To Professor, With Love(92)

 

It wasn’t until after she was asleep later that night and curled around me in my bed that my own doubts rose. With Ten knowing, our risk had just doubled. It was selfish of me to keep her, to keep doing this, because it could so easily end up hurting her and my family. But then I realized I still didn’t care enough about the what ifs because my determination to remain hers had also doubled. Aspen had gotten so deep in my blood I was more than willing to take any chance I had to just to be with her another day longer.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

 

 

 

 

 

“It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.” - William Blake

 

 

 

~NOEL~

 

 

 

“Let’s go out tonight.”

 

It was a Friday and neither Ten nor I had to work. This had to be the second time in over a month we’d had the same night off, and it being a weekend made it even rarer. But I’d been planning on going to Aspen’s. Nights I got to spend the entire evening with her were few and far between. I madly craved some quality time with my woman.

 

“Can’t,” I said, rushing to finish the assignment I had for History. “Got plans already.”

 

“What? You going to Dr. Kavanagh’s to earn your next A?”

 

Slamming my pen down, I stood up glowering at him. “That is enough of that shit. Don’t talk about her that way again. Fuck, don’t even think about her. You and I are not going there.”

 

“Dude.” With a nervous laugh, Ten shifted a step back and lifted his hands. “You know I’m just messing with you.”

 

My hands fisted at my hips. “Well, it’s not funny.”

 

“Hey.” Growing serious, Ten set his hand over his heart. “When—and I say when, not if—this thing between you two goes south, I’m going to be right there for you, man. I’ll hand you every woe-is-me beer you need and find you that next rebound chick to get her out of your system. But until then, it is my God-given right as your best friend to lovingly harass you about it as often as possible.”

 

I let out a long, weary sigh. “So, basically, there’s no shutting you up?”

 

He grinned, wide and ornery. “Oh, Hell no.” Then he plopped down into the seat next to me. “So what’s she like, anyway? She make you do it with the lights out? Cut away a little hole in the sheet to fit your whacker through?”

 

“Seriously.” I waved him away as if swatting off an annoying fly. “You’re not getting anything out of me. You might as well zip it.”

 

“But I’m dying of curiosity here. This is big. Like huge. And if I can’t talk about it with anyone else, I’m talking the shit out of it with you.”

 

I groaned. “Dear God, save me.” Picking up my pen again, I tried to get back to my homework. But my roommate just wouldn’t stop.

 

“So really, have you actually seen her naked? Like total birthday suit nude? She have a decent little body under all those clothes or what? I could get that, you know, her hiding her light under a bushel. I bet she turns into a fucking animal once you strip her down. Bam!” He slapped his palm on the top of the table. “She has nipple rings, doesn’t she?”

 

I rolled my eyes. “She doesn’t have...” Realizing I was about to confess that I had indeed seen her nipples, I quickly revised with, “...a belly button ring.”

 

“But her nipples?” Tenning pressed, leaning in and really getting excited as he slapped the tabletop. “Oh, fuck. They are pierced, aren’t they? I knew it! God damn, you are the luckiest son of a—”

 

I cut him a glare. “I didn’t say they were pierced.”

 

“But you didn’t say they weren’t.”

 

“I didn’t say she didn’t have a tattoo and you haven’t automatically assumed she has one of those, now, have you?”

 

“Oh, hell. She’s got a tat too? I think I’m in love. Where is it? Is it a tramp stamp? Bet it’s a butterfly.”

 

With a groan, I tried to concentrate on my history lesson, but Ten slapped the tabletop again. “Seriously, cut that studying shit out already. Watching you turn scholarly gives me hives. Now get your ass into your room, change into some club-thumpers, and come with me to drunk it up.” When I just glared at him, he grinned. “I’m not going to stop harassing you about her until you agree to hang with me tonight.”

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

So Ten talked me into going out with him. When I called Aspen to bemoan my change of plans, she sided with my roommate, saying I needed to socialize as I always had or people might become suspicious. I still didn’t want to go, but I did.