Chapter Twenty-Four
Serena
I wake up the morning after my phone sex romp feeling rather fantastic. I never imagined doing anything like that, but with Cade it feels so right. I get Alan ready and drop him off at daycare. As soon as I turn out of the parking lot, I call Ashley.
When she answers, I’m so eager for my date night with Cade, I jump right to the point. “Can you watch Alan tonight?”
“Good morning, Ashley. How are you, Ashley?” my sister replies, instead.
I sigh. “Good morning, Sis, hope you slept well. Can you watch Alan tonight? I know it’s last minute, but it would mean a lot to me.”
“I take it this has to do with Cade.”
“Yes. Can you? Please? And spend the night at my house with him?”
“Overnight on a school night? What has gotten into you, Serena Jacobs?”
“Hopefully Cade Thomas if you say you can.”
She laughs. “Who are you and what have you done with my sister?” she teases. “Seriously, though. He’s that good, is he?”
“He’s amazing even when he isn’t in the room.”
“Oh? Do tell, sister, dear.”
“We had phone sex last night,” I blurted out. “And holy hell, the orgasm...it was incredible. I need more of him, Ash.”
“Oh. My. God. You’re smitten.”
“I’m falling deep.”
“Did you tell him yet?”
Her question immediately sobers me and brings me back to reality. “No.”
“Serena! What are you waiting for?”
“The right time?”
“Give that man the blow job of his life and tell him then. Sheesh!”
“Just... Can you watch Alan tonight?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Thank you, Ash! I owe you.”
“You can thank me by telling Cade the truth about Alan.”
“I will. Soon. I promise.”
***
There is so much chatter as I walk into my first class, but it immediately starts to quiet as I make my way to the front of the room. I begin the class as I always do in a new semester, but heads are swiveling around as I speak. I ignore it at first, but halfway through going over the syllabus for the semester, I noticed that whispers have been added in the mix and I stop, pissed off that no one is paying attention.
I point at a student in the third row, who is whispering with the student next to him. “You!” I call him out. He sits up straight. “What is going on?”
The student’s face pales. “Umm. Everyone heard that Cade Thomas stopped by this class last semester.”
“Yes, he observed one of the classes at the end of the semester. I don’t see how that is relevant to this class, though.”
The girl beside him spoke up. “Will he observe this class, too?”
“I’m sorry?”
“Will he visit again?” There are murmurs throughout the room.
“How well do you know him?” another student asks.
“Do you think he’d sign my jersey for me?” comes another voice.
Soon there are questions coming from all over the room, and I feel overwhelmed. I raise my hand and whistle sharply.
“Okay, that is enough. Not that I owe any of you an explanation, but yes, I do know Mr. Thomas. We’re friends.”
“How good of friends?” I am asked from the front row.
I’m stunned by how nosy these kids re. “Pretty good,” I reply in a shocked tone.
“Will he stop in?”
“Will you let us know ahead of time?”
All the questions hit me at once and I get irritated. “Hold up,” I tell the class in a stern voice. They fall silent. “Cade is my friend, yes, but I cannot make him come by class. He’s a busy man.”
The class groans, and I force myself from rolling my eyes. “Maybe,” I continue, “Maybe I can get him to stop by IF you get an average of eighty five percent on my midterm. Does that sound like a good deal?”
A ripple of excitement runs through the room and I nod with satisfaction. “If we can continue now...” I resume going over the syllabus for the semester and the first assignment before opening the room to questions. Hands shoot up.
“Is Cade single?” a blonde near the back asks.
I do roll my eyes this time and ignore her. I turn to another student and point. “Yes?”
“Do you know Tyler Washington? He’s so hot,” she drags her last word out.
“He’s also married. Next?” I say.
“Have you ever seen his Super Bowl rings?” one young man asks.
“Does anyone have any questions related to this class?” No one answers, and I shake my head. “Then class dismissed.”
I gather my things and leave the room as quickly as I can, desperate for the sanctuary of my office. When I'm behind closed doors, I let out a sigh at the absurdity of what just unfolded. I’m not used to the adoring masses making such a big deal out of Cade. He’s just Cade to me, the super sweet guy I’m dating. To everyone else, he’s Cade Thomas, the football hero, a legend. It’s amusing mostly, and I suppose if I intend to continue seeing him, I’m going to have to get used to it.
I sit at my desk and boot up my computer, but instead of doing work, I grab my phone to text Cade.
My students want to know if you plan on popping in this semester. You were all they could talk about this morning, I type out.
I was a distraction without even being there. I’m sorry, Serena.
It’s fine. They wanted to know how well I knew you, and if you were single, and whether I had seen your Super Bowl rings.
That’s it?
I’m sure there were more questions, but I cut class short before they could ask. Besides, they weren't all about you. One girl wanted to know if I had met Tyler because he’s hot.
He’ll get a kick out of that.
Tamara probably not so much, though, I counter.
