Tipsy

"Hello, Mother." Guang answered his phone.

"Guang, I want you to have lunch with me this week. I have a friend that I want you to meet." His mother said.

He rolled his eyes. He knew what his mother was planning. Her "friend" would be single, quite possibly a "left over" woman, and eager to marry while she still had the ability to have children. Guang wanted nothing to do with his mother's plans.

"Dinner is ready," Annie said from the doorway.

"Guang! Who is that? Do you have a woman over?" His mother exclaimed.

"Mother, I don't want to talk about this." He said.

"You are 53 years old! When will you settle down and have a son?" His mother asked impatiently.

"Mother, I already have a child. Yu'er is my daughter." Guang said.

"You need a son to carry on our family. You're our only child!" His mother cried.

"Mother, I need to go. I'll talk with you later this week." He said before ending the call.

Annie giggled. Guang's eyes narrowed.

"It's not funny." He said.

"It's cute. Your mom doesn't want you to be alone and wants more grandchildren." Annie said.

Guang rolled his eyes and walked past her to the dining area. Annie had set the table and placed the meal in the middle.

Guang grabbed their wine glasses from the counter and refilled them.

"So, why the aversion to your mother's idea? Are women really that scary?" Annie teased as she filled his plate for him.

"Worse. My ex-wife cured me of ever wanting a relationship again. I have a daughter in college, so I fulfilled my duties to have a child. My mother just holds to the antiquated view than sons are preferred." Guang answered.

"What's she like?" Annie asked, making conversation.

"My daughter or my ex? Or my mother?" He asked.

"All of them!" Annie laughed with glee.

"My daughter is very much like myself; serious, quiet, and studious. She lives in Shenzhen where she's attending college. My mother is stubborn and too nosey. But she means well. My ex….." he paused.

"Go on," Annie coaxed.

"Let's change the subject. I don't wish to discuss this anymore. Do you have family?" Guang asked.

"A father and mother back in New York City. A younger brother." Annie answered simply.

Throughout the meal they ate in companionable silence. Annie kept his plate filled and Guang kept her glass filled.

He topped it off one last time as they put their plates in the dishwasher and headed back to his office.

"Uh, how many glasses have I have?"Annie asked.

"I don't know. I wasn't keeping track of that." Guang replied.

"I don't think I should have anymore. I can't see straight as it is," she said, self deprecatingly.

"Alright then, let's get to work." He said. They began collating and stapling the papers together. After a few minutes they developed a rhythm that worked well.

"We make a good team! Annie said gleefully as they neared the end of the pile. She took a moment to glacé around. A large wooden desk with a computer, a photo copier in the corner and bookcases filled with all sorts of books. Many were in Chinese but there were several English ones as well. Books of sciences like physics and biology, mathematical books, history books, and more. Despite his quiet demeanor she could tell from looking at his bookcases that he was a man with diverse interests. You can tell a lot about someone by the books they read.

She pulled a book about ancient Chinese emperors from the shelves and flipped through the pages. She had long been interested in China's history.

"See anything of interest?" the Professor asked as he came beside her.

"This is fascinating. China's history is vast. Just think! You could've been an emperor back then." Annie exclaimed.

"I could have just as easily been a eunuch." Guang said dryly.

"Not you. You're much too intelligent and handsome for that!" Annie exclaimed and then clapped her hand over her mouth. The wine had loosened her tongue and revealed far more than she'd wanted him to know.

He cleared his throat in embarrassment.

"Take it with you if you like. You can return it when you finish reading." He muttered. She spun around and wrapped her arms around him in a deep hug, which he awkwardly tolerated.

"You are so kind. Thank you." She said, starring at him as if he'd hung the moon.

His breath came hard and his hands shook as he awkwardly reached out to put his hands on her waist. He told himself it was so he could push her away, but when he touched her, his mind froze. She smelled like wild roses, or rather her hair did.

He cleared his throat and backed away, retreating to the couch across from his desk. But in her drunken state, her inhibitions were long gone. She sat beside him, and while she didn't touch him she leaned in close.

"I'll tell you a secret. When I first saw you, I thought you were the most handsome man I'd ever seen. I wanted to ask you out on a date, but I made an awful first impression. And then I found out you were one of my professors. I don't stand a chance, do I?" She whispered in his ear.

The air between them was ambiguous. He felt his heart slam in his chest in absolute surprise. Alcohol had revealed her inner thoughts and he was thunderstruck with the realization that she was attracted to him even when she'd been sober. He didn't know what to do with this information.

He should run. Literally and figuratively. She was dangerous to him in more than one way. Would he lose his teaching position if he were involved with her? He didn't need the job but he did it out of the enjoyment of teaching.

What was he even thinking?! He was done with women. How could he even contemplate being with her in any way? "Get a grip!" He scolded himself.

Her hands held his face and she caressed his cheeks. He should stop her. He should…but he couldn't. He felt frozen, under her spell.