Office Hour

"Knock knock," Darren said, complimenting his wrapping at the office door. Nina looked up from her desk and the paper she was grading, and smiled as she ushered him in.

"How are you today, Prof?" Darren asked.

"Please Darren. I'm just a TA; not a professor yet. That's Dr. Elmore's title."

"As much work as you end up doing, you ought to be one by now."

Nina didn't correct that thought, partly because she agreed with him, even if it was a matter of paying dues. The teaching assistant mused in how this was the longest they've ever carried on a conversation, or the most enthused he's been in talking to her, even if it was early in the semester. She was pretty chatty with most of her students in some regard, but Darren carefully chose whom he gave his attention to.

In terms of the fairer sex, the fairer they looked the more attention he gave. He seemed easily distracted by the female students who dressed provocatively, especially during class where he seemed to be looking for anything to cure the boredom. His thoughts on such classmates was what prompted their meeting today.

"So, Ms. Clemens, you wanted to see me about something?" Darren asked while sitting, hoping he wouldn't be staying long.

"Please, call me Nina. And thanks for coming in later than usual."

"Yeah, I didn't know your office hours were usually this late. It looks like everyone else has headed home."

"Well, I set aside time like this sometimes for students. I think the janitor is around somewhere, but right now, I wanted to see you about your latest paper."

"I don't suppose you called me here just to compliment me on turning a paper not at the last minute for once," literally hoping for that, knowing at least it would hurt to hope it.

"Well, that was nice to finally see a bit more initiative out of you than usual, but no, it's something different this time. However, I know what's coming up this weekend for you, so I don't plan on keeping you for long."

"You know about the beach party?"

"A few of the classmates you often talk with eluded to something along those lines earlier this week; sounds like a lot of fun."

"I hope it will be," he said, glancing at the clock.

"Many 'young nubile females' will be there?"

"Especially hope so."

Nina raised one eyebrow slightly, surprised at what he didn't pick up on. "Does that line sound familiar to you?"

"..I thin..wait, it's from my paper?"

"Correct, Darren," she smiled, enjoying the cute double-take motion.

"Is it OK in your opinion?" Hope intensified.

"Well, for your subject matter, I'm OK with it."

"So, what's the issue with it?"

"Well, your title and topic is 'The Psychology of Attraction,' obviously from the perspective of a young collegiate male with a healthy sexuality," she said, putting it as nicely as she could. "And while your paper is close to sufficient, I can see you doing more with this."

"Is it really necessary? I mean, how much would I need to be in 'sufficient' range?" He began to slouch in his chair, like most students in lecture did at the prospect of extra work.

"Not too much by my or Dr. Elmore's standards, but I think as it stands, this is a C paper, and for the sake of your grade in a class you're not heavily invested in, it would probably be best to shoot for something higher."

Darren groaned, not liking the extra effort she was suggesting.

"But also, I'd say this is a topic you're very passionate about. With some more detailed work, I see no reason it shouldn't be an A paper."

"Really?"

He wondered about the relative meaning of "some," especially for getting an A grade, yet few teachers ever used that word for suggesting he could get one. He knew he put more effort into this one than most, but it excited him after expecting his shot taken to hit a B-.

"Darren, something you're passionate about always deserves extra effort. And I think you severely underestimate yourself if you think you can't make this a winning paper. If nothing else, this could make your passing this class much smoother."

"Ok, what do you suggest?" un-slouching his body as he asked.

"Well, honestly, the initial problem I have with your paper is while you speak passionately about what you do like, you seem to only focus in on a very specific subset of things you like. This could be expanded on if you speak to more things that range from potentially attractive to obviously attractive. In my opinion, you're limiting the number of women you're attracted to in your paper."

"Is that a bad thing? I mean, even if it is limited, what if that is exactly what I'm attracted to?"

Nina resisted the urge to shake her head. She never internally understood why some people gave themselves so few choices with relations. "It's bad to me if you frame it as the only thing you're attracted to. That's another way I think you are underestimating yourself."

