It was an unseasonably warm day in mid-October as I strolled up to our usual meeting spot at the southeast corner of the university quad. I was the first of the group to arrive, so I snatched up a seat at the picnic table, at the far end, that was excluded from the shade of a nearby tree.

I took off my jacket, exposing my shoulders to the late afternoon sun. Let the warmth wash over my body, knowing that this would be one of the last balmy days before the weather chilled for fall.

I pulled out my phone and started mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, passing the time until the rest of the group arrived. Since the start of the previous semester, a small group of us had been meeting every Thursday afternoon for what began as a study group for our Contemporary Literature class. It initially yielded a much larger turnout. However, after a few weeks, the number of attendees dwindled, and it turned into more of an informal book club, with only four of us from the original class, plus our professor and his T.A.

I was becoming increasingly engrossed in the pictures of celebrities' outfits of the day and of the Starbucks cups, posted by friends, boasting the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. I barely even noticed when my best friend and roommate Abby strode up to the table, claiming the seat across from me.

"Hey Jo!" she said with a friendly smile.

"Hi Ab," I said, jolted from my social media trance.

"Hey, so, Ryan and I are going to Newport for the weekend. You want to come?"

Ryan was Abby's boyfriend. They'd hooked up a few times around homecoming last year, and although at first she kept insisting it was just casual, it's been about a year now and they couldn't be happier. He was a nice guy and the three of us got along well, but I really didn't feel like being the third wheel on their romantic weekend.

"Nah. Thanks, but I'll just stay home," I replied.

"Oh come on! It'll be fun! Ryan loves you!" she persuaded.

"And I love him, but it'll be nice to have a few days to catch up on laundry. Plus I have like, four papers to work on, so I really can't. But you guys go have fun!"

I reached into my purse and fished out the single condom I had floating in the bottom of my bag.

"Here! My contribution to your weekend," I said as I tossed the purple square across the table to Abby, nearly hitting her in the face with it. "I'm sure you'll get much more use out of it than me," I said with a laugh. "Just please don't think of me while you're using it."

"Ooh... I can't make any promises!" she said with a deep belly laugh, dangling the foil packet in front of her face.

Of course at that exact moment, our professor, Owen Thomas, sat down beside me at the table.

"Hello ladies," he said with an amused smirk, his smooth, captivating British accent making all of the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Owen was our Contemporary Literature professor last semester. He was the one that actually founded our little group back then. It was his first year teaching, and he said he preferred it to traditional office hours, as it gave him a chance to get to know his students. Naturally, most of the attendees for a while were young women, drawn to the handsome older man. I'm a little ashamed to say that I was one of those girls. I probably would have participated no matter what, but I was ready to throw some elbows if I had to, to be one of the first to add my name to the sign-up sheet.

No one would blame any of us either. He was nothing short of god-like. Owen was in his mid-thirties, just over six feet tall, with thick brown hair and just the tiniest bit of grey coloring his temples. As if his looks weren't enough to make me lust after him, he had completely won me over in every other way as well. He was so intelligent, funny, and down to earth. One of those teachers that asks you to call him by his first name, and treats all of his students as his equals. Normally I would find that kind of thing to be cheesy beyond belief, but it was so sincere in him. I could tell that he really did care, and just wanted to actually make an impact on us.

"Hi Owen," Abby said with an embarrassed smile as she shoved the condom into her pocket.

"Hey," I said, blushing as he looked right at me.

"How did you two enjoy the book?" he asked.

"It was great!" I replied. "I read the whole thing in one day. I couldn't put it down."

Owen smiled sweetly at me. "I love to hear that. It's one of my favorites."

...

A few hours later, our group had ended up at our usual bar just off campus. This had become somewhat of a Thursday night ritual. Book club, and then $2 pitchers and countless games of pool until some had to tear themselves away so they wouldn't sleep through their 8am lectures. I was lucky and didn't have my first class until noon on Fridays, so I usually stayed pretty late.

Sometimes, after a great deal of persuading, Owen would join us at the bar. I think he felt as though he was doing something wrong, hanging out, drinking, with students. I always got a rush of excitement when he came. Like a giddy little girl. I loved seeing him out of class. Just a man, hanging out, having a few drinks at a bar. I don't know what it was, but something about seeing him in this convivial element was just so sexy to me.

After a few rounds of beer and bar games, people began to head out for the night, until it was back to being myself, Abby and Owen.

"Excuse me for a minute," Abby said, as she got up to head to the restroom. As she stood up from her chair, she shot me a glance and nodded her head, gesturing for me to come with her.

"Um, yeah, I'll be right back too," I said to Owen, standing up to follow Abby to the back of the bar.

"Oh my God! What is going on with you two all of a sudden?" Abby asked once the door had fully closed behind us.

"What are you talking about?" I tried to act as if I didn't know what she meant, but of course I knew she was talking about me and Owen. Obviously, I had had a massive crush on him for a while, which I tried to keep under wraps, knowing how ridiculous and clichéd the entire thing was, but I guess I wasn't doing a very good job of it.

