Getting Schooled (Craving #9) Read online

  “I’m going to open up the floor for a few questions.” Olivia’s rich voice breaks me from my musings.

  “Mrs. Montgomery, what has been your greatest inspiration?” one of the students asks.

  “Honest answer. I met a guy and fell in love. I find the best romance writers have experienced it firsthand.” She glances in my direction and gives me a sassy wink. Sitting on the edge of the table, she attempts to get comfortable while resting her hand on her belly, swollen with our son, who is due in a month. “He was an arrogant ass, but if it weren’t for his disregard of the rules and his persistence in finding the gray area between black and white, I wouldn’t be here talking with you today.”

  The class chuckles at my expense, and I can’t wait to get her home to spank her feisty ass.

  Olivia

  After I say goodbye to the last student, I walk over to my husband and wrap my arms around his neck. “Thank you for letting me tag along again. This class and this room will always hold fond memories for me.”

  My life changed five years ago in this very room, a fact I will forever be grateful for. If it wasn’t for Daniel’s persistence and willingness to fight for what he strongly believed in, things would be very different for me. Sure, I may have found love with someone else, but I would not have this love, this husband, this family, or this career. And this is pretty damn perfect.

  Daniel takes me into his embrace and pulls me as closely as he can with my pregnant belly. His lips graze where my neck meets my shoulder, a spot that drives me crazy with need. “You know what else I have fond memories of, Mrs. Montgomery?”

  A soft moan escapes my lips as he gently kisses his way up my neck. Breathlessly, I reply, “What would that be, Mr. Montgomery?”

  “The supply closet,” he answers with a voice full of lust and promise. “What do you say? Are you in?”

  “I don’t know.” I tease as I run my hand down his back, finding his tight ass and giving it a little squeeze. “What do you plan on doing to me in there?”

  Daniel spins me, my back now pressed against his front. His hands settle on my hips as he grinds his erection into my back. “I could tell you all the things I want to do to you, but I’d rather show you.”

  “Yeah. I think I’ll pass. I’m really not in the mood.” I try to sound as blasé as possible and try to step out of his hold. We both know the truth, but it’s all part of the game.

  Daniel tightens his arms and growls. “If you aren’t in the mood, tell my why are your perfect, rosy nipples taut and ready for my mouth? They are begging to be licked and sucked. If you aren’t turned on, why can I smell your pussy weeping for me? Would you rather have my cock, fingers, or tongue fucking you right now? Don’t try telling me you aren’t in the mood when your body is screaming for me.”

  “Baby, we can’t do this here. I’m not having sex with you in the supply closet.” I try hard to be logical, while everything else in me screams to allow him to throw me to the ground and fuck me right here on the lecture hall floor.

  “Who says we can’t do this here? I know there isn’t another class in here today.” Daniel grinds his erection with every word spoken, and his hands hold my hips in a grip I can’t escape.

  “Daniel, common sense and the school says we can’t do this here. Let’s go home and we can finish what we started.” Leave it to the hormonal one to try to be rational. We may have a slightly kinky sex life, but public sex isn’t part of it.

  A little make-out session every so often? Yep.

  Fucking in a supply closet? No.

  “I guess you’re right,” he concedes. “But according to the school’s policies, it’s a gray area, and we both know how much we love gray areas.”

  I burst into laughter. “I love you, Daniel.”

  “I love you too, baby,” he replies as he places a kiss on my cheek and steps away.

  “Now, take me home and make a dishonest woman out of me,” I call out over my shoulder as I head to grab my bag from the table.

  “Yes, ma’am. It would be my pleasure,” he replies with a wink. “Show me the way.”

  As we leave the university hand in hand, one certainty remains.

  I thank God every day for fucking gray areas.

  The End

  About the author

  HL Nighbor is the author of Sweet, Sweet Savannah and Sweet, Sweet Surprise. An avid reader, she took the leap into writing a little over a year ago and hasn’t looked back since. She has her degree in Accounting and works as a substitute teacher for her local school district in Washington State, where she lives with her husband and two sons.

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  Duty Bound

  Allysia Myers

  Chapter 1

  You can do this, Eve. I mean, you did get all As and Bs in school, so now shouldn’t be any different. It’s not like you have been out of school for ten years. I hope you detected my sarcasm.

  I looked around the room and chose the table in the middle row to sit. I’m not too far back that I can’t hear the professor, and I’m not too far up that they feel the need to single me out and ask me a bunch of questions. Not like I couldn’t handle it, but it has been a while.

  I sat in the seat and started setting up. Just as I was placing a stack of notebook paper through the rings in my binder, I saw someone sit beside me out of the corner of my eye. Now, I am an extremely shy person, and I don’t like to talk to people, but if I’m going to get through these next four years, I’m going to need some help. I took a couple of deep breaths, preparing myself mentally, and then I turned to introduce myself. My words were cut short when I saw who was sitting there. My best friend, Penny. She was sitting there with a goofy smile on her face.

