The Last Thing She Wants (Chestnut Hills #1)

36

theo

It had been five days since Ellie left me stranded in her apartment entry way. It had been five days since I’d seen her, six days since I’d talked to her, or even smelled her. Oh god, don’t be weird. Don’t think of her smell, you weird-0.

I hadn’t been na?ve enough to believe that she’d still want to go to the gym with me after work every day, but I thought I’d at least catch a glimpse of her in passing. I wanted to see how she was doing. I wanted to see if she was struggling as much as I was.

Every day, I’d driven home filled with the anticipation of the possibility that I might see her. Every day, I’d pulled into the apartment parking lot looking for her little white sedan with the Please don’t honk at me. It will hurt my feelings bumper sticker. Every day, I’d felt my chest deflate a little when I realized she wasn’t around.

Yesterday, Caroline, a statistics professor, pointed out my shirt was on inside out and backwards. Then, in the most loving grandmother type of way, she asked if everything was alright and why hadn’t I brushed my hair in three days .

It was true. I was spiraling. Even if just a little. I’d decided after my conversation with mom that I wanted to fight for Ellie, get her to realize what we had and pick up the pieces.

The weight of the conversation didn’t seem fitting of a text, and despite wanting to send a “you up” message in the middle of the night, every night, I refrained. Having the conversation in-person was best, and I wanted it to be organic. A happy medium, I’d decided, was running to check the peephole at every sound in the hallway.

Today, though, was presentation day. Ellie would unveil her final product to me, Harold, and Lucy, for final approval. After that, on the way to her car, I’d pull her aside. I had it all planned out.

All night, I’d thought about the scene. I’d run to Ellie, catching her on her way to her car. She’d twirl, and smile, knowing it was me. In my daydream, she was wearing the black lingerie, but I knew that was unrealistic. So, instead, I had her wear the pink workout set. We would confess our undying love for each other and ride off into the sunset, get married, buy a house, and have a few kids.

Five minutes was all I needed to make it happen. If I didn’t get it today, then I decided I’d wait one more week of trying to “bump into” her before dropping to my knees and begging for her time.

Combing my hair, I thought about how Caroline would be proud, and I worked styling balm into my loose curls. Before leaving, I checked my outfit four times just to make sure my shirt was indeed right side out and forward facing.

Walking into my small, shared office, I was in a great mood. Anxious a little, sure, but overall, happy, knowing I’d be seeing Ellie soon enough. Not much could bring me down.

Except for an email invitation to join Harold and Lucy in his office.

Yep, that did it. Brought my mood right down .

I was already dreading seeing Lucy later, let alone seeing her in the same room as Ellie. Now, that dread was tenfold as I walked to Harold’s office, my hands nervously tucked away in my pockets.

Lucy sat perched on the edge of a chair facing Harold’s desk. There, he sat with a mild frown and his fingers laced together. Unexpectedly, another woman sat in the room’s corner in a newly added chair with an open notebook in her lap.

“Harold,” I said by way of greeting before unbuttoning my sport jacket and taking a seat. “Miss Evans,” I said, my eyes transfixed ahead.

“Theo, thanks for joining on such short notice. This is Cheryl, our Human Resources and Employee Relations Manager. She’ll be joining us for this conversation.” Harold raised an arm, signaling toward the woman sat in the back corner poised as if she was about to watch us like a theater show.

I stood, offering Cheryl a handshake. “Lovely to meet you, Cheryl.”

She gave a small smile and nod, accepting the handshake before readjusting her notebook. I repositioned myself on the chair, wondering what the hell happened now to make this meeting happen.

“I’ll cut to the chase,” Harold started in a serious voice. “Theo, over the last few weeks, you have shared several concerning behaviors you’ve been experiencing from Ms. Evans. With each incident, I have been appropriately documenting and reporting to Cheryl. Recently, additional context has been provided by Ms. Branson.”

My brows skyrocketed with surprise at the name. “Ellie?”

“Yes. Ellie shared with us additional information regarding a recent situation–”

“She told you about the whole lease renewal rouse?” I cut him off, surprised more than before.

