Laura’s bright smile, when she sees me, makes every worry I’ve had about meeting her go away. I don’t know if that is a good thing or not.
“I thought you were mad at me,” I tell her.
“Why would you think that?”
I shrug. “Part of me feels like this is too good to be true. That the past couple of days are only a figment of my imagination, then this morning, I held my phone in my hand and wondered if you wanted a good morning text from me or not, and then I spent the better half today wondering if I should’ve sent a text. I don’t know. I’m treading lightly.”
“Funny because I felt the same way. The past two days were amazing, and I didn’t want to wake up this morning, fearful that it was all a dream, that I didn’t re-find my best friend teaching one of my classes, and that we didn’t go to the fair where he won me a bunch of stuffed animals, and then took me back to a place we’ve shared.” Laura leans closer, and I do the same.
“Re-find isn’t a word,” I tell her quietly.
Laura laughs. “Don’t tread lightly, Jude,” she says in a hushed voice. “You can text me at any time of the day or night.”
“I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”
She smiles and sits up straight. “Come with me. I want to show you something.” Laura stands and leaves the table without pushing her chair in. I do the same and follow her down one of the aisles and around a corner. We turn left, walk, turn right until we are in a secluded corner with shelves of books stacked all around us.
I glance at the shelves and laugh. “The anatomy of an Ant?” I hold it up for her to see. “I didn’t know this was your thing?”
Laura knocks the book out of my hand and fists the lapel of my coat as she pulls me closer. “Shut up, Professor,” she says as her lips crush into my mine. I barely have time to register what is going on before she’s backed herself against the shelf in an attempt to straddle me.
Pulling away from her is pure torture, but it needs to be done. “Laura, if you wanted to climb me like a tree, all you had to do was ask.”
Laura laughs as my hands come under her legs, and she settles them over my hips. “Are you going to get into trouble if we get caught?”
I nod and move her hair out of her face. “You’re worth it, though.”
“I am?”
“Mhm… besides, I’ve always wanted to make out with you in the library.”
Laura pulls me closer, but this time it’s me leading the way. As soon as our lips touch, my fingers dig into her hips, and my tongue pushes into her mouth. She tastes like cinnamon. Sweet and fiery. I can’t help but grind into her. I figure I have nothing to lose at this point. She either knows I want to be with her or she’s oblivious. I’m making sure she knows and can feel just how much.
Somehow, we’re able to hear the elevator ding, and we pull apart. We’re both overheated, breathing heavy, and if someone were to come to where we’d are, they’d suspect we’ve been doing the deed. Honestly, I wish we had.
“Do you want to have dinner with me tonight? At my place?” I ask her as I help her smooth her shirt and hair down. “I’d like to cook for you.”
“I’d love that, Jude.”
I think about the words that are about to come out of my mouth and feel like Laura and I are in the same place. “Maybe pack a bag and stay the night?”
“Only if I can sleep on the right side,” she says with a smile.
I lean down and kiss her before saying. “I was really hoping we’d share the middle.”7LauraHoly hell in a handbasket. I don’t know what’s come over me, but if I knew I wouldn’t get Jude in trouble with the college, I would’ve insisted we finish what we started in the library. It was exhilarating. My sister won’t believe it when I tell her.
The phone rings and I tap my fingers on the steering wheel. “Come on, Anna.”
“Hey, sis,” she finally answers. “What’s up?”
Thoughts of Jude run through my mind and I giggle. There was definitely something up on him just a few minutes ago. “Oh, nothing much,” I say in a sing song voice. “Just made out with Jude in the library.”
“You are bad,” she laughs.
I turn into the parking lot of my apartment and shut off my car. “Which is why I want to talk to you. I’m staying the night at his place. Is it too kinky to wear lingerie?”