Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
EMMA
Iflip through the pages of my article in the Driscoll Wolf Weekly as I drink my latte at The Howler. Thank God this place is open on Saturdays.
When I saw the large title on the front cover: The Unconventional Cook: A Look at the Person Behind the Professorship, I sent a picture to my family and to Grayson, who’s helping out at his friend’s restaurant in Poughkeepsie today.
He told me he’d go online to read it as soon as he’s on break, which should be in about an hour.
As I look at the pictures from the photo shoot—one in the lab, and one of him and Marina talking to a group of people in the soup kitchen—I grin.
Not only is this article something I’ve been working on for months, but it also reflects our journey of getting to know one another.
Although the piece reads like a professional article, it is a feature, meaning I am telling a story—his story.
The one the world has never heard but is very much needed.
My phone vibrates with an alarm I’d set to remind me to head back to the library to continue studying for finals. Playtime’s over.
I’ve kept my phone on silent the entire time to focus on appreciating my work. I’m about to press the do-not-disturb button when a flash goes off from the table across from me.
Confused as to who they were taking a picture of in my direct line of sight, I move my gaze upward, and the person quickly hides their phone while their friend keeps his up, with the camera aimed right at me. He waves, and I wave back, feeling extremely uncomfortable and still confused.
Gathering my things, I turn on my notifications, and my screen fills with dozens of texts and missed calls from my friends, along with a number I don’t recognize and three missed calls from Amelia.
I’ve only been here for an hour. What the hell is all of this?
Moving my thumb, I open the group chat and scroll past the question marks and exclamation points to find a picture that threatens to bring my drink back up. I drop my empty cup and cover my mouth, tears brimming in my eyes.
“No. This isn’t happening,” I whisper.
There, on my screen, lies a picture of Grayson and me kissing in the parking lot from last night.
Our faces aren’t fully visible, but there are two more attached.
One shows us talking and smiling, intertwined, our side profiles visible, and the most damning proof of all: him lifting me into his truck as I laugh, and he looks at me so adoringly that it makes my chest ache.
How many people have seen this? Why do my friends have it? How—
Grayson. He hasn’t texted or called. What if he doesn’t know yet? I’d rather have him hear it from me, and oh God, how much trouble is he going to get into?
I fumble while dialing his number, but miss the chance when a call from Amelia comes in. I hesitate to not respond and consider calling Grayson instead, but if she’s calling, that means she knows.
I hear a click from beside me. Another student has their camera pointed at me.
“Fuck,” I mutter and gather my things, running out of the building. It’s already dark, with the sun setting at five p.m. every day now, which makes it easier to hide.
Taking a deep breath, I answer the phone. “Hi, boss.”
“I’ve been trying to reach you for an hour now,” she grits out. “Where the hell have you been?”
I keep my tears at bay, my mind and body still out of sync. “I had my phone on do not—”
“It doesn’t matter. Have you seen the pictures?”
Closing my eyes, I say, “Yes. I can expl—”
“Listen to me.” Her voice is stern but no longer angry.
“Go straight to your dorm room and do not answer any calls from local papers. If one does come through, hang up immediately. We’ve already received two, and I’m sure there will be more.
” She sighs loudly. “You’re going to get a call from one of the deans, Emma.
” The first tear falls as my chest begins to cave in.
“I’m not sure what the protocol is here since you weren’t his direct student, but if you didn’t tell them, then you’ll most likely have to meet with them, and your relationship will be investigated. ”
“How do you know all of this?” I sniffle.
Amelia clears her throat. “I’m good at doing the research when necessary. I got this position for a reason.”
I gasp as a thought pops into my mind. “Am I fired?”
She sighs once again. “You’re suspended for the rest of the semester.
” I cover my mouth. I’ve really done it now.
“Your article will be removed from the school website as well.” This time, I collapse onto the nearest bench, my knees giving out.
All that hard work, just to be destroyed in an hour.
“That said, this should blow over long before the spring semester starts, and since this is a student-run newspaper, it’s up to Oliver and me to decide what happens with your position here.
After you meet with a dean in the Dean of Students’ office and they make their decision, we’ll decide ours. ”
I fucked her over. I fucked myself over. I fucked the paper over.
“I’m sorry, Amelia.”
“I know,” she says sincerely. “I’ll ask Ben to bring you anything you might’ve left in the office.”
“Thank you.”
Amelia exhales softly. “There’s one more thing, Emma.”
My head drops. Whatever it is, it can’t make things worse. “Yes?”
“If you keep working on the paper, you’ll have to use a different last name.” She pauses, and my stomach sinks. “Your other last name.”
Emma Brighton. I’m going to have to write under Emma Brighton, my father’s last name, to stay on the paper in order not to be connected to the article anymore.
“Understood.” My voice nearly cracks. “Thank you for calling, Amelia.”
“We’ll talk soon.”
