Page 123 of The Equation of Us
I check my watch, realizing Nora’s been gone longer than expected. A small kernel of concern forms in my chest—irrational, probably, but present nonetheless.
I make my way toward the restrooms, telling myself I’m just being overprotective. Nora is more than capable of handling herself in any situation.
The hallway leading to the restrooms is quieter, the sounds of the banquet fading behind me. The women’s restroom door opens just as I approach, and Nora steps out, startling slightly when she sees me.
“Dean? What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you,” I say, stepping closer. “Everything okay?”
“Fine.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, a gesture I’ve come to recognize as a sign of mild nervousness. “Just ran into Daphne. It was… not as awkward as I expected.”
“Good.” I study her face, noting the slight flush to her cheeks, the brightness in her eyes. “You look different.”
“Different how?”
Instead of answering, I take her hand, pulling her gently toward a small alcove off the main hallway—a service entrance, partially concealed from the main corridor. Once we’re hidden from immediate view, I back her against the wall, one hand coming to rest beside her head.
“What are you doing?” she asks, though her quickened breathing suggests she knows exactly what I’m doing.
“What I’ve been thinking about all night,” I murmur, lowering my mouth to her neck. “What I’ve been wanting to do since you walked into the banquet in this dress.”
Her hands come up to my chest, not pushing me away but not quite pulling me closer either. “Dean, we’re at your team banquet. Anyone could walk by.”
“Then you’ll have to be very quiet,” I say against her skin, echoing my earlier words. “Can you do that for me?”
The challenge in my tone makes her eyes darken with familiar desire. This is our dynamic—the control, the push-and-pull, the way she yields but never completely surrenders.
“What if I say no?” she asks, testing the boundaries as always.
I pull back slightly, giving her space. “Then we go back to the banquet and continue this later.”
Her expression softens, appreciating the choice. It’s always been about choice with us—the power exchange meaningful precisely because she gives her consent freely, knowing I’ll honor her limits without question.
“And if I say yes?” Her voice drops lower, the analytical scientist giving way to something more primal.
In answer, I reach for the hem of her dress, fingers sliding up the outside of her thigh. “Then I want you to do something for me.”
Her breath catches. “What?”
“Go back into the restroom,” I instruct quietly. “Take off your underwear. Bring it to me. Then return to the banquet like nothing happened.”
The boldness of the request sends a visible shiver through her. For a moment, I think she might refuse—the public setting, the risk of discovery, the sheer impropriety of it all running counter to her careful nature.
Then something shifts in her expression—a decision made, a boundary tested. “And then?”
“And then you’ll spend the rest of the evening knowing that I know,” I say, my thumb tracing her lower lip. “That every time our eyes meet across the table, I’ll be thinking about how easy it would be to touch you. How wet you’d be for me.”
Her pupils dilate, breath coming quicker. “Just thinking?”
“For now.” I step back, giving her space to decide.
Nora studies me for a long moment, that brilliant mind working through scenarios, weighing options, calculating risks.Then, without a word, she slips past me and back into the women’s restroom.
I wait in the alcove, heart beating faster than it has any right to. This game between us—the control, the surrender, the trust it represents—never fails to affect me more deeply than I expect.
The door opens again less than a minute later. Nora emerges, expression composed but cheeks flushed. She approaches me deliberately, holding my gaze as she reaches for my hand.
She presses something into my palm—small, delicate, still warm from her body. The black lace disappears into my pocket as I pull her in for a deep kiss, rewarding her boldness.
