Waiting for Love ((Waiting) Book 2) (16 page)

Shelby,

   It’s impossible to express how proud of you I am at this very moment. You had a dream and you didn’t let anything stop you from achieving it. I know you’re going to be an amazing teacher and enrich your student’s lives, daily...just like you do mine. JRILY baby.

    By the time, I finish reading what he’s written the tears are already welling up in my eyes.
JRILY
...is, an abbreviation Jeff, came up with and it means-
just remember I love you.
That phrase has become a sort of mantra for me to recite to myself whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed. I hear him saying it to me in my thoughts and it instantly calms me. I sometimes have to remind myself that as long as he’s by my side I’m able to overcome anything.

    I set the card down so it’s standing in an open position next to the vase of roses. I lean over and inhale their intoxicating smell that reminds me of the roses that grow at my father’s house. When he and my mother moved into their new home, shortly after they were married, he had a dozen rose bushes planted and a large trellis built, as a gift for her. They’re now maintained by a professional landscaper, but it’s the one place that I can go and feel her presence. Jeff knows this and it’s a much deeper reason why he chose to purchase these particular flowers, than the fact that they’re purple.

    Speaking of Jeff, where is my man? As I walk toward our master bedroom I hear the murmur of the television, but the volume is low so I’m not able to make out what show is on. Jeff walks out of the ensuite bathroom as I enter our room. He’s naked except for the white towel wrapped around his hips and it’s hanging low enough there’s just barely a hint of a well-groomed trail of hair showing.

“Mmm, this is a nice sight to come home to,” I say as I slowly walk toward him. I lick my lips as I look over his magnificent physique and think about how it’s all mine to play with.
How did I get
so lucky?
His hands are on his hips and the sexy smile that’s playing on his sculpted lips lets me know he’s aware I’m checking him out. The large bulge beneath his towel tells me he likes it.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” I question as I come to stand in front of him. “This looks like a problem, a very large problem,” I say as I run the tip of my index finger from the root all the way to the tip of his towel-covered cock and his breath hisses sharply through his teeth.   “This is a very sizeable problem, but you’re all set. I’m the girl who’s going to take care of it. I'm an expert at getting the job done.” He grins, now standing with his arms crossed.

“So you think you’re the one to tackle my large problem?” He quirks his eyebrow at me, once again smirking. “Exactly what kind of jobs are you willing to do?” He asks his voice now deeper and with a slightly husky edge to it. I reach down and pull the towel from his hips, leaving him standing there in all his aroused, naked glory. I swear my mouth fills with drool every time I see my man without his clothes and when he’s turned on...my panties are instantly drenched. I bend down to get on my knees when Jeff’s hand on my arm, stops me. I straighten back up and cock my eyebrow up in question at him. Why the hell is he stopping me?

“Good girls kneel down, bad girls bend at the waist,” He tells me, his tone of voice impossibly deep. “Bend over,” He commands with a feral gleam lighting his blue eyes.
He’s so fucking sexy
when he goes all alpha on me; he could order me to do anything and I would.
As I slowly bend over, I keep my eyes locked on his until the last possible second. My mouth is already watering at the thought of tasting him on my tongue and just before my lips close around him, I notice the glistening drop of pre-come on his tip. I wrap my lips around the head and swirl my tongue over the end, savoring his taste and loving the smooth texture of him. He groans out loud, gripping my high ponytail with both of his hands. I lower my mouth down the smooth length of him sucking him in as far as possible, before moving back up. My hand wraps around the base of his cock and I move it in conjunction with my mouth. As I cup his balls with my other hand, he tightens his grip on my ponytail. I pick up the pace and his hips begin to move in a thrusting motion. I pause for a moment and pull back slightly.

“Fuck my mouth,” I whisper. My lips are barely back around him when he moves one of his hands to cup the back of my neck allowing him to control the pace as he thrusts in and out of my mouth.

"You're so fucking sexy bent over my cock. I love fucking your mouth." My hands are gripping on to the backside of his hips for balance and I’m starting to feel the strain of maintaining this position. It’s harder than it looks. My hamstrings are cramping and I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to hold myself like this. I use my lips and tongue to suck as hard as I can as he moves his hips impossibly fast, still gripping my ponytail. His hold is tight and almost painful, it’s passionate and a bit controlling, but I like it. It’s only seconds later that he lets out a fierce growl as he comes, spurting his release down my throat. I hold still, continuing to give up control to him. The grip on my ponytail relaxes as he moves both of his hands to cup my face as I release him from my mouth. I straighten up to a standing position and wince from the tightness in my hamstrings. I’m going to need to stretch out after this. I giggle at the thought. Sex with Jeff and I sometimes feel similar to an extreme sport. All of his football training comes in handy when he’s throwing me around the bed.

