18. Irving

18

IRVING

A bead of sweat trickled down my temple. I'd barely caught my breath from Sylvan's blowjob, and already we were locked together again, my tongue sliding along the grooves in his teeth. Everything about Sylvan was sweet and earthy and surprising. It made me want to hold him tight, never letting him go. If I could find a way to physically attach us together for all of eternity, I would do it.

But we had something better than that, and as I slid my palm along his cock, long, thick, and stiff, I smiled against his mouth.

"What is it?" Sylvan asked, letting out a short breath mixed with a laugh.

"You," I replied, squeezing his cock a little tighter as I pumped. "You've got me under some sort of fae spell, I think."

He laughed again, but it turned into a moan as I brought him to climax, practically biting down on his lips to keep his face next to mine.

"It's not a spell," he said after he'd regained his breath, still leaning into me for support. "It's love."

My heart lurched. I wasn't quite ready to say that word again yet, not after the last man I proclaimed my love for broke my heart. "Maybe," I said warily. "Or maybe it's lust, or obsession, or –"

"Don't ruin this moment," Sylvan cut me off. "Let's just be happy together with whatever we've got, all right?"

I nodded. "All right, I think I can live with that."

I took a quick shower while Sylvan made us coffee and breakfast. Ordinarily, I would have left as soon as I'd made myself presentable, but I had nowhere to be for hours. My next class wasn't until 11, and who was to say I wouldn't cancel that one too just to spend a little more time here, in paradise?

I forced myself to leave after a breakfast so beautifully presented, I almost didn't want to eat it, and a few too many kisses. I was tempted to stick around for a little bit more than kisses, but even Sylvan's cajoling wasn't enough to get me to stay for an entire day.

"I have to get at least a few hours in at work today," I told him. "All I mentioned to my students was that I had a headache and needed a few hours to rest."

"That's almost true." Sylvan shrugged. "Although I suppose you didn't rest much, did you?"

I shook my head, yawning. "If anything, I would say I'm sleep-deprived after last night. But we'll see each other again soon, I promise."

Sylvan smiled. "I don't doubt we will as long as it's you making the promise – I tend to forget things, as you know, so promises aren't my strong suit."

I made the long trek down the dirt path from Sylvan's house alone. I'd parked my car off to the side of the road and it was still waiting for me when I got back to it. I'd left one of the windows cracked and a small spider found its way inside where it decided was a prime location to build its web.

"Ugh, I hate the woods," I said, making a vain attempt to wave the spider out by its web. "What would Sylvan say if he saw me now?" I shook my head. "He would laugh and scoop the wretched beast out with his bare hands. Well, I suppose it's worth a try."

With a deep breath, I cupped the spider, smaller than my pinky nail, in one hand and set it down on the ground where it scurried off in search of a new home. It wasn't as bad as I expected at all, and maybe Sylvan was on to something. The animals, even the ugliest, nastiest bugs, were our friends. Then again, one bad run-in with something a little more lethal was bound to turn my thoughts straight back to avoiding bugs at all costs.

I got back to town with minutes to spare before my next class, and after running a steamer along my slacks once I got to my office, I said a silent prayer that no one would make the connection that I was wearing the same thing as yesterday.

All my clothing was similar enough that I didn't think it would matter, but some of those students were brutal if they noticed anything amiss and they wouldn't let drop it if they realized that their professor, like nearly everyone else in the world, had sex too.

I got a funny look from Cyrus as I passed by his office, but it was too close to class time for him to stop me and have a chat. I was grateful for that, and even more grateful that no one questioned my slightly disheveled appearance over the next hour.

As students filtered out of the room to get lunch, head to their next class, or go back to their dorms for the day, the very man I didn't want to see right now shuffled in.

"Irving, I need to talk to you."

"Come on, Cyrus, not now," I brushed him off.

"Please, it's important."

I chuckled, trying to hide my annoyance. "I will not be answering any of your questions and no, I have no interest in telling you how my relationship with Sylvan is going. Frankly, it's none of your business–"

"It's not about that."

"What's it about then?" I looked at him uncertainly, a wave of worry flooding over me.

I suddenly felt rather sick and made my way over to the trashcan by the desk, the ledge of which I perched myself uncomfortably.

"Cyrus, what's wrong?"

"Don't get upset, but your ex is back in town. He's waiting in your office right now."

My heart sank into my stomach. My instincts had been correct, and the anxiety seeping through every bone in my body was there for a reason. It was just like him to come back around when my life was going well and try to sabotage it.

"Thanks, Cyrus. I'll go talk to him right now."

"Do you want me to join you?" Cyrus asked stiffly. "Because I don't mind."

"No, I'll be all right, and I can always come and get you from down the hall if I change my mind."

"Be careful, Irving. If Lachlan's back here, it most likely means he heard about you and Sylvan."

"I know, but it's not his life, is it? He needs to worry about his own happiness, and I'll tell him as much. Don't worry, Cyrus. I'm a grown man, and I can take care of this myself."

I stood up, straightening my cardigan as I strode out of the classroom, Cyrus following behind me. My knuckles were white as Sylvan's sheets and my hands trembled no matter how hard I pulled at my fingers, but I had to face him. I had to remind my ex-fiancé why I'd moved on – for good.