The Summer of Consent

by Jayne Marlowe

  “Unfortunately,” Gloria continued, “Ethan Price from your remedial class was there with some other kids by the lockers. They heard Jill too. Luckily, they all had their backs to me and I ducked out down another hall before anyone could see me.”

  “Damn, Gloria. I’m sorry.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Why? You don’t control Jill Oliver’s mouth.” Gloria’s shoulders slumped and she looked away. “I know the way I dress isn’t...typical for someone my age, but it’s what I wore while on the debate team. Mr. Brodowski expected us to ‘dress for success and dress to win,’ as he put it.”

  Nate nodded slowly. That sounded like something Adam Brodowski would say. He was a retired attorney who taught part-time in addition to sponsoring the debate team.

  “I guess I could dress more casually,” Gloria continued, pressing her full lips together in a thoughtful frown.

  “Listen, Gloria, you get no complaints from me. I want you to be comfortable. If people can’t handle it, fuck ’em.”

  “Oh, Mr. Larsen! Such language!”

  They laughed but then she became serious again.

  “I’m used to kids talking about me behind my back. Not so much adults.”

  “Don’t let her get you down, Gloria. It’s only gossip.” But his words sounded hollow, even to him.

  She gave a humorless chuckle. “I used to think that she liked me too.” She sighed. “Oh, well.”

  Gloria turned to her computer and got back to work. She may have been acting nonchalant, but she didn’t fool him.

  Nate couldn’t stand Jill Oliver before. He hated her now.

  Since that fateful Friday when Nate took her virginity, he started taking Gloria home after work. It was something they just fell in to. She was thankful because it saved her from having to buy a bus pass, and she needed to save as much money as possible for when she went to college in the fall.

  She and Nate would wrap things up at around four-thirty, and unless he had students staying late to ask questions, they would make their way quickly to the parking lot.

  Gloria didn’t doubt that the speed at which they moved was a direct result of getting away before Jill Oliver could tag along. They may have managed to ditch her every afternoon, but it didn’t stop her from parking her Chevy Malibu next to Nate’s CR-V every day. To Gloria, it came across as Jill marking her territory.

  Today, in their rush to get away, it occurred to both of them that they had left quite early. It was barely past four o’clock by the time Nate got her home. Michael and Robyn wouldn’t be in for a few more hours at least.

  “Come in with me.”

  She laughed at the surprised look on his face until he started to laugh too.

  “Are you sure it’s alright?”

  “No, Nate. We’re gonna break in and make ourselves at home.”

  He rolled his eyes and shifted the car into park. Once inside, she invited him to sit on the living room couch.

  “Want a drink?”

  “Sure. What ’cha got?”

  They settled on sweet tea and Gloria added a bowl of pretzels and potato chips. She put everything on a tray and set it on the coffee table before him. She pulled her shirttails out from her skirt waistband and unbuttoned a few buttons.

  “Make yourself comfortable,” she said. “Take your shoes off if you want.”

  “Ooh, you may not want that.”

  Gloria laughed. “Come on, I’m sure your feet smell no worse than my brother’s. I want you to relax.”

  “Who says I’m not relaxed?”

  To prove his point, Nate leaned back into the couch, stretched his legs in front of him, and put his hands behind his head. His lazy smile and lidded gaze made her want to straddle and ride him. Then he cocked an eyebrow at her.

  “You have something on your mind, don’t you,” he said. “What is it?”

  Instead of telling him, she showed him exactly what was on her mind. It was a bold move for her, but with a wicked smile, she hiked her skirt and straddled his lap. It was something she’d wanted to do for a long time

  The frequency in the rise and fall of Nate’s chest increased and his lips curved up into a slow smile.

  “I’ve been waiting to have you between my legs again.” She smoothed her hands up his chest and loosened his tie. “I didn’t think that time in the office would be the last time.” She looked up at him innocently. “Was it?”

