Copyright © 2018 by Tracy Lorraine

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 CONTENTS

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Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
The Halloween Honeys
Book Hangover Lounge
About the Author
Also by Tracy Lorraine
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Frankie, I want to be you when I grow up!
 Madison

“P ROFESSOR F REEMAN , could you look at this for me?” I ask. In

the few seconds I’ve been standing at his desk, he hasn’t
even bothered to look up.
Letting out a breath like he’s already bored of me, he
eventually drags his eyes up. “Give it to Henderson.” With
that said, he gathers the papers he used during our lecture
and marches towards the exit. Well, okay then.
It’s no secret that Professor Freeman is an epic
douchebag who thinks actually talking to his students is
beneath him.
Glancing over to where Mr. Henderson’s sitting, I feel
butterflies erupt in my stomach. He’s a graduate teaching
assistant who supports Professor Freeman. Who am I
kidding? He basically does Freeman’s job for him. I’m no
expert, but I’m sure TAs aren’t meant to give as many
lectures as he does, or grade the epic pile of papers sitting on
his desk. Mr. Henderson is also drop dead gorgeous, and gets
the attention of every female—and a few males—in class
every single time he teaches anything. He could be reading
the dictionary and he’d have our full attention. He’s got
floppy, dirty blonde hair that every girl in the room wants to
run their fingers through, and piercing blue eyes you could
get totally lost in.
I’m very rarely nervous, but as I walk towards his desk I
can’t keep the slight tremor out of my hands.
“Madison, what can I do for you?” The sound of his deep,
husky voice saying my name sends shivers down my spine.
“Um…I…” Shit. Blowing out a breath, I try to get ahold of
myself. His eyes crinkle in amusement. There’s no way he’s
oblivious to the fact that at least half the class has a crush on
him. I like to think I’m quite composed compared to some of
the other girls who flaunt what they’ve got in front of him
daily. “Could you look over this for me, please?” I ask,
handing over the beginning of the paper I started last night.
“I’m not sure about it and I don’t want to continue if I’m
going o in the wrong direction,” I ramble as he stands,
staring at me.
“You’ll need to pass it over.” His smile distracts me from
his words for a few seconds but I soon realize my mistake.
“Shit…um…fuck. Uh, sorry…Here.” My face flames bright
red as he takes the paper from me.
The second he tells me it’s a good start, I’m out of there
like someone set my ass on fire.
“What’s wrong?” Stacy asks as I catch up with her. She’s
also a biology major and the president of Mi Alpha Alpha
sorority.
“Nothing,” I mutter as I smooth my hair down, trying to
forget about my pathetic performance in front of Mr.
Henderson.
 “Okay,” she says, clearly not believing me. “You still good
for later?”
“Yes! I can’t wait.”
For the last two weeks, we’ve been turning Stacy’s
parents’ old mansion into our very own haunted house. Each
sister has a room, and we’re opening to the public for the
first time tonight.
“I need to go to the store for a few last minute bits, but
I’ll meet you there, yeah?”
“Yes.”
This is my favorite time of year, and as I walk out on to
the campus grounds, I can’t help but take a deep breath of
the fresh fall air. All the trees are a gorgeous burnt orange,
and the leaves are just starting to fall to the ground. Moving
somewhere where there are still four obvious seasons made
leaving England that little bit easier to bear; it makes it feel
like I haven’t really gone all that far. My parents had been
talking about making America their home for as long as I can
remember. Mom was born here in the North East, and she
always longed to return, to be here for her parents as they
got older. But as the years went on and nothing happened, I
began to believe it was all talk. That was until I was thirteen.
I remember coming home from school to find printouts of
houses scattered all over the dining table. I’d convinced
myself it was never going to happen and unlike my younger
years, I’d allowed myself to make some real friends. To start
thinking about what my future might be like.
Six months later, we were packing up our lives and I was
saying goodbye to my friends. That was the end of my life as
I knew it. Mom told me everything about this place, how
good her childhood was, how much she enjoyed high school.
All the things she thought I wanted to hear…but uprooting
my life and starting not only a new school, but one in a
whole new country with totally di erent rules and
expectations, was the last thing I wanted. Thankfully, I’d
inherited my parents’ brains so academia wasn’t an issue,
but from my very first day, I was an outcast. I was the new
freshman with a weird accent who had no clue which way
was up in an American school.
Thoughts of home, as always, drag me down a little. I
spent a year before I started college in London with my
grandparents and I loved every minute of it. If it wasn’t for
my mom’s desire for me to follow in her footsteps and
attend Oak Ridge and become a member of Mi Alpha Alpha, I
probably would have continued my education there. My
parents have always given me everything I could possibly ask
for; it means I have a very hard time saying no to them,
which is why I’m here right now, doing what they expect of
me.
I’m irritated when I get home because not only have my
thoughts taken up my entire walk, but they’ve also stomped
on my excitement for tonight.
A couple of the girls are laid out on the sofas watching
some reality TV show as I walk in—they clearly decided
against class today.
I perk up a little when I see my schoolgirl outfit hanging
on the front of my wardrobe ready for tonight.
Trying to put thoughts of my past behind me, I set about
getting ready. I shower and spend an obscenely long time
perfecting my eyeliner and curling my thick hair. By the time
I slide the tiny uniform on, I’m feeling much better and
more like myself.
I can’t help but laugh as I stand and look at myself in the
mirror. My hair and make up are on point and my outfit is…
well…ridiculous. But sexy. If I were to bend over, even just a
little, everyone would get a shot of my thong. The thought of
god knows how many people seeing me like this has my
stomach clenching as nerves race through me. I’m going to
need a few drinks before the evening really kicks o .
I cover myself up in a knee-length coat as I hear my name
called from downstairs.
The mansion is only a short walk from our sorority house,
so it’s just minutes before we’re inside and getting our first
look at each other. Seeing their equally slutty outfits makes
me feel a little better about myself, and it’s only helped when
Stacy walks around the corner with a bottle of vodka and
some shot glasses in hand. I breathe a sigh of relief and
reach for the shot the second it comes my way.
“We’ve got an hour until the doors open, ladies. Go and
get those rooms perfect.”
I knock back another two shots before grabbing the bags I
brought with me and heading towards my room—a haunted
classroom.
Smiling as I push the door open, I walk into my work of
art. The desks are lined up perfectly, some empty, some with
deceased students waiting for their teacher to return. There
are cobwebs covering the abandoned classroom along with a
couple of little surprise moving elements I’m hoping will
catch a few people out.
I’m just throwing an empty bag inside the closet when I
hear Stacy call out that it’s time. Grabbing the shot she
dropped o for me a few minutes ago when she came around
to see if we were all ready, I neck it and feel the burn all the
way down to my stomach.
Shaking my arms by my sides, I give myself a pep talk as I
prepare to show o not only my work of art, but also a lot of
myself to the public.

Josh
“H APPY BIRTHDAY ,” is called from my front door only seconds
after I buzz the guys into the building.
I walk out of the kitchen with a load of beers in hand and
my mouth drops open at the sight of them. “What the fuck?”
I try to figure out what they’ve got planned for tonight. Each
of them is wearing a di erent Halloween costume. “You guys
know Halloween isn’t for two weeks yet, right?”
“Just go with it,” Austin says. “We’ve got your whole
night planned.”
I groan at his words. That was what I was concerned
about. I’ve got a great group of friends here. Austin and I
played ball together in college and just like me, he didn’t
make it to the NFL; instead, he works in insurance. Wyatt
and Ste both work at the bar I temp at when I need some
extra cash.
“Come on, look a little excited,” Ste encourages. “Here,
happy birthday.” He hands me the traditional case of beer
and bottle of tequila everyone gets on their big day, but
unlike usual, he also hands me a bag.
“What’s this?” Looking at the three of them, it wouldn’t
take a genius to work it out.
“Just open it, shithead,” Wyatt encourages as he falls
back onto my couch with a beer.
I hesitantly pull open the bag and glance inside.
“It won’t fucking bite.”
Reaching in, I pull out some black fabric and a white
mask. What the fuck? Shaking it out allows me to see what
the costume, or lack thereof, entails. “You’ve got to be
fucking joking.”
“Only the best costume for the birthday boy,” Austin
says, a beer halfway towards his lips and his eyes alight with
amusement.
 “So this was your idea, then? Make me spend the night
half naked so you get to ogle me,” I say with a laugh. I was
the one and only member of our team to know Austin was
secretly bi-sexual. While all the guys were lusting after the
cheerleaders, he had a massive crush on Coach West.
“I can do a lot better than you, Professor Henderson,” he
says with a wink.
Holding up the small pair of shorts they seem to be
expecting me to wear tonight, I glare down at the three of
them. “Not a chance in hell,” I mutter, throwing them on
the co ee table.
“What? The cape is huge. I don’t know what your problem
is.”
“My problem is you guys are all covered up. Why the fuck
does this have to be my costume?”
“We thought you’d want your face covered, and that was
the one we liked the best.”
Turning the mask over in my hands, my mind tries to
come up with possibilities for where this night is going.
Walking into our local bar wasn’t what I was expecting,
but that seems to be our first stop. Every single set of eyes in
the place turns our way the second we enter. To be fair, if I
were here on a night out, I’d be looking at the idiots who
think Halloween is tonight as well.
The beer and tequila chasers go down a little too well as I
feel eyes running over every inch of the skin I have on show.
I’m not shy or body conscious but I can’t help feeling a little
out of place when everyone else is fully dressed, even if it is
as a fire fighter, policeman, and cowboy, like the douchebags
I call my friends.
When the first group of students arrives, I realize why
they probably got me a costume with a mask.
“I don’t get it,” I shout over to the others. “Why are we
dressed like this just to come here?” I watch them look at
each other and apprehension starts to seep in. “What?”
“We have more plans for the night.”
“Yeah, I figured as much. Are you planning on filling me
in?”
“We’re going to that charity haunted house that’s
opening tonight.”
The second the words fall from Ste’s lips, the panic sets in
and thoughts of one person fill my mind.
“No, no, no, I can’t go there and you guys know it.”
“Oh, grow a pair, Henderson. It’s going to be full of
sorority girls. I can’t imagine a better way to spend a Friday
night. Plus, you know the rules about birthdays. You. Get. No.
Say!”
The image of one particular student fills my mind,
followed by the shame I always feel when I think about her.
I can still remember the way her body moved as she
walked between the desks to the front of the room at the
beginning of the semester with her bag hanging from her
shoulder and her textbook under her arm. I knew in that
moment I was fucked. I was going to have to spend all year
as a TA for her class. I was going to see her every fucking
day. I was going to work one-on-one with her regularly, and
every time I looked at her, my imagination conjured up all
the things I could do to that curvy little body.
I can still feel the e ect she had on my body earlier as she
looked down at me with her big brown eyes. She’s pure
innocence, and I have no right even thinking the kinds of
things I have that involve her. She’s just as untouchable now
as she’s always been, maybe more so. I haven’t worked this
hard to achieve my dream just to put it all in jeopardy by
going after the schoolgirl I can’t get out of my head.
I should have known my arguments would fall on deaf
ears because after another two rounds of drinks, I’m
physically pulled from my seat at the bar and dragged out to
the street—much to the delight of the women we passed on
the way out, who made no attempt to hide their interest in
my body.
As I stand and look up at the old abandoned mansion,
apprehension gnaws at my insides. Mask or not, I shouldn’t
be going in there. I should be walking in the opposite
direction as fast as I can.
But something—I’m putting it down to the tequila—
allows me to forget all rational thought, and as the guys walk
up to the entrance, I follow silently with images of Madison
at the front of my mind.
Austin hands over some money to the two girls at the
entrance while Wyatt and Ste mentally strip their outfits
from them.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” I mutter.
“Quit being a pussy. No one knows who you are; just
enjoy yourself.”
Raising my eyes to the cobwebs covering the ceiling, I
take a deep breath and try to calm my racing heart.
She’s a student. She’s a student, I chant to myself as I
continue down the hallway and into the first room.
 Madison

