Unhinge Me

by Ann Montgomery

  “I didn’t think I would ever feel alive again, Alexandria… until I met you.” He closed his eyes and brought her face down to his own, which was pinched in pain and emotion. He kissed her sweetly, then again with more intent. He kissed her over and over again, pouring the pain out of himself through each kiss. She kissed him back with strength, determined to help ease his pain.

  They made love slowly this time. When they were finished, Alex snuggled into his chest and closed her eyes. Sleepily, she wondered aloud, “So, before her then… were there many others?”

  Half asleep, Caleb kept his eyes closed but smiled a little. “Enough, which is why my father wanted to marry me off. He felt the need to rein me in from my ‘crazy ways’. Don’t worry though, you can count them on two hands.”

  Alex moaned drowsily and decided that was okay. It wasn’t that many more than her and, with his looks, she was surprised it wasn’t even more. A lingering thought in the back of her mind was bugging her though, and as she lay there falling asleep she tried to figure out what it was. When she finally remembered, she asked it as an afterthought, feeling so tired she figured she would probably not even hear the answer.

  “So, arranged marriages… That’s not very common now-a-days…”

  Caleb was almost asleep when she said it and was too tired to go into detail.

  “Oh yeah,” he said quietly. “That’s the other part I didn’t tell you… I’m an Earl.”

  Alex’s eyes shot open.

  “Wait, what?” she exclaimed, now wide awake. Caleb moaned and turned over to sleep, but Alex sat up and pulled him back.

  “Come on. You can’t go to sleep after saying something like that?” She shook at him.

  Caleb opened one eye and looked at her. “Look, it’s really not as big of a deal here as it is in England,” he tried to assure her and placate her so she would let him sleep. When she didn’t answer, he opened his eye again to see her sitting up and staring at him, waiting. He sighed. “If I promise to tell you more in the morning, will you let me sleep?”

  Alex thought about it. On the one hand, she wanted to know more, but on the other, it looked like daylight was just around the corner and she needed sleep too. Flopping down next to him, she snuggled back into his chest and sighed.

  “Fine,” she said sleepily, “but I will expect a full explanation in the morning.”

  “Mmhmm,” Caleb sighed, and in seconds they were both asleep.

  When morning came, they accidentally slept in. There was no time for questions as they rushed to get to school, and the rest of the week kept them busy, so it was a while before Alex was able to bring it up again.

  That Friday, Alex hurried to meet Caleb after class. She was anxious to talk to him about his new revelation. It wasn’t something Alex was about to let go of and she had tons of questions. If she thought about it, part of her wasn’t really surprised. Caleb had always had an air of eloquence about him, like he had been raised to be proper but just didn’t bother to act that way all the time. His good taste in almost anything, not to mention his car, definitely pointed to a nicer upbringing too. She wondered why he didn’t tell anyone about his title and why he was teaching poetry instead of doing something more fit for an Earl, whatever Earls did.

  The wind picked up and blew her skirt up. Panicking, she quickly pushed it down, hoping to avoid a Marilyn Monroe moment, and ran up the old steps to the building. She was wearing her favorite black and white polka-dot skirt and a plain white tank top. A red belt and red flats completed the outfit and her long, red, spring trench coat concealed it all and blocked out the breeze. Alex loved black and white with red touches and it made her feel sexy wearing it. She was even bold enough to wear red lipstick, something she never did.

  Caleb was talking to another student when she walked in and the girl gave an annoyed look at the interruption. Alex instantly raised an eyebrow, ready to put her bitch face on, when she realized she probably shouldn’t be staking claim on him on campus. It wouldn’t be the smartest thing for their secret.

  Annoyed, Alex lost the glare and lowered her head, acting shy. She turned and walked away toward the class bulletin board and pretended to inspect it, all the while making nasty faces no one could see.

  The girl was clearly flirting with Caleb as she asked him about extra credit in a sing-song voice. Caleb tried to be polite but firm and told her there was no need. He could imagine Alex was not happy listening to their exchange.

