Deviation (A Defined Series Book 1) by M.C. Cerny Page A

clog. Can you grab my phone from my bag?” Jack stands up, leaving his meager plumbing tools on the floor, and I rub his head, kissing it gently. He smiles and I grab his leather messenger bag. Everyone has one of these darn bags I love.
       “Hey, babe. Are you sure it’s in here? I don’t see it.”
       “Yeah, I’m sure… Ah, shit…” Jack covers his face with his hands.
       “What?”
       “I think I left it at my office, or maybe campus.”
       “Eh, is that bad?” I ask, a little worried.
       “Nah. I’ll just pull up the ‘Find my phone’ app. Can you call for pizza?”
       “Yes, sir.”
       “I’ll be right back to discipline you, brat.”
       “You better.” Jack spanks my ass lightly, leaving the room and heading for his converted office. I call for pizza and order half of my favorite and half of his. “You find the phone?”
       “Yeah. I left it in my office on campus. I’ll drive over sometime this weekend and pick it up. I was sure I hadn’t left it anywhere. Oh well. I’m not going to worry about it tonight. I’ve got something else with which I’d rather occupy my time.” Jack puts his arm around me, fake biting me, making me giggle.
       “Arrg! Stop. Pizza is coming!”
       “And so will you!” He is a total cheeseball.
       Jack picks me up, making me scream a few obscenities, then dumps me on top of the bed. I’m panting and coming before the pizza guy delivers our dinner. I make Jack go pay the man while I hide in the bedroom. With sexed-up hair and in my teacher’s house, I am not going to greet a possible classmate working as a deliveryman. Jack is crazy, if not deluded, thinking we won’t get caught that way. 
       We stay in for the long weekend, Jack cooking us an intimate Thanksgiving feast for two. It is one of the best holidays I have had since leaving home behind and deciding to go it alone. Jack makes me feel like I want to finally be a part of something, and like I have something worth giving that isn’t monetary or materialistic. Maybe the world would frown upon how we met and how we conducted our relationship in secret, but at least we are adults and we aren’t hurting anyone. My final exam will be proctored and graded by a TA so I know Jack isn’t breaking any rules there, except for his unorthodox study sessions of which I took full advantage.
       It is hard going back to class on Monday. Leaving Jack’s cozy house for my sparse studio apartment is hard and lonely, but it is the right thing to do and I keep telling myself that it is only going to be temporary.

Jack
       Watching Edith leave my bed this morning to go back to her apartment kills me. I kiss her every step she takes away from me, hoping she’ll linger long enough to be late for work or just decide to stay. I want to tie her to my bed and never let her go. In the past few weeks, she had become so precious to me. Meeting her as a high school student had really screwed with my head. Lusting after her for years made me crazy with guilt. Our first kiss had been a thing of combustion I had tried to brush off and forget, only to be sucker punched by it later. Even now, there is a clear line we are crossing and I want to protect her as best as I can.
       Since it is Monday, I head into my own office, speak with my PA, and schedule a few meetings for later next week. Teaching the Tuesday and Thursday block means I can’t travel much until after the class exams are graded and turned in. I am hoping that maybe I can convince Edith to come with me. I thought she’d like to see Miami in December. Who wouldn’t? Warm sunshine, beaches, and shopping. I want to spoil her for Christmas and this seems like a great opportunity for us to get out of town. I get through my work day pretty easily and know I’ll see Edith in class tomorrow.
       I head back home and change into workout clothes, not wanting to be in the house without her. I run a few miles until my phone