“Date Sebastian then.” Anna grinned. “That would show him. Imagine him telling you to stay away.”

“I suppose he doesn’t think I’m good enough.”

“Because you’re American?”

“No, because he thinks I’m a slut.” I stood up and stretched, letting my journal to fall to my bed. “Anyway, I don’t want to talk about him anymore. Let’s go watch TV?”

“You done writing for the night?”

“No, but I’ll finish before bed.”

“I can’t believe you’ve kept up journaling all these years.” Anna linked her arm through mine as we walked to the living room in house we were living in in Streatham. It wasn’t the most fun living with a family, but we made do.

“It helps me to process my thoughts.”

We sat on the couch, and Anna turned the TV on. I looked around the room and smiled when I looked at the radiator in the corner, and it hit me once again that we were in London.

“OMG, Anna, can you believe it? We’re finally here.”

“It’s like a dream, isn’t it?” She sat back and pulled a blanket over her legs. “I do have to admit that I miss the Florida weather, but there’s nothing like being in London in the fall.”

“I know. This is so different from Palm Bay.”

“And Orlando.”

“Definitely.”

We both laughed, but then silence befell us both as we thought about what we had left behind. It was true that it had been both of our dreams to study in London—really, anywhere in Europe. We’d always wanted to explore the world, but neither of us had ever had the money. We didn’t really have it now either, but loans were our saving grace. That was why I’d applied for the assistant position.

Anna finally spoke up. “I wonder how my mom is.”

“We should get a phone card tomorrow and call.”

“Yeah.”

“How are you?” I squeezed her leg and gave her a look of concern.

“As good as I can be.” She shrugged and looked at the screen. “Now let’s see what’s on.”

“Okay.” I sat back, unsure of what to say next, so I didn’t say anything.

Anna’s father had recently lost his job and her parents were worried that they were going to lose their house. The stress had been really hard on Anna, and she had been working two jobs as well as going to school to help save the house. It had been a hard decision for her to come here, but her parents had been supportive of her coming over here with me. They knew how much she needed a break from all of the stress.

* * *

The next morning, I rang the doorbell with my heart in my mouth. I didn’t want to see Xavier again—or rather, I didn’t want to hear his insults.

“Good morning, Lola.” He opened the door and ushered me in with a gracious smile.

I looked at him in confusion. What was going on here? Why was he being nice?

“Morning, Xavier,” I replied slowly and uncertainly.

I looked around the entryway as I walked in, taking in his house with extreme curiosity. It wasn’t as I’d expected it to be. It seemed homey, with the small wooden console to the right and a coat stand next to it. There were letters on the console and some newspapers, all in a mess.

“Excuse the mess.” Xavier smiled as he noticed that I was looking at the console.

“Maid off today?”

“I don’t have a maid.”

“Oh.” I was surprised again. “What about a housekeeper?”

“No housekeeper.” He ushered me to follow him down the hallway, and I was disappointed that I couldn’t peek into any of the rooms because the doors were shut.

“You look surprised?” He smiled at me and I nodded. “This is my home, and I prefer for it to be just me. I have enough people trying to take care of me back in my country. While I’m in London, I like to live like a normal person.”

“Uh, okay.” I tried not to laugh. I had no idea what he was talking about. Like a normal person? Wow. He really did think he was something, didn’t he?

“Thank you for being on time. I find many people your age don’t seem to know how to read a clock.”

“Yeah, well, it’s my first day. I didn’t want to be late.”

“You look very chirpy this morning.”

“Chirpy?” I couldn’t resist giving him a look.

“Chirpy. Fresh. Beautiful.”

“Oh. Thanks.” I looked down and blushed.

“And this is my office.” He paused outside of a room with an open door. “I hope you don’t mind, but we’ll be working in the same room.”

“That’s fine.” Why was he being so nice?

“Have a seat and tell me about yourself.”

“What?” I yawned. “Oh, sorry about that.”

His eyes narrowed as he surveyed my face. “Late night?”

“No, not really. Not any later than usual.”

“On a date?” he asked casually.

“No.” I tried not to roll my eyes. “Sebastian hasn’t asked me out as yet.”

“Funny.” He sat back in his chair and just studied my face. “You’re a very funny girl, Lolita.”

“Like I told you, it’s Lola, and I’m not going to be doing stand up anytime soon.”

“So you like my brother?”

“Is this really how we’re going to start? Is that any of your business?” I leaned forward and stared him directly in the eyes. “I’m here to be your assistant, not your patient.”

“I like my assistants to be my friends.”

“I don’t really see that in the cards.” I lifted my nose up in the air and looked down at him. “For one, you’re my professor, and for two, you’re a pompous ass.” I bit my lower lip as I realized what I had just said. Fuck, I was going to get fired.

“You’re still mad at me because we slept together.” He stood up and walked over to me. “Stand up.”

“Huh?”

“Stand up.” He grabbed my hands and pulled me up.

I stumbled slightly and fell against him. His arms held me against him for a few seconds before letting go of me.

“What are you doing?” I gasped as he started unbuttoning his shirt.

“You are annoyed and upset because we had sex and I’ve seen you naked. You do not know how to act now because you are immature and unsure.”

“Not at all.” I glared at him as my heart raced. I could see the hair on his chest as he kept on unbuttoning his shirt, and I felt heat rising up from my belly.

“Are you scared to see me naked?”

