by Claire Adams
“Thanks for talking with me about this. I’ve gotten in way over my head.”
“No problem. Call if you need anything,” he said, before we parted ways.
I went home and planned to do some more cleaning up. I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do with Ally’s room yet, but an office seemed like the most logical thing. I didn’t want the room to be empty, and something needed to fill the void.
After spending time moving Ally’s bedroom furniture to the garage, I popped a TV dinner into the oven and flipped on the television. It was then that I realized my phone had been on vibrate. I found it in Ally’s room and noticed I had a couple of texts.
They were from Tessa, but I wasn’t in a texting mood—I wanted to hear her voice. I knew it was completely uncool and out of fashion for anyone to actually talk on the phone, but I needed that connection with her.
“Hi,” she answered. “Everything okay?”
I laughed at the hesitation in her voice.
“Yes, but I wanted to hear your voice instead of just reading messages. How was the rest of your day?” I asked, doing my best to make small talk.
“Good. Hectic and crazy, but good. You?”
I quickly told her about my lunch with Jake. I didn’t tell her about my hesitation in pursuing a relationship with her, though.
“What are you doing right now?” I asked her. She sounded a little out of breath.
“Putting away laundry. Fun stuff on a Friday night,” she laughed.
“Sounds like quite an effort. I thought maybe it was hearing my voice that had you panting and out of breath,” I teased.
“That certainly didn’t help,” she said, lowering her voice. “I feel like I’m in heat whenever I’m around you.”
There it was. That familiar sensation, a combination of lust and need. With a few words, she managed to turn me on in a way I’d never quite experienced before. It wasn’t the words; it was the woman who spoke them.
“I can understand the feeling. I’ve been hard for days. My balls are so blue I worry they’ll fall off,” I lamented.
She laughed, deep and throaty. “I’d like to see that. Not them falling off, but the balls and other parts.”
I had to unbutton my jeans. It was downright painful not to, especially with the way I was sitting. The moment my cock sprang free, I breathed a sigh of relief. She heard it.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing. I had to undo my pants, I just couldn’t take it anymore,” I told her in a low voice.
“I wish I was there to see that,” she breathed.
“What would you do?” I meant it as a joke—kind of. Phone sex wasn’t my thing, but at the moment, it felt very much like my thing.
She released a long breath. “I would gently pull your cock out of those briefs I know you’re wearing. Then I’d have to taste you. I want to know what it feels like to have you in my mouth. A few slow licks up and down your length at first, and then my tongue would circle around the head, slow and soft. Once I had your full attention, I would give you the best blowjob of your life.”
I moaned. I thought about finishing what she started with my hand, but she stopped me. “Don’t do it,” she said, in a firm voice. “That raging erection you’re sporting right now. That’s for me. I want every bit of it. I deserve all of it.”
“Tessa,” I groaned, engorged to the point one touch from her would have me exploding.
“I have to go!” she said, and abruptly ended the call.
I sat there, looking at the phone, wondering what the hell had just happened. Did I go too far? I replayed the conversation. It wasn’t me. That was all her. Maybe it had embarrassed her. I called her to tell her it was okay, but she sent me to voicemail.
That was weird. Instead of dwelling on it, I decided to go to bed. I wanted to get up early tomorrow and head to the beach. I loved the beach first thing in the morning before everyone else arrived. It would give me time to think and decide whether or not I should continue whatever this was I was doing with Tessa.
Chapter 28
Tessa
“Are you up?” my mother’s sing-song voice practically cut through my flimsy bedroom door. We definitely needed better doors.
“No,” I mumbled.
She laughed. “You answered me, so yes you are. Come on. I want to go get breakfast at that place you told me about. You remember? The one you said had the world’s best French toast?”
My eyes popped open. Oh, God. Saturday morning at Ian’s diner. That could be risky. Hopefully, I could stall, and he would be gone by the time we got there. There was no way I could deny my mother.
“Fine. Give me ten minutes,” I grumbled.
“I have your coffee ready, dear. Don’t be long,” she said, her voice trailing down the hall, back to the kitchen.
I groaned, rolled out of bed and headed for a quick shower. Her surprise visit was great, I supposed, but she nearly walked in on a very embarrassing situation. Ian had called right back, but I had to decline the call. I thought about texting him and letting him know what the situation was but never got to it. My mom kept me up late last night, wanting to talk. And now she was pulling my ass out of bed way too early.
Once I was fortified with a cup of coffee, we headed for the beach first.
“I can see why you come here,” my mom said, sitting beside me in my favorite place for peace and reflection.
“It’s nice,” I replied. This wasn’t a place I liked to share with anyone, but I knew it would make my mom feel better knowing I had somewhere like this to go.
“How are you really doing?” she asked.
I smiled. “Actually, very well. After my trip home, things have been pretty good.”
I couldn’t exactly tell her about Ian or the fact that he was my reason for doing better. I wished I could. I wanted to share it with her, but I knew it would only stress her out and earn me a serious lecture. For now, I would keep it for myself. It could turn out to be a fling, and that is certainly not information my mother needed.
