Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
ROD
On music class mornings, Wyl joined me early in the Fine Arts building for coffee and conversation.
I spent most evenings at the ranch, snuggled against Wyl on the couch, comfortable with Walt and his acceptance of our close relationship.
From what Wyl shared, Walt recognized how close we were before we admitted it.
Wyl didn’t spend time at my place in town.
Too visible. Too likely to cause rumors and innuendo.
Around campus, and with Stella's office near mine, we maintained the appearance of teacher and student.
We reserved intimate conversations for off-campus.
No touching on campus, either. And we kept a couple of feet between us when walking.
But on the ranch, Wyl and I became inseparable.
We chatted in the empty classroom after class one Monday morning in early October. “Midterms are next week. What are your plans for the weekend after?” I sat on the instructor's stool in front of the room. The sixty feet between the classroom and Stella’s office made eavesdropping unlikely.
Wyl moved to a desk in the front row, with his braid draped over his chest and his legs spread apart.
“No plans. Ranches don’t have midterms or long weekends off.
The work doesn’t stop, so I have plenty to do.
Why do you ask?” He raised an eyebrow in anticipation of me announcing some kind of intimate activity.
I swallowed. Wyl’s posture turned me on. Of course, everything about Wyl turned me on. I longed to grab his braid and let it slide through my fingers while kissing his full lips.
Wyl snapped his fingers twice. “Hey, wherever you went, come back.”
Heat flooded my cheeks as I coughed into my fist, not realizing my little stroll through fantasy land was so obvious.
“Sorry, but you distract me. Back to the long weekend. How about we spend time at my place in Kerrville?” I gazed into Wyl’s sparkling grey-green eyes.
“Since I don’t have any midterms on Thursday, and don’t come into the office on Friday.
I’m out for a full four days. How about you come with me? ”
Wyl’s smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. He leaned back into his seat. The lower lip between his teeth quivered before he answered, giving away his upcoming tease. “Are you suggesting we spend the night together in the same bed?”
I shook my head. “We already do, but my place includes a guest room if you prefer.”
Wyl coughed a chuckle. “Guest rooms are for guests. Aren’t we past that point?”
He was right. After he came to the house and forced me to talk, we accepted our status as more than friends. And Walt’s salute to me the morning after we made up said it’s about damn time. “Okay. Your expression tells me you have other ideas.”
He leaned forward, forearms on the classroom desk. “No question in my mind. Same bed. But before we make solid plans, let me check with Walt. He’s the one who told me to go after my man, so I can’t imagine him wanting me to stick around Blackfield if said man is in the Hill Country.”
I leaned ever-so-slightly toward Wyl and whispered, “I want to kiss you right now.”
“I so want you to.” He matched my posture and whispered. “Let’s talk about something else before we face plant.”
A noise came from the hallway. “Did you hear a gasp?” I nodded toward the classroom doorway.
Wyl stood, the bulge in his jeans evident, and peeked out the door. The hallway water fountain kicked off. “Nobody out here. Must be the water fountain.”
Wyl left for his next class, and I settled into my office to catch up on grading. I overheard Stella on the phone from her office across the hall.
“He hasn’t asked me out. I don’t think he's interested.”
I suspected Mitzi called to ask about Stella’s lack of interaction with Wyl. Something about Mitzi raised red flags about her determination to connect with the Sterlings in any way necessary. I reminded myself to ask Wyl and Walt about her.
“No, Mitzi. On our one date weeks ago, Wyl acted distant and preoccupied. He hardly listened to a word I said. He stared off into space most of the time.”
Aha! Mitzi! I heard only Stella’s end of the conversation, but trouble brewed. Mitzi must be pressuring Stella to take action with Wyl.
“A relationship between Wyl and Dr. Bonner?” The conversation turned quiet.
I rose and stood at my office door. Stella spoke too quietly for me to make out her words.
Two minutes later, she hung up the phone.
I needed a detailed conversation with Wyl and Walt about Mitzi.
What was Mitzi’s game, and why did she encourage…
no, insist on…Stella forming a relationship with Wyl?
* * *
The Thursday of our long weekend arrived.
I spent Wednesday night at home packing for the extended stay.
After tossing things into the truck, I sped to Sterling Ranch to pick up Wyl.
He paced the porch as I drove up. Walt sat in a chair, drinking a mug of coffee and grinning like a Cheshire Cat.
I parked, jumped out, and rushed up the walk.
Wyl met me halfway and grabbed me in a fierce hug.
“It’s about time you got here,” Walt said. “He’s been out here pacing for at least thirty minutes.”
Wyl pulled back and grinned. “Not true. It’s been 45 minutes. Like you, I’m an early riser.”