I GUESS it should come as no surprise that the majority of our

first visitors are male and that their interest in this whole
charity project has little to do with raising money for the
children’s hospital and everything to do with us scantily clad
sorority girls.
Breathing a sigh of relief when I see a couple of friends,
albeit male friends, walk through the door, I excuse myself
from the two guys trying to chat me up.
I smile as I approach King and Zayn, who are thankfully
checking out my room instead of me.
“So…what do you think?”
“I think it’s incredible.” Zayn sweeps me up into his arms
and spins me around while I desperately try to cling onto the
bottom of my skirt. The other guys in this room don’t need
any more encouragement. I’m all for flaunting a bit of skin
in order to raise money, but there’s a line.
 “And you are looking fine, Miss Warren, if I do say so
myself.”
King and Zayn are also biology majors, and pretty
talented members of the football team. We ended up seated
together in the first week of college, and we’ve been tight
ever since. King spent the first few months trying to make a
move, but he soon realized I wasn’t interested in anything
but friendship.
“Thanks,” I say, feeling a blush color my cheeks. “Your
handiwork paid o , don’t you think?” It’s not the first time
these two have seen this room as they were the ones to help
me with everything out of my reach, but it’s the first time
they’ve seen it finished.
“It’s sweet. Better then the others we’ve seen,” Zayn
whispers with a wink.
We continue chatting as others come in and out of the
room, but it’s not until two guys walk in that I really pay
much attention to my visitors. The most obvious thing about
them is that, unlike most people here, they’re in fancy dress.
The first guy, dressed as a police o cer, walks farther into
the room and it allows me a proper look at the man standing
slightly behind him.
My breath catches in my throat as my eyes take him in.
His dirty blonde hair is a shaggy mess and falling over the
white Phantom of the Opera mask he has on his face.
Thankfully it doesn’t cover his sharp jawline. Biting down on
my bottom lip, I allow my eyes to drop to his cape covered
shoulders and bare torso. Holy shit, that six-pack! My
temperature soars and I start feeling my pulse in places I
shouldn’t when in a room with this many people. Taking in
his skinny black jeans, I slowly make my way back up. Half
his face might be covered but that doesn’t stop me
recognizing him the second his piercing blue eyes meet
mine. If he thinks he’s fooling anyone with this costume,
he’s a freaking idiot.
My mouth goes dry and my heart pounds. But his eyes
never drop to my body. I guess my reaction to him is wildly
inappropriate, which isn’t unusual. Mr. Henderson has been
a regular feature in my fantasies since I clapped eyes on him
on the first day of the semester. I had a bet going with
myself about how ripped he might be under the perfectly
pressed white shirt he wears every day in class, and it seems
I just won the jackpot.
A throat clearing behind me drags my attention from
molesting my teacher. “Earth calling Maddie,” King says
with a laugh.
“Sorry, what?”
“Christ, Mads. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drool
before.” They burst out laughing as I bring my hand up to
my mouth to see if they’re telling the truth. It’s a real
possibility.
“Could he be the one?” Zayn whispers as he flicks a look
over to the phantom in the room.
Along with a couple of the girls, Zayn is the only other
person I’ve confided in about my lack of sexual experience.
“I highly doubt that,” I say with a laugh, hoping it’s
enough to cover up how badly I wish it were true. Mr.
Henderson could be the one any day of the week.
“I don’t know…he’s still checking you out.”
Despite telling myself to continue looking directly at
Zayn, my head spins and the second I lift my eyes I find him
staring at my barely covered behind.
“You should go for it,” Zayn whispers before he gives my
shoulder a shove.
I stumble over my own feet, afraid I’m about to go down
any minute when a large, warm pair of hands grips my waist.
 “Than…” My words trail o when I right myself and look
up at who caught me. “Thank you,” I say again, but it comes
out as a hoarse whisper.
I’m surrounded by his woodsy scent, and when I manage
to drag my eyes away from his and look down, I realize I’m
only an inch from being pressed up against his hard body.
My gaze gets stuck on his full lips as he runs his tongue
along the bottom one. My mouth waters as a ball of need
explodes between my legs. Does he taste as incredible as I’ve
been imagining?
His head moves slightly and I panic. Is he going to lean in
and kiss me?
Sadly, his next movement is anything but leaning in
towards me. I’m forced to take a step back as he strides out
of the room without so much as a glance back in my
direction.
“What the fuck was that?” King asks, wrapping a
protective arm around my shoulders. “Are you okay?”
Some movement outside the door catches my eye. Is he
watching?
“Yeah…I’m, uh…fine.” I think.
“Who was that? I didn’t recognize him from campus.”
I just about manage to keep the smile o my face. Maybe
his disguise was better than I thought.
King and Zayn say their goodbyes not long later, wanting
to go and see the other rooms and hit on some girls who
might be interested. I barely remember saying goodbye to
them; my head’s still replaying what happened only a few
moments ago with Mr. Henderson.
A few of the other girls come around to check out my
room and supply me with more alcohol, but the next few
hours are a total haze. I guess I could put that down to the
vodka, but I’m pretty sure I’m still reeling from my
encounter with the phantom.
 I’m leaning over one of the desks, turning my fairy lights
o for the night when a sound startles me.
“Don’t turn around.”

Josh

I MAKE quick work of undoing a tie from one of her dead

students before running the smooth fabric through my
fingers as I stalk towards her. Even from behind, I can tell
she’s up for this. Her chest is heaving as she clenches and
unclenches her trembling fists.
She groans at my heat against her back.
“What are you…”
“Shhh…” I cut her o as I slip the fabric over her eyes
before tying it behind her head.
Once I’m happy it’s secure and she can’t see anything, I
pull my own mask o and place it on the desk she was bent
over a few moments ago.
“Naughty schoolgirls need to be taught a lesson, don’t
you think?”
She swallows before she whimpers, “Oh god.”
“Not quite, sweetheart. Good guess, though.”
Grabbing her hip with one hand, I pull her back against
me and press my hardness into her pert little ass. My other
hand pushes her thick hair over one shoulder, exposing her
neck. Running the tip of my nose around the shell of her ear,
I whisper, “You tell me to leave, and I’ll walk out that door
right now.” My hand slides up her stomach until it’s resting
on her ribs, millimeters from the swell of her breast. The
harsh movement of her chest only increases my desire, “but
the second you allow me to touch you, there’s no turning
back.”
“You’re already touching me.” Her voice is a breathy
whisper, and my fingers twitch to explore more of her.
“So I am.” She doesn’t move or say any more. “You sure
about this?” I drop my lips to the sensitive skin of her neck
and she groans. I take that as the yes I want. Spinning her
around, I push her up against the wall. My lips seek hers and
within seconds, our tongues are dueling as I explore every
inch of her mouth. My hands run up from her waist and
easily slide under the fabric of her top. She moans once again
when I take her tits in my hands and gently squeeze.
Frustrated by the barrier between us, I tear my lips from
hers as I pull her top over her head, dropping it on the floor
behind me. The second it passes her lips, I lean forward
again, too addicted to the taste of her to go another second
without it.
I tease her nipples through the fabric of her bra, but I can
only deny myself more for so long. Kissing down her neck as
I work the clasp, I eagerly continue my descent until I can
pull one of them into my mouth.
She pants and moans above me, and the sounds are
exactly as I imagined time and time again. The way she
tastes, the softness of her skin…it helps to keep my rational
thoughts at bay.
“Oh god, please, please,” she pants.
“My pleasure.” Sliding my hands up her thighs, I wrap
my fingers around a thin bit of lace before dragging it down
her legs while peppering her thighs with teasing kisses. The
smell of her arousal surrounds me, and my mouth waters.
Nudging her legs wider, I take a quick glance at her smooth
pussy before pushing my head forward and pressing my
tongue against her.
 “OH FUCK!” she shouts before I hear her head slam back
against the wall. Her knees buckle as my hands go to her ass
to keep her standing.
Opening her up, I continue licking at her, she tastes so
fucking sweet. When her moans and demands for more start
getting frantic, I suck her clit into my mouth while my finger
finds her entrance. I slide it in easily, followed by another as
she purrs above me.
“Come on, kitten, let’s hear you fall apart,” I whisper
against her. The extra vibrations must be what she needs
because her pussy clamps down around my fingers before
she cries out, and fuck if I don’t want to feel that tightness
around my cock. It weeps at the thought.
Sitting back on my heels, I look up. Her chest is heaving,
her lips are parted and curled up in the slightest smile, and
the tie is still firmly in place.
An order for her to bend over the desk is on the tip of my
tongue, but an image of her sitting at her desk in my
classroom hits me like an ice-cold bucket of water.
Standing, I stumble back and avert my gaze from her
sinful body.
What the fuck have I done?
With my cock still straining against my pants, I rush out
of the room, away from the lust driven mistake. A student
just came all over my face and fingers, and I was about to…
fuck.
The second I step out into the dark night, I run. I run as
fast as I can to put some space between me and the girl I’ve
been dreaming about.
If anyone finds out about this, I’m fucked. My career is
fucked; my future is fucked. Who am I kidding? My life is
fucked.
At least she didn’t know who I was.
 Madison

T HE SECOND THE door slams shut, coldness engulfs me and my

knees give up. Falling to the floor and ripping the damn
blindfold from around my eyes, I throw it to the ground in
frustration. As I hug my legs, hot tears start to sting my eyes.
That was the most incredible experience of my life, but at the
same time, it was the worst.
He left. He took one look at me after what he did and he
couldn’t get away fast enough. The logical part of me knows
he probably left because he should never have been here in
the first place, but that doesn’t make any of this feel better.
He has no idea that I’ve been lusting after him since that
first morning I walked into class.
He has no idea he’s just broken me.
I need to get myself together, and clothed, before one of
the girls comes looking for me, so I drag my weary body
from the floor. The first thing I see when I look up is his
mask on the desk next to me. Running my fingers over the
smooth white plastic, another sob bubbles up my throat.
Blowing out a shaky breath, I try to remind myself that I
can’t fall apart here. People will see and start asking
questions. I’m never the emotional one; I’m the fun, easy-
going one everyone comes to for cheering up. One look at me
and they’re going to know there’s something seriously
wrong.
Quickly pulling my discarded clothes back on and
shrugging into my coat, I glance around to make sure
everything’s okay to be left, and I try sneaking out the house
without being caught.
By some miracle, I make it all the way back to my room
without bumping into anyone. I’ve no idea what I would have
said if I had seen someone.
Pulling his mask out of my pocket, I place it on my
bedside table before once again removing my coat and
costume—only this time, it’s much more depressing. Pulling
my thick robe around my chilled skin, I quickly make my
way to the shower. As much as I don’t want to wash away
what happened, smelling him on my skin is just a harsh
reminder of my stupidity.
How am I going to walk into class on Monday morning
like everything’s normal? How am I going to answer his
questions…fuck, I’ve got a one-on-one with him next week.
There’s no way I can sit in his o ce and talk about my
academic progress. What the fuck am I going to do?
I stand under the stream of water until it starts to go cold,
not giving two shits about the others living in this house.
Their worlds aren’t falling apart around them. I cover myself
in my favorite moisturizer, hoping it’ll make me feel better,
but it does little for my fragile state.
As I lay in bed staring up at the dark ceiling, all I can see
is him. His piercing blue eyes as he stared at me when he
first entered the room. The feeling of his large hands
wrapped around my waist. The warmth of his tongue…I
squeeze my thighs together as a rush of desire runs through
me. Would I have let him go all the way?
Of course I would. I’d have given him anything he wanted.
I still would.
I toss and turn all night. Every time I drift o , his face is
right there. My dream is so vivid that I actually expect him to
be next to me when I wake.
Feeling unable to deal with being here, let alone going
back to my room at the haunted house where it took place, I
write a note for Stacy and pin it to the board on her bedroom
door, letting her know I’m unwell and heading to my
parents’ for the weekend for some rest. I feel awful about
abandoning her and the haunted house like this, but I can’t
see any other way. I need to get my head straight.
They live only an hour from ORU. I’m so lost in my own
thoughts that the drive passes me by and it feels like only
minutes before I’m sitting behind the driver’s seat of my
Range Rover, waiting for the gates to my parents’ place to
allow me access.
As I approach the excessive house my parents moved us
into when we relocated, I’m reminded of how grateful I am
of the life I’ve lived because of their success. It makes me
feel like a bit of a fraud, because although I do as they wish,
attend college and major in biology just like them, none of it
really excites me. Working every hour of the day just to have
a house like this really doesn’t appeal to me. My parents are
amazing and I don’t feel like I’ve really missed out on
anything, but I have this strong desire to just be a wife and a
mom. It’s something I’ve never admitted out loud because I
know no one would understand—especially not my
workaholic mother.
 There are days she’s only in this house to sleep. She and
Dad are like passing ships in the night. I don’t want a life like
that for myself. I want to be there in the morning to make
breakfast for my husband and have dinner ready and waiting
for him when he returns from work. I want to watch my kids
grow every single day and teach them everything they know.
I let out a giant sigh as the image I’ve had in my head for
my perfect life fades away. It’s not exactly realistic. I haven’t
got a boyfriend, let alone anyone who could be considered
husband material. Jesus, I haven’t even had sex. A self-
deprecating laugh falls from my lips at how ridiculous it all
sounds.
As expected, there are no other cars parked out front and
the house is in silence when I enter. Not even Shelly, the
housekeeper, is here. Grabbing myself a bottle of water as I
pass the kitchen, I head straight up to my bedroom and flop
on my bed once I’ve dropped my stu to the floor.
“Madison, baby, are you here?” breaks through my sleep
only a few seconds before I hear my door opening. “There
you are. You didn’t say you were coming home this weekend.
Is everything okay?” At her soft, comforting voice, I break
down. “Oh, baby.”
Mom sits on the bed and pulls me into her arms
immediately. Being in the safety of her embrace only makes
me cry harder.
“You want to talk about it?” she asks once I’ve pulled
away and she’s wiped my tears from my cheeks.
“Not really,” I admit. Talking to my mom about what
happened is the last thing I want to do.
She eventually encourages me to follow her into their
bedroom so she can start getting ready for the dinner party
they’re hosting tonight. I silently groan that in only a few
hours, the place I’d come to for some peace and quiet is
going to be filled with my parents’ wealthy friends.
 “Go and drag one of those gorgeous dresses from your
closet and join us,” Mom suggests. She doesn’t seem to
understand that I’ve come here to hide for a few days.
“No, I’ve got a paper to write. That’s why I came here.”
The look she gives me tells me she doesn’t believe me, but I
don’t really care. Socializing is the last thing I want to do
right now.
After swiping some food Shelly was busy preparing in the
kitchen, I take myself back up to my room for the night. I
have no intention of showing my face and having to make up
some story of what I want to do when I graduate in a few
months to everyone downstairs.