  “Well, if you change your mind, you know how to find me,” the girl purred, then tossed back her hair and sashayed out of the class room, not even acknowledging Alex as she left.

  Alex snorted. Walking back over to Caleb, she gave him a look that said, “Oh really?” He just rolled his eyes. “Don’t mind her. You have nothing to worry about, I promise.” He brushed off the thought.

  Alex unconsciously pouted. She had never really thought about it but knew it probably wasn’t the first time a student had flirted with Caleb. And it wouldn’t be the last. She, after all, was his student. Nonetheless, the thought made her feel sick to her stomach.

  Caleb saw the look and pulled her towards him, behind the desk, and put his arms around her waist.

  “Ahh, my little doe, jealousy becomes you!” he rumbled and kissed her. Looking her up and down, he whistled a little. “The outfit helps,” he admitted.

  He undid the belt of her jacket and slipped the light coat off her shoulders. He went in for a deep kiss when they heard a voice in the hallway. Panicked, Alex looked around the big classroom for a place to hide. Realizing her only option was his desk, she quickly ducked under it. Without a word, Caleb threw her coat under the desk after her and it landed on her head. She grabbed it and wrapped it up into a ball, making sure to keep the bright red from showing, then melted into the back corner of the desk as best she could.

  As she hid, Alex swore at herself for her reaction. She could have just as easily backed away from Caleb and acted like a plain old student getting advice on a poem. Too late now. If anyone caught her under the desk there would be no way to keep away the suspicion. Alex freaked out at the thought. She would get kicked out. Caleb would lose his job.

  Just in time, Caleb stood in front of the opening to block off any remaining parts of her body just as Paul and the Dean of admissions walked past his room. As usual, Paul stopped to poke his head in.

  “Hey mate! Gonna join us tonight for once?”

  Caleb kept himself from rolling his eyes at Paul’s use of the English slang for friend. He smiled instead. “I, as usual, appreciate the offer, but I have a ton of papers to grade this weekend.”

  Paul grunted and made a knowing face at the Dean.

  “Never gonna stop asking,” he said and winked.

  “I wouldn’t believe it if you did.” Caleb smiled back, shaking his head.

  Paul looked at the Dean and nodded toward Caleb. “Good guy, that one.”

  The Dean looked over and nodded at Caleb. “Have a good night,” he said, and the two men walked away down the hall.

  Caleb waited until they had left the building and walked over to shut and lock the classroom door with a sigh of relief. Friday nights, the hallways were like a ghost town, so they wouldn’t be interrupted again. He walked back to the desk and sat in the chair in front of Alex. She looked so cute all curled up down there. He gave her his hand to help her slide out. As she moved forward and looked up at him, she took Caleb’s breath away. On her knees, hidden halfway under the desk with just a tank top, she looked so sultry. Combined with the red lipstick and her hair pulled back in a ponytail with loose, soft curls, it made Caleb instantly as hard as a rock.

  Alex noticed and a slow smile formed on her face. All thoughts of what she needed to talk to him about were instantly gone and she decided she wanted to try something she had never done before. Ignoring his outstretched hand, she instead slid up between his legs. Slowly, watching his face, she moved her hands up his pants and towards his arousal. His dark jeans were pra
ctically ripping trying to restrain his bulge. Alex couldn’t help but be very turned on by it.

  All it had taken was one drunken night with Rachael and some cucumbers for Alex to feel like she knew everything there was to know about blowjobs. Apparently, Rach considered herself an expert, although she said she only reserved them for her actual boyfriends. Casual sex aside, Rachael really wasn’t a complete slut.

  Alex slowly made her way to Caleb’s hardness, rubbing it through the jeans and watching Caleb’s eyes widen as he realized what her intentions were. He started to reach for her and tell her it wasn’t necessary but she held up her hand and stopped him. She took his hands and put them down on the arms of the chair.

  “Stay,” she commanded.

  Caleb froze as she reached down again. She slid her hands up his chest and started unbuttoning his oxford shirt. She undid each button slowly, holding his eyes with hers. When she got to the bottom she threw open the shirt and ran her hands through the scruff of hair on his chest. He had the perfect amount. A small trail ran down the length of him. He didn’t look like a bear, but also didn’t shave. He just looked like a man, a raw, perfect man. The strong muscles on his chest bulged in response to her touch.