“Are you sure you can spare him, Walt? What if you have a horse emergency or something?” I couldn’t resist teasing, although I doubted horses had emergencies. I still hadn’t ridden one.
“Take him and go,” Walt groused with a smile. “He’s driving me crazy.”
“You got it.”
Wyl tossed his duffel in the back seat, and we waved to Walt as we left the ranch.
I steered onto the highway and grabbed Wyl’s hand.
He threaded our fingers. The electricity from our touch flowed up my arm.
“I could hardly wait for this day. I hate to admit it, but after I came to the ranch for steaks and saw your fireplace, I envisioned you being with me at my place. This weekend is a dream come true.”
“Same for me, babe.” Wyl grinned. “Although the military stationed me in San Antonio for a short time, I never ventured outside the city. As I mentioned, I’m not one to explore on my own.”
“I think you’ll enjoy it. I have an acre backing up to a small ranch. The house is private, so we can relax and be together. When we’re not kissing and snuggling,” I glanced at Wyl and winked, “we’ll spend time exploring the surrounding area.”
“As long as I’m with you, we can do anything you want, including the kissing and snuggling thing you mentioned.” Wyl dragged his tongue across his lower lip.
My heart pounded at the twinkle in Wyl’s seductive eyes.
We stopped for groceries in Kerrville four hours later, then drove to my place. As I turned into my peaceful rural subdivision, Wyl scanned the neighborhood. “Wow. You didn’t tell me you lived in an exclusive neighborhood. College professors must draw a handsome salary.”
I barked out a laugh. “Educators are among the most underpaid people in the country, but are expected to produce experts in the field. I make enough to pay the bills and have a little cash, but don't go into education if you want to accumulate wealth.”
“Well, you’re doing okay if you can afford a place in this neighborhood.”
“My realtor found a foreclosure, and I bought this place for much less than market value.”
The garage door opened as I eased down the long, curved driveway into the garage.
“Do you have good neighbors?” Wyl said.
“Yes. The neighbors to the south are Cindy and Tom. They have two elementary-age kids. To the north, maybe twenty yards between my house and my north property line. Hence, the neighbors to the north are further away. Kirt is a retired airline pilot, and Melody is a pharmacist. It’s a quiet neighborhood. ”
After lugging the groceries into the kitchen, I grabbed Wyl around the waist and pulled him close. I loved having him in my arms, with an entire weekend stretching before us —a long weekend of being together. “Before we lose ourselves in each other, let me give you the grand tour.”
“Or we can stand here and do this.” Wyl’s mouth smothered mine in a passionate kiss.
Grasping Wyl’s chin, I separated from those luscious, kiss-swollen lips. “C’mon, Marine. After I show you around, we’ll have more of this.” I thumbed a bead of saliva from the corner of his mouth and licked my thumb. The look of carnal need in Wyl’s eyes almost made me forget the tour.
Wyl nuzzled my nose. “Lead the way, cowboy.”
I stroked Wyl’s cheek. “You’re the cowboy; I’m the professor.”
“No,” he shook his head. “You called me Marine, which makes you the cowboy, cowboy. You'll see I'm right after I put you on a horse.”
I threw him a cockeyed glance. “I’m about as far from cowboy as anyone can be.” I threaded Wyl’s braid through my fingers. “Of course, I do like to ride you.”
“Mmmmm…are you threatening or promising?” Wyl growled.
“You’ll have to wait and find out.” I grabbed Wyl’s hand and walked him through the house, the deck, and the atrium. We ended up in the bedroom. “And here is the most important room…the master bedroom. This is our bed.” I pulled Wyl toward the ensuite. “And here is our double shower.”
“Our bed?” Wyl raised an eyebrow.
I turned him to face me and put my arms around his neck.
“We met two months ago. We've been about as intimate as two people can be in your bed. It’s about time we shared my king-size bed, don’t you think?
This weekend, we can share our pasts and enjoy pleasuring each other.
I don’t know about you, but being around you in the evening before going to bed alone with a hard-on is unacceptable. ”
Wyl tugged at my arm. “Fuck the groceries, cowboy. I want to climb in this bed and ravage you until we’re both messy and ready for the double shower.” He gave me a look hot enough to melt the South Polar ice cap. “Naked. Now.”
Clothes flew to the room's corners before Wyl held me by the waist at arm’s length. “Our unexpected kiss was only the beginning. And I stupidly allowed it to keep me away from you for two weeks.”
Waves of desire fluttered in my stomach as I tugged Wyl’s chin into a brief kiss. “And I thought I lost the only man to make me happy in over a decade.”
Wyl closed the space between us, touching noses. “Weren’t we kissing or something?”