Chapter 35 #2
Looking around the table at the four of us laughing this much for the first time in months warms my heart.
I’ve missed this. Hanging out with no partners, just the four of us.
I love Cameron and Stevie, but moments like this are necessary.
It reminds me of how close we are, and…I haven’t told them yet.
Taking a deep breath and a sip of my milkshake, I blurt out, “The professor and I are dating.”
All three of my best friends’ faces fall, astonishment covering their features.
After two straight minutes of no reaction, I wave a hand in front of their faces. “Guys?”
“Finally!” Kamila yells.
“It’s about damn time,” Levi follows.
“Took him long enough.” Jake starts applauding and picks up his soda. “To the professor stepping up and to Emma, who’s fucking finally talking to us about her love life.”
“Cheers!” They all clink their glasses together, and I scoff at their theatrics.
“You guys are such assholes.”
Jake snorts. “No, Em. It’s been years of us waiting for you to feel comfortable enough around your best friends to talk about a guy, any guy.”
“How’s the sex?” Kami asks.
“Kamila!” I scold. All three sets of my friends’ eyebrows remain high as they wait for my answer. I bite my cheek, trying not to smile, but I roll my eyes, sigh, and give in. “It’s the best sex I’ve ever had. We did it in his office the day you guys came to the soup kitchen.”
“Cheers again!” Jake yells. “To Emma, giving us details about her sex life!”
I bury my head into the palms of my hands and sink into the booth, hiding from everyone who’s watching us. “Please, kill me now.”
My friends keep following me to the parking lot, and I stop to yell at them once again.
“Guys, no. We’ve only been dating for just over a week. You’re going to freak him out.”
Kamila crosses her arms. “If he wasn’t freaked out after what I said to him in the soup kitchen, then he’ll be just fine with this.”
My roommate walks ahead of me, and I do a double take. “Wait, what? What did you say to him?” I grab the top of Levi’s jacket. “What did she say to him?”
He decides to play dumb. “I have no idea what she’s talking about, Ems.”
“Same here,” Jake agrees.
“I’m getting a migraine.” I rub my temples and look down.
“Maybe you can ask your hot professor for some ibuprofen and an orgasm. It always helps me— Oh look, there he is!” My head shoots up to see Grayson leaning against the passenger side of his pickup truck.
His gaze quickly scans the group as Kamila’s last sentence leaves her mouth.
He pushes his wavier-than-usual brown hair back and adjusts his glasses, eyes wide and looking wildly nervous.
Oh God.
Grayson straightens as the four of us approach him.
“Hey, Professor Hayes.” Kamila smiles. “I don’t know if you remember me.”
“Oh, I remember you,” he responds quickly, picking at the collar of his black coat. What the hell did she say to him to make him this nervous? “Jake, Levi.” He dips his chin.
“Hey,” they both say at the same time.
“I am so sorry about this.” I look at him with an embarrassed smile. “I’m sorry about them.” I turn my narrowed eyes to each of my friends, who are now wearing innocent puppy dog eyes.
Grayson smirks. “I’m assuming they know?” I nod. “If that’s the case, then we should all have lunch or dinner sometime soon.”
The hummingbirds flutter back into my stomach as all my friends make some sort of shocked noise, then try to mask it and agree to meet up sometime soon.
“Once Emma has her schedule sorted out for the spring semester, we can do it then.”
I’m still smiling like an idiot at the guy I’m falling for—a little too quickly—when Levi bumps my shoulder.
“Right, sorry.” Grayson bites his lip at my reaction.
“We’re not talking to any of the higher-ups until January, when we come back, since my article is coming out tomorrow.
It’s a decision on both of our ends. For his work and mine. ”
All of them nod in understanding.
“Keeping secrets is this group’s specialty,” Jake says proudly, although it doesn’t sound great if you’re not in on the joke.
Grayson examines him skeptically. “I’ll take your word for it.”
Kamila shoots the group a look. “We’ll leave you two lovebirds alone. Bye, Ems, and bye, Professor.”
He bristles. “Please, call me Grayson.”
“Yeah, calling him ‘Professor’ is my thing.” I wink at him, and for the first time ever, he looks a little sheepish at my flirting, clearing his throat as he says bye to the group.
Jake leans down, and whispers, “I hope he’s as good as the guys in your books.”
“Better. Much, much better,” I reply, remembering the last time we were together in bed, with me on top while he ate me out and I blew him.
My friend grins broadly and walks away.
Sighing and focusing on Grayson, I apologize yet again.
“Come here.” He opens his arms and gives me a slow, lingering kiss.
I smile against his lips. “You invited my friends to come out with us.”
His eyes soften as they have been doing for a while now. I have a feeling I know what he’s trying to convey, but until he says the words, I won’t get my hopes up. “You have a tight-knit group there. Something tells me that I need in.”
Wrapping my hands around his neck, I stand on the tiptoes of my five-inch heels. “Even if they are all in their early twenties?”
He shrugs. “You’re in your early twenties. They’re nice people and part of your life. Besides, I’ve already started getting to know them at the soup kitchen, and they’re like a mix of my siblings and my best friend. Chaotic, fun, and sweet.”
The hummingbirds’ wings keep on flapping. “That about sums it up.”
We kiss one last time. “So…about that whipped cream?”
I nod enthusiastically. “Let’s go do that.”
He chuckles and helps me into his truck.
Oh yeah, I’m falling for him. Hard and way too fast.