Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 90899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
“No sex eyes in front of the students,” she mutters out of the side of her mouth, making me grin before forcing my attention back to the stage.
“Can’t help it,” I mutter back. “You’re a snack in that sundress, woman.”
She squeezes my hand again with a happy smile, sending a wave of gratitude rushing through me. It’s so easy with her. So easy to make her happy, so easy to feel at home and at peace while still wanting to ravage my girl every chance I get.
Especially this afternoon…
She looks stunning in a pale blue-and-white striped sundress that matches the spring sky outside, her hair swept up in an updo that shows off her elegant neck. Paired with the sapphire tennis bracelet I got her as a twenty-fifth birthday present, she looks effortlessly classy, like she belongs in this prestigious hall or anywhere else in the city she wants to be.
I know her friends were surprised by how quickly their “shy little Maya” assimilated to city life, but I wasn’t. Maya can hang back in unfamiliar situations, until she feels comfortable, but at her core, she’s a lion. She’s brave and bold and always ready for a challenge.
And I really hope she’s up for the next challenge I’d like to throw her way…
With my free hand, I touch the ring in my suit vest pocket, assuring myself the vintage diamond is still where I put it this morning. It probably would have been safer in its box, but on this unseasonably hot May afternoon it’s too warm for a jacket, and none of my other pockets were large enough to hide the box without making a noticeable lump.
And I want this to be a surprise. I booked a table at the cat café where we first went with Pudge in December, and the pet sitter is transporting Pudge up there an hour before we arrive, so he can get ready to play his part. As soon as we reach the café, I’m going to pass the ring to Penny, our favorite waiter, who will place it in a locket around Pudge’s neck.
I think Maya will be happy that I included our fur baby in the big moment. Pudge is part of our family, after all…a family I hope will grow even bigger in the coming years.
Maya says she wants at least two children, and I can’t wait to give them to her. The thought of fucking my baby into this beautiful woman is unspeakably hot. And something I shouldn’t think about until we’re alone, if I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of the entire graduating class.
After the ceremony, we linger in the courtyard as the graduates take photos with their families. I shake hands and congratulate my students and their proud parents, wishing them the best for the future, until most of the crowd has filed out for pictures in front of the trees.
The cherry trees are in full bloom on the quad, their petals drifting on the breeze like snow as Maya and I head toward the parking garage.
“Oh no,” Maya says, stopping dead beside me on the paved path. “I think I left my purse in your office. Do we have time to run grab it before our reservation?”
“Absolutely,” I say, checking my watch. “We’re not due at Bernard’s until six.”
We’re not going to Bernard’s, but I don’t want Maya to know that until we arrive at the café, and we still have plenty of time. I wasn’t certain how long the socializing would take, so I made sure to give us a sizeable time cushion between the end of the ceremony and our dinner.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she says, as we head down the path in the opposite direction. “I’ve been forgetting everything lately.”
“You have a lot on your plate,” I say. “Like I’ve said a hundred times, I think you should hire an assistant.”
“But if I hire an assistant, I won’t be able to keep making loan payments every two weeks,” she says as we pass through the arched doorway into the mathematics building. Inside, the halls are quiet now that the semester is over, and our shoes echo on the marble floors as we start up the steps. “And I’m proud of those payments, even if they are still small. For now.”
“I’m proud of you, too, but your quality of life is my primary concern. And if your quality of life would be improved by bringing on someone to help manage all the moving pieces…”
She hums beneath her breath, trailing her fingers along the oak paneling as we reach the door to my small office on the second floor. “Maybe. But right now, I have another concern.”
“What’s that?” I ask, unlocking the door and holding it open for her.
“Well,” she says, caressing the lapel of my vest as she pauses in front of me. “I’m not sure how to tell you this, Professor Pissarro, but I’m really struggling in your class.” She looks up, blinking wide, innocent eyes.