Darren would've considered telling anyone else concerning his paper to piss-off, especially when it came to suggesting to him what his preferences were, but he knew he should keep a cooler head around a TA grading his paper. Nina anticipated his feelings pointing toward anger.

"I mean honestly Darren, this is a problem I see way too often with students, who will focus so intently on their one issue or subject that they disregard talking about things related to it that would make it a well-rounded argument. Even if they presented arguments countering their own thesis, it fully improves the paper. I don't mean to tell you what you should or shouldn't be attracted to, but I do have to ask how much thought you've given this."

Darren knew she was being reasonable about this instead of making a personal statement about him, which let some of his anger subside a bit.

"If I had to guess, the subjective 'young nubile woman' you describe seem to be an amalgamation of some of your classmates. But in observing Tamara, I wouldn't be surprised if it boils down to just being her."

Darren sighed, wanting to protest but knowing he didn't have much of a leg to stand on with contesting that.

"I mean, she sounds very attractive the way you describe her, just like she is in class. But most of your paper describes her effect on you, and less what makes her attractive to you or most men."

"Well, if you found her attractive, shouldn't that speak for itself enough where it needs little explanation."

"Maybe, but it would be best to assume that I never knew you, whom you're describing, and that I wouldn't know what attracts you to them. Like I said, you go into great detail about the effects, some of the scientific explanations for how a man is drawn to said woman, but assuming I and every person who reads your paper is supposed to look at the same woman and take your word for it is bad."

Darren pulled out his copy of his paper and a notepad, readying himself for her input.

"Can you describe to me what makes her, or your classmates so attractive to you, in your own words?"

"Ok. Um...take Tamara for example, heh, one row below me. Killer legs, red hot ass, miniskirts-"

Before her palm could cover her face, she raised it to urge him to wait. "You know what, for the sake of discourse, pretend Tamara is in the room, and wanted your opinion on her looks, and maybe try to compliment her with more classy terms. Pretend she's sitting in the vacant chair next to you."

"Right. Tamara, I...I think you're very attractive. You have...healthy-looking skin, a beautiful face, a very nice figure, and...good taste in clothing?"

"That is much better; I think you should take some of this down for notes for additions to your paper."

Nina watched as he took notes on a small notepad, with a surprised look like he realized there was a better way to compliment a girl, amused at what else he'd probably learn in order to pick one up.

"In addition, is it only her looks that attract you?"

"What else is needed?" genuinely puzzled by her question.

"Well, I believe there's something to be said for her being smart, confident, her attitude, like if she's kind or friendly. Things like that. Women DO appreciate being noticed for more than their looks. It's one of those content vs delivery elements, separating a magazine woman from her flesh-and-blood self."

"So, I should mention she's smart and nice?"

"Well, if she's going to be a principal example of your amalgamation, is she kind and friendly? Are those traits attractive to you?"

She knew Tamara was really neither, but did wonder if Darren was truly turned on by that.

"They're...optional to me. It would be nice, but it's not something I expect out of most girls I'm usually attracted to."

"What about the ones who are unusually attractive?"

"Are they necessary to mention?"

"If they make your arguments more well-rounded, indeed they are. You know what, let's try something."

Nina came around to sit in the chair next to Darren's.

"Face the door here, and pretend with me that Tamara is walking through that door now. You've seen that little cutesy walk she has as she sometimes teases guys in the front row as she walks by, try to imagine her doing that to us now. Close your eyes if you need to."

Darren did close his eyes as she suggested, and he could picture that walk, with a girly flair that was surprisingly attractive to him.

"Did you see it?"

"Yeah."

"If you had to describe it in one word, what would that be?"

"Cute, I guess."

"Ok, let's try something else. Close your eyes again, and as soon as you hear a knock, I want you to open your eyes, ok?"

"Ok."

He closed his eyes, aware of Nina moving out of the chair behind him, wondering what she had in mind. He heard the knock, and opened his eyes to see Nina walking into the room with a different kind of flair. She strode into the office confidently, with self-assurance. A poise that left no doubt in who would have eyes on them. It was the kind of walk where in Tamara's place, she didn't have to look at the people she was attracting to leave an impression. Nina did give a little glance in his direction, acknowledging him, but leaving him to show more interest. She sat down in her chair carefully, but just as sexily as any woman he'd seen, secretly wishing the desk wasn't in the way because he was pretty sure she'd crossed her legs.

