The Risque Contracts Series(66)

“This looks amazing, Gabe.”

I didn’t think I’d done all that much, adding candlelight and a pink rose over her plate, but I loved that it made her so happy.

“Dinner is ready,” I said, pulling her chair out for her. Once she was seated, I swept her hair to the side of her neck and kissed the sensitive flesh I’d bared. She shivered and I was suddenly more than anxious to get dinner and our discussion over with.

Over our meal, we kept the conversation light. She told me about her finals and shared a few funny student stories. I watched every bite she brought to her mouth. By the time we were done, my cock was hard and my balls were aching, practically about to come in my pants.

Unfortunately, we still had to have our discussion, so I cleared the table, using the time to talk my cock off the orgasmic ledge. Once our wine glasses were refilled, I led her over to the couch. I settled next to her, but far enough away that I could face her, and avoid torturing myself any further by being so close to her.

“So?” I asked with a raise of my brow. “How was your thinking time?”

Charlotte laughed softly and the sound soothed away some of my turbulent emotions.

“I don’t know, Gabe. I want to be with you. I’ve wanted that for so long,” she confessed. “But, I’ve wanted to go on in school, to get my doctorate since I was a kid. My parents were both teachers and I’ve always wanted to be like them. To teach at a higher level. To mold minds, and guide the people who will be the future.”

She’d given me the perfect opportunity without realizing it. I stomped down a little spark of guilt for what I was about to do, knowing it would mean giving up that dream. My hope was that it would inspire a new one.

“Sweetheart, teaching at a school isn’t the only way to accomplish your dream.” I ran a finger down the side of her face, smiling softly. “What about molding the minds of our kids? Guiding them and helping to carve out a path for their future.”

At the mention of kids, her eyes got wide. Don’t you mean at the mention of our kids? That guilty little voice pissed me off and I stomped it down again, this time grinding it with my heel.

“You’ll have an even greater influence over your own children, and an unimaginable sense of pride that you won’t get from students coming and going through your classroom.”

“I suppose that’s true,” she admitted a little begrudgingly, “but maybe I want both.” There was uncertainty lurking in her tone.

Then her eyes lit up for a second. “Why don’t we both go to California? I’m sure Berkeley would love to have you.”

I hated to dim the joy creeping onto her face. “If it were possible for me to keep you with me and give you both, I would in a heartbeat, sweetheart,” I answered. “But I have another two and a half years on my contract. Besides that, do you really want to leave your family? You’ll miss so much of Gregory’s life.” I was laying it on pretty thick, but desperate times and all that.

She sighed, “Well, what about long distance? We can do it for that long. Then your contract will be over and I can return here for the rest of my education. Maybe by then, you’ll be ready to go back to writing full time and take some time off from teaching again?” Her voice was on the verge of pleading.

This was not an option I’d even entertained, not for one second and the fact that she even suggested it had my temper coming to a boil. I started a mental tally in my head. One.

“No fucking way, Charlotte. You will be sleeping in my bed from now on. That subject is closed and not up for discussion.”

Charlotte looked taken aback for a moment. Then she jumped off the couch and stood over me, her hands on her hips, and her chest heaving with anger. Holy fuck! She looked hot as fucking hell. Focus, I needed to focus.

“So, it’s your way or the highway?”

Two. I glared at her. “There is no ‘highway,’ Charlotte. So stop bringing it up. You are mine. I told you last night, when you let me pop that sweet cherry, that no other man would ever touch you. I warned you that you couldn’t turn back.”

“You have to know this isn’t about me wanting another man, Gabe. It’s about me trying to find a solution we can both be happy with. You’re asking me to give up everything, while you give up nothing!” she yelled at me. “Maybe it’s useless for me to even try. Maybe there is no middle ground. If so, I can solve this problem easily by going to California.” Three.

“Sweetheart, sit down,” I suggested, doing my best to keep my voice smooth. When she didn’t do as I asked, I infused steel into my voice. “Charlotte, sit your pretty little ass down, and do not ever threaten to leave me.” Four.