Josh

“W E THOUGHT you’d changed your mind,” Dad says when he

pulls their front door open.
“Sorry, I had to go into work,” I lie. In reality, I’ve spent
all morning trying to convince myself that staying home and
going back to the haunted house tonight to see her again is a
really bad idea. I eventually got myself on the bus without
looking back, and headed for my parents’. Mom insisted on
cooking me a birthday dinner. She wouldn’t have it that at
twenty-six I didn’t need a fuss.
“Your mom’s over at the house sorting out a dinner party,
but she’ll be back soon.”
“I’ll just go shower,” I mutter as I make my way towards
my room.
It’s exactly as it was when I first visited five years ago—a
replica of my childhood room in the house my parents
owned. I’m hit with a wave of nostalgia from my teenage
years. I hated everything about this place when they
explained they were selling the dilapidated building we
called home five years ago. The fact that they were moving
here to become a housekeeper and grounds man for some
wealthy family didn’t sit well with me. I knew they were
being paid too well for it to be the case, but I felt like they’d
become servants…all because of my dream to live a better
life, to continue my education and fulfill my desire to
become a professor.
It was clear how happy they both were here from my
initial visit. It was a relief to see them both smiling and
relaxed at last. That wasn’t the only thing that changed how
I felt about this place. I found something, or should I say
someone, that first visit. Someone I haven’t been able to stop
thinking about.
After dumping my bag on the small twin bed, I do what I
do every time I enter this room. I walk to the window.
The garden’s empty, as I would expect for this wet
autumn day, but to my surprise, there’s a light coming from
her bedroom window. I didn’t realize on my first visit but
when I came back here for Christmas later that year, I saw
her bedroom was dead opposite to mine, and if I was lucky
enough she’d put the light on before pulling the curtains.
Images of her working at her desk fill my mind…the way she
pulls her hair from her neck when she’s really focused.
I stand there and wait, hoping she’ll appear, but there’s
no movement. I decide someone’s left the light on just to
tease me.
Memories of her velvet skin and her sweet taste are all I
can think of as I shower. I’m hard, just like I have been since
the moment I saw her in that little schoolgirl costume.
Nothing I do even takes the edge o . I know what I really
need is her, and I’m afraid of just how consuming that need
is becoming.
My frustration at myself continues all night. Mom and
Dad spent the evening shooting looks between them as they
try to figure out what’s wrong with me, and I’m finding it
hard to care about my foul mood.
I know coming here was the right thing to do; there’s too
much temptation at home. But fuck, I’m pissed o that I’ve
distanced myself from her.
By the time I get back to my bedroom late that evening,
the top floor of the house outside my window is in darkness,
but it doesn’t stop my imagination as I think about what
could happen if she were mere feet away from me.

“I’ M GOING TO HEAD BACK ,” I tell my parents when we’ve

finished breakfast the next morning.
“I thought you were staying the whole day.” The
disappointment on Mom’s face tugs at my heartstrings.
“I’ll stay for lunch,” I o er. I need to get back to continue
grading the papers I was trying to work on yesterday
morning.
“I’ve got to spend the morning cleaning up after last
night’s dinner party. Come help me?”
The thought of cleaning up the mess they can’t be
bothered to sort out themselves isn’t something I really want
to be doing, but knowing how important it is to Mom that I
spend some more time with her, I reluctantly agree and
follow her over to the mansion.
It’s the first time in all these years that I’ve stepped foot
in the place. I might not have seen inside, but as we walk
into the kitchen through the back door, it’s everything I
pictured it would be—expensive and opulent.
 The only other place I’ve seen a kitchen like this is on TV.
Even standing in the middle of it I’m still not sure why they
need a kitchen bigger than most people’s houses, especially
when they never use it themselves.
Mom sets me to work rinsing o the plates before placing
them in the dishwasher. I’m just beginning to get to the
bottom of the seemingly endless supply of crockery and
glasswear Mom keeps bringing me when the atmosphere in
the room changes.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” Mom sings behind me, and
my heart jumps into my throat. “I didn’t know you were
here. Would you like some breakfast?”
I can feel eyes on me as I stand with my hands covered in
bubbles, and the reality of the situation has me almost
laughing out loud. Not only am I her teacher, but I’m also
the help’s son.
“Josh?” Mom prompts, as if I needed a reminder that
Madison is standing at the other end of the room.
Letting out a breath, I spin on my heels and my gaze
immediately locks onto hers. Her eyes are wide with panic,
her chin is dropped and her cheeks flushed as she stares back
at me.
She knows.
“Madison, this is Josh, my son. Josh, this is Madison, the
Warrens’ daughter.” Mom looks between the two of us. “I
guess you probably recognize each other from Oak Ridge,
right? Josh is a teaching assistant,” Mom adds. Like either of
us needs reminding of my position.
“Remind me sweetheart, what’s your major?”
“B…biology,” she stutters with narrowed eyes in my
direction.
“Oh, so you must know each other.”
“Yeah—”
 “No.” Her eyes widen. Mom looks confused. “I mean, I
recognize you but I don’t think we’ve met.”
“Yeah. Uh…I need to go.”
“Don’t you want breakfast?”
“No, I’m fine, thanks, Shelly.”
“I was going to make…pancakes,” Mom says, but she’s
too late. Madison’s gone.
The second she’s disappeared from my sight, I pick up my
pace. I need to get out of this house before I do something
stupid.

“W HEN ARE YOU COMING BACK ?” Mom asks as I throw my bag

over my shoulder. “Don’t tell me I’ve got to wait until
Thanksgiving to see my baby boy again,” she sulks.
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly. “But I’ll be back as
soon as I can.”
“Okay.” Leaning forward, she gives me a kiss on the
cheek. I can see the disappointment in her eyes but I can’t
stay here any longer. I thought I was running away from
temptation by coming here, but it seems I’ve run directly
into it.
The second I walked back to my room after finishing up in
the Warrens’ kitchen earlier, I saw her. She was sat at her
desk with her head in her hands. My heart ached for what I’d
done. I never meant to hurt her.
I hear Mom shut the door behind me, and I make an epic
mistake.
I look back at her window.
She’s standing looking out into the distance, wrapped in
only a towel.
Fuck.
 My hands clench into fists as I try to make myself walk
away, to head towards the bus stop for my long journey back
to my empty flat with papers the only thing waiting for me.
 Madison

H E WAS IN MY PARENTS ’ kitchen. I fall back onto my bed as my

heart continues to race with the knowledge he was right here
this whole time. How did I not know who his parents were?
Questions swirl around my head as I try to stop my world
from spinning. The second I walked into the kitchen and my
eyes landed on his muscular back, I knew it was him. I tried
to prepare myself for seeing him but the moment he turned
and looked into my eyes, I felt like my knees were going to
give way. It wasn’t just because he’s gorgeous but because I
was hit with a wave of desire so strong I thought it was going
to bring me down. Every muscle in my body clenched as we
stared at each other, and the need to walk towards him and
feel his soft, full lips against mine once again was so strong
it was bordering on painful.
After running away, I locked myself in the bathroom and
spent an obscene amount of time in my parents’ Jacuzzi
bath, hoping to calm my racing heart and the desire sitting
low in my stomach.
He’s here. His parents work for mine. My thoughts don’t
stop the entire time I lie there, trying my hardest to relax
and banish the feelings Mr. Henderson ignites within me.
Nothing helps. Questions and memories continue to be on
repeat in my mind as I get out and head back to my room.
Staring out at the peaceful surroundings of my parents’
lavish grounds, I don’t feel the calmness wash over me like
I’m used to.
Sitting at my desk, I untangle my hair from the bun I put
it in and start to run a brush through it as I stare at my
flushed reflection. I need to put a stop to this if I have any
hope of finishing the college year with my sanity intact.
That thought soon vanishes when my bedroom door flies
open and crashes back against the wall.
“What are—” My words are cut short when I see who’s
just invited himself in. His eyes run down the length of me
before he kicks the door closed and strides towards me. His
hands tangle in my hair as his lips slam down on mine. The
second his tongue caresses my bottom lip, I open up for him.
A moan rumbles up my throat as his familiar taste explodes
on my tongue as it collides with his.
He continues moving until I feel the mattress against the
backs of my knees. I expect him to lower me to the bed but
instead, he breaks our kiss and stares down at me. His eyes
are dark and wild as he looks over every inch of my face; it’s
like he’s trying to find the answer to something.
“I shouldn’t be here,” he admits. Panic rises in my chest
at the thought of him walking out just as fast as he entered,
and I cling to the fabric of his T-shirt.
“Don’t go,” I whisper, the words shocking me as much as
they do him. But it’s all he needs to hear because his lips
come back to mine as I feel his fingers at the top of my towel.
 The second it falls from my body, he pushes me back onto
the bed. His heated eyes drop from mine and slowly take in
my naked skin. Embarrassment floods me and I start to
move my arms to cover myself.
“Don’t,” he barks. “Don’t you dare hide from me.”
At his words, my arms fall back to my sides and I allow
him to continue. My chest heaves and moisture gathers
between my legs as my clit pulses with the need to be
touched.
Reaching back, he pulls his T-shirt over his head and
drops it to the floor. I once again get a front row seat to his
incredible body.
I’m so focused on staring at the ridges of his abdomen
that I don’t notice him move until he grabs onto my feet and
forces them apart so he can settle himself between my
thighs.
The memory of how it felt last time slams into me and I
almost groan with impatience to feel his skilled tongue
against me.
Lifting one of my legs, he begins peppering kisses to my
ankle and up my calf. “You’re too pure for me.” More kisses
to my knee. “Too beautiful,” he says as he stares at his final
prize. “Tell me no.” It feels like a dare but my lips stay
sealed. “Tell me this is wrong and that I need to leave.”
“No,” falls from my lips. It sounds like a plea.
“No what?”
“No, don’t go. Don’t leave. Please,” I beg, shamelessly
rolling my hips to get him back on track.
He goes back to kissing down my leg and my thighs
tremble with need and anticipation.
He looks back up at me, millimeters from where I need
him. His breath tickles against my heated flesh and I’m so
worked up, it’s almost enough to do the job.
 “How did you know?” His deep voice vibrates through
me, making me moan. “Shit. Tell me, how did you know?”
“Know what,” I breathe impatiently.
“That it was me.”
A frustrated laugh falls from my lips as I consider his
question. “If I put a mask on, would you still know it’s me?”
“From a mile away,” he admits. “Fuck,” he grates out
when he must realize what I’m trying to say. I want him just
as badly as he wants me. “This is so fucking wrong.”
“Just. Fucking. Do. It,” I taunt. His eyes darken further
before he leans forward that last little bit and seals his lips
around me.
“Ah, fuck.”
He licks, nips and sucks until I’m right on the cusp of my
orgasm, when he suddenly pulls away from me. A frustrated
cry falls from my lips.
“You’re not coming until I’m deep inside your perfect
body.”
Every muscle clenches and panic starts to build up in me
as I stare down at him at the end of my bed. His hands go to
the waistband of his jeans and I can’t drag my eyes away as I
prepare to see him, all of him.
It feels like time slows down as I wait for the fabric to
drop, but when it does, I gasp. He’s huge and hard.
Falling back onto the bed, he kisses up my stomach before
sucking my peaked nipples into his mouth and bringing my
impending orgasm back to the surface.
“You want me inside you, don’t you, Madison?”
I moan but it’s not enough for him.
“I need to hear you say it. Tell me you want me inside
you.” His finger slips between my folds and slowly runs from
my clit down to my entrance.
“I want you…” I pant, “inside me.”
“Good girl.”
 Settling himself between my thighs, I find myself too lost
in his eyes to think about what’s about to happen. As he
teases himself against my clit, I let out another moan before
he slowly pushes inside me. I feel him tense like he’s about
to thrust, and I panic.
“Wait!”
“What’s wrong?” I can see the pain on his face; he thinks
I’m about to stop him.
“I…uh…I haven’t…”
“Fuck. You’re a virgin?” His face drops for a second and
I’m about to argue, thinking he’s going to walk away, before
I watch as his eyes darken and he looks down at me like he
wants to devour me. “You mean this is going to be mine and
mine only?”
The only thing I can do is nod.
“Oh, sweetheart. You’ve no idea how happy that makes
me. Give me your hand. You’re going to help guide me in for
the first time.”
He wraps my hand around his thick length before
covering it with his own, and slowly slides into my body.
“You ready?”
I nod once before he pushes forward.
I shriek as searing pain radiates out from my core, and his
hand covers my mouth.
“Shhh.”
“No one…no one’s here,” I manage to get out between my
panting breaths and the pain coursing through my body.
A smirk twitches at the corner of his mouth. “Perfect,” he
growls. “I can make you scream.”
Folding over my body, he takes my lips as his hands tease
my nipples until he feels me relax under him. Once he’s
happy, he slowly starts to move, and the pain that was there
starts to morph into pleasure.
 “Your pussy’s everything I always dreamt it would be,”
he groans in my ear as he continues to pick up the pace.
It’s not long before he sits back on his heels and lifts my
legs so they rest on his shoulders. I suck in a breath at the
new angle and feel my orgasm approach faster.
“That’s it, baby. I want to feel you coming on my cock.”
His words along with his thumb pressing down onto my clit
send me crashing into the most incredible pleasure. He
grunts loudly as I clench around him and just as my orgasm
starts to subside, he twitches inside me before he fills me.
My eyes stay shut as he collapses to my side, but his
contact doesn’t leave me. His fingertips trace the lines of my
body, leaving tingles in their wake.
“Madison?” he asks, pressing his hand to my cheek to
encourage me to look at him. My breath catches when I do
drag my eyelids open and look up to his hooded blue eyes.
“Are you okay?”
“That shouldn’t have happened.” Panic starts to bubble
up. I just had sex with my teacher. No, it’s worse than that. I
just lost my virginity to my teacher.
My breathing starts to get a little erratic and in my panic I
start to get up, to get away from him.
“Hey, calm down,” he says soothingly. My body instantly
reacts to his calm tone. “Everything about that was meant to
happen.”
“But…but your job. Shit, Mr. Hen—”
“It’s Josh.”
“This is so wrong. We shouldn’t be having this
conversation. None of this should have happened. I think it’s
best you go.”
“You’re right. It shouldn’t have happened, but I don’t
regret a second of it. And yes, I do need to go, I need to get
back. But I’m not going without you.”
 As he says that, my stomach grumbles, reminding me I
ran out on Shelly’s o er of breakfast this morning and
wasn’t brave enough to venture back to the kitchen in fear of
running into my teacher. Not that it really mattered, as he
still managed to end up in my bed.
“Mr. He…Josh,” I say when he raises an eyebrow at me.
“We can’t. We can’t just drive back to campus together. We
can’t—”
“Stop talking,” he demands, sounding like the teacher he
is—not that I needed reminding. “I’m taking you for food,
and then we’ll head back.” I open my mouth to argue once
again but he presses his lips to mine and it stops any words
falling from my lips.
“Come on,” he mumbles against me as he starts pulling
me from the bed. Walking backwards across the room with
his lips still attached to mine, he successfully navigates us
into my en-suite, his lips only leaving me when he turns the
shower on.