"Oh, come on Joanna! Don't even think I haven't noticed that you two have been flirting all night. For the past few weeks even. Did you even realize that you hadn't actually spoken to anyone else all night?"

"Abby, stop. Even if I do like him, there's no way he would ever feel the same way. Plus, he's our professor. That could never happen." I was directing this more to myself than to Abby.

Abby shot me an annoyed expression. "Bullshit, Jo! He was our professor. Not anymore. Now he's just any other man who happens to work at the same school you go to. And he is into you, Joanna. Like, really into you. You are hot and he's practically drooling over you out there."

I rolled my eyes a little at her, however, I could feel the corners of my lips turn up in a reluctant smile. I really did like him, but never thought I could actually act on it. Maybe it was the alcohol talking, or maybe Abby was just really convincing, but I began to wonder about what could actually happen with Owen and me.

Abby could see the wheels turning in my head and spun me around towards the bathroom mirror.

"Jo, you are beautiful and you can have any man you want. Don't ever think any differently," she said while combing through my long blond hair with her fingers, and swiping her thumbs under my eyes, getting rid of any mascara flakes that had fallen throughout the day.

Suddenly Abby's phone started buzzing and I stood there, silently considering her little pep talk as she answered her phone.

"Hey baby," she said when she picked it up. "Okay, I'll be out in a minute."

"I texted Ryan to pick me up, so I'm going to go. I'm staying at his place tonight, so the apartment is all yours," she said with a wink.

All of a sudden, I felt a tidal wave of nerves. Was I really going to do this?

"Let's go!" said Abby, turning me back towards the door and slapping my butt as I walked back out to the darkened bar.

...

Not fifteen minutes later, I was sitting in Owen's car on the way home. After Abby left with Ryan, Owen offered to give me a ride. We spent the drive in relative silence, the palpable feeling of sexual tension hanging in the air around us. It was as if we had changed all of a sudden. Like we both were finally, at the same time, accepting the feelings we had toward one another.

But what if I was reading it all wrong? I wanted to say something. Literally anything to cut this tension. I just couldn't think of anything. I was so in my own head, caught up in my thoughts. Wondering if he actually felt the same way about me. I hadn't noticed him "practically drooling" over me, like Abby had described. What if she was just saying that to boost my ego? What if I made a move, but he didn't reciprocate? Then what? I just don't think I could handle that.

So I did nothing. He just drove me back to my apartment. Nothing but the sounds of the radio to break up the obvious silence. I tried to pay attention to the songs, desperately trying to quell the stream of thoughts racing through my mind.

"This is one of my favorite songs!" I said as casually as I could muster, listening to the poetic lyrics of Beast of Burden by The Rolling Stones. I just had to say something, anything to break through this silence.

He reacted almost as though I had startled him out a reverie. "It's one of mine too," he replied after a moment. "I love The Stones."

Then he turned and looked at me, shining a bright, genuine smile in my direction, making me melt into the passenger seat. It was then that I decided that I was going for it. "You're doing this!" I told myself. "No going back. Now or never. All of the clichéd, inspirational bullshit."

When he pulled up outside my building, I made my big move.

"Thanks so much for the ride," I said as I slipped out of the car, purposely leaving my wallet sitting on the passenger seat.

"Anytime," he said. "See you next week."

I gave him a small wave through the window before turning and starting up the walkway. "What the fuck was that?!" I whispered angrily to myself. "That was my 'big move?' Oh my God..." I was coming to find that I had very little game. I had had boyfriends before, of course, but I was still never the girl that could get any guy she wanted. The girl that could have a man wrapped around her finger within seconds. That girl was Abby. Not me.

I slunk up the flight of stairs leading to my front door, shoved it open and immediately made my way to my bedroom to change into my sweatpants and sink into an Olympic-sized pool of my own shame.

I had just taken my shoes off when I heard a knock at the door.

"Oh. My. God. Did that actually work?" I said out loud, trying to compose myself enough to go answer the door.

I nearly ran down the hallway to the front door, feeling not unlike a child running downstairs on Christmas morning, eager to rip open their bright, shiny presents.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself and slowly swung the door open. And there he was, a gentle smile making its way across his face, holding my small black wallet in his hand.

"Here, uh... you left this in my car. I figured you'd probably need it," he said with a little smirk, extending his arm toward me, holding out the black leather wallet.

"Thanks," I said, taking it from him, softly grazing his palm with my fingertips as I picked it up.

"You're very welcome"

Owen turned to walk back to his car, but stopped himself. He turned back around and in an instant was right in front of me, reaching for the back of my head, pulling my lips up to meet his. I leaned my body into his as our kiss deepened and intensified.

Suddenly, he pulled away from me. "I'm sorry!" he exclaimed. "I should not have done that!"

I just stared at him for a moment, baffled, but eventually, feeling an intoxicating rush of confidence mixed with lust, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him back down to me.

"Don't be sorry," I said, looking him directly in the eye, before pulling him closer, guiding my lips into his.

