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What?
The professor touched her nose as he murmured,"Everything I need to know is already written on your face."
Oh.
And then it really hit her, what the professor was saying - that he knew there was no longer anything to keep them apart...
OH.
The professor smirked, and he looked so, so hot, and she just loved him so, so much, she heard herself blurt out, "T-PILF."
Matthijs blinked. "Excuse me?"
Oh. Shit.
Had she said that out loud?
Diana cleared her throat. "It's, um, what the other students call you."
"And it's supposed to mean something?"
"TheProfessor I'd Like t-to Fuck." And with Diana's voice becoming smaller with each word, it was barely audible by the end. But even so, it was obvious he had heard her just fine, with the way the professor threw his head back with a laugh.
A rich, dark laugh, its sound she found herself cherishing so much that she just had to close her eyes to savor it.
And when she opened her eyes again—-
Just in time to see his dark head bending down.
And then...
Everything.
Her whole world coming to a standstill, her soul finding its other half, her life rediscovering its meaning—-
This kiss was her every dream come true.
The movement of his lips was both bold and gentle, the strokes of his tongue passionate and tender, and oh Saint M, but this kiss was beyond everything she imagined, and all she could do was grip the lapels of his jacket and kiss him back.
Even when she heard the sound of people starting to clap and whistle, even when she started to hear the loud clicking of professional cameras snapping away and feel the blinding flash strike the sides of her face, even when she started to realize that the few paps in the area had found her, and it was very likely that photos of them making out would be all over gossip websites...
She just didn't give a damn.
Nothing mattered more than kissing him back, nothing else mattered than letting him know that his kiss didn't scare her and would never ever scare her.
When he finally pulled away to let her breathe, and their gazes met anew, when instead of bleakness she saw hope—-
She reached to trace his lips with trembling fingers, and the tears started to fall when he didn't flinch away from her touch.
I can finally touch you, Professor.
He took hold of her hand and pressed his lips to the heart of her palm.
And so can I, my darling.
After that, things pretty much moved in another fast-paced if not anti-climactic blur, with Diana so dazed with relief and happiness that all she could remember was the feel of his hand tightly gripping hers.
Having both students and faculty members gape at the sight of them walking hand in hand, entering the Registrar's office to submit a declaration form regarding their relationship, packing her things so she could move in with the professor—-