Josh

I DIDN ’ T REALLY THINK this through. Aside from the fact I just
fucked the student I’ve been lusting over for the last five
years, I’ve just o ered to take her for food and then back to
ORU, but I don’t have a car. I’m going to look like a right
asshole helping her onto the bus.
Madison must see my apprehension because as we walk
out the front of her house, she places her hand on my
forearm. “What’s wrong?” she asks, her sweet voice flowing
through me and making me want to drag her back inside.
I’ve dreamt of this for years, and now I’ve touched her I
can’t get enough.
“I…uh…don’t have a car,” I admit quietly.
“No problem,” she sings as she bounces o towards her
flashy white Range Rover. Smiling to myself as I follow her,
I’m reminded of the bubbly brunette I’ve been lusting after
since I first laid eyes on her. I’m relieved she’s pushed away
the concern that consumed her not so long ago. I may not
have all the answers right now, but one thing I do know is
that I’m not letting her go.
We’re both silent as she drives us towards the diner she
told me about before we left. Glancing over at her with her
delicate hands on the wheel of such a massive car, I wonder
what she’s thinking. Her brows are drawn together slightly
as she concentrates on what she’s doing, but I know it’s
more than that. She’s worried about this. I probably should
be as well; everything I’ve worked so hard for could be
ripped away from me if anyone was to find out, but even
that’s not enough for me to allow her to walk away.
“Here we go,” she says, pulling the car to a stop and
dragging me from my thoughts. Looking up, my eyes run
over a diner I’ve travelled by a thousand times in the past
but never ventured inside.
I grab onto her hand the second I meet her from the car.
My intentions of opening her door for her are squashed the
second she jumped out excitedly. My actions make her still
and try to pull away.
“No one will know us here.”
“How do you know?”
“Come on,” I say, blowing out a breath of frustration.
As I sit and stare at her across the table, I can’t help but
wonder if this is real or if all my years of fantasizing are
getting the better of me.
“Are you okay?” she asks hesitantly.
 “You’ve no idea how long I’ve waited for this.”
“To come to this diner? I mean, it’s nice, but it’s not
amazing.”
“Not the diner, Madison. You.”
“But we only met a few weeks ago.”
I glance down at the table as memories of my peeping
tom ways over the past five years run through my mind.
“What? What aren’t you telling me?” She looks at me
through narrowed eyes and it makes me want to drag her to
the bathroom.
“I’ve wanted you for years.”
Confusion floods her face. “But—”
“You were sunbathing in your parents’ garden the first
time I visited mine after they moved in.”
“Oh.” Her mouth drops open at my admission.
“I’ve imagined fucking you every day since. But you were
a kid,” I admit, shame spiking my temperature.
I watch as she swallows harshly, and if the table wasn’t
blocking my view, I know I’d be watching her squeezing her
thighs together.
“The only reason I kept coming back was to watch you.
But I couldn’t touch you. You were too young, too pure.” I
pause, thinking back to those times as my cock hardens
against my fly. “Then you walked into my classroom and I
knew you were even more untouchable.”
“But you touched.”
“Powerless to resist, sweetheart. You’ve tortured me for
years. I could only hold back for so long.”
My eyes drop to the hard nipples showing through the
thin fabric of her shirt, and I slide over to her side of the
table.
“What are you—” Her words are cut o as I slide a hand
up her leg before running a fingertip along the edge of her
panties.
 “I want to know if you’re as wet as I think you are right
now.”
“Oooh,” she breathes as I slip my finger under the fabric
and find her slick with arousal.
Her breathing starts getting erratic and she begins
clenching around my finger just as the waitress comes
walking over. I see the panic in Madison’s eyes as she
approaches but I refuse to move my hand.
“What can I get for ya’ll?”
Neither of us has even glanced at the menu so I order the
first thing I see. “Two cheeseburgers and fries and…two
strawberry shakes.”
The waitress is too focused on writing down our order to
pay too much attention to us, but that doesn’t stop Madison
squirming in her seat every time I twitch my finger.
“I can’t believe you just did that,” she whispers as the
waitress retreats.
“That’s nothing, sweetheart. Now, tell me, can you be
quiet as I make you come?”
“Here?” Her eyes are wide as she flicks them around the
diner at to the other customers sitting only feet away from
our booth.
“Right here.” Pushing my fingers deeper, I bend them so
they hit just the right spot. Madison sucks in a sharp breath
as her head falls back.
Feeling her body trembling as her release gets closer, I
lean towards her and whisper in her ear. “Let go. But don’t
tell anyone else you’re coming on my fingers.”
She whimpers as her pussy starts to pulsate and my cock
strains for the same release.
Pulling my fingers from her body, I lift my hand and suck
them deep into my mouth. She stares at me with heated eyes.
“You taste like heaven, sweetheart.” Embarrassment floods
her cheeks at my compliment. “Blushing only makes me
want to push you further.”
Looking down at the table, she fusses about with the
napkin until the waitress returns with our drinks. My eyes
don’t leave her as her lips wrap around the straw and suck
down the creamy milk.
“Fuck, Madison. Do you know how badly I want to
demand you get on your knees right this second?”
She immediately stops drinking and her eyes widen. “I
don’t think—” The panic in her voice is evident, so I put her
out of her misery.
“I won’t do it this time. But you can expect it to happen
one day.”
We sit and eat in silence, the sexual tension crackling
between us. I’m desperate to drag out our time together, but
the huge pile of grading that is waiting for me means I
reluctantly have to put an end to our little lunch date.

“W HERE SHOULD I DROP YOU ?” Madison asks as we approach

ORU.
“Just go home, and I’ll walk.”
“What?” She balks. “But people might see us together.
It’ll be weird.”
“We live on the same land. It would be weird if we came
back separately,” I argue, trying not to allow her to make a
big deal out of this.
“That’s not the point. We shouldn’t be together.”
“But we are.” My voice comes out a little harder than I
was expecting and she turns to look at me.
“We are?”
“Pull over.”
 In just a few seconds, she’s slowing the car to a stop on
the side of the road.
Turning to her, I take her cheeks in my hands and stare
deep into her eyes. “You’re mine,” I state. “No matter what
happens, you need to remember that.” She stares back at
me, her eyes starting to water. “You got that?”
“But what about—”
“I don’t fucking care, Madison. All I care about is you. I
think I’ve been in love with you since the first time I saw you
in that little white bikini. I couldn’t touch you then. Now?
Now, you’re mine.”
Wiping away the tear that drops with my thumb, I lean
forward and press my lips against hers. “Mine,” I mumble,
and she nods as I feel another tear hit my fingers.
 Madison

I MANAGED to convince the girls that I was feeling better and it

was nothing serious, but I got questioning looks from a
couple of them, including Stacy. Her face told me she didn’t
believe a word of it, but she was going to have to because
there’s no way I’m telling her or anyone the truth, that the
pain I’m currently experiencing is due to giving my teacher
my virginity.
The truth could lose Mr. Henderson—Josh—his job.
Every part of me is screaming that what we’ve done is
wrong, that it’s against everything he should stand for as a
teaching assistant, but I can’t help feeling like it’s so very
right.
His words from the night before in my car come back to
me. I’ve been in love with you since the first time I saw you. He’s
in love with me and has been for years when I didn’t even
know he existed. How fucked up all this is doesn’t elude me,
but I can’t help feeling that it could be a mutual thing. Is it
possible to fall in love this quickly?
I’m desperate to talk to one of the girls, to find out if
everyone else thinks I’m as crazy as I think I am.
Shoving my books into my bag, I prepare to leave the
house and attend my first class taught by the man I spent the
weekend fucking. I groan as the memory of us on my bed
hits me once again. Heat floods me. How am I meant to sit
and listen to him? All I’m going to be able to picture is him
naked and thrusting into me. My insides clench as I’m
reminded once again of the delicious ache from having him
inside me for the first time.
Fucking hell.
Taking a deep breath, I pull my bag onto my shoulder and
tug my door open to see what this day is going to hold.
I’ve never been nervous walking into a classroom before,
but my heart pounds and my palms sweat. Even with my
eyes focused on the ground, I feel the moment he sees me.
My temperature spikes and my heart races.
I try to force myself to keep looking down but my body
caves to his demands even from across the room, and I find
myself raising my head. The second our eyes connect, my
knees almost give way. Coming to a stop as the power of his
gaze washes through me, someone crashes into me and
sends me tumbling forwards.
Hands land on my waist. “What the hell are you doing?” I
can still feel Mr. Henderson’s burning stare as I turn to find
King holding me upright.
“Sorry, I…uh…lost my footing.”
When I look back to the front of the room, anger is oozing
from Josh. Quickly stepping away from King, I walk towards
him and take my usual seat, even if I’d prefer to hide at the
back and away from his attention.
 No one would guess anything has changed from the way
Mr. Henderson conducts himself throughout our lecture. I,
on the other hand, am a pile of nerves that someone is going
to clock the heated glances he keeps casting my way or the
fact I don’t speak up when I usually would. I’ve always
enjoyed learning, but I have the sudden need to run and
never come back. If this is how the rest of the year is going to
go, I’m not sure I’m willing to continue.

