“Nothing,” she said, smiling gently, but still looking up at me.
“Really, what is it?”
I felt her shoulder shrug against me, and her luscious lips pursed before she spoke. “I just like seeing you like this. Outside of the classroom and the bedroom, I mean.”
“Ouch,” I said, playfully, turning her toward the large carousel. “The classroom, I understand, but I hoped I was rather keeping you interested in the bedroom,” I said, casually surprised by how much I needed affirmation. I never doubted my expertise in the sack, and Addison’s response bespoke no doubts, but still, I wanted to satisfy her. I wanted to fill her up in every way. My newfound clarity was unsettling and causing an unfamiliar doubt. This time… it mattered.
“You know you do,” she said seriously. “But I like this time with you, too. Spending time with you and talking. I want to know you. Everything.”
I tugged her closer as my heart exploded. “Me, too.” I felt my throat tighten and an obscure stinging behind my eyes. I swallowed hard. “Do you want to get a beer? I think there’s a stand or a beer garden at one end of the festival.”
“Sure,” she agreed.
As we walked, following the signs toward the beer garden sponsored by one of the local brewing companies admiring the various displays, both of her arms remained snug around my waist and I inhaled a deep, contented breath. I doubted life could get any better.
After we’d found it and I’d purchased admission for both of us, they put those awkward paper bands around each of our right wrists, we entered and found a table in one corner. It was Oktoberfest style, with servers dressed up in Renaissance period garb.
Addison’s face was alight with pleasure when a woman in a ragged, green velvet dress with white linen sleeves and a half-hazard dishtowel tied around her waist as an apron appeared beside the table.
She was busty, her long hair purposely bedraggled. “Good Eve, what can I get ye and your lady, me lord?” she asked in a thick early English brogue. “Would ye be wantin’ sustenance or just ale? Perhaps the lady would prefer mead?”
“Um…” My eyes slid to my date with a smile on my face. “Sustenance?”
“Yes, please. My lord,” Addison added the latter mischievously. “And the mead sounds good. Whatever that is.”
I laughed out loud. “What do you suggest, good woman?” I asked, playing along.
“Well, if ye be ‘ungry enough,” she deliberately dropped the H. “I recommend the meat and mushroom pie, platter of roasted bird or ribs, followed by fruit pie or bread pudding.”
“Well, that sounds like a feast fit for a king,” Addison flirted, her suggestive eyes meeting mine.
“Aye, it is that, miss! You two lovebirds might like the oyster sliders as well,” the woman suggested with a wink at Addison.
“Bring us all of that, please.”
“Aye, Milord. Lickety split! I’ll be ‘round with yer drinks in just a bit.”
When she left, I reached across the weathered wooden table for Addison’s hand. “This is great. I’m glad we came.”
Her face sobered as I made slow, soothing movements across her bare hand. It was cool outside, but there was a fire blazing in the center of the tent surrounded by a thick border of rustically placed rocks to maintain a safe distance for guests. The sides of the tent were closed with only a couple of flaps open, but there was a hole in the ceiling above the fire to allow the smoke to escape. It was really quite authentic.
“Is it your first time here, too?” she asked cautiously.
“Yes,” I answered without hesitation. We were both leaning toward each other across the table.
“Why? Didn’t you know about it?”
“No, I did, but I guess…” I readied myself for another admission, my eyes sliding up from our joined hands to lock with her amazing green eyes. “I never wanted to bring anyone here before. I didn’t want any complicated relationships to mess with my focus. I was concentrating on my career and I thought any romantic attachments would get in the way.”
Her expression was soft as something like realization settled over her face. I wasn’t sure if it was the soft glow from the candle in the center of the table or just how I was beginning to see her, but she’d never been more gorgeous. “Really? Never?”
“No.” My thumb continued to stroke the top of her hand.
“What’s different this time?” The hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her luscious lips. I wished I could lean over and take them in a passionate kiss.
“You are.”
Her smile bloomed. “Good answer.”
I returned her smile, but my voice was serious. “I thought so.”
In that moment two tankards full of liquid were placed, not-to-gently on the table. It sloshed over the rims as our “serving wench” laid them down, causing our hands to break apart for the first time since we’d sat down. I suspected it was part of the show. “Ere ye be! Mead for the lady and ale for the gent! I’ll have those oysters right up.”
Addison’s pert nose wrinkled. “Are those things raw? Because I don’t think I want any.”
I laughed out loud. “What? Raw oysters are a known aphrodisiac!”
“We don’t need that,” she said simply.
“Right, but I think these are cooked in garlic butter. I bet they’re delicious.” I dished one off of the hammered metal platter and onto one of the smaller plates, and then handed it to her.”
“Do they still have the guts in them?” Addison grimaced, refusing the plate.
I paused and cocked my head offering her a wry look. “I think all oysters have the guts. Just eat it.”
“Ugh, no thanks!” She shook her head.
“Please? For me?” I laughed again. She was so adorable. “Just one?” I offered her the plate again.
“Can’t I just eat the other stuff?”
“Just one, Addison. Come on. You’re gonna make me eat this alone?”
