Blurb for Passion's Professor by Samantha Rhodes (Midnight Showcase):
"Twenty-eight-year-old UC Berkeley reentry student Elise Richards is involved with one of her professors, gorgeous Rafael Segura, who, she fears, may be a modern Don Juan. Elise struggles with her conflicting feelings for Rafael until she learns what only he can teach her—the liberating power of pure passion."
Excerpt:
At his knock, Elise opened the door. She stood riveted by the sight of him. She had never seen Rafael dressed in anything but a proper suit. Now he wore jeans and a black turtleneck that stretched snugly over the well-defined muscles of his arms and chest. The effect was startling.
“Well, aren’t you going to ask me in?” Rafael chided, breaking the silence. “You are expecting me, remember?”
“Oh, of course,” said Elise, letting him pass, not taking her eyes from him.
“Where can I put this?” He was holding a bag. “It’s my favorite Beaujolais. I hope you like it.”
“In here,” Elise motioned, following him into the kitchen. Rafael unwrapped the bottle and placed it on the kitchen table. Turning, he surveyed her from head to toe, his eyes radiating excitement and appreciation. “You are not merely beautiful tonight, Elise,” he said. “You’re absolutely breathtaking.”
“And you, Rafael,” she said, delighted at the transformation, “don’t look at all like Professor Segura.”
“No?” he asked, grinning. “Poor Professor Segura. Tell me, how do I look different?”
Elise thought of several ways, all of which she was too embarrassed to mention. “You look more...” She searched until she found the right word. “Approachable.”
“Then approach me,” Rafael invited, stretching his arms out for her. Elise hesitated only briefly before she entered his embrace. She stood on the tips of her toes as Rafael leaned slightly forward to gather her up. They embraced for a moment then released each other, their radiant smiles acknowledging the relaxed atmosphere between them.
“This is definitely more congenial than my office,” said Rafael, gently squeezing Elise’s hands. I’m so glad you planned on staying home tonight.”
“I’m so glad you called,” responded Elise spontaneously. Wouldn’t you like to sit in the living room?”
“And if I may, I’d love to see the rest of your apartment. I’m always interested in seeing the creature in her natural habitat.”
“Oh.” Elise smiled. “So you’d like the grand tour?’
“Exactly.”
“Well, to begin with,” Elise gestured to the space around them, “You will notice the cheerful yellow and white color scheme of the kitchen. I painted it.”
Rafael glanced around the room. He placed his hands on Elise's waist and looked playfully into her eyes. “You’re as practical as the sun,” he said, and kissed her on the tip of her nose. She kissed him lightly back on the chin. “I love the way your chin goes in right here.” She tapped the cleft, then took him by the hand. “Let's go into the living room.”
“Lovely,” Rafael said as he scanned the warm, welcoming room with its redwood paneling, forest-green sofa, burgundy carpet and bright paintings on the walls.
“It feels just like a cozy, secluded forest lodge.” Elise glowed. That was exactly the atmosphere she had envisioned when she’d first seen the room empty. It had been no mean task to strip the redwood panels of the paint that had been foolishly applied and reapplied over the years. But when she’d finished, she knew the effort had been well spent. Elise felt justifiably proud of the room.
“And where did you find these paintings?” Rafael examined a canvas filled with vivid colors that hung over the mantel.
“I did them,” she said. “Several years ago.” Rafael turned back to Elise, sweeping her up in the fire of his admiring gaze.
“You’re too much,” he said appraisingly. “Beautiful, brilliant, talented. What else?”
“Don’t sound so surprised!” she shot back, shocking herself with this immodest, somewhat flippant response.
“Cocky, too?” Rafael seemed to be enjoying himself immensely. Then, turning serious, he continued, “I’m not at all surprised.” He paused, looking around at the paintings, the loaded bookshelves, the tasteful, harmonious décor. “This is what I expected. I’m only surprised at how wonderful it is to actually be here.” He joined Elise where she was standing in the center of the room and folded her in his arms. “To be here with you, to know that my intuition was right.”
“Rafael,” she murmured, briefly questioning the validity of her own intuition. But thoughts of the suspicions and worries of the past few days only remained for a second. Though she didn’t know where her feelings were leading her now, a sure, primal instinct commanded her to follow. She closed her eyes. “Rafael,” she repeated, naming the one whose gentle lips immediately silenced her own. Rafael grazed her lips with his then gradually increased the pressure from the most feathery, tickling touches to a deeper, more lingering connection that charged the surging current of Elise’s rapidly warming blood. His mouth opened, pressing more insistently over hers, and Elise eagerly welcomed him to a more intimate kiss.
