Academically Yours (Best Friends Book Club, #1)

by Jennifer Chipman

“I think you’ve ruined me, Noelle.” She rolled over on her stomach, looking at me. Her arms were crossed on the pillow, and I resisted the urge to bend over and kiss her bare shoulder. Again. “Good,” she smirked. “Then no other girls will go near my man.” “Your man, huh?”

“Yeah, my man. And I’m your girl, aren’t I?” “The only one,” I confirmed. “I just wanted to hear you say it again.”

“You make this place feel more like home, Noelle.” And I knew, right then and there… I was standing right on the edge of the cliff, so close to falling.

I was addicted to her—her sight, her touch, her taste—and I wanted to be around her all the time. I wanted to buy beach-front property on Noelle Hastings, so she was the first thing I saw every morning. So I could live every day with her wrapped in my arms. I wanted to cook for her, wash her hair, and tuck her in bed next to me every night.

Noelle was the only person who I could see myself sleeping beside, and she was the only woman I ever wanted to be cuddled against me like the world might end if we broke apart.

“I’m going to get you off, and then we’re going to get out there. Because when I fuck you, I’ll be making a mess of your magnificent thighs, and knowing you have my cum dripping out of you is going to make me wild.”

“I’ll fuck you properly when we get home, baby, okay? Would you like that, hm?” She nodded, and I stilled my fingers. “Use your words, Noelle,” I breathed in her ear. “And then I’ll make you come.” “Yes,” she ground out, glaring at me as I delayed her orgasm. “I want you to take me home and fuck me so hard I can’t remember my name. I want you inside of me, Matthew. Please.” Resuming my pace, I kept going, and I could tell she was close. “That’s it, come for me, my little vixen.”

“Now, let’s go before someone catches us in here.” “Sounds good, prof.” “What am I going to do with you? Little brat.” I flicked her nose. She stood up on her tiptoes to speak directly into my ear. “Fuck it out of me,”

Text me when you’re out. I don’t have a class for a few hours. Or… you could meet me in the supply closet near classroom 234. I blinked, staring down at my phone. Did he…? Are you…?? I must be dreaming. You cannot seriously be suggesting a closet rendezvous. Why don’t you get your sweet little ass over here and find out? Coming. You will be. 5535756841

“You’re such a vixen, Noelle,” he said, fondling me a little harder as I clasped one hand over my mouth to stop myself from moaning as he rubbed over me. “My sweet temptress. So naughty.” “Yes,” I agreed, gasping as he pushed the cotton aside and thrust two fingers inside of me. “You know what bad girls get, Noelle?” I couldn’t help it—I whimpered. The pressure he was creating was too good, but I needed more. “They get punished. Would you like that, hm? My little

“I think we’ll have to modify our answers to the dirtiest place we’ve ever had sex,” I laughed into his ear. “This was definitely worse than your office.” He smirked. “If I recall, the question was the craziest, and I still have plans for you, little fox.”

“Always. I’m always here for you, Matthew.” Because I was. And because… I loved him. More than I think I had ever loved anyone.

I wanted her to know that she could believe in fairytales. Because she had made me believe, and I knew that she was the woman I was born to be with. I could feel it deep within my heart, that everywhere life had taken me had just been one long journey to her,

You deserve the world, Matthew Harper, and I want you to be happy. Please.” “I can’t be happy without you, Noelle.”

“Baby. I told you—you’re mine. I don’t want to let you go. I want you in my house. In my bed. At dinner with me, so I can make sure you’re not working yourself to death and that you’ve eaten. On the couch with me, watching a movie and giving me your little commentaries that I love. On a walk with me, so I can hold your hand and keep it warm. I want it all, Noelle. Every damn moment with you. I’m too selfish that I never, ever want to let you go.”

“It's like you walked into my life and the sun could shine again, like maybe if I was holding you, kissing you…” I paused, knowing what I needed to say but feeling so overwhelmed by the love I felt for her that I was getting choked up. “If I was loving you, then everything else was worth it.”

“Loving you is as natural to me as breathing. I swear, Noelle, you came into my life and wormed your way into my heart. I knew the first time I saw you that there was no one like you on this planet. No one else for me.” I wiped another tear from her cheek, but they kept coming. “No one but you, my sweet girl.”

“I’m yours, and you’re mine. Always and forever, okay?” “Will you say it again?” She asked quietly. “Say what, baby?” “That you love me.” I grinned, placing a kiss on her lips. “I love you, Noelle Hastings.” “That’s good,” Noelle started, and then she flushed, her cheeks turning red as I moved my focus to kiss each individual freckle on her face. “Because I love you too, Matthew Harper. Forever and always. I’m yours, truly.”