  She tweaked his nipples and laughed at the jolt it sent through him. Biting her lip and making sure to touch all of him that she could, she ran her hands down to his happy trail and slipped her thumbs into his pants, running them along the seam. She leaned in closer and put her mouth up to the swelling in his jeans. She breathed hot breath on it, making Caleb moan and grasp the arms of the chair tighter. She moved her mouth up to the button on his jeans and grabbed it with her teeth, ripping it open and smearing red lipstick all over the zipper. Pulling it down, she buried her face in the hair down there, nudging the pants open further with her nose. Reaching in, she stroked him in the confines of his jeans. When her hand touched the sensitive skin on the throbbing muscle, Caleb sucked in his breath. His reaction gave Alex more confidence and she carefully released it from its too tight home and slowly began to stroke and massage him.

  Caleb’s eyes squeeze shut in pleasure and he groaned. She leaned up again and started to kiss him on the lips. He tried to kiss back but, before he could, she moved away and started to kiss his neck and ear. He reached down, desperate to get his hands on her, and slid them under her skirt to grab her ass. When he realized she had nothing on underneath it nearly sent him over the edge.

  “Fuck!” he couldn’t help but say.

  Oh, yeah! Alex remembered, she didn’t put on underwear. She smiled devilishly. Caleb grabbed onto her bare butt cheeks and smashed them in his hands hungrily. Alex made her way down his chest, kissing and licking it as she went. She wanted to prolong the moment as long as she could, so she nuzzled and kissed all around his hardness while he waited with bated breath. Finally, she grabbed the base, put her lips to the tip, and kissed it. A little dew drop sat there so she licked it, tasting his saltiness. Caleb watched her red lips so close to his manhood and gripped the arms of the chair so hard he felt like he could crush them in his fingers. Finally, she opened her mouth and took his entire length into it. Caleb let out a shout of desire and threw his head back as pleasure pulsed through him.

  Squeezing with her lips and sucking as she moved her mouth up and down his long shaft, Alex found she was having way more fun than she thought she could. And judging by Caleb’s “Holy shit”s and “Oh my God”s, he seemed to be enjoying it too. She would have smiled were her mouth not full. She swirled her tongue around the tip. Reaching up, she ran her hand up and down his chest as she continued her movements down below. She ran her nails lightly down his chest and his hand shot out to grab her head. Not knowing what to do with himself, he grabbed her ponytail and held on for dear life.

  Caleb’s body actually jerked in pleasure as he desperately tried to hang on as long as possible. No blow job he’d ever had came even close to this. He thought Alex was just a frightened little doe, but he was seeing more and more layers of her personality. Like an onion, he was peeling them away. This one was obviously the vixen layer.

  Just when he thought he couldn’t last any longer, she pulled her mouth off of him and blew cool air all over his hardness. The cool air and the wetness made a shot of cold pleasure run through him. Then, just as quickly, she sucked him back in and covered him in hot wetness. The transition was maddening.

  He couldn’t do it anymore. He was going to go and he knew he had to warn her. He strangled out the words “Stop… can’t take it anymore… my God!”

  Alex looked up at him and smiled, licking her lips. “It’s okay, finish,” she purred. She went to put her mouth back on when he suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders and stood up with her.

  “No, not like that,” he said and turned her around face down onto the desk. He threw her skirt up and grabbed onto her round ass. Spreading her legs apart a little, he shoved himself inside her.

  Alex cried out in pleasure. She had never had sex like this and she was already so wet from watching how she made Caleb feel. She held onto the desk and pushed herself into his thrusts. The blowjob and her wetness was just too much for Caleb. He slammed into her over and over again so hard the heavy desk was pushed with each thrust and squeaked across the floor. He wanted to give her time to build with him but knew he couldn’t. He had come too far now. Alex didn’t need it anyway, she was so hot she was about to combust. Within moments they were both loudly and fervently coming together.

