Valerie woke stiff and sore and in desperate need of coffee. The party went until well after midnight, and it surprised her none of the neighbors had called and complained about the noise. It wasn’t just the loud conversations and laughter that filled the night air, but Damien had blared music until finally surrendering to exhaustion and leading Holly downstairs to their bedroom. By that time, Jake had already called it a night and left, telling Valerie to call if she needed anything. She assured him she would be fine and told him to enjoy his Sunday. Truth was, after all the chaos of the past month, especially the last week after she decided to leave Brent, she needed the quietness of just being alone.
Slipping into a pair of flannel pajamas and her slippers, she trudged her way to the kitchen to make coffee hoping to open her eyes. As she passed the kitchen window, she heard people talking outside. Curious, she moved over to the window to investigate. Glancing out to the bright morning, she noticed a small group of college-aged kids leaning against a sports car, three boys and a girl, and it seemed the young men were giving the poor girl a hard time because she did not appear pleased at all as she tried to get around them to the car door. One boy caught Valerie’s eye, his slender physique firm and muscular, his short blond hair needing a good combing while his devilish grin expressed a slight darkness in his personality as he made sport of the girl.
Valerie couldn’t hear what they were saying, but from the smirks on the boys’ faces, it wasn’t flattering to the young girl. Of course, by the clothes the young woman chose, a spaghetti-string top without a bra by the way her breasts swung back and forth with her movements, as well as a pair of flimsy shorts that rode halfway up her ass revealing her tanned butt cheeks, kind of begged for the attention she was getting. By the over-flowing bag the girl carried, which seemed to have her bra hanging halfway out of it, and the pair of sandals she clutched in her hands, Valerie could only guess that she had probably gotten herself in a position she couldn’t back out of without ridicule, and the boys took full advantage of it, as boys are wont to do. Valerie wondered if the girl had spent the night with the three young men, and now they were reminding her of the night’s activities.
Shaking her head, Valerie chuckled at herself for her salacious thoughts and moved away from the scene outside, bringing her imagination to a stop. With the thoughts from last night’s conversation still running through her mind now added to what she witnessed outside, she realized it had definitely been too long since she had sex.
After getting the coffee set to brew, Valerie heard her phone ringing from the other room. Hitting the button that would create the magical substance to bring life to her tired mind, she moved into the living room and found her cell phone on the coffee table. Glancing at the screen as she picked it up, she bit back on a groan, dropping her arm to her side as she blew out a frustrated breath. Brent. Why the hell is he calling me now?
Knowing that her husband would continue to call if she didn’t answer, she lifted the phone back up and swiped the green arrow button. “What?” She saw no need to be polite or even civil at this point. Talking to him was the last thing she wanted to do, and the thought of it only caused a knot of anxiety in the pit of her stomach.
“You left,” he said, the shock heavy in his tone.
“I left you a week ago, Brent,” she said with a sigh. “Are you telling me you just now noticed? What? Laundry piling up?”
“I meant you left Sebastian,” he explained. “I called your school, and they said you resigned and left to accept a college position. You moved? You actually moved? Why the hell would you move? Your life is here.”
“No, Brent, my life was there,” she told him. “Now, my life is here. People do relocate, you know.”
“Valerie, why would you leave town without telling me? This isn’t just a getaway. You moved. We can’t fix this if you’re not here.”
“Who said I wanted to fix anything?” She turned and walked back to the kitchen. She desperately needed that coffee now. Or perhaps another strong drink. This was not how she wanted her Sunday to start. “I told you I was over it. Did you not believe me? What? You thought if you gave me a few days to simmer down, I’d come rushing back into your manipulating arms begging forgiveness for my independent ways?” She reached into the cabinet and pulled out a stark white mug just as the coffeemaker dinged that the magical substance was ready for consumption. Thank god. “Well, you can think again. I’m no longer your personal valet.” Reaching for the coffeepot, she filled her mug, the steam curling over the rim.
“Valerie, we need to work through this,” he said, desperation in his voice. “We’ve been married for five years. Why would you want to just throw that away?”
Picking up her cup with one hand, she turned and leaned back on the counter. “Maybe because I got tired of being your slave. You realize what a misogynistic ass you are, right? Not only toward me, but to all women. Well, I grew tired of having it aimed at me. Hire a maid. It’s about all you saw me as, anyway.”
“That’s not true,” he said. “Things just got busy, that’s all. Perhaps I wasn’t as attentive as I should have been or too demanding, but those are things we can work on together. We can fix this.”
“Brent, I’ve asked you to work on them for a year. This isn’t a spontaneous decision on my part, which only goes to prove you weren’t really listening to me to begin with. I’m sorry that it took me actually moving away for you to wake up suddenly, but there’s no going back now. It is what it is. I suggest you move on.”
