The Way To A Man’s Heart: Books 1-10

by Love, Frankie

  Me: We can talk later. Love you.

  I drop my phone in my bag as the barista calls my name and I grab my latte. “Nice nails!” she says.

  “Thanks!” I say, giving her a smile. “I did them myself.”

  “Wow. Do you have an Instagram account? I’d love to get mine done.”

  “Oh, no. I never thought of that. But thanks.”

  I leave the coffee shop feeling on top of the world. The sun is out, and after yesterday’s rainstorm, the morning sky is blue.

  I head toward campus, pulling up my schedule on my phone as I walk. Truth is, I am excited about some aspects of college… my parents getting off my back for one, and two, potentially getting a job that I really enjoy. Not that stocking shelves at the grocery store isn’t good, decent work, but it really doesn’t allow me to express myself the way I want to be able to long-term.

  My first class of the day is English Lit with Professor Perkins, and so I head to Gilcrest Hall. Once inside, I locate my classroom and line up along with the other undergraduates.

  Eventually, the door opens and we file inside to find our seats.

  I’ve just settled into my back-of-the-room chair, poised with a pen and notebook, when the professor walks in.

  But it is not just any professor.

  It’s Trent, introducing himself to the class.

  My jaw drops in utter shock.

  But I suppose at least now I know my lover’s last name.

  Chapter Five

  Trent

  I’ve never been so completely at a loss for words as I scan my classroom and see Trista sitting in the back row.

  First of all, she looks incredible. Her eyes are big and brown, her hair in a high ponytail, and her hot pink lips would look so fucking good wrapped around my cock.

  Pho-k. I can’t think like this. Not when I am supposed to be teaching.

  My second thought is what is she doing here? I never told her what I did for a living, so how did she find me?

  When I look down at the roster in my hand though, I see her name listed as one of the students.

  My students.

  This is the worst possible scenario.

  I want to say something, but I can’t — not when the rest of the lecture hall is looking at me with expectation.

  So, I force myself to look anywhere but at her. It’s difficult, but I get through my entire introduction, explaining to the class that I have been dreaming of teaching for years, that it is an honor to be here now. How it’s my dream come true.

  “Corny, I know, but it’s the truth. I hope you come to care as much as I do about literature.”

  The class goes well — and when the students file out at the end of the hour, I ask Trista to stay behind.

  When the last person has left, I lock the door and turn to her.

  She is smiling, a twinge in her adorable eyes, and in those high heels and tight pencil skirt, her legs look incredible.

  “So, you’re my teacher,” she says slowly, twirling a lock of her hair. “Are you gonna put me in detention if I misbehave?”

  My cock twitches, aching with want. For her. I beg it to calm the hell down because I have another class of students coming here in fifteen minutes.

  “I can’t believe you are here,” I tell her.

  “Me neither. It’s my first day at college.”

  “First day, ever?”

  She nods. “It’s like fate.”

  I run my hands through my hair. “Shit. I mean, we can’t… This won’t…”

  She frowns. “What’s wrong, Trent? I thought last night… We promised…”

  I shake my head, taking hold of her wrists. She sits down on my desk, and it takes all my willpower not to take her then and there. Rules be damned.

  But no. I won’t do that to her. Not like this.

  “I’m going to have to resign,” I tell her.

  “Wait, what?”

  “I can’t teach here and be with you. It’s against my contract, against the ethics of student-teacher relationships. They are forbidden.”

  “But you can’t just quit. You gave a whole talk about how much this job means to you,” Trista says.

  “I have to. I want you, Trista. Us. Don’t you?”

  She slides off the desk, shaking her head. “Not like this. Not with you sacrificing so much for me.”

  “But isn’t that what love is? A sacrifice?”

  “Love?” Her eyes widen, and I see them fill with tears.

  “Yes. Love. You feel it, same as me.”

  She shakes her head again. “No, no, Trent. I can’t let you do this.”

  And with that, she runs from the classroom. I leave the room after her, but she’s gone. She doesn’t look back.

  Trista

  I leave Trent’s classroom knowing one thing for certain: I will not let him quit his job over me.

  In the bathroom, I wipe my eyes, hating that my mascara is running, and a girl comes up to me offering tissues.

  “They’re softer than the paper towels,” she says. “I’ve learned from experience.”

  “Thank you,” I say. “I’ve had a weird morning and, well, it’s not looking like a great start to my college career.”

  “Oh gosh, I’m sorry,” she says. “I’m Brittany. I started here this fall. If you ever want to talk, or grab a coffee, I’m new in town.”

  “Oh, thanks,” I say, appreciating her kindness toward me. We pull out our phones and exchange contact info.

  “Wow, your nails are so cute. I was looking for a place in town that could do such high-end nail art but haven’t found one.”

  I explain to her that I do them myself and she tells me if I ever want more practice, she is game to be my guinea pig.

  We part ways, and I am buoyed by her positivity.

  I just don’t know what to do about Trent. Professor Trent.

  As I pass the registrar’s office though, I have an idea. One that seems to keep circling back to me… and this time, I can’t push it aside. I have too much to lose if I do.

