Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 36478 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36478 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Once he was out of earshot, Charlotte rested her chin in her hand and smiled at me. “I’m so glad that you and Sterling met. I can see how happy he is with you.”
“He makes me happy too,” I insisted, and her eyes grew misty.
“All I ever wanted was for him to find someone who appreciates him for who he is. He is such a special man who deserves someone to treat him right.”
“He deserves the world,” I agreed wholeheartedly. “And I promise to treat him right and take care of him. I may not be able to give him the biggest or best things in life-”
“None of those things matter,” Jackson cut in. “All that’s important is the way you feel about each other.”
I nodded my agreement again. “I care deeply for Sterling. I know that he and I haven’t been together long, but that doesn’t change the way I feel. I love him and-”
I paused when a quiet gasp sounded from behind me. I turned around and saw Sterling standing in the hallway with his mouth ajar. Shit. It wasn’t the way I wanted him to find out.
“Sterling…” I rose from my seat and hustled over to him. I was worried that he’d be angry that I was talking about him to his parents, or that I didn’t say the words to him. I was worried that he’d reject me or dismiss me. “I’m sorry I didn’t say it to you first. We were talking and it just sort of slipped out.” I searched my brain for a better apology.
But luckily, I didn’t need one; Sterling just smiled and put his hands on my cheeks before whispering, “I love you too.”
My heart took flight in my chest. I kissed his lips and wrapped him in a tight hug, needing to feel him against me; needing to feel that this was real and not just a wonderful dream.
“Aw, come on you love birds,” Charlotte said, suddenly standing right next to us, “Let’s go in the living room and watch the pups play for a while.”
“I can help clean our dinner mess first,” I offered, but she waved me off.
“I’m too full for that right now. I’ll take care of it later. Honestly, all I want to do is sit down on the couch and unbutton my pants for a while.” Well, I’ll be damned.
For the next couple of hours, we sat and talked about a little of everything, and watched as Max and Cooper wrestled. We tossed a ball for them, and watched them nap in a roly-poly pile.
It was then that Sterling announced that he was getting tired as well, and asked me to take him home. We all said our goodbyes, and I received a hug from each of his parents, and an open invitation to return.
Sterling secured Cooper into his harness, and the pooch switched from playful mode to being on high alert once more. I took Sterling’s free hand and we walked together to the front door, where he paused his steps.
“You know, I’m not really that tired,” he confessed. “Ever since you said you loved me, I’ve been picturing you taking me home and into the bedroom to show me just how much.”
It was at that exact moment that Charlotte entered the room, carrying a plate full of cheesecake. She cleared her throat to let her son know that she was there, and to presumably avoid hearing any specific requests.
“My mom just walked in, didn’t she?” Sterling asked with a flat expression.
“I did,” she answered, looking like she was trying not to laugh.
“Well, this is humiliating.”
“Oh, please, it is not,” she insisted. “You’re two adults in love. Go home and have fun, and here’s some cheesecake for after you build your appetite back up.” She and I both snickered as she handed me the plate, but poor Sterling just blushed.
I tucked him under my arm and led him to my car, planning on doing exactly as he asked; taking him back to his place, showing him exactly how much I loved him, and hopefully driving away any lingering embarrassment.
Chapter Eight
“Professor, I need to speak with you,” Arnie said as he approached my desk.
“It will have to be quick; I have an appointment.” I’d just wrapped up my morning lecture, and, just like every other day for the past few weeks, I was due to meet Sterling in the quad for lunch together. Granted it wasn’t an ‘appointment’, but Arnie didn’t need to know my personal matters, and I figured it was the easiest way to get rid of him.
“I have a complaint about my grade.”
I blinked at him. “Arnie, you have a 104 percent A plus in my class. What could you possibly have to complain about?”
“I believe it should be 105. I think you incorrectly graded my last essay.” He laid a paper on my desk, which was graded as a 99% A. I marked him off one point for punctuation usage. Most students would be thrilled with the nearly perfect score, but not Arnie. He was famous for his affinity for arguing with teachers.