“The School Year”

The Outlaw’s Back Story Part 9

Elise Thompson attended an all-girls, highfalutin’, top-dollar, fancy AF private school in the Washington, DC area. It absolutely suited her. 

She made the varsity field hockey and lacrosse teams her junior year, never first string but she always played a respectable amount. She enjoyed her extracurricular dance classes during the winter months. Again, never the star performer, but she was considered better than average. She had absolutely zero interest in politics, but for the third year in a row was nominated and ran for student council, crushing her competition. Elise enjoyed participating in various aspects of student life, most of them being social—the chess club, debate club, and any extracurricular STEM activities were not her jam—so there was never a day where she headed right home after school. 

Where she enjoyed popularity among her own classmates, she was queen to the sophomores and freshman coming up behind her. She never forgot a name, asked curious questions and remembered the answers, had played with many underclassmen on both JV squads, and had a knack for making friends and spotting talent where talent fell. She thought nothing of inviting underclassmen to join her and her friends with weekend activities and did a great job melding the pot of juniors, sophomores, and freshmen by pulling in talent from the classes behind her when a project needed it. 

The seniors started to feel left out. 

Elise and Jesse scheduled their once-a-week FaceTime session for Monday evenings. (Their reward for getting through Mondays.) The adrenaline rush from seeing Jesse’s face lasted through Thursday when Elise would then arrive home and receive a letter in the mail. 

A handwritten letter. 

A love letter. 

Once a week. 

From her exceptionally hot Princeton boyfriend. 

And for being a business/math major, Jesse James truly had a way with words. 

 

Elise, 

 

If there is a consolation to our Monday conversations coming to an end, it is that I can check one more week off my calendar. A week closer to summer. A week closer to when I can openly call you my girl. 

I’m not wishing my life away. I’m enjoying my buddies on the lacrosse team, our practices and workouts, and my class schedule keeps it all real. But the highlight of my week and what I look forward to most is seeing your beautiful face and sharing your life. Until Monday. 

 

Yours, Jesse 

 

 

Life was really good for Elise and got deliciously better during the holidays. The weekend after Thanksgiving, Jesse came to DC to see some of his summer buddies. A huge group of his friends and hers met up to tailgate and attend the University of Maryland football game. Once the game started the two of them slipped off, disappearing from their crowd holding hands, and headed out to dinner with a few quick text messages making excuses to their friends. Most of that evening was spent parked in an empty field tucked away at the end of her neighborhood. 

Two of his friends knew about them, two of her friends did as well. So far they’d managed to keep everyone else in the dark. 

Jesse stayed with his grandparents the week between Christmas and New Years’. Every evening, he’d drive from Baltimore to DC to take her out, or they’d meet up at various gatherings of their summer peeps enabling them to see each other secretly without having to be secretive at all. As far as Elise was concerned, this secret dating thing was going very well. 

She was surprised when Jesse’s demeanor got a little intense their last night together.  

“Lacrosse season starts in February,” he said, while seated in the car at their favorite make-out spot. “I probably won’t be able to get home between now and then. And then life gets nuts.” He let out a heavy breath, narrowing his focus on her. “We play Hopkins and Navy away this year. I really want you at those games.” 

“As if I’d miss either of those games,” she said, nuzzling into him. “How about I work out a plan to come see you play a home game too?” 

Jesse pulled back. “You’d do that?” 

Elise blinked, confused. “Why wouldn’t I? It’s not like Princeton is that far way. There is literally a train that goes from DC to Princeton everyday.” 

“I know.” 

“You know?” 

“Yes. Believe me. It’s taken a lot of mental fortitude to not jump on one of those damn trains and come see you.” 

Elise broke into a joyous smile. 

“Stop it with the giddy smile. I can’t deal,” he said solemnly, shaking his head. “You are really messing with my mind.” 

“What? Why? How? We’ve practically had a whole week together and it’s been really good.” 

“It’s been too good. I seriously do not want to leave you.” 

“Aww.” 

“Aww?” 

“Yes, aww,” she insisted. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me. It deserves an aww.” 

Jesse grunted and looked away. 

This would not do. 

“Jesse. What’s going on?” 

“Nothin’,” he claimed, turning back to her while wrapping an arm around her waist and dragging her on to his lap. “Don’t mind me. I’m just … gonna miss you.” 

“I’m gonna miss you, too,” she whispered. 

“But it’s not the same,” he claimed, licking and kissing her throat. “I’ll miss you more.” 

“Mmm,” she murmured. “Because of what you finally let me do to you last night?” 

“Uggggh, yes,” he ground out, throwing his head back and smoothing his hair back from his forehead. “I knew we shouldn’t have gone there. God, Elise, it was so good.” He leaned in and kissed her with tongue, but didn’t linger. “I can’t stop thinking about your mouth on me like that. And I’ve prided myself on not letting things get out of hand and now … fuck. Now it’s all I’m thinking about.” 

