“Here are your final exams, class.” I say as I pass out the test. “The first twenty questions are multiple choice. And the last twenty are good old-fashioned short essay.”

There is a collective groan from the class.

“And, just a reminder, today is Friday. But we have our very last class on Monday. I’ll give back the final exams, and we have a couple of people who need to make up their presentations from two weeks ago. So, see you all next Monday. Other than that, once you are done with the test, you are free to go. Have a great weekend.”

“Hey Professor Hanks,” a student raises her hand. “Yes, Liz?”

“Are you going to the big party tonight at Dean Allison’s house?”

“My partying days are behind me.”

The class chuckles. She rolls her eyes. “It’s not like that. It’s for Rose’s Grandparents. It’ll be a good time. And classy. Like all of Blackwell is going to be there pretty much.”

“I’ll think about it,” I say. “Why don’t you think about the test that’s right in front of you,” I wink.

I’m a little surprised Rose didn’t mention anything to me, but I figure she’s just had a lot on her mind. Just trying to figure out what the hell we are going to do.

I think I might be a crazy person, with how much I love Rose. I’m so into her, I didn’t know it was possible to be this into someone, inside and out.

She makes me want to fuck her hard and then take her out to a nice steak dinner afterward on Cherry Street. I want to tell every fucking person in the world she’s mine.

But I can’t. We still need to find a way around that.

I’m confident we’ll come up with something soon.

The students turn in their tests one by one, and thank me for the summer class. Many of them linger, telling me it was their favorite class they’ve ever taken.

Rose approaches with a sly, secretive smile.

She reaches my desk and leans over, tantalizing me with her cleavage. “Here’s your test, Professor Hanks. Thanks for everything you’ve taught me.”

Fuck. I want to jump across the table and ravage her right here in front of all these damn students.

I chuckle.

That would teach them a real damn lesson about sex and attraction.

“I didn’t know it was your grandparents anniversary tonight,” I say. “Congratulations to them.”

“Yeah. It slipped my mind somehow to tell you. But I’ll see you tonight.”

We smile at each other, the gaze of star crossed secret lovers. I watch her as she walks out the door and disappears from sight.

When I bring my eyes back to the classroom, Liz is watching me.

* * *

I stroll through the gate to the backyard of the party at Dean Allison’s house, and it’s a reminder of all the reasons why I love and hate small towns equally. Although Blackwell isn’t as small as some towns may be, I can name almost half the people who are inside of Dean Allison's place.

“Professor Hanks!” a guy from a crew of fraternity-looking guys yell as I walk toward the keg in the backyard. “Do a keg stand with me!”

“Nah,” I wave him off. “Thanks, I think I’ll just stick with my summer gin and tonic tonight, though. By the way, how do you all know Dean Allison’s parents?”

“Who? Dude, we just heard there was free beer,” he says, watching me pick out some liquor from the selection at the table.

“Hey guys!” he yells to his buddies, waving them toward us. “I want you to meet someone. Professor Hanks is a cool guy,” he tells them. I shake hands with all the young guys. It’s not lost on me that these are all Rose’s classmates. “I learned so much in your class, man. Like how to get girls.”

I laugh. “Oh, did you? I don’t remember teaching that.”

“Yeah, man. It was ingrained in all the material. I love this psychology shit. In fact, I have a girl at the party here I’m trying to work on.”

“Oh yeah?” I ask as I take a drink of my gin and tonic. “Who is that?”

He sips his red solo cup and shrugs. “Dean’s daughter. Girl named Rose. She’s in the class you teach, actually. Not sure if you know her.”

The icy cold liquid from my drink washes over my throat. “I do know her,” I say. My hair stands on end. I want to tell this guy to back the fuck off, but I can’t, and it’s cuts me to the core.

“She’s smart, man,” the guy says, looking out over the party. “Smart and hot. And-rumor has it--she’s a virgin.”

I grip the glass of my drink so hard I’m afraid I might crack it. “So you just want to take her virginity?”

“Yeah man. Wham Bam Thank you ma’am! You know what I mean.” He puts his drink down just so he can smack his hands together. “And then I’m gone!”

His buddies laugh. I nod, finish my drink already, and set it down.

I make a ‘come hither’ motion with my finger, lean in and whisper in the guy’s ear. I don’t touch him, though I’m very damn close.

I lower my voice, so only he can hear. “Listen buddy. I see what you’re trying to do. You want to one-up in front of your boys. I get it. But Rose is a good girl. If you ever come near her--or pull that shit with any girl for that matter--I’ll personally make sure your body ends up with some un-healable bruises. And if you tell anyone I threatened you, I’ll deny it, and make your life a living hell. I went to Harvard. I’ve got friends in high places. Trust me, you don’t want to be on my bad side. I’ve got friends that can hack all of your social media accounts in an hour. Nod if we have an understanding.”

I pull my head away from the guy’s ear and he nods, his expression frightful.

“Like I was saying, fellas,” I raise my voice again, addressing all of them. “Communication is the key to a good hookup. If you want a one-night stand, just tell the girl. You might get slapped, but then again you might find one who wants the same thing as you.” I smile and wink. The guys nod and fade away.

Shit. I really have to keep my shit together at this party. I pour myself another drink, and when I look up, the person I least want to talk to at the part is standing two feet away from me.

And I’m not even talking about Dean Meryl Allison.

“Hello Professor Hanks,” Dean Allison’s husband says, a businesslike smile on his face.

“Professor Allison,” I say, shaking the man’s hand. I cringe on the inside a little as I do, but I keep a straight face.

