How to Discipline Your Vampire(117)

            “Come on,” Allie pushed. “At least tell us how you’re doing your hair!”

            “Up.”

            A chorus of booing ensued. “Fine, I’ll wear it down,” I acquiesced.

            “Any fun colors?” Jimmy asked, joking about my penchant for extensions.

            “Um, I believe we were going over last night’s homework, guys,” I pushed. They loved trying to distract me, and most of the time I won. Today, I gave in a bit.

            Hell, today was my last day as a single woman.

            This weekend, William and I were getting married. The last few months have been absolute heaven on earth. My mom and I spoke on the phone once a week. My therapist was helping me make real progress with my trust issues so much that I decided to have her officiate the wedding. My new job was fantastic—the faculty was really fun now that they’d accepted me into their inner sanctum, and the kids were sweet as usual. My days no longer needed tempting e-mails to motivate me through the drudgery.

            But I still got them.

            Today William was abstaining, however, since we were to be married so soon, and he thought a day or two off might be fun.

            If you called sexual tension fun, which I didn’t.

            So I told him he had to send me one naughty picture text per hour.

            Which reminded me, it was almost one o’clock.

            I snatched my phone out from behind my desk while the kids were in pairs doing some equations.

            Yup, new text.

            I opened the picture, and—

            “HOLY F—”

            The class looked up at once. “Miss Norrel?” Julie asked.

            “I’m . . . practicing my prayers for the service tomorrow. Holy Father, you know.”

            Colby scrunched up her face. “I thought you were an atheist.”

            “Sometimes.”

            That shut them up.

            I texted William back.

            YOU NAUGHTY VAMPIRE, YOU. HOW DARE YOU TEXT SOMETHING SO TEMPTING.

            I THOUGHT YOU’D LIKE IT, he replied.

            HOW AM I POSSIBLY GOING TO FIT INTO THAT DRESS WHEN YOU TEMPT ME WITH ALL THOSE CUPCAKES STACKED ON YOUR STOMACH?

            IT’S A CORSET BACK. AND I’LL BE DOING THE LACING AND UNLACING.

            FUCK ABSTINENCE. WHEN I GET HOME, I’M GOING TO ABSOLUTELY DEFILE YOU. I HOPE FROSTING WORKS AS LUBE, I responded.

            The class began to scuttle about awkwardly, and I surmised they were up to no good. “What’s going on?” I asked, flushed from William’s “sweet” picture.

            “Nothing,” they said, clearly hiding something.

            “Come on,” I said, waggling my finger at them. “What’s behind your back, Jim?”

            “A present.”

            They moved away from the back table and presented me with a little buffet and a wrapped gift. “We decided we’d throw you a bridal shower!”

            “Guys!” I said. “That’s so nice of you!”

            They dug into the ice cream first, however, and by the time I got there, there was none left. Just a few slices of cake. So the party was for them. I just grabbed my bottle of water and sipped and chatted with them for a while. It was nice to let my guard down with them. I really was able to translate my lessons with William into every facet of my life.