“Is that what you’ve done?” he asked, his tone now turning into more of a sneer. “Moved on? That’s it, isn’t it? You moved up there because of another man. Who is he? How long have you been seeing him behind my back?”
Valerie rolled her eyes. How could one man be so fucking dense? “Believe that if you wish, Brent. It’s not true, of course, but if that’s what it takes to get you to leave me the hell alone, then by all means think the worst. It’ll be a better excuse to give your buddies for me not bringing them beers on poker nights than that you were an overbearing prick. Goodbye, Brent.” With a shake of her head, she ended the call before he could say anything else to piss her off and tossed her phone on the counter. Asshole.
With a deep breath and eyes closed, she lifted the coffee to her face, allowing the steam to bathe her skin before taking that tentative first sip, the scalding liquid burning her lips and throat as she swallowed. As she lowered the mug, the tension eased slightly from her taut shoulders, allowing her to relax slightly. Had that man actually accused her of running away to meet someone else? Was he truly that clueless?
With a bump of her ass, she pushed herself away from the counter, leaving her phone sitting there. She didn’t need to endure another Brent Tanner phone call.
As she passed by the window again, she glanced out to see the progress of the young woman, but the college kids had left. She wondered briefly if the girl the boys tormented had managed to escape with at least a little of her dignity in place, but somehow doubted it.
Out of the corner of her eye, Valerie noticed a dove flying by and decided coffee on the rooftop might just be the way to get her husband out of her mind. With a nod, she moved back to the kitchen, filled a carafe with the rest of her coffee, and headed for her front door, not even bothering to grab her robe, assuming no one else would be up there.
As she stepped out on the roof, she suddenly realized she should never assume anything as she noticed Holly sitting in one of the chairs, staring off at the trees behind the apartments. Panic gripped Valerie at first, but then she shrugged it off as she noticed the other woman sitting there in her robe. By the shapely legs stretched out toward the wall, Valerie guessed Holly had on little else under the robe and suddenly felt better about her own attire. Putting a smile on her face, she crossed the roof to where the redhead sat enjoying her own coffee.
“Gorgeous morning,” Valerie said as she reached the other woman. “I hope you don’t mind me crashing your solitude.”
Holly turned, smiling over at Valerie. Gesturing to the empty chair beside her, she said, “Not at all. Mornings should be enjoyed with others.”
Valerie moved over to the offered chair and sat down, setting the carafe on the ground between them. “I brought more coffee if you need a refill. No sense running out and having to run back downstairs for more, and after last night, I think I’m going to need more than one cup.”
Holly giggled as she nodded. “I can agree to that. How are you feeling this morning by the way? There were a lot of drinks poured last night.”
“That there were,” Valerie agreed. “But I feel fine. Tired, but otherwise all right. Of course, Brent, my dipshit husband, called this morning, which started the day off on the wrong foot, so I thought coming up here and basking in the sunshine might set things on a better course.”
“Nothing like the fresh air to clear away a sour experience,” Holly said as she lifted her cup to her lips. “My day started with a smirk.” She grinned at Valerie over the rim of her mug as she took a sip, bouncing her brows at Valerie.
“Oh, what happened?”
“I woke up to a text from Sally,” Holly told her. “You won’t believe what Ethan made her do last night.”
