Dirty little secrets

20

~Ava~

I shoved the last bite of cold egg into my mouth like it was poison I needed to get rid of fast, chewed twice, swallowed hard, then stood up so quick the chair scraped loud enough to make Chloe flinch.

“Gotta pee,” I blurted, already turning toward the sliding door. “And, uh, s**t, I just remembered I’ve got something urgent at school. Like, super urgent. Professor emailed about my paper draft, wants to see me right now before office hours close or whatever. I’ll be back in a minute, promise.”

Riley’s eyes flicked to me, one eyebrow shooting up like she knew exactly what “professor” really meant, but she kept her mouth shut for once, just gave a tiny smirk and sipped her coffee like this was normal brunch behavior.

Chloe crossed her arms, still sulky from earlier. “Now? We’re literally in the middle of eating.”

“Yeah, now,” I snapped back, sharper than I meant to. “It’s school stuff. You know my grades? Future? Girl…. You know, important s**t. I’ll be quick.”

Chloe huffed. “Fine. Whatever. Don’t take forever, we were supposed to hang out today, plus I can't have Riley be all uncomfortable around me just cuz she doesn't like me.” Riley rolled her eyes from behind and it genuinely made me smile because I know how much she was trying to hide the fact that she liked that girl.

“I won’t,” I lied, already halfway inside. “Be right back.”

Riley called after me, voice dripping fake innocence. “Say hi to the professor for me, Ava. Tell him his favorite student says he’s looking extra daddy today.”

“Shut the f**k up, Riley,” I hissed over my shoulder, but my face was burning because yeah, she knew. Of course she knew.

I bolted upstairs, heart slamming so hard I could feel it in my ears. Jax’s door was still closed thank God, no moaning leaking out so I ducked into my room, slammed the door, leaned against it for two seconds trying to breathe. My phone buzzed again in my pocket. Probably Jax. I ignored it. Couldn’t deal with more pathetic begging right now.

I yanked open my closet, grabbed the black top, the tight one with the low scoop neck that made my boobs look obscene and the dark jeans that hugged my ass like they were painted on. Slipped them on fast, no bra because why bother when my n*****s were already hard just thinking about his office, his voice, that slow smile he gave in the email like he knew I’d come running. I looked in the mirror once, hair messy, lips still a little swollen from sucking Jax off ten minutes ago and I laughed.

“Great look, Ava. c*m-breath and professor-bait. Really killing it today.”

I sprayed perfume on my neck, between my t**s, ran a finger under my eyes to wipe away any leftover mascara smudges from almost crying earlier, then bolted back downstairs.

Riley was clearing plates now, Chloe sitting there arms crossed, glaring at nothing.

“I’m out,” I said, grabbing my keys off the counter. “Back soon.”

Chloe didn’t even look up. “Yeah. Sure.”

Riley shot me a look half warning, half go-get-it and mouthed “Be careful, dumbass.”

I flipped her off behind my back as I headed for the door.

The drive to campus felt like five minutes and five hours at the same time. Jax texted three times while I was at red lights.

Jax: I’m sorry I came without you watching

Jax: Please don’t hate me

Jax: Can I see you tonight? Chloe’s going out with friends later

What the f**k? Such a sadistic pervert, I deleted them all without replying. My thumbs were shaking too much anyway. Every time I shifted in the seat the seam of my jeans pressed right against me, reminding me how wet I still was from earlier, from the taste of him on my tongue, from the way the professor’s “Looking forward to our chat” had lit me up like a match to dry grass.

I parked crooked in the lot, didn’t care, jogged across campus like I was late for my own execution. The humanities building was quiet summer session, half the offices dark and his door was half-open, light spilling out into the hallway like an invitation I shouldn’t take.

I knocked once.

“Come in.”

His voice. Low. Smooth. Like he’d been expecting me.

I pushed the door wider, stepped inside, closed it behind me not all the way, because locked doors look suspicious, but enough that it felt private.

Professor Calder looked up from his desk, glasses low on his nose, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, tie loosened just enough to show the hollow of his throat. He smiled slowly, knowing the kind of smile that made my stomach flip and my thighs clench at the same time.

“You came indeed.”

The words hung there heavy. Double meaning dripping off every syllable.

I swallowed. Tried to play it cool. “Yeah. Got your message. Figured I should… swing by. Talk about the draft.”

He leaned back in his chair, gestured to the seat across from him. “Sit.”

I sat. Crossed my legs. Uncrossed them. The top was tight enough that when I leaned forward my n*****s poked right through the fabric, hard and obvious. I arched my back just a little on purpose trying to make him notice, trying to pull his eyes down instead of keeping them locked on mine like he was reading my goddamn soul.

He noticed. Of course he did. His gaze flicked down once, lingered, then dragged back up slowly.

“Your last section,” he said, tapping the printed draft on his desk. “The part about forbidden desire. Vivid. Almost… personal.”

I laughed nervously, breathy. “Yeah, well. Inspiration strikes where it strikes.”

“Does it?” He pushed his glasses up. “Tell me more about what inspired it.”

I leaned in closer, elbows on the desk, chest forward. “I don’t know. Just… things I’ve been thinking about. Lines you shouldn’t cross. People you shouldn’t want.”

His eyes darkened. “And do you cross them?”

My pulse was in my throat now, loud enough I was sure he could hear it. “Sometimes. When it feels… inevitable.”

He stood up then slowly walked around the desk until he was right beside me. Leaned down, one hand braced on the back of my chair, the other reaching under the desk like he was picking up a pen or something innocent.

His fingers brushed my knee.

Then slid higher.

Just resting there. Thumb stroking once and lazy.

I froze. Breath caught. n*****s so hard they hurt.

“Careful, Ava,” he murmured, voice right against my ear. “Some lines… once you cross them, there’s no going back.”

I turned my head just enough that our mouths were inches apart. “Maybe I don’t want to go back.”

His thumb pressed in, a slow circle on the inside of my thigh.

I bit my lip to keep me from moaning.

Then the door banged open.

Mrs. Calder strode in, heels clicking sharp, arms full of files, face already annoyed like she’d been looking for him for hours.

“Calder, you said you’d sign these before…. ” She stopped dead.

Her eyes went from him leaning over me, hand still under the desk to me flushed, chest heaving, n*****s practically screaming through my top to the position we were in.

The air sucked out of the room.

His hand jerked back like he’d been burned.

I shot upright so fast the chair rolled back an inch.

Mrs. Calder’s mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.

“What… the hell is going on here?”

He straightened, cleared his throat, voice trying to sound normal and failing. “Elena, this is Ava. One of my students. We were discussing her paper.”

Her eyes narrowed to slits. “Discussing. Right. With your hand up her skirt?”

“It wasn’t. ” he started.

“Save it.” She dropped the files on his desk hard. Papers scattered. “Ava, is it? Get out.”

I scrambled up, legs shaky. “I… Mrs. Calder, good day… ”

“Excuse I and my husband please. ”

I looked at him once his face pale, eyes wide, guilt and panic all over it then bolted.

Door slammed behind me.

I made it ten steps before I had to lean against the wall, hand over my mouth, laughing silently, hysterical, tears streaming because oh my God.

Worse than Jax.

Way f*****g worse.

This could actually destroy me.