“Ready to get some of the best French toast in the world?” I asked her.
“It’s about time. I thought I would starve to death before you fed me,” she laughed.
When we pulled off the street to park, I scanned the area, praying Ian wouldn’t be at the diner. The coast was clear. When we headed in, my heart dropped. There was that familiar head again. If I pretended not to see him, he would know and take it as a message I didn’t want to keep up our little thing.
He turned to wave at the waitress, and our eyes met. He appeared shocked at first before I saw the hurt wash over him. He thought I hung up on him and was dodging his calls. I was, but not for the reasons he thought.
“Mom, I’d like you to meet Professor Dunlap,” I said, walking towards him.
He stood and waited for us to reach him. “Good morning,” he said, in his most professional demeanor.
“Professor Dunlap, this is my mom, Lynn. She flew in to surprise me last night,” I said with a smile. I saw the instant realization dawned on him. “Mom, this is the professor I work for as a teaching assistant.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said, extending his hand.
“This is your boss?” my mom asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, I guess, technically he is my boss,” I clarified.
I looked at Ian who was fighting back a smirk. I could only imagine what he was thinking, and it would definitely not be appropriate for my mother to know.
“Well, thank you. Are you dining alone?” my mom asked.
My eyes widened, knowing exactly where this was going. “Mom, I’m sure the professor would prefer to eat in peace. He doesn’t need a couple of chatty woman bothering him.”
“Please, have a seat. I’d love the company,” he said with a smile, winking at me before I slid into the booth with my mother.
This was going to be awkward. We sat down, ordered, and waited for our food. I felt the need to fill the silence.
“So, yesterday, was crazy,” I started. “One of the students in my last class of the day has diabetes. His sugars spiked. He was acting strange and then he just keeled over. The professor called 911. Paramedics came, and, well, it was definitely a crazy day.”
“Wow,” Ian said. “I hadn’t heard.”
“That poor young man,” my mother added.
“The paramedics assured us he would be fine,” I said.
When our food arrived, I sighed in relief. Something to fill the gap. We didn’t have to talk if we were eating.
My mother dove into her food, making sounds of pleasure, which only made the tension between Ian and me worse.
“Tessa, you were right. This is absolutely fabulous. I have to get the recipe,” she said, barely able to speak around the food in her mouth.
I laughed. “Please do, and then you can make it for me when I come to visit.”
We finished our meals, and I nearly kissed Ian when he excused himself, claiming he had to meet his brother. He had extricated himself, which would make my day a lot easier. I knew my mom would have invited him to tag along.
“Want to walk around the island?” I asked her.
“Yes, that would be lovely. That meal was delicious, but I think I feel arteries clogging and cellulite forming. We need to work it off right away,” she joked.
I showed her around the island, stopping to take a few pictures of each other and even a few shots together. After Talia’s death, we realized how important every single picture was. You could never have enough pictures.
“I can see why you love it here,” my mom said as we sat on a bench staring out at the sea.
“I do. I love it. I don’t love the threat of hurricanes, but the other three hundred and fifty days of the year it is idyllic,” I said with a smile.
“Your boss, he seems nice,” she started; I knew she was hinting at something.
“He’s only my boss, Mom,” I assured her.
She nodded but didn’t say more about it.
“Hungry yet?” I asked her.
Her eyes got big and round. “Are you serious? Tessa, it’s only been a few hours since breakfast!”
I shrugged. “Yeah, but when you’re here, you have to try key lime pie on a stick.”
“How is that even possible?” she asked, clearly intrigued.
I laughed. “I’ll show you. Come on,” I said, heading for one of the many shops around the area that sold the scrumptious dessert.
We ordered, and my mom looked at the dessert with a little hesitancy. “Trust me, you’ll love it,” I promised her, taking a bite of my own.
She nibbled it at first and then nodded her head. “This is absolutely divine. What a clever idea!” she said, turning the sweet treat around to get a better look at it.
I nodded. “The first time I had one I was a little hesitant but was quickly sold on the idea.”
We continued to stroll around Key West, acting like many of the other tourists who had flocked to the area. My mom was in awe of the sights, sounds, and of course, the people from all walks of life who came to visit the place.
“How about we go back to my house, change, and come back down here later this evening? On a Saturday night, you’ll find a ton of vendors and musicians, and the nightlife is exciting. I really want you to see the sunset. It is probably the most beautiful sight you will ever see,” I told her, suddenly excited to share the experience with her.
“I’d love that. Are you sure you don’t have any plans? A hot date or something?” she asked.
“Nope. Maria probably has plans with her boyfriend. My big plans included studying and a Netflix marathon,” I told her. “I want to. Really.”
“Okay, sounds like a date. I’d like to go by that dress shop we passed earlier. I want some of those pretty sundresses you always wear,” she said, as we headed back to my car.
We stopped so she could pick up a few dresses. It had been a long time since I got to spend time with my mom doing normal things we used to. Talia was always a presence in our conversations, but we didn’t dwell on it. I couldn’t wait to tell Ian all about my day with my mom. I knew he would be happy that I was getting this time with her.
