Diana and Matthew meet at Oxford as Diana returns to teach history and research manuscripts at the Bodleian for a new book. Jealousy and mystery hinder their romance but their desire is made real. (All Human) NO VAMPIRES/NO WITCHES/NO DAEMONS. First story in a few years. Keeping it simpler by not adding the supernatural aspect.
Desire Made Real
By Goode Girl
DISCLAIMER: All rights to Deborah Harkness. Just borrowing the characters.
Chapter | TWO
The pounding of my heart was deafening in my ears as my feet slammed along the concrete at a desperate run. My conversation with Gillian playing back in my mind. Matthew was right. She tried to make herself look like the victim.
"Diana!" Gillian hailed as I re-entered Brown's Café. I steadied myself with a deep breath as I approached her. "Did Sean leave?" I questioned, taking my seat at the window once again. She nodded in reply. "How do you know Professor Clairmont?" She questioned. By all appearances, she was trying to appear calm. "I just met him at the Bodleian this morning. We were the only two working so early." I explained, returning to my now cold cup of tea. "Well what was that all about then, you leaving to speak to him?" She pushed, a hint of irritation in her voice. "He was wondering if I had found a reference book I needed for my notes, as he came across it in his afternoon studies." I lied, smoothly as I could. "Oh…Did he say anything about me?" She questioned, a note of hope in her voice. "How do you know Professor Clairmont, Gillian?" I pressed. I've been answering her questions, it was time she answered one of mine.
I continued my run until I reached the boathouse and the attendant let me know that this was the last evening, I would be able to use the boats. He helped me lift it to the water, and I lowered myself into the seat before pushing off. Each stroke stronger than the last as I expelled my frustrations over Gillian and the way she chose to be ignorant.
"We had a thing, just over a year ago." She began. "What do you mean? Did you date?" I queried. I wanted her to feel it was an honest conversation and I was making room for her to be honest with me. "I think I was more interested in dating than he was." She stated, laughing it off as though it was nothing. That part was truthful at least. "Are you sure that's all it was?". I signaled to the server so I could order a fresh cup of tea, as I awaited her response. Gillian took a deep breath as if to ready herself before beginning. "Okay, this is what happened, Diana." She began. "Matthew Clairmont is not who he appears to be. He used me and hurt me and I detest him." She finished, plainly. I couldn't help but raise my eyebrow at that statement. Again, Matthew was right, she was lying through her teeth. "Hmmm…" I mumbled taking a sip from my fresh cup of tea. "Are you...are you going to see him again?" Gillian clearly did not 'detest' Matthew, but she was jealous. "We had a lunch date today and will likely see each other again, outside of work." I stated, gauging her reaction. She was biting her lip. "You should be careful Diana. He's not the sort you can trust. Believe me." I nodded in understanding before replying. "I understand you had difficulty with him Gillian, and I will go in with my eyes open. If I get hurt, it will be on me." I finished as I gathered my coat, readying myself to leave. "You can't see him Diana!" She pressed angrily, grabbing my arm forcefully. "It's none of your business, Gillian." I spat angrily in response as I ripped my arm free from her grasp, leaving her fuming in her seat.
That conversation was two days ago and it was now Friday afternoon. I decided to take my run and rowing excursions after teaching, frustrations still running high. After finishing my activities and returning to my rooms for a shower and a change of clothes, I noticed my phone was beeping with a missed message. Matthew had sent a text. 'Are you free for dinner?'. I smiled before replying. 'That depends, is that an invitation?'. I hit send before thinking too hard on it. Moments later my phone rang, and the call display registered it was Matthew. I had made sure to enter his name and number into my contacts when I got home Wednesday evening. "Hello Professor." I greeted, taking a seat on the sofa. "Diana. I hope you're well." His voice is like velvet in my ear. "I am, thank you. I just had a run. Still a little frustrated over Gillian." I explained. After giving him a brief summary of my talk with Gillian, he invited me to dinner, and I readily agreed. I'd barely put down my phone when there was a knock on my door.
