Before You Go Read online

  I shrugged off the warning. "Laurel does what she wants."

  "Fair enough." The man, dressed in a bright pink suit, offered me his hand. "I'm Nigel, Mellie's manager."

  "Nice to meet you." I gestured back at the girls. "Laurel wants Mellie to attend a fundraiser we're hosting at Kelley University the first Saturday in October. That's what they're discussing."

  Nigel's nod was immediate. He studied me closer. "Yeah, the fundraiser for the art program. I've heard about it. My friend Kaitlyn Bell works at the high school over there. You the one mentoring that student of hers? The Hulk?"

  "Not really mentoring him, but I've met with him a couple times about his plans for next year." I shifted uncomfortably, not really wanting to discuss Zack with a stranger.

  Something else seemed to catch Nigel's eye from across the room. "I gotta take care of something. If Mellie asks, you tell her I'm on board with whatever she wants to do. Got a soft spot for that Hulk kid myself."

  I couldn't get a response out before Nigel disappeared into the crowd. I turned back to Laurel just in time to hear her exchanging goodbyes with Mellie. "How'd it go?" I asked.

  "She's gonna come. Even in spite of how upset she was to hear that we weren't looking for a threesome." Laurel grabbed a champagne flute from a passing waiter and chugged it. "And that was only after I convinced her that I wasn't looking for a one-on-one, either."

  "Things certainly stay interesting with you around," I teased.

  "Speaking of interesting…" She gripped my tie to pull me gently down to her level. Her lips pressed softly to mine. "What do you say we go make good use of that hotel room I booked?"

  "We just got here. We don't have to rush off. If you want to stay, we can look around. Mingle."

  Her eyebrows slouched to let me know just how much that idea didn't interest her. "Mission accomplished, here." She swiped her hands together and patted them for emphasis. "So, what are we waiting for?"

  Laurel

  Booking a last minute hotel in New York City made my bank account scream, but I knew it was worth it the moment I saw the view from the bedroom window. There wasn't anything in particular my eyes settled on, but the lights of the city glistened across the hazy night sky. We were thirty-five stories above the streets of Midtown Manhattan.

  "What a view," Isaac sighed out, echoing my very thoughts.

  I smiled as I leaned back, letting my head rest under his chin as he held me. A spark of arousal was swirling inside of me, a reminder of what we were doing there. I didn't feel hurried, though. After so many months apart, I wanted to savor the moment when we finally came together again. Isaac seemed to be of the same mindset. His fingers danced lightly across my midsection but explored no further.

  "Did you think about me when we were apart?" I asked.

  His hands skated across my hips, surprise lacing his voice when he answered, "All the damn time."

  "I thought about you, too." He made a pleased sound in the back of his throat.

  A lazy smile drew across my lips as he planted a chaste kiss on my shoulder. Despite the flurry of activity outside, it felt like time stopped in our hotel room. I felt invincible with the heat of Isaac's body wrapped around mine.

  "Did you see that huge tub in the bathroom?" I nodded. "What do you say I run us a bath?" My body practically melted at the idea, Isaac's chest rumbling with his laughter as I leaned partially limp against him.

  His fingers grazed my bare arms as he stepped away. My bottom lip dipped into a pout as I felt the loss of him. I turned my head to watch him walk away, admiring the confident way he strode across the room. I was having a very hard time remembering why I'd ever wanted to resist him. I turned back to the window as he disappeared into the luxurious bathroom, the sound of the faucet following shortly thereafter.

  "Dammit," I heard Isaac grumble. I turned just in time to see him stepping out of the bathroom, pulling off a soaking wet shirt.

  My jaw slackened as an expanse of toned chest and abs came into view. His entire body glistened with moisture from where he somehow managed to get himself soaked. He didn't look up until he dropped the wet shirt to his feet, only then noticing my reaction to his half-dressed form.

  "Laurel," he said, his voice hoarse.

