Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
I admire Mark’s drive. I love English, and I’m glad I’m pursuing my degree in it, but I feel like my endgame isn’t as noble as his. I just want to write for a literary magazine.
“How about you, John? What have you been doing?”
“Teaching. Grading papers. You know the drill. The life of a professor isn’t all that exciting.”
But even as he says this, there’s a gleam in his eye. Is he thinking about our time in the office, too? That sure seemed exciting to me.
“It sounds like professors have pretty much the same schedule as students. Except we’re learning instead of teaching and writing the papers instead of grading them.”
Mark laughs. “Sounds about right. I can’t wait to get to the grading papers part of things, though.”
“You act like you don’t already grade half of my papers for me,” John chuckles. “That’s what TA’s are for.”
“So I should blame you the next time I get a grade I don’t like?” I tease Mark.
Mark laughs. “I don’t think you’ll be getting any grades you don’t like in the future.”
Nerves churn in my stomach. I don’t like the idea that I’ll be getting grades I didn’t earn. I accept that I deserved that B. I’m going to try and do better on future papers, but can I trust it if I get an A now that I’ve gotten involved with Mark and John?
But now is not the time to think about that. That’s a bridge I’ll cross if I come to it.
John folds his hands on the table and looks around. I picked a seat secluded from the rest of the shop, just in case. We’re off campus, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see any students or professors. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
“So, Mari,” John begins. “I wanted to ask if you have any reservations about what happened last week.”
“No,” I respond. “I enjoyed it.”
John grins. “That’s good to know. We enjoyed it as well.”
I blush. For the first time since it happened, I realize that I didn’t reciprocate the guys’ attentions. They didn’t get the same release I did. That doesn’t seem fair.
All the more reason for us to do it again.
“Wait,” I say quickly. “I do have one reservation.”
John sits back in his seat. “What is it?”
“The school. Aren’t there… I mean, I’m assuming… What we did has to be against some rules. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
Mark waves his hand. “Don’t worry about that.”
“But I am worried!” I exclaim. “I’ve heard stories about teachers getting in trouble for inappropriate relationships, and I don’t want that to happen to you. Either of you! Mark, couldn’t it affect your PhD candidacy?”
“I appreciate your concern,” Mark says. “It means a lot that you care about me. About both of us. But don’t worry. We have to keep things on the down low, so maybe don’t go around talking about it. But if we’re careful, no one will find out, and no one will get in trouble.”
I consider this. I’m still afraid of what might happen to the guys if we’re found out. The student never gets in trouble for situations like this; it’s always the professor.
Then again, what is there to be found out? I have no idea what we’re doing. It seems like the guys want a repeat of the office, but is that all they want? Am I okay with that if it is?
I’ve never thought of myself as a sex-only person. Hookup culture has never appealed to me. Am I willing to change my ways for these guys?
Part of me thinks I could. I would rather have Mark and John in my life than push them away. If having them means I only get to have sex with them, then I’m going to have to be okay with that.
“Whoa…where’s your head? Does it bother you that things have to stay quiet?”
“What? Oh! No, sorry, I got lost in thought.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Everything is great, really. What were we talking about?”
“Us,” Mark says. “You enjoyed what happened in the office, didn’t you?”
I already said I did, but my behavior is probably confusing the guys. I need to stop getting lost in my own head. I have a bad habit of doing that.
Like I am right now.
“Yes,” I reply. “I really liked it. So much. Couldn’t you tell?”
Mark grins. “I’m just making sure.”
“Did you like it?”
John laughs. “Do you even have to ask?”
“Well, you didn’t get anything in return. I feel bad about that. I rushed off to class. Instead, I should’ve stayed and…”
I meet John’s eyes. His burn into mine. If we weren’t in public, I think he would pounce on me. Or maybe I would pounce on him. There would definitely be pouncing happening.
Why did they have to suggest the coffee shop instead of John’s office? Public is probably safer, but I wish we were in private.