“Good.” 

“Good? Are you crazy? I’m literally in freaking pain.” 

“I mean, good in the sense that you liked it. And although I don’t particularly want you in pain, I do want you thinking sexy thoughts about me when you’re back at school.” 

“I won’t be able to stop them,” he said grumpily. 

“Perfect,” she purred. “Maybe we can add sexting to our weekly repertoire.” 

“Do your parents know the passcode to your phone?” 

“Nope.” 

“You sure?” 

“Pretty sure.” 

“Well, when you’re completely sure, sext me. No. Forget it. We aren’t going there. Not yet.” 

“Why not?” 

“Because I won’t be able to handle it.” 

“Of course you will,” she scoffed. 

Jesse’s eyes grew wide and then he blinked several times before licking his lips. “Where’s your phone?” 

“On the dash.” 

“Get it. Text your parents you’ll be home late.” 

“Oh, boy,” she said. “What’s your plan?” 

Jesse did not respond. He waited for her to finish texting. Waited as she turned her phone to show him the thumbs-up emoji response from her father. The one he always sent when she was going to be late. She watched as Jesse bit his lip and rolled his eyes at her father’s response, mumbling something about how her parents were going to be the death of him. 

Whatever. 

Wondering what was coming next, Elise allowed him to take her phone and place it back on the dash. Then was surprised when he opened the door, helped her to maneuver off his lap, and followed her out into the cold night air. Without saying a word, he moved to the back of his SUV and opened the hatchback, handing her a couple of soft and fresh-smelling quilts. She stood to the side as he crawled in to release the back seats, pushing them forward, creating a large intimate space. 

Oh my God, is this it? Were they going to do it tonight? 

Her heart sped up at the thought, her face growing hot and her chest tight. Was she ready for this? Jesse liked to take things slow and talk about everything first. She just assumed there was a big conversation in her future about this step. Not that she wasn’t interested. She was interested. She just hadn’t seen it coming … tonight. 

“Did you bring condoms?” she asked. 

Jesse’s head whipped around from inside the truck. “We aren’t going to need condoms, Elise.” It came out like he was pissed. 

She offered a sarcastic sorry and handed him one of the quilts when he held out his hand. 

He laid it out neatly and then held out his hand to her, helping her up into the back of the SUV, pushing the hatchback’s button to close them inside the warmth of the car. She stretched out on her side, facing Jesse. “So if we don’t need a condom, what did you have in mind?” 

Jesse rubbed his hands together, warming them. “A little payback.” 

“Payback?” 

“Yeah,” he whispered settling down beside her, pushing her body up so her head sat high on the pillow he’d created with the other quilt. He tucked his hands inside the front of her jeans, efficiently working the button loose. He kissed the skin of her belly where her sweater had risen up while he slowly slid the zipper down. 

The sequence of events became a little misty as her body’s desire for intimate touch started to swell. Jesse was using his thumbs over the crotch of her jeans, making her body heat, her passion stir. His sweet nothings were hard to decipher with her mind being scattered by sensation, so focused on her core, the need driving her from the inside out. Her pelvis moved of its own volition. And when his large hands slid her jeans and underwear down her hips, she lifted and pushed and helped them along, kicking her feet loose and free. And then her hands were in his hair, and his breath teased her as he uttered a few deceptively dirty words and then did what he’d never done before. 

He licked her. 

It was an awakening unlike any other. A desperate cry from deep in her body for what physical delights lay beyond her experience. She trusted Jesse to take her wherever this was meant to go but she wasn’t built to be a shy or lazy participant. Words blurted from her mouth, telling him how good it felt. Fingers tangled in his hair, cupping his head. Her muscles clenched, her body rose, and she reveled in all the throes of passion he’d ignited. And when she was just on the very edge … just at the tippy top of humbling sensation, about to convulse over and experience the other side, he stopped. 

His face was a shadow in the darkness, a looming blur her blinking eyes could hardly comprehend. “Understand now?” he asked. “What I mean about how I’m not going to be able to take it? Sexting can’t replace this.” 

“Jesse,” she panted. 

“I’m going to give it to you, baby. I will never leave you hanging. But you gotta understand. This is how I feel when I think about you. All the fucking time.” 

“Okay,” she whispered. She licked her lips and told him what he needed to hear. “I understand.” 

“I’ll see you at Hopkins and Navy,” he demanded. 

“I’ll be there,” she promised. 

“You’ll come up to Princeton for a home game.” 

“Yes. Yes, I will. Of course, I will.” 

“All right then. Now that we’re on the same page …” He pushed back, lowered his head. 

And changed her world.