Mistletoe Kisses: A teacher/student romance

by Mariano, Sam

  She tries to look down again, but I won’t let her lower her chin, so only her eyes can escape me. Keeping them down while she admits her dirty secret, she says, “I… When Percy started talking to me in class, I had a feeling it pissed you off.”

  “It did,” I offer dryly.

  “And then I had this mental image flash to mind of you bending me over your knee and… spanking me. And it was so hot, and I got really turned on picturing it, but in my fantasy, you pulled up my skirt and spanked my bare ass. So I took off the tights, just in case.”

  I blink at her. She half-undressed in the car before she came in… just in case I wanted to spank her naughty little ass.

  When I don’t speak, she adds, “So they wouldn’t be in the way.”

  The corners of my mouth tug upward. “Yeah, I got it.”

  Dropping her gaze again, she says, “That was really embarrassing to admit.”

  “Embarrassing is not the word I was thinking,” I tell her, my fingers moving tenderly along her jaw.

  Her gaze locking with mine, Noelle lifts her smaller, softer hand and curls it around mine. She doesn’t move my hand away or even press it closer to her face, she simply hangs onto me. For the first time, I really get a glimpse at some of the hopeless infatuation I feel for her reflected back at me.

  “I wish I could stay longer,” she says softly.

  “It’s probably better that you don’t.”

  There’s yearning in her gaze, undiminished by my words, but she nods anyway. “You’re probably right.”

  I am right, no probably about it. I know in the depths of my soul I need to get away from her and catch my breath before I see her again, but she sounds so disappointed, before I can stop myself, I’m asking, “Are you free tomorrow?”

  Regret touches her delicate features and she shakes her head. “I blew off a lot of homework and studying tonight so I could work on the insane assignment you gave me today. I’ll need to play catch-up tomorrow.”

  “You shouldn’t have done that,” I murmur, bringing my other hand up to tuck her hair behind her ear. “That assignment is for after your school assignments are already done.”

  “I know, but I was inspired,” she mutters, her hands absently squeezing mine. “I’ve been turned on all day, it’s been terribly uncomfortable.”

  It’s such a prim complaint, I could almost laugh at her. I don’t want to hurt her feelings though, so I restrain myself and settle with a small smile. “We’ll see each other Thursday, then.”

  “Thursday is so many days away,” she complains.

  I like the admission inherent in her words that she’s eager to see more of me, despite what a bastard I can be sometimes. To remind her, I say, “Well, if the wait starts to feel too long, you can get started on your extra credit.”

  Noelle rolls her eyes indulgently, a small smile touching her lips. “I told you, I already did it tonight.”

  “Not that one. That’s your regular assignment. If you want extra credit, you’ll have to write about me spanking you.”

  “Oh.” A little more spirited, she looks up at me and says, “I still think that’s crazy. I mean, no one’s going to go through my laptop so we’re safe as long as it’s on there, but I don’t even know how to get you these naughty writing assignments. I can’t put them in your school dropbox. I’m afraid to print them at my house in case the paper gets jammed—sometimes once you fix it, the printer spits out the page it was printing before the jam, and all I need is for that to happen and then someone else finds it. I can’t email it to you—again, paper trail.”

  I can’t help smiling at her earnestness in trying to cover my tracks. “Listen to you. Paper trail,” I say, rolling my eyes.

  Her eyebrows rise with no small amount of attitude. “Well, excuse me for looking out for your job. One of us has to do it—doesn’t seem like it’s gonna be you.”

  Moving my hand behind her back and ushering her away from the cold brick and toward the stairs down off my porch, I tell her, “You just do the work, I’ll worry about getting it discreetly.”

  Glancing back over her shoulder before she starts down the steps, she asks, “What about your sister? I’m not sure she totally believed me.”

  It’s cute that she thinks there’s even a chance Carla believed her. “Don’t worry about that, either. I can handle my sister.”