She hangs up, and I cover my eyes, crying quietly over everything that’s happened in the past ten minutes.
I got suspended from the paper I worked for an entire semester to get on, and spent the entire fall relying on only three to five hours of sleep a night to get the position I’ve always dreamed of.
I’m going to have to use my father’s name, something I’ve never wanted to do, to stay at the paper I love, and I will most likely need to use it later in the workplace.
My phone vibrates again, and I have the sudden urge to throw it on the ground and stomp on it. I need to call Grayson, but first, I have to get to my dorm and away from any prying eyes.
I unlock the door to my suite and stop mid-step when I see what, or more like who, is waiting for me.
Grayson stands from the couch, giving me a pained look.
Quickly closing the door, I glance at my three best friends scattered around the room.
What is he doing here? I thought he was in Poughkeepsie. Is it a good or bad thing that he’s here?
“Hi,” he whispers.
“Hi,” I say back.
Kamila cups Jake’s and Levi’s shoulders. “I think it’s time to leave you guys alone.” Grayson and I stare at each other as my friends put on their jackets. “I’ll be staying over at Cam’s if you need me. I’ll see you tomorrow,” my roommate whispers.
I nod absentmindedly, my gaze still fixed on the blue-green eyes framed by brown hair.
My friends leave, and the second the door shuts, I rush over to Grayson and wrap my fingers through his hair, pulling his lips down to mine. He pushes away for a moment, reading my silent plea, and understands that the last thing I want is to talk. I’m all talked out for the day, I just need him.
He kisses me as I take off my coat and let it fall to the floor. Grayson lifts my sweater dress, leaving me in the lingerie I planned to surprise him with later—a lacy black bra, a garter belt holding up my favorite stockings, and the black heels he loves.
He takes a step back, staring at me as he lifts his shirt and quickly takes it off in one swift movement, allowing me to admire his sculpted body. I attack him again, and this time he lifts and carries me to my bedroom, already knowing which one is mine even though it’s his first time here.
Grayson throws me onto my bed, which is much smaller than his but can still accommodate both of us.
He hovers over me, spreading my legs apart with his right knee, all the while his tongue battles with mine.
My bra snaps open from the front clasp, allowing him to suck on my nipples, only this time he doesn’t bite them, only kisses them and licks them lightly with flicks of his tongue.
With every flick and kiss, I tremble and moan out his name, already growing close, but it’s clear he doesn’t want me to come without him because he sits up, fumbles with his belt, and lowering his pants just enough for his cock to pop out, spreads my legs that were closed again—stockings, garter, and thong still in place—and moves my underwear to the side, giving him enough space to thrust himself inside of me, as we both moan loudly.
His eyes close tightly as he hisses, and my pussy clenches around his dick. Grayson groans and looks me in the eye with a brand-new openness and determination as he pumps in and out of me forcefully and slowly, filling me to the brim, both of us louder than ever before without coming.
Grayson grabs my hands and intertwines our fingers, pulling my arms up until most of his weight rests on me, and I welcome it.
His movements slow as his groin presses against my clit, causing me to gasp.
He stops entirely and looks into my eyes with an intense expression I’ve never seen before.
It’s as if he’s saying so many things at once, yet I’m unable to understand ninety-nine percent of them.
But I know what I’m thinking.
Am I imagining the longing look in your eyes?
Is this a final goodbye?
If not, how long will you be gone for?
He opens his mouth to say something, then thinks better of it and picks up his pace.
I want to feel him come inside of me, I want to feel every part of him, to consume him whole, but I settle for what I know is going to be an intense orgasm for both of us.
I’m so wet that with every thrust, the only sounds in the room are my wetness and our low moans.
Grayson moves his right hand to my clit as my legs begin to shake, feeling the vibration throughout my entire body. We nod silently, signaling that we’re doing this together.
Our mouths open at the same time, no sound coming out of either one of us, eyes wide, as we teeter over the edge together.
I cry out with a loud moan, my entire body trembling like never before.
Grayson follows with one thrust, moaning and whimpering, our eyes never leaving each other’s.
He presses kisses to my neck as he finishes and holds me tightly.
My hand threads through his hair, the other resting on his back as we both come down from the high.
Afterward, we kiss for a long time, softly and passionately. We kiss for so long that I’m convinced I’m going to wake up with sore lips. He lies next to me as his calloused fingers draw lazy circles on my shoulder. We both remain quiet, looking up at the ceiling.
I’m overthinking, and so is he, yet we still don’t say a word. There’s so much to be said, and yet nothing at all.
It feels like I’ve only been asleep for twenty minutes when I wake up five hours later to an empty bed and a note where Grayson’s head was lying last night.
Hi Princess,
Please know that I needed to see you one more time before the investigation. I never expected it to end with us in bed together, but it was one of the most amazing quiet nights I’ve ever had.
Stay safe. I’ll be in touch once I’ve sorted some things out.
Wait for me.
- Grayson