Making the Grade -- Part F

Authors note: Making the Grade is my fourth, longest and final story in my Hot Tails in Oak Hills series. This story has been divided into five parts for easier reading. Welcome back and I hope all of you enjoy the final chapter. Thank you all for reading Jacob and Madison's tale. GEV

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They made the most of the time she had before moving away for college.

As promised, he took her to Seattle for a week where they explored the city, visited a few museums, the zoo and aquarium, went shopping and enjoyed the ferry ride to the surrounding communities. He set aside an entire day so they could drive to Mount Ranier National Park to hike the trails and take in the breathtaking views and become one with nature, breathing in the fresh mountain air as they made memories and promises to do more activities just like this every summer. He made their last night in the city one that she would never forget; front row seats to the ballet where she wore the new dress and shoes he bought her, indulged and savored a fancy dinner where she was on her best behavior, took a sunset stroll hand-in-hand along the waterfront and a trip to the top of the Space Needle to see the lights of the city from above before ending their night back in their hotel room where he slowly undressed her, not missing a single inch of her body with his lips and tongue.

On their way home, they stopped to see her maternal grandparents who accepted him, despite the age difference, with open arms and a firm handshake. Childhood stories about Madison's antics, from which he discovered just how much of a troublemaker she could be, had him loving her that much more, even while she sat there with an innocent look on her face that he knew was far from harmless, those baby blue eyes being the death of him. Their stop at his mom's house was just as welcoming, her initial shock over their age difference quickly disappearing when she saw how much in love they were, even though she started to question how they had met but never got around to actually asking.

Madison's astonishment to the size of the house he grew up in situated in the middle of the affluent suburb was far from fleeting, realizing that he had always been truthful to her from the very beginning. The stories his mother divulged to her about his childhood were far from boring and he left the room when the picture albums came out to prove just how rebellious he had been. She made him tell her more in great detail about just how much of a pain he was growing up on the drive home, where she only fell that much deeper in love with him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Madison went on her three-day coast trip with Dylan, where she paid for everything with the credit card Jacob had given her with her name on it, called him every morning and every night and sent him pictures like he wanted. Dylan teased her at first, but when he realized just how much in love she was and what type of relationship the two of them had, he quickly changed his mindset and accepted her new lifestyle and everything that came along with it, still trying to wrap his head around the whole idea that she was romantically involved with her former teacher.

They went to the beach, laughing as they waded in the surf, building sandcastles in the sand and making their own memories that just added to the ones that they had from their childhood. They ate at their favorite seafood places and shopped at the candy stores that they always went to every time they went to the coast, stocking up on sweet treats that would last them a few months, and buying matching T-shirts from a souvenir shop to remember what was possibly going to be their last trip together. They sat on the balcony of their hotel room, watching the sun set as they talked about their futures and how far apart they were actually going to be during college, making promises to keep in touch but still knowing that, going their separate ways, they were eventually going to grow further and further apart and make new friends, but their friendship would always endure the test of time.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

When she wasn't spending time with Jacob, she was at home with her parents, still calling him every night before bed and first thing in the morning when she got up, never staying away from him for more than four days at a time, except for when she went on one last vacation with her mom and dad to California to visit her aunt and uncle. She knew that once she was in college she was officially out from under their roof but still had a place to go if everything in her life went horribly wrong, not that it ever would. They never got around to having that family dinner, but Jacob was there with her when she went to her karate classes, working out with her on the heavy bag and with the pads, talking to her dad as they became the best of friends and sparring buddies. She watched after class as his combat skills had him taking her father down to the mat in the second round of testosterone infused physical maneuvers, her father having no choice but to tap out and gain even more respect for Jacob, her father promising to show him everything she needed to work on so he could help her with her karate while she was in college to get her closer to her next ranking.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

He gave her a key to his house and the code to his alarm system, so if by chance he wasn't home when she came over, she could still get inside and wait for him to return, which she had done a couple times... sending him a picture of her naked, in his bed, or on the stairs, waiting for him. And it hadn't been just one picture, it had been several, each one hotter, more explicit than the next with the text of 'please lick me, daddy' accompanying each one. He had been in Riverton when he got one of those sets of pictures and as soon as he merged onto the interstate, he floored it, getting a speeding ticket on the way home. Even though his Audi was built to outrun the police cruiser, he didn't want to chance causing a wreck on the interstate, pulling over and taking the ticket, heeding to the trooper's advice and staying at a manageable speed the rest of the way to Oak Hills.

When he got home, even though Madison was just being a good girl and sending him a picture like he wanted, she took her punishment for being a brat and causing him to get the ticket, flattening her forearms to the wall and pressing her cheek to surface, waiting for the first hard smack of his hand, of his belt when she heard the fine leather swish through the loops of his trousers. Her moans and cries echoed off the walls of the rotunda as he fucked her hard right there on the first landing of the staircase, begging and pleading with him to be allowed to cum and when she was granted release, she bit him as she succumbed to the pleasures he inflicted on her with his lips, teeth, tongue and cock, the bite only getting her an even harder smack on her already red upturned ass and rug burn on her knees, chest and cheek. And another lesson learned, to be repeated if she dared to make him mad again, her satisfied, cheeky smile causing his heart to pound even harder as she curled up next to him when he sat down on the floor, pulling her trembling body into the safe and secure hold of his arms.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Towards the end of June, they took a trip to Portland to find her an apartment close to the university hospital that was reserved for student housing before they started to fill up as the first term grew closer and closer. Money wasn't the issue, but finding something that she liked that was in close proximity to the hospital was what was taking the most time. The first one had a bathtub that was too small to fit the both of them, the second one was too close to the stairs and she would hear everybody as they came and went, and the third one only had one window. He was about to drive her to a different district to look at condos when she finally found one that was perfect.

The apartment was two blocks from the university so she could walk instead of relying on public transportation, on the top floor of the three-story complex and at the end so she only had two neighbors, with the bedroom on the outside wall. It didn't have a bathtub, but it did have a shower big enough for both of them, and a private balcony that faced west so they could enjoy the sunsets on the weekends together. Since her scholarship was paying for the apartment and he was the one funding her entire education, he signed a three-year lease and paid the first three months' rent so they could take several trips to move her in before her first term started, dropping the keys to her new home away from home into her open palm.

Since they still had plenty of time before they had to drive back to Oak Hills, they spent the rest of the afternoon seeing if there was a dojo in the vicinity that she would like to join, but none of them appealed to her, so like he promised, he would be her sparring partner on the weekends. He let her choose the restaurant for dinner--of course it would be a burger place--and he enjoyed a grilled chicken lettuce wrap and a side salad while she sank her teeth into a double patty bacon cheeseburger with the works, smiling at him from behind the burger as she slowly chewed. Her mischievous smile got even bigger when he reached across the table and wiped the barbeque sauce from the corner of her mouth with the pad of his forefinger, neither of them caring if anyone saw her suck the condiment from his finger. She held the burger across the table to him, offering him a bite and when he refused, she said one bite won't hurt, to which he replied, one kiss got them to where they were, and he smiled, leaning across the table to sink his teeth into her burger that completely went against his diet, his eyes holding hers the entire time as a slight flush came to her cheeks.

The two-hour drive home was quiet for the most part. Once they got out of the heavy flow of city traffic, she turned on the driving playlist he had on his phone, connecting it to sound system and adjusting the volume to a level where he could still hear everything outside. She settled into her seat and gazed out the tinted window as his hand found her bare thigh just past the hem of her shorts, caressing her soft skin as he drove, her heart sinking in her chest when she realized just how much she was going to miss his touch. He savored every moment of her like this, every touch of her skin, because as reality started to sink in, they both knew she would be away from him for three years, the weekends and holidays just not enough time to reconnect, testing the strength of their relationship, even though both of them knew that nothing could tear them apart.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After thirty minutes of pleading with Jacob, Madison convinced him to spend the Fourth of July with her and her parents in Central Oregon. Her parents always rented a two-bedroom condo close to the river and golf courses twice a year, a week in the summer for the holiday and two weeks in the winter so they could enjoy skiing and all the other winter activities around the resort. He agreed to go as long as she left her bratty attitude at home and promised to not call him daddy in front of her parents. They drove there in his car while her parents led the way in their truck, stopping at a grocery store before they got to the condo so he could buy all the food that they needed for the week, the one thing that he insisted on and wouldn't take no for an answer.

He went to the driving range and golf course with Robert the second day they were there while Madison abused his credit card at the local mall and shops with her mother. He rented mountain bikes for the two of them so they could take to the trails and appreciate the scenery while her parents enjoyed some time to themselves doing their favorite activities, ending the holiday with grilled steaks and plenty of side dishes, all of them sitting around the fire pit on the back deck where they had a clear view of the fireworks as they lit up the night sky. Her parents had to cut the trip short after Robert got a call from the hospital that night, needing him to come into work since the other two techs were unavailable, one due to a family emergency and the other one being out of state, reluctantly leaving Jacob and Madison to enjoy the condo for the last two days of the rental.

Jacob was cleaning up their late breakfast dishes when Madison came back into the kitchen in her fuchsia bikini, giving him no choice but to change into his swim trunks so they could go down to the pool or find a spot on the river for a little more privacy. They caught the free concert in the park as they lounged on a blanket under the shade of a tree, sipping on their fresh-squeezed lemonade and listening to the music as they shared a taco salad and Korean barbeque from the food trucks parked at the venue. And later that night, they enjoyed having the place all to themselves as they cuddled together on the lounge chair eating ice cream on the deck before he carried her off to bed, muffling all of her cries with his hand and mouth so the families in the next units couldn't hear her as he made up for the previous days and nights of not being able to do anything with her parents around, his good girl quickly turning naughty and begging for everything.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In the middle of July, when they were just having a lazy evening after her karate class, sitting on his porch as they watched the sun set over the mountains in the distance, he came to realize that he always made the plans for their trips and he asked her where she wanted to go this time since they weren't going to have much more time to spend together before college. She laid there on the loveseat with her head on his thigh, thinking about all of the places that she had always wanted to go but never could because time and money was the issue, but he had more than enough of both to give her what ever it was she wanted and as much fun as an overseas vacation sounded, she didn't have a passport or enough time to get one. She had loved every moment of their hiking trip in Washinton so she asked if they could go to more national parks, particularly the ones in Utah and he smiled, telling her to make a list of everywhere she wanted to go and he would make the travel arrangements and necessary reservations, knowing that no matter where they went, they made every moment count.