  Despite that claim, once I get Noelle in her car and on her way home, I dread going back inside the house. This has all happened rather fast—much faster than I imagined it would—and while Noelle is young and more easily satisfied with less explanation as to my motives or concerns, my sister won’t be. Noelle assumes I know what I’m doing. Carla will think I’m being impetuous, and she’s not entirely wrong.

  I’m no more than through the front door and Carla is up off the couch, crossing the living room like there’s a fire on the other side.

  “Have you lost your fucking mind, Cal? You’re dating a student? One of your students, I assume?”

  “I don’t want to talk about this,” I tell her, shaking my head.

  “I don’t care,” she says with wide-eyed disbelief. “What could you possibly be thinking?”

  “That I like her,” I say simply, meeting Carla’s gaze. “This is none of your business, and we don’t need to talk about it.”

  Ignoring the latter half of what I said, she goes on. “You like her more than your job? More than your reputation? Because she’s gonna cost you both. Hell, maybe more than that. Is she really legal, or was that a lie, too?”

  “No, that wasn’t a lie. She turned 18 a couple months ago.”

  Carla shakes her head, looking at me in disbelief. “You’re a decade older than her, Cal. She’s too young for you, and your student. You have to end this now, before you get caught.”

  I can’t. I don’t let the words slip past my lips because they’d do more to prove Carla right than wrong.

  I’ve been doing my best to ignore this attraction since shortly after the school year began. I hadn’t even noticed Noelle the first couple of weeks; she was just another face in the crowd. Obviously, I don’t check out my students, and I’m not open to thinking about any of them that way. It was never a struggle before Noelle.

  Sure, there are attractive senior girls in every class, and much of the time they come strutting in at the peak of their physical attractiveness, hair and makeup helping them look older than they are, dressed in the shortest skirts they can get away with, treating the dress code like a challenge and doing their best to sex themselves up despite it. I’ve had more than a few of the bolder ones attempt to express their interest in me, too, and I’ve always been amused by it, but never tempted. I knew the trouble they were looking for, and I didn’t want any part of it.

  Noelle never did any of that. She’s not glued to her phone, taking selfies and checking herself out before class starts; she’s too busy actually preparing for class so she can learn something. She’s not bending over in her too-short skirt and glancing back to see if I noticed; she’s anxiously pulling at the sleeves of her sweater, trying to hide herself from view. She never made an openly suggestive comment about how she might be interested in extra credit if I had any to offer; she tried to hide from me in plain sight, like she knew the havoc that would be unleashed if I noticed her.

  She’s just different. I can’t even explain why. There’s something about her that draws me in, and I’m greedy for it. I want it all to myself and I don’t want her giving any to anyone else.

  I probably should have controlled myself better. When Percy Bennett asked her out, I shouldn’t have given in to my baser urges and snatched her away. If she wanted to waste her time with him or anyone else in her grade, I should have let her.

  Trying to lower her voice and approach this more calmly, Carla says, “She seems like a nice girl. If you let her down gently and maybe just explain all you stand to lose, hopefully she won’t be vengeful. How far has it gone? I mean, obviously…” She trails off, gl
ancing toward my driveway.

  I know I don’t have to answer her, but the rational part of me is interested in hearing the opinion of a sane adult who isn’t as invested as I am. I’ve told myself I’ve gone too far to turn back now, but maybe that’s just an excuse to go farther. “That’s as far as it’s gone.”

  Carla nods like that’s a relief. “Okay. Good. Well, oral sex is obviously still way over the line of appropriate behavior, but it could be worse. How long has this been going on?”

  Sinking back and leaning against the wall, I murmur, “It’s new.”

  “That’s good, too,” she says, gaining steam. “So, you just made a mistake, that’s all. I mean, it’s a really bad mistake and I can’t believe you did something this reckless, but there’s no sense dwelling on that. We need to get you out of this before someone finds out, though, Cal. You’ll lose everything you’ve ever worked for.”

