She laughs, trying to break free. “I know!” she cries. “I know, I know! No more!”
“I’ll stop when you say it.”
“I love you!” she laughs.
I straighten, straddling her waist and sitting back on my calves.
Her smile fades and her eyebrows draw down and together. “I love you,” she says seriously.
I bend to kiss her softly, pulling my lips back, but keeping my forehead against hers. “I love you too.”
Epilogue
“Let’s talk about Brianne’s piece,” says Professor Barlow. “Will you start us off with an excerpt?” he asks.
“Okay,” I say. I hold the story in my hands and notice they are steady as rocks. My voice doesn’t feel tight. I don’t even feel afraid to hear their feedback. When Mia stole my story, it felt like I had been violated. I tried for a while to pick up where I left off, but decided to start fresh. I’ve been writing like a maniac ever since. Now that I’m with Jackson, it feels like the words flow out of me faster than I can keep up with, and they feel real.
I begin to read.
“She…” I begin, losing track of the words as I read. It feels more like I’m recalling the events of the last few weeks than like I’m reading, and by the time class is over, I’m left with the most positive feedback I’ve ever had from a workshop class.
I’m leaving class when I see Jackson leaning against the wall outside. Dread creeps in on me at first. Today’s the day our contract expires, and despite everything that has happened between us and the things we talked about, I’m afraid he’s going to tell me it’s over. The girls from class shoot me jealous looks when they see him here for me again. I ignore them as much as I can, but I have to admit I feel a vague sense of pride from it. In the span of a month, I’ve gone from being the virgin outcast to the girlfriend of a man everybody would kill to be with. I shouldn’t get so much satisfaction out of that, but, well, I do. He’s my man, and I’m damn proud to say so.
“Hey,” I say. It doesn’t seem to matter how much time I spend around him, I still find my stomach turning over on itself when his eyes meet mine.
“I need you to trust me,” he says, biting his lip and looking down at something in his hand.
“Please don’t say you want space,” I plead. “I don’t think--”
He silences me with a kiss. It’s hard at first, but it turns tender as he strokes my cheek. “I don’t want space,” he says. “I just need you to trust me for a few hours. Can you do that?”
“Okay…” I say slowly.
“Good. See that car?” he asks, pointing to a black sedan. “My driver is waiting inside. He’s going to take you somewhere, but you can’t know where you’re going.”
I narrow my eyes. “Why can’t I go with you?”
“Because I,” he says, kissing my chin lightly. “Need to go set up.”
“Set up?” I ask.
“You’ll see. Just trust me.” Jackson winks at me, pulls me in for one more kiss, and leaves me breathlessly watching after him as he heads off in another direction.
I walk toward the car, wishing I knew what the heck to expect. I’m not dressed for anything more than a night sitting on the couch watching movies. But when I get inside the car, I see a small, decorative box sitting on the back seat with a note on top. I pluck the note out and open it, recognizing Jackson’s cramped but neat handwriting.
He has been very good about respecting boundaries when it comes to extravagant gifts since we’ve been together. I made it clear that I never wanted to feel bought by him, and he has understood completely, so far. But somehow this feels different, and I find myself giddy to see what’s inside the box. Maybe it’s just that I’ve finally passed the point where I have to worry about other factors clouding my judgment. I don’t have to worry I’m with him for my writing anymore. I don’t have to worry it’s about the money.
I’m with Jackson Pierce because he’s charming, intelligent, caring, and, well, I’d be lying if I said his talents between the sheets weren’t a major perk. I don’t care if I have nothing to compare it to, Jackson made me go through a full day of class with a sore ass from the spanking he gave me the night before. Then there was the time he literally made me cum with nothing but his voice. Yeah, I think I’m qualified to say he knows what he’s doing.
The note is short and to the point:
Princess,
Forgive the gift. You can burn it after tonight if you want, but I knew you’d need something to wear for the occasion. You’ll look beautiful.
Can’t wait,
-J
I open the box and gasp a little when I see the dress. It’s a sleek black dress with all the accessories tucked away in the box everything from white pumps to diamond earrings and a stunning necklace. I glance up at the driver, who doesn’t seem to be paying me any attention. Well, if Jackson thought I was going to change in the car, he has another thing coming. A few minutes later, the driver pulls up to a colonial style house a few minutes away from the campus.
“You can change inside,” says the driver, who eyes me through the rearview.
“Who’s house is that?” I ask.
“Mr. Pierce made all the necessary arrangements. If you would please hurry, Mr. Pierce was very insistent that we arrive at a particular time.”
I hesitantly grab the clothes and head inside. The door is unlocked and as much as I can tell, the house is deserted. Feeling like an intruder, I search for a bathroom to change in. I slip out of my clothes and get changed. When I’m done, I look at myself in the full length mirror, feeling like I’m looking at a different girl. No. A different woman.
The woman staring back at me is more confident than the girl from a month ago. I don’t know how to place exactly what has changed, but I can see it. I don’t feel like a scared, awkward virgin anymore. I guess because I’m not. I smirk at myself, trying out a sexy expression as I turn to walk away and bump face first into the doorframe. I stagger backwards, blinking through the temporary pain and laughing at myself.
Okay, I may be more confident, but I don’t think I can cross awkward off the list yet.
I think about a lot during the drive. Like how happy I am for Lacey. Ever since things ended between her and Cameron, she has been so much happier. Well, that, and the fact that she’s now dating Hunter, who happens to be a filthy rich and loves spending money on her. I really am happy for her though, because he seems like a nice guy, too. The two of them are currently in Nepal, on some extravagant backpacking adventure Hunter planned for them. I had never seen Lacey so happy as she was when she was getting ready to head out.
I would say I’ve been lonely since she left, but the truth is Jackson’s sister, Sarah, has been opening up to me ever since he snuck her out of Fairfield’s. Neither of them have been too clear about the details, but I’m pretty sure she’s essentially a fugitive at this point because a judge ordered her to be in the mental health facility for another year. I do know Jackson is working with a lawyer to try to find a way around it, but in the meantime, she’s basically hiding from the law in his house.