She looked at him evenly and asked "With a one-word description, how was my example?"

Darren noticed how Nina spoke just like she walked, very unlike her normally chatty self, but something else, more charming. The fact that she was a little heavier than most women who were his type made her walk intriguing. Nina wasn't fat by any means, just fuller, but that meant she wasn't the highest tier he leaned toward. He'd only seen thin women that could've been models walk like that; to know a woman like Nina, being her size and plainly dressed, could act with a self-assurance that said "I know how sexy I am, and now you know too," threw him a little off-guard. He now secretly wished she would walk and talk like that more often. She let the effect of her enhanced presence linger for those close enough to be drawn in an engaged. Darren was close enough and thought carefully about what word to give it.

"Should I take your non-response as a response, saying my example left you speechless?"

That shook him from his thoughts. "Uhh, no. I-I was just thinking about what word to give it. That was...something."

Nina smiled at that. Like when she spoke about delivery vs content, the way Darren said 'something' revealed him wanting to downplay how he really felt about her seductive showcase. His heavy breathing and stunned look suggested 'something' was better than cute to him, and that he didn't have to guess.

"Well, I think we can conclude that Tamara's and my walk were both things you could list as attractive in some way, so there's one example you can use."

"Should I write that down?"

"I suggest you do."

She eyed him writing as she moved from her office seat to the one next to Darren again.

"Earlier, you described the kinds of clothes girls like Tamara wears, I guess summer clothes in particular as this is the season for it. Do those kind of clothes make a difference in the attraction?"

"Of course."

"Well with miniskirts and summer sandals, compare her clothing to mine."

Nina sat in front of him with her arms using the arm rests casually, and having her legs crossed at her ankles, a pose she'd seen several women like Tamara successfully draw attention with.

"What am I wearing Darren?"

"You're wearing blue jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers."

"Yes, very good. Now to you, which ensemble is more appealing?"

"I'd probably say Tamara's look, easily," he said with unashamed honesty.

"Why hers?" asking with intentional confusion.

"Well, it shows off more healthy skin. It's kind of..tantalizing, meant to draw in a male's attention."

"And it does, I'm sure. But I wonder if the person filling the ensemble would make the difference."

Darren looked toward her face as she spoke, but his peripheral vision caught something rhythmically moving below, and found her rotating her foot in slow circles. Nina spoke in lower tones as to leave him hearing her without making him bring his attention back to looking directly at her.

"I've seen Tamara make this motion in class. I could tell she was bored as she did this, just waiting for the time to pass. However I'm not bored, I'm rather enjoying our discussion, and moving my foot like I am; part of me even wishes time to slow and endure because I'm in no rush. The way you're looking, it looks like time is slowing down too. It doesn't even matter if an hour's gone by, or just a minute."

Gradually his eyes went from just looking in the general direction, to making small circles as he followed the tip of her shoes. She'd let him follow the motion past her explanation of it, letting his concentration endure. Soon though, she brought her French-tip fingernail down to her ankle as she gradually stopped rotating, and slowly brought it up her leg, letting his eyes follow the nail up across her body and to her face, keeping him wrapped in a slight haze of confusion and fascination.

"You refer to the attractive woman often wearing pumps and sandals, but you never mention if they look good in other types of footwear. What about boots?"

"Um...sometimes."

"Flats?"

"They can be nice."

"Sneakers?" Nina said as she causally gestured toward her rotating foot again.

"They..." Darren started but lost track a bit as his eyes found it comfortable to rest his vision on the rotating.

"....leave you speechless?" Nina finished playfully. She loved to see him almost nod, or nod off. He caught himself though and leaned back a little, trying to find the right words, still fixated downward.

"It's..not speechless, but..pretty."

"'Pretty,' that's a nice description. It would make a difference in who's wearing the shoes, yes?"

"Yes."

Darren answered with a slight smile, and Nina enjoyed the progress they were making, thinking it was unnecessary to press further on who he was slowly becoming more attracted to.

