He squinted at the clock on the dresser across the room, which read 6:05. I’ve got time, he thought, pulling the comforter up around Maya’s bare shoulders and lying back down beside her. He watched her closed eyes dart back in forth, and the corners of her mouth curve in a ghost of a smile.
They had made love again as soon as they got upstairs the previous night, but not before Cole checked a doubt of his. As she started to lick his nipples, it took the utmost in determination for him to grip her upper arms and pull her slightly away from him.
“He never went down on you, did he?” It was a statement more than a question. The room was dark but Cole could feel Maya shrink back. “It’s not something you should be embarrassed about, sweetie,” he continued in the wake of her silence. “I just can’t believe… was this your first time?” When Maya put her hands up against her face, Cole held her tight against his chest.
“I’m sorry I kind of put you on the spot like this, but I’m at a loss how any man could waste that opportunity over and over again.” Maya remained silent, listening to Cole’s heart against her ear. “I just want you to know you don’t have to feel shy with me, okay?”
With that, he gave her a gentle kiss from which she broke away to roll the covers down on the bed, and then pull Cole into the sheets with her. They ended up coupling with him spooning her from behind, the only part of which Cole didn’t like was not being able to watch Maya’s face as she came.
It seemed Maya trusted what he’d told her earlier, because she later woke him up at about 1 a.m. by slipping under the covers and taking him into her mouth. He simultaneously gained consciousness and hardened against her busy tongue, instinctively tangling his fingers in her hair with a groan.
In the glow of dawn, he thought about how prim and proper she’d always behaved when he saw her years ago at the school, always friendly but only on a surface level. And then he contrasted that with how she’d brought him to the brink with her tongue and then mounted him in one swift motion.
Cole was both shocked and thrilled as Maya slowly rode him, moaning softly as she steadied herself with her hands on his chest. She looked like a goddess in the moonlight, making his breath catch while she rocked on him while gently rolling his nipples between her fingers. It briefly crossed his mind how long her husband had left her high and dry that she was ready to go three times in the span of about six hours.
He brushed a tendril of hair off her sleeping face, then turned to the pen and pad on the night table. If he left now, he could head back home, shower, change, look over his lesson plan for the day, and head to school. It didn’t make a lot of sense to go 10 minutes away from work just to drive back, but he hadn’t wanted to be presumptuous and pack an overnight bag yesterday.
Twenty minutes later, Maya awoke with a start to the sound of the garage opening. Someone’s in the house, she thought, disoriented. She almost fell out of bed as she staggered to the window, not realizing until the cold air hit her that she was nude.
Covering herself with a blanket, she made it just in time to see Cole’s white truck pulling back on the street and then zooming off. She recalled how he’d slept with his arm around her and turned to look at the bed. He remembered to close the door behind him, she smiled, hearing the buzz of the garage door lowering back down.
Her blanket hit the night stand as she dragged it off the bed, sending a piece of paper floating to the floor. She picked it up and saw Cole’s neat printing.
Sweet Maya,
I badly wanted to wake up together this morning, but I had to start my drive of shame to make it in time for school. I wasn’t counting on last night to happen the way it did. I just wanted to spend time with you and maybe go home late. But oh my god am I glad it happened the way it did. Give me a day to catch up on the marking I should have done yesterday, and let me know when we can see each other again. Will text if you don’t. Cole.
***********
“So who is she, man?” Mark Vasquez asked, his white track suit glowing against his dark brown skin. “I’ve been standing at this photocopier for three minutes and you’ve been smiling away like the Queen that whole time.”
He straightened the bunch of handout sheets for his next gym class against the counter where the coffee maker and microwave sat in the school staff room. Then he looked pointedly at his friend of almost 20 years, who stared back at him, startled.
Mark and Cole had met in teacher’s college and Mark was pumped when he took a job as the head physical education teacher at his buddy’s school. Then Janice happened and Mark almost didn’t recognize his old friend for almost 18 months now. Cole looked blankly back at Mark.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He bit the inside of his cheek to put on a straight face, then shoved his phone back in his pocket.
“Whatever you say,” Mark shrugged. “Just wear long sleeves tomorrow, alright? Five bucks says the scratches on your back match the scratches on your arms.” Cole almost toppled his coffee mug inspecting his biceps until he looked back up and saw Mark snickering.
“There are no scratches on my arms, jackass,” Cole hissed.
“But you just told me I was right about the ones on your back,” Mark grinned. “So I repeat–who is she?” Cole looked away. “Look man, I’m not here to make fun of you.” Mark lowered his voice. “I haven’t seen you smile once for all of last year and now you’re laughing at your phone like you’re 17. I’d just accepted we’d never have fun like we used to before. And I wouldn’t have said anything if there was even one other staffer in this room.”
“Is it…” Cole made a face. “Is it bad if I used to teach her kids?” Mark almost spit out his own coffee.
“Holy crap, you couldn’t have just picked her up in a bar like a normal guy?”
“Actually, she sort of picked me up in a bar. Or… peeled me off the floor.”
“Okay,” Mark nodded. “Well, ‘used to’ are the operative words here, right? Where are her kids now? Still attending?”
“No, they’re in high school in another city.”
“Then it’s okaaaaay!” Mark twirled in a pirouette, then stopped. “And you’re wearing your glasses so I’m going to say you didn’t have time to put in your contacts this morning? Which means it was a looooong night full of scratches. On a school night, man?” Cole turned crimson. “That’s my favourite thing about white folks,” Mark continued, calmly sipping from his mug again. “Y’all can turn all kinds of awesome colours that I can’t turn.”
“Are you done yet?” Cole asked, covering his face.
“Almost,” Mark said. “I’m guessing this is just you getting back on the horse? Nothing serious, huh?” Cole hesitated and Mark tilted his head. “So then it is serious?”
“Well…” Cole started, “she’s technically still married bu–”
“The fuck?!” Mark exclaimed, then hurriedly looked around to make sure no one had entered the room. “Cole, have you lost your mind? You realize you’re Jack in this situation, don’t you?”