  It feels like a sign — all of this. Trent, the compliments of everyone I see, class this morning, the registrar’s office. I know my parents weren’t pushing college on me — they have just been pushing me to do something. To take hold of my life and not let it slip past me.

  For the first time in my life, I know exactly what I want. What I what to fight pho. And who I want to fight pho.

  Smiling, I push open the door to the registrar’s office. It’s time I start fighting for me.

  Chapter Six

  Trent

  I call her — no answer.

  I text her — no answer.

  And I’m bent out of shape about it.

  I joined a CrossFit gym when I moved to town, and so I head there after class, turning off my phone because it’s stressing me the hell out that Trista won’t return my calls.

  It’s wrong to date a student… but there aren’t any rules against talking to her.

  At the gym, I do my reps alongside a few guys who seem to be buddies.

  “You doing anything tonight?” a guy named Matt asks me.

  “No, to be honest, I’m pretty exhausted.”

  “Come out to O’Malley’s,” Josh says. I learn they are both recently married and have their lives figured out. It reminds me just how much I want Trista.

  “I don’t know,” I say. “It’s been a long day.”

  “Yeah, but you’re a teacher, right? Biology?” Matt asks.

  “No, literature.”

  “Well you have to come, then,” Josh says. “It’s Tacos and Trivia Night. And everyone is going to be there.”

  “Everyone?”

  “Yeah, the guys,” Matt says. “Grady, Vance — oh, and you won’t be the only newbie. I invited that guy, Beckett, too.”

  I lift the kettle bell, grunting, thinking it over. I finish my lifts and set the ball aside, wiping sweat from my forehead. “I don’t know Beckett. But I do know trivia. And tacos? Doesn’t
sound half bad.”

  “So, you’re in?” Matt asks.

  I nod, figuring it will be a way to distract myself for a few more hours. Because constantly checking my phone feels a little insane.

  After we clean up from the workout, I head over to the bar with Matt and Josh. Their wives are meeting them there. They are friendly, asking me about myself and my job, and I appreciate the effort. I haven’t met many people since moving here. It’s hard to start over.

  I must keep checking my phone though, because Matt chuckles, asking me who the girl is.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Guys only obsessively check their phones if they are waiting to hear from a girl.”

  “It’s someone I met yesterday. And damn,” I admit, “she was everything.”

  “Like, she was the one?” Josh asks, lifting his eyes.

  “Is that possible, to know after one night?”

  Josh and Matt laugh, opening the door to O’Malley’s. “You’re asking the wrong guys. We both fell in love at first sight.”

  I run a hand over my beard. “So, I’m not crazy?”

  Josh laughs. “Oh, I didn’t say that. Falling in love is crazy — but the good kind.”

  We enter the bar, and my heart stops.

  The guys must notice where my gaze lands.

  On her. The one. My one and only.

  God, I love her.

  “You know Trista?” Matt asks.

  She is standing at the bar with a beer in her hand, talking to a woman.

  “Yeah… I do… She… Wait, how do you know her?” I ask.

  Josh smiles. “Trista is Kaden’s sister. Kaden from the gym.”

  Matt claps me on the shoulder, clearly registering my expression. “And let me guess, she’s the girl you fell in love with?”

  I nod. “Yeah, she is.”

  “So, what are you going to do about it?” he asks.

  I smirk. “I sure as hell won’t let her walk away.”

  Trista

  I’m trying to think about how I will respond to Trent — he has called and texted multiple times. But I don’t want to freak him out with my decision.

  I’m totally putting myself out there with the choice I made… and I have no idea how he might react.

  Standing with Jessa, a local baker and the woman who recently married my brother’s friend Josh, I debate filling her in on everything. But she is still telling me about the wedding cake she designed for a recent wedding and I don’t want to cut her off and start talking about myself. Besides, the cake sounds perfect… and I can’t help but think about hiring her to make my wedding cake.

  Which, sure, might be putting the cart before the horse, but I see my pho-ever with Trent… and I need to let him know that. When Jessa finishes her story, I get out my phone, pulling up his text.

  “What are you smiling about?” she asks.

  “A guy. His name is Trent.”

  “Yeah?” she smiles. “Are you like, dating?”

  “I’m not sure. But I need to see him.”

  “Like, right now?”

  I blink back tears, not expecting them to rise so suddenly. But I realize in that moment I can’t wait another minute to tell him how I feel. “I think so,” I admit. “I love him, and I can’t lose him, even if I’m scared.”

  Jessa gives me hug. “Go get your happily-ever-after,” she says. Then, smiling, she adds, “And I’ll be here to make your wedding cake whenever you need me, sweetie.”

  I laugh at her ability to read my mind. I give her one last squeeze, and then head for the back exit.

  But as I am rounding the corner, I hear a voice. His voice.

  “Trista, stop,” Trent says.

  I turn, my eyes wide. “Trent? What are you doing here? I was just leaving to go to your house.”

  He steps closer. We are in the back hallway of the bar, alone in the dark, and I just want him to press himself against me, to wrap me in his arms and tell me he loves me the way I love him.

