“We can sit in here.” He walked me through to a study-like room with bright floral patterns on the furniture and curtains. It was just as open and airy as the entryway, except here there were bookshelves and a huge desk. Matt must’ve been important. Not only was his money proof of that, but he had the office to go along. “Would you like a drink?”
“Sure. Thanks.”
I sat down on the loveseat and folded my hands in my lap. Matt went over to the small bar behind the desk and began mixing. The wealthy truly lived a different kind of life. Even with Yale, I wasn’t sure I’d ever reach the same status as a person like Matt. The artwork alone was probably worth more than my car.
“So, tell me about Yale.” He handed me a small glass with a honey-colored liquid inside. I smiled as I took the glass and gave it a whiff. It was like whiskey, but smooth and had hints of vanilla and orange.
“Well,” I said after a quick sip. “Oh, wow, this is really good.”
“Yeah,” he laughed. He took a sip too, then he sat at my side. The loveseat wasn’t little and tight like mine at home, but that didn’t mean Matt and I weren’t nearly touching. He chose to sit kind of close to me given the size of the thing. It had to mean he was interested in me, and that thought alone was enough to make my stomach flutter. I took another sip, then a deep breath.
“Yale has been my dream since freshman year. My dad has always worked hard for what he wanted, and I aim to do the same.”
Matt nodded along. The way he sat there engaged in my words, leaning toward me with his full attention on me was intimidating. It wasn’t enough that I was there to please him, but here he was actually caring about what I had to say. Each time his fingers tapped the glass in his hand, I imagined them tapping the most sensitive parts of my body. And when his eyes came back to mine after a sip, I could picture them watching me as he toyed and teased my every inch.
I swallowed hard and cleared my throat, then I leaned forward and put the glass on the coffee table. It was loud and abrupt, and I think it rather surprised Matt. I gave a giddy laugh, then ran my fingers down my jeans and tightened my knees together. And all this time, he kept watching. Those deep brown eyes of his captured every second of my sudden panic, and I was starting to expect him to ask me to leave. But no. Matt was a real gentleman.
“It’s okay to be nervous,” he said tenderly. His voice was calm and endearing. “I’m a little nervous too.”
God, that smile is going to kill me!
I let out a breath, then bit my lip. I couldn’t stop smiling at him. It had to have looked ridiculous.
“I think it’s great that you’re working so hard to get yourself the life you want.”
I nodded along.
“I want to help you out,” he said as he leaned forward and put his glass down next to mine. He then leaned back into the loveseat and took a long, deep breath. On the exhale, he shook his head. “There are parts of this home I haven’t seen for months.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” he laughed. “This wealth just sits here. It’ll be nice knowing I’ve helped someone out.”
It was the best news I could have hoped for, but the details of our soon-to-be arrangement were yet unclear. I wrapped my ankles together and tightened my knees even more, if that was possible. Then I crossed my arms tight and tried to figure out how to come out with the question on my mind.
Matt, the gentle host that he was, leaned forward and placed his hand on my shoulder. “If this is too much,” he started, but I stopped him.
I shook my head and then smiled. Yes, I was nervous about it all. I mean, the idea of selling myself to a man I barely knew just to get into college was epic on its own. But what was worse was how I was feeling at that moment. I wasn’t just going to enjoy the sex, which was sure to be spectacular, I was totally going to enjoy simply being around Matt. Maybe he would take me to dinner somewhere fancy or even to a ballet show. Who knew!
“It’s not,” I said, then I loosened my arms and folded my hands in my lap. Matt turned a little to face me better, taking his hand from my shoulder in the process. “I just. I don’t know how this works.”
“Right, yes,” he answered. His eyes traveled from mine to the room behind me then over to the desk. “I guess I don’t either.”