He stared at her, and then laughed once, harshly. "Straight to the point. I always liked that about you. Miranda would have liked you, too."
She nodded, heart thudding painfully. "You're still in love with her."
"I didn't deserve to love her. I didn't deserve her, full-stop." His voice dropped, soft and harsh at the same time. "I met her in grad school. I've always been somewhat short-tempered, and we fought constantly. Everyone thought we hated each other, until one night at the library when she leaned over and kissed me. Then she said, 'Stop acting like an ass and ask me out already.' So I did. We were married a year later. A year after that...."
Ellen felt a chill pass over her skin. "What happened?"
"I was invited to present a paper at a seminar. Didn't even think twice about telling Miranda I was going." He shook his head. "She was upset. We'd been trying to have children, and the trip meant I'd be away during her next fertile period. We argued about it, and I pointed out that she'd be just as fertile the next month. She finally agreed, and I went off to the seminar, all puffed up about my paper and how it would help my career. And then, the second morning there, I got a phone call." He swallowed dryly, and Ellen could hear his throat work. "She'd started bleeding badly in the middle of the night. It was an ectopic pregnancy, they told me later. She managed to call an ambulance and they rushed her into surgery, but she'd lost so much blood by that point..."
He took a deep, shaky breath. "I kept thinking how dismissive I'd been, saying that she'd still be fertile the next month. Not knowing that I'd already gotten her pregnant with something that would wind up killing her. If I'd just stayed home ... but I was too selfish to do something as simple as that." One hand came up, rubbing his lips. "When she died, I simply stopped. I walled everything and everyone off. I couldn't risk doing something like that again, hurting someone like that again."
He laid his left hand on the table, flat and spread, as if waiting for someone to stab it. "So that's what I mean when I say you deserve someone much better, sweetest of girls. Don't throw yourself away on me. I'm not worth it."
She went with her gut instinct. Slowly, she reached out and covered his hand with her own. "Wow," she said, keeping her voice low and measured. "So what you're saying is, I should leave because otherwise I'll interrupt your thirteen-year-old pity party."
"What?" He dragged his gaze up from his glass, staring at her bleakly. "For Christ's sake, Ellen, that's just cruel."
"No, it's honest." She squeezed his fingers. "You did something selfish. Everyone does that once in a while, except that this time something horrible happened and now you feel hideously guilty about it." She leaned closer. "Guess what, Alex? You're not alone. Want to hear something really horrible about me? If Eric had actually showed up for the prom, I would've gone with him. Even though Gram wasn't feeling well, I would've gone because I really, really wanted to go to the prom. I was selfish that way, too. And Gram would've died alone. It was sheer fucking luck that he played me and I was able to take her to the hospital." She sighed. "If you'd been at home, you would've taken Miranda to the hospital. Maybe she would have pulled through. Or maybe she still would have died, like Gram did. You'll never know. But do you really think she'd want you to be punished like this, alone like this, just because you couldn't help her that night?"
She waited, rubbing her thumb over the bone in his wrist, and relaxed when a single tear slid down his cheek.
"No," he whispered. "No, she wouldn't want that. She would've given me a kick in the arse a long time ago and told me to snap out of it." Another shuddering breath, "Are you sure your major wasn't Psychology?"
She laughed softly. "No. I'm just really smart."
It was his turn to chuckle. "Yes, you are, Miss Ragsdale." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Do you still want me to stay?"
"Yes. If you want to."
"Yeah, I do." She grabbed his glass of wine with her free hand and drained it, then pulled him close and kissed him. "Bed?"
He licked wine from his lips and nodded. "Bed."
****
Ellen woke up the next morning moaning in pleasure. Blinking, she looked down to see Alex's head between her thighs, mouth greedily devouring her clit. The orgasm, quick and sharp, lit her bones and bowed her back as she screamed in delight.
Afterwards, she yanked him back up to the pillows and kissed him, tasting her own salt. "Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?"
