Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 103033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
That was the dream.
“You’re a Little, right?” he asked.
I half shrugged. “Maybe closer to Middle.”
He nodded. “So’s my Shay. He and Ivy host occasional meetups for Littles and Middles in the city. I suggest you reach out to one of them and ask when the next one is. And in the meantime…” He dug out an iPad from under a stack of documents. “Lemme play the Dom card real quick and request you add your name to the next regular munch and maybe the Game.”
Oh my God, the next Game?
I swallowed anxiously as the iPad flashed to life, and Reese clicked his way to the attendance list of said event. The munch, maybe. But the Game? They hosted one of those themed events every month, and obviously, I’d always wanted to join, but you needed a partner for that.
“You don’t have to participate, Gael,” he said pointedly. And patiently. He was being patient with me. “If it’s too much, there are options. You can be a volunteer for the event, you can team up with someone nonsexually—hell, you can go with me. You can be my sidekick and hold my paddle.”
I let out a nervous laugh and shook my head. I’d read about the next event. They’d dubbed it Mclean House Academy, and it was going to have a teacher/student theme. If Reese was going to be one of those teachers, I did not want to hold the weapon he’d use on Shay or other poor brats. They’d never like me!
“I actually want Shay to like me, Sir,” I said as respectfully as I could. “I don’t think helping you hurt him will do me any favors.”
He rumbled a low laugh. “Ever heard of a masochist?”
Right, doh, but still.
Oh, screw it. I added my name to the list. “Sign me up as a volunteer, please.” It was actually a great option because I’d have something to do. I wouldn’t just stand there in a corner and look like an idiot.
“Fair enough. And the munch…” He flipped to the next attendance list, and I dutifully added my name there too.
The munch was this Sunday, whereas the Game was the last weekend of February, so I had time to mentally prepare for the latter.
“Make sure to fill in the brunch preorder on the forum,” he said. “Ivy usually posts it two days before each munch.”
I nodded, remembering that part. I’d attended two munches last year, when I’d first become a member. The munch was hosted at Macklin’s restaurant.
“Coming in here tonight did not go as planned,” I confessed.
Reese smirked. “That’s always my goal.”
Hmpf.
Well, I’d certainly spoken more than ten words with a Dom tonight. Now I could go home and prepare for class tomorrow morning.
In the nick of time!
I ducked into the lecture hall and made my way up the stairs toward the back, and Professor Aavik entered mere seconds later. His class was incredibly popular, so I wasn’t worried he’d see me—despite I had concerns rattling in the back of my head.
That was simply me. Always worried about something.
I hadn’t always been this way…
Macklin had assured me I would be okay. So I happened to be part of the same kink community as my professor—so what? We didn’t exactly run in the same circles, on account of my having close to no friends. I’d seen him once in person, and I’d almost tripped over my own shadow.
I exhaled and flipped open my laptop as well as my notebook.
Eighty students filled most of the seats, except for the back rows where it was less crowded. From here, I could gawk in peace and soak up every word that came from Aavik’s mouth. Because talk about being qualified for the job. Aside from his past in the Navy, he’d written six books, appeared in several documentaries, and he’d taught at some of the best universities in the country.
“Good morning, everyone.” And he had the sexiest voice.
I deserved a medal for having never looked up his profile in the forum online. I’d felt that would be inappropriate, like I was invading his personal space. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t curious. I only knew he was a Dom. And he was in some way close with Macklin’s husband.
Professor Aavik did his thing; he had a routine at the beginning of each class, starting with placing his books and printouts on the desk in front of him, then bringing out a bottle of water and a banana from his briefcase, followed by hooking up his laptop to the two large screens that flanked the center podium.
He had a PowerPoint presentation for every class.
The first display read “NATO – Article 6.”
Last but not least, he brought out an old-fashioned pocket watch that he set on the table.
“Last time, I talked about the technicalities that prevented a NATO intervention in the Falklands War,” Professor Aavik began. “Today we’re going to discuss the show Reagan and Thatcher put on for the world—and what went on behind closed doors. Because as we know today, we weren’t as impartial as we vowed to be. Then we’ll have a short five-minute break before this week’s test.”