They flew first class to Utah and picked up a Jeep Wrangler at the airport, driving to their first hotel and enjoying a casual dinner before their first big outing in the morning. They spent ten days hiking the parks, taking in the scenery of the state and making memories that they would never forget, knowing that this was what they loved to do together, exploring the outdoors, finding new adventures and just making the most of life with each other. He stole glances at her in the passenger's seat as they drove down the open highway to their next destination, the wind blowing through her hair as she danced in her seat, her hands waving in the air as she sang along with the music she had put on the sound system from her phone, smiling at him from behind her sunglasses.

He knew, right then and there, that he couldn't love her any more than he did right now, all carefree and a little bit wild, and he reached over and pulled her closer for a quick kiss, so thankful that he couldn't have found a more suitable partner in life, love and adventure then he could have found in her. And, as he always did for their last night together wherever they went, he planned a day that led to a romantic candlelight dinner and a sunset stroll before going back to their hotel room for a night of pleasure that had several rooms knowing just how good he made her feel.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

August had them realizing just how much closer they were to being farther apart. She had to be in Portland, registered for all of her classes and settled into her apartment whereas he had to get ready for teaching the next school year and have his room prepared and lesson planning done all before they parted ways in September. He insisted that she spend as much time as she wanted with her parents and Dylan before he took her on one final vacation, before her best friend moved across the country.

He had gotten the keys to the family beach house in Hawaii when they visited his mother, and he kept it from Madison so he could surprise her with a relaxing ten-day trip to Oahu before their summer together came to an end. He told her what to pack in her suitcase and she settled into the passenger's seat of his car on the drive to the airport, not once asking where they were going because she just loved being with him and he made every trip special and memorable, loving that he had three months off so they could spend it together now and every summer in the future.

When he handed her the first-class ticket to Hawaii, finally telling her it was his family's vacation home and not a hotel, she kissed him right there in the airport, holding his hand all the way to the gate as she rolled her suitcase along behind her. He had said that he was going to spoil her, take such good care of her, but she never imagined just what all of that entailed. And she loved every moment of every day that she had with him, knowing that stepping back into his classroom was the best decision she could have ever made. He made every vacation a dream for her, and this one was more than she could have ever imagined. And when they left the airport in a chauffeured Range Rover, driving through the city and around the island to a secluded sprawling house on a private beach, she was realizing even more just how wealthy his family truly was, not that any of that mattered to her, she loved him for who he was, not what he had and the only thing she ever wanted was him.

They explored the island during the day and spent their evenings at the beach house, eating their dinner on the lanai before they went down to the beach and lounged together in a chair on the sand, listening to the crashing waves and gazing up at the stars. In all of his adult life, even when his grandfather had cut him off, he had never brought anyone to the beach house, not even his ex, just Madison, and as she snuggled closer to him, sighing as he ran his fingers through her hair, he knew that she truly loved him and didn't care about his money or the extravagant life she could live with him if he ever decided to give up teaching. He just wanted to live life to the fullest with her right beside him, even if the next three years tested everything that they had started to build between them. She had fallen asleep on him, and he carried her back up to the house, tucking himself behind her in bed, leaving the window open so the soothing sounds of the ocean was what she woke up to in his arms.

For their last two days on the island, he didn't take her to a fancy restaurant for a romantic dinner or on a sunset stroll, instead he gave the housekeeper the days off, paying her more than her weekly wage in cash to not come back until they got ready to leave, giving them the privacy they wanted inside the secluded property. He made those days just about them. She would stand scantily clad next to him at the island in the kitchen helping him prep their meals, feeding each other the raw veggies or fresh fruit between laughs and kisses. He smiled every time she slid between him and the stove, wrapping his arm around her waist and briefly nuzzling her neck as he cooked their meals that almost got burned whenever she slid her hands down the back of his shorts, tormenting him before she walked away. No matter what he was doing, she would wiggle out of her only remaining article of clothing and toss it his direction, giving him an enticing view that was way hotter and more exciting than whatever he was trying to concentrate on, running after her and picking her up in his arms as her laughter filled his ears.

They would go down to the beach and just sit on the sand, her between his legs, watching the waves as they rolled in, his soft kisses turning to much longer, deeper ones until the sun started to set, painting the evening sky with a myriad of colors. He pampered her in the evenings with candlelit bubble baths that had him lifting her from the water and carrying her to the bed where he took his time kissing every inch of her, making her feel everything as he let her surrender to every slow build with no begging, no pleading, just letting her savor every orgasm before he finally gave in to his own, waking up in the mornings to let her feel everything all over again. They left the island that much closer together, that much more in love, knowing that the sacrifice they were going to have to make would keep them coming back to each other.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In the middle of August, Madison had to do the hardest thing that she ever had to do in her life. Say good-bye to Dylan. He was flying to New York with his mother, and she had gone along with his parents and younger brother to the airport, riding in the back seat with him and trying to pretend like nothing was happening, that she wasn't getting ripped away from her best friend for the past eleven years in a matter of hours. She didn't want to let him go, but she knew she had to. Both of them were in ugly tears as they hugged in the terminal, both of them trying to be strong for the other person. She cried even harder knowing he was going to be alone in the big city with no one to protect him, no one to keep him safe, crying knowing that she wouldn't have her keeper of secrets, her cheerleader there beside her anymore. But knowing that he was doing what he was meant to do, bring beauty and style to everyone as he made a name for himself in the fashion world, allowed letting him go just a little bit easier. So, with one last hug, they parted ways in the airport, knowing that their lives had been so much better with each other in them.

When she got back home to Oak Hills, she went straight to Jacob's house, there were too many memories of her and Dylan in hers and she didn't want to be alone with those torments at the moment. She didn't say anything to Jacob when she walked through his front door, she didn't need to, he knew what she was feeling at the moment and he always let her be alone with her thoughts for as long as she needed to be before he came to comfort her. She went up to his bedroom clutching the boxes to her chest that Dylan had given her in the car on the ride to the airport, breaking down in tears when she finally got up the nerve to untie the ribbon that held the two boxes together, lifting first one lid and then the other. She started to cry again when she saw the most beautiful silk and chiffon dress in every vibrant color of the rainbow nestled inside the box, the hand sewn silk flowers covering the bodice and splashed all over the floor length full skirt, knowing it had taken him weeks to make it for her, his love going into every stitch. The other box held the framed sketches he had drawn and colored of both dresses he had made for her, only her, no one else was ever going to see the designs. All of it making her miss and love her best friend even more.

She sank into Jacob's arms when he sat down on the floor next to her, sobbing even harder, knowing that, even though he was seeing her at her weakest, she was growing even stronger, and he would never, ever hold any of it against her. He just held her even tighter and caressed her back, pressing a kiss to her forehead as she released the overwhelming emotions she never let just anyone see, only him and the person she had to say her good-byes to, never knowing if she was ever going to see him again.

And it was in that moment, he realized that she loved with her whole heart and he could only hope that he was worthy of that much love.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Before the end of August, Madison had registered for all of her classes, picked up all of her necessary books and supplies, and with her parents and Jacob's help, finished moving everything she needed into her apartment before she started her first semester the following month. The thought of everything; moving far away from her family, taking on a heavy course load, and being alone during the week started to scare her but being a nurse was the only thing she ever wanted to do, and taking on the challenge was something she wasn't going to fail. She never gave up with her karate and with that discipline instilled in her, she would never let the biggest and hardest thing she decided to set her mind to defeat her, knowing that if she ever felt like she was starting to get behind, starting to feel like it was too much, she had Jacob there on the weekends to keep her motivated, to keep her on the right track, and disappointing him would never be an option.

He was back to teaching before she had to leave for college, both of them still thankful and not believing that they had never been caught. Ever since he had given her a key, and it being one of his rules that she happily obeyed--meet him at the door when he came home--only she went even further by jumping up into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist, hugging and kissing him as he carried her into the house, telling him how much she missed him and asking him how his day was before she teased him about something that got her a stern look and a hard smack on her ass before he set her down on her feet. She made him dinner, knowing that role was going to be reversed after she got her degree and worked longer hours than him, taking the time to spoil him for a change even if it was only going to be for a few weeks. She curled up on the couch next to him while he finished up whatever he needed to do on his laptop, watching a movie together before bed, both of them not wanting to talk about the distance they would soon be experiencing.

And then that fateful day came.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Madison drove herself to Portland on Friday with Jacob right behind her in his own car, deciding that it would be a good idea to have her car there in case of emergencies, even though she would probably be using public transportation most of the time. The drive was long and boring, and the further she drove the more she realized just how much of a passenger princess she had become, Jacob always driving whenever they went somewhere, his hand on her thigh and stealing kisses at stoplights, appreciating and loving him even more since he would be doing the long, tedious drive every weekend to see her, to be with her because he couldn't go without her touch. When they got to her apartment, they both realized that they had never bought anything for her kitchen, so they grabbed a quick dinner and went shopping afterwards, getting everything that she needed along with enough groceries to last her two weeks, stocking the freezer door with their favorite flavors of ice cream, sharing two pints as they cuddled together in her bed, her in a sleep shirt and shorts, him in just his boxer trunks.

She looked around at the small space of her new bedroom, her double bed taking up the majority of the room, leaving just enough space for her dresser and bookcase along the far wall, her closet holding the rest of her clothes and personal belongings. She had left several inches of the closet, one drawer of the dresser and one drawer in the bathroom free for all of his personal items that he felt he needed to leave so he wouldn't be bringing them up with him every weekend, giving him that space like he had when she first started coming over to his house. "Maybe we should have looked at condos in one of the other districts, we would definitely have more space, but I would just feel guilty wasting all of it at the same time when you're only going to be spending two days at the most with me," she whispered.