  I bit down on my bottom lip, my eyes roaming over him. Suddenly, I couldn't remember why I thought slow was such a good idea. The mere sight of him shirtless was enough to stoke the fire within me. I let out a soft whimper as he took an uncertain step closer.

  "You're sure about this?" he asked, continuing to stalk closer.

  "So sure."

  The words were barely out of my mouth before he closed the distance between us. Both of his hands tangled in my hair as he claimed my mouth, his lips meeting mine with all the intensity of a man possessed. I didn't even realize he was encouraging me to move until the backs of my legs hit the side of the mattress.

  "My dress," I gasped as his lips began to trail down my neck.

  "Turn for me," he requested.

  His hands slid over the exposed section of my back as I lifted my hair out of the way for him. The room was silent except for the sound of my zipper as Isaac slowly slid it down to my lower back. I shrugged out of the straps, letting the dress fall to a pool at my feet. Isaac kissed a path across the back of my shoulders, my breath catching as pleasure hit me like a wave all the way down to my bare toes.

  I felt Isaac's breath across my back when he asked, hesitantly, "Have you slept with anyone else?" I knew he meant in the time since we were last together since I hadn't been a virgin when we met.

  "No," I answered honestly, turning back to face him.

  He blinked slowly, relief flooding his expression as his eyes softened. "I didn't either."

  My heart latched onto his words, throbbing with emotion over his admission. It was a relief to know he hadn't gone searching for satisfaction elsewhere in my absence. I thought it said a lot about the connection we shared, that it wasn't just my imagination that there was something genuine between us.

  My hands shook with impatience as I tried to free the latch of his belt until finally, he reached between us to help me. I flicked open the button of his pants so he could step free of them. His black briefs did nothing to conceal the evidence of his arousal, his cock straining against the cotton. I reached for him, stroking his length through the soft cotton as he threw his head back with a groan.

  I was tempted to sink to my knees but he surprised me by pushing my shoulders back until I sat on the edge of the bed. He kneeled in front of me, his lips touching the side of my knee, then the top of my thigh. I nearly came off the bed when he flicked his tongue teasingly against the soft skin of my inner thigh. My panties shifted uncomfortably against my throbbing core as he hooked his fingers into the sides of them.

  My breathing became labored as I leaned back on my elbows, shifting my lower half up enough that Isaac could slide my panties down my legs. I watched wide-eyed as he splayed his hands out over each of my thighs, his gaze focused between my legs. A bit of self-consciousness hit me as I realized how open to him I was. All of the lights were still on in the room, and his vantage point meant he was getting more up close and personal of a look at that part of me than any man ever had.

  "Relax," he urged, his fingers squeezing against the tightened muscles of my thighs. My eyes closed briefly at the sensation but snapped back open when one of those fingers shifted closer to my center.

  "Please," I whispered. One of his eyebrows quirked up. "Please, touch me."

  He muttered, "My pleasure," as his fingers skimmed their way up my thighs. His left hand snaked up to rest on my hip as his right left my skin entirely.

  My hips bucked when finally his index finger dipped between my legs, just barely caressing my clit as he tested the moisture there. I was so wet for him that my skin parted easily, offering him access to all of me. He hummed his approval as he dipped first one finger inside of me—and then a second. My eyes fell closed again as I fisted the c
omforter in my hands.

  As if touching wasn't enough, his mouth came down on me, tasting me as I quivered beneath him. My fingers ached from my tight grip on the covers, but I couldn't loosen them even if I tried. His tongue traced over my slit as his fingers continued to pump steadily inside of me. The two warring sensations competed for my attention.

  "Isaac," I gasped as it all became too much.

  I could feel myself coming apart at the seams as he gently sucked my clit into his mouth, milking my orgasm out of me. My whole body quaked with the wave of pleasure that was building in my core. I whimpered as I bucked beneath his mouth, fighting the desire to be closer still even as the sensations overwhelmed me. I could feel my muscles tighten around his fingers as he managed to push me fully over the edge. My whimpers turned to full on moans as I thrashed about, riding out my pleasure until I finally lay spent on the bed.