“M ISS W ARREN ,” is rumbled across the room while everyone

packs their stu away. My heart jumps into my throat.
“Yes, Sir,” I say weakly, looking up to impatient eyes.
“I’ve had to move your one-to-one. Are you available this
afternoon, four o’clock?” His voice is hard and shows no
emotion, unlike mine.
“Yeah, that should be…that should be fine.”
“Okay, my o ce then.” He gives me a quick wink before
he turns back towards the desk.

“M ADISON .” Professor Freeman nods as he leaves the o ce.

“Sir.” My voice trembles with anticipation and I pray it’s
not noticeable as I rush past him to the door he just exited.
I know he’s on the other side waiting for me. I can feel the
beat of my heart in every inch of my body as I raise my hand
to knock.
“Come,” he shouts, and the word alone has heat flooding
my core.
Pushing the door open and slipping into the room, I smile
brightly and try to act normal, but the second my eyes land
on him leaning back in his chair with his hair a mess, his tie
loosely hanging around his neck and the top few buttons of
his shirt undone, I lose my composure.
“Come here.” His demand is rough and deep and it causes
my insides to quiver.
Dropping my bag, I walk towards him. He spins out from
behind his desk and lifts me onto his lap. Lowering myself, I
can already feel his hardness pressing into me.
“Missed you,” he admits before grabbing onto my nape
and pulling me down for a kiss.
In seconds, I’m grinding down on top of him, trying to
find the friction I need. All thoughts of where we are are long
gone as I focus solely on him.
“Fucking hell,” he mutters against my neck and he
reaches down for his waistband. I lift myself up and in
seconds he’s freed himself and pushed my panties to one
side so he can sink into me.
Throwing my head back as pleasure races through me, I
lift up slowly before dropping back down.
“Fucking heaven,” he grates out through clenched teeth.
“All I could think about throughout that class was fucking
you. You’re a fucking tease, sitting in the front row with
these fucking gorgeous legs on full display. Put your hands
back on the desk.”
I do as I’m told and the new angle has me tumbling
towards orgasm in seconds.
“Holy shit, that’s it. Come, Madison.”
I’m just about to fall as voices from the hall filter through
to us. Panic has me sitting up straight and my eyes widening.
“Don’t stop,” he grunts with his eyes closed and the
muscles in his neck straining.
“But—”
“Don’t. Stop.”
 The voices fade and feeling Josh press his thumb to my
clit brings me back to the here and now. And right now I’m
about to come in his o ce. Fucking hell, what am I doing?
“Now,” he demands, his thumb still teasing me
relentlessly. I fall into mind-numbing bliss. Anyone could
walk in and I wouldn’t even notice.
Seconds later, I feel him swell inside me before he moans
loudly as his own orgasm claims him.
As he lifts me to my feet, I watch as he tucks himself into
his pants and sits back.
“Well, I don’t know about you, Miss Warren, but I think
this semester is looking up.”
I laugh as I run my fingers through my hair to try to
smooth it down.
“Tell me about your plans for the future.”
I try to rack my brains for what it is I want to do once I’ve
finished college but as always it eludes me. “I’ve no idea.”
“Don’t you want to follow in your parents’ footsteps?”
“Not really,” I admit quietly.
“Perfect. You can be my sex slave.” If it weren’t for the
wink, I’d think he meant it.

Josh

F ALLING BACK on my chair after watching Madison walk out of

my o ce, I do my best to put myself together. I couldn’t
wait until her original one-to-one session on Wednesday,
and I knew she’d have to be my last appointment of the day
because if it went the way I hoped, I wouldn’t be in any fit
state to discuss any other students’ progress. Memories of
being inside her the day before were still the only thing I
could think about, and if I had my way she wouldn’t be
leaving the o ce until I’d had my fill.
I smile to myself as I look down at the desk where only
minutes ago she’d been resting back while I filled her to the
hilt. After all my years of fantasizing, I never could have
dreamed that she would be even more than I always wanted.
The swelling of my cock is soon cut short when the o ce
door flies open and Professor Freeman strides in. Dropping
his books on the desk at the other end of the room, he
glances over at me. “You okay?” His brows draw together as
he looks at me with something akin to concern—but I know
it’s not, because Freeman doesn’t give two shits about me
other than that I make his life easier.
“Yeah, I’m…uh…just a little warm.”
“There’s air conditioning in this o ce for a reason,” he
mutters, tutting under his breath.
“Yes, Sir. I was…engrossed in what I was doing.”
Looking from my face and down to the desk in front of
me, it’s obvious to both of us that I wasn’t working. The desk
is clear bar the blank computer screen and a couple of pens.
“Right. Well, I’m done for the day. Enjoy your…work?”
His statement comes out as a question that makes my heart
begin to race.
I’ve been trying to play down the seriousness of our new
relationship with regards to my job, but the reality is that if
we’re caught, I’m fucked. Becoming a college professor is
the only thing I’ve wanted for many, many years.
Until I saw her.
My focus changed slightly, even more so when she walked
into my classroom and gave me the opportunity I’d been
dreaming of for almost all my adult life. Yes, I still want my
career, but fuck if I don’t want her more.
 Madison

I HATE LIARS , but that’s exactly what I’ve become. I’ve got a
secret I can’t tell anyone about, and I’ve spent the past two
weeks sneaking around like some kind of criminal. I’m
powerless to stop it. Every minute I spend with Josh, I feel
myself falling even harder for him.
When he admitted in the car on the way back from our
parents’ that he’d fallen in love with me, I thought he was
crazy. No one can fall in love that fast—or so I thought,
because it seems in only days I’ve given every single piece of
myself to my teacher.
I’ve never done anything wrong in my entire life. I’ve
always been the good girl, the cheerleader, the girl first to
get up in front of the class and read their homework aloud,
and here I am tarnishing my squeaky clean reputation with a
sordid a air.
Or is it?
 Technically, we could have known each other for years.
We could have started our relationship long before we
became student and teacher. These little thoughts keep
popping up in my head, a way to rationalize my behavior and
try to make what we have seem less…sleazy.
Trying to shake the thoughts from my head, I run my
brush through my hair one last time before checking my
outfit. Tonight is Halloween and our last night at the
haunted house. For something I’d been looking forward to
since the beginning of the semester, I haven’t really spent
much time there and I feel awful about not giving it my all
when the money’s going to such a good cause.
I’ve wanted to be there more, but every time I put this
costume on all I see is him—him and his warning about
wearing it in front of other guys.
Grabbing my phone, I read the message that showed up a
few moments ago.

J: Do not change out of that outfit before you get here x

A SHIVER RUNS through me as I think about what’s in store for

me tonight. After I managed to convince him that he wasn’t
to step foot inside the haunted house ever again, he’s been
adamant I sneak o afterward and spend the night making it
up to him. I have no complaints about the suggestion and
willingly disappear before the other girls come to find me.
As expected, the house is packed with people, and before I
know it I’m once again turning the lights o , only now it’s
for the final time.
 Memories assault me of the first night and hearing the
door shut behind me as I leant over the same exact desk. It
makes me wonder how life can change so much in the blink
of an eye. I was just a student then. Now I’m a student falling
in love and sneaking o with the one person she shouldn’t
be.
Slipping out the back door at the first opportunity, I head
across the vast land the house is sat on, in the direction of
Josh’s apartment. He lives a bit of a walk from campus, but I
refused to allow him to come and meet me because of the
number of people who’ll likely be out and about tonight.
Pulling my coat tighter around me, I put my head down
and move my legs as fast as they’ll go, willing the minutes to
disappear so I can be in the safety of his arms once again.
By the time I’m walking up the entrance of his building,
the cold’s starting to get to me. The door opens the second
I’m in front of it. I don’t even get a chance to knock.
He grabs my wrist and pulls me into his warmth. “I hate
that you won’t allow me to meet you. The thought of you
walking here alone in the middle of the night scares the shit
out of me.”
“I’m fine,” I soothe as he pulls me into his apartment and
shuts the door behind us, shutting out the world. When
we’re together it’s like it’s just the two of us on the planet. I
can’t think of anything more perfect.
“What’s all this?” I ask as I walk farther into the room
and see the flicker of candlelight.
“I wanted to treat you,” he whispers as he pulls my coat
from my body and drops light kisses to my neck.
“You didn’t have to.” Stepping around in front of me, his
fingertips trailing over the bare skin of my stomach sends
goosebumps across my body.
His eyes stare into mine. The seriousness in them makes
my heart pound a little faster in my chest with the
uncertainty of what he’s about to say. “I can’t o er you
much, Madison. I don’t have money, I can’t give you fancy
shit, but you have my heart, and that is priceless.”
A huge lump climbs up my throat as I continue to look
into his concerned eyes. I know what he’s thinking; it’s
exactly what everyone seems to think. The girl who grew up
having whatever she wanted must want more than this. But
he couldn’t be further from the truth. Money doesn’t buy
happiness—far from it. It’s the people you surround yourself
with and the life you make for yourself that gives you true
happiness.
“Oh, Josh. I couldn’t ask for anything more. Now shut up
and kiss me.” I think he’s just as aware as I am that I’ve not
yet said the words to him, told him how I feel, but something
keeps them on the tip of my tongue. I want the timing to be
perfect and I can only hope when it’s right, I’ll know.
His lips press down against mine and I moan like I’ve
been starved of them. In reality, it was only a few hours ago I
found myself backed up against his o ce door before class.
It doesn’t seem to matter how many times I tell him we need
to stop that kind of thing happening on campus; he still
manages to find a way to get me alone. It’s only going to be
so long before we get caught.
“What’s for dinner? It smells good,” I ask when he
eventually pulls back. I didn’t have time to eat before going
to the house, and I’ve been in class or the library all day
trying to keep on top of everything.
“Take a seat.” He points towards his tiny two-seater table
and pulls out a chair for me just before I get there. “It’s not
much,” he admits, pouring me a glass of wine.
“I don’t care. It’ll be perfect.”
I watch his ass as he bends to open the oven and burst out
laughing when I see him pull a takeout pizza box from
inside.
 “I can’t cook for shit,” he admits, lowering the box to the
table. “It was delivered two minutes before you got here. But
before we go any further,” he says, stopping my hand from
reaching for the box. “I need to ask you something, and no
pressure but the answer could put our relationship in
jeopardy.”
My eyes fly to his as panic washes through me. What’s
happened? Have we been seen? A million and one questions
hit me all at once.
“What’s your stance on pineapple on pizza?”
Letting out a huge sigh of relief, I laugh to myself. “I love
it. I thought you were about to ask me something much more
serious.”
“What’s more serious than pineapple on a pizza?” he
asks with a wink. He knows just as well as I do that isn’t our
biggest issue right now, but not wanting to bring down his
mood, I keep my mouth shut.
A stomach full of pizza along with a glass of wine too
many after the long day I’ve had means I end up falling
asleep on Josh’s chest as we sit and watch old sitcoms on the
TV. I feel bad that all his romance and my outfit have gone to
waste, but as he carries me to his bedroom and begins
stripping me out of my clothes I can’t help but let a sigh of
contentment slip from my lips.
Lowering me onto the bed, he hovers over me, his palms
resting either side of my head. I blink up at him, my eyelids
heavy with sleep as a look of pure adoration fills his face.
“You can’t possibly imagine how much you mean to me,”
he whispers, his warm palm cupping my cheek as he stares
into my eyes. “Whatever happens in the coming months, I
need you to know that I’m not letting you go. We’re meant to
be, and no one is going to get in the way of that.”
Tears pool in my eyes at his words. I know he means
every single one. I can feel it.
 “I love you,” I whisper, no longer able to keep it held in.
“I know.” His forehead rests on mine and our breaths
mingle. “I know and I love you, too.”
Standing, he pulls his shirt over his head before dropping
his pants and boxers to the floor. Sliding in behind me, he
pulls the covers over both of us before his hand sneaks
between my legs as his lips kiss across my shoulder blade.
“I need to be inside you, Madison.”
The movement of his fingers wakes up my entire body,
and I moan as he uses a little more pressure.
Once I’m ready for him, he pulls my back tight against his
chest and slowly, painfully slowly, slides into me from
behind. Sparks shoot around my body as his slow movement
alights all my nerves.
He keeps his thrusts torturously slow as he makes love to
me. It’s so di erent from all the times before, the hard and
fast fucking, usually because we’re desperate not to get
caught. This isn’t about sex, it’s not about the pleasure…it’s
about the act, the two of us uniting. The promise that this,
us, is right. That no matter what the future holds we’ll fight
it together, because this is how it should be.
When I come, it’s gentler than I’m used to as wave after
wave of powerful pleasure washes through me. Biting down
on the delicate skin of my shoulder, Josh follows a few
moments later, filling me with everything he has.

