I blush, glad he doesn’t think I’m too forward.
“But I was more than forward,” he says. “And the whole reason I’m teaching at Hudson is because I was too much of a problem for Harvard. They had to put me on an administrative leave of sorts.”
I shrug and can’t resist saying, “Well, I knew it wasn’t because you needed intellectual stimulation from students who live in the sticks.”
He laughs, a full, loud belly laugh that I love.
“That may be true, but I sure am glad for it, because that’s how I met you.”
And now he looks at me very seriously.
“And that’s what I wanted to talk to you about tonight,” he says. “I know we haven’t known each other for that long, but I also know you’re different than girls from my past. Not only did I want to be with you again sexually, which is rare, but I also can’t help but fall for you emotionally as well.”
Now it feels as if fireworks are exploding in my stomach. The waiter brings our food but I’m not even hungry. I’m just so excited that Adam feels about me the same way I’ve been feeling about him.
“I’m going to tell you something I don’t tell anyone,” he says. “So you know there’s a reason for my insanity.”
“Okay,” I tell him, my palms becoming sweaty with anticipation. I feel something magical in the air, as if he and I are really meant to be.
“I was once engaged,” he says, taking a bite of his filet mignon as if to gather strength to tell me the rest of the story. “But my fiancée was in a car accident. I was driving, but it wasn’t my fault. Another driver came out of nowhere and hit us. But I could never shake the feeling that I was responsible. That if I had somehow been able to see the car, and swerve out of the way—”
I put my hand over his.
“Survivor’s guilt,” I tell him, nodding. I’d read about it, in my psychology class last semester. But I’m sure that’s nothing compared to living through it. “It’s a real thing. But it wasn’t your fault.”
“I know that now,” he says. “I realize I’ve spent the rest of my life holding myself back, cutting myself off to love, but then when I met you, I just couldn’t live that way any more. I have to open myself back up to it, or I’ll miss the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, too,” I say, and he squeezes my hand across the table.
“Good. I want to propose something,” he says.
“Okay,” I tell him, holding my breath, just knowing that this is going to change my life.
“Be my secret lover for the next two months, until the end of the semester,” he says. “And then be my real lover. Out in the open. For all the world to see.”
“Okay,” I tell him, without even having to think about it. “But what, exactly, is your plan? How do you plan to pull that off?”
“Well, I figure that for the rest of this semester we can just meet here in the City for our rendezvous,” he says. “It’s a big city, and I doubt anyone will find us.”
“I doubt anyone will be looking,” I tell him. “I mean, it’s not as if many kids from Hudson are allowed to come here and party or anything. The only way I’m able to be out after curfew is because they still think I live with my parents.”
He chuckles, and I love his laugh so much.
“Exactly,” he says, but then I look over at another table and can’t believe my eyes.
“Is that… Natalyia?” I ask, nodding towards the blonde sitting with a man at a corner table.
“Does she work at The Exchange?” Adam asks.
I nod.
“I guess New York is a big city, but it’s still a small world.”
“Well, she doesn’t count,” I hasten to assure him. “I’m sure she’ll be happy for me, and she looks pretty happy herself.”
He nods, but looks a little anxious.
“Just in case, we won’t let her know we’re here,” I tell her. “I doubt she’ll even remember me even if she sees me, which I don’t think she has. But anyway, as you were saying, we’ll stay on the downlow until the rest of this semester.”
“Yes,” he says. “And in the meantime, you apply at Harvard. I just know you’ll get in, as a transfer student.”
“Okay,” I say, laughing because I have no idea if he’s right and the whole thing just sounds so outrageous to me. But nothing truly seems impossible to me any more, after where Adam and I started and where we’ve ended up.
“Then when we get to Harvard, we’ll just say your my fiancé,” he says. “I won’t admit to hooking up with you as my student, and they can’t say anything against me hooking up with you if we’re already engaged by the time we get there and let them know.”
“Woah,” I say, throwing my head back and laughing, but my heart is being fast and hard. “So, I’ll be like… your fake fiancée?”
“Something like that,” he says, winking at me. “But we’ll just see what happens.”
“Okay,” I tell him. “Deal.”
Once we’re done eating, we leave without Natalyia seeing us. That night, he comes back with me to my apartment. He whistles as he looks around at my hardwood floors and marble countertops.
“So, this is what a very expensive bid for oral sex can buy, huh?” he asks.
“Very funny,” I tell him. “Hudson is a very inexpensive town. Money goes further here.”
“Well, I think it’s about time you christened these marble countertops.”
“I agree,” I tell him.
He tears my clothes off and his, then he puts a condom on. He lifts me up onto the countertops. I wrap my legs around him and he puts his big cock inside me. My pussy throbs, as if it’s been anticipating him inside it, which it has.
He thrusts in and out of me, as I grip his shoulders. I come but before he comes, he lays me back on the counter.
“Remember this?” he asks.
“I sure do.”