‘You ordered them, not me!” she protested again, grinning. “I’ll stick with the booze until the rest of the food comes.”
She took a sip of her mead. “It’s really sweet.”
“Yes, it’s wine with honey.”
“I think I’ll save it for dessert.” Her eyes flashed and she reached for my beer. “Much better.” Addison set the beer down in front of her. “Do you want this?” she asked, pushing the other metal mug toward me.
“I’ll trade you if you try an oyster.”
She finally tried one and agreed they were okay but refused a second. When the server returned with the rest of the food, I ordered another beer. The small table was loaded with a delicious pie, a platter of roasted chicken, a loaf of crusty bread, cheeses, and some beef ribs with an amazing whiskey barbecue sauce.
We wiled away the evening, taking our time eating and talking. It was an incredible evening with amazing company. I hadn’t enjoyed myself as much with anyone else before.
“This is really nice,” Addison said, munching on a bite of the meat and mushroom pie. “The food is so good. I wish I lived during the renaissance.”
I huffed. “I don’t. No running water, heat or lights? No computers? Kill me.”
“Come on, where’s your sense of adventure, Professor Panty-Melter? I’d love to have you serving me.”
My eyebrows shot up at the name. “What?”
“You heard me.” She was flirting and I loved it. Clearly the drinks left her a little tipsy. “All the girls call you that. Hell, you’re known for it, campus-wide.”
I knew it, but I was delighted to hear it from the woman in front of me. I offered a lazy smile. “It’s not my fault, you know.”
“Uh huh,” Addison answered, reaching for the fresh beer in front of her, her eyes trained on mine. “You live up to it, that’s for sure.”
My cock instantly rose to the occasion, making the denim in my lap pull and pinch uncomfortably. I tugged at the crotch under the cover of the table.
“Oh, I’m the servant in th
at scenario?”
“Yep!” She licked a crumb from her lip. “Sure are.”
Happiness filled my heart, and desire still made my blood race. “I think I can live with that, Addison.”
“Isn’t it too bad they don’t have this going on all year? It’s so much fun.”
“We’ll come again next year.” And every year after that, I added mentally. An image hit me of the young family earlier… only in my imagination, it was us I saw, and maybe not six kids, but definitely one or two. “Deal?”
Her beautiful dark eyes rose to mine. She didn’t question what I meant because she knew. “Deal.”
“I don’t want to leave.”
“Who said we have to. We can get a room in town and spend the day here tomorrow. Would you like that?”
“Yes. Will you be at my service?” One eyebrow shot up suggestively.
“If that’s what milady desires,” I said. My phone was turned to vibrate, and suddenly went off in my pocket. I pulled it out just enough to glance at it. It was Gloria, but she could wait until the weekend was over. I didn’t want to ruin the moment or the next day, so I vowed to turn the damn thing off the second Addison was distracted and leave it off until we got back to the city…. My priority was to find a room so I could make love to her all night.
“It is. Thank you for bringing me here, Jax.” She reached for my hand, and I gave it willingly. Her touch sent a familiar yet, thrilling jolt of electricity through me.
“It’s been my pleasure.” Nothing could have been closer to the truth. I’d truly enjoyed every second of the day… besides the fight at the start, but even that turned out well. A secret smile lifted my lips.
This was my idea of heaven. Just being with her out in the open, knowing I’d be able to melt into her for hours to come, making love to her and worshiping her body until the sun came up.
4
Jax’s phone would not stop buzzing. “Bzzzzz. Bzzzzz. Bzzzz.”
The weekend had been the best of my life. As we drove back into the city on Sunday night, I spent the entire hour staring at his profile. I studied his every movement and committed it to memory. The way he glanced at me, the glimmer of what seemed like love and certainly desire I found there, the confident way he moved, and deftly handled the agile sports car. His strength, his amazing mind… the way he touched me and made me his every time… how beautiful he was, how sincere. I loved this man. Everything about him slayed me. Every cell of my body overflowed with emotion.
He was obviously annoyed by the phone, but I’d been wondering why he just didn’t answer it. “Why not just pick it up?” I asked softly. I was tired from the weekend, from staying up all night making love in the quaint B & B he’d found.
“It’s just Gloria,” he answered easily, reaching for my hand with his larger one. “She can wait.”
“No doubt she wants your book. I feel guilty that you helped me with mine and let your own go unfinished.”
The passing lights on the side of the road flashed through the car and on his face as we raced back to Manhattan. “Don’t be. I wouldn’t have it finished anyway. I’ve felt disingenuous about my last book. I need a break. I’ve told her over and over again. She just won’t listen.”
“What about the contract with S & S?” I was worried he’d face repercussions.
“It’s ongoing. It’s just a fact that authors get writer’s block sometimes. What are we supposed to do, pull books out of our asses? If I tried to do that it would be dishonest, and my readers would hate it. If they have any brains at the top of the publishing house, they wouldn’t want that. And, Gloria should be on my side. It could hurt us all in the long run.”
I reached out and ran my free hand down his arm. “Okay. I guess it is like a money machine, and they all depend on you to get paid.”
“We depend on each other. It’s a team effort,” Jax dismissed. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll handle Gloria.”