The curtain was closed over the window, blocking out the light that kept the courtyard of the complex illuminated, the bedroom lit from the bedside lamp atop the small nightstand, the soft light giving the small room an even cozier feel, the soft scent of roses coming from the wax burner on the bookshelf. She smiled, snuggling closer to the warmth of his bare chest as he wrapped his arm around her, resting her head on his shoulder as she gazed down the length of his bare leg at his foot that was inches from the end of her bed, his other knee bent and his foot resting along the side of her thigh. "And I'm sorry that my bed isn't big enough for you but if we went with anything larger, there wouldn't be any room to walk around in here. But on the bright side, the shower is big enough for the both of us."

Jacob chuckled as he wrapped his arm tighter around her ribs, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as he softly caressed the side of her neck, first with the back of his fingers and then with his fingertips as he slowly drew them across the front of her throat to the other side of her neck, feeling the steady beat of her pulse. He softly traced the tip of his finger across her chest, following the scoop neck of her sleep shirt, savoring the softness of her skin as she snuggled against him in her favorite spot, knowing that he was going to miss this with her during the week but appreciate it so much more on the weekends. "The place is definitely small, and I would have gladly leased you a condo but you like the apartment, and it's close to the college." He looked around at the space that was left on the mattress, not much to move around but enough space to sleep. "Besides, you pretty much sleep on top of me as it is, babydoll, so I'll just be the bigger spoon and we'll both fit in the middle."

"Mmm, I like the sound of that," she whispered, scooting herself around between his legs until she was curled up tight against his chest, her head on his shoulder and her drawn-up knees pressed against his ribs. She slowly traced lazy hearts over his own, caressing his smooth skin with the tips of her fingers as a slow smile came to her face remembering all of those mornings she had awakened in his arms and not alone in the bed. No matter where she was on the mattress, he was always pressed up behind her or she was sprawled across the top of him, the soft brush of his lips stirring her from her restful night's sleep. "And also having a boy in my bed. I don't know how I'm going to sleep without you here with me. I've gotten so comfortable sleeping next to you that I have a hard time falling asleep without your arms around me, and now you're going to be hours away from me instead of minutes."

"Babydoll, you skipped the boy and went straight to the man," Jacob chuckled, correcting her. He slowly combed his fingers through her hair, gazing down at her where she had her cheek pressed to his chest, feeling a deep contented sigh leave her body and he bent his head to press a kiss to the top of her head. During the four months that they had been together, he had changed his sleeping habits. He still woke before the sun came up, he couldn't help that, but he never got out of bed, just held her petite body next to his, watching her as she slept, awakening her with a soft kiss before he finally slipped out of bed and let her go back to sleep. "I'll just have to leave one of my shirts here for you to sleep in. You'll be calling me every night right before you go to bed and when you wake up, so it'll be like I'm right here next to you," he whispered against her hair. "I won't get to kiss you good night or good morning, but you'll be able to see me."

"I know, but it's still not the same," Madison whispered, as she tried to snuggle even closer to the warmth and strength of his body. She rested her hand on his chest, her thumb slowly caressing back and forth along his smooth skin, feeling the steady beat of his heart, the heart that she knew only belonged to her. The next three years were going to be rough, but they would make it through them, and like he had said, they would have breaks and holidays at the same time and she knew he would make the most of every one, whether they went somewhere or just stayed locked up in his house with no one bothering them. She was his, and he was hers, and nobody was ever going to tear them apart. "I love you," she whispered, slowly closing her eyes.

"Maddie, babydoll, you're the best thing that ever happened to me," he whispered, his gaze focusing on her as she snuggled even closer and tucked her head into the crook of his neck, her lashes fluttering closed over those baby blues that had so many emotions swirling around inside them. He pressed his lips to the top of her head, knowing that her love and her undying devotion was what was going to get them through these next three years. "And I didn't think I could ever love someone as much as I love you," he said against her hair. He didn't know if this was going to be harder for him or for her, the longest they had been apart for the entire summer was two weeks, and they only had the rest of the night, all day Saturday, and part of Sunday to be together until he had to drive back home.

He gazed down at her hand that was caressing his chest, knowing she wasn't asleep yet, just savoring the closeness of his body, listening to him as he spoke. "I don't want you eating a bunch of junk food, you've got to stay healthy to concentrate, so I'm going to prep you a bunch of meals. I'll cook extra and freeze it so when I come up on the weekends, you'll have plenty of food to get you through the week. I might not be able to make the drive up here if it snows, so if there is ever a slight possibility of snow or freezing rain this winter, get to the grocery store at the bottom of the hill. Make sure you get enough food to last you two, maybe three weeks because the road up here is too curvy and too steep to drive or even walk. You're taking on a lot of hard classes so don't forget to eat and always be a good girl and don't break any of my rules."

Madison slowly smiled as she listened to him as he talked. She loved being his good girl, loved being his brat even more, and obeying his rules would never be a problem, it was missing him during the week that was going to be the hardest, but she had a heavy course load to keep her mind focused, knowing that even if she only got to cuddle with him on the weekends, it would be enough of a reward and the relaxation that she needed. She opened her eyes and tipped her head back, gazing up at him. Even though she knew he was cooking for her so she could focus on her education, having her own personal chef went way beyond spoiling her, but then that was just one of the little things he loved to do for her, along with finally perfecting his pancake recipe from scratch. She pressed a kiss to his stubbled jaw. "I really loved that sesame chicken and broccoli. And can you make me some of those mushroom stuffed pork loins, too? And those.... mmm, whatever you cook will be delicious. I appreciate you so much. Thank you."

"Your only priority should be studying," Jacob said as he combed his fingers through her hair, "and taking that burden off of you is the least that I can do. You have your credit card if you need anything and if an emergency comes up, my mom is only twenty minutes away. I put her number in your phone and she has yours and your address, so don't be afraid to call her." He reached over and picked up his watch that was lying on the nightstand to look at the time, seeing that it was much later than he thought. Time just seemed to stand still when he was holding her in his arms, and he savored every second of every moment he had with her. "It's late, babydoll. We need to get some sleep," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as he gently nudged her over his thigh to settle onto the mattress beside him. And when she curled up next to him leaving him hardly any room to move around without falling over the edge of the bed, he chuckled. Her double bed was so much smaller than his king-sized. "You're going to have to scoot over just a little bit so I have more room."

Madison scooted closer to the other side of the bed, the room going dark as he shut off the bedside lamp, waiting for him to get comfortable before she burrowed down next to him, wiggling her body tight against the strength of his as he pulled the blankets up over them, a soft moan escaping her when he wrapped his arm around her torso, his large hand cupping the underside of her breast as he settled into the smaller bed behind her. "Mmm, nice and cozy," she whispered, smiling in the darkness at the feel of the solid ridge of his cock nestled up against the cheeks of her ass, two layers of cotton separating them. She closed her eyes when he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, combing her hair back away from her face to press another kiss to her temple, just another thing that she was going to miss during the week, his soft kisses that soothed over everything, giving her the feeling of being loved and cherished so much. "Dream of me as you sleep," she murmured, sliding her hand along his arm and curling her fingers around his, holding him as he held her.

"Always, babydoll, always," Jacob whispered, holding her tight against him as the sounds of the city outside her bedroom window lulled them to sleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Madison tried to go back to sleep when she was awakened by Jacob's soft kiss on her forehead and the even softer caress of his hand along her bare thigh, his soothing whisper to stay in bed fanning the side of her face, watching through hooded eyes as he walked from her bedroom. She reached for her phone on the night stand and pulled the blankets up higher, scrolling through the messages that had come in from Dylan in the early morning hours, the time difference meaning nothing when it came from your best friend. She replied to every message, every picture that he sent her, from the streets of New York City to the inside of his apartment he was sharing with two other roommates to the campus of the fashion institute he was attending, with promises to send him pictures of the campus around the university hospital when she started on Monday.

She missed her best friend more and more each day, and even though they could still stay in touch it was hard, he was clear across the country starting his own education at his dream college, and she was at hers. She swore to herself that she wasn't going to cry anymore as she wiped the tears from her eyes and threw the covers off, sliding out of bed and padding through the bedroom to the bathroom, emerging a few minutes later.

She walked down the short hall to the open living area of her apartment, breathing in the aroma of pancakes and coffee that filled the room, the sight of Jacob standing at her stove in just his boxer trunks and glasses, with his sleep tousled hair even more wild from his fingers, a welcome sight she was only going to get to savor on the weekends but love even more. He had bought a new coffee pot and bean grinder to keep tucked in the corner of her kitchen so he wouldn't have to leave every morning to get his caffeine, her own morning pick-me-up being a glass of orange juice, which he already had sitting on the counter for her.

She eyed the pile of twenty or so fluffy pancakes cooling on a rack on the counter as she slid up beside him, wrapping her arms around his strong torso as she stood on the balls of her feet to press a kiss to his stubbled jaw. "Mmm, just how many pancakes are you making me, Jacob?" she asked, knowing that he was already starting her meal prep for her. "And it's a good thing I have curtains on the balcony windows, or everybody could see your hard ass."

Jacob chuckled, wrapping his arm around her as he pulled her even closer, setting the spatula down and reaching up with his other hand to gently take hold of her chin, tipping her head back as he lowered his, giving her a long, deep and very thorough good-morning kiss, swallowing her moan as she arched even harder against him. He kissed her again, a soft brushing of his lips over hers, before lifting his head and dragging his thumb along her swollen bottom lip, gazing down at her eyes and cheeks that were slightly red from the tears that she tried not to shed again over her best friend.

He never invaded her private conversations without asking permission but had seen the alerts on her phone, seen who the messages were from, the only male beside her father and him she ever talked to. "I know you miss him, babydoll, but with as strong of a friendship that you two have, nothing is ever going to break that special bond, not even three thousand miles. But you both have to go your separate ways, find your place in this world, before you find yourself back together again. And I am never going to keep you from him." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and picked up her glass of juice, handing it to her. "Go sit while I finish breakfast."

Madison licked her lips, savoring his coffee-flavored kiss, a tiny whimper escaping her when he broke the kiss. She nodded her head as she took every word that he said to heart, knowing that he was bending that one rule for her because her best friend was gay, made obeying him even easier and loving him even stronger. "I just worry about him because I've always been there to protect him. But he's living with another guy and a girl in Chelsea not that far from the fashion institute and he looks happy in all of the pictures he sent me." She slowly smiled, giving him another kiss as she took her glass of juice from him, her other hand trailing down his back to the curve of his cotton covered ass, giving one cheek a hard squeeze, watching as his hazel eyes darkened behind the lenses of his glasses, knowing now was not the time to be a brat but still enjoying the occasional teasing.

