Page 63 of Student Seduction

18

Emersyn

Ethan took a few days to recover from his stomach virus. Thankfully, by Thursday he was all better so I was able to go to the museum. The doctor wouldn’t release him to play baseball until next week, which gave me a much needed break.

School had become a slow, torturous exercise in patience. Since Drew had nearly caught us, Aiden and I no longer went to the pit.

Sure there were long looks, stolen touches, and no so accidental brushes of skin from time to time, but for the most part, I was starving to death. Hungry for more of him, more time, more everything.

Time was our enemy thanks to my many obligations and his coaching the hockey team while still playing for Southeastern.

We had determined Friday night was the only night we were both free and declared it ours.

I showered and shaved literally every single hair on my body in preparation.

I put on a navy blue slip dress and wore a flannel shirt I still had of his from this summer. I didn’t plan on wearing any of it for very long.

After making sure Ethan had plenty of liquids to drink and that his fever was still down, I checked on my mom and headed out.

When I arrived at Aiden’s, he was waiting for me on his front porch.

I glanced around at the clean, quiet yard. “Axel not throwing a big bash tonight?” This was a first.

His eyes held mine intently. “Axel is staying with a friend for tonight.”

My stomach dipped and soared with excitement. “Aww, you got him a babysitter.”

He laughed. “She is probably sitting on him as we speak.”

I remembered watching a sexy blonde ride Axel not long ago. “You’re probably right.”

Speaking of…I was anxious to be alone with Aiden for an entire night. Anxious to connect in the intimate way we couldn’t at school. My insides clenched with anticipation.

But Aiden had other ideas. He steered me toward the backyard, down toward the water.

“Where are we going?”

He grinned like a child with a secret. “You’ll see.”

I don’t know what I was expecting. A candlelit picnic maybe, but what I saw was…confusing.

“You got a new shed?” The navy blue and white building was a fairly large and had a window in the back.

He nodded. “Something like that. Come on.”

I waited as he used a key to unlock the latch on the double doors, then handed the key to me.

“You’re giving me the key to your shed?” I mumbled as we stepped inside.

Aiden held me as we stepped inside, which was good because I might’ve fainted if he hadn’t.

“No, I’m giving you the key to your studio. It’s all yours, day or night. You can work in here whenever you want. I’ve already told Axel it’s off limits to him and his guests.”

My eyes couldn’t open wide enough to take in the rows of shelf after shelf holding brushes and paint and clay and paper and pencils and charcoal. I stepped forward, feeling like a child a Christmas, no, better than a child at Christmas because I was looking right at Santa.

I shook my head. “How did you…where did…when?”

The words wouldn’t come but the tears tried to.