  Caleb turned her around and kissed her forehead, nose, and then lips gently. “Is there no end to your surprises?” he happily breathed.

  Rachael knew Alex hadn’t been the same lately and she knew it was due to Caleb. Even though she hadn’t met him personally, she had seen him on campus and heard of him from the other students. A man who was as intelligent as he was good looking was hard enough to find. But one working as a young professor was even rarer. The girls on campus called him the “lost poet”. A lot of them tried to flirt with him, but since it never worked, there were actually rumors he was either secretly gay or married.

  Rachael was starting to worry about her best friend. In all the time she had known her she had never shown real interest in a guy, and now she spent all her time with the most mysterious one in Georgia. She needed to get to the bottom of it and, since Alex’s birthday was coming up, she had a good excuse. She told Alex she needed some girl time, and now she was in her apartment decorating for a small birthday surprise.

  It was a pretty pathetic decoration job, Rachael had to admit. A few mismatched, left over streamers, plastic margarita cups, and penis straws from her sister’s bachelorette party were all she had. But she had all the important party foods. Wine and popcorn were essential to any get-together the two of them had, even if it was cheap wine. Plus, she had plenty of lemon drops, which were Alex’s favorite. She also had a few of the best girlie movies.

  Rachael stepped back, looked at the sparse decorations, and sighed. It was going to have to be good enough.

  Just then, Alex tiredly walked in the door expecting to change and meet Rachael at a bar. When she saw the decorations and an excited Rachael standing in the middle of her living room, she was overcome with emotion. Everything had been so crazy lately and seeing her familiar friend standing in her decorated apartment felt like a warm hug. Alex smiled and wiped the tears stinging her eyes so Rachael wouldn’t see them.

  “What on earth is all this for?” she asked in wonder, looking around at the eclectic streamers.

  “Your birthday, duh!” Rachael said gleefully. “Just a little something to celebrate you,” she said a bit shyly, hoping she would like it.

  “It’s perfect,” Alex breathed and gently touched a drooping piece of purple streamer. “I love it so m- lemon drops!” she squealed and raced to pop more than a couple in her mouth. “You’re the best!” she mumbled, her mouth full of candy.

  Rachael laughed. “You change into sweat pants while I pop the kettle corn,” she ordered, bounci
ng off toward the kitchen.

  Happy to oblige, Alex ran up the stairs to her room. She didn’t usually like to celebrate her birthday, but this might be exactly what she needed right now. She slipped into her favorite old sweatpants and t-shirt and pulled her long hair into a loose pony tail. Still smiling, she ran back down the stairs.

  Rachael was standing by the TV. “So, I have: The Sweetest Thing or Bridesmaids for funny and The Notebook or Pride and Prejudice for romantic. What do you think?” She stood holding the four options.

  Alex loved that they had the same taste in movies. “How about we start with The Sweetest Thing for funny and end with Pride and Prejudice,” Alex offered.

  “Done,” her friend agreed and stuck the first movie in the DVD player. Alex got up and poured the wine in the colorful plastic margarita glasses and got comfy on the couch, grabbing a handful of lemon drops on the way.

  Rachael put the bowl of popcorn on the couch and reached over to hand Alex a gift bag.

  “What’s this?” Alex looked up. As college students, they usually couldn’t afford gifts for each other. Most holidays were celebrated with a bottle of wine and a few packages of cheap noodles.

  Rachael just smiled. “It’s your last birthday we get together. I had to get something.”

  Alex frowned. “You act like we will never see each other again. It’s not true!”

  Rachael rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. Just open it.”

  Alex sifted through the tissue paper and found the prize inside- a framed photo of the two friends. “Oh my God, I love it!” she cried. The frame was a simple one. Colorful and hodgepodge looking. The picture was one from a year ago at a party. They were covered in beads and holding drinks. Alex had a huge, happy smile on her face and Rachael had reached over and was giving her a big, sloppy kiss on the cheek as they snapped the shot. It was Alex’s favorite photo of the two of them. It reminded her of happy times.