Professor Michael Horine stared at his statistics class, his eyes discreetly going to each student. He had the usual crowd that a stats class taught at a community college did: a lot of mom's returning to get their GED or associate's degree. A lot of economically challenged students only just past college age. A lot of people who felt that 'real' college would be too hard for them.

And...someone different. Someone with brown doe eyes and a body, under a maxi dress and denim jacket, that made him again question his choice to teach. Because, too often, he found himself attracted to his female students. And, yes, it wasn't like he taught elementary school. God, then he would really be in trouble. At least all of his students were adults.

But it was wrong. On so many levels.

But after class, when the students signed the attendance sheet, he watched carefully as she took the pen in her left hand and bit her lip while signing her name. Nikki.

Nikki Shannon. God help him, even her name turned him on.

In the weeks after the first class, Michael found himself, as usual, paying her more attention. He mentally catalogued every outfit she wore: one week it was a mini dress that made him so uncomfortable he didn't stand up for the whole class; one week it was knee high boots with rompers (he was pretty sure that was the name of the onesie like garment), one week it was simply jeans and a t-shirt.

One week it was a bruise, something almost but not quite camaflouged by her obviously thicker than usual makeup.

That was the day he approached her after class. "I see that you had some trouble with the last test, Nikki," he said, perching on the table she was sitting at.

She looked up at him with those huge eyes and he felt something shift inside.

"Yeah, I haven't been doin' so well lately," she confessed, ducking her head. "I recently took a second job and I'm a little distracted right now."

"I offer, well, not tutoring, but I'd be glad to meet with you before or after class sometime," he told her. "I'd be glad to explain anything. To really be a good teacher, you have to know that every student truly understands the material. So what do you say?"

Her eyes skittered over him, then away. She leaned over in her chair to finish packing her bag and he tried to not look at the view down her shirt. Because his offer was genuine. It wasn't a try to get in her pants. Definitely not. But he wanted to help her. It was partly because he was attracted to her and partly because he felt she was his only student who didn't get any help, at home, at work and not at school.

He could see the helplessness, the skittishness in her eyes and motions sometimes. He could see that she'd suffered some sort of abuse or neglect in the past...or both. And, if nothing else, he wanted to help her At least through this class.

He felt that the world owed her that much. And the world wasn't paying up.

Nikki finally emerged from rummaging in her bag. She had a strange look on her face, as if she didn't believe him.

"Um. I have a real packed schedule," she said. "I'm takin' as many classes as possible tryin' to get a degree here and as I said, I work two jobs. And I need to to support myself. But..." Her hair had fallen into her eyes. She took a deep breath and looked up at him.

Michael realized that even sitting (well, it was a tall table) he was taller than her.

She brushed her hair away from her face impatiently. "I can't stay today," she said hurriedly. "I have a shift at my job to get to. But maybe next time I'll come in early."

He smiled, resisting the urge to smoothe her hair behind her ear for her. "I'm always here in the full hour before class starts and I'm always willing to help students along."

Nikki smiled, something rare for him to see, and he smiled back.

"Thanks," she said, then ducked her head again and hurried from the room.

Michael felt the smallest pinch of gratification when he saw her turn to look behind her.

A/N: Basically, after Riley, I think Nikki was my favorite character in The Client List. Selena was always too prickly...and I'd hoped when Derek joined the spa that he'd be with Nikki after they had some moments together. But then, of course, there was Selena's almost topless scene so that hope flew out the window.

Anyway. I want to continue this series, showing other characters' impressions of Nikki. Riley, Derek, Selena. And I'll also return to Professor Horine.

God, I loved the scene (the one and only scene he showed up in) with Horine on the table and Nikki completely horrified to see her teacher there. I hope I wasn't the only one who wished that she'd done it anyway.

LOL, I really just want an excuse to rewatch Nikki's episodes.