“What about Luke?” I’d hesitated to bring the subject up since our little spat Saturday morning, but Luke would be after me about it.
Jax sighed. “Tell him you spoke to me about the TA position, and I said what I said: that I can’t add you as my TA in a class you haven’t completed. Also, I regret you didn’t take the class a year ago, so I could have. Now, my hands are tied.”
I nodded in the dark car. The weather forecast said we were going to get the first snowfall of the season this coming week. The temperature outside was dropping rapidly as a cold front moved through ahead of the storm, but it was cozy in the car, and I found myself reluctant to get back to the city and have Jax drop me off at my little apartment. Mostly, I didn’t want to leave him, even for a minute. “Okay. What about helping him with his book?”
His jaw hardened and jutted out slightly. “I’d rather have him ask me to help than you, though.”
“But would you have?” I already knew the answer.
“Probably not. I’m awfully busy with my new protégé.” He smiled, still watching the road.
“Exactly, so I’d like to help.”
Jax’s phone became irritatingly intrusive again. “Fucking thing,” he muttered. “I should have left it off until I got back into the city.” He turned his focus back on me after he’d pulled it out and silenced it once and for all. “Okay, but promise you’ll put it on hold if it interferes with rewrites for your book, or your classes.”
He was concerned for me, I knew, but he sounded more like my professor than my lover right then. “I promise.”
Jax turned his face toward me and smiled. “And if he tries to fuck you, I’ll have to kill him.”
When he was being possessive, I found it so endearing. I was already so full of him, and if he’d asked me to walk off the edge of the earth, I would have, but when he was this protective, I could almost feel my ovaries explode. So much for modern-day feminism. It was like he taught in class; love and sex were biological functions of being human. Twelve steps of desire, and there was no denying the pull if the connection was real.
My thoughts were interrupted as my own phone pinged. My purse was on the floor at my feet, and I could reach it with my free hand. Jax was concentrating on the traffic as we hit the north side of the city, so I reached in and pulled it out. It was also from Gloria.
I frowned as I touched the screen to open the text.
I need to speak with you, Addison.
Please call my office and set up an appointment. The sooner, the better. If you can get away from Jax, perhaps we can meet for drinks tonight?
My stomach clenched in trepidation. If it was good news, why would she want to keep it from Jax?
“Are you tired, babe?” Jax’s smooth tone brought me back to the present.
“I am. Someone kept me up all night.” I squeezed his hand, reluctant for our time together to end, but knowing it would in just a few minutes. “I know I have to sleep tonight, but I’ll miss you.”
“You could come home with me.” His fingers laced through mine. “I promise to let you sleep. I’d just like to have you near.”
“I would, too, but I have a paper for another class to finish tonight.”
“Oh, shit! Why didn’t you tell me? We should have come back sooner.”
“I didn’t want to. The weekend was perfect.”
He lifted my hand with his and kissed the top of it. I laid my head on his shoulder, trying to enjoy his scent, and the feel of him next to me for as long as I could.
Ping!
My phone interrupted again. It was less than a minute from the first time, so it was the same message, and I didn’t need to look. I closed my eyes.
“It was. Why don’t you move in with me?” Jax said softly amid the low notes of the soft rock playing from the stereo.
I wasn’t even surprised by the offer. I could feel the love between us, and I felt safe in it. “I will. After I graduate.”
“Ugh,” he groaned. “I don’t think I can stand waiting that long.”
“It’s wh
at we need to do. If I can’t be your TA, then I can’t be your live-in lover. The end.”
“What is it with you writers? Always putting a fucking exclamation point on everything?” He was pretending to be exasperated, but I could hear the humor behind the words.
I laughed softly, and he joined in.
I felt the warmth of his breath on my temple, then his lips pressed to my forehead and all was right with the world. Each precious second with him was worth every minute of lost sleep I’d have later finishing my other work.
* * *
I was floating on air as I entered my building, walked up the three floors and put the key in the lock. I was humming the song that had been playing on the radio, content in the love washing over me, my body and heart sated.
It was hard to leave Jax, but we both knew we needed to get some sleep tonight. He was going to try to work on his book, and I needed to get some homework done.
I turned the key with one hand and the knob with the other. The apartment was lit only by the small lamp on the bedside table next to Michelle’s bed. She had attempted a FaceTime earlier; inquiring where the hell I’d been for two days, but when I didn’t answer she sent a text, instead.
I’d been able to give her the briefest of explanations; responding with three words.
I’m with Jax.
Still? Thank God you’re not dead. LOL
I’ll be at Mark’s if you want to pull an all-nighter with the hottie prof.
I’m doing homework. See you tomorrow.
I was torn between being glad of the privacy and being able to keep what happened to myself and the innate need to let it out and tell my best friend everything in unabashed exuberance and excitement.
My heart was still singing because Jax had asked me to move in with him even if it was too soon, and I couldn’t for another six months. It seemed incredible that I’d only known him two months; he was part of me, and I had a grounded sense about us. He hadn’t said he loved me, but then, I hadn’t either.
SMUT UNIVERSITY: A sexy novella serial, Part Three Page 4