What do you say to the man whose wife came on to you right in front of him?

Not to mention the fact that I’m dating his daughter on the sly.

And did he really want to watch me fuck his wife? I’m terribly confused, talking to him.

“Call me Jerry. Look, I’ve heard so much about you,” he says. “And it’s terrific to finally meet you.”

“Trust me, only the worst parts are true,” I wink, and take a drink.

He chuckles.

“Funny man too, I can see what she sees in you.”

I cough on my drink. “What who sees in me?”

He glances to his left and his right. “This isn’t the proper time or place to talk about this,” he says. “But after things die down, stop by my office, will you? You’ve been here. You know the way around the place, I’m sure.”

I nod. He smiles broadly, almost eerily, but doesn’t say anything. To my relief, he walks off to greet some other guests.

I take a deep breath and look around. Are Rose and I the only sane ones in this entire fucking town? Not being able to have her at my side is killing me.

I glance over toward another gaggle of my students about thirty feet away, and I see her through the crowd.

She’s wearing a white dress, and I swear to God she glows in the evening sunlight. I have to resist the urge to stride right up to her and kiss her.

Instead, I wandered into the crowd, going in her direction. Maybe just standing a few feet from her, close to her, will be enough for now.

I strike up a conversation with some other colleagues for a few minutes, not paying attention to what we’re saying. The only thing I notice is in the midst of hundreds of Blackwell party-goers, Rose and I are suddenly back to back. I can sense her floral scent, and it’s such a fucking turn on.

That’s when I know.

I need her. And she needs me.

She bumps into me, ass to ass, and my cock moves just from feeling the flesh of her ass against my own leg.

“Oh, excuse me, Professor Hanks,” she says, turning toward me.

“No, excuse me, Rose,” I smile.

Our eyes lock for a beat, and we both look away as fast as we can.

“Hey Professor Hanks, glad you could make it!” Liz smiles. Her voice is a little louder than it normally is. The half-finished long island iced tea in her hands explains that. “That test was a doozy. We were actually having a debate here and I was wondering if you could weigh in.”

“Of course,” I say, squinting at her, trying my hardest not to glance at Rose. “What are you debating?”

“Well, we have a friend who we know is dating a slightly older man. Do you think the sex would be better or worse with an older guy?”

“How much older?”

“I’m not sure. She won’t tell us,” she says the words in a sarcastic tone, and Rose blushes.

Just at that moment, Rose’s Grandparents appear next to us.

“Rosey!” Eleanor yells, and the few students turn to look at the old seventy-something grey-haired woman. She’s got a glass of wine in her hand and she’s swaying just slightly.

James stands at her side, locking their arms together. I have a feeling James knows just how to be Eleanor’s rock and steady her after being together fifty years.

“Hey Grandmother! Congratulations again!” Rose give them both a hug.

“Yes. James, Eleanor,” I say, kissing Eleanor on the cheek. “Congratulations. I hope I’m as happy as you someday.” I shake James’ hand, and it’s firm as hell, strengthening my hypothesis that old guys have the hardest shakes.

“Ooh, maybe your Grandparents can help us with the debate!” Liz says, and then sucks down the rest of her drink.

“What debate is that?” Eleanor asks.

“No! You guys. Please!” Rose pleads. “I don’t want to talk about this in front of them.”

“Talk about what?” James booms.

“We’re trying to figure out if sex is better with a slightly older man. See, Professor Hanks teaches this great course on The Psychology of Sexuality, and well, we’re just curious.”

Eleanor's eyes go wide, and she takes another sip of her white wine.

“Honey, that answer is a resounding yes,” she says with a smile.

The crowd goes silent upon hearing the woman’s response. Even drunk Liz suddenly seems shy. Personally, I’m not sure if Eleanor is a little drunk, or she just doesn’t give a shit what people think in her old age.

Probably a combination of both.

“Interesting take,” I say, and politely excuse myself from the conversation saying I need to use the bathroom. This is starting to get awkward. Besides, I really do have to go pee.

I take a deep breath as I finish my drink and set the empty cup on a countertop inside. A chunk of me wonders why I even came to this party. It’s nothing but awkward. In fact, there’s only one person I haven’t seen yet who could make it a whole lot more awkward if she wanted to.

The first floor bathroom is taken, so I head up to the second floor. As I traipse up the stairs, Jerry smiles, his hands folded over the banister.

“You came, Sir,” he says, his voice entirely too mischievous for my liking.

“Yeah. Bathroom downstairs is full.”

“Do you want to see my office?”

I shrug. “Where is it?”

He leads me to the end of the corridor, past the room where I took Rose’s virginity. He opens some double doors at the end of the hallway and lets me in.

The shelves are lined with hundreds, maybe thousands of books. He closes the door behind us.

“I knew we had a moment at the seminar,” he smiles, and takes down the first button of his short sleeved hawaiian shirt, which I find weird because the air conditioning could not be working any better.

“Uh, excuse me?” I recoil. “A moment?”

He doesn’t stop unbuttoning his shirt, all the while making eye contact with me.

“Don’t play coy with me, Professor Hanks. My wife told me all about you. How you turned down her advances. I get it, Hanks. I really do.”

My palms sweat as he finishes unbuttoning his shirt and tosses it onto his desk.

“Jerry, what the fuck are you doing?”

He twists his face into a puzzled look. He steps toward me, and puts his hand on my shoulder. I want to react, but I’m so off-guard, I’m frozen. He looks me dead in the eye when he says his next words.

“Cole, it’s okay. I’m gay, too.”