“No…she told us about false allegations made towards her. I’m sorry, lease renewal rouse?” Harold rubbed his face aggressively, holding up his hands to stop my stammering. “Just write it up and send it to me. I’ll add it to the file.”

False allegations? What the hell was he talking about? What else did Lucy do?

With a sharp glance from the Dean, Lucy’s eyes immediately fell to the ground, filled with shame.

“Ms. Evans, do you have anything to add?” Harold asked.

Eyes adverted, she tentatively spoke. “I’d like to apologize for my behavior, Professor Emerson. It was uncalled for and unprofessional.”

“Thank you, apology accepted,” I responded. Unsure if I actually forgave her, I didn’t care. I wanted this over with and to never see Lucy again.

“Ms. Evans will also step down as Student Council President, effective immediately. The school has also removed her from your class, with a note stating that she is not allowed to enroll in any of your classes in the future. Miguel Ruiz will step in as Student Council President and will attend the presentation later today with Ms. Branson.” Harold further explained.

“Great to hear,” I nodded. Relief washed over meat finally having Lucy out of the picture. Without the concern of Lucy’s presence, I could fully focus on Ellie.

Lucy stood from her seat and sheepishly apologized again before leaving.

“Theo, I’m sorry you’ve been having to deal with this,” Harold apologized, Lucy now gone.

“I appreciate that. Thank you for taking it seriously. I’ll see you later this afternoon.” I gave him a firm handshake of appreciation before turning to leave. My relief carried me out of the room with a smile after thanking Cheryl for her time.

I arrived at the conference room with anticipation building in my core. Noticing the slickness from my sweaty palms as I opened the door, I wiped my hands on my pants and sat in the first chair available. Realizing I wouldn’t be able to see Ellie enter at this angle, I regretted my position, but Miguel and Harold had already taken the other seats. The only remaining seat was at the head of the table, and that was reserved for Ellie.

Cruising through pleasantries, I sat a little straighter at the sound of the door opening. Resist the urge to turn round, resist the urge to turn around. I coached myself.

“Hello everyone,” I heard her voice greet the room with an air of joy from behind me. Warmth brushed on the back of my chair and the hair on my arms stood at the electric charge. Immediately, I knew she was touching me.

Keeping my eyes trained forward, I willed myself to keep my composure. Which was nearly impossible, as I urged myself not to spiral and think about what the touch meant.

After a brief introduction to Miguel, it was my turn to greet her. “Ellie,” I said evenly. Like surprisingly evenly. Even as I caught my first glimpse of her. She held eye contact and smiled bashfully.

Was it bashful, or was I imagining it? Surely, the sensual tilt of her lips was intentional for me.

She was wearing an emerald green dress that darkened her tan skin and made her luxurious deep brown hair pop. Fuck, her body beckoned me. A small v cut at her cleavage kept her dress in the “work attire” category, but I had been privileged enough to see what lay beneath the dress. Images of her naked, sprawled across my sheets, pressed against the bathroom wall, bent over the kitchen counter, flashed through my mind.

This was going to be harder than I expected. No pun intended.

“Thank you for meeting with me today,” she met my eyes again. Okay, she was definitely doing it on purpose. “I’m excited to present to you your final copy for your new marketing materials. I’ve had a great time getting to know this school and community over the last few weeks, and I want to thank you for the experience you’ve given me.”

Again, with the eye contact.

I reached down to adjust myself and she must’ve noticed because she gave a small laugh, but quickly masked it with a cough.

Her laptop was now connected to the projector, but the screen pulled down behind her remained blank. Seated, she started her introduction.

“When we started this project, Harold, you shared with me you wanted to highlight not only that you have an environment that enables learning to be amplified, but that you also have a strong sense of community and connection.”

With a perfectly painted red nail, she tapped her keyboard. An image of a pair of friends siting in the library filled the screen. Blue and orange text lit up the dim room and read Success Starts Here.

“Something that struck me was the opportunity to connect with others outside of the classroom.”

