Cuff Me

I had been scared that she would disappear on me – or worse give me the “we can’t be anything more than classmates” speech - like the first two times we had been intimate. After I came, I had actually tried to mentally prepare myself to handle it.

Hailey surprised me though. She had stayed in my arms afterwards. She stayed until we could no longer linger at the very real risk that we might get caught butt naked in the college classroom.

I had walked her to her car afterward. She had even let me to hold her hand and we had shared a lingering kiss before each driving away.

Her eyes had been soft and welcoming with no regret in them and I allowed myself to hope that the romp in the lab had been a changing tide in our relationship.

I meant what I had said to her. I did try to respect her wish for me to keep my distance from her. As much as I wanted her, always watching her turn away from me was killing me and I didn’t know how many more times I could witness it without going totally insane.

However, when she had taken comfort in my arms, I hadn’t been able to curb the urge to feel her lips on mine again. I expected to get slapped and told off. Now I was glad I took the risk in kissing her.

Even after we had left each other’s company in the lab, she had called me late in the night.

I had just stepped out of the shower when I heard my cell phone ring.

I adjusted the towel around my hips – the only thing I wore – as I crossed from the bathroom to the bedroom. I picked up the device from where in had been thrown carelessly on the bed. My heart picked up when I noticed Hailey’s number on the screen.

I swiped to answer and sat on the edge of the mattr

ess.

“Hi, sweetheart,” I greeted.

“Hey.” She sounded breathy and sexy. “I hope I am not calling too late.”

I glanced at the digital clock next to my bed. It read eleven twenty-three PM.

“Not at all,” I told Hailey. “You can call me any time. What’s up?”

A pause, then…

“There’s something I need to tell you but I think I should wait until we’re face to face.”

That made me pause before I answered.

“That doesn’t sound good. Are you going to give me the boot again?”

I made it sound teasing but my heart leapt into my throat at the thought.

She hesitated and the choked feeling only intensified. Shit.

“Hailey?” I asked, so many questions in that one word.

“I’m not giving you the boot. In fact, I think it is something you might like to hear. I’m hoping so anyway. Can we talk after lab?”

Her voice was soft and uncertain and every instinct I possessed wanted to reassure her.

So I said, “Of course we can. I’m sure we can work whatever it is out.”

My mind was turning over the possible scenarios of what she wanted to tell me but there was no use speculating. I would find out soon enough.

Again, she said, “I hope so.”

We just listened to each other breathe for a little while before she asked, “So, Mr. Murphy, what are you wearing?”

I let out a relived breath that things didn’t stay tense between us and let myself fall back in the bed.

“Why Ms. Clarke are you trying to lure me into having phone sex with you because I have to tell you, I really be into that.”