“You ready?” I asked my mom through the closed bathroom door. She had showered and was changing into one of her new dresses, which gave me a few minutes of privacy.
I called Ian. “Hi,” I said when he answered. “I only have a minute,” I whispered. “I wanted to apologize for hanging up on you. As you saw earlier, my mom popped in for a surprise visit.”
“I’m glad, and don’t be sorry. Just have fun with your mom,” he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice.
“You have plans tonight?” I asked, only a little worried he may be heading out with Jake or one of his friends. I had popped his new virgin cherry and couldn’t help but wonder if he was ready to get back in the saddle again—without me.
He chuckled. “Nope, I’m staying in. I’ll talk to you tomorrow or see you in class on Monday. Okay?”
I sighed. “Okay. Bye.”
We hung up, and I stared at the phone. He was being very formal, unlike our last conversation. Maybe he got what he wanted and decided the risk to be with me in any way was too much. He was probably right, and I should accept it, but it stung.
“What do you think?” my mom said, coming out of the bathroom and twirling around in her new dress.
“It’s beautiful. You look like a local,” I told her.
She laughed. “I really like this style. It is very comfortable. No wonder you like to wear these all the time.”
I looked at her, making myself ask the question. “Mom, are you sure everything’s okay? I’m glad you came for a visit, but it isn’t really like you.”
She walked towards me and took my hands in hers. “Are you upset that I showed up unannounced?”
“No! Definitely not. I am glad you’re here, but you would tell me if something was bothering you, right?”
“Of course, dear. Everything is fine. I’ve been wanting to make it down here for some time and figured what the heck, let’s go, and here I am,” she said, with a genuine smile.
I nodded and hugged her. “Good. I’m glad you did, and I’m even happier to know everything is okay. You ready for our big night out?”
“I am, so let’s get out there before we miss anything!”
It was a night I will cherish forever. As was typical when you were enjoying yourself, it went by too fast.
Standing at the gate of the small airport, I waved goodbye to my mom on Sunday morning, and I missed her already. The visit had taken me by surprise, and I was ashamed that I’d felt a little put out at first. Now, it was back to the real world and the mess I’d created for myself by sleeping with a professor.
Chapter 29
Ian
The pounding of my feet hitting the pavement is soothing, and is a feeling I have missed. After spending the day yesterday trying to figure out whether to make the spare room an office or a gym, I decided to go with the latter. I wanted to get back in shape. Being with a young, beautiful woman had a way of reminding me of my softer bits that I wanted to firm up. I could feel young again mentally and physically. Both were going to require a lot of effort, but I was looking forward to the challenge.
I had put on one of my favorite playlists. The mixture of country rock with a little Maroon 5 for good measure kept my energy up as the sweat started to trickle down my back. My heart was pumping, and I could feel muscles waking up that had been dormant for far too long.
It felt amazing. I was sure I would be sore as hell in the morning, but it would be a good pain. I knew not to overdo it my first day out, and slowed my pace to an easier gait, allowing my heart rate to gradually drop.
Florida Georgia Line was pumping through my earbuds when they were abruptly cut off by an incoming text message. I slowed to a walk and pulled the phone out of my armband and checked the screen.
Lord, have mercy!
It was a picture from Tessa and was nothing more than a pair of black lace crotchless panties. My heart tumbled over a few times, making me seriously concerned for my health. I could very well have a heart attack right here on the street.
I glanced around, checking to see if anyone was watching me before immediately pushing the call button.
She answered the first ring. “Hello?” she said, in a perfectly innocent tone.
“You need to be at my house, now,” I said, leaving no room for argument.
She was giggling. I was rock hard, and she was laughing. Women had no idea how powerful they were. Or maybe they did. She had to know.
“Now, Tessa,” I demanded.
She stopped laughing. “I need to change, and I’ll be right over.”
“You better be wearing those,” I said, before ending the call.
I was in my own neighborhood, so it didn’t take me long to get back home. I quickly did some cool down stretches before jumping in the shower. It took less than ten minutes to clean up. I didn’t want to risk not hearing her at the door.
Pacing the living room, I waited for her to get her ass to my house. She was taking her sweet time it seemed. I picked up my phone, ready to call her and find out what was taking so long, when I heard a car outside. I pulled open the blinds and saw her coming up the walk wearing a pink dress. My passion was ignited. I yanked open the front door and pulled her in, not giving her the chance to knock or talk. I had waited too long. Niceties would have to come later. I had to have her right then and there.
***
“Are you hungry?” I asked her, sitting up and looking for my clothes.
She rolled over and stretched, revealing the full length of her beautiful, naked body. I had to admire it for a second before I looked away.
“I am. Are you going to make me breakfast?” she asked, sitting on the floor next to me.
I felt a little guilty that I had taken her right there in the entryway of my house, but I couldn’t stop myself. I stood, pulling on my briefs and picking up my jeans and the t-shirt that had been tossed on the couch. I left the shirt hanging there.