  When I managed to work up enough energy to open my eyes, I found him sitting back on his heels grinning at me. He looked quite pleased with himself, too. I beckoned for him to join me on the bed.

  "You're so fucking sexy," he growled as he pulled me further up the bed with him.

  He kissed my collarbone as he reached between my back and the bed so he could unhook the bra I was still wearing. Carelessly, he flung it somewhere behind him as his eyes feasted on my bare breasts. He ran his hands over them, his fingers drawing my nipples to attention as he circled them. My back arched as my body instinctively tried to press closer.

  I tugged at the waistband of his briefs until he took them off for me. I marveled at the sight of his hard cock straining towards me. I do that to him, I thought to myself. It was a heady feeling to know I could turn on such an attractive, brilliant man.

  My hands wrapped around his biceps as he guided the tip of his cock to my opening. He placed a gentle kiss on my lips, drawing my attention back up to his eyes. We stayed like that, eyes locked as he pressed his length inside of me, slowly as I adjusted to having him inside me for the first time in so long. I could feel my body stretching to accommodate him, the room turning uncomfortably hot as he filled me.

  "More," I begged.

  He began to move against me, pumping me with steady strokes as our unsteady breaths tangled together in the otherwise quiet room. As our bodies worked in tandem, my hips pressing up to meet his thrusts, Isaac kissed me leisurely.

  My second orgasm built slower than the first. His cock slid across my clit on every outward motion. His chest created a delicious friction as it brushed against my own, holding my nipples to hard peaks as evidence of my pleasure. As the second wave crashed over me, he swallowed my moans as he continued to kiss me, barely breaking so we could gasp for air. Instead of holding onto the covers that time, I held onto him.

  He groaned as I orgasmed, my pleasure causing the muscles of my core to tighten around his cock like they'd done to his fingers. His pace increased as he sought out his own pleasure behind mine. I reveled in the feeling of our slick skin against each other as I encouraged him towards his own release. Only a few minutes later, his motion slowed until, with a deep groan, he managed to cum with an intensity that shook the whole bed.

  Isaac tumbled over onto the bed next to me, struggling to catch his breath just as I was managing to even out my own breathing. I stretched out my sore body before rolling over to lay my head on his chest. I listened carefully as the rhythm of his heartbeat struggled to stabilize. We laid like that, enjoying the companionable silence of two people who had just enjoyed each other.

  "So much for our bath," Isaac chuckled after a while.

  I peered up at him with a grin. "You know what's great about a hotel room? Unlimited hot water."

  His face lit up with a devilish grin of his own. He scooted out from underneath me, ignoring my protests as he stood. "Bath-time it is, then." He scooped me up easily off the bed, tossing me over his shoulder as he carried me, laughing, to the oversized tub.

  Isaac

  The sound of my phone buzzing woke me up. For a brief second, I thought I dreamed the whole night until Laurel rolled over, her arm smacking me right in the chest. For a woman that fought to be so in control the rest of the time, it was hysterical to know what a slob she was when she slept. She laid practically diagonal across the bed, her hair a giant knot that looked like it was sneaking up on her. I was reluctant to tear myself away but my phone kept ringing.

  I pulled on my pants and stepped out to the other room before checking the Caller ID. Marsha Knight flashed across the screen, the sight causing me to curse softly. She managed to have the worst fucking timing.

  The ringing started up again for the fourth or fifth time. "Hello?" I answered in the quietest voice I could manage.

  "Professor Gilmore," she clipped out immediately. I nearly snorted over the too-serious tone she was taking but I managed to abstain. "I understand that you're a busy man, but the university is still waiting for your answer. If there are questions, now's the time to get them answered."

  The poor woman was reaching out to me nonstop. I knew that was her job, but I was amazed she was still putting in so much effort. Casting a glance back to make sure the bedroom door was still closed, I sank into a comfortable living room chair.