I T ’ S BECOME a tradition that I’ll sit out on a bench during

lunch if the weather’s good, and if he can get away, Josh will
come and join me. We do our best to make it look
inconspicuous but I’ve no idea if we’re really pulling it o . I
guess the fact that no one’s questioned us yet means we’re
doing okay.
 “Hey, I didn’t think you were going to make it,” I say
when I sense him sit next to me. Turning to look, my mouth
drops open. “King, what are you doing here?”
“Why? Expecting someone else?” His eyebrow lifts as if
he knows something and my heart starts to race. Not feeling
hungry all of a sudden, I put my sandwich down and try to
sound convincing when I say, “No, not at all.”
“Bullshit. You want to tell me what’s going on, Mads?”
“There’s nothing going on.”
“Oh, really?”
“Really.” My eyes are pleading with him to stop. I’m so
desperate to talk to someone about everything that I’m
scared it’ll just fall from my lips if he presses me too much.
“So, there’s nothing going on between you and Mr.
Henderson? You’re going to tell me it’s all in my head.”
“Wha…uh…wh…why would you think that?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen you
leaving his o ce not once but twice,” he holds up two
fingers just to ram the point home, “looking like a hot mess.
You’re never at home, Stacy is worried sick and mentioned
you keep sneaking o in the middle of the night. And when I
followed you, where should you end up but at Mr.
Henderson’s apartment.”
“Shhhhh,” I say in panic when his accusations start
getting louder. “Okay, fine. So maybe there is something.”
“For fuck’s sake, Mad. You could have just told me.”
“I couldn’t. I can’t. If people find out then…” I trail o . I
don’t need to spell it out for King; he’s not stupid.
“I knew you fancied him, but fucking him, really? I
thought you were better than that.”
I want the ground to swallow me up. One of my best
friends is looking at me like I’m some kind of cheap whore.
A sob erupts and I lift my hands to cover my face as it all
gets too much. The last few weeks have been intense to say
the least, and having to keep it all a secret has been weighing
down on me more than I think I realized.
“I’m so sorry,” I wail.
I feel King’s arms wrap around my shoulder and he pulls
me into him. “Hey, it’s okay. We all make mistakes.”
“Mistakes?” I ask, dropping my hands and staring at him,
my eyes wide in shock. “This isn’t a mistake.” My voice has
thankfully lost its quiver from moments ago. “This isn’t just
some quick fuck to help me get the grade, King. I’m in love
with him.”
“Oh, fuck o . Now you’re just being stupid.” His eyes
roam around my face, I guess looking for signs that I’m
lying. I couldn’t be speaking truer words.
“King, I’m serious. I’m in love with him and—” My
words are cut o when someone else speaks.
“What’s going on?”
Turning at the same time, we take in the angry eyes of
our teacher. King immediately pulls his arm away from me
and scoots to the other end of the bench.
“It’s nothing, Sir.”
“Madison’s crying. That isn’t nothing.” I can see he’s
trying his hardest not to walk over and pull me into his arms.
His fists are clenching and unclenching at his sides as the
muscle in his neck pulsates.
“Josh, it’s okay,” I say soothingly when he starts to step
towards King, his intentions clear in his eyes. “He knows,” I
whisper.
His mouth drops before he turns to look at me. “How?”
“Because he’s my friend and he’s worried about me.”
“It wasn’t all that hard to figure out.”
I watch as Josh’s eyes widen as his panic sets in.
“He won’t say anything. Will you, King?”
He looks between the two of us before stepping up to
Josh, their noses almost touching. They’re both as wide as
each other so I wouldn’t want to put money on either of
them if they were to start fighting. “If you hurt her, I’ll come
for you,” he warns before reaching down to grab his bag and
walking o .
I watch as Josh’s chest drops when he lets out a huge
breath. “Fuck,” he spits, shoving his hands into his hair and
looking up at the sky. “Fuck.”

Josh

I KNEW IT WAS INEVITABLE , but hearing Madison say the words

I’d convinced myself I’d never hear, never had to worry
about, I feel like the world has been pulled out from under
me.
He knows.
He knows.
He knows.
If he knows, who else knows, or thinks they know
something? I see everything I’ve worked towards flash
before my eyes as I fall down on to the bench I was walking
to not so long ago. I’ve been telling myself that as long as I
have her, consequences be damned. That was easy to say
when I was living in our perfect little bubble.
The feeling of her hand running up and down my back
eventually brings me from my nightmare.
“It’ll be okay. He won’t say anything,” she reassures once
again, but it does little to calm me down. “Tell me what to
do. How can I make this better?”
“You can’t. I was foolish to believe I could have
everything.”
 “You can, Josh. You can have all this and me. I’m yours,
I’ll do whatever you need.”
“I can’t. We can’t. This, all of this…it was just a dream.
I’m sorry, Madison. I can’t do this.”
Getting up and walking away from her is the hardest
thing I think I’ve ever done in my life. The pain is physical
and only gets worse the farther away from her I get.
I hear her calls, her pleas for me to come back, but I can’t.
I can’t ruin our futures because of a stupid fantasy I had over
five years ago.
Walking back into the o ce, I sweep the papers I was
grading up o the desk, grab my bag and march out again.
Freeman is going to have to go it alone this afternoon. I can’t
be here.
 Madison

M Y STOMACH TURNS over as I watch him walk away from me.

This can’t be happening. He told me that no matter what,
that this was it; that we were it, but, at the first sign of
trouble, he’s gone. I believed every single word that fell from
his lips. Not once have I even considered he’d walk away
from this, what we have.
Feeling a sob climbing up my throat, I grab my stu ,
throw what’s left of my lunch in the trash and head for
home.
I pack as much as I can into my small case before
throwing it into the trunk of my car and getting the hell
away from this place. It’s only two days until fall break. I
can’t imagine I’ll miss all that much. Not that there’s any
chance I could sit in a classroom with him looking like
everything is right in his world while mine is crumbling
beneath my feet.
 “Madison, what are you—” Shelly’s words falter as I
storm through the entrance hall of my parents’ home and
rush towards my bedroom. I drop my stu to the floor before
pulling my curtains closed, knowing that if I look out, all I’ll
be able to picture is him in his window looking back at me
like he told me he’d done so many times before. It’s not until
I collapse onto my bed that I allow myself to break.
I scream my pain into the pillow as my tears soak the
fabric and my heart shatters into a million pieces. I should
have known this was all going to end in disaster. Who in
their right mind has a fling with their teacher and comes out
of it in one piece?
When I hear a light knock on my door, I pull my face from
the pillow and look at the clock. Shit, two hours have gone
by.
“Madison, can I come in?” Shelly asks softly.
Wiping my cheeks dry, I call out and the door opens
immediately. Glancing up through my wet eyelashes, I see
she has a tray in her hands.
“I thought you might need some sugar. It always helps a
broken heart.”
I sob once again but no tears fall. I think I’ve run out.
Placing the tray down on the sideboard, she sits next to
me and wraps an arm around my shoulder. “Your parents are
out of town for a few days, sweetheart.”
I nod. It’s all I’m capable of. I’m not sure if I came here to
see them or for the peace, but I guess it’s the latter I’ll be
getting.
“Would you like to talk about it?” Looking up into her
familiar blue eyes, my breath catches and my chin trembles.
“I’ve fallen in love with someone I shouldn’t have, and he
left me. I’ve fallen in love with your son.”
T HANKFULLY S HELLY DIDN ’ T ASK any more questions, and once
she was confident I was okay, she left me to my misery—no
doubt to call Josh and have a few words about what he’s been
up to with his students.
I turned my phone o the moment I got here, and other
than watching a bit of TV, I’ve been totally disconnected
with the world for the last two days. It’s exactly what I need;
it’s just a shame it can’t last forever. At some point, I’m
going to have to reconnect and try to hold my head high as I
walk into class. The thought sends pain shooting through
me…watching him pace back and forth at the front of the
room, sitting in the o ce where so much has happened as
we talk about my progress.
That’s enough to have me pulling up a webpage and
looking into the possibility of changing colleges. I don’t want
to drop out and have the last two years mean nothing. Even
if I have to take the rest of the year o and restart next fall,
it wouldn’t be much of a hardship; I’ve no idea what I want
to do after I graduate anyway, so maybe another year is
exactly what I need.
I’m reading some posts on a student forum when the
doorbell rings. I expect to hear Shelly’s footsteps but the
house is silent. Letting out a hu and putting my laptop on
the co ee table in front of me, I head towards the front door
and pull it open without much thought.
The second I see him I try to shut it again, but he’s faster
than me.
“Madison, please,” he begs as he pushes against the solid
wood. Knowing I don’t have the strength, mentally or
physically, to keep him out, I allow him to enter.
Walking back to the couch and curling my legs
underneath me, I sit and wait for what he has to say, the
whole time trying not to get my hopes up or allow my heart
to run away with itself.
 “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have walked away from you like
that.” He sits next to me, his thigh pressing against my knee
as he squeezes my hands in his. “I panicked. I know that’s
not a good enough reason, but it’s all I have. You not being
there the last few days, looking at your empty desk...It made
me realize that I walked away from the wrong thing. That’s
just a job, Madison. I can get another; I can do something
else if it means we can be together. I can’t lose you.”
I look over his familiar features as he stares at me. Hope
that he hasn’t ruined what we had pours from his dark and
tired eyes.
“I won’t allow you to give up your dream.”
“You’re my dream. All I want is you.”
“We both know you won’t be happy without your career. I
can’t ask you to give that up.”
“You’re not asking. I’m doing it willingly.”
“You’re doing it because of me. It’s the same thing. I was
just looking at changing colleges, I—”
“No way. You’re not going anywhere.”
“Then we’re back to the same issue. I’ll drop out.”
“No.”
“Josh, something’s got to give here. We can’t have it all.”
“Nothing in life worth having is easy, Madison. We’ll
have to figure it out as we go, but one thing I’m certain of.
I’m not losing you. Not now, and not ever.”
His hand comes to the back of my neck and he pulls me
towards his lips. “It’s been way too long since I touched
you.” His lips brush mine as he speaks. “Promise me you’re
with me.”
“If you promise not to run again.”
“The next few months are going to be hard.”
“I can handle hard.”
“I know you can, sweetheart.”
 Josh

I KNEW where she’d gone. It wasn’t hard to work it out when

her desk sat empty but the second my phone rang and I saw
Mom’s name, I knew something was up.
“Hey, Mom,” I answer as happily as I can manage given
the circumstances.
“What the hell have you done?”
“Mom, please, not now. I’m at work.”
“Yes, right now.” It’s not like Mom to be harsh, so I fall
back into my chair and prepare to hear her out. “What the
hell were you thinking to turn your back on Madison? You’ve
been obsessed with her for years; how can you walk away
now?”
“What?”
“Don’t play coy with me. You think your father and I
don’t know you only come to visit so you can play peeping
tom?”
“Uh…yeah.”
“Joshua, I don’t care that she’s your student, I don’t care
that it’s frowned upon or whatever, you get your backside
over here right this second and sort this out. She’s over there
broken. Do you hear me? BROKEN. Because of you. Be a man
and sort it out.”
I haven’t had a telling o from my mother in years—
probably well over a decade—but as she rants at me I feel
like I’m a child again.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Knowing I couldn’t just leave then and there was torture.
I had classes to teach and students depending on me.
The second I finish for fall break, I’m on a bus and
heading towards home.
 I knew I’d made a mistake the second I got o campus
that day. I should have fought for what we had. It’s what I
told her I would do, and instead of standing up for what we
had, I walked away like a coward.
She had every right not to want to see me, but the second
she opened the door and I looked into her eyes, I knew
everything was going to be okay. She was still with me. I
hadn’t lost her. We had to figure shit out and make a few
sacrifices, but they’d all be worth it.

