Blurred Lines by M. Lynne Cunning Read Free Book Online

be held within the written word was almost contagious. He had been able to see Lauren’s idea, the mere few words she’d written on a piece of paper, and follow the shadowy path to express the darker side of desire exactly how Lauren had intended. She was only assuming, but she guessed that some of the giggling teenagers in the front row wouldn’t have had a clue what they had meant. Dean, however, hadn’t missed a beat.
    Lauren took another swig from the carton of wine, curled her nose up as she drank it down, and began to hit the keys on her keyboard, describing him and his presence. Sarah would love him, from his dark eyes to the poetic way he spoke and owned the space he occupied. As the rhythmic tapping of the keys became faster and more urgent, Lauren knew this moment was the sole reason she had come all the way to New York.
    She had come here to bring out her inner Sarah.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Ten
     
     
    There was an energetic buzz among the students the next morning. It seemed Lauren wasn’t the only one filled with nervous excitement over handing in their first assignment. Also, as Anthony had so dramatically explained, the assignment had evidently brought the paired students, and perhaps even the class as a whole, closer together. The bodies were now crammed into the first nine or ten rows of seats in the room instead of being scattered about. Lauren herself had boldly moved closer to the front, choosing another aisle seat only nine rows back.
    She sipped her coffee and turned in her seat to look for Dean. When she didn’t see him, her initial thought was to panic. Calm down , she told herself, there is still another fifteen minutes or so until class starts, and Anthony isn’t even here yet . She wrapped her gloved hands tighter around the coffee cup and turned back around.
    “Hi.”
    The closeness of the voice beside her startled her, and Lauren almost dropped the cup in her hands. Eyes wide, she gripped it tightly and turned her gaze to the blond woman who had slipped into the seat beside her. “Oh, hey. You scared me.” Lauren offered her a sheepish smile as she attempted to slow her pulse rate.
    “I noticed, sorry. I guess you were intent on looking for someone and didn’t realize I sat down. I’m Libby.” The woman held out her hand. Instantly, Lauren wondered if her smile was genuine, then she mentally chastised herself for being so judgmental. She reminded herself that this was her time to change the ways she was set in. She was supposed to be Sarah, after all.
    “Sarah. I’m Sarah.” Lauren removed a gloved hand from the warm cup and shook Libby’s hand gently. “How’d you fair with yesterday’s assignment?”
    Libby bit her lip and sat back into the seat, unzipping her jacket partially. “I was late, actually. My plane got in late and I didn’t get here until everyone had been paired up. One of the girls in the front row told me what the assignment was, so I did my best on my own to come up with something. Let’s just say that sexual exploitation through words is not really my forte.”
    Lauren laughed. “It wasn’t that bad, was it? I mean, it was interesting to have to collaborate with someone else on a project like that, but I think Dean and I did well.” Lauren didn’t want to sound too sure of herself and, at the mention of his name, cast a glance toward the doors, still not seeing him.
    “Dean? Oh, I think I know who you mean. You two were up toward the back of the room, right? I’m sure that was a bit awkward, discussing sexual tension with a man you’d only just met.” Libby’s amused grin was contagious.
    Lauren shrugged, struggling not to seem embarrassed at the thought of it. “Like I said, we collaborated well. I think the outcome of our efforts was both mature and insightful.” The assertive statement escaped Lauren’s lips before she had time to realize it might come across as short if taken the wrong way. Immediately, she flashed a