His tongue hits me fast and hard, lapping up my juices as he makes me come yet again. Then he picks me up and continues to fuck me, as he stands straight up while holding me in his arms. I love how strong he is.
I look down to see his cock looking bigger than ever as he rams it in and out of me.
“Remember when I took your virginity?” he asks, nuzzling my neck as he pushes me up against the wall and continues to fuck me.
“Yes,” I tell him, remembering it as if it was yesterday.
“I want to fuck you forever,” he says, as he throbs inside me. “I love you, Sarah.”
I lean my head back and look into his eyes as I begin to come. “I love you too, Adam.”
“I’m coming,” he says, as I join him.
“Me too.”
“This is the best money I’ve ever spent.”
Chapter 16 – Sarah
2 Months Later
There’s only five minutes left of this semester. Five minutes until I no longer have to live in Hudson or anywhere close to my hometown.
Adam smiles at me as he tells the class, “It’s been a pleasure teaching you this semester. I’m sad I have to head back to Harvard and won’t be here next year.”
“No, you’re not,” some students call out, but good- naturedly. They’ve come to love Adam almost as much as I do.
I wink at Adam, and he smiles, but doesn’t wink back. We’ve successfully pulled off two months of acting as if we’re not together when we are. It’s been really difficult, because all I want to do when I see Adam’s nice ass up in front of the room, lecturing in front of the chalkboard, is jump his bones.
But it helps that I get to jump his bones whenever we go into the city. We’ve had plenty of dates there, so Adam has most definitely gotten over his vow to never take a girl he fucks to dinner.
In fact, dinner is where we’re going tonight. I have a very special package I have to tote along with me.
“I’m very proud of all of you,” says Adam. “And let’s hear it again for Sarah, who under my
brilliant tutelage, has not only applied to and been accepted to Harvard, but who has also won the Young Business Women’s grant for her business plan and proposal.”
My classmates cheer for me, and I have to admit I’ll miss them. I should have worked harder at making friends here. I always felt like an outcast but I know now that that was self- imposed.
Just because my dad didn’t think I was good enough to be friends with what he would call “righteous people” doesn’t mean he was right. Adam’s shown me I’m a better person than my dad ever gave me credit for, but I’m still working on believing that all the time.
Finally, the last class is over and I head home to change for dinner. I ride the train into New York City alone for the last time. It’s both my last time going anywhere to meet Adam— because from now on he’ll be taking me on all our dates— and also my last time going into the City because tomorrow Adam and I are moving together to Boston.
I tried to call my family to let them know, but my dad asked if I was willing to repent of my sins and give testimony to the church. When I said I no longer believe in his version of religion and I have nothing to repent for, he told me he had no further interest in talking to me. I tried to let him know I’d been happy and had good news, but he hung up on me.
When I get to Boston and Adam and I are in the clear, I’ll send a letter to my younger siblings, letting them know where to contact me if they need it. They might be anxious to break free from my dad’s grasp, just as I was. At least I can say I tried to get through to him and have common ground with him, which is more than he can say about me.
We go back to Hot Cocoa and Adam orders some champagne. My mouth drops open, but he just laughs.
“How did you order that for me?” I ask, as he pours us both a glass.
“Oh, come on,” he says, “There’s nothing money can’t buy, you should know that by now. Plus, no one ever cards for champagne.”
I laugh as we toast.
“This will be another first for me,” I tell him. “Drinking alcohol.”
“Cheers to your first time for everything,” he says, with a wink.
I drink the liquid and feel its warmth in my chest.
“And cheers to your acceptance at Harvard,” he says. “I told you my plan would work.”
“I can’t wait to be your fake fiancé up there at fancy Harvard,” I tell him, squealing with glee.
“On that note,” he says, a devilish grin spreading across his handsome face. “There’s something else I hope to be celebrating with you too.”
“There is?” I ask, but he’s already on the floor, down on one knee, and holding up a little blue box.
“Really?” I ask, looking around as if someone is going to come pinch me and tell me I’m dreaming.
“Really,” he says. “Sarah Grace Winters, will you do the pleasure of marrying me?”
“Yes!” I say, jumping up out of my chair and then jumping up and down.
I don’t even care that we’re in a restaurant, or that someone could see us and our whole plan might be foiled. But not really, because we’re safely through the semester— so let the world see us.
“Yes, yes, yes,” I repeat.
He gets up and swings me around. He obviously doesn’t care that we’re in a restaurant, and the restaurant seems happy to have us here, because everyone including the wait staff begins clapping and congratulating us.
“You know I have a bad track record with engagements,” he says, frowning.
For a second, I’m sad along with him. But he shakes his head and kisses me on the cheek.
“So, let’s get married soon, shall we?” he asks.
“Yes!” I say again, laughing and kissing his neck.
Now all that remains before we head to Boston as real fiance and fiancée is one last stop back to our old stomping grounds.
Epilogue
Sarah
As soon as we arrive at The Exchange Club, I look around for her, but I don’t see her. I do see Melissa though, still wearing her fancy gown and deciding which girls are pretty enough to be auctioned off.