With another tap of her finger, an image of a man and woman engaged in a potato sac race came on the screen. I chuckled, memories of that day flooding back. Bold orange letters read In the Bag across the bottom. Additional text filled the screen about our successful internship partnerships and the success rate of finding a salaried job after graduation .

“Ha, look at Walter,” Miguel chuckled at the picture featuring his friend mid-hop, a look of funny determination on his face. His reaction made Ellie smile, and I sent a silent thank-you to Miguel.

“That opportunity to connect,” she continued, “changed my life, and I’m not even a student here. It led me to one of the best things in my life.”

Click. The image changed and there I was. Looking very professor like, I was holding up a butterfly that had landed on my finger and talking passionately about something. I recognize the setting from when Dom pulled me away for a question the day of the potato sac race, and when the butterfly joined, so did a few other students.

In yellow bold type beneath, it read Begin Bold. Small College. Big Dreams.

Air escaped my lungs as I took in the photo—and her words. One of the best things in her life. My chest tightened with hope; there was a chance, after all.

“The folders in front of you have a detailed breakdown of the marketing campaign, outlining just how we show community and learning. I felt the lightheartedness of the community best highlighted how it supported excelling academically. ‘Small College. Big Dreams.’”

Miguel and Harold flipped through their folders around me, but I couldn’t bring myself to look away from Ellie. A small fear that she’d disappear if I let her out of my sight sat in my throat. Her cheeks blushed when she caught me staring, but I didn’t budge. She held my gaze, making her intentions clear.

“‘Small College. Big Dreams.’” Harold laughed, reiterating her unveiled slogan with a thunderous clap of his hands. “Wonderful Ellie, just wonderful. That perfectly illustrates us here at Chestnut Hills Community College. ”

Miguel nodded in agreement. “Absolutely. The student council is going to love this. We all have big dreams and CHCC helps us realize them. Walter is going to lose his mind when he sees the potato sac picture.”

Ellie sighed with relief and trained her eyes back on me expectantly.

“It’s great, thank you,” was all I could muster, my voice unexpectedly cracking.

A small smile graced her pink painted lips. It was the same pink gloss that made my cock twitch with anticipation. And surely, she wore it on purpose.

“Harold, if you don’t mind, I have one more thing I’d like to share,” Ellie said, tapping her keyboard once more. This last photo was a direct punch to the gut.

At a picnic table, Ellie and I sat side by side, but our heads were turned towards each other. Our eyes were locked, and we had big goofy smiles on our faces that were clearly meant for each other. I took in the love that radiated from us and I wondered if that was what people saw when they looked at us. Was that what Harold saw when he said we reminded him of him and his wife?

I rubbed at the growing lump in my throat.

“At the beginning of the year, I was in a rough spot,” she sighed heavily. “I had just gotten out of a pretty crappy relationship and was at a low point in my life. I decided then that I was going to focus on myself. I wanted to work on things that lit me up, things that brought me happiness. The last thing I wanted was another relationship.

“Then Theo came into my life. We became great friends, and then this project brought us even closer together. I’ve become familiar with all the significant parts of him. He gave me grace to find myself while he remained unwavering, a rock in my rapid waters. He has shown me my own strength and helped me grow into who I really am. He showed me what it means to be loved.

“And I apologize for stealing this conversation, Harold, but I had to find a way to show and tell Theo that I love him, too.”

Her voice slightly shook at the last sentence as she searched my face for a reaction.

My feet moved before my brain, as it always seemed to do around this whirlwind of a woman. Within a breath, I was out of the chair and pulling her into my arms. I grazed a hand up her side, landing to frame the side of her face, and she gave me a small nod. Needing no further permission, I crushed my lips to hers.

Desperate to meet, our mouths drank each other up before slowing and leaving our lips lingering on each other.

Harold cleared his throat in the back of the room, and we shyly pulled ourselves apart, remembering where we were.

“At the risk of this going any further, I’m going to excuse myself. Thank you, Ellie. Phenomenal job. I’m looking forward to launching the new campaign as soon as possible.” With a quick nod, Harold stepped around the table, making a quick exit.

“Uh…I’m going to go too. Thanks,” Miguel jumped at the opportunity to leave with Harold, but not before giving me a fist bump.