His smile was positively smug. "Well, I did say you were going to come a number of times before you left. And you only had two orgasms last night. That barely scratches the surface." He brushed another kiss across her mouth. "Also, good morning. So, now that you're awake, what would you like to do?"
What she really wanted to do was pull him on top of her and make love, but an inner soreness suggested that wouldn't be a good idea.
At least, not right now. But later? Oh, hell yes.
"Honestly?"
"Always."
"Okay. I want to take a shower. Then I want to have breakfast, because I didn't get dinner last night and I'm starving." She took a deep breath. "After that, I need you to drive me back to campus. This week is going to be insane, and I want to get a head start on all the stuff I need to do for graduation."
"Of course." The playful glow in his eyes dimmed, the Alex she'd met last night retreating into the shell of Professor Cord.
"Which is next Saturday."
"Yes, I know."
"So we can't go out for dinner until Saturday night."
He blinked. "I'm sorry?"
"Dinner. You, me, food you eat in the evening, that sort of thing." She grinned at his stunned look. "I know you already turned in my grade, but let's just make sure the university doesn't get its panties in a bunch over you dating me."
"Oh. Yes, you have a point." He propped his head on one hand, studying her. "Dinner on Saturday it is. But I'm warning you, everyone will be wondering what a nice girl like you is doing with a cranky old bastard like me."
"I'll be having dinner with you. And then having you afterwards." Ellen shifted, and felt something warm and hard touch her thigh. "Actually, you know what? I think I want to eat now."
She slid down the bed until his erect cock was poised in front of her mouth. "You were saying something about indulging me last night, professor?"
"Ah." Those pale blue eyes twinkled down at her. "I did, didn't I? Well, then, fellatio, lesson one..."
****
One week later
"Ellen Ragsdale."
Ellen grinned at the cheers from Amita, Keisha and Dianne as she stood and walked to the stage, climbing the small flight of stairs and crossing to the podium where the dean waited.
After the diploma handover and the smile to the crowd for the photographers, she walked back to her seat, energy buzzing through her. It had taken every drop of willpower not to turn to the ranks of professors seated on the stage and grin at Alex.
Though she did catch his wink at her, and the exaggerated golf clap. Bastard. I'm going to tickle you so hard later.
It took another forty-five minutes before the rest of the diplomas were handed out, mortarboards were tossed into the air, and the new graduates streamed out into the stadium's wide hallways. Ellen found herself inundated with her friends' families, getting hugs, handshakes, and three separate invitations to dinner.
Each time she shook her head and smiled, explaining that she already had plans. The third time, Keisha finally had to guide Ellen away from her own parents and grandmother. "I love 'em, but they'll be takin' you back to Dallas with us if you stay here much longer," she said with a wink. "Go find your mustang."
Grinning, Ellen wandered over to one of the aisles, eyeing the stage. Most of the professors had already left, and she couldn't see Alex anywhere. A little flicker of disappointment went through her, and she squelched it. Doesn't matter. I'll see him later tonight—
"Congratulations,
Miss Ragsdale."
She turned. Alex stood there in the academic robes worn by faculty members, giving her a dry, approving smile. Only she could see the love and pride behind it.
She was glad that the heavy black fabric of her gown hid the points of her nipples. "Thank you, professor." Eyeing his robes and the soft velvet cap he wore, she grinned. "Wow. You look like you're ready for Hogwarts."
One blond eyebrow crept towards his hairline. "Hogwarts? Really?"
"Unseen University? A renaissance faire?"
"Someone wants to be spanked, I see."
"Promises, promises."
Desire fanned to life in those pale eyes. "Oh, I don't promise — I deliver," he said, lowering his voice so that only she could hear him. "And you're going to get your delicious little arse warmed tonight if you don't show some proper respect, my dear."
"Before or after dinner?"
"Before, I think. I want to watch you squirm while we eat."