“Melissa!” I say, and she looks at me, confused, before she sees Adam behind me, and then some recognition appears in her eyes.
“Hey… uh…” she says, obviously forgetting my name.
“Sarah,” Adam fills in for her.
“Oh yes, Sarah,” Melissa says with a laugh. “I recognized you as that goody two shoes girl who came here once and then we never saw you again. Are you back for round two? Maybe you’ll get more than last time…”
“Hey,” Adam says, cutting her off.
“Oh yes, Adam,” Melissa says, easily remembering his name. “Are you back for another go? Perhaps we could get you guys a menage…”
“No,” Adam says. “Sarah and I are engaged now.”
“Really!” Melissa exclaims. “I keep hearing about all these love connections as a byproduct of The Exchange. I guess we should bill ourselves as a matchmaking service, too. Maybe that’s worth something, you know?”
“Ha.” I tell her, anxious to do what I came here for and then get back to Adam’s apartment where we are spending the night before traveling to Boston tomorrow. I already packed up my few things and they’re in boxes in my car. “Is Nataylia here? I have something I’ve been needing to return to her.”
I hold up the dress, which Adam or I have been carrying around in a plastic protective bag.
“Natalyia?” Melissa asks, looking confused again. “No. She hasn’t worked here in some time.”
“Oh,” I tell her, sad to hear that. “Well, I have her dress.”
“I’ll give you her number,” Melissa says with a shrug.
“Great,” I tell her.
“I’m going to go to the restroom,” Adam says. “I’ll meet you back here.”
As Melissa tells me Natalyia’s number, I decide to call her right now while it’s on my mind. I assume I’ll have to leave her a message for her to call me back, but to my surprise, she answers.
“Sarah Grace!” she says, when I tell her who’s calling. “I’ve been wondering how you’re doing.”
“You’ve just been wondering what happened to your dress,” I joke.
“No, no,” she says. “I really don’t need it. And if you’re back working there, you might. So, keep it!”
“I’m not back working here,” I tell her. “I just came to drop off your dress before I move away.”
“Oh, wow,” she says. “Where are you moving to?”
“To the Boston area,” I tell her. “Adam and I have gotten engaged. I’ve gotten into Harvard. We’re moving there.”
“Wow,” she says. “Wow, wow. Congratulations times three! A lot has happened to you since we met.”
“I know,” I tell her. “And maybe it’s weird that I got your number from Melissa and called you. But I wanted to return your dress. And I also felt that we were… kindred spirits of sorts.”
I feel stupid saying this, but it just comes out.
“We are,” she says, and I no longer feel as stupid. “I’ve had some big changes in my life as well. I’d love to tell you about them sometime.”
“Yes!” I tell her. “I’d love to hear all about it. I should have contacted you sooner. I feel so bad that I’m leaving town tomorrow…”
“That’s okay,” she says. “I love Boston. I used to work the Boston branch of The Exchange sometimes, and I hear that’s where the company party is going to be this year. Did you know that?”
“No,” I tell her. “But admittedly, I know little to nothing about The Exchange, except it’s randomly where I sold my virginity to the man I’m now engaged to.”
“Oh, Sarah,” Natalyia laughs. “You have the funniest sense of humor. You have to invite me to your wedding. When is it?”
“I don’t know yet,” I tell her. “When is the company party? Perhaps I could time it with that, so you can come to both and we can catch up then.”
“Oh, it’s only in a c
ouple months,” she says dismissively. “But don’t worry, I can probably come twice. I’m up there quite often and still have friends up there.”
“Okay,” I tell her, but my head is already spinning with ideas.
Adam had said he wants to get married soon…
Speaking of Adam, I see him approaching me from the back room where the bathroom is.
“Well, it was nice talking to you, and now you have my number so let’s stay in touch,” I tell her. “I have to go.”
“Yes, you have to go have fun being engaged!” Natalya says. “It was nice hearing from you.”
As I hang up, I remember how radiant and happy she looked when I saw her at Hot Cocoa, and I’m glad things are going well for her. I hadn’t gotten the chance to ask, but I suspect it has something to do with the guy she was on a date with.
I see my own guy approaching and I forget all about Natalyia, because there’s plenty of time to catch up with her in the future. And right now I just want to enjoy being engaged to Adam.
Adam
As I walk out of the bathroom, I see my fiancé’s face light up with happiness. And I can definitely say it’s mutual. I hold up a finger in her direction, suddenly getting an idea. I need to swing back to the back room and make sure Melissa can accommodate me and my idea. I’m sure she can, though, since money talks and my huge wads of money talk often talk the loudest.
A few minutes later, I’m back.
“I have a surprise for you,” I tell Sarah, taking her hand and leading her away from where she was standing, waiting to walk out the door.
“What is it?” she asks.
“Let’s just say I bought you again,” I tell her, “For old time’s sake.”
She laughs. I can tell she likes the idea.
“Last time you supposedly just bought me for oral sex,” she says. “What’s the prize this time?”
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