“Baby, you definitely are the right one for my job,” He says, making me giggle as he pulls me into his embrace. “That was unexpected. What got into you?”

“I couldn’t help myself when I saw you standing there all sexy, wrapped only in your towel. You were like a present that needed to be unwrapped. Speaking of presents, thank you for the beautiful roses. I absolutely love them.”

“You’re very welcome. How was your first day?” Did you make any new friends?” He jokingly asks.

“Everything went pretty smoothly today. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it all. And yes dad, I actually did make a new friend. His name is Max and he’s one of the art teachers.”

“I don’t remember saying you could have any new male friends. You have enough of them already. At least with Jake, Marcus, and Cory, I know they’re not trying to get into your pants.” He teasingly scowls at me.

“Well, if it’s any consolation, I didn’t pick up on any interest from him at all.”

“He must be gay then,” Jeff states matter-of-factly.

“Jeff, you are ridiculous. That doesn’t mean he’s gay. Not every guy wants to sleep with me.”

“No, just most of them and the ones that don’t want to, are gay.”

Chapter - Sixteen

Shelby

     Today is the second day at my new job and I’m feeling more confident and a lot less nervous than I did yesterday. The morning classes have passed by in the blink of an eye and it’s now time for me to take my lunch break. I’m not crazy about the idea of having to walk back into the overcrowded staff room that serves as our designated dining area, but there isn’t really any other choice; unless I want to sit in here all by myself. As much as that idea has its merit, I know I need to meet some of my coworkers and hopefully, Max will be there. He was extremely friendly yesterday.

     I smooth my hands over the black material of my pencil skirt and make sure that my cap sleeved, purple blouse is still neatly tucked in. I glance down at my black peep toe pumps which are so comfortable, it doesn’t even feel like I’m wearing heels. Okay, here goes nothing, I think to myself as I grab my lunch tote. The lunch room is on the same floor as my classroom so it only takes me a minute to walk there. I pause to take a deep breath and prepare myself in case it’s a big crowd like yesterday. As I push open the door, I notice that there are plenty of vacant chairs. Max is already seated in one and there’s an empty seat next to him. I walk over and as I drop down into the chair, it feels like all eyes are on me.

“Hi, Max,” I say, feeling self-conscious. He smiles at me and it instantly makes me feel somewhat better.

“Hey, Shelby. How’s day number two going so far?” He takes a bite of what appears to be a turkey and cheese sandwich and waits for me to answer.

“I’m actually having a great day so far,” I say as I think back over my morning while I unpack my lunch bag. My day certainly started out nicely with Jeff waking me up with his hand in my panties and his hard cock against my ass. I’m getting aroused just thinking about it and hope that no one guesses what kind of thoughts are running through my mind. I need to focus on something else so I pay attention while I unwrap the ham and cheese roll up that Jeff made for me. He even put lettuce, tomato, and pickles on it; just the way I like it. I open my bag of potato chips and drink from my bottle of water.

“So Shelby, do you live around here?” I finish swallowing before I answer him.

“I live in Boston in a brownstone apartment. What about you?”

“I live in Brighton with my cousin. I’d like to get my own place, but as you know, rent is astronomical in the city.” I nod my head in agreement as I eat my roll up. I don’t share with him the fact that my father owns our apartment. I’m not going to say too much too soon. I don’t want or need any of my new coworkers forming snap judgments about me. Coming from a wealthy family is great because you never have to worry about the creature comforts, but people form opinions of you that are only based on loose societal generalizations and not on any factual proof. If everyone knows my familial background, they’ll assume I’m some airhead blonde that’s mooching off of her father, which is not the case at all. Jeff and I pay rent every single month. Of course, my father doesn’t want to take it, but J insists. He works hard and makes good money as the head physical therapist for all of Beacon University’s sports teams. He was fortunate to walk into that position, right out of college. It was all perfect timing or maybe kismet that the previous head of PT was retiring and he recommended J for it. He did his internship with the same guy so he was familiar with what his duties would be. Now he’s been there for a couple of years and he absolutely loves his job. It keeps him connected to football, which he’ll always be passionate about.

