Life, Love & A Little Coffee

Chapter Thirty-Four- R.E.S.P.E.C.T

With the halls still fairly empty, Ada slid down the trail of lockers that led to Tom's classroom as he stood next to the open door to greet his third period class. So far, she was the only one there, which was common.

When her eyes locked with his, she remembered her sister trying to compare the two men, womanizing James and Ada's Tom.

"Have you ever had a one-night stand?" Ada asked him.

Tom looked around, a slight smile showing his amusement by the question. "Kind of the wrong place to ask me that, isn't it?"

She shrugged. "I asked quiet."

"But you're incapable of being sneaky," he pointed out as he crossed his arms. "But to answer your question, no, I've never had a one-night stand. Almost did about a week after I moved out of the house I shared with my wife. I went to a bar, flirted with an out-of-towner, and you could see where it was heading. In the end, I just went home by myself."

"Why didn't you sleep with her?"

"Not that kind of guy, I guess. I don't fault others for it, it just isn't my style. Sex for me is more than just a physical act with a single purpose. It's about connection, and I need some emotional investment in someone before I sleep with them. I don't know, maybe I'm just old fashioned. I guess I don't want to have sex with someone unless I know I'll be happy waking up next to them in the morning."

Why that answer tugged at her heart strings, she wasn't sure. She wouldn't have faulted him for having a one-night stand, but knowing that he wanted something real out of sex filled her with excitement and caused a bashful smile to take over her face.

"Have you ever slept with anyone besides your wife?"

Tom shook his head. "Nope."

Nothing alike. The two men, minus their jobs, had one hundred percent nothing in common. Tom was in it for love, not just sex.

She saw a classmate nearing, so she only had time for one last question. "Were you planning on sleeping with me?"

Then he flashed her the sweetest smile she'd ever seen. It was sweet because it was bashful, humble, and honest. He looked down, hiding it only for a moment, before looking back up and glancing around to confirm no one was in hearing distance. They both noticed that her classmate had stopped to talk to a friend.

Once he was certain he was in the clear, he leaned in just enough for his breath to cause goosebumps across her skin. "I've imagined waking up next to you in over a dozen different ways, and each of those ways brings me something beyond the word of happiness. So, the answer to your question is yes. If and when you are ready, I would love nothing more than to sleep with you."

With those perfect words, Ada became so freaking ready she had to fight the temptation to push him into his classroom.

"What?" Tom asked, now looking self-conscious.

It wasn't until then she realized how long she'd been staring at him, mesmerized. Noticing her classmate finished talking to his friend, Ada kept her reply simple and only for him to understand. "If you still have that napkin, I think I've got a number five for my list."

Tom's smile returned and he let out a soft chuckle. "I'll add it."

So Ada slid inside the room, taking her usual seat in front of her very attractive teacher.

To her surprise, Tom followed her in rather than remain at his post by the door. He walked to his desk and sat behind it.

"I'm planning on having Britt read her article in class today," he said, his smile having not yet faded.