  Her answer was being suddenly pulled down for a deep kiss, and by the way their mouths merged together, it was a hungry kiss. Even with all the flirting and innuendo they did at work, it still amazed Gloria that Nate displayed as much desire for her as she did for him.

  With every encounter, Nate taught her something. She’d never had a boyfriend before, and apart from a boy who stole a kiss from her years ago at summer camp, Gloria had never kissed a boy—or man—the way she now kissed Nate. She was acting on impulse—and what she gleaned from all the erotic romance novels she’d read.

  She moaned as he buried the fingers from one hand in her hair while the other gripped her hip. Finally, he released her and she sat up to catch her breath. His hands moved their way under the front of her shirt and squeezed her breasts. She threw her head back and let out a heavy sigh as his fingers gripped tighter. She began to grind against his lap.

  “Goddamn it, Gloria, what are you doing to me.” He pulled her down again to kiss her mouth before trailing his lips down the side of her neck.

  “Fuck me, Nate,” she whispered, “fuck me again...please....”

  He wrapped his arms around her and suddenly she was on her back with him between her legs, which she hugged around his waist, and then he was humping against her. Hard.

  It didn’t matter that they were both dressed and he wasn’t physically inside her. The bump and grind of going through the motions was enough to send Gloria close to the edge with the feel of his crotch, still covered in denim, rubbing against her. His cock made its presence known from beneath the material.

  She was wet. She could smell her arousal and suspected he could too because he reached down between them, slid his forefinger under the gusset of her panties, and began to finger her. Another finger joined in and it didn’t take but a couple of thrusts to make her come. She leaned her head back, leaving her neck exposed to Nate’s mouth and teeth.

  Gloria worked her hips up to meet his fingers, and for the next several minutes, there was nothing but the wet sound of Nate finger fucking her mixing in with that of their moans and kisses.

  Then, Nate sat up.

  “I can’t,” he said.

  It took a moment for Gloria’s vision to come into focus and see his flushed face and dishevelled hair from where she had run her fingers through it. Her heart pounded so hard and fast it hurt. Panic set in. Was he having second thoughts about her? About them?

  “Wh...what’s wrong?”

  He sighed and stroked her thigh.

  “I want to, Gloria, believe me I want to, but—” He rubbed the back of his neck. “We shouldn’t do this. Here. In your brother’s house.”

  She released the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. “Is that all?”

  “Isn’t that enough?”

  Gloria shook her head. “Not when we’ve come this far.” She looked down at the way his pants tented at the crotch. “Let me at least do something to ease the pressure.”

  Nate raised an eyebrow when she reached out and began to undo his pants.

  “Gloria...?”

  She wasn’t listening. Once his pants were undone, it didn’t take much for her to expose his cock. It was hard and eager to escape its confines, and a drop of precum glistened on its tip. She didn’t have experience giving oral sex, but she’d seen enough porn on the Internet to have an idea.

  Before he could say anything, Gloria kissed the head of his cock, and her unexpected gesture made him gasp. She began to kiss down the length of his cock until she nuzzled into his crotch, smelling his scent, that true and defi
nitely masculine scent not masked by cologne but kept in check by good hygiene. She inhaled deep.

  “Oh...Jesus...,” Nate groaned and stroked the top of her head, and when she licked her way back up to the top he said, “Oh, yes...just like that....”

  He continued to coach her through her first blow job and Gloria learned that her wet mouth and the sucking sounds she made were just as arousing for him as her actions. It amazed her how his cock throbbed, jerked, and got harder as she went along. She built up a rhythm and let Nate control her tempo by gently guiding her head up and down.

  Then suddenly, he held her head in place and began to thrust into her mouth. Faster and faster he went until his thrusts became jerky and erratic. Gloria, who had her eyes closed for the most part, opened them and got a peek at Nate’s face. His eyes were closed and his lips slightly parted.

  “Fuck!”