    Max and I continue to eat our lunch and he fills me in on some of the events that go on here at Bentley Academy. The more I learn about this place, the more impressed I become. We have a staff meeting after school today, with all of the administration. I haven’t met any of the bigwigs yet. I was interviewed by the head of the English department and he seemed nice enough. I’m not looking forward to being the new girl at the meeting, with all eyes on me.

    My ears are suddenly assaulted by an obnoxious cackle coming from the other end of the table we’re sitting at. I covertly glance up as I take a bite of my sandwich and noticed two women, heads close together and they’re staring in my direction. My eyes drop down to my plate as I pick up a potato chip and hope that when I lift them back up, they’ll be done studying me. I raise my eyes to once again find them whispering amongst themselves, but still watching me.
WTF?
I shake my head and make a pfft sound that Max must notice.

“Don’t pay any attention to those hens. They talk about everyone all the time. It’s what they do and it’s why everyone stays away from them. It’s like Survivor and they’re on their own island.” I giggle at his reference to the TV show. “The one with the black hair is Melina and she has a thing for our headmaster. It’s pathetic because he acts as if she doesn’t even exist. I might feel bad for her if she wasn’t such a horrible human being.” I giggle once again and look in their direction. This time, when I see them staring at me, I smile and wave at them. They both quickly look away, which is the exact reaction I was hoping for.

***

     I’m currently in the dimly lit auditorium, sitting next to Max on one side and another female teacher, on the other; waiting for our meeting to begin. Sloane teaches freshman and sophomore math and her classroom is right next to mine. She’s one of the friendlier people I’ve met so far. She’s adorable in a girl next door way that made me instantly want to be friends with her. She looks to be in her early thirties with bright red hair and an abundance of freckles generously sprinkled all over her face.

    I’m getting tired of waiting for this mandatory meeting to start, so I decide to send Jeff a text. He’s at work now too so he may be too busy to respond, but, at least, he’ll know I’m thinking of him.

Hey handsome, I’m waiting for a meeting to start and thinking of you.
I tap send and rest my phone in my lap in case he replies. It only takes a few seconds before he answers.

Hey, baby. How’s your day going? If I remember correctly, I owe you from last night.
I giggle softly as I read his message. I see Max glance over at me out of my periphery and I remind myself to be quiet.

Yes, and I’m looking forward to being pd back. 
Just thinking about what he will be doing to my body tonight, is making me feel flushed. That man has the most amazing hands and he knows how to use them. I’m sure the fact that he’s medically trained in massage doesn’t hurt.

Maybe you should take a nap after work to prepare for what I have in store for you.
I flush a little at his text as I think about what my night is shaping up to look like.

Promises, promises...
I tease him.

I’ve missed you today baby. Can’t wait to see you.
There he is, my sweet guy. He never misses a chance to prove to me how much he loves me. I remember another time in my life when I felt loved, but it was short lived.
Or maybe I should say short loved since he didn’t love me enough to stick around for more than eight months.
I shake my head as I think about that defining period of time and what an impact it’s had on me. I was so naive and willing to believe all the lies that Garrett fed me. At this point, I’m skeptical that he ever really loved me. Maybe it was all some sort of sick game for him because I was his student. Maybe he does that at every place he works.

    I notice a few people walking in the room, so our meeting must be about to start. I quickly type out a reply to Jeff and make sure my phone is set to silent. It’s awkward enough to be the new girl, but I for damn sure, won’t be that person whose phone goes off at an inopportune moment.

I’ve missed you more. See you later. xo

    I place my phone in my purse and zip it closed, before placing it on the floor at my feet. There’s a group of about five people standing in front of the stage, setting up a laptop presentation that we’ll be watching on the large overhead screen. I stop paying attention to what they’re doing, losing myself in my own thoughts of how much it devastated me when Garrett disappeared. God, I was so in love with him. He had me imagining a happily ever after for us, but it was all a facade...a well-played role by him. Maybe someday I’ll get some closure. It’s infuriating that part of me still loves him and most likely always will.  

    What Jeff and I share is fantastic, but sometimes it seems as though there’s that indefinable something missing in our relationship. I try not to let my mind go there because it feels like I’m being disloyal to him, but there was that indefinable something between Garrett and I and I don’t think I’ll ever have that again. I’m okay with that, though because Jeff makes up for it in so many other ways.

