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“I hate you.”
“I love you.”
She threw the tiger back at me and slung her legs over the side of the bed. I couldn’t believe we would be out of here for good in a few days. Four years had passed so quickly. In two weeks, I would start my new job, and I was damn nervous but excited for the future.
Chapter 2
“When is this going to be over?” I whispered to Sadie.
“We have the guest speaker, then receive our diplomas. What’s your problem?” she hissed.
“I’m tired. We shouldn’t have gone out last night.”
For the past hour, we'd been seated, enduring the class speakers' presentations. Personally, I was eager for it to end. Last night's indulgence in too many beers left me with a nagging headache behind my eyes. I regretted not taking an aspirin before leaving the dorm.
Shifting in my chair, I attempted to find a more comfortable position, crossing my legs to alleviate some discomfort. Sadie nudged me as I stifled a yawn, the grogginess setting in. I gazed down at the floor until Sadie's soft curse caught my attention as they announced the guest speaker.
“Oh, my fucking God,” she muttered.
As my eyes lifted, they locked onto the captivating figure striding confidently towards the lectern, commanding the stage with an effortless grace. A soft gasp escaped my lips, caught in a trance by his magnetic presence. His allure was undeniable, a symphony of rugged charm and refinement.
In a heartbeat, my mind wandered to forbidden fantasies, imagining the sensation of his touch and the whispered promises that lingered in the air. His sandy brown hair, meticulously styled fade, beckoned my fingers to trace their path through its thick strands.
Clad in a charcoal suit that accentuated every sinew of his sculpted physique, he stood as a vision of masculine perfection. The fabric hugged his form, hinting at the power and strength concealed beneath its tailored lines. Around me, I sensed a collective awe, as if time itself had paused to admire Oliver Fox.
His words wove a spell as he began to speak, casting us all under hypnotic sway. His voice, smooth as honey, enveloped the room with each syllable, stirring a longing within me. My pulse quickened, my skin tingling with a feverish heat as I hung on to every intoxicating inflection. As his tongue darted out to moisten his inviting lips, I felt a surge of desire, a primal urge to surrender to the irresistible allure of this enigmatic man.
In the presence of Oliver Fox, my imagination danced with tantalizing possibilities, each moment a whispered invitation into a world I knew I might never enter. His reputation preceded him, a man of influence whose ventures spanned the breadth of the city, country, and beyond. His trajectory was impressive from a real estate tycoon to a diverse portfolio.
I hung on to his every syllable, drawn into a realm where the boundaries between aspiration and reality blurred. As the time arrived to claim our hard-earned diplomas, I found myself on the brink of encountering the elusive Mr. Fox himself, poised to hand us our tickets to the future.
With each step toward the stage, anticipation swirled within me, mingling with a fluttering of nerves. His proximity ignited a symphony of sensations, making each movement toward the platform an act of delicate balance.
As I drew closer, I couldn't help but be captivated by the depths of his gaze, pools of blue reminiscent of precious sapphires. Even his lashes seemed to hold a secret allure, framing eyes that spoke volumes without uttering a word.
Oliver's smile, a beacon of warmth and charm, welcomed me as I approached, a gesture that bridged the divide between admiration and reality. In that fleeting moment, as our hands met in a handshake, his hand soft and warm, gently closing over my cool and clammy one.
“Miss Stewart, congratulations.”
“Tha - thank you, Mr. Fox,” I stuttered.
“I wish you good luck.”
As Oliver Fox released my hand with a nod, I found myself drifting back to my seat in a haze, my mind swirling with lingering impressions of his presence. I was grappling with a sense of bewilderment as if I had just glimpsed a deity walking amongst mortals.
After graduation, refreshments were served, and we found ourselves surrounded by family and friends, sipping sparkling cider amidst a flurry of photographs. Among the familiar faces, Laura Layton and several other classmates joined our group.
"Congratulations," Ty's voice broke through the chatter, and I turned to find him behind me, dressed sharply in a black suit and white shirt. His discomfort with the formal attire was evident, a departure from his usual slacks and sports jacket. I embraced him, feeling the warmth of his affection as he pressed a gentle kiss to my cheek.
"Thank you," I replied softly, meeting his gaze.
"You look wonderful," he murmured.
I smirked. "As do you. Going all out with the full suit?"
"Only the best for special occasions," he quipped, releasing me and exchanging pleasantries with my family before slipping away into the crowd.
"He's so in love with you," Sadie whispered into my ear as Ty disappeared from view.
