The One Night Stand Turns Out To Be My Professor

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99

Sophia’s POV

The restaurant was cozy, dimly lit with flickering candles on every table. A soft, soothing melody played in the background, adding to the already romantic atmosphere. Ian had chosen the place, of course, and as usual, it was perfect. I couldn’t help but smile at how effortlessly he could make a simple dinner feel like a grand event. It wasn’t the first time we’d gone out like this, but it was the first time in a while that I actually felt… normal.

“Wine?” Ian offered, lifting the bottle in his hand.

I nodded, sliding my glass toward him. “Yes, please. I could use a glass.”

He poured slowly, the deep red liquid swirling in the glass before settling. I watched his hands as he worked—steady, graceful, like everything else he did. Sometimes I forgot just how old he was, how much life he had lived, but moments like these, when he moved with such refined elegance, reminded me of just how old he was.

“What’s that look for?” Ian asked, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

I blinked, realizing I’d been staring. “Oh, nothing,” I said, trying to sound casual. “Just thinking.”

“About what?” He raised an eyebrow, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

“About how you make pouring wine look like a ceremony,” I teased, lifting the glass to my lips and taking a small sip.

He chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. “It’s all in the wrist.”

I grinned, setting the glass down. “I’ll have to learn that one day.”

“I’ll teach you.” His smile was playful, but there was a warmth in his gaze that made my heart flutter.

For a moment, we just sat there, comfortable in the quiet of the restaurant, the flickering candlelight casting soft shadows across his face. I could’ve stared at him forever, but the smell of food drifting from the kitchen snapped me back to reality. My stomach growled, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“I guess someone’s hungry,” Ian remarked, his tone light and teasing.

“You have no idea,” I said, shaking my head. “I think I’ve been living off coffee for the past week.”

“You do tend to forget to eat when you’re busy,” he observed, his gaze softening as he watched me. “I’ve noticed.”

I shrugged. “Well, school’s been crazy, and, you know, all the other… stuff.”

“Stuff,” he repeated with a knowing smile.

“Yeah, stuff,” I said, rolling my eyes playfully. “You know, vampire drama, hunters, the usual.”

Ian chuckled, and the sound warmed me from the inside out. Being around him always made the situation of things less overwhelming than it actually was. Like right now, I could almost forget all the insanity of our lives and just focus on the way his smile lit up his face.

“Let’s make a deal,” Ian said, leaning in a little closer, his voice low and intimate. “Tonight, no drama. No vampires, no hunters. Just us.”

“Just us?” I raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

“Just us,” he repeated firmly, his eyes locking with mine.

I smiled, feeling a rush of warmth in my chest. “Deal.”

The waiter arrived with our food just as I agreed, placing a perfectly cooked steak in front of Ian and a plate of pasta in front of me. It smelled heavenly, and my stomach growled again in anticipation.