Valerie stared at the other woman, suddenly remembering everything the others said last night about how Ethan made his girlfriend, Sally, do vulgar things out in public. “I’m almost afraid to ask,” she said as she lifted her coffee to her lips.Holly giggled as her eyes lit up with mischief. “He took her to one of those truck stops that have a greasy restaurant attached, wearing a skirt that barely covered her ass, making her leave her panties in the car, and then he made her walk around allowing whoever wanted and had the guts to smack her ass or feel her up. Sometimes both. She told me a couple even fingered her right there in the restaurant. When they finally left, Sally couldn’t remember how many men had touched her bare ass or toyed with her pussy, but she was wet as hell, she said. So wet that she fucked Ethan right there in the truck stop parking lot with the car door open.”Valerie felt her eyes widen with each part of the st
Valerie stood at the front entrance to the administration building of Hampton University, the brick structure slightly intimidating in its stoic, austere appearance. Giant oaks towered around the edges of the campus, some nestled close enough to the buildings to offer some sort of shade, the slight breeze tousling their leaves. College students meandered about, most laden down with overloaded backpacks or arms loaded with thick books. Some students had earphones in, listening to their music on their way to class, while others laughed along with whoever they walked with. A few teachers crossed from the parking lot to the buildings, some shaking their heads as they watched the students, more than likely lost in the generation gap. Valerie never understood why people took positions around others they refused to try to understand. She thrived on the differences between her and her students, hoping both could teach the other something about life past, present, and future. That’s wh
Valerie walked over before she realized she had even taken the first step. “Excuse me,” she called out, one arm up as she pointed at the young man. “Hold up a moment, please.”The boy stopped, turning to face her. He didn’t hide the fact that he raked her with his hungry gaze, probably assuming she was another student. She barely appeared older than the average student, so she assumed he thought her someone he could flirt with. She would be quick to nip that notion in the bud.“Can I help you?” he asked as he slid his salacious gaze up her body once more until he looked her in the face.“We live next door to each other,” she told him, her arms over her chest, suddenly feeling as if she were out of her element. With the way he swallowed her with his gaze, a slimy feeling washed over her, making her shudder slightly. “I actually saw you tormenting that poor girl who seemed to want nothing more than to get
Valerie leaned back in her chair, propping her feet up on the wall that circled the roof as a slight breeze brushed against her, soothing her tired muscles. She held her wineglass with both hands as she blew out the exhaustion that filled her from the day she had in a slow, steady breath, her shoulders slumping a little as she settled back. In the distance, the sun began to set behind the oaks that lined the back of the property, a hawk drifting slowly across the darkening sky. Tranquil. Her night was peaceful, and after the past month, peaceful was exactly what she needed.“And here I thought I’d be the only one out here tonight,” Damien’s voice came from behind her.She turned, glancing over at him as she realized her quiet night just got shattered. “It’s relaxing sitting up here,” she told him. “I could see this being a major spot for me.”Damien nodded as he slid a chair over to sit beside her, a beer in
Valerie stared at Damien, not sure if he was being nice or trying to manipulate her into giving in to his base desires. “And you really think you can make my…” She took a deep breath, forcing herself to say the word she knew he would want her to say. “My pussy parts drip constantly by these humiliating experiences?” She didn’t believe it would be possible, especially with the way she hated being told what to do. And definitely not by Damien Pressman.“No doubt about it,” he said with a casual shrug. “But then, you’re not the type to give into things like that. You’re too uptight to let yourself go, even for a short period.”“I’m not uptight,” she said with a sigh. “I don’t know why you keep saying that? I like to have fun just as much as the next person.”He turned to her, smirking. “I already told you. By the way you act. Look at the things you sai
Valerie woke the next morning sick to her stomach over how she behaved last night. She couldn’t believe she had not only stripped for Damien on the roof where anyone could have come out and seen her, but also practically begged him to finger her, bringing her to one of the best orgasms she had in a while. How could she have done that to Holly? How could she have succumbed to her lust that quickly. She stripped in front of her friend’s boyfriend, throwing herself at him. She sighed as she jerked the covers off her still-naked body. “I’m such a bitch.”She tried to replay the entire evening in her head as she showered and got dressed for work in order to see where she lost control, but the only thing she remembered was getting angry every time Damien opened his mouth. He just sat there in his chair, acting as if he was ignoring her, and taunting her with his wisecracks about how uptight he thought she was. And she had played right into his hands, e
“So, how did your first day go?” Nick Mason asked as he neared where Valerie stood outside her classroom. “The kids weren’t too unruly, were they? They can be sometimes with new teachers, trying to press the boundaries and see what they can get away with.”Nick was a tall man with a muscular build, which was quite apparent through his dress shirt with the way the material pulled taut across his chest. He had short, dark hair and deep green eyes, which sparkled with his smile as he stared down at her. If it hadn’t been for the stories about how he behaved on campus she heard, she could have seen herself desiring to spend more time with him. However, she didn’t plan on being a notch on anyone’s belt at this campus. She had already screwed up enough with Damien.“It went well for the most part,” she said, smiling back at him. “I admit, I could have done without one student, but it’s only for the semes
The entire way home, Valerie stewed, her anger at Damien telling his friends about what happened last night simmering just below her surface. It was bad enough that Dean heard her crying out from her orgasm, but to have someone else she worked with know what she did was humiliating. What the hell had Damien been thinking? She had to face Nick ever day at the college. She didn’t need him smirking at her behind her back. Or to her face since that’s what he just did. She growled in frustration as she pulled into her parking spot. She would need to tell Damien to knock it off. She would have assumed he would have kept quiet, so Holly didn’t find out what happened, not go around bragging about it. The man had balls; Valerie would give him that.Just as she reached her front door, she heard tires on the pavement behind her. Turning, she saw Damien pull into the parking lot and into his spot. She cast a quick glance at her watch. 4:15. Holly wouldn’t be home