  I frowned. “What are you doing here?” For as long as I have known her, she has hated school.

  “I’m here for class,” she said, still smiling.

  “But why?”

  I felt like I was in a parallel universe. She swore at our graduation that she would never step foot in a school again as long as she lives.

  “I’m not going to let my best friend go through this alone.”

  She knows that I have been worried about going back to school and whether I can learn as well as the other students—who, by the way, are way younger than me, which is a problem in itself. And the fact that, despite her hatred of school, she is here with me now makes me so grateful to have her as a friend.

  I shook my head in amusement. “How long have you been planning this?”

  “After you called me and told me, I immediately applied for school. And then one day, when I was at your house, you went to go help your dad with something, I grabbed your phone and looked at your class schedule to see what class I could take so we could both be in there.”

  I laughed and leaned over and gave her a hug. “I love you.”

  She hugged me back. “I love you, too.”

  School has always been important to me. I loved learning, and it showed in my grades. I knew that after high school, I was going to start on the second part of my plan to secure my future—graduating college and getting my degree in early childhood education. I was ready for the experience, and I was ready to make my dreams come true, but by the time it became obtainable, my dad had a stroke. A bad one. It affected his life tremendously. He had memory problems, massive headaches, sometimes he couldn’t walk anywhere without getting dizzy, and he had limited use of his right arm. He wasn’t able to take care of himself. I had to do it.

  Sure, he had other family members, a brother, a sister, a nephew, to take care of him. B
ut no. I felt obligated. He was my dad, and he had taken care of me for eighteen years, so now it was my turn to take care of him.

  I never blamed him, nor do I regret my decision. Family comes first. But my dad felt differently. He didn’t like that I was throwing away my dreams for him. He would constantly beg me to go back to school. He could go to a nursing home and not be a burden to his family. “After all, that is their job,” he would say. He would even purposely make it harder for me, just so I would leave, but I stood my ground. Well, until now. In the past six months, he has been doing better. He’s still forgetful, but it’s not as bad. His headaches have gone away, and mobility in his right arm is getting better.

  “You don’t have an excuse anymore.”

  “But, Dad, you still need me. You still need help with…with…with eating. You know you need me to make sure you’re eating right. Once I’m gone, you’re going to be sneaking in chips and cookies and those Debbie cakes you like.”

  He smiled. “Baby girl, I’m going to be fine. I have your Aunt Pat, Uncle Leroy, and Jayden. Go out and reclaim your life.”

  “But…”

  “It’s my turn to take care of you.”

  So here I am. Reclaiming my life. And despite my reluctance, I am glad to be going back to school.

  “So what classes did you register for?” I asked her.

  “History of Western Art on Tuesdays and Thursdays at nine-thirty, Basic Drawing on Mondays and Wednesdays at twelve, and Government on Mondays at one-thirty.”

  I knew she would pick art as her major. All through school, instead of listening to the teachers, she would draw all kinds of pictures, from animals to self portraits. She also loved going to different art museums and would drag me along even though art wasn’t really my thing. She just loved to create things, and I’m glad she’s pursuing a career and wanting to expand her talents.

  “Well, I’m glad we have two classes together.”

  “Yeah, at least with you I won’t be bored out of my mind.”

  I laughed. “Just watch, you’re going to enjoy your classes a lot more than you think.”

  “And I thought we were friends.”

  I laughed. “I’m serious. You’re getting to do what you love.”

  “I’m still in school,” she deadpanned.

  I rolled my eyes just as the professor walked in.

  “The Lord works in mysterious ways,” she mumbled.

  He walked in, holding a stack of papers and a black briefcase. As soon as he stood behind his desk, a female student got up and walked up to him.

  As they started a conversation, I studied his silky black hair. I studied his broad shoulders and how his suit fit his toned body perfectly. His green eyes reminded me of nature and comfort. Just looking into them made me want to bare my soul to him. I noticed that when he smiled, two small dimples appeared on his cheeks. And that laugh. That laugh made me imagine heaven.

  I saw a hand go across my vision. I jumped and realized it was just Penny trying to get my attention.

  She laughed. “I’ve been trying to talk to you for five minutes. I don’t blame you, though. The guy is…”

  “The father of my baby.”

  Chapter 2

  She grabbed my hand and started pulling and leading me out of the classroom. We walked to the bathroom, and she looked to see if anybody was in there. She saw that we were alone, and then she locked the door. She spun around to face me.

  “We have ten minutes before class starts, so we have time.” She grabbed my face between her hands and looked into my eyes. “Are you telling me that he’s the guy you chose at the clinic?”

  I couldn’t open my mouth, so I just nodded my head.