She walked over to the square dining table with two chairs they had sat by one of the balcony windows, the morning sun streaming in through the slits in the blinds, and she sat down on the chair, resting her bare foot on the edge of the seat as she sipped her juice. She looked across the table at the corner floor stand full of a variety of potted cacti he had bought her, 'because she was no delicate little flower', smiling as she vividly recalled having to pull one of those spines out of his thumb with a pair of tweezers, pressing a sucking kiss to the spot where the tiny pinpoint of blood dotted his skin, which only led to her pressing another sucking kiss to another spot on his body that was dotted with fluid. She quickly came back to the present when she heard the clinking of plates on the kitchen counter.

She sat her glass down on the table, lazily running the pad of her finger around the rim. He had already set the table with silverware and bowls of fresh cut fruit, his place on the left side of her rather than across, and she picked up her fork, stabbing at a chunk of cantaloupe, biting into it and watching him as he started cooking their eggs, her gaze roaming over his sculpted backside. She wished every morning could be like this, could be like their trip to Hawaii, just the two of them eating in their pajamas and underwear, not worrying about anything, just living in the moment. But reality would quickly close in on them. "My parents are going to be here this afternoon. They haven't seen the place since we got the last of everything put away. And I kinda think they wanted to see me off to college."

Jacob quickly plated their breakfast, padding barefooted over to the table, balancing both plates in one hand and his cup of steaming coffee in the other. He sat his mug down as she dropped her foot to the floor and placed her plate in front of her, one pancake, fluffy egg whites and a two strips of turkey bacon, before he sat down in the chair next to her, his own breakfast minus the pancake filling his plate. He had planned on spending a quiet Saturday morning with her while they cooked up enough breakfast meals and now that her parents were coming up, he would just stay back in her apartment and work on his lesson planning for the rest of the month while she gave them a tour of the campus.

He picked up his fork and stabbed at a strawberry quarter, raising it up to his mouth, looking at her. "I know, and I'm sorry about that. They should have been the ones to drive you up here. But I figured that since I'm the one sleeping with you..." His voice trailed off as he watched her squeeze an unhealthy amount of syrup all over her breakfast, not missing a single piece of anything. He popped the strawberry in his mouth and slowly chewed. "Do you think you have enough syrup there, babydoll," he teased.

"Nope. Pancakes need syrup. You make me these pretty plates of food that are always so delicious..." she said, watching as the flow of golden syrup covered every last chunk of pancake, strip of bacon and fluffy egg white. "... but they need a little bit extra. Besides, you make me work the calories off in one position or another and I need my energy," she said, a cheeky smile coming to her face. She sat the bottle of maple syrup back down on the table and picked up her fork, raising her eyes to him just in time to see that cocky smile come across to his face. Every time he made her breakfast, and if it included pancakes, he drizzled the syrup over the cut-up pieces before he gave it to her and she never complained, but he had left the bottle on the table...

She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss, licking the strawberry juice from both of their lips before she sat up straight on her chair, tucking her feet under the legs and crossing her ankles. She stabbed at a chunk of pancake, swirling it around in the puddle of syrup on her plate before sticking it in her mouth, slowly pulling the fork past her pursed lips, teasing him just a little bit more. "We've got a good four hours before they get here and we don't know how sturdy this table is."

Jacob eyed her over the rim of his coffee mug as he took several sips, trying to hide his smile as the warm morning sunlight caressed every inch of her. She was sitting there eating her breakfast, her sleep tousled hair piled up on the top of her head in a sloppy bun, the soft cotton of her shirt draped over her breasts, her hard nipples distending the fabric, her bare legs inches from his... Oh, how he was going to miss this in the mornings, her teasing throughout the day, her brattiness that got him rushing home after work. He sat his mug back down and reached across the table, cupping her chin in his hand as he leaned closer, looking deep into those baby blues. "Don't worry, babydoll, you'll be on your knees begging for daddy to fuck you tonight," he grated out, his voice hoarse.

He let go of her chin and picked up his fork, stabbing at his eggs, his gaze never leaving her, watching as a warm flush spread up her neck to her cheeks, knowing just what she was in for tonight. He quickly changed the subject. "I need to run down to the store to get you some whole eggs for your meals and I've got work for school. Spend the afternoon with your parents and take them out to lunch. I should have everything done by the time all of you get back."

"Okay," Madison said as she finished the last of her breakfast. She picked up her glass of juice, sitting back in her chair and raised first one leg and the then other, resting her calf on his bare thigh as she crossed her leg over the other one. She sipped her juice, gazing at him over the rim of her glass as his left hand started to slowly caress the length of her bare leg as he drank the last of his coffee, his gaze, as always, focused on her. Maybe the next three years weren't going to be so hard after all. In high school, she saw him four to five days a week and couldn't touch him, now she would only be able to see him three days a week and could touch him all she wanted.

She was more than happy that her parents didn't have an issue with their age difference, her parents also had one, but they still didn't know what he did for a living or had even bothered with asking, her dad was just overjoyed that he had a new sparring buddy whose skills rivaled his own. She sat her empty glass down on the table and leaned forward, wrapping her arm around his neck as she pressed a kiss to his stubbled jaw, reaching up and raking her nails through his tousled waves as she gazed into those swirls of blue, green and gold. Her breath was warm against his skin when she spoke. "I'm going to go take a shower. Care to join me?"

Jacob looked her right in the eyes, a slow, cocky smile coming to his face. He reached down and curled his fingers around the leg of her chair and dragged it and her closer to him, her legs sliding over his till her thighs were resting on top of his, watching as her sudden gasp turned to a naughty smile that had her biting her bottom lip. He trailed his hand up the length of her thigh to her hip and up, up to her breast and the curve of her neck, shoving his fingers into her hair, loosening the sloppy bun even more.

He lowered his head until his lips were just a hairsbreadth away from hers, his warm exhales fanning her skin, her lips as she darted the tip of her tongue over hers, then his. A groan escaped him. "Babydoll, if I ever say no to that question, you kick me in the head and knock the sense right back into me," he vowed, right before he kissed her. Hard. He wrapped his arm around her and hauled her up against him as he got to his feet, quickly shifting her weight and hefting her over his shoulder, her giggles filling the kitchen as he carried her off to the bathroom.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Madison gave Jacob a kiss good-bye before he left to go to the grocery store, closing the door behind him and quickly darted across the length of her apartment, flinging herself onto her pillow covered loveseat, shrieking as the excitement, the thrill of having her own place all to herself finally sank in. She was an adult now, a college student, away from her parents, living on her own with her boyfriend coming up on the weekends, free to do as she pleased as long as she didn't break her daddy's rules. It was exhilarating, overwhelming, and scary all at the same time, and she couldn't be happier. She flipped herself over, staring up at the ceiling, hugging one of the pillows to her chest, savoring the quietness, the solitude, the start of the new chapter in her life. But that happiness was brought to a screeching halt when there was a knock on her door ten minutes later and she let out a long breath, sitting up on the side of the couch.

She knew it wasn't Jacob, he had the second key, so it had to be her parents. They had texted her when they reached the outskirts of Portland, getting to her apartment faster than they said they would. She got up off the loveseat and walked over to the door, and for the first time in her adult life, she opened the door to her apartment, inviting her parents inside. "Mom, Dad," she exclaimed, hugging both of them in turn as they stepped over the threshold. She watched as her parents walked further into her living area, looking around at the coziness of the place. She had decorated the room with a few pictures, a loveseat and coffee table, and not much else, just the necessary things she needed for the next three years. "Come in. We finally got everything put away and spent the first night here. I know you guys would have rather came up here with me today but--"

"Where's Jacob," Robert asked as he stepped past his wife and daughter, looking around the openness of the apartment, out through the open balcony door for a sign of his best buddy. Any other concerned father would be checking every entrance and exit to make sure his daughter's safety and well-being would not be compromised after she moved away from home, but his daughter could take care of herself, he was more interested in hanging out with his friend then anything. And not seeing any sign of Jacob anywhere in the apartment, he crossed his arms over his chest and sulked.

Madison looked over at her father as he looked around like a child trying to find his best friend, who was totally lost without him, suddenly looking so deflated when he couldn't find him anywhere. She bit her lip to keep from smiling, she was just happy that the two of them had such a great rapport. "He went down to the store to get some more eggs for all the meals he's preparing for me, so I don't have to worry about cooking. He should be back soon," she said, reassuring her father.

She looked over at her mother that wasn't so accommodating to her new life, that was more than perturbed to hear that Jacob was still with her, hoping that it had just been a summer fling between the two of them, but now seeing that it was much more than that and that he wasn't going anywhere. Her mother still had her concerns, and she knew that every one of them revolved around her not making the same mistake that she did, and nothing that she said would ever appease her over-protectiveness. "And he said I should take you guys to lunch after I show you around the campus that is only two blocks away."

"I need to use the bathroom first. It's a long drive up here," Delilah said, her voice somber, looking around the apartment for the bathroom, walking that direction to leave her daughter alone with her father. She knew that she never would have the kind of relationship she wanted with her only child ever since her daughter was five years old, and she came to accept the fact that Madison would always be close to her father, would always go to him for guidance, never even getting the chance to be the kind of mother she should have been to her, especially when her husband was in prison. And now that she was grown up and had moved away for college, her chance was even more fleeting.

Robert stepped over to his daughter and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to his side, watching as his wife, still a little distraught over their only child moving away from home, walked to the bathroom, discreetly wiping the tears from her eyes. He looked down at his daughter, knowing that he was going to miss her more and more every day, and every day be even more thankful that he wasn't still in prison and could see his daughter off to college, even if her boyfriend had been the one to drive her the two hundred miles away from them. "Your mother is only concerned about your well-being. She sees you as herself all those years ago, infatuated with an older man, going against her own mother's wishes to stay away from him, forced to get married because you're pregnant, not getting to experience college life." He looked down at his daughter, seeing the blank look on her face as he talked about the past, about his own younger self. "You're not pregnant, are you, munchkin?" he asked.

