Page 110 of Academically Yours

TWENTY-NINE

Noelle

For the last few days, I couldn’t get the sight of Matthew with a baby in his arms out of my mind. It was strange because I had never really thought about it before. What my future might look like. Because everyone I had ever loved, they had all left me. Even when I used to imagine being married to Jake, I had never thought about us having kids.

And when Matthew brought up the future, the fact that we hadn’t talked about what we wanted, I kind of… shut down. I wasn’t ready to have that conversation, wasn’t ready to acknowledge in my mind if I even wanted that.

Was I ready? I was still twenty-five. I didn’t know what I wanted to eat tomorrow, let alone how to raise a baby. Or to even think about marriage.

It was April, now, which meant the end of the semester was just a few weeks away, and Easter break wasn’t far off either. We hadn’t talked about what we were doing; I didn’t think my mom and I were going to do anything together, either, but I didn’t want to presume we would have a repeat of Spring Break without him asking.

Even so, I spent almost as many nights a week over at Matthew’s place as I did at mine. Sometimes I wished I could have him stay the night, see him in my space, curled up together on my couch, but I knew that I had created this barrier, made this separation of my life for a reason.

My job—my girls counted on me. To be there for them, to be stable. And if they all knew who I was dating, and if it ended… I shook my head. It would end badly. And I didn’t know what I would do if that happened.

Me: Where are you?

I texted Matthew as I walked onto campus, wanting to grab coffee or lunch before I had to go to my class for the evening.

Me: Want to get lunch?

Matthew: Still in class. Movie day.

Me: Right. Text me when you’re out. I don’t have a class for a few hours.

Matthew: Or… you could meet me in the supply closet near classroom 234.

I blinked, staring down at my phone. Did he…?

Me: Are you…??

Me: I must be dreaming. You cannot seriously be suggesting a closet rendezvous.

Matthew: Why don’t you get your sweet little ass over here and find out?

Me: Coming.

Matthew: You will be.??

Oh my God. I couldn’t help but laugh at his innuendo. And oh. I could already feel my body heat up. Damn him. I didn’t wait another moment: I marched straight up the steps of the building and towards classroom 234.

I slipped into the supply closet nearby, praying no one would see me or need anything from inside, and a heartbeat later Matthew opened the door and slipped in behind me, flicking the lock with a satisfying click. “Hi.” I smiled at him. “Noelle,” Matthew grinned mischievously as I eyed the small closet. “We didn’t get to see each other yesterday,” he said. “I had planned to take my time with you, but now that I have you here…”

I crept closer to him, placing one hand on his chest, and letting my fingers trace up one of his arms. “And what, exactly, were you thinking when you invited me to this secret rendezvous, Professor Harper?”

“I was thinking that I needed to have you, right now, my sweet girl.” I nodded, already filled with lust, and guided his hand down lower, exactly where I wanted it. “God, Noelle, do you want me to fuck you in this closet while my class watches a movie?” He breathed seductively into my ear as his fingers ghosted over my clit through my panties. Wearing a skirt today had ended up being a very wise choice.

I moaned. “Yes. Please, Matthew.”

He pressed down, rubbing with two fingers. “Are you already wet for me, baby?”

“So wet…” I moaned. I had been since I had been imagining what would happen in this room.

“You’re such a vixen, Noelle,” he said, fondling me a little harder as I clasped one hand over my mouth to stop myself from moaning as he rubbed over me. “My sweet temptress. So naughty.”

“Yes,” I agreed, gasping as he pushed the cotton aside and thrust two fingers inside of me.

“You know what bad girls get, Noelle?” I couldn’t help it—I whimpered. The pressure he was creating was too good, but I needed more. “They get punished. Would you like that, hm? My little fox?”