She’ll laugh about it.
I told them if they got a class average of eighty five percent on the midterm I’d see if you could visit.
Whatever you want, I’m there.
I talked to Ashley this morning, I tell him.
And?
And, she is going to stay with Alan tonight until I get home tomorrow morning.
Still on for seven? he asks.
Do you want to meet someplace or should I just come to your place?
Come to my house. I’ll make dinner.
You cook?
You’ll have to wait and see, he teases.
Should I bring anything?
Just yourself — and maybe that lacy black bra and thong I like.
What about your shirt?
I have one of those just for you.
You do, do you? I question him.
You bet that sweet ass, I do. I have to get in the studio. Can’t wait to see you tonight.
I said my goodbye and put the phone back on my desk, thinking about what was waiting for me after work. It was going to be a long day.
***
After my last class for the day, I finish up a few things and then leave to pick up Alan. Ashley is waiting in the driveway when I pull in, and the two of them go up to Alan’s room to play with his cars while I go to my room to pick out something to wear. I finally settle on a pair of dark wash skinny jeans that hug my curves, knee-high boots, a navy-blue tank top that scoops low and offers a hint of cleavage, and an oversized brown sweater.
When I head downstairs, Ashley and Alan are in the kitchen making dinner. “You look pretty, Mommy,” Alan grins.
“Thanks, baby,” I say, ruffling his hair and kissing the top of his head. “Aunt Ashley is going to stay with you tonight, and I will see you in the morning, okay?”
He nods and goes back to the playdoh my sister brought with her.
“Have fun,” Ashley sing-songs.
“I will,” I smirk back before I head out to grab my phone and purse.
Traffic getting to Cade’s is lighter than I expect and it’s a quarter to seven when I pull up to the gate at his community. The security guards recognize me and wave me on. I pull into his driveway moments later. Cade pulls open his front door and leans against the doorframe as I step from my car. When I'm close enough to him, he grabs me around the middle and pulls my body to his, slow and leisurely. I relax into him with a sigh. After a moment, he leans back, looks me in the eye, and kisses me.
“I’ve been dying to do this all day,” he whispers into my hair as he holds me tightly once more. “You hungry?”
“Starving. I skipped lunch.”
He unwraps me from his arms and takes my hand to lead me inside and to the table. I flush a little at the memory that flashes in my mind when I see the table, and I feel Cade squeeze my hand. His head lowers close to mine and whispers, “I think about it every time I sit down at this table, too.”
He already has food plated and ready on the table, and he pulls out my chair so I can sit before taking the seat across from me. As we eat, Cade asks me about my day, and I fill him in on the classes I'm teaching this semester and the new teaching assistant I’ve been assigned who makes me laugh. I can tell Cade is jealous that another guy is going to be spending several hours a day with me, so I try to ease his jealousy by casually mentioning that Gus and his boyfriend Tommy have both taken a few of my classes and that Gus is one of the brightest talents I’ve had in a long time.
“How is Alan?” Cade asks when I’m done talking.
“He keeps asking when you’re going to come play with him again. He had such a good time with you.”
“I had fun, too. Just name the time and I’m there.”
I smile at him and ask him about his show for next week. He begins to tell me about a story idea Tyler pitched and that he’ll be gone for a few days toward the end of the month with Tyler to shoot on location. When we finish eating, I start to pick up the dishes and take them to the kitchen.
“You don’t have to do that,” he tells me as I fill the sink with soap and water. “I have a lady who comes and cleans twice a week.”
“You don’t ever do your own dishes?”
“Not usually.”
“I like doing the dishes.” I toss a dish towel at him. “You can dry. It’s only a few plates, anyway.” I wash and he dries, and we’re done ten minutes later.
“See? Not so bad, was it?”
“I’ve always thought of doing the dishes as something very mundane, but with you, it’s the kind of mundane I could get used to.”
“You’ve never been domestic with a girlfriend before?” I question.
He lowers his eyes and gives me a look I should have expected. “Can you even for a second imagine Josephine being domestic?”
I laugh. “Okay, maybe you have a point. It’s nice to try new things, though.”
“Yes, it is,” he agrees.
I wipe up a spot on the counter and move toward the trash can to throw away the paper towel, but Cade steps in front of me. “What are you doing?” I laugh as he moves whenever I move. “Umm. Throwing this away.”
“I’ll get it,” he insists.
“Cade, I think I can handle a paper towel. Let me throw this away.” I fake left and he follows, but I quickly turn right and pull out the trash can. Right on top are several take out containers, and I look back at Cade who smiles sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
“So, maybe I can’t cook so much.”
I shake my head at him. “You also can’t hide the evidence so much,” I tease. “How about next time, I cook dinner at my place for us and you can help, maybe learn a thing or two?”
“I think I would like that very much,” he answers, wrapping his arms around me. “But for now, let me show you something that I think you will like very much.”