  I look up at my sister soberly. I can’t rationalize the certainty of my sentiment, so I don’t bother telling her that if I give up Noelle, I might be losing something worth much more.

  Chapter Eight

  Noelle

  Tonight I’m going to lose my virginity.

  Well, probably. I guess I can’t say for sure, but I’m going to try my damndest. After lying in my bed alone for three long nights, aching with arousal and twisting myself up in the sheets as I thought about Cal, I made my decision.

  There’s no point wasting time not having sex with the insanely sexy Callan McLaren when I could instead spend that time totally having sex with him instead.

  I want it. He wants it. We’re doing this. Nothing is getting in my way.

  My brain tells me there are a lot of reasons to be more cautious than this, but my libido isn’t interested in any of them.

  I got up extra early this morning so I could shave, file, exfoliate and slather lotion on every single part of my body until I felt my prettiest and sexiest. I applied a fresh coat of red nail polish, brushed and flossed my teeth, and spent extra time styling my hair and doing my makeup.

  On one hand, I wish I didn’t have to wear my school uniform when I could wear something sexier, but on the other hand, Mr. McLaren clearly doesn’t mind my schoolgirl uniform since he started liking me when he only ever saw me in it. Maybe he even likes my uniform more than I know, so I should wear it for him.

  Given my planned afterschool activities today, I pair a push-up bra with my sexiest button-down and make sure to leave the top couple buttons undone. I’ll wear a cardigan over it so I can tone it down during the school day, but as soon as the last student files out of Cal’s classroom, I’m going to peel it off and give him a little peek at what lies in store for him this evening.

  I always thought I’d feel tense and nervous when I finally decided to lose my virginity, but I don’t feel any of that. I’m excited. It’s exciting.

  He’s exciting.

  I can’t think about him without my tummy fluttering, and I’m so smitten, I find myself smiling all day long. Reliving the pleasure he brought me when he pinned me to my car and buried his face between my thighs. Sex with him will be great, I just know it.

  Before I go to Cal’s house, I stop in at the mall. Our paychecks came in a day early and I’d like to get mine in the bank so I can do some shopping tomorrow. While I’m waiting for my check, I see Marcie flirting with one of the male elves. He’s older than her, tall and buff. She’s dangling a sprig of mistletoe over her head teasingly as if trying to entice a kiss.

  “All right, enough,” the manager says as he snatches the mistletoe out of her hand and rolls his eyes. “You two get back to work.”

  He comes over with a stack of paychecks all in white envelopes, grabbing one off the top and handing it to me. “Here you go, Noelle.”

  I look down at the envelope with my name and address on it. “Thanks, Joe.”

  He nods before walking off, but my gaze catches on the sprig of mistletoe Marcie was playing with. It’s lying next to a few candy canes, and the sight of them reminds me of the day Cal first initiated this private lesson excuse to see me, when he teasingly told me to bring a candy cane.

  I picture licking it when he wants me to be licking him, torturing him until he wants me so much, he won’t be able to restrain himself.

  I flick a quick glance to make sure no one is watching, then I snatch a candy cane and flee Santa’s workshop.

  * * *

  It’s still daylight when I get to Cal’s house. The garage door is open this time, even though Cal’s car is parked in the driveway. I ease forward slowly, but just before I turn off my car, I see Cal on the porch, motioning toward the garage. It looks like he’s mouthing “Pull in” so I flash him a smile and a nod, then I ease forward until my car is parked inside.

  As I’m gathering my purse, phone, and the bottled water I brought with me, Cal clicks the garage door opener on the wall and the door begins its noisy descent.

  “Good call,” I tell him as I climb out of my car. “Just in case anyone drives by while I’m here. I’ll make sure to park in here every time I drive here from now on.”

  He doesn’t say anything, just steps back inside to make room for me, then closes the door behind him.

  This is a different entry into his house, so I find myself looking around. There’s a small bathroom and a laundry room off this short hall behind his kitchen. My attention catches and lingers on Cal himself, though. Something looks off; he almost looks a little sad.