Ellie swatted me at that, but smiled nonetheless.

Once the door shut behind Miguel, I turned, grabbing Ellie by the waist. Savoring the feel of her body in my hands, I gently squeezed her hips. Digging my fingers into her sides, I reveled in the softness of her curves and pulled her flush to me.

“I love you too,” I said, tilting her chin with a finger to our lips together again.

Our tongues danced as our breathing picked up. A small moan escaped her lips and my heart jumped at the sound. Palming her ass, I pulled up the hem of her dress. Meeting bare flesh, I groaned at the realization that she wasn’t wearing any underwear.

“I always knew you were a secret freak,” I said between kisses while massaging her ass.

She arched her back in response and threaded her fingers through my hair. “Only when it comes to you.”

Bringing my hand to the front, I pressed my thumb down, placing pressure on her clit. In response, she opened her legs wider. I explored her sweet center that was already slick with desire.

“I’ve missed this sweet pussy, baby,” I moved to kiss the nape of her neck. Dragging my tongue up to her ear, I whispered, “I’ve had dreams of your cunt. I wake up licking my lips at the memory of the taste.”

She gasped lightly at my words, and I nipped at her ear. I noted the rush of wetness along her folds and began kissing my way across her chest and down. Dropping to my knees, I looked up at the flushed goddess before me.

She was my religion, and I solely existed to serve her.

Eyes glued to hers, I leaned forward and swiped my tongue along her slit.

“You taste better than I remember.” I moaned with delight. I sucked her in, pulling her clit into my mouth, causing her to scream. I threw a hand up to cover her mouth.

“I want to keep going, but I need you to be quiet. Shake your head if you understand.” Her eyes wide, she slowly shook her head in agreement behind my hand. “Good girl. Now sit up here.” I stood and picked her up, placing her on the edge of the desk. “I’m going to lock the door and while I do that, I want you to play with that pretty pussy of yours. Just like that first time. Understood?”

Again, she shook her head silently. With a slight look of surprise and excitement, she placed two fingers at the peak between her thighs .

She was a sight to behold. My cock strained against my pants and I palmed it for brief relief. Satisfied with the click of the lock, I returned to my feast. She grabbed for my hard bulge, but I gently placed her hand back between her legs.

“Not yet, baby. The only thing I want more than your pussy wrapped around my cock is my tongue fucking you.”

Taking her small squeak as approval, I dropped back to my knees.

Removing her hand, she granted me access to her sweet, dripping folds. I flicked her clit with the tip of my tongue, and I took joy in the way her body jolted. Wanting more of her, I moved my tongue to her opening and thrusted in and out. Kissing down, I teased her asshole and was excited to hear her enjoyment.

“Touch yourself, Elle. Come for me,” I demanded, guiding her hand where I wanted it. Returning to her ass, I licked around the puckered flesh slowly before slipping my tongue in and out. Again and again, I thrusted until her breaths grew shallow.

“Theo, oh God,” she whispered.

Her fingers worked herself with as much fervor as my tongue worked her ass. I felt her quiver under my tongue. Bringing my middle and pointer finger together, I worked to thrust into her sweet hole. Almost instantly, I felt her walls clench around my fingers.

With her free hand, she pulled my head in further and rode out her orgasm. I’d never been more satisfied.

Content, I trailed kisses along her inner thighs as her breathing slowed and her body steadied. Helping her off the desk, I adjusted her dress and helped her pack up her belongings.

“So,” she said, bewildered. “That happened.”

“Indeed, it did,” I replied. The feel of her hand in mine was enough to satisfy me for the rest of my life. “If you move in with me, it could happen a lot more,” I said, surprising myself .

She gasped, stopping in her tracks as we walked across the parking lot. Her jaw hung slack, and the sun shined on us with a comforting warmth.

“How about we just date for now?” she laughed in disbelief. My breath hitched at her beauty, the flush in her cheeks, the light in her eyes.

“I’ll take whatever you give me, Branson.” Slinging an arm over her shoulders, I place a kiss on her crown and walk her back to her car. “I love you.”