Educated

by Gray Gardner

  “You told me that your roommates were abroad,” Mait offered, watching her cheeks color slightly. Anger? Shame? He couldn’t be sure. She was feeling some emotion strongly, though.

  Shaking her head, she looked down at the hardwood floor. “I don’t… I don’t have roommates,” she admitted.

  “And?” he leadingly asked.

  “And nothing. I’m sorry I lied to you, I really am, but I hardly knew you at the time and it isn’t smart to let big bad men know that you live alone…”

  “There is something else, and you know it,” he said, looking down at her.

  She shifted from foot to foot and wondered how he could cut her down to size with that stern look.

  “Okay, Jesus. I own it. Is that what you want to hear from me? I bought the house.”

  “Thank you,” he nodded, reaching out for her little squirming body and pressing her into his chest. “I just wanted honesty from you. That’s all.”

  “Oh, is that all?” she huffed, pushing off of that delicious chest.

  “What?” He smirked, loving the definitive angry look.

  “What,” she mocked, raising an eyebrow. “Oh please. Oh fucking please.”

  “I don’t...” he began, wondering how she’d managed to turn the tables on him.

  “I practically handed you an in back there in the bedroom. I lobbed one right over the plate, damn it! I… mistakenly…. told you that I loved you, and your chicken shit ass basically told me that we’re going to be life-long pals!”

  “Mary,” he whispered in a choked voice. He couldn’t lose her. She was so upset and he couldn’t lose her.

  “Just promise you’ll never leave me,” she frowned, using a deep voice to mock him. “Bravo. Really, Mait, it’s what every girl is dying to hear.”

  “I do love you!” he shouted, catching them both by surprise. He hadn’t meant to yell at her, but his fear of losing her took over his vocal chords.

  “Don’t try and spare my feelings,” she said, uncertainty laced into each word. Had he meant it? Had he even ever said it?

  “If love is thinking about you all the fucking time, and, and imagining what you’re doing and how you look and who is talking to you and… desperately hoping that you’re doing the exact same thing in respect to me… then yes, Mary Madeline. Yes. I love you.”

  She breathed loudly for a moment, something he’d learned she did when she was gathering her thoughts. “That… that was pretty good,” she whispered, smiling and running a finger under her eyes. He was eloquent and honest. Yeah, she loved him. She melted into his open arms and moaned in delight as he held her tightly.

  “Sorry, but this chicken shit ass doesn’t want to just be your pal,” he softly said, loving the little laugh he got out of her.

  “I’m glad we’re being honest with one another,” she sighed, rolling back into the bed after he pulled her back into the bedroom.

  “I can’t believe you own a house on Roosevelt,” he grinned, shaking his head. Those were million dollar homes. At least. Sure, it didn’t touch his multi-million dollar condo, but still… she had never let on that she was a rich bitch like the other young women at the school. Well, she wasn’t a bitch of course, but the terminology was up to date with the common vernacular of his 20-year-old students.

  “It was an investment opportunity,” she shrugged, knowing that she’d sell it after graduation and make a killing.

  “Bad investment,” he sighed, shaking his head as he grabbed the remote to a television mounted in the corner of the room.

  “Property is the best investment, actually,” she smirked, shaking her head.

  “No, I meant that you aren’t going to see any return on that place for a long, long, time.”

  “How’s that?” she asked, knowing that she could smell out a good investment anywhere, be it property, the stock market, or arrogant East Coast men.

  “Because I’m moving in with you after you graduate, kitten.”

  She couldn’t help it. Her mouth fell open as she looked at him. He flippantly put on Sports Center and ignored her alarm. He could hardly drop to one knee and beg, even though every instinct was telling him to do so. They needed time and they had it. He just needed to convince her of that. “Easy. There’s no rush. But that is where this is headed,” he grinned stretching and loving the way her eyes trailed over his chest. “Tomorrow or the day after you graduate, kitten… we will live together like a normal couple.”

  She huffed and frowned at him. “Okay, stallion, first of all, what the hell do you know about normal?”

  “That’s relative…”

  “And, secondly, Your Professor-ness, thanks for the promise of moving in with me tomorrow, but don’t write checks you can’t cash. I’m not some dumb rich bitch.”

  “I never…” he frowned, but she cut him off with a smirk and a hand in his face. “Please don’t insult me. You’d get fired in a second.”

  He exhaled and licked his lips, finally nodding at her. He did want to move in with her immediately, but they both knew it couldn’t happen so soon. And it was her astute nature that drew her to him anyway… and those adorable looks on her face that displayed every emotion… and her cute little ass. “Can we make a promise to each other?” he quietly asked, taking her chin and looking into her blue eyes.

  “I’m good at promises,” she sighed quietly, relieved and relaxed, loving that the look in his eyes was so sincere.

  “Then we’re promised. You move some stuff over here and stay on nights when you don’t have an early class the next day. I’ll stay at your place the other nights.”

  “What about your schedule?”

  He pushed up on an elbow and grinned down at her. “Love knows no schedule.”

  “Poetic,” she smirked, liking that he was making such an effort. Then she sighed. “It’s going to be hard.”

  That arrogant, confident smile was all the reassurance she needed. He was totally serious. Relaxing, for the first time in maybe years, she snuggled up under his arm.

  “You’re worth it,” he softly said.

  Look for more in "Continuing Education," coming soon!

  Gray Gardner

  About Gray:

  Married? Yes

  Babies? Yes

  Cat? Yes

  Anyone else? No, we have a full house!

  As someone who has been writing since she could wield a crayon, I never in my wildest dreams thought I could be published. Additionally, as a lover of fantasy fiction I never even considered writing cowboy erotica. But, as they say, write what you know. I know sex (I’ve been married 8 years, you have to get creative!) and I know cowboys (I grew up on a ranch.)

  Email her here:

  kgraygardner@gmail.com

  Don't miss these exciting titles by Gray Gardner and Blushing Books!

  The Weston Front, Go West Book 1

  Weston's Union, Go West

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