"Have sneakers like mine ever appealed to you this way before? I mean has anyone wore them in a way that captured your attention so well?"

"Not before this, no."

"It's usually pumps, heels, sandals, anything made and styled to catch your attention, right?"

"Yes."

"It's nice to know that women in sneakers can be added to the list of things that you show passionate attraction to."

"Sort of."

"Sort of? I don't think there should be that much difference. The presentation is nice, but even something like sneakers shouldn't be underestimated. Part of the real power of any shoes aren't necessarily the shoes, but the feet of the woman that fill them. Think about that for a second."

"O..ok."

"You can close your eyes for a second if you need to."

Nina let loose a wicked smile as she watched Darren's lids close very slowly, his eyes already showing signs of starring at nothing.

"Think of a live survey you could've taken where you document the responses of individual women on whether they like to capture attention simply wearing high-heeled shoes, or whether they like to capture attention based solely on the movements of their feet. Those using movement might be rarer, honestly, but there's something to be said about a woman who knows her feet have power, and can wear anything or nothing to fix your eyes on them. Instead of a woman wearing sandals to maybe attract everyone, think of the focused power a woman would use to concentrate on just one person, never letting their eyes or minds waver, centering them on their beautiful feet. I think my feet in sneakers were a great example of this, weren't they?"

"Y..yessss."

His reaction was something she was used to as a student of hypnotherapy and an independent studier of manipulation, but Nina never tired of watching the effects unfold.

"Darren, you're going to re-open your eyes in a minute. I know how comfortable you feel now, and I wouldn't want to disturb that feeling, so I'm going to ask you to do me a favor. I will show you one more thing that will help you discover fuller potential of your passionate attraction. But everything I've shown you up till now will remain in the forefront for you. You can continue to feel their relaxing, attractive effects without even looking at them. You will remain exactly as relaxed as you are now, eyes open or closed. It will be easy to answer my questions clearly and honestly as you feel this. The next thing I show and describe will only deepen this feeling. Is that acceptable to you?"

"Yes..." his voice trailed.

"Does that sound wonderful to you?"

"Yesss....." his passive voice droned.

"Open your eyes now Darren."

Darren opened his eyes to see Nina's hands hovering over her chest, fingers outlining her cleavage and where the nipples would be with careful movements.

"What do you see Darren?"

"Your...chest?"

"It's ok. You can say breasts."

"Your breastsss," he hissed in reaction to watching her cup the breasts under her shirt.

"Do women in t-shirts like mine usually turn you on?"

"No.."

"Why?"

"I...like to see skin, and cleavage."

"Do you realize that I have cleavage under this shirt?"

"Yes, I do."

Darren eyes fastened on what looked like her fingers gripping something small, evidence of her arousal as she took in a sharp breath.

"Do you need to see skin or cleavage to be attracted by it?"

"...no."

"Did you know that regardless of whether breasts are visible in any way to us, your own mind and imagination creates a great deal of that attraction?"

"No.." he spoke as if trying to give it thought.

"When you've seen Tamara's cleavage, part of your mind goes into playing out scenes of interaction. Maybe in your imagination, she allows you to touch them, kiss them, something very pleasing to you. You've thought about this, yes?"

"Yes."

"Yes, of course. Hasn't Tamara reprimanded some guys for staring at her cleavage though?"

"Yes, she has," he specifically remembered her reprimand to him.

"Some women don't appreciate that kind of attention, and feelings of attraction tend to lower if a woman isn't interested in that."

"True," Darren remembered the slight shame of her genuine disapproval.

"How much would feelings of attraction rise if a woman was interested in you looking at her cleavage? A lot? A little? How much for you Darren?"

"A lot."

"And if, for example, I ran my hands over my cleavage like I'm doing right now, creating the illusion that I could be wearing an open blouse like Tamara wears, with much fuller breasts, lightly etching on your mind the parts that men so love to stare at, like my cleavage, or tops of my breasts, or even the possibly aroused nipples, your mind takes over in imagining what's beneath the t-shirt, how you'd love to interact with what I have."