"No," Madison croaked, vehemently shaking her head as she looked up at her father, her heart slamming in her chest from the mere thought that her father knew she was having sex even though she was eighteen and could make her own decisions. That was the one thing she didn't want at the moment, a baby, and her and Jacob had been taking precautions, maybe not using condoms every time, but she was still on birth control to make sure that she didn't get pregnant until they decided when and if they wanted a child. And now was not the right time, and also not the topic she wanted to discuss with her own father. "Jacob and I haven't even-- I'm being safe and... we, I mean I don't even know if I want a child."

"Good," Robert said as he kissed his daughter on the head, soothing her frazzled nerves. "I love your mom, I aways have and I always will, and you were the best thing that ever happened to us, even if she lost her ability to give you a sibling. She's scared that Jacob will ruin your life, but I can see how much you two love each other and that he will do anything to keep you safe, much like I did with your mother. Would I go back and change things? Never in a million years. You live your life with the man that you love, possibly the only man that can kick my ass in a fight, and don't worry too much about your mother. She's having a hard time seeing her little girl all grown up."

Madison gave her father a big hug, resting her cheek on his chest. Her dad had always been her biggest supporter, pushed her hard to get her to where she was with her karate and with her education, even if she had given up on herself all those months ago. But all of that was behind her and she had her future to look forward to, so thankful that her father was here to see her off to college, to see her graduate for a second time, and all because of Jacob. "Thanks, Dad. I love Jacob more than you would ever know. I know you would rather we had waited until I was done with college before I started dating but--"

Robert gave his daughter a hug back before he looked down at her. She was headstrong just like him and he knew that if he had objected to her relationship, she would just have run off with the guy and never went to college, possibly cut him and her mother out of her life for good. So, he had to support them and there wasn't a thing that he despised about her boyfriend, well, maybe one thing, but he was just as guilty pursuing a younger woman when he was close to Jacob's age. "I've seen the way he treats you and I don't think I could ever hope for a more suitable boyfriend for you. I wish he was a little bit younger... but I'm not really one to talk. He can handle himself in a fight, he's more than willing to help you train, and he's sure as hell not intimidated by me. I do have to ask because it never really came up these past few months, but what does he do for work? The car he drives is worth more than I make in a year and there is no way you got that scholarship so late in the school year by pure luck."

Madison bit her bottom lip. If her dad knew exactly how Jacob treated her, he would-- And now he wanted to know... She started to panic. Her parents had never asked, it never came up in conversation and she had always gotten straight A's so there never had been a time while she was in high school that her parents ever had to meet her teachers. And Jacob had come to her when her grades started slipping, never once contacting her parents. She didn't do school sports so they never would have seen him at the school, and they never took interest in her yearbooks that clearly had him on the faculty page. And even though they knew she was with him during the summer going on vacations, they only ever asked the necessary questions, she was eighteen and free to do as she pleased... Hurry back Jacob, I need you now more than ever, she thought to herself. She looked up at her father, her sensi, the first man she had ever loved and the last one she ever wanted to disappoint. "Jacob works at­--"

"I'm ready to go," Delilah said as she walked back out into the main living area of her daughter's apartment, smoothing her hand over her neatly braided blonde hair. She could tell by the look on her daughter's face that she had interrupted an important conversation that she definitely had or had not been the subject of while she was in the bathroom freshening up. She quickly drew the chit-chat away from what was making her daughter slightly uncomfortable to something they could all agree on for the most part. "The bathroom is so cute. I really love all the decorations you have in there. Did you get those when you went to Hawaii? There's not much room to move around but the shower is just big enough for two people."

"It is? I never noticed it before," Madison said, in shock and relief that her mother had interrupted her conversation with her dad at just the right moment, changing the subject. The large metal tropical fish and sea turtle wall art that was hanging in her bathroom was a souvenir from the islands and also a reminder that if she truly loved something, saw the beauty in it like art or clothing, she didn't really need to ask Jacob to buy it for her, when he saw how much she couldn't stop looking at it, he simply took the item to the register and handed his credit card to the cashier no matter what the cost. When she was through with college, the art work was going into the master bathroom, but until then it was here for her to enjoy. "I saw it in a gallery on Oahu and Jacob shipped it home for me. We have a couple more pieces that go with it. Let's drive up to the college and I'll show you around before we go to lunch."

Robert clasped his daughter's shoulder in his hand and bent his head so only she could hear what he was saying, his eyes not leaving his wife standing a few feet away. "We'll talk more about this later," he whispered, before straightening. Not that he didn't trust his daughter's judgment of character, and he knew Jacob was a good guy from hanging around with him during the summer, his curiosity was just getting the best of him, and he couldn't go straight to the source at the moment. He ushered his wife and his daughter over to the door, opening it for them. "We brought Dad up here a few times to the veteran's hospital, but we've never been around the university campus, and I do have to say it's a huge place and easy to get lost."

Madison looked at both of her parents, seeing the happiness but also the sadness that filled their eyes. She had moved away from home, left the nest to spread her wings and become an adult. And as much as they didn't want her to leave, they knew that she had to, not only for her education but to finally take that first step towards independence, even if her boyfriend was the one to give her the push in the right direction. She loved her parents and they had raised her to be strong and this was her now, being just what they wanted her to be. "They have the best nursing school and that's why I applied. I could have stayed at home and went to the community college, but when I got accepted here, I knew it was the right school for me and I can come back at any time to further my education. The accelerated program that I chose is going to be hard, and that's why Jacob is supporting me too, by making sure that I don't have to worry about cooking, so I can focus one hundred percent on my classes. And if I need anything, I have his credit card, so I don't have to have a job on the side for extra money, so both of you don't have to worry about me. Let's go so I can show you guys around the campus."

They left the apartment and drove the two blocks to the university hospital campus in Robert's truck, finding a spot in the parking structure and taking the elevator to the ground floor. Madison showed her parents around the campus of the nursing school and also around parts of the teaching hospital where she would be doing her clinicals, stopping at one of the lookout points on the grounds to see the breathtaking view of the sprawling city below and Mount Hood in the distance, promising her parents, that even though she was in the city, she would stay focused on her education.

They left the hospital and drove to the downtown area and Madison suggested a particular up-scale restaurant for lunch, and even though her parents balked at the thought of eating in such an expensive place, she reassured them that Jacob had taken her to places that were more extravagant, and he didn't care as long as she enjoyed the food. She still didn't tell her parents that her boyfriend had more money than he knew what to do with, especially since she had yet to find out how wealthy he actually was, and just knowing that her card had a six-figure spending limit that she couldn't even fathom reaching in one day, made her feel at ease that she really didn't have to worry about anything.

They all got back to her apartment after stopping at a few more places in the city to find Jacob sitting at her kitchen table in front his laptop with a manila folder open next to it, both of which he quickly closed, setting his laptop on the pile of folders before he got to his feet to greet everyone. Since her parents were right behind her, Madison didn't greet him in the usual way--jumping up into his arms and thoroughly kissing him--instead she walked over to him and he pressed a kiss to her forehead, his hand caressing the curve of her denim clad ass, no squeezing, no smacking, just a soft caress from his hot palm that she could feel all the way through her jeans.

She looked from him to her parents and then back up at him, his gaze intently focused on her, slowly smiling. "We went to lunch at that place you took me to last month and did a little shopping downtown. The roads are still bad with all the construction. I didn't think we were ever going to make it out of there. Did you get everything done you needed to?" she said, her gaze once again shifting to her parents, mainly her mother that was keeping a close eye on them, both of them listening to her and Jacob's conversation.

"I know how much you enjoyed the food there. Yes, I got everything done," Jacob said. "You still haven't told them, have you?" His gaze held hers, watching as her eyes started to fill with panic, and when she slowly shook her head, he pressed a soothing kiss to her forehead. He never allowed her to keep anything from him, and he knew she was still keeping the truth from her parents, about his financial status and especially his teaching position at the school, neither of which he wanted her parents to know about but they needed to know, sooner or later, because she wasn't saying anything and she would have told him if she had. "It's better that I tell them anyway," he said as he looked over at Robert and Delilah, clearly seeing the confusion on their faces.

"Haven't told us what?" Robert demanded, dropping his hands to his hips as his wife just stood silently at his side, listening to every word. He had his suspicions, maybe one of them being bad, but from all the times that they had been around each other, sparred on the mat, he knew that, even though Jacob was a little too old for his daughter, he was a good man, treated him and his daughter with respect and therefore had no cause to think anything terrible about him. Until he had asked his daughter that question right in front of him. "We are her parents and we have a right to know."

"It's nothing like that," Jacob said as she shoved his hands into the front pocket of his jeans. He kept his gaze focused on her parents even though Madison's eyes were turned up to him, the look on her face pleading with him not to tell them the truth about just how their relationship started, where they knew each other from. And in what little time he had spent with her parents, he was thankful that his teaching job had never came into question, they both knew he was gainfully employed and if anything, he would have just told them the truth about his secondary income so she wouldn't have to face the wrath of her protective parents if either of them did ask. And he wasn't going to do that to her, not now and not ever, that was her place to tell her parents.

He decided it was best to explain a few things to them and answer those unasked questions. "Sorry that Maddie didn't tell you, I prefer my privacy and she was just doing what I told her to, but it's better that you hear it from me. My grandfather owns and operates AeroDynamics, the largest manufacturer of gas turbine engines on the west coast. I may be a trust fund baby, but I also hold twenty-four percent controlling stock. I never wanted to work for my grandfather, so I chose a different path. And since I have more money than one person could spend in a lifetime, I put over a million dollars in a foundation that I set up three years ago for full scholarships." He looked down at Madison, slowing smiling, knowing he would never do anything to betray all the trust and love she had for him. He looked back at her parents. "I gave Maddie one of the grants right after she graduated. Her entire education and housing costs are paid for so none of you will have to worry about anything for the next three years."