  Warmth filled Gloria’s mouth and her eyes went wide at the sensation and her first taste of cum. Thick, salty, and if she wasn’t mistaken, tasting slightly of citrus. It also tasted of something else that she couldn’t really describe. It tasted of him.

  She pulled away from his cock and swallowed out of reflex. She sat back on her heels with her back propped against the coffee table and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

  Nate had collapsed back into the couch. He looked asleep, and if it weren’t for the fact his cock still hung out of his trousers, limp but still impressive, he could have fooled anyone. But he wasn’t asleep. His eyes were slightly open and honed directly onto hers.

  “Gloria,” he whispered. “Damn, girl...I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

  “Shh.” She moved to sit beside him and put her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her and chuckled when she tucked his cock back into his pants and zipped it closed.

  “You’re amazing, you know that?”

  His voice was so thick and deep that Gloria’s pussy contracted in response. She smiled when he tugged at her hair, pulling her head back so he could kiss her. He didn’t resist when she teased his mouth with her tongue.

  They lounged on the couch, catching their breath with their legs outstretched before finally partaking in the refreshments Gloria had brought from the kitchen.

  The sound of the door from the garage opening made Gloria sit up straight and alert. Soon, Michael and Robyn were walking up to the path to the back door.

  Gloria looked at the clock above the TV and saw it was just past six. She didn’t realize it was so late. More than two hours had flown by.

  Her sudden change in attitude must have startled Nate because he sat bolt upright too. They stood up.

  Michael and Robyn were laughing at something when they came in but stopped short at the sight of Gloria and Nate. Robyn still smiled. Michael did not.

  Gloria could feel Michael’s eyes go up and down her body, taking in her wrinkled shirt with its lower buttons unbuttoned, and then doing the same with Nate whose shirt was also untucked from his pants.

  Michael walked over to the living room and stopped inches away from Gloria with his arms crossed over is broad chest. His poker face and slight scowl always reminded her how much he resembled their mother, especially when displeased.

  It was time to break the ice. Mustering her composure and clearing her throat, she began.

  “Nate, this is my brother Michael Harris and his fiancée Robyn Dempsey. Michael, Robyn—this is my boss, Nate Larsen.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Nate said and offered his hand for a shake.

  Gloria cringed inside when Michael looked at it for a few seconds before taking hold.

  “’Sup,” was all he said.

  “Nate’s been kind enough to drive me home. He’s saving me money.” She gave a short laugh in an effort to keep the mood light. Fortunately, Robyn was on the same page and stepped forward.

  “I’m glad to finally meet you, Nate. Gloria really loves her job and speaks highly of you.”

  “She does, does she?” He turned to face Gloria and his smile made her face flame.

  “Yes, but is she talking about him as a boss or as a teacher?”

  And just like that, Michael dropped a shit bomb into the conversation. Gloria’s fingers tingled with the urge to strangle him. He knew that Nate had done her a huge favor by bumping her grade to a low C when she should have gotten a solid D.

  Nate cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck—something Gloria noticed him do when he was uncomfortable or agitated. Once again, it was Robyn to the rescue.

  “Why don’t you join us for dinner, Nate? It’s the least we can do since you’ve been bringing Gloria home.”

  “That’s very kind of you, Robyn, but I need to get going. Gloria, you have that list I gave you?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Great. See you tomorrow. Michael and Robyn,” he said with a smile, “pleasure to meet you both. I’ll see myself out.”

  “No, you won’t.”

  Gloria accompanied Nate down the hall and to the front door. Knowing that Michael watched their every move, they kept their farewell brief. Nate took her hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said softly.

  He walked away but she held onto his hand until he was out of reach. She watched him get to his car, and before getting in, he looked up, his lips upturned in a warm smile. He waved at her.

  She remained standing in the threshold until she saw his car turn the corner. Now there was no more stalling. It was time to face the music.