“M ORNING ,” I say, rolling over and running my hand up her

smooth stomach until I find her naked breast. Once we
decided our future is together, we clumsily made our way up
to her bedroom. It probably would have been much smoother
if we weren’t so intent on getting each other naked before we
even got to the room. The only time either of us left was to
get food and drinks.
“Morn…ugh.”
“What’s wrong?” I ask when I see her face.
“I’m going to be sick.” No sooner have the words left her
mouth than she’s running for the bathroom. I’m right
behind her and have her hair in my hands as she heaves into
the toilet.
Once she’s finished, she sits back against the cool tiles. I
hand her a cold, damp washcloth and watch as she presses it
to her flushed face.
“I’m sorry. I’ve been feeling a little o the last couple of
days.”
“This isn’t the first morning you’ve been sick?” She
shakes her head, clearly not thinking the same thing I am.
“Madison, are you on birth control?” It was irresponsible of
me not to ask before taking her bare time and time again,
but rational thinking isn’t my priority when she’s naked…
though a little excitement tickles in my stomach as the
thought of her having my baby begins to sneak its way in.
“I was but…”
“But?” I ask quickly, needing to know if this could be
happening.
“I left them here.” Her eyes flick to the shelf above the
basin. “Shit. Am I…” she trails o .
“You left them here? So you’ve been on nothing all this
time?”
“Yeah,” she whispers. “I was too distracted by you and
everything going on.”
Marching from her bathroom I start dragging my clothes
on, a smile twitching the corners of my mouth.
“What are you doing? Where are you going?” she asks in
a panic as she rushes after me, her eyes wide.
“The store.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“No, stay here in case you need to...” I look over her
shoulder at the toilet and she nods. “Give me your keys. I’ll
only be a few minutes.”
She hands them over and just before I get out of the door,
she calls me back. The look on her face is enough to have me
marching up to her and taking her cheeks in my hands.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers, her voice quivering. “I can’t
believe I was so stupid.”
“It’s okay,” I soothe as I catch a tear with my thumb.
“I’m as much to blame. I didn’t even check. I’ll be back
soon.”
Tearing my eyes away from her distraught ones, I quickly
make my way out of the house and jump in her car. I try not
to let my imagination get the better of me. After all, this
could just be a false alarm. There’s no point in getting my
hopes up or trying to come up with an image of how sexy
she’ll look swollen with my baby. Shit, the thought alone has
my cock hardening.
After taking a moment to blow out a long breath, I head to
the store to get what we need. I buy one of every brand they
have just so we can be sure.

S TARING down at the line of pregnancy tests all laid out across
Madison’s basin, my heart pounds as her body trembles
slightly in my arms. She’s not said anything but I don’t think
she’s sharing my excitement that this could be happening.
One by one the results start to show, and after checking
the instructions on all but the one that says the word, we
have our answer.
We’re going to be parents.
“Well, that doesn’t make our situation any easier, does
it?” Madison says sadly.
Spinning her around in my arms, I stare down into her
concerned eyes. “Aren’t you happy?”
“I…I’m just worried about you,” she admits, her brows
drawing together.
“You don’t need to worry about me. Start worrying about
this little person of ours you’re growing.” I slide my hands
down her sides and around to her smooth, flat belly. “I can’t
wait to watch you grow.”
“You’re not angry?”
“Why would I be angry? You’re giving me the most
incredible gift.”
Her mouth drops open in shock so I make the most of her
stunned reaction and press kisses up her neck until my lips
find hers.
“I’m so fucking happy right now, you’ve no idea,” I
mutter against her before pressing myself against her body.
 She moans when she feels me and I begin walking us out
of her bathroom. We’ll worry about everything else later.
Right now, I need to show her that we’re in this together and
exactly how much I love her, because this naughty little
schoolgirl is mine. Forever.
 Madison

I CAN STILL VIVIDLY REMEMBER how I felt as I stared down at

those positive pregnancy tests a year ago. Our future as a
couple was already on unsteady ground, but throwing a baby
into the mix was surely a recipe for disaster. Josh did his best
to convince me that everything was going to be fine, but I
couldn’t shift the feeling that in the end I was going to be
alone and bringing up our child as a single parent. I knew
how much he loved his job, how many years he’d been
dreaming about it. I think I always had a fear that given the
choice he’d choose his career over me, and this new
development would only make life with me harder.
We set ourselves some clear ground rules before we
returned to campus after fall break. Minimal contact
throughout the week, no lunch breaks together, and no late
night visits. We’d both head to our parents’ each weekend
and make the most of our time together. Couples cope with
long distance relationships all the time, so we were going to
adopt that strategy, even if we did see each other every
single day.
I kept my pregnancy hidden for as long as possible and
was almost six months in before the gossip spread around
college. Thankfully the sorority girls bought my one-night
stand story, and that was how the Chinese whispers went. I
felt horrible lying to my closest friends but I couldn’t risk
Josh’s career. The only person who knew the truth was King.
The hardest part of it all was watching Josh’s face every
time I walked into class. I could see in his eyes how
desperately he wanted to come over, to kiss me, to rub his
hand over my ever-growing belly. But he couldn’t do any of
that.
I spent our time apart getting ahead with work so I didn’t
have to attend classes once I was too pregnant. I’m so glad I
did because not long into my seventh month, I was showing
signs of early labor. I ended up moving back in with my
parents and finishing o what little I had left so I could
graduate online. It helped somewhat that my teacher was
also the father of my child. He made sure I’d done everything
so my three years at college weren’t for nothing.
When the time came, at just over eight months we were
blessed with a gorgeous baby boy, Joseph—or Joey, after my
grandfather. Thankfully, my water broke about an hour after
Josh arrived at my parents’ place after work on a Friday
night, so he was able to be there for the birth.
“Are you nearly ready?” Josh asks, poking his head into
the bathroom in my room at my parents’. We moved back to
Josh’s flat when the fall semester started but we still spend
most of our weekends back here so our parents get to spend
time with their grandchild. Josh was reluctant to have us all
living that close to campus, but it’s been fine so far. I don’t
go out all that often and if we want to go out together, we
always head out of town. We’ve talked about looking for a
place here and Josh commuting to work; we just need to find
somewhere we can a ord. My parents have o ered to help
but I keep refusing. This is our family, and we want to be the
ones to provide a home.
“Yeah, just about done,” I say, putting the lid back on my
lipstick and walking out of the bathroom to find Josh and
Joey sitting on the edge of our bed.
The second I step into the room, his eyes widen and his
mouth drops. My red, loose dress is low cut but skims over
my baby bumps I’d rather keep hidden for now. Not that they
put Josh o in any way. He’s just as obsessed with my body
now as he was in the beginning.
“You look gorgeous,” he says after clearing his throat.
“Thank you. Is Joey ready?”
“Yes. Could you do one thing for me before we go?”
“Sure.”
“Could you look out the window?”
Glancing over to see the curtains shut, I narrow my eyes
at Josh. “What’s going on?”
“Just go look.”
Slowly, I reach out and move the fabric to the side. My
breath catches as I see it immediately. The window opposite
has a sign propped up against the glass and is surrounded by
fairy lights. Will you marry me? is written in giant black
letters.
“Oh my god,” I whisper, bringing my hand up to cover
my mouth.
“Turn around.”
Doing as I’m told, I find Josh down on one knee with a
little black box in his hand. My heart pounds and tears fill
my eyes as I look down at him.
“Madison, I knew you were the one for me from the first
moment I saw you. I spent years imagining what you were
like. I had no idea that when I eventually got the chance to
find out that you were even more incredible than I ever could
have imagined. I know the past year hasn’t been easy but I
wouldn’t change it for the world. I love you, Madison. Will
you be mine forever? Will you marry me?”
Dropping down onto my knees in front of him, I wrap my
hand around the back of his neck and pull his lips to mine. I
can taste my salty tears as we kiss but I don’t stop, needing
him to know how I feel.
When I eventually pull back, he looks at me with
amusement dancing in his eyes. “So…?”
“Yes, Josh. Yes.”
Grabbing my hand after pulling the ring from the box, he
slides the simple diamond onto my finger before dropping a
kiss to it and whispering, “Mine.”

THE END
Firstly, I need to thank Frankie Love for coming up with the
Halloween Honeys. If it wasn’t for her then this story never
would have happened and I love it so hard. From the moment
I thought it up I was in love with it. The idea of Josh
watching Maddie from afar for all those years seemed so
perfect to me. The words just flew from my fingers, and with
each one I fell harder for Mr. Henderson and his naughty
schoolgirl.

As always I need to think Michelle, my alpha reader, for

putting up with my stories, all of my horrendous typos, and
falling in love with my characters as much, if not more at
times, as I do.

My wonderful beta readers, Deanna, Helen, Lindsay and

Tracy. Thank you for always being honest with me and
dropping everything when I need you.

Evelyn, once again, thank for being incredible, even if you do

make my head hurt with your suggestions to make each of
my books better than the last.

I want to thank everyone who’s given me the chance and

picked this up to keep you entertained for a few hours. I
wouldn’t be able to continue doing this if it weren’t for my
incredible readers. So from the bottom of my heart THANK
YOU!

And last but never least, my husband and daughter for

everything you put up with so I can do what I love. I love you
x
 Are you ready to meet the rest of the crew?

His Wicked Witch by Kim Lorraine

His Little Red Riding Hood by Sher Dillard
His Fairytale Princess by Sierra Hill
His French Maid by Frankie Love
His Dragon Queen by Alexis Adaire
His Dirty Dancer by Kelli Callahan
His Brazen Angel by Tessa Blake
His Dirty Devil by Vivian Ward
His Nasty Nerd by Derek Masters
His Kinky Kitten by Olivia Hawthorne
His Sexy Cheerleader by Alexx Andria
His Curvy Cougar by Chantal Seabrook
His Naughty Nurse by Laney Powell
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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tracy Lorraine is a M/F and M/M contemporary romance author. Tracy has just
turned thirty and lives in a cute Cotswold village in England with her husband,
baby girl and lovable but slightly crazy dog. Having always been a bookaholic
with her head stuck in her Kindle, Tracy decided to try her hand at a story idea
she dreamt up and hasn’t looked back since.

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 ALSO BY TRACY LORRAINE

Angel Series
Falling for Molly: Part One #1
Falling for Molly: Part Two #2
Falling for Abbi #3
Falling for Beth (An Angel Series Novella)
Falling for Emma #4
Falling for Connie #5
Falling for Lilly #6
Falling for Taylor #7
Falling for Nicole #8

Chasing Series
Chasing Logan

Ruined Series
Ruined Plans #1
Ruined by Lies #2
Ruined Promises #3

Never Forget Series

Never Forget Him #1
Never Forget Us #2
Everywhere & Nowhere #3

The Cocktail Girls

His Manhattan
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 Sneak Peek

Never Forget Him by Tracy Lorraine

 NEVER FORGET HIM
PROLOGUE

“O NCE UPON A TIME there was a handsome soldier. He was

strong and brave, and whisked the princess o her feet.
“The solider was a hero, fighting all the bad guys and
giving people their lives back.
“He was more than that, though. He wasn’t just the brave
soldier, he was thoughtful and caring, funny, and a little bit
of an idiot.” I smile to myself as memories start playing out
in my mind of his slightly wonky smile when he was winding
me up, and the infectious sound of his laugh.
“One day, I’m going to be just like Daddy. I’m going be
big and brave and rescue people,” Denny says sleepily.
I stay where I am, sat on the edge of his bed, and watch as
he loses the fight against sleep. Denny looks just like him.
Most days I find it comforting, but there are times, like right
now, after he’s made me recite his nightly story, that it’s
painful. The memories of him threaten to rip me apart.
I gently sweep his hair from his forehead once I know
he’s fast asleep. “You already do that, baby boy. You rescue
me every day,” I whisper as I take one last look at his
gorgeous, peaceful face.
 NEVER FORGET HIM
CHAPTER ONE