“No.” I shook my head. “I don’t care,” I mumbled. Please dear God, do not take your shirt off. I’m not sure if I will be able to keep my hands off you.

“Liar,” he whispered. “You want me as badly as I want you.”

“You’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” I muttered as he stepped towards me, and he paused at my words and laughed.

“I’m a wolf?” He looked at me and ran a finger down my cheek. “Why do you say that, Lola?”

“Because you’re crazy. I come here this morning and you’re sweet as can be, and now you’re trying to get into my pants. And I’ve only been here for a few minutes.”

“I wanted to make sure when I greeted you that you were comfortable. Once I saw you were comfortable, I decided to get everything out in the open.”

“Get what out into the open, Professor?”

His eyes narrowed at my words, and he stepped back. I watched as he slowly did his shirt up and he gave me a short smile. “As you wish. I will not bring it up again.”

“I’m not a prostitute, you know,” I muttered, slightly disappointed that he had retreated so quickly.

“Of course I know that.” He walked back to his desk and sat down. “You’re just a young girl sowing her oats.”

“I’m not sowing any oats.”

“You’re in the habit of one-night stands?”

“It’s not like that,” I mumbled under my breath. “It is what it is. I made a decision. We had sex. Neither of us complained. Let’s just move on.” It doesn’t matter that I think about you every night.

“You didn’t look like you had moved on in class yesterday.”

“Narcissus,” I said quietly.

“What?” He frowned and looked slightly off-kilter at my change of topic.

“Narcissus,” I said again. “It’s a painting by Caravaggio, done in 1597. It illustrates the Greek myth of Narcissus.”

“What’s the myth?” His eyes stared into mine with a challenge.

“Narcissus was a man who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water.” I paused and gave him a pointed look. “I think it’s a fitting painting for a narcissist.”

“Is that your favorite painting?”

“No. No, it’s not. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it was yours.”

“I see.” He gave me a wide smile and chuckled. “I suppose you bring up this painting to tell me that I am the only one who has been dwelling on our night together. Because I’m the best lover you’ve ever had.”

“Yes, you are dwelling on it,” I mumbled as my face flushed. “And you’re not the best lover I’ve ever had.”

“I don’t believe you. You cannot have forgotten how you cried out my name as our bodies exploded in passion together.”

“It’s like I said, Xavier, you’re a narcissist.”

“Max will be here in a few hours. Perhaps you would like to spend some quality time with him instead?” He sat back angrily.

“Who?”

“Tell me you haven’t forgotten the man you seduced at the museum already.”

“Oh, Max.” I sighed. “I didn’t seduce him at all. You know he was trying to hook up with Anna. Why do you keep trying to make it seem like I was the one who was going to hook up with him?”

“It took little for him to convince you to go back to the room. Just a few drinks, I believe.”

“Whatever, asshole.” I shook my head. “I’m not going to talk about this anymore. You know I only went to accompany Anna. I only had one drink that night.”

“Fine. What painting have you chosen to discuss in class today?”

“You’ll hear about it in class.”

“No, I’d like to hear now.”

“I’d rather discuss it in class.”

He changed the subject. “How are you finding London?”

I watched as he picked up a fountain pen and dipped it in an inkwell. I was surprised to see him with such an old-fashioned piece of writing equipment.

“It’s fine.”

“Everything you hoped it would be?”

“Yeah.” I nodded.

“Is the Victoria and Albert Museum as you expected it?”

“Huh?” I looked at him in confusion. How did he know I’d been waiting my whole life to go there? For some reason, it had been a lifelong dream for me to peruse the exhibitions at the Victoria and Albert and the British Museums, but I’d never really told anyone that. Just Anna and my journal.

“You wrote about it in your application essay. You said it was a lifelong dream of yours to walk through the museums in Europe and that you were dying to see the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the—”

“Okay, okay. I remember,” I said, cutting him off. “I didn’t know you read the essays.”

“Of course. I read the essays of all the students who were interested in being my assistant.”

“But I thought I was the only one.” I frowned.

“So have you been?” He ignored my question and I shook my head. “Then we must go this afternoon.”

“We have class.”

“We shall go after class.”

“That’s okay. I can go by myself.”

“No, you cannot appreciate and delight in your first experience by yourself.” His words were soft, light, and lyrical. His words made me think of losing my virginity and not going to a museum.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine.” I smiled at him weakly.

“No, we shall go together. I happen to know the curator. I can show you some paintings that you wouldn’t get to see if you went by yourself.”

“I don’t want to take up your time.”

“You won’t be. It will be my pleasure.” He gave me the same odd little bow that his brother had given me the other night. “Did you know that many of the royal families in Europe are connected through Queen Victoria?”

“No, I don’t really follow the Royal Family much. All I really know is that Prince William just got married and had a baby.”

“I thought Americans were obsessed with all things royal?”

“Not me.” I shrugged. “I have a life.”

“Touché, Lola. Touché.”

“Did you just learn that word or something? You’re really using it a lot.”

“Did I just learn it?” He cocked back his head and laughed. He laughed so hard that his eyes were wet as he looked at me with his crinkly smile. “I like you, Lola. I think we will be friends. Ah!” He held his hand up. “Do not tell me again that we cannot be friends. I think I’d like to prove you wrong.”

“Why?” I asked him softly, my head swirling in confusion. It was hard to keep up with Xavier. I didn’t understand him or who he was, and because I didn’t understand him, I also didn’t understand how I felt.