  With everything happening with my dad, I was terrified I was going to lose him. I had never met my mom. She died giving birth to me. My dad was all I had. Sure, I had my aunt, uncle, and cousin, but you know how it is when you loved them and you had no problem with them, but you’re just not close. And I had Penny, and I thought of her as a sister, but she’s not. My dad wasn’t going to be around forever, and when that time came, I didn’t want to be alone, and I didn’t have time to wait on the one. That’s why I decided to do a sperm donor. My dad didn’t like that I wasn’t married first, but he also understood.

  She let out a gust of air. ”Okay, what do you want to do?”

  I shook my head. “I can’t stay in that class.”

  “Okay, let’s go get our stuff.”

  “Wait,” I said, stopping us from leaving the bathroom. “I don’t want you to drop the class because of me.”

  “Were you not present earlier? I joined the class because of you.”

  “But you need the class for your major. I don’t.”

  “I can just take it next semester.”

  “But…”

  “I’m leaving the class, end of discussion.”

  I knew that the argument would be pointless. Once she made up her mind, there’s no changing it.

  I sighed. “Fine.”

  She smiled. “Good, now let’s go.”

  “Oh, no.”

  “What is it?” she asked, leaning over to look at my phone.

  “Mr. Knight wants to see us.”

  She looked at me with wide eyes. “The baby daddy?”

  I nodded my head.

  We were in the bookstore, supposed to be buying books for class, but instead I was about to have a panic attack in front of everyone.

  “For what?” she asked, looking back at my phone.

  “I don’t know. He just asked if it would be fine to meet him at four in his office.”

  “No, it’s not,” she said, snatching the phone from my hand.

  “Wait, what are you doing?”

  “I’m telling him that for reasons we care not to share, we won’t be meeting with him.”

  I snatched the phone from her. “We can’t say that!”

  I looked over to the side and saw a couple of people staring at us. I smiled sheepishly. “Sorry.”

  “Okay, we just don’t show up. That would be better anyway.”

  “No, that’s rude!”

  “Look, I’m trying to be on your side, but you’re making it a little difficult.”

  “I’m sorry, I’m just not sure what to do.”

  “It would be easier to make the decision for you, but ultimately, it’s up to you. Whatever you choose, I’m with you.”

  Some people may not see the big deal, and that’s fine, but for me, it’s awkward. I was having my teacher’s baby. That statement alone should have sent me in a tailspin.

  It’s also wrong, if you look at it. Even though he had no rights to the baby, the fact that I would be sitting in his class with this big secret…and let’s not forget, it’s unethical. No, we’re not in a relationship, but all the people were going to see what’s in front of them and not the facts. They’re going to think we’re lying and that we were in a relationship. I mean, how in the world did I end up in class with my sperm donor, out of a million people? He could lose his job.

  I sighed. “It’s not his fault. He doesn’t know he’s the cause of my inner turmoil, so we shouldn’t blow him off. Besides, we can tell him then that we want to drop the class. Get it out of the way.” I was a grown woman, so I should handle this maturely.

  She smiled. “Okay.”

  We walked up to his half open door, and we saw him looking down at something on his desk, writing.

  Penny knocked on the door.

  I promise you, my heart stopped when he looked up and smiled.

  “Hello, ladies. It’s nice to meet you,” he said, getting up to come shake our hands. “As you know, I’m Hunter Knight.”

  “Yes.” Penny smiled. “I’m Penny Carson, and this is Eve Masterson,” she said, gesturing toward me.

  I was glad Penny spoke up. I didn’t think I could form a coherent thought right then.

  I managed a smile, and we all took our seats.

  He took off his glasses and smiled.
“I hate wearing these things.”

  Penny laughed. “My mom complains about hers all the time. She says they make her head look small. We have to make her wear them.”

  They laughed, and I sat there smiling like an idiot.

  “I called you both here today because I noticed that you left before class started.”

  It’s only the first day of class and we’re already getting in trouble. Way to start the year off, Eve.

  “I just want you both to know that if there’s a problem, I’m here to help.”

  What?

  “Obviously, this is my first time meeting you, so I assumed you were new. In the past, I’ve had some students come in and realize college is not what they expected. They don’t want to give up their dreams, but they don’t see any way possible to achieve them. My goal is to encourage them not to give up. If that is not you, I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I just want to help my students pass any way that I can.”

  “That’s good to know. Not many teachers are like that, but I want to assure you that that’s not the problem. Due to personal reasons, we cannot continue taking the class.”

  “I understand. Well, Ms. Carson, you are going to have to contact your advisor to change your schedule, but Ms. Masterson, since I’m your advisor, I can register you into a different class now.”

  My advisor? A person I had to see often throughout my school term! That also meant he’s one of my early childhood education teachers! A class I had to take for my major!

  “Excuse me for a moment,” I said, standing up. “You don’t have to come. I’ll be fine,” I said, stopping Penny when she stood up.

  I tried to walk as calmly as possible to the door, but the room was spinning, and I couldn’t catch my footing.