A strange man I'd never seen before was standing in front of me. "Can I help you?" I greeted them in confusion. "Dr. Bishop? My name is Peter Knox. I'm here on behalf of a friend." He explained. "On behalf of who?" I pressed. "Gillian Chamberlain. In fact, I wanted to warn you about Matthew Clairmont, and to keep your distance." He stated menacingly. "Who I spend my time with, Mr. Knox is none of your concern! And you can pass that on to Gillian!" I replied angrily, trying to close my door. But the bastard pushed his way in. "Listen to me you little bitch! You are to stay away from him!". He shouted, moving towards me. "And if I don't? What are you going to do?" I spat back. The malice in his eyes was scaring me, and I was still bewildered as to why this man was bothering me, and on behalf of Gillian for that matter. "Then history from your past may repeat itself!" He threatened, grabbing my wrist off the door, forcing me to face him. "You're hurting me!" I screamed. The next thing I knew, Peter Knox was on his ass and Matthew was standing over him, keeping me behind him. "Don't you ever fucking touch her again Knox, now get your ass out of here." Matthew shouted. "I can't believe you've fallen for Gillian's lies!" Matthew added in a harsh whisper. Aware that I did have neighbours. "She's like a daughter to me, and I protect my own." He finished before picking himself up off of the floor and facing me once again. "End this Diana, or it won't end well for you." Knox warned, finally traipsing out of my rooms. Matthew closed the door before turning to me. "Are you okay?" He questioned fretfully, his hands cupped my face, taking stock of any injuries. He saw my wrist, cradled in my right hand. I nodded numbly in reply. He gently pried my wrist from my right hand to examine it. "It's badly bruised, but no sprain." He stated, his eyes meeting mine. "Thank you." I stated lamely. "You should sit down." He urged, leading me to the sofa and taking a seat beside me. "Who is Peter Knox, and what does he have to do with Gillian Chamberlain?" I beseeched as he pulled me to his side. My head rested on his shoulder. Matthew lifted his arm so my head was on his chest and his arm around me.
Matthew explained that Peter Knox once held the position of History Professor that I now held, and the reason he no longer holds that position is because he tried to get Matthew fired, with Gillian's help after their debacle. "Gillian tried to get you fired?" I retorted in shock. He nodded, holding my right hand in his right, his left arm around my shoulders along the back of the sofa. "Knox has always been a mentor to Gillian, and when she went crying to him about how I was not 'returning her affections', to put it mildly, he tried to force my hand." He explained. "Force how, what did they do?" I queried. Matthew took a breath, his arm coming back around me. "Because I work in a lab, we have security cameras at the entrances, helps to log who comes and who goes." He explained. "And, because I have sensitive materials in my rooms, regarding my research, I've also had a hidden camera installed by my door to my rooms." He concluded. "They broke in?" I guess. He nodded. "Knox was seen on the security footage, breaking into my rooms and he attempted to plant drug paraphernalia." He looked to me for a reaction. "All because you didn't return Gillian's affections?". He nodded. "That's not all. If the Dean had been convinced of me actually doing drugs, I would have lost my research grant and been put out." I shook my head in disbelief. "They're insane." He laughed. "I don't understand why she's still holding on for something that's never going to happen. She's obsessed." I added. "Clearly." He leaned down resting his head on mine. "What I don't understand is why Knox would go to these lengths." I voiced. "Honestly, Knox is known for pushing the limits, doing things his way. If I didn't know any better, I would say that Gillian has something on him and is blackmailing him." Matthew added. "What could she possibly have on him that he would threaten me over one lunch date with you?" I replied in confusion, lifting my head to look at him. "That is the mystery I'm afraid." He sighed, my head falling back onto his chest.
After sitting in amicable silence for some time, I could feel the rumble of his voice as he finally spoke. "Would you like to get some dinner?" he questioned lightly, kissing my forehead. "Yes, please."
An hour later, Matthew and I were seated at a British pub, The Lamb Inn. He ordered a steak with a side of vegetables and a baked potato, while I had the chicken pot pie. My wrist was sore, so picking up a burger was not in the cards. "Thank you, Matthew." He looked up at me at my comment. "For what?". He looked puzzled. "For being there when you were. When Knox showed up." I explained. "You know, I was already in my car on my way to you when I'd called." He smiled. "I'm glad that you were. I can't imagine how much farther Knox would have taken things." I confessed. "Diana?" He began. I looked up in acknowledgement. "What do you want to do about Gillian and Knox, their threats?" He queried; his voice soft. "Ignore them? I mean what are they going to do, really?" I replied, frustrated. "Well, I would like it if you would make an official report about Knox showing up at your rooms, hurting you." He pleaded, motioning to my wrist. I nodded in agreement. "As long as you come with me, you did show up and witness it after all." Both being in agreement, we planned to make a report on Monday morning. Until then, we were simply going to finish our dinner and enjoy one another's company. "Okay, that's put to rest, no more talk of Gillian and Knox, let's just have the rest of the evening be about us." I stated fiercely. "Agreed." He smiled, reaching a hand across the table to hold my uninjured hand.