  “Let me help you with dinner, Rob,” Gloria said, walking into the kitchen area and ignoring her brother’s steely glare. “What’s on the menu tonight?”

  “Thai chicken lettuce wraps,” Robyn said. “There’s chicken marinating in the fridge.”

  They busied themselves getting ingredients and everything else, leaving Michael standing at the kitchen bar, fuming. A few minutes passed and the tension grew taut until Michael finally snapped.

  “What were you and that man doing on my couch?”

  Gloria didn’t look up from shredding carrots. “What makes you think we were doing anything but talking?”

  “Talking doesn’t get clothes wrinkled or mess up your hair and make-up!”

  Gloria flinched. If she hadn’t let time get away from her, she would have thought of tidying her hair. Her lips probably looked a bit swollen too. They definitely still tingled from Nate’s kisses.

  She continued to ignore Michael and chopped some cilantro as Robyn got the chicken on the stovetop grill.

  “I’m talking to you, Gloria.”

  “And I hear you, Michael.” She kept chopping until she felt Robyn’s hand on her shoulder.

  “That’s more than enough, Glo.” With a concerned glance, Robyn held out her hand for the knife, took the cutting board away, and went back to cooking.

  Gloria went about getting dishes to set the table in the breakfast nook, but that meant walking past her brother. When she did, she could feel his anger coming off him in waves of heat. Michael wasn’t a violent man, although he had his share of throw downs growing up. He’d never hit her, but she had no doubt that he would break Nate in half if given a reason to.

  She felt Michael’s eyes follow her every move as she placed the dinnerware.

  “Okay.” Michael took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You say all you were doing was talking. He mentioned something about a list. What list?”

  “A list of equipment I need to get.” She laid out the utensils, still not making eye contact with her brother.

  “Equipment for what?”

  “Our hiking trip Friday.”

  Michael grunted. “Is it some sort of field trip with the summer school students?”

  “No. Just me and him.”

  “What! Gloria,” he pleaded, “please don’t tell me you’re messing around with him.”

  “Okay.” She went back to the kitchen to get glasses and ice.

  “Are you out of y
our mind?” His voice was so shrill that she would have laughed if he wasn’t seriously pissed. “Gloria, he’s your boss—and at least twice your age.”

  “So?”

  “Is that all you can say? ‘So?’ You—and he—he must be out of his gotdamn mind! Doesn’t he have sense to know that you’re a child?”

  “I am not a child!”

  “Well, you ain’t no experienced woman!”

  “Says who?”

  Michael’s jaw dropped open. “Aren’t there laws to prevent shit such as this? Why can’t he mess with women his own age?”

  “Hey, hey, hey!” Robyn broke in. “Enough with the shouting. Come on. Dinner is ready. Let’s sit down and talk like rational grownups.”

  Robyn emphasized that last word as she corralled the siblings into the eating area by opening her arms wide and blocking their exit. For the next few minutes, they went through the motions of dishing out their food, but Gloria could feel a giant knot twisting together in her stomach, ruining her appetite. She took a few bites of her wrap, but Robyn’s culinary skills barely registered.

  Michael ate his food with an angry gusto that didn’t do justice to Robyn’s cooking either. He glared at Gloria.

  “Are you having sex with him?”

  “That’s none of your business!”

  “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  “Michael,” Robyn said through gritted teeth.

  “Hey, I don’t ask you questions the morning after I hear your headboard knocking against my wall, keeping me awake. Where do you get off asking me?”

  That shut him up. It shut up Robyn too. Gloria lowered her head and continued to eat. She didn’t mean to embarrass anyone, but when she got mad, she got mean.

  Michael also continued to eat, shovelling food into his mouth, possibly to prevent himself from saying anything else, but the damage was done. Gloria knew he had more to bitch about.

  “Go ahead and say it.”

  “Say what?”

  “‘As long as you live in my house, you’ll obey my rules.’ Say it.”

  Michael waved her off, annoyed.

  “Say it!”