Teaser Tuesday - Grading on Curves

In honor of the March for Science this weekend, I thought it would be fun and fitting to share this stargazing scene from Grading on Curves. Enjoy.

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“Why don’t I grab what we need and we can head outside, okay?”

“Good plan.” Her eyes swept the classroom. “At least now I have a visual so I can picture you when you’re working. I’ve tried to do it in my head a few times.” She laughed softly. “Okay, more than a few times. Do you walk around or hover in certain spots around the room?”

“During classes, I pace. During tests, I circulate. I guess it all depends on what’s going on.”

“Interesting.” Her eyes tracked him to the built-in cupboard in the far corner. “What are you after?”

He grabbed a pair of binoculars and a green Army blanket from inside. “These.”

Rejoining her at the door, he flipped off the lights and closed it behind them. The corridor was entirely dark except for the glowing exit sign at the very end. They went out that way. Since there was no way to open it again from the outside, he wedged it open with a large rock.

“Now what? Where are you taking me?” Mia asked.

“Out there, across the field.”

Holding hands, they left the sidewalk, crossed a utility driveway, and stepped onto the damp grass on the other side, every step taking them farther away from the lights. Without the moon in the clear night sky, he wasn’t surprised when Mia stumbled.

He was ready and kept her on her feet. “Watch your step.”

“I would if I could see anything.”

“Need to slow down?”

“I’ll be fine.”

He led her across the wide expanse of mown grass to the far edge of the football field and the undeveloped acreage beyond.

“How much farther?” she asked a half second before he let go of her hand.

“We’re here.” Curt spread the blanket out on the ground. The sounds of crickets and frogs came at them from out of the darkness. “Sit.” He sank onto the blanket and drew her down with him.

“Now what?” The playful innuendo in her voice implied she already knew the answer.

She didn’t.

Chuckling softly, he set her straight. “We’re going to stargaze. This is the perfect night—no moon and we’re as far as we can get from the lights. Hopefully, we should be able to see something.” Even though he knew she could barely make him out, she was staring at him anyway. It amused him. Curt stretched out on his back and gazed up into the inverted bowl of sky over them. “Mia, lie down. I won’t molest you.”

“Now you tell me,” she grumbled and dropped to her back.

He was smiling when he said, “Pick out a spot in the sky and really look at it. Try to notice how many points of light there are in it.”

                                                                        ♡

Mia could hear the teacher coming out in Curt’s voice, the gentle direction. She liked it. She never noticed how soothing and persuasive his voice was because his heavenly eyes and his sinful body were such a distraction. It was a very stupid oversight. Now she knew she didn’t have to see him to respond.

Following his lead, she chose a cluster of stars just over her head. “Okay, I’ve got one.”

He gave her the binoculars. “You might need to adjust the focus. There’s a knob on top.”

She brought them to her eyes and fiddled for a second. “All clear.”

“Good. Do you remember your spot? Find it again with your naked eye. Then, when you’re ready, look at the same area through the binoculars.”

“Wow.” She was amazed. “There’s so many. A lot more than I realized.”

“Imagine what you could see through a telescope. I’ll have to set one up for you when the moon is out sometime. You’ll love it.” He was relaxed and silent at her side for a few minutes while she continued to investigate the night sky.

“Hey! Check out Mars,” he said.

“Where?”

“Right under Leo.”

“Leo being?”

“Shit. You don’t know your constellations, do you?”

Mia nibbled her lip, embarrassed. “I know the Big Dipper.”

He laughed and sat up. “Come here.” Spreading his knees, he created a back rest for her with his body. “Lean against me.”

She scooted between his legs and dropped her head back on his shoulder.

He swept her hair aside, out of his way. “Okay, I’m going to direct you.”

“What am I looking for?”

“About one o’clock.” He positioned her head back a little more. “I want you to find Leo with your naked eye first, because if you use the binoculars you’re going to have a harder time picking out the constellation.”

“Let’s give it a shot.”

“Now picture a crane or a flamingo. Can you see my finger?”

“Sort of.”

“Follow it. Imagine the corner of the body on the left, the arch of the back. Here’s the head right here looking to the right. Have you got it?”

“I think so.”

“Damn. I wish I had a book with me.”

“Sorry.”
“No worries. We’ll get you there.” He gave her leg a reassuring pat. “Follow my finger again. We’re going back to Denebola—our original star. Still with me?”