A delicious rush of heat flooded her, reminding her that she wasn't wearing panties at his specific request. She glanced around the emptying hallway. "Did I ever tell you that I used to work concessions here?"
The eyebrow went up again at her non sequitur. "No, you didn't."
"Yup. Learned this place inside and out." She nodded at a stairwell painted in the school colors. "For instance, if you take those stairs down one floor, there's a family bathroom about halfway down the hall. It's got a couch. Pretty comfy."
"Is it, now?" Alex's lips pursed thoughtfully. "How convenient, as I find myself in need of a restroom. Well, then, I hope I'll see you again, Miss Ragsdale. Very soon." And he turned and headed for the stairwell.
Ellen forced herself to wait three minutes, waving at classmates and saying goodbye, before she gave in and headed for the stairwell. As she'd hoped, the lower hallway was empty. She went to the bathroom door and tried the handle. Locked.
Oh, shit. Did someone else get it first? And where's Alex—
The door opened and Alex peeked through the crack, grinning when he spotted her. "Get in here, you naughty girl."
Laughing, Ellen let him pull her into the bathroom, waiting as he closed and locked the door behind them. The bathroom was pretty much as she remembered it — decently maintained, a single toilet and sink along one wall, and a small alcove-like adjunct with an old pleather couch and battered end table for nursing mothers. Some of the concession workers used to come down here and take naps before events.
Now, it was going to be used for something quite different.
She found herself spun and pushed against the wall, Alex's mouth coming down on hers greedily. Busy hands fumbled at the top of her gown. "Where's the blasted zipper on this thing?" he growled. "Oh, never mind."
She squeaked when he grabbed the hem of her down and yanked it up, pulling up her dress as well and exposing her naked thighs and mound. He grinned. "No panties. And already so wet … such a good girl. I may have to rethink that spanking, after all," he said.
Grabbing her hands, he curved them around the bunched material of her gown, then dropped to his knees and urged her thighs apart, pushing his mouth against her. She gasped as the flat of his tongue licked luxuriously over her clit, the hot velvet sensation causing even more wetness to seep down. One, then two fingers slid inside her, rubbing and stroking until they found her G-spot. He kept her there, rocking back and forth between his insistent tongue and those talented fingers, before he sucked her clit into his mouth and bit down gently.
The orgasm slammed into her, and she crammed a fist into her mouth to muffle her scream. Her internal muscles clenched, milking his fingers and tongue as she came hard on them. He kept lapping at her clit, urging her up and down those internal peaks until she begged him to stop.
Panting, she finally managed to look down at him. Kneeling in full academic regalia, his soft cap pushed back on his head as he ate her pussy. He was teacher kink personified. "God, you're amazing."
He beamed back, his mouth and chin wet and gleaming. "You're rather spectacular yourself, sweet," he said, licking his lips in full enjoyment. "Have I told you recently how delicious you are?"
"Not since last night."
"How callous of me. Keep your hem up, please."
He got to his feet, leaning in to kiss her as he fumbled under his own robes. Tasting her own saltiness on his lips, she heard the telltale crinkle and knew he was rolling a condom over his cock. "Against the wall?"
"God knows how much fucking has taken place on that couch," he muttered against her mouth. "Let's be different, or at least sanitary. Leg up, now."
She lifted her right leg and he wrapped it around his hip. Curious, she glanced down. All she could see were their robes draped between their bodies, hiding what was going on underneath.
But that didn't matter. She could feel the broad head of his cock nudging against her, parting her slick flesh and pushing deep inside. She gasped at her sudden impalement, nerves and muscles lighting up in pleasure.
He stilled. "All right?"
"Don't stop!"
"I'll take that as a yes."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him as he started fucking her enthusiastically, her cap tumbling off from the power of his thrusts. The tiled walls worked as a perfect echo chamber, reflecting their grunts, pants and sighs back to them in a rising chorus.
