The University Library was a sprawling complex erected in stages over a period of time covering more than a century and a half. The oldest parts where classified as an architectural masterpiece and cultural landmark, all decked out in green painted cast iron and dark wood panels, while the newest parts, less than a decade old, tried its best to look like a space ship made of glass.
Alan Harper was nursing a glass of water in the staff break room on the second floor of one of the newer sections (construction year 1993, mostly expanded offices and closed media storage). The late May sun was roasting the grassy plot outside, turning the "space ship" into a baking greenhouse, but this section had working ventilation. It was merely uncomfortable, rather than liquefying. Alan had shed his light blazer and wore at black T-shirt rather than a long-sleeve shirt, and he made sure to always have a bottle of water handy. Still, this was his least favourite season.... but for one thing.
As he was looking out the window at the lawn there were at least a dozen clusters of students, "studying" while basking in the sun. Some of them kept in or near the shade under a few trees and were making half-hearted attempts at actually studying, but most were just laid out on blankets or directly on the grass, wearing as little as possible. None of the young women were topless (campus security would not have allowed it anyway), but many, both women and men, were clearly making the most of it.
Even now, as he was standing by the window looking out through the half-closed venetian blinds, he could see a pair of senior year young ladies on a blanket outside. One of them was wearing a white tube top and a short denim skirt. She was belly down on the blanket, facing away from Alan... and giving him an almost perfect view up the skirt. She seemed to be wearing red panties, not string, with some kind of small print. Alan sighed contentedly and sipped his water.
The girl with the red panties had long, glossy dark brown hair and that deliciously creamy complexion sometimes seen in southern European women, very pale (in spite of the sun) but still with a hint of olive. She was what Alan himself termed "curvaceous".
Her friend was a somewhat taller and skinnier redhead who wore a wide, flimsy blouse, "India trousers" and faux African wooden jewellery. Alan recognized them as two sociology students, indeed senior year, both in their early twenties. They often stayed in the library to study, and was generally both very tidy and punctual.
He checked his watch, realised that his break was almost over, sighed and went back down to the checkout desk. Thankfully, that desk was close to the doors, where a nice cooling unit made the temperature at least slightly less than sweltering. A table fan brought in by Heather, his colleague, also helped.
A while later, as Alan was finished sorting a few returned books and was left idle in the desk, desperately trying not to think too hard about the heat and failing miserably, he decided to check his private email on the desk computer. He was pleased to see that he had mail from Helen, his good friend and sometime lover from the History department.
Helen was a doctoral candidate, meaning that she was writing a doctorate thesis while also working and teaching classes. They had met and befriended each other in the library, since she often visited to check out materials for her research... and it was also there they had first made love. In the Great Hall in the historical section, as a matter of fact.
Helen was a head shorter than Alan, with a slender build, long wavy brown hair and impossibly brown eyes usually concealed behind a pair of black-rimmed glasses. She was also, it turned out, an adventurous and mischievous lover. Right now, she was also on Iceland.
This was a one-month trip, sponsored by the university. Helen was travelling as an assistant to the elderly professor who was head of the history department, and two different groups of history students. She was bound to return in a little under two weeks.
She and Alan were not a couple, as neither of them felt comfortable in a relationship, but they were good friends and sometimes it went further than that. There was an agreement between them, however, that as long as it was done openly, it was all right to play with others, and this had also happened a few times. They usually shared the details of the "play dates" later, over a glass of wine... and this tended to lead to more fun and games.
In her email, Helen started describing how the student groups' visits to different historical landmarks turned out, complete with pictures of places like Dimmuborgir and Thingvellir. She then went on to describe the social situation in the student groups, including the things she heard through the far too thin walls of the hotel they were staying at...
This led her in on a description of a visit to one of the tempered outdoor bathing pools Iceland is famous for. She had apparently found a very nice water inlet, and positioned herself in front of this to good effect. To further her enjoyment, there had been a visiting male volleyball team in the pool, who had been prancing about and generally causing Helen to fantasize a great deal.
Alan had just finished reading her descriptions of these fantasies (causing him to feel a tightness in his slacks) and was about to move on to the solitary activities these fantasies had later inspired her to engage in back in her hotel room, when he heard a timid, slightly husky voice say "Excuse me?"
He guiltily looked up to see the two sociology girls standing at the desk, watching him expectantly. It was the brunette who had spoken, and as he looked up she raised her student's ID to hand to him.
"Uh, yes?" Alan replied.
"I would like to book a study room", she stated, with her faintly latin accent.
She was talking about the private study rooms available on the next floor. Their doors were computer-controlled and were booked at the desk.
"Ah, of course, one moment..." Alan said, and reached for her ID. As he did so, he could not help but notice that the cooling unit by the door had worked its magic on the girl, and her nipples were clearly standing attention under her white tube top.
He tried to hide an amused smile, but she noticed and looked down. Alan quickly looked away but he saw her blush slightly. He pretended not to notice, and entered her reservation into the computer.
"There, room 6. Three hours. Need anything else?"
She looked down and mumbled a "no, thanks", and as they walked away Alan could hear the red-headed girl giggle.
Later, when he had finished reading the email from Helen (while trying to keep a better eye on his surroundings), Alan leaned back in his office chair to sweep his attention through the library. The checkout desk was located in a glass atrium, with stacks and reading tables spread out around it. One floor up were more stacks and study tables, but the sides of the atrium was where the locked study rooms were located. They all had a glass wall facing the atrium, and another facing the floor. The intersecting walls were insulated particleboard, to keep the study groups from disturbing each other.
Room 6 was almost right in front of him, slightly to the right. It was actually the only one occupied at the moment, although there were other students defying the stifling heat in an attempt to cram those last few pages, scattered throughout the building. From time to time he looked up at the two girls, who seemed to be engrossed in their work. They each had a netbook, taking advantage of the complimentary wifi in the library. He could see them fanning themselves with loose papers from time to time, the heat of the room taking its toll.
As he looked up at the girls the redhead (who he suddenly remembered was called Sara Sorensen) waved the latin brunette over to look at her computer screen. The girl got up and slipped around the table, with her back to the glass wall. As she bent down to look at the screen, she nearly pressed her curvy behind against the glass, presenting Alan yet again with a lovely view. He glanced around to check if anybody was watching, and then settled back slightly in the chair to be able to stealthily enjoy the scenery better.