"And I thank you for that, but..." Robert looked at his daughter and then to Jacob, still confused. From everything that he knew, the man standing in front of him owns part of and, sometime in the future will own it in its entirety, the third highest grossing company in the state. But somewhere along the line he had some conflicting issues with his grandfather that made him join the military and choose a career path that had nothing to do with his family and was far away from where he grew up. And since he didn't have to worry about having a job, but still chose to, and it was one that gave him a little bit of freedom several times a year... "That doesn't explain how the two of you met, which I assume was while I was locked up, so--" And then it occurred to him just what profession the younger man had and he slowly started to shake his head, his ominous laugh growing slightly louder. "Oh, you sneaky bastard. You were her--"

Madison felt all the color drain out of her face and she really started to panic as her dad finally put two and two together. She quickly composed herself, even though she knew Jacob could tell she was getting more uneasy every passing minute that they stood there in her apartment and if he wasn't going to do anything to stop this, then she would have to. "Would you look at the time," she said, her voice shaking just slightly as she interrupted her dad. She started to urge her parents towards the door, hoping they would get the hint to leave, Jacob right behind her. She wasn't ready for them to know the entire truth, but her father had figured it out without her saying a single word and the last thing she wanted was for that fight to really happen between her father and Jacob and it wouldn't take much to move her out from in between the two of them. "It's getting late. And you guys better get home before rush hour traffic hits up here and it can be brutal even on the weekends. Call me when you get home--"

Delilah was quiet up until her daughter started to push her and Robert closer to the door. She could see the panic on her daughter's face, the fear that filled her eyes as her husband spoke those three last words to the other man standing in the room beside her daughter, the man that had come into her life unexpectedly or with total reason. Her husband knew something that she didn't, but Robert and Madison always had that special connection that she would never have, her daughter always confiding in her father rather than her. But she was still her mother. "Just what did you do, young lady?" she demanded, her gaze boring a hole right through her.

Madison's gaze shifted from one face to the next, the look on Jacob's face clearly saying it's all on you, babydoll, they're your parents, as he stood there beside her, unwavering, but still there to protect her. Her father knew but still clearly wanted an answer to how and why she was with Jacob, and her mother, well, her mother was bordering on the side of anger even though she knew not to pick a physical fight with her because she would never win. She figured it was just best to tell them the truth, or most of it for that matter, hoping it would soothe things over if it came from her. "After graduation, when Dad handed me the keys to his truck and said both of you didn't want to see me until morning, I didn't spend the night at Dylan's house, I was with Jacob and he was--"

"You don't have to say anymore, munchkin," Robert said, interrupting her as he grabbed hold of his wife's arm and ushed her closer to the door, opening it. He knew his daughter wasn't telling them the whole truth and he never knew half of the stuff she entrusted to her best friend, but he knew that if anything or anyone ever hurt her and she couldn't handle them herself, she could always come to him, tell him anything and he would never be mad. And loving the wrong, or possibly the right man, was something even he couldn't stop her from doing. He trusted his daughter to make the right choices and the right man for her was standing in front of him, even if he had come into her life as someone who was meant to also keep her safe.

Robert looked at his daughter, slowly smiling in understanding. There were just some secrets that were just best kept from the other parent. He turned his attention to his wife as he gently nudged her out of the apartment and onto the walkway. "Just leave them be, honey, and we'll talk on the way home. She is your daughter, after all, and she has a fondness for older men." He looked back into the apartment, at both his daughter and hopefully future son-in-law standing in the middle of the room. "Munchkin, I'll call you after we get home and calm your mother down. Jacob, don't let her get behind in her studies. Have a good night," he said, right before he pulled the door closed.

Jacob stood there with his hands shoved into his pockets, staring at the door as it was pulled shut by the older man, totally and utterly mystified. He was expecting to be knocked out with a fist or a foot, expected to be kicked out of the apartment and out of Madison's life for good, or at the very least, threatened. But none of that happened. He wrapped his arm around Madison when she stepped closer to him, pulling her tightly to his side. He looked down at her when she tipped her head back to gaze up at him. "What just happened," he asked. "I was all prepared for hell to break loose when you finally told them I was your teacher but instead your father just calmly ushers your mother from the apartment and wishes us a good night?"

Madison looked up at him, totally perplexed herself. She was expecting a yelling match between her and her mother if not her mother physically going after Jacob, but her dad, being all rational and understanding, knew he could talk to her more calmly than she could at the moment. "I think my dad just figured out you were my teacher, and he got my mother out of here as quickly as he could before she started making accusations and went after you. He loves and trusts me enough to let me make my own choices and respects you enough to know that you will never do anything to hurt me. I've always been closer to my dad then I ever was to my mom, and she just doesn't want you to ruin my life like she felt hers was ruined. By the time Thanksgiving break rolls around, she should be calmed down."

"Good," Jacob said as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. The last thing he ever wanted to do was cause a rift between her and her parents, he had caused one between him and his own grandfather twelve years ago and they had yet to fully reconcile. And he didn't want the same thing to happen to her, especially after he had gone through all the trouble to get her father released from prison. He turned her around and walked back over to the table where he had all of his work piled up, taking a seat in the chair as he reached for his laptop sitting on top of the pile of folders. "I've got one more class schedule to finish and then we'll have the rest of the afternoon to do something before I start dinner. I'll make enough so you have leftovers. You have everything ready for Monday morning?"

Madison rested her hand on his shoulder as she swung one denim clad leg over his equally clad ones, slowly sitting down on his thighs. She rested her forearms on his shoulders and laced her fingers together behind his head, arching her back so her breasts were practically shoved up under his chin. She looked deep into his eyes that were partially hidden behind the lenses of his glasses, wondering why he never wore contacts, even though his glasses only added to that sexier-then-hell appearance, watching as his eyes slowly started to darken.

She ran her fingers though his hair, her nails lightly scratching his scalp as she pinched the bar between the lenses of his glasses with her other hand, pulling them from his face and setting them down on the table behind her, knowing damn well he couldn't see to do any of his work without them. "Yes. My bag is packed in my room and the battery is fully charged on my Chromebook. I only have to grab my lunch in the morning after I eat my breakfast," she said as she slowly trailing the tip of her finger along the edge of his neatly trimmed stubble, leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "You can finish your work later tonight," she whispered against his mouth. And before he could reach up and shove his fingers into her hair and deepen the kiss, she quickly stood up, moving off his lap. "Let's go do something fun."

Jacob groaned as she stood up, moving off his lap. He could think of a hundred fun things to do and they never had to leave her bed. But this was the last weekend of freedom she had before she had to start all of her classes and he knew just how grueling college could be. He stood up and grabbed his glasses off of the table, slipping them back on, watching her as she scooped up his car keys from the kitchen counter, giving him no choice but to follow her. A mischievous smile started to brighten her face and he knew he was going to spend the rest of the day and most of the evening fulfilling her desires no matter how tame or wild they may be. He stepped closer to her, reaching for his keys that were dangling from her finger, but she quickly held them behind her back, her smile getting even bigger. "Better think again, babydoll. You are not driving my car," he warned, his tone serious but his eyes not so much.

"Then you better catch me before I get down stairs," Madison retorted as she grabbed her purse from the counter, heading towards the door with Jacob hot on her heels, her laughter filling the apartment as he grabbed her around the waist and reclaimed his keys. She raised herself up onto the balls of her feet and curled her hand around the back of his neck, pulling his head down for that kiss that she denied him only a few minutes ago, moaning as his tongue found its way into her mouth, giving her a kiss that had her wrapping her arms around his neck as he lifted her up against him. She dropped her purse to the floor, his keys clattering down beside it and she hooked her feet behind his back as he carried her to the bedroom, their plans for the rest of the day just leading to a night of staying in bed together.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On Sunday evening and every one after that, Madison stood at the door of her apartment, slowly closing her eyes as Jacob gave her a kiss on her forehead before he left her for the week, knowing that if he gave her kiss on the lips, he would just be staying with her and not driving back to Oak Hills. Every evening after he got home, he called her and they talked over the video call until they both were in bed, wishing each other a good night. And every morning they got ready for classes together, even if it was just over the phone, each making sure the other was eating their proper breakfast before heading to school.

She was hating the grueling classes but loving them just the same, and having those phone calls with Jacob every night after sitting at her table and pouring over her books and notes, eating the meals he had prepared for her made it that much more rewarding, made it just a little bit easier for her, made her study that much harder, because proving not only to him but to herself that this was what she was meant to do, making everyone proud and failing was never an option.

She went home for Thanksgiving, enjoying the break but knowing it wasn't going to last for very long. Her mother wasn't completely thrilled to find out that Jacob had been her teacher, but she could see how truly happy they were together and that their relationship was not coming to an end anytime soon or if even ever. She spent the short vacation between her parents and Jacob's house, driving back to Portland by herself with plenty of leftovers to keep her satiated for a week. She finally got to relax over Christmas break, all of them going to central Oregon to enjoy the snow and spend the holiday together, her spending quality time alone with Jacob at his house for a few days where they enjoyed cooking together and snuggling by the fireplace in the family room, watching a movie until they fell asleep on the cozy nest of pillows and warm blankets.

He spent spring break with her at her apartment where they worked for a couple hours a day on her techniques to increase her skill level, Robert giving him the directions she needed. The sparring they had done together on the weekends had attracted the attention of her neighbors, most of them watching from their balconies as they went punch for punch, throw for throw on the grassy courtyard between her building and the adjacent one. They had gained more and more attention over the past several months from the people in the complexes, everyone watching in amazement as her kicks achieved even greater height until she was finally able to sweep a plastic water bottle off of his head in one smooth motion, kissing him in victory as everyone cheered.

Madison finished her first year of college with straight A's and a place on the dean's list, maintaining her perfect grade point average over the entire school year and her scholarship for the following year. She didn't think she could have done it without the support Jacob gave her, being there with her on the weekends and helping her study, rewarding her with more than just the cuddle time she wanted and needed, helping her relax and ease that pent up stress she had either with one physical release or the other.

When their one-year anniversary came around, their back and forth arguing of when it officially began--either when they first kissed or when they first had sex or when she had graduated high school--he finally had her agreeing that it was the day they were no longer teacher and student, that way no one would question anything. He fastened a platinum interlocking heart necklace around her neck, the smaller of the two tilted hearts set with diamonds, and he kissed her until she went weak in the knees and was digging her nails into him to remain fully upright, their one year together being celebrated with a long overdue romantic dinner and a night filled with pleasure, both of them enjoying the bedroom gifts he had bought her.