I felt his hand grip my waist as he gently pushed me back into the kitchen until I felt the counter at my back.

We continued to kiss as I felt him explore my body. He cupped my breasts with his palms, squeezing them softly, my nipples stiffening against the delicate lace of my bra. His right hand then moved to the small of my back, sending chills through my body as he traced a finger down my spine.

I felt his hand move from my waist to my hip and down, until he reached the hem of my dress, sliding his fingers under the thin blue fabric. He looked me directly in the eye, as if asking my permission, as he slowly slid his hand up my thigh, snaking around to my ass. Both hands were there now, squeezing and rubbing my cheeks.

He pushed his body into mine and I felt his hardening cock press against the flesh just above my sex, straining against the thick fabric of his jeans. I could almost feel the heat emanating from between his legs.

My hand around his neck, I gently grabbed the back of Owen's hair and pulled his head back into me, where he nuzzled his face into my neck, kissing and nibbling. His beard tickled my chin as I purred like a kitten in his ear, letting him know that I was his.

Suddenly, as if a switch had flipped, he became almost ravenous, like he couldn't wait to have me. He curled his fingers around the waistband of my underwear, yanking them down with such force that I nearly lost my balance, grabbing at his shoulders to keep steady.

Feeling a rush of air hit my pussy, I realized just how wet I was. How much I wanted Owen. His hands on my body. His tongue gliding across my skin. His cock deep inside me, filling me.

Owen dropped to his knees in front of me, pulling my panties down, allowing me to step out of them, and giving me a sexy smirk as he rose that made a new gush of wetness flood between my legs.

"You won't be needing these anymore," he said, and I let out a little laugh as I watched him toss my underwear into the sink next to me.

I gasped then as Owen grabbed my waist and lifted me onto the counter. The feeling of the cold tile on my bare ass made my skin tingle and break out in little goose bumps.

I hungrily pulled him back into me, kissing him, thrusting my tongue into his mouth while I reached for his shirt. I undid the buttons as quickly as my fingers could maneuver, actually popping one off altogether. With his torso now exposed, I ran my hands from his neck down his chest and stomach, taking my time, feeling my way over each hill and valley of his tight abs until I reached the top of his jeans.

I started unbuckling his belt, pulling it out through the belt loops, hearing the loud cracking sound the metal buckle made when I dropped it to the floor. When I went for the button and zipper, Owen grabbed my hands, stopping me.

I let out a nearly inaudible moan when I felt his warm breath on my ear as he whispered, "Not just yet. I want to taste you first."

He grabbed me under my knees and pulled me to the edge of the countertop. He slowly skimmed his hands from my kneecaps to the tops of my thighs, sliding my dress up to my hips, exposing my wet, swollen pussy.

Owen then knelt on the floor in front of me, eyelevel with my dripping cunt, and hoisted my legs up and over his shoulders. I was already breathing heavily, feeling my heart pounding as he began kissing and licking my inner thighs, teasing me, slowly making his way up towards my waiting pussy.

With his arms wrapped around my thighs, Owen used both hands to spread open my puffy lips. I let out a loud gasp as soon as I felt him slide the tip of his tongue from the base of my pussy to the top. He swirled his tongue in a tight circle around my clit before sucking my stiff pearl into his mouth, burying his nose in my small triangle of pubic hair.

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed as I grabbed the back of Owen's head, pushing his face deeper into my pussy. I felt my entire body begin to quiver and tingle. It felt like there were 1000 volts of electricity coursing through my veins.

I felt my body tense and my back arch as he sucked and slurped at my clit. I had to grab on to the cabinet behind my head to steady myself, feeling my body build up to an earth shattering orgasm.

"Oh fuck! I'm going to come!" I exclaimed as my thighs involuntarily squeezed tighter around his head and my toes began to curl.

After a few more seconds, my whole body began to vibrate, and my hips started to buck violently as the floodgates opened and one of the most powerful orgasms I've ever experienced came crashing through my body. I rode the waves of pleasure that came, one after another as Owen continued sucking on my clit, making sure I felt every bit of this orgasm.

Once the intensity subsided, Owen pulled himself away from my pulsating cunt and emerged from between my legs, his beard glistening with my cum. I used my thumb to swipe some of my juices off his lips before wrapping my legs around his waist and pulling him in to kiss me, still able to taste a bit of my tangy wetness on his mouth.

"Oh my God," I said with a smile, still out of breath. "That was amazing!"

I giggled a little as I covered my face, overcome by the sudden wave of embarrassment that tends to hit me after sex.

As if he knew exactly what I was thinking, Owen sweetly took my hands in his and said with a smile, "You are so beautiful. I've wanted to do that for a long time."

I smiled back at him and we kissed again. I slid my hand down to his cock, surprised at just how rock hard he was.

I gently pushed Owen away and hopped down off the counter.

"Now it's my turn," I said, feeling an exhilarating rush of confidence. I took his hand in mine and led him down the hallway to my bedroom...