He started chanting her name with each thrust, hot breath tumbling across her cheek as he fucked her. Somehow, he'd angled himself so that each push slid across her clit. With the aftershocks from the earlier orgasm still bouncing through her, she quickly felt herself ratcheting up to another climax.
"Alex, come with me," she begged, breathless.
He lifted his head, the pupils of his eyes black with need. "Now?"
"Yes."
He thrust hard, then again, hitting her clit with each lunge. The last one was enough to tip her over the edge, and she bit into a velvet-covered shoulder as she came. He yelped at her bite, and then stiffened, gasping her name as he spurted inside her.
They stood there like that, propped against the wall, until he slid out of her with a soft chuckle. "Sex in academic robes," he said, bending over to fumble under his gown. Grimacing, he came up with the now-full condom. "I think I have a new fetish."
Ellen felt boneless and soft with pleasure. "Good thing I don't have to give the gown back, then," she said, watching as he disposed of the condom, then washed his hands and face. "I'd definitely have to get it dry-cleaned first."
"Mm, there is that." He came back to her, picking up her fallen mortarboard. Putting it back on her head, he straightened it judiciously, moving the tassel until it hung on the left. "There. Now you're a proper college graduate."
"Thank you." She adjusted his cap and hood, and then slid into his arms, loving the way they felt around her. "For everything."
He kissed her softly. "Thank you, my love. Well, then, dinner?"
She smirked. "What about my spanking?"
Another kiss was followed by a deep chuckle. "We'll save that for dessert."
****
Two Years Later
"Push, love!"
"I am pushing!" Ellen snarled through gritted teeth. Another contraction ripped through her, and she let out a final, animalistic howl as she bore down.
She sagged back on the hospital bed as she heard the first wail. Alex's face lit up, and he peered at the other end of the bed. "Is she—"
"She's fine," the obstetrician said cheerfully, holding up a wet, wriggling infant. "Nice healthy lungs, too. Let us get her cleaned up, and you two can hold her."
"Brilliant." Alex leaned back, kissing Ellen's forehead. "Oh, love. You did it."
"Damn straight I did," she said, dredging up an exhausted smirk. "How does she look?"
"Um." He stared at the other side of the birthing suite, where a nurse was busy cleaning off their baby. "Like Winston Churchill. But that's to be expected, I'm afraid."
She wasn't too tired
to smack his arm. "You dork."
He chuckled, taking her hand and kissing it. "She's beautiful, just like her mother."
"That's better." Ellen pushed sweat-soaked hair out of her face as the nurse brought a blanket-wrapped bundle over to them, gently depositing it in her arms. A tiny face goggled up at them, swelling her heart with joy. "Hello, sweetie. Oh, Alex, she has your eyes."
"God, I hope not. She'll be blind by the time she's twenty," Alex said, beaming at their daughter. "So, what are we going to call her?"
Ellen hesitated. After their wedding a year ago, she'd gone into the attic to squirrel away some of the more questionable items they'd received as wedding presents (the fur-lined handcuffs from Keisha, Amita, and Dianne, however, stayed in the bedroom). While up there, she'd found an old cardboard box marked MIRANDA. On top of dusty but neatly folded clothing and other personal effects was a baby book that had been empty except for one name. "How does Katherine sound to you?"
Alex seemed to stop breathing for a moment. "You — how did you know?"
"I found Miranda's baby book in the attic. I thought ... it would be nice."
His eyes gleamed with unshed tears. "Yes," he said thickly. "Yes, that would be lovely." He bent over, kissing their daughter for the first time. "Hello, Katherine. I'm your dad, and I'm very happy to finally meet you." Smiling, he kissed Ellen. "And this is your mum, whom I love very much. And we're both going to love the stuffing out of you."
Their daughter yawned, unimpressed. "I hear you, sweetie," Ellen said, laughing softly. "But I love you, too. Both of you." Tired but content, she settled back to watch her family.
The End
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