Office Hours
Orm Sethratanapong stood outside the small, frosted-glass door, the nameplate reading Professor Kwong in neat, engraved letters. She adjusted her backpack on her shoulder and glanced around the empty hallway, her heart pounding against her ribs.
The coast was clear.
She knocked twice, waiting for the familiar voice inside to respond.
"Come in."
Orm slipped inside and quickly shut the door behind her, the soft click of the lock the only sound in the room.
Ling Kwong sat at her desk, surrounded by papers, a red pen in hand. Her dark hair was tied back in a low bun, her glasses perched on the bridge of her nose as she looked up from her grading.
"You're late," Ling said, but the faintest twitch of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"I got held up," Orm replied, shrugging off her backpack and leaning casually against the desk. "Your TA wouldn't stop giving me the third degree about why I needed to see you after hours."
Ling sighed, setting down her pen. "You're going to blow our cover one of these days, you know that, right?"
Orm smirked, crossing her arms. "Please. No one suspects a thing. I'm just another overachieving student desperate for extra credit."
Ling rolled her eyes, but there was a warmth in her gaze that betrayed her exasperation. "You're not even trying to be subtle, Orm."
Orm leaned closer, her amber eyes sparkling with mischief. "Where's the fun in subtlety?"
Ling gave her a warning look, but her resolve faltered when Orm reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"You really need to relax," Orm murmured. "All this tension is going to give you wrinkles."
"Wrinkles are the least of my concerns," Ling replied, though her voice softened as Orm's hand lingered against her cheek.
For a moment, the world outside the tiny office seemed to fade away. The only sound was the faint hum of the air conditioning, and the only thing Ling could focus on was the warmth of Orm's touch and the way her gaze seemed to pierce through every carefully constructed barrier.
"This is dangerous," Ling said quietly, though she made no move to pull away.
Orm tilted her head, her smirk softening. "We're careful. No one's going to find out."
Ling hesitated, her fingers brushing against Orm's wrist as if to ground herself. "You say that now, but if they do-"
Orm cut her off, leaning in just enough for their foreheads to touch. "If they do, I'll handle it. I promise."
The vulnerability in her voice made Ling's chest tighten. Despite Orm's cocky attitude, there was something earnest beneath it, something Ling couldn't help but be drawn to.
"You're infuriating," Ling murmured.
"And yet, here you are," Orm replied, her lips curving into a grin.
Before Ling could retort, Orm closed the gap between them, her lips brushing against Ling's in a kiss that was equal parts tender and daring.
Ling melted into it, her hands gripping the edge of her desk as she let herself get lost in the moment. For once, she allowed herself to forget about the risk, the rules, and the countless ways this could backfire.
When they finally pulled apart, Orm's grin returned, a little smug but mostly affectionate.
"So," Orm said, her voice low. "What's for dinner? I'm thinking we grab takeout and spend the night grading papers."
Ling sighed, shaking her head but unable to hide her smile. "You're impossible."
"And you love it," Orm teased, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder. "Come on, Professor Kwong. Let's get out of here before someone catches us."
Ling hesitated for a fraction of a second, then grabbed her coat from the back of her chair. She knew Orm was trouble, but trouble had never looked so tempting.