family party. She was sure he can have his pick of women, so why her?

  While the long fingers of her left hand stretched across the keys to settle on a C chord, she reached for her phone and set her elbow on a few keys causing an interesting, if not off key clamor. Glancing at the card the professor had given her, she punched in his number.

  He answered too quickly, throwing her off.

  “Um. Hello. Um, Professor Sorensen, this is Serena, Serena Singleton.”

  “So I see.” His voice was warm velvet over the phone.

  “I beg your pardon.” Her foot tapped the piano’s peddles in a nervous twitch.

  “A little innovation they invented a while back: caller ID.”

  “Oh, yeah, right.” She felt inexplicably flustered and was thankful he couldn’t see her heated cheeks. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I was thinking about… I was thinking about the conversation we had.”

  “Good. I’m happy to see you’re contemplating my invitation.”

  The low resonance of his voice held something sexy and sultry. Just by closing her eyes, she could see his smoldering gaze and the effect went directly to her lower belly.

  “Well, the job… um, the invitation that you offered me… um, to be your escort for this family night you have, well…”

  “Do I hear a note of uncertainty in your voice, Serena?”

  She almost fell off the piano stool at the sound of her name. Raspy, gravelly, inflamed, her name had never sounded quite so appealing. This wasn’t her. This giddy, clumsy and flustered girl wasn’t the woman she was. She was cool, collected. She’d never been the kind of girl to swoon over a cute face, but…

  Wiping the back of her forearm across her brow, she shot off the stool and headed to the window for some air.

  Damn, why is it so hot in here?

  “Well,” she said after a moment to collect her thoughts, “it pains me to say this, because having you as an advisor is very important to me, but unfortunately, I must decline your offer.”

  “Really?” he said with an odd note of surprise.

  “My answer is no. I cannot be your escort for the night.”

  “Funny,” he said with an amused chuckle that bordered on derisive. “I thought you said you were desperate. If I remember correctly, you did say you’d do anything.”

  “I guess I’m not as desperate as I thought.”

  “Humph,” he grunted. “And I guess I thought you were serious about wanting me as your adviser.”

  “No offense, Professor Sorensen, but I do have my reputation to consider. When I said I’d do anything, it was more in the order of walking your dog, running errands or cooking a meal. My intention was to compensate you for the time you had to sacrifice in order to reschedule my appointment. I wanted to repay you by saving you some time; make up the time you lost because of my tardiness. However, playing escort isn’t really my thing. I’ve worked hard to have an academic career, to go back to college, and to get into the graduate program here. I’m serious about becoming a composer. I can’t risk a blemish on my reputation by sleeping with my adviser, no matter how tempting. I’m surprised you’d risk your reputation by sleeping with a student.”

  He let out a loud and surprised, “Huh?”

  “Sleeping with you would…”

  “Sleep with me? Who said anything about sleeping with me?”

  “You said you wanted me to be your escort for this party of yours.”

  “I said I wanted you to accompany me, yes, but that’s all. If I implied differently, I apologize, but all I need is a dinner date.”

  Staring at the cars that sped by, Serena leaned her brow against the window pane. There was something almost insulting in the way he stressed his lack of desire to sleep with her.

  “Look,” he went on, “this is a public gathering and I don’t want to go alone. I could always go with someone else, anyone else, but when you arrived and proposed doing anything for me, I thought… why not? You seemed willing enough to please, and it will give us a chance to talk so… Anyway, it’s no big deal. I mean, it’s probably just as well. Although you seem a little familiar, despite our brief little meeting, we don’t really know each other and it could prove awkward.”

  Their little meeting had indeed been brief. Though Serena had been at his door an hour later as promised, the student in his office had been in no rush to leave him. By the time the love struck student walked out, there was barely ten minutes left before his next appointment. Being one of the most popular professors, and perhaps the most eligible bachelor in society with his many accomplishments, his family fortune, and looks; he was constantly bombarded with requests from everyone for his time. No wonder why he was strict with their meeting time. It wasn’t personal. It couldn’t be.

  Other than a few minor and insignificant details, he knew nothing about her.

  “I guess I should go with someone I know more thoroughly. I can always go through my list, but as it is, all the women I’ve dated or brought to events like these have always wanted to pursue a romantic relationship afterwards. You, on the other hand, just want me as an adviser. I’m glad to see you so serious about your music composition career. And you don’t seem to have a clue about me, which I find refreshing, but can also be a small problem which my mother might find odd.”

  Tempted to let slip all she knew about him, she bit her bottom lip and smiled. Telling him she knew how sexually appealing every girl found him wouldn’t help matters. Worse still was the possibility of accidentally hinting that she might be attracted to him as well.