Jacob had her apply for a passport so they could take at least one vacation overseas during the summer months when neither of them had to worry about school, keeping the ten-day destination a surprise from her until he handed her the plane ticket. He had secretly spent a couple weeks talking to her grandfather, looking through old photographs and doing research online to find the dojo in which her grandfather had first learned the discipline, making plans with the great-grandson to come for a private tour and how ever many sparring sessions she could have. When he saw the tears of overwhelming joy fill her eyes when they stood in front of the small, three-hundred-year-old dojo in Okinawa, it made every penny spent, every countless hour sacrificed and every moment of his time helping her achieve her next ranking, worth more than he could ever imagine. And to watch alongside her father when she received that first grade on her blackbelt sooner than she ever expected even more rewarding.

They took two other trips during the summer, doing what they loved to do the most together--making memories as they explored the outdoors--going to the only national park in Oregon and driving back to Washington to explore the other two parks there that they didn't get a chance to go to when they went to Seattle. When they weren't travelling, they just spent the warm summer nights on his patio, watching the sun set behind the mountain and talking about plans for the next school year. Her second year was going to be harder and as much as she wanted him there with her for those two and a half days, she tried to convince him that he didn't have to come up every weekend, but he insisted on it, he was the one doing all the driving, and he couldn't spend that much time away from her. She felt that he was sacrificing more in this relationship then she was, but she wasn't going to argue with him, she loved him and wanted to be with him every waking hour.

She didn't let the second year get to her, especially since she was having to do her clinicals and also taking extra classes to get her bachelors. She was tired by the end of the day but she persevered, calling Jacob when she needed to, his soothing voice the last thing she heard as she drifted off to sleep, sometimes without even eating dinner. She didn't want to drive the two hours to get to Oak Hills and then just turn around to drive back to her apartment that very same day on a holiday no less, so she spent Thanksgiving with Jacob at his mother's house, the drive just as bad if not worse through the city but much shorter. They spent the extra time together just sitting on her couch, both of them pouring over their homework, him closing her laptop and setting it on the coffee table and pulling the blanket down over her as she fell asleep against him, combing his fingers through her hair as she slept soundly until morning.

A severe winter storm threatened not only the city but the entire state for the Christmas break and, doing like Jacob told her, Madison went down to the store at the bottom of the hill and stocked up on supplies for three weeks, making it back to her apartment before the first snowflake hit the ground. She called her parents and Jacob, talking to all of them before the power went out and she bundled up in her bathrobe and curled up under a blanket, pouring over her text books so she would be ready for her classes as soon as they resumed. A tenant in the complex had a small generator stored in their closet for emergences so everyone used it in turn to charge all of their electronic devices so no one would be cut off from their families during the storm.

The power outage only lasted for three days but the roads didn't get cleared for five days, and on the sixth day, the day after Christmas, Jacob was at her front door, spending the next nine days with her before he had to be back to teaching right after the winter break. He was more than excited to see her and glad that she had taken his advice and stocked up on supplies, chuckling when he saw just how many loaves of bread and jars of peanut butter and jelly she had bought along with anything else that didn't need to be heated up during the power outage, having more than enough to feed the entire building.

Madison didn't want to do anything for spring break other than focus on her studies, but Jacob convinced her to forget about everything for just two whole days, to take time to relax, because even though he was proud of her for never giving up and staying focused the entire time and never breaking any of his rules, she needed to decompress for a little while so she wouldn't get burned out. He reserved them a room at a resort on the coast and booked a complete spa day for the two of them, listening to each and every sigh that escaped her as she fully relaxed under their therapeutic massages, slightly annoyed but happy just the same when he took the cucumber slices off of his eyes and looked down to see that his toe nails were painted the same bright shade of blue as hers.

He gave her a look that clearly said she was getting a spanking when they got back to their room, the laughter in her eyes telling him that was her intention all along as she sank her teeth into a slice of cucumber. They spent the rest of the night in their room, ordering room service and cuddling together in the lounge chair on the balcony, watching the sun set into the ocean until the stars came out before he carried her back to the bed and gave her more than just the spanking she wanted and craved.

Madison finished her second year of college with perfect grades. The classes were hard but so worth the challenge. She spent the summer just relaxing and enjoying the three months of freedom she had left before her final year of school, before she landed that perfect job she worked so hard to achieve. She went with her parents to visit her aunt and uncle in California for a week, sending Jacob pictures of all the fun she was having with her family and wishing he was there with her. In turn, she got a very explicit picture back from him--his hand fisted around his erection, wishing she was sitting right there, taking all of him-- at the wrong time.

She quickly hid her phone from everyone as she went back to eating her dinner, trying not to think about him, but the next picture was a close up of the part of him that she so loved to have her lips wrapped around. She politely excused herself after the meal to go call Jacob, locking herself in the guest room, and before she could say anything to him, his words of "be a good girl for daddy and spread your legs" had her biting the pillow and doing everything he said, praying that no one was on the other side of the door as she pleasured herself at his command.

Two weeks later, she had just been lying on the patio loveseat with her head pillowed on Jacob's thigh as she scanned through the pictures on her phone, his hand lazily caressing her torso as the warm summer breeze blew around them, when he asked her when the last time was she had heard anything from her best friend. And when she said it had been too long, even though it was only a week, he asked if she wanted him to go with her as he was booking her flight to New York City as they spoke. She left that decision entirely up to him and she kissed him goodbye at the ticket counter before she boarded the plane for her two-week trip to see Dylan on the east coast, her hotel confirmation on her phone and an extra credit card in her wallet.

She went on sight-seeing trips with her best friend, reconnecting over meals at tiny sidewalk cafes and going on tours at luxurious fashion houses that he had access to as a student, loving every moment of seeing just how far he had come in following his passion, overjoyed that two of the top fashion designers were fighting over him and his designs. They spent an entire day getting pampered at one of the top spas in the city, both of them relaxed and rejuvenated, crashing in her four-star hotel room with room service bringing them burgers and every flavor of ice cream that they had. She hated having to fly back to the west coast, every moment spent with Dylan was exactly what she needed, and she could never thank Jacob enough for letting her have that time alone with her best friend.

Her last year of college flew by faster than she thought it would. Maybe because it was her last year and she had to work on the extra classes she needed for her degree, or maybe it was because having Jacob's support made everything so much easier for her. He never let her fail high school and he never let her fail college, helping her study, giving her the encouragement she needed, making sure she aced every one of her exams. She went home for Thanksgiving and Christmas and, like the past two years, Jacob spent spring break with her at her apartment, only this time they didn't go anywhere, they packed up what she wasn't using every day so moving out of her apartment would go a lot smoother after graduation.

Jacob took the day off to attend Madison's commencement ceremony, sitting alongside her parents in the huge hall, all three of them cheering loudly and taking pictures when she was handed her degree, going out to a celebratory dinner together afterwards. Since she had turned twenty-one at the beginning of the year, they all drank a toast to her and all of her accomplishments, Jacob picking up the tab for dinner and the two bottles of wine all of them had consumed. Her parents drove back to Oak Hills that night and the two of them made it as far as her love seat, tumbling down onto the pillows in a tangle of arms and legs as Jacob easily shoved her dress up out of his way, smacking her hard on the cheek of her ass for once again forgetting her panties, but loving it just the same.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jacob turned his car into the parking lot of the testing facility, driving around until he found a place to park, easing the Audi into the space between two other cars and pushed the ignition button, killing the engine. He got out and walked around the rear of his car to the passenger side, opening the door for Madison, watching as she climbed out. She was dressed comfortably in a pair of loose-fitting black linen pants and a loose-fitting T-shirt and black and hot pink sneakers, her hair pulled back into a braid, the end reaching down between her shoulder blades. She had cut off several inches of her hair, making it more manageable for her new career, but still long enough for him to wrap around his fist, still long enough to fall down over his face.

He couldn't be any more proud of her, graduating with her bachelor's degree in nursing from the top school in the state and also getting her first Dan on her blackbelt, not once falling behind anywhere. He popped the trunk of the car and took her bag out, holding it out to her. "You should have everything that you need. I packed you a lunch along with some snacks, water and a couple bottles of orange juice. Your extra charger is in there along with a light sweater if you start to get cold."

"Thank you," Madison said, adjusting the strap of her purse over her shoulder as she looked up at Jacob as he stood by the rear of his car, her bag in his hand. She had graduated last week and all she had to do now was complete her testing so she could be licensed to practice nursing in the state. It had been a long three years for the both of them but they had made it work, every week testing the strength of their relationship through sacrifice and long-distance phone calls but here they were, still together and still very much in love, knowing every struggle had been worth it.

She reached up and cupped the side of his stubbled jaw, running the pad of her thumb back and forth over his cheek as she gazed into those swirls of blue, green and gold. "I don't think I could have done this without your support." She took her bag from him, looking inside before she crossed the strap over her neck, resting it against her hip. "The test is five hours and we get a couple breaks so this is more than perfect."

He reached up and smoothed a lock of hair back from her face, gazing down into those baby blues that had him doing things he never thought he would ever do, had him loving her more every day. "I have a few errands to run and then I'm going to my mother's house. If you finish early just give me a call, otherwise I'll be back to pick you up at three. Take your time, Maddie, and don't rush the questions. You've worked so damn hard for this and I couldn't be more proud of you then I am right now." He cupped her face in his hands, tipping her head back just enough so he could see her face, see her eyes and all the emotions that filled them. "Good luck. I love you, babydoll," he said right before pressing a kiss to her lips.

Madison curled her hand around the back of his neck as she raised herself up onto the balls of her feet, kissing him back for luck, even though she knew she didn't need it. He had coached her through a practice test and if she made the slightest mistake, which had only been one, he made her start from the very beginning until she knew everything from front to back and even sideways. And to hear him say that he was proud of her made her heart skip a beat. She moaned at the first flick of his tongue over her lips as he broke the kiss, sinking back down onto her feet. "I love you, too," she whispered, giving him another quick kiss just in case the first one didn't have all the luck she needed in it, smiling up at him. She stepped back from him, reaching up and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Tell your mom I said hi and I'll see you in five hours," she said, slowly walking away from him towards the building on the other side of the parking lot.