“Yes.”

“Now let’s shoot straight down. See that planet?”

“Can I actually see the red?”

“Yes. Keep your eye on it so you can find it with the binoculars.”

Mia located Mars and laughed with excitement. “This is so cool.”

“Welcome to my world.” He hugged her.

“I’ve never done this before.” She panned away, then back and wondered if she’d be able to find it again without his help.

“I couldn’t tell,” he teased and was rewarded with an elbow to the solar plexus. After a beat, he pointed out the faint arc spanning horizon to horizon.

“See the dusty curve across there?” His arm followed it.

“Yes.”

“Focus on it.”

“Whoa,” she said with a breath of wonder.

“That’s the Milky Way, our galaxy. Just imagine, we’re only one of those specks within that mess of specks—from any other point of light, indistinguishable from the rest.”

“Incredible.” She raised the binoculars again and exclaimed, “Hey, there’s a plane way up there!”
Curt laughed, shaking her gently. “You’ve just had your virgin satellite sighting.”

“Really? Cool.”

She passed the binoculars back so he could focus on his own points of interest. Just when she was starting to understand the appeal of stargazing, a dark shadow swooped over their heads. She shrieked and ducked, cowering against him.

“Was that a bat? I think it was a bat.”

“You’re okay. Calm down. They’re not interested in us.” His soothing teacher voice was back. “I put bat boxes all around this field to attract them. They’re extremely beneficial. You wouldn’t believe how many insects a single bat can eat in one night.”

She shrank again as another flew a few feet in front of them. While she continued to scan for more bats, he went back on topic.

“It’s too bad we aren’t outside the glow of the city. That’s when you’d really get a shock at how much it interferes with night sky viewing. Sure, I could set up a telescope,” he went on. “But even with a nebula filter, visibility isn’t great and the stars themselves will look dimmer.”

He eased down on his back and took Mia with him. “Fortunately, there’s a movement now to reduce light pollution and shade or direct city lights downward where they belong. Without government involvement though, astronomers face real challenges with their big telescopes.”

Mia turned over and kissed him, effectively cutting off his lecture.

He ruffled her hair and laughed. “Enough?”

“For now.”

“Okay.” His smile was barely visible when he asked, “Wanna fool around?”

“You read my mind.”

Mia curled over him, molding her body to his as they kissed. Curt’s hand came up behind her head and locked her mouth to his and the kiss deepened, leaving her breathless. She could feel him thicken and grow under her. Inspired, she rubbed against him, more than ready to take things to the next level.

“This time, I’m on top,” she informed him in a sexy purr and sat up to straddle him.

He gave her an encouraging bump from underneath. “Whatever makes you happy.” He fished his hands up the front of her shirt and gave her breasts a rousing squeeze.

“Mmm. You do that so right.” She leaned into his palms with a throaty moan.

“Um, Mia? You’re crushing me.”

“What? Sorry!” Horrified she’d hurt him, she slid back enough to take her weight off of his restricted erection and allow her access. “This should make you feel better,” she promised and drew the tab down to give him a little relief.

She was just running her thumb teasingly over the bulge swelling out of his fly when a black shadow dive-bombed her head. Mia screamed and dove for the blanket. She flattened out on her stomach next to him. “Fucking bats!”

The sexy mood now completely blown, Curt sighed, tucked himself back, and zipped up. “Well, it was a nice thought. But I guess this isn’t happening tonight. Come on.” He climbed to his feet and waved her off the blanket.

She rolled to the side, but kept her head down. “Don’t fold it. I’m going to hide under it.”
Laughing, he dropped it over her. “It’s yours. Maybe I’ll take you to visit the planetarium instead.”

Mia got pretty warm under the heavy blanket. But as she warily scoped the sky for more flying rodents—and yes, she knew bats weren’t technically rodents—she still preferred it to going back to the school without it.

She waited just inside the door while Curt returned the binoculars and blanket to his classroom then locked it again. He tested the outer doors to be sure they locked automatically behind them.

“I’ll follow you on our way back. You should wear something reflective next time we do this. I don’t want you to get hit. I’m easier to see.”

Mia couldn’t help but think my hero as she threw her leg over her bicycle.

​Was it any wonder she’d fallen for him?

Not in the slightest. Why don't you fall in love with a younger man today?

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