  “Too bad,” Sebastian said. “I think you would have liked it, but look, I honestly won’t have the time to interview you before two weeks from now. My agent and manager wonder why I’m even ‘wasting’ time teaching at an university instead of working fully in composition, but ever since last year, I felt compelled to help those starting out, like you. But still trying to balance the music career I have so forgive me for trying to make this dinner date into a get-to-know-you meeting, too. I’m putting a lot of hours into my new composition and I’ll be flying out for business right after this fundraiser thing my parents are throwing.”

  “A fundraiser? A get-to-know-you-meeting?” Intrigued, Serena couldn’t hide her sudden interest. “You didn’t tell me this was for a fundraiser. I love fundraisers. In that case, I’d love to help out.”

  A dry laugh rang through her phone. “Would you now? Well, now that I’ve piqued you interest, I may as well tell you that it’s going to be on a yacht, a relatively small one, but a yacht all the same. It’s at the Newport Harbor, and the food is supposed to be wonderful.”

  “Are you trying to convince me, Professor?”

  “Don’t read anything into this, but I thought you’d make good company; after all, if you’re looking to have me as your advisor it must be in part due to your love of music, right? I think it could make for interesting conversations. At least we’d have that in common and that could make up for the lack of knowledge we have of one another.”

  A sense of bewilderment fluttered through her. She hadn’t expected this type of declaration from him. He seemed more like the type who would want a woman on his arm simply for the physical gratification, not to actually converse with. And the fact he was teaching because he wanted to help mentor and bring up the new
generation of music composers was admirable. With his awards and connections, he could easily spend his time hobnobbing with the rich and famous, writing compositions all day, and walking the red carpet; not hanging out with students. “Congratulations. You convinced me. I’d be happy to go.”

  “Good, I’m glad that’s settled. We’ll discuss the details later.”

  “Fine, then. I’ll wait to hear from you.” She cringed. That sounded way too eager.

  “Oh, by the way, do you have something appropriate to wear?”

  “Appropriate how?”

  “Classy, elegant, something really nice.”

  She let out a tense snort. “Not really. Since starting school, I’ve been so focused on my studies…I only brought some ordinary day dresses and the clothes I wear to go to school. The nice stuff I have is in storage.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll find something for you. I have to run down to pick up my tux so I could swing by and pick you up. I know a few places we can go and you’ll find something appropriate in no time.”

  “A tux, huh?”

  “Yeah, it’s that kind of evening.”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think…”

  “I saw in your file that you live off campus, but Harbor Boulevard isn’t that far off my route.”

  “Thanks, I appreciate it, but I have a friend who has a pretty decent wardrobe, so I’ll see what she can do for me.”

  “If that’s what you prefer, fine, however, since I’m the one who asked you to come to this shindig, I would pay for the dress.”

  She laughed. “Oh, Lord, no. That’d only make matters worse.”

  “Why?”

  “Because then I’d owe you one, Professor.”

  “All right,” he said with a throaty laugh. “Have it your way. We’ll talk again soon.”

  Chapter 2

  “So you’ve finally met the notorious Professor Sorensen.” Laura poured herself a glass of white wine and leaned over her kitchen counter to look at Serena. Her long tapered fingers tapped lightly on the glass, sending the aromatic liquid quivering.

  “I have to admit, he is a pretty good looking man.” Having declined a glass of wine, Serena sipped her mineral water, though a nervous twitch in her gut beckoned for a single sip of alcohol.

  “Good looking? My God, Serena, he’s gorgeous, at least that’s what I’ve heard. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him yet.” Laura eyed Serena with disbelief. “No one on campus can understand what he’s doing behind the scenes writing music when he could easily be in front of the camera wooing millions. I mean, the world is his oyster, but all he wants to do is shuck.”

  “Not everyone in California wants to be a celebrity, Laura. Some actually take their craft seriously. This is a man who lives for his music. I think composing beautiful music is a noble endeavor.”

  “Yeah. You would.”

  “You gotta follow your passion in life. Music is what he loves. I can totally understand that.”

  Laura took a good swallow. “Listening to you, you’d think you could see straight through to his soul.”

  “It’s not that hard to figure out. He loves music and wants to share that love with his students. I’m sure that’s why he’s here at Irvine instead of traveling the world wooing millions.”

  “Either way, I’m sure tonight is going to turn out to be quite the eye opener. Do you even realize how lucky you are? If the girls at Irvine get wind of this, they’ll want your hide.”

  “That’s encouraging.”

  “Hey, somebody’s got to win over that adorable professor. There’s no point letting all that talent go to waste.”

  Serena knew exactly what Laura meant by ‘talent’. “Just because the guy is good looking and single doesn’t mean he’s going to waste. Besides, I’m hardly going to ‘win over’ Professor Sorensen. It’s a platonic date. I’m just doing him a favor.”

  “Look, however you want to call it, you're still damn lucky.”