  "Okay, Ms. Knight. I do have a few questions. For starters, will my relocation be covered? I can't sell my house until summer. If I'm paying rent on top of my mortgage for six months that higher salary is gonna dwindle fast."

  "CMSU has several faculty houses. I'll have to double-check but I'm pretty sure at least two of them are sitting vacant right now. The house would be rent-free for the duration of the spring semester. Of course, the school is more than happy to pay moving costs as well."

  I sat up a little straighter. "Do you happen to know what my teaching schedule would look like?"

  "It would be very similar to what you have now. Two freshman courses and one upper-level course. It's a Special Topics slot, so you would get some leeway in choosing the subject. The caveat being it would have to be approved by the dean, of course."

  "Leaving Kelley is…" fucking terrifying, I finished to myself.

  Marsha seemed to soften from across the phone. "I understand that this is a huge decision. Talk it over with friends, family, significant other, whoever. But we do need a decision by the end of the month, okay?"

  "I can do that."

  Two weeks to make the biggest decision of my life? Yeah, no biggie.

  "I'll speak with you soon, then, Professor. And please, do feel free to reach out if you have any other questions."

  "I will, thanks."

  She sounded pleased as she chirped goodbye. I wondered if there was something in my voice that betrayed how much the job appealed to me? I kept trying to temper my excitement, but then I would picture the huge lecture halls all over again. There were so many professors seeking out smaller class sizes, and there I was wanting to expand mine.

  "Morning," Laurel greeted me in a low voice.

  She startled me so much I dropped the phone I was still holding in my hand. "Hey," I managed to answer.

  I never even heard the bedroom door open. Panic rushed through me as I searched for any sign that she heard my conversation. Nothing about her sleepy expression wrapped in a cushy hotel bathrobe seemed to indicate she heard any of it. I tried to force my nerves away.

  "We still have a couple hours until check-out." I stood and stalked toward her. "Wanna order room service and then make good use of our time while we wait for it to get up here?"

  The corner of her mouth lifted into a smile but she shook her head. "I was actually looking for you to tell you I need to get back. Derek called to leave a message for me that apparently there's a little issue with the catering for the event. I want to get home and get it sorted out before it turns into a full-blown problem. Raincheck?" she asked, planting a quick kiss on my lips.

  "Sure."

  Another half smile later, she disappeared back into the bedroom to get dressed and pack up the few things we
brought with us. I dressed myself, then stood in the doorway and watched her. There was no way she would have stayed silent if she heard my phone call, but something else was definitely off.

  "You okay?"

  She tilted her head slightly, concentrating all her attention on the small bag sitting open in front of her on the bed. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

  "Sorry if I woke you up this morning. I took a phone call." I searched for some reaction but came up with nothing.

  "No worries. All that sunlight streaming in through the windows is was what woke me up." She turned to send a puzzled look my way. "I guess I should be the one asking you if you're okay. You're acting a little strange this morning."

  I saw right through her attempt at deflection. It was clear something was wrong, even if she didn't want to acknowledge it. I kept my mouth shut for fear of making things any more uncomfortable than they already were. Was she regretting spending the night with me? Was that why she was acting so distant?

  Instead of waiting for me to answer, she kept right on packing. Hell, it was like I was seeing senior year Laurel all over again. That lighter side of her somehow all but vanished between the previous night's incredible sex marathon and that morning's awkward exchange.

  "Ready?" she asked, her voice casual as she passed me heading towards the door.

  I stuffed the few items I brought with me into the small duffel waiting at the foot of the bed. It took me all of about thirty seconds to pack my things up. As I trailed after her, I realized that the tangled bedsheets were the only sign that we ever stepped foot in the room. There was a hollow sort of feeling that accompanied the sight.

  It was all too easy to imagine it as a metaphor for my relationship with Laurel. Both of us always halfway out the door instead of settling in together. I wanted so much more than to leave a trail of messy beds in our wake.

  Laurel watched me pause near the threshold of the bedroom. "Isaac, we need to get going."