Page 78 of Academically Yours

His eyes lit up, the icy blue melting away into pools of crystal, and I could see the warmth in his grin. “None. I promise.”

And I knew—my heart was in danger here. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do if I gave it to him completely.

“We’re still on for Spring Break, right?” I asked, and I didn’t miss the smirk on his face. “Because I had some ideas…” I lowered my voice into a seductive whisper.

Oh yeah, I planned to keep this man as long as he would have me.

~ ~ ~

I was long overdue for a catch-up date with my best friends, but with everything happening with Matthew, one thing or another had kept coming up, and I hadn’t talked to them much in the last week. “And… that’s what happened.” I finished my story as I sipped my coffee.

“I’m sorry, you actually—” Gabbi spluttered, mouth dropping open in shock as she held her cup of coffee.

Angelina looked over at me with wide eyes, and I shrugged sheepishly.

“It just kind of… happened.” I gave them an awkward smile.

“Okay… let’s recap.” She held up her fingers, counting them. “We told you to go get your man. You slept with him. You’re now basically dating him, and you’re only just telling us it even happened?? Bitch, I can’t believe you didn’t tell us sooner! We need more details!” Angelina poked my side. “Spill!”

“Oh my god,” I exclaimed, “I’m not going to tell you every single thing that happened, Ang. Some things are private, you know.”

“Noelle.” Angelina stared at me with a, come on bitch, we know you kind of glare. I sighed. “We all read romance novels. You gotta give us more than that you slept with him. When? Where? How did this happen?”

I sighed but raised my fingers. “Three days ago, his office, and I went there to talk to him and it just… happened.”

Gabbi laughed. “Look at our little Noelle, all grown up.”

“Please!” I shoved her arm playfully. “It’s not like I was a virgin before this—”

“No, but you’ve also never had sex in someone’s office before. Oh, God, was it good? I hope it was good. I hope you know I’m vicariously living through you right now.” Gabbi kept going. “It’s been way too long since I’ve been with anyone.”

“It was good.” I flushed red. “Better than it’s ever been.”

Charlotte groaned. “I can’t believe I’m the only one here who still hasn’t had sex.” She buried her face in her hands.

“It’s okay, babe,” Angelina nudged her. “It’ll happen when it happens, I promise. There’s nothing wrong with waiting till you find the right person.”

“I just feel like I’m never going to find the right person, Ang.” Charlotte stared into her coffee cup. “Dating sucks. I feel like, after thirty minutes with someone, I immediately know that I don’t like them. And then I have to start all over, and it’s just exhausting. Noelle, you’re so lucky to have found your hunky professor,” she sighed dreamily against her cup.

“Cheer up, Char,” I reassured her. “It’s not like you’re the last single one or anything. You’ll find someone, I promise.”

“So when are you seeing him next?” Angelina asked, looking at me over her mug.

“I don’t know?” I shrugged, and then my phone pinged with a text from him. Did he have some sort of sixth sense? I giggled, thinking about him sitting there thinking of me.

Matthew: Come to my office after your class.

“I guess… tonight.” I lifted my phone. “He just texted me.” Gabbi leaned over to look at my phone, and she snickered.

“Office sex round 2, let’s go!”

“Oh God,” I rolled my eyes. “I never should have told you that. And we definitely can’t keep having sex in his office, because there is no way I want someone to find us on his desk—”

“On his desk?” Charlotte choked on her drink. “What sort of romance novel are you living in, and why is this not my life?”

“I gotta admit… It was hot,” I wiggled my eyebrows at her.

“So are you together?” Gabbi asked, and I just gave a little shake of my head.