F IVE Y EARS A GO …

“E RIN , come on, at least look a little excited about this. It’s
your twentieth birthday, for fuck’s sake,” Frankie, my best
friend, complains when I sit on her bed, looking less than
enthusiastic about our night out.
“I’m good, Ki. I am looking forward to it,” I lie. “It’s just
I’m—”
“Worried about your mum.” Her words come out softer,
showing she does understand. They still make me feel guilty,
maybe I’m being a little too self-involved.
“I’m sorry. I’m going to forget all that and we’re going to
have an amazing night,” I announce, summoning up as
much excitement as I can muster.
Frankie is the ultimate party girl. She loves nothing more
than spending all weekend either getting ready to go out, or
being out and getting very drunk. That whole scene isn’t
really me; I much prefer to spend my Saturday night at
home, in my den, working, but I don’t have a chance in hell
of getting away without going tonight, seeing as it’s my
birthday.
 “Here, get this down your neck. It’ll help chill you the
fuck out,” she says, thrusting a glass of vodka Red Bull at
me.
“Haven’t you got anything else?”
“Nope, suck it up. We’re gonna get ourselves nice and
drunk before heading out. Seeing as we’re two weeks away
from our next loan payments coming in, I’m fucking skint.
We don’t all have a cushy job like you,” she says before
necking her drink in one go. I, on the other hand, sip at the
vile liquid before putting it down behind me. If I never taste
vodka Red Bull again I’d be happy. “Although,” she adds,
with a wiggle of her eyebrows, “a little birdie told me
there’re some hot soldiers in town tonight. Maybe they’ll
buy us some drinks.”
I can’t help but groan at her mention of soldiers. Frankie
makes no secret of her desire to bed a hot army guy. She has
some obsession with being the one to make a soldier’s leave
the best he’s ever had, to let him use her to blow o steam
before sending him packing to wherever it is he’s based with
some amazing memories and no intention of ever seeing him
again.
“Oh, don’t give me that, E. You know you’d want it if you
had the chance.”
I don’t respond other than to lift my eyebrow at her. She
knows exactly what I’d say, anyway. My dad was in the army
and I watched what it did to Mum every time he left to go on
tour. I vividly remember the day she answered the door and
collapsed to the ground wailing before the men the other
side had even spoken. From as early as I can remember, I’ve
said I’d never touch a man in the army. Dad broke my mum
—totally shattered her. I never want to experience anything
like that. Ever.
“Anyway, what do you think?” Frankie asks as she holds a
small piece of silver glitzy fabric in front of her.
 “I think it looks about the right size to be a dishcloth, Ki.”
“I don’t know why I bother,” she complains, throwing
the dress on the bed.
Frankie and I are complete opposites. She’s tall, I’m
short. She’s blonde, I’m some boring shade of brown—to say
brunette would probably make it sound too good. She’s
outgoing and adventurous, and I’m shy and reserved. Our
choice of clothing is also at di erent ends of the scale.
Frankie follows fashion and must be seen wearing what the
celebs are. I, on the other hand, love the 1950’s look, so
when I’m not in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt you can find me
in something like the high-waist pencil skirt, white shirt,
thick red belt with matching court shoes I’m about to change
into. It’s not exactly a look most of our fellow students rock
on a night out, but it’s what I love, so I go with it. I wouldn’t
be seen dead in the tiny scraps of fabric Frankie steps out of
her flat in.
“Who told you that, anyway?”
“Lisa rang me this afternoon from a bar in town.
Apparently, they came in all boisterous and sexy and o ered
to buy her and Tara a drink. Once they found out their plans
for the night, they excused themselves to ring me. I can’t
fucking wait, E. Soldiers! Actual soldiers!”
“Yay,” I say, feigning excitement.
Frankie throws her lip gloss at me. “If you’re not excited
for yourself then at least be excited for me,” she says, before
stripping o her robe and reaching for her dress.
“Ready?” she asks excitedly as she finishes o the drink I
abandoned some time ago.
I take one last look at myself in the mirror and run my
hand down the fabric of my skirt. My hair is pulled back into
a sleek ponytail with my fringe swept to the side and pinned
behind my ear. My eyes are lined perfectly and my lips are
fire engine red thanks to Frankie’s skills—I could never
achieve this look on my own. I may be good with my hands
but it doesn’t seem to translate to putting make up on.
“I guess,” I mutter as I grab my bag.
Frankie ignores my less than enthusiastic response and
takes my hand to pull me through her flat to the awaiting
taxi. She can barely sit still during the short ride to the city
centre, and I hate to admit it, but her excitement is a little
infectious. This may not be my kind of thing, but seeing my
best friend this happy does make me feel better about
everything.
“We’re here,” Frankie exclaims, throwing money onto
the passenger seat and practically bouncing from the taxi.
I thank the driver and get out in a slightly more composed
manner. I wasn’t paying much attention to where we were
going, but I groan when I see which club we’ve just pulled up
outside.
“Smoke? Really?”
“Yes. This is where Lisa and Tara said the soldiers were
heading.”
I’m not a fan of nightclubs in general, but I have a
particular hatred of Smoke and Frankie knows it, which is
probably why she didn’t tell me.
“We’re meant to be out celebrating my birthday.
Shouldn’t I have the final say?” I ask, refusing to move from
the curb.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Frankie says, thinking about
more than her sexy soldiers for a second. “Where do you
want to go?”
I desperately want to say home, but I know that isn’t
going to go down well. I also don’t know if it’s actually the
truth. The place I love being isn’t the same now I’m
watching Mum fight this losing battle with her business. I
think where I want to be is anywhere but here. I don’t want
to be stood outside this club I hate, and for the first time
ever, I don’t want to be in Bristol. I need to get away from it
all, from the stress and the pressure. Being in uni should be
pressure enough, but that’s not even half of it. Even my love
of jewellery making has been tainted by it.
Frankie stands in front of me. I can see how torn she now
is about tonight. She’s a good friend, and I know that if I
were to say I didn’t want to go in there, she wouldn’t. As
much as she wants those soldiers, I know she’d choose me
over them. I’m just not sure I can do it to her.
“It’s fine, let’s go.”
“Really?” she asks, all hopeful.
“Really. But if one sleezeball tries touching me up on the
dance floor again, I’m leaving right after kicking him in the
bollocks.”
“Fair enough. Just let me know which one it was and I’ll
kick him too.”
I reach forward and grab her hand, and then together, we
walk towards the end of the queue.
“It’s fucking freezing,” Frankie complains after a couple
of minutes waiting in line.
I look over at her in the flimsy bit of fabric she calls a
dress and raise my eyebrow.
“Oh sssh,” she sulks.
“ID please,” the bouncer demands when we eventually
get to the front.
I can’t lie, even I’m cold now it’s taken us so damn long
to get here. Frankie had a text from Tara ages ago to let us
know they were inside, but there was no sign of any soldiers
yet. That news didn’t help Frankie’s quickly depleting
excitement.
“Thank fuck for that,” she grumbles when we begin
walking up the stairs. “I swear my tits were about three
minutes from freezing the fuck o .”
 “Let’s go and get a drink,” I suggest, hoping some more
alcohol will put the spring back in her step. For my own sake,
I really hope these soldiers are real and actually turn up. I
don’t think I’m ever going to hear the end of her
disappointment otherwise.
“Oh there they are,” Frankie points to the other end of
the bar when we get through the crowd.
We do the usual shouted greeting that always has to
happen when in a club; we all nod and smile at each other
like we have a clue what the other is talking about, but in
reality, the music is so bloody loud I can barely hear my own
thoughts, let alone someone talking to me.
When Lisa begins pulling something from her bag, I
immediately want to run, but instead I’m forced to smile and
look happy about the fact they’ve got me a happy birthday
sash and flashing badge.
Brilliant. Now I really will attract unwanted attention. It’s
like they don’t know me at all, or more so that they do and
they’re all finding this hilarious.
Tara hands me a drink and I stupidly take a sip assuming
it’s my usual Malibu and Coke. Huge mistake. “What the
fuck is that?” I shout as I try to scrape the taste o my
tongue with my teeth.
“Jagerbomb,” Frankie announces proudly as she knocks
hers back.
“That’s disgusting, Kiki.” And to think I was under the
impression vodka Red Bull was the worst mix of drinks in
the world!
“Here,” Lisa says handing me another glass after I shove
my previous excuse for a drink at Frankie. I sni it this time,
just in case, but I know I’m safe because I can smell coconut.
“Thank you,” I say, before quickly taking a swig to
hopefully remove the lingering aftertaste of the Jagerbomb.
 The three of them stand and shout at each other for a few
minutes. Every now and then, Tara and Lisa look around, I
guess hoping to spot their soldiers. I can see Frankie’s
excitement waning as the minutes go by. I told her not to get
her hopes up.
When the latest Pitbull song starts pounding through the
speakers, Frankie perks up, grabs mine and Lisa’s hands,
and pulls us to the dance floor. We end up in the middle of
the of the crowd, exactly where I don’t want to be, just as the
smoke fills the dance floor, blocking my vision of what
people are doing around me.
I stand and dance a little but I’m still relatively sober
compared to my friends so I don’t quite get into the flow of it
like them. When the smoke begins to lift, all three of them
are bumping and grinding away without a care in the world.
As I stand and watch, I realise I’m jealous. They are all able
to put everything to one side and just enjoy themselves. I
need that; I need to forget everything for just a few hours
and chill out, but no matter what I do I can feel it all
weighing down on my shoulders. Mum’s business isn’t really
my problem, but I’m not the kind of person who can just let
her deal with it. She’s been my rock my entire life, and now I
feel like it’s time for me to return the favour.
I’m smiling at my friends’ antics when I feel the need to
look over to the bar. I don’t know what it is but it’s like
something’s calling me. When I look over, there’s a guy
staring right at me. Thinking I must be wrong, I look over
my shoulder expecting to see someone looking back at him,
but everyone’s too engrossed in their dancing.
When I glance back, he’s still looking my way. I’m just
about to turn when one of his friends put his hand on his
shoulder and distracts him.
I continue watching them for a few seconds before I hear
Lisa. “Oh my god, they’re here,” she squeals, making
Frankie immediately stop dancing and look around.
“Where?”
“Over there, by the bar. That group of lads.”
“The hot ones?”
“Yes. Let’s go.”
I stand back and allow Frankie and Lisa to force their way
through the crowd towards the bar. Tara and I follow behind,
neither of us sharing their excitement. Tara has a serious
long-term boyfriend and only comes out to spend time with
us, unlike Frankie and Lisa, whose only reason for coming is
to pull.
I watch from a few feet away as Lisa walks directly up to
the guy who was just staring in my direction. I’m not going
to say staring at me, because that can’t possibly be the case,
unless he’s also amused by the girl wearing the bright pink
sash and flashing badge. Frankie latches herself onto his
friend and leans into his side shamelessly.
Tara and I continue to stand slightly out of the way and
just watch as Frankie and Lisa make drunken fools out of
themselves.
The four of them stand together talking, or shouting, for
a few minutes before I see Frankie look up and point our
way. It’s the first time the guy has glanced up since they
approached, and when he does, his eyes widen slightly as he
looks at me before they drop and run down the length of my
body. Tara moves when Frankie gestures for her but I’m
frozen to the spot as the guy continues taking me all in.
Usually, I hate being ogled by men but there’s something
about this one that doesn’t want to make me kick him in the
balls for looking at me the way he is.
Frankie scares the shit out of me when I feel her slide her
arm through mine and tug me towards the group.
“What the hell is up with you? I know you’re not
interested in a soldier, but they won’t bite,” she says,
coming to a stop when we’re directly in front of him.
“I…I know,” I stutter when I look up to find him still
staring at me. Lisa’s practically dry humping his leg but he
doesn’t seem to be noticing it.
“Bax,” one of the guys shouts. “Hey, Bax,” he repeats,
until the guy looking at me rips his eyes away.
“What?” he snaps.
“Here,” his mate says, handing him a small glass full of
golden liquid.
He nods his chin at him before bringing his gaze back to
me, continuing to hold my eyes as he slowly tips the glass up
to his lips and drinks it down in one. My eyes break from his
as he swallows, distracted by the movement of the muscles
in his neck. I continue downward, taking in his grey striped
shirt, stretched over his shoulders and chest, before
dropping down to his black, almost skinny, jeans. I’m not
interested for two reasons:

1. he’s a soldier, and

2. I have enough drama in my life right now,

but even I can admit this guy’s hot.

Telling myself those things is all good and well, but I
don’t think my body believes a single word of it. My pulse is
racing and my palms are sweating from just looking at this
guy. When my eyes connect with his again it’s like
everything around me fades away and it’s just me and him.

“OH MY GOD!” Frankie squeals as the four of us walk into

the toilets a while later. “Dean’s so fucking hot. I mean, have
you seen those arms? What I wouldn’t give to see him in
action, all army man,” she says as she fans herself in front
of the mirror.
I leave her to it and make use of the toilet. I smile to
myself the whole time when she doesn’t even stop for breath
talking about him. Lisa is much less enthusiastic because,
after getting the cold shoulder from Bax, she moved onto
another of his friends, who also doesn’t seem all that
interested.
An hour or so later, I leave everyone dancing in favour of
getting a glass of water. Frankie and Lisa managed to
convince Bax, Dean and their friends to join us all on the
dance floor. It’s clear Dean is loving all the attention from
Frankie, and Lisa has at last found herself a friend who is
interested. Tara and I have kept ourselves to ourselves and
danced with each other, but that doesn’t mean I’ve lost Bax’s
interest. He still seems way too intrigued for my liking. I
could feel his gaze while we were dancing and every time I
looked up those dark eyes were on me.
“Thanks, E, I needed that,” Frankie says, taking the glass
of cold water from my hands and downing it in one. “Bax
totally has the hots for you. You should go for it.”
“I’m good, thanks.”
“Oh, come one. You need someone to pop that cherry. I
think it’s got his name written all over it. Plus, not every
woman can say she had her cherry popped by an incredibly
sexy soldier; I bet he’s well good with his hands.”
“Enough,” I snap. I really don’t need her shouting the
details of my love life—or lack thereof—out to all the
strangers I’m stood at the bar with.
“A night with him will chill you right out.” At that
moment, Dean appears from nowhere and runs his hands
down Frankie’s sides. She spins in his arms and they both
disappear into the crowd together. I shake my head and turn
back to the bar to order another glass of water.
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