     I’m still lost in my musings when I hear a voice over the loudspeaker...a voice that I never thought I would hear again.
Holy shit. It can’t be.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath as I try to find the strength to open my eyes and see if it’s really Garrett or just someone that sounds exactly like him. I already know without even glancing, that it’s him.

“Hello everyone. For those of you, who are new to our staff here at Bentley, I’m Dr. Garrett Hanlon and I’m the headmaster here.” I’m unable to hold in the gasp that slips out from between my lips…my heart literally hurts right now. I’m not sure why they call it heartache, it’s more of a stabbing pain than a dull throbbing one. It feels as though someone has reached inside my chest cavity and is trying to physically tear my heart out. Max leans over toward me.

     “Are you okay?” He asks. I nod my head and smile weakly at him. I don’t think I could speak right now, even if my life depended on it.
Doctor? I wonder how that came about?
While I was busy slipping into an abysmal sea of depression, he was busy becoming a fucking doctor! For some reason, this pisses me off, even more. Knowing that when he left, his life didn’t come crashing down all around him like a blown over house of cards makes me furious.

     “Let me tell you a little bit of my background before we get started. I got my master’s degree at Brown University and I taught at a couple of universities locally. Three years ago I moved to England when I had an unexpected opportunity to finish up my doctorate. This job presented itself when I was ready to move back to the states last year and I haven’t regretted taking it. At least not yet.” Everyone but me laughs at what he says. I’m too busy visualizing my fist meeting his face to think about anything else. I’m trying to slow my breathing and stave off the impending anxiety attack I’m sure to have. It’s not working...I feel it escalating. My heart is pounding, my chest is tight and the ringing in my ears has begun.
I need to get out of here.

     I grab my purse from the floor, standing up as Garrett finishes speaking and everyone is clapping. I lean over to Max and ask him to let me past. As I hurry down the aisle toward the back of the room, where the exits are located, my chest tightens and I can’t take in enough air. Once I’m in the hallway outside of the auditorium, I lean over and brace my hands on my knees trying to slow my breathing. I remain in this position for about a minute, until I start to feel slightly better. As I’m straightening up, I notice Garrett standing beside me, about three feet away. My ability to speak seems to have fled, not that I want to speak to him anyway. I turn in the other direction and begin moving toward my classroom. I left my new tote there and I need to bring it home. I walk as quickly as my heels and tight skirt will let me, praying that he won’t follow. It’s no use, though, I sense him behind me every step of the way.

    When I get to my room, I close the door behind me, hoping he’ll get the picture that I want nothing to do with him. I scurry across the room to my desk and place my purse inside my tote, before slinging the much larger bag over my shoulder. As I turn toward the doorway, Garrett walks into my classroom and closes the door behind him. We stand there in silence for a moment, staring at each other. He breaks the quiet first.

“Hello, Shelby.”
Two words is all you have to say to me after three years away. At least, he didn’t call me doll.

  
I’m cognizant of my breaths moving in and out of my body at an accelerated pace, my heart is racing and my fingers are tingling right now.
God, I need a Xanax.
Why didn’t I put one in my purse? I know I wasn’t expecting to need one at work, but that’s why I have a prescription for them, in the first place. They’re for emergency situations when I can’t seem to get my anxiety under control and this definitely constitutes as one. I’m not capable of speaking any words, I’m fighting against my own body right now, trying to stem the ever worsening symptoms of my impending panic attack.

    He notices the alarmed expression on my face and he must realize that there’s more going on here than me being surprised to see him. He crosses the floor, quickly eating up the distance between us and rests his hand on my arm.

“Shelby, what’s wrong?” He asks me, concern evident in his expression. I shake my head and continue to focus on the breathing exercises Dr. Waters taught me. I’m feeling slightly light headed and shaky so I step back away from Garrett and drop down into my desk chair. I lean forward and put my head on my knees, ready to drop it down between them, if necessary. I conjure up a vision of Jeff smiling his perfect smile at me and use that to help calm me down. Right now, there’s nothing I want more than for him to be here in the flesh, holding me in his arms and making all my worries go away. That’s what being with him is like. He’s my rock solid foundation that unfailingly supports my shaky walls. Without him holding me up, I would crumble and fall. I lean on him and he’s always there just when I need him most. I’ll never have to worry about him disappearing from my life. He loves me more than anything and he proves it to me time and time again, each and every day.