  The idea that he might be sad lodges in my gut for several reasons. I don’t know why he would be sad, for one, but it seems like the majority of the possible reasons my mind spawns on the spot involve me. I haven’t really had a chance to talk to him since I left him here with his sister the other night. We’ve seen each other in class, of course, and he’s been distant, sure, but I didn’t think anything of it. I’m not an idiot; I know he can’t openly pay extra attention to me in class or people would get suspicious.

  I reach out, absently placing a hand on his shoulder and giving him a little rub. “Is everything okay?”

  His nod feels a touch noncommittal and he doesn’t offer any verbal reassurance.

  Unconvinced, I frown. “Are you sure?”

  Rather than answer me again, he turns his attention to peeling off my coat. I try to shove away my concerns about his mood—no point spoiling our night together overthinking it. If something is wrong, then I’ll find out sooner or later.

  For now, I’m going to believe everything is okay. After all, I’m here with Cal on a cozy December evening, and if all goes according to plan, we’ll spend a good portion of this night cuddled up naked together in his bed.

  If that’s not a reason to smile, I don’t know what is.

  “Are you hungry?” Cal asks as he walks away with my coat.

  “Mm, I sure am,” I answer, lingering in the kitchen. “Are we going to make dinner again tonight?”

  Cal walks back in. “Maybe if you survive your lesson.”

  He sounds a little more enthused at the mention of our lesson. I wasn’t sure we were even going to keep up that farce. Obviously he never really invited me over here because he thought I needed help.

  Just in case he doesn’t know I figured that out, I ask, “You still wanna do that?”

  “We have to find out what happens next in the book, don’t we?”

  I shrug, following him down the hall. I don’t mind at all, I just figured we could move on to the date portion of this evening now that he’s had his mouth on my most intimate parts.

  A sense of happiness steals over me as he brings me into his bedroom again. I’m less interested in the desk tonight and much more interested in the bed. Since we’re in lesson mode, I up the demureness and look over at him.

  “May I make a request, Sir?”

  Pleasure dances in his eyes and he offers a brusque nod.

  Eyes dancing with playful mischief, I ask, “Can we have the lesson on the bed instead of at your desk? I’ll still
read to you, I’ll just be a little more comfortable that way.”

  “Perhaps,” he says evenly. “What will you do for me if I do that for you?”

  Feeling a little brazen given my plans for the evening, I hold his gaze and offer back, “Anything you want me to do.”

  Just saying those words to him causes my arousal to stir, and I can see from the hard look in his darkening eyes, he feels the same way.

  Now that we’re alone, I bend to put my purse on the ground, then I begin to unbutton the navy-colored cardigan I wore during the school day. Cal’s gaze follows my fingers as they work the small buttons up top, slowly revealing the swell of cleavage underneath.

  I only make it to the third button, then Cal suddenly moves in front of me. He towers over me and sends a shiver down my spine, but he’s not looking at my face to see my reaction. His gaze is locked on my breasts, his mission to get to them so single-minded, he grabs my sweater and rips it open the rest of the way.

  I gasp, half expecting to see buttons flying, but my sweater seems to have survived the ordeal. I’m not sure, I don’t have time to check. Once he has me unbuttoned, he spins me around, pulling me back against him, and runs his hands from my shoulders down my arms before locking one arm around me, squeezing my breasts as he holds me tightly against him.

  “I can’t fuck you, Noelle,” he states, as if he can see my hopes for the evening in what I’m wearing.

  He probably can, so I don’t bother denying it.

  “Why not?” I ask softly, my tummy fluttering as I feel the heat radiating off his body and seeping into mine.

  “It wouldn’t be right.”

  I almost think he’s joking about his reason, so I glance back at him. “What do you care about that?”

  With deliberate tenderness and an almost pained look on his face, like it hurts to hold back, he reminds me, “You’re a virgin.”

  “For now,” I agree. “I won’t be forever. Someone has to be my first, why not you?”