  “I completely agree, but not for the reasons you think. I’m lucky because after tonight I’ll have him as my advisor and my success in the music composition program is pretty much guaranteed. Soon after that I’ll be composing beautiful music just like him. I’ll be his protégé, and the world better watch out!”

  Laura winked. “And have wild hot sex with him at the same time. That’s what every girl around Professor Sorensen wants.” She smiled. “And every guy wants to have what he has…hung like a horse, I hear.”

  “Oh, get your head out of the gutter for a minute.”

  Laura closed her eyes. “Hmm, Professor Sorensen, sexy voice, bedroom eyes, sultry lips, body built for non-stop fucking...” She opened her eyes and looked at Serena. “Nope. Just the thought of him and my mind goes straight to the gutter. What can I say? Some guys just have that effect on people.”

  “Well, he doesn’t have that effect on me.”

  Laura picked up her glass of wine and led the way to her bedroom. “Still, we can try to make it so you have that same effect on him. I think I know the perfect dress for you.”

  “The idea isn’t to wow him with…”

  “With what? That hot little body of yours? If I wasn’t straight, I’d be tempted. Slender everywhere except for your God-given large round boobs and butt? God, what women would kill to have b & b (boobs and butt) like yours. The only way would be through surgery, girl, and I say…if you’ve got it, flaunt it.”

  Serena rolled her eyes up. “I just don’t want anything too revealing. Nothing too sleazy, Laura. This is a fundraiser; a family fundraiser at that. I don’t want his mom to see me and think I’m just another tramp.

  “Honey,” Laura said with a dramatic pout. “You're hurting my feelings.”

  “I didn’t mean to imply that your wardrobe is sleazy, though you have to admit you do own a few questionable items.”

  The dramatic pout quickly turned into a wicked grin. “Being a little naughty from time to time never hurt anyone. At least I have sex often.”

  Serena frowned. Having sex often wasn’t something she would be proud to admit. Where she was from as a child, women had it all the time, only it wasn’t a badge of triumph, but a way to make a living, often with a steep price to pay.

  “Laura, honey, you know me…it’s the quality of the sex, not the quantity.”

  “And Professor Sorensen definitely counts as quality and quantity at the same time, if you can even get him interested in you like that. I heard girls and women (way older than him even) throw themselves shamelessly at him. Whether he indulges is another thing. I heard he’s insatiable. Well-built and satisfying, too. Never leaves a woman unsatisfied and not thoroughly fucked.” Laura closed her eyes in reverence. “God what a man.”

  “I’m to be his protégé, Laura,” Serena said. “Hopefully, if he’s my adviser, I can get half as talented as he is in music composition.”

  “Either way, darling, you are going to look ravishing.”

  With flair she pulled out a pretty lace hanger on which hung a shimmering gown of gold. “With your dark hair, I think this would look great on you. It’ll also enhance that sun kissed glow of yours and will make your large green eyes pop.”

  Serena looked at the garment with a touch of distaste. “I don’t know.” She fingered the thin straps that ran down to the low cut back.

  “The hanger doesn’t do it justice. Just try it on then decide.”

  “Fine.” Unconvinced, Serena took the hanger and headed to the bathroom. The fabric felt expensive and when she saw the designer’s name, she gasped. How on earth could Laura lend her such a dress? It most likely cost more than her rent. Emerging a few moments later, she remained pessimistic.

  “Why the glum face, gorgeous?”

  “I’m just not sure, Laura. I feel… too exposed.”

  “Have you seen yourself?” Laura took Serena by the elbow and led her to the full length mirror beside the closet door. “Look at that and tell me you don’t look like a beautiful golden goddess.�
��

  Serena tilted her head to the side as she took in her reflection. It did fit her perfectly and the effect wasn’t as gaudy as she’d anticipated. It clung to all the right places, emphasizing her breasts, slender waist, and curves, while flowing softly down to highlight her long shapely legs.

  “And,” Laura said as she came behind her and pulled her hair up, “look how elegant that looks. A touch of mascara, some light blush on your incredible high cheekbones, a soft lipstick and you’re set.”

  Smiling, Serena could now see the full picture coming together. Though daring, the dress was elegant and classy. “Okay, I’ll take it.”

  “Great.” Laura opened the closet door and pulled out golden four inch slingbacks. “And take these.”

  Serena slipped her feet in.

  “From sweaty sweats to refined goddess.” Laura applauded. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look quite so beautiful and fuckable.”

  “Laura!” Serena scolded. “That’s not…”

  Laura laughed. “Having sex appeal isn’t a bad thing, girl. You have it, don’t hide it. You can go back to sweats and college grad garb afterwards. Enjoy tonight as a desirable woman on the arm of the hot and sexy Sebastian Sorensen.”