Jacob leaned his hips against the rear fender of his car, bracing his hands on the door of the trunk, watching as Madison walked away from him, joining the other recent graduates that were on their way into the building for their last step to becoming nurses. He had stayed by her side, encouraging her every step of the way along her journey and he wouldn't change those nights he had spent alone, those weekends just cuddling with her in her bed for anything. And now, every step after was going to be even better. When he couldn't see her any longer through the windows, he pushed away from the rear of his car and walked up the side, opening the door and dropping down behind the wheel. He reached over and pushed the ignition button, listening as the engine roared to life before he backed out of the parking spot, driving through the parking lot and turning out onto the busy downtown street, knowing that loving her may have been a mistake, but it was one that he was willing to do all over again.

Four and a half hours later, Jacob pulled into the parking lot after receiving Madison's text message that she had finished her testing, finding a place to park that was close to the doors, the lot not as crowded as it had been when they had first gotten there. He put the gearshift into park and killed the engine with a push of a button and climbed out, shutting the door behind him. He leaned against the rear fender as he texted her that he was outside waiting, shoving his phone back into the rear pocket of his jeans when he got her response that she was on her way, crossing his arms over his chest and watching the door for the first sign of her.

He slowly smiled when he saw her walk through the open door, the look of pure relief and happiness on her face when she saw him, the strap of her purse and her bag crossed over her chest, a piece of paper clutched in her hand. He knew she had passed, there was no doubt about it, and he pushed away from the rear fender, walking towards her as he quickly closed the distance between the two of them. He grunted under the slight unexpected force behind her jump as she flung herself up into his arms, and he wrapped his arm under her ass, supporting her weight as she twined her arms around his neck. "Well?" he managed to get out right before she kissed him, right before he deepened the kiss.

Madison rushed over to him and leapt into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, locking her feet together at the small of his back, feeling his large hand cup her ass cheek, supporting her weight against him. She kissed him with everything that she had, fisting her free hand into his hair, a tiny moan escaping her as he deepened the kiss, not really caring if anyone saw them. She broke the kiss and pulled her head back far enough to see into his eyes, see that cocky grin, see the same look of pure pride that was always there on his face when she succeeded at everything she accomplished. "I passed! I got one of the highest scores they had ever seen, and I owe it all to you. I couldn't have done any of this without your support, your love, all the ice cream, all the..." Her voice trailed off as she looked behind him, seeing the shiny, brand-new Audi SQ5 in a color that was so not him. Red. He said he had some errands to run but... She unwrapped her legs from around his waist, sliding down his body until her feet touched the asphalt. "Where's your car?" she asked, looking up at him. "You went and got a new car?"

"No, babydoll, you got a new car," Jacob corrected. He wondered how long it would take for her to notice that something was different. He had put the order in for both of their new cars when she was in her last year of college, making sure hers had more than just all the standard safety features, a little bit extra, and painted the right color, because if he was spoiling her, everything had to be perfect. "Mine is back at my mom's," he answered, slowly smiling. He reached up and cupped her chin in his hand, tipping her head back and looking down at her, gazing deep into those eyes that always looked back at him with so much love, so much desire, even when she was being a naughty little brat. And now those eyes were filled with nothing but joy and happiness. "You've worked so hard since high school to get to this point in your life. A perfect grade point average, being on the dean and the president's list, getting that next rank in your karate, and not letting me get you distracted at any point. You, Maddie, deserve more than anything I can ever give you." He pressed a kiss to her lips, to her forehead, before raising his head and looking back down at her. "And a new SUV to help you start out in your new career is the least I can do."

Madison looked up at him, feeling the brush of his thumb over her cheek, wiping away the tear that she didn't even know was escaping the corner of her eye. She loved him, she didn't think she could love him any more than she did right now. He was always spoiling her, but she didn't care about all of the gifts or the trips. He had been there for her when she didn't even know she needed him, helped her relax when things started to get overwhelming, pushed her to try harder when she needed the extra motivation, never once letting her fall even though she knew he would be there to catch her if she did. She raised herself up onto the balls of her feet, wrapping her arms around his neck, raking her nails through the shorter hairs on the back of his head. Maybe falling in love with her teacher wasn't the smartest thing to do, but falling in love with the man that was her entire world was the best thing she could had ever done. She pulled his head down, brushing her lips across his. "I love you, Mr. Bradford," she whispered.

He didn't think he would ever tire of hearing her say those three little words. He kissed her again, not as hard, not as deep, but still thorough enough for her to moan and arch even closer to him. He never wanted to fall in love with one of his students, but he had, and if the past three years had taught him anything it was that no matter if you were twelve years apart or two, as long as you loved, cared and supported each other, nothing could ever come between the two of you. He lifted his mouth from her, darting the tip of his tongue across her swollen bottom lip before raising his head even further, gazing into her eyes. "I love you, too, babydoll." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the key fob to her new car, holding it up between them. "Before I give this to you, there is one other little surprise," he said, watching as her face lit up even more. "You have two weeks until you start your new job at the hospital, giving us ten days of relaxation at the beach house. Our bags are packed in the back of the car and our flight leaves as soon as we get to the private airport because we're taking my grandfather's jet instead of a commercial flight."

Madison shrieked with excitement, catching the key fob in her open palms that she had pressed together between them, looking up at his handsome, whisker-stubbled face. He hadn't taken her to Oahu since she graduated high school, and she could only imagine that there were going to be even more trips to the islands whenever they both needed that extra time to unwind from everything. "I don't think 'thank you' even comes close to what I want to say to you right now. You've given me more than I could ever hope for these past three years and more than I could ever want in life," she said, standing on tiptoe to kiss him again.

She smiled as she walked up the side of her new vehicle, lifting the strap of her purse and bag from around her neck as he reached around her to open the door, tossing both of them onto the passenger's seat before she climbed up behind the wheel. She settled into the driver's seat, breathing in the smell of the leather interior, running her hands around the leather wrapped steering wheel as she took in all the features of her graduation gift as he shut the door. She would have been happy with a new Honda but this, this right here went way beyond spoiling her.

Jacob shut her door, smiling to himself as he walked around the rear of the SUV and opened the passenger door. He moved her purse and her bag to the back floorboard after he climbed inside as she reached over and pushed the ignition button, the engine roaring to life. He had always done the driving and now it was his chance to be the passenger princess, even if it was only for the ride through the city to the airport. He waited for her to make all the necessary adjustments before he rested his forearm on her head rest, leaning closer to her as he reached over with his other hand to caress her cheek with the back of his fingers before sliding the tip of one finger down her cheek to her chin, turning her face towards him so he could see those baby blues, see all the joy that filled her eyes, that lit up her face. He caught her chin between his thumb and finger, holding her gaze. "Listen to me, Maddie, this has more power than that car you're used to driving, so no speeding tickets because you know what will happen if you get one."

Madison looked at him, feeling the pressure of his thumb and finger on her chin, holding her face the same way he always did when he scolded or praised her, keeping her gaze focused on just him, giving her no choice but to listen, to obey him. Or to be a brat. She slowly smiled as she curled her hand around the gearshift, remembering all too well what had happened when she had caused him to get a speeding ticket, gazing deeper into the hot, burning promises that were swirled together in those hazel eyes of his, bringing up the memory of what had happened that night in the park. Maybe his intentions of getting her a bigger vehicle weren't all that innocent and she had a feeling that he would be driving her car if they went out for dinner, the rush to get home no longer really necessary with ample room in the back. She sank her teeth into her bottom lip, watching as his eyes started to darken as his own thoughts matched hers. She slowly let her lip slide out from the graze of her teeth. "We fold down the backseats so we have more room, or do I climb over into the passenger seat with you?"

"Fuck," Jacob swore, letting go of her chin and settling into his seat as she shifted her new vehicle into reverse, backing out of the parking spot. He fastened his seat belt, reaching for the case in the cupholder that held his sunglasses, quickly switching his regular lenses for the tinted ones, resting his hand on the back of her headrest again. "Just drive, babydoll, just drive," he said, watching her out of the corner of his eye as she pulled out onto the side street, easing into the flow of traffic. And when she stopped at the stop light, he leaned closer to her, dropping his hand from the headrest to curl around the back of her neck, pulling her even closer to him, stealing a long, slow deep kiss, his tongue making a million promises that he was going to spend a lifetime fulfilling. He lifted his mouth from hers when the blaring of a horn from an impatient driver behind them ruined the moment, and he drug his thumb across her wet and swollen bottom lip before moving back to his seat, biting back a groan as her hand started to slowly slide across his thigh.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Madison closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the sand, snuggling down tighter against Jacob's bare chest as they cuddled together on the lounge chair under the stars, the warm Hawaiian breeze blowing across their bodies. She slid her left hand, that just an hour ago had been weighed down by the two-carat marquise diamond that he slid onto her ring finger, up his chest to curl around his neck, the light from the moon reflecting off the smaller marquise stones and platinum band, a soft moan escaping her as his fingers trailed down the length of her bare back and slowly back up, caressing her warm skin. She had more than she could have ever hoped for, starting a new job next month, a higher ranking on her belt, and the love of a man that never could have been imaginable. Mr. Hottie. She was his and was going to be for the rest of his life, just like he said she was going to be from that stolen moment in his classroom and she couldn't be any more content than she was right now.

Jacob pressed a kiss to the top of her head, pulling her even closer as she pressed her scantily clad body even closer to his, the warmth of her skin heating his even further. He slowly caressed her bare back from the base of her neck to the top of her thong, feeling her arch against him, hearing her soft moan. If he hadn't have noticed that her grades had been slipping, taken the time to help her get to where she needed to be, crossed that line that never should have been crossed, they wouldn't be together. He had been enraged when he had kissed her that day, and if he had to do it all over again, he would have kissed her even harder. She was the best mistake he could have ever made and loving her was the only thing he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He closed his eyes, drawing his hand down her back to rest on her naked hip, holding her securely against his side as he fell asleep with her under the starry sky, the warm breeze the only blanket they needed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The End