We had idle conversation, and he spoke about what he could on the work he was doing and how his lab was helping to work on unsolved cases with the police, processing the DNA and trace evidence. "Would you allow me to take a sample of your blood? For research purposes?" He questioned, finishing the last drags of his beer. "What would you do with it exactly?" I questioned, finishing of my own beer. "Well, we are doing research on genealogical DNA, which looks at specific locations of a person's genome in determining the ethnic mixture of a an individual. Your DNA would just be added to our research as point of origin to compare, and we could do a search through your mitochondrial DNA to find a more precise match to any of your ancestors." He explained. He came alive when he talked about science and it was, a very attractive side of him. I smiled, looking down at my empty bowl. "I don't see the harm in donating to the cause." I replied. He smiled sweetly at me before replying. "Monday? After we've made our formal complaints then?". I nodded in acknowledgement.
Matthew insisted on paying for dinner before helping me put my coat back on. My wrist was bothering me and it was making it difficult to hold anything too heavy. According to Matthew, my coat was too heavy. I found his chivalry endearing. "Thank you, for dinner I mean." I stated, as he led me to his car. "You're welcome. I enjoy your company Diana." He replied, moving closer, my back pressed up against the passenger door. "I enjoy you too…Your company I mean." I replied, blushing at my flub. "Well, I enjoy you too." He confessed, his hands moving to cup my face. "Matthew…" I whispered breathlessly, moments before his lips met mine. They were soft, but firm, and he took his time, not rushing. My hands moved around his mid-section, pulling him flush against me, our lips molding in synchronized movements as his nose brushed my cheek. I breathed in his scent. The cloves and cinnamon mixed with the beer he'd just finished. He pulled back slowly, his forehead resting on mine, eyes closed as our breathing settled. "Diana," He whispered. "What are you doing to me?" He asked in earnest, our eyes meeting. "Nothing you're not doing to me." I confessed, not wanting to let him go. I reached up and pressed my lips to his once again. His hands moved down and inside the flaps of my coat to pull me closer to him, deepening the kiss. When we finally broke apart, it was because the need to breathe won out. We held each other for a few moments more before he pulled away and opened the car door for me. "Shall I take you back to your rooms then?" He advised, helping me into the seat. I didn't want to move too fast, but that kiss was unlike anything I'd felt before. I wanted more. I nodded at him as he closed the door and moved to the driver's side, sliding into the seat. He started the car after fastening his belt, but I was having trouble buckling mine, my wrist being so sore from Knox's grip. "Matthew?" He looked over at me when I called his name. "Can you help? My wrist." I stated simply. He buckled my belt for me before putting the car into gear and taking off. It felt like he was being distant since he kissed me. I couldn't stop wondering if he didn't like it. The drive was faster on the return trip, and when we arrived, Matthew was ever the gentleman, insisting he walk me to my rooms.
We passed the porter, Fred, on our way back to my rooms. "Good evening, Dr. Bishop!" Fred greeted. "Good evening, Fred." I replied, as Matthew nodded at him in a polite 'hello' gesture. When we reached my door, I turned to face him. "Is everything okay? You've been really quiet since…" I trailed off. "Since I kissed you." He stated, looking down, his hand reaching up to run through his hair in a nervous gesture. I met his eyes and he reached his hand up, cupping my cheek once again. It felt instinctive to press my cheek into his hand. "I'm sorry, I just." He began. "It's okay, we can say goodbye from here." I stated, turning to unlock my door. "Diana, it's not what you think. Please look at me." He pleaded. "Did you not like kissing me?" I cried in anger. "I adored kissing you Diana, and I didn't want to stop." He explained fiercely, holding my face in his hands once more, to make his point. "Then why the silence?" I demanded. He stepped back for a moment, looking down at the floor before looking back at me. "After kissing you," He began. "After kissing you, I was rather…" he repeated before trailing off. He looked down at himself, then back at me, implying his body was reacting. "Ohmigod! I'm sorry." I shook my head, realizing he was aroused from the kiss and was refraining from touching me to calm down. I started laughing, hysterically. "I'm glad you find my predicament amusing." He smiled, shaking his head slightly. "It doesn't have to be a predicament you know." I flirted, sidling up closer to him and wrapping my arms around his waist. I wanted to kiss him again, and behind a closed door. He stepped closer to me, his right hand on my cheek. "Slowly, we should go slowly." He pleaded. I nodded in understanding. "Could I ask one thing?" I paused, biting my lip in anticipation. "Anything." He confirmed. "Can I have a goodnight kiss?" He took a breath before moving in and pressing his lips against mine once again. This kiss was more intense then the last as his body pressed me against my door, one hand on my cheek as the other trailed down my side, underneath my coat until he was gently cupping my backside. My hands instinctively moved up around his shoulders, one hand gripping his neck to keep him closer for longer. His lips trailed to my cheek, then down to my neck, where he left a trail of soft whispering kisses to the underside of my ear. "Please don't stop!" I begged; afraid he was going to pull away suddenly. "I don't want to, but we should, Diana." He breathed into my neck as we held on to one another. "I like you Matthew. I really like you." I mumbled; his arms tightening around me. "I really like you too." He confirmed. Our bubble of solitude was broken by the blaring ringtone coming from my phone. "I guess that's my cue." He stated, pulling away reluctantly. "You don't have to leave, yet." I pleaded. "You should get your call, Diana. I'll call you later." He reaffirmed, kissing my cheek, then my hand before taking the stairs back down and out to the main entrance. The air suddenly felt cold without him and my phone started it's blaring ringing again.