  “I was invited by the guys I work out with to come to Tacos and Trivia Night. I thought it would be a good way to get my mind off the fact that the girl I am in love with won’t return my calls.”

  I swallow hard, my eyes filling with tears again. “You still love me?”

  He nods, taking hold of my hands. “I’ll quit my job for you. I know this is crazy — but you know what would be even crazier? Missing out on the love of a lifetime because of a job.”

  “You don’t have to quit your job for me because I already dropped out of college.”

  His eyes fill with concern. “No, Trista, you can’t—”

  I cut him off. “Actually, I can. And I did. I was even able to get a refund for my tuition since it was the first day of school.”

  “There is so much I don’t know about you, but Trista, you can’t put your dream on hold for me.”

  I smile, big and real, and I wipe the tears away. “I’m not. A university education was never my dream, Trent. But I do want to go to school.”

  “I’m trying to follow.”

  “I registered at a technical college today. I am going to get a certificate to be a nail technician.”

  He draws me closer. “Seriously?”

  I nod. “I wasn’t seeing the signs that were in front of me, and you being my professor in class this morning was what I needed to push me over the edge. I’m not cut out for a four-year education — but I do want to pursue something I am passionate about.”

  “This is more than I imagined… but why didn’t you return my calls?” he asks.

  I bite my bottom lip. “I was scared. I made this massive decision and wondered if you would think it wasn’t good enough — my dream. You are so intelligent, so educated, and I didn’t know what you might make of my dreams being so different than yours.”

  He cups my face with both his hands. His eyes lock on mine and all my worry fades. One look and I know I am his. He is mine. We are going to work.

  “I don’t need our professions to be the same to make a relationship work.”

  “I don’t either,” I say, wrapping my arms around him, kissing him with relief and hope and promise. A promise to be his.

  In the bar, we hear everyone cheering, clapping over something, and I frown.

  “I know we just confessed our love, but can we go see what is happening?”

  Trent nods, his fingers lacing with mine. We walk into the bar, standing in the back and watching from a distance as my brother, Kaden, gets down on one knee, proposing to his girlfriend, Kourtney. He met her over tacos… and I met Trent over pho… I guess our family is a bunch of foodies.

  I smile, leaning against Trent as we witness Kourtney fling her arms around my brother, accepting his proposal.

  My stomach fills with butterflies. Soon enough, Trent will be mine pho-ever too.

  Epilogue 1

  Trent

  Six months later…

  Class has just ended for the day, and I’m clearing papers off my desk when I hear a knock on the door.

  “Come in,” I call out as the old wooden door opens. I look up and see Trista carrying an umbrella.

  “It’s pouring out there, and freezing too,” she says. “I thought maybe you’d like to go to lunch with me to warm up.”

  I smile, walking toward the woman I love. We’ve been dating for six months, and each day is a gift. She makes my stuffy university world so much brighter.

  “You know what else might warm me up?” I ask, lifting a brow.

  She licks her lips. “Are you saying you might like an appetizer before the main course?”

  I walk to the door and lock it. Pull down the window shades. “I’d like to dip my spring roll in your plum sauce.”

  “Okay, that was cheesy,” Trista says with a laugh. “But I think for my starter, I’d like to get the first bite.”

  “Yeah?” I wrap my arms around her waist. “Tell me more.”

  She bites her bottom lip, then pushes me toward my desk, unbuc
kling my belt and pushing down my trousers.

  “Remember the night we met, how you said your cock would ruin me?”

  I groan as she gets on her knees, taking my thick cock in her hand, stroking me and making me solid steel.

  “I remember,” I manage to say as she swirls her tongue over my tip, licking up droplets of precome.

  “You were right. You were right about everything. I think about your cock so often it shouldn’t be legal.”

  “What do you think?” I ask her as she runs her fingers over my hot balls.

  “When I’m grocery shopping, picking out eggplant, I think about your dick filling me up. When I’m at yoga class in the happy baby pose, my knees in the air, I think about you pounding me. After, in the shower, I take the shower head and press it against myself until I come.”

  “How hard do you come, baby?” I ask her, so pho-king hard for my girl.

  “Not as hard as you’re gonna come in my mouth,” she whispers as she takes me fully. She sucks me hard, deep in her throat, her hands on my knees as she takes me.

  I moan in pleasure as she gets me off, and I know my come is gonna slide down her throat, fill her belly the way it should. She is mine — not my student, my lover — and it is my job to make sure she is pleased.

  “Oh, yes,” she whimpers as she takes me, moving her hand over my shaft, pumping my cock like a good girl.

  “I’m so close, baby,” I tell her, and she puts my dick back in her mouth, her lips tight, suctioning around me as she pumps me nice and good, until I'm coming hard in her pretty little mouth.

  She sucks me, seeming to savor every bit of come that she swallows. God, I love her.

  Then she kisses my tip, running her tongue over me for good measure. “I love it when you come in my mouth,” she tells me, standing up, holding my cock in her hand as if the weight of me grounds her.

  “I love you, Trista.”

  She winks. “Good, then take me to lunch.”