"I'm here, I'm here, give me a moment Sarah, I'm just unlocking the door to my rooms." I replied, finally opening my door and locking it behind me. "Where have you been Diana, it's almost 9:30PM where you are!" My aunt called in concern. "I'm fine, Sarah, I was just out to dinner." I confessed, kicking off my shoes and heading to the bedroom. "At this hour, who were you with?". Sarah could be rather nosy, and until Matthew and I had defined what it was we were cultivating, she was only going to get the bare minimum. "Is Em with you too?" I asked, not wanting to have to repeat my whereabouts. "I'm here honey." Emily confirmed. "I met another Professor on Wednesday morning, so we went to dinner." I stated as plainly as possible. "Oh, that's nice, what field does she teach in?" Sarah inquired. "HE'S a geneticist, and runs a lab overseeing biochemistry." I stated. "A man!" Em squealed. I couldn't help but smile at Emily's reaction. "Yes, a man. A very handsome man." I confirmed, shaking my head. "Is this serious, Diana?" Sarah's tone noted a hint of concern. "We just went to dinner, Sarah, I don't know if anything will come of it." I reiterated. My wrist was sore and I didn't realize I had made a hissing sound from the pain, and my aunts clearly heard. "What was that Diana, you sound like you're in pain honey?" Emily queried. "I had an uninvited visitor to my rooms earlier and he grabbed my wrist, leaving a bruise." Maybe I shouldn't have said that much, but it was out there now. "Who, Diana?" Sarah urged. "Ummm…I've never met him before, Peter Knox." I explained. "PETER KNOX!" Sarah screamed. "Sarah, calm down, I'm okay." I tried to reassure. "Diana, honey…you don't understand. Peter Knox used to be obsessed with your mother, tried to convince her not to marry your father." Emily revealed. "I don't think he ever got over the fact that Rebecca didn't want anything to do with him." Sarah added. "What did he want with you honey?" Emily pressed. "The Professor I had dinner with." I began, "What's his name?" Sarah interjected. "His name is Matthew Clairmont, and he showed up and knocked Knox on his ass before Peter scurried off, by the way. He helped me." I concluded. "But what did Peter want with you, Diana?" Sarah scolded. I felt it would just be simpler to confess what had happened with Gillian. I summarized my meeting Matthew at the Bodleian to a simple lunch date, then Gillian showing up at my class and our excursion to Brown's Café, where I learned from Matthew, Gillian's deception. "Gillian Chamberlain is stalking Matthew?" Sarah's disbelief resonating in her voice, octaves higher than normal. "Yes. She is close to Knox and for some reason, he threatened me on her behalf." There was silence on the line for a few moments. "Maybe you should listen, Diana." Sarah pleaded. "Listen to what exactly, Sarah? Let them dictate to me whom I can spend my time with?". I heard Emily's intake of breath before she spoke. "What Sarah means honey, is to be sure you're ready to handle what they're clearly threatening. From what you said, Matthew doesn't see Gillian in the same light and you said he'd already reported her." Emily clarified. "Yes." I nodded to myself. "Then why is Knox so set on you?" Sarah inquired. "Matthew thinks that Gillian somehow uncovered some dark secret of his, as he's not afraid to push limits or go to extremes to get what he wants." I detailed. "You and Matthew think she's blackmailing Knox?" Emily queried. "We do. But we still don't know why Gillian is so set on Matthew, and she's done it in the past. Matthew's lab assistant was a victim to her obsessive behaviours as well." I concluded with the last details of the events. After finally reassuring my aunts that I would be safe, I said goodnight before washing up and heading to bed myself.
My thoughts were on the last kiss from Matthew at my door. The way his lips felt against mine, his hands along my skin and the way he pressed himself against me. I couldn't wait to see him again.