And one day, I can’t wait to give you my last name, too.” I grinned. “If you want it.” Noelle’s face spread into another glorious grin. Even though her face was streaked with tears, she was still beautiful. “I do. I think. Want your last name.” “Good.” I smirked. “Because I want the world to know you’re mine.”

“My sweet girl,” I said, standing back at the edge of the bed and holding her face in my hands. “I hope you know I’m never going to let you go again.” “Oh, I’m counting on it,”

I want every day for the rest of my life to be a sleepover with you. I want to roll over and kiss you good morning, make you breakfast and make sure you’re fed before you go to work, and then I want to be the one to welcome you back home every day.” He kissed my chin, then my neck, before moving up to my mouth. “I want to make love to you every night until you come—more than once—and I want to hold you in my arms afterward. I want to spend every moment of the rest of our lives together. I want it all with you, Noelle Hastings, and God help me, I never want you to spend another night where I’m not at your side. Okay?” “Okay.”

“Sometimes I think that everything in my life… every moment, every decision… they all led me here, to you,” Matthew said, pressing a kiss to my jaw. “I like to believe it was fate, us meeting that night,” I said, quietly. “Like the universe just knew that we needed each other and gave us a little push in the right direction.”

“I love you.” I smiled into the kiss. “I love you too, Noelle Marie Hastings.” He held my face reverently. “More than I can put into words.” “More than words?” “More than words.”

I kissed him like he was mine, and I was his, and when he ran his fingers through my hair, I knew the statement was true. Like no matter what happened next—we’d be facing it together. There was no chance in hell I was ever going to let this man slip through my fingers. This beautiful, lovely man who was always there for me.

She was truly everything I had ever wanted but had never had. I had never found someone before who I wanted to be with as much as I wanted Noelle. There was no one else who could challenge me every step of the way, testing my brain and my wits even as she showed her love and affection for me. And I loved her so damn much, I thought my heart might burst.

She was the sun. My own special kind of sun. She was the only one that brought sunshine into my life, and I loved her more every single day. Would love her for the rest of our lives, too, if I had anything to say about it.

It didn’t matter what she was doing, I just loved watching her and being in her presence. God, she had truly taken over my whole life, and I wasn’t even mad about it.

“I love you,” she said with a sigh, a happy, contented one. “I’m so glad I have you,” I murmured against her lips as I placed a kiss there. “I’m yours,” Noelle cupped my cheek with her palm. “And you’re mine.” “Forever.” “Forever is a very long time, you know,” Noelle said, looking a little devious. “What if you change your mind?” “I won’t,” I about growled.

Through every challenge, every obstacle, this man had shown me what it meant to love someone with no limits, no expectations, or requirements. He taught me what it meant for someone to love me for me, to be there through every moment and never walk away, even when things got tough.

But at the end of my story was a happily-ever-after, my perfect guy waiting for me, a cup of coffee and a book in hand. He had gently but stubbornly knocked my walls down and helped me heal the wounds in my heart, taught me with his words and actions how much he loved me. There was nothing on this earth I would have traded for him.

There was not one single moment of my last semester of grad school that I would have changed. Because now I knew what it was like to live in the pages of a romance novel, and it felt so good.

I didn’t know what exactly would happen, but I knew that we were going to write our story next. Who knows? Maybe it would be the next best seller.

It turned out that loving him was worth every struggle, every hardship we had faced, because being together, being like this—it was everything.

Over and over, he had shown me how caring he was—thinking ahead and knowing what I would be worried about, predicting my needs before I could even think of them—and it all just made my heart feel even more full.

“Matthew, is this…?” I stared at him dumbfounded. “You had my book bound?”

“What are you thinking about?” he asked as I gave another happy sigh. “How much I love you.” I placed my hand on top of his and laced our fingers together. “How lucky I am to have found you. How glad I am that you came over and talked to me at that mixer.” “How could I not have? You were the most beautiful girl in the room. Always are the most beautiful girl in any room,” he said seriously. “You messed with my mind and entranced my heart, Noelle.” I giggled. “Well, you ruined me for everyone else with your big ol’ heart, Matthew, so I think we’re even.”

Noelle, From the very first time I saw you, I knew you were the one for me. While I could never have guessed the spark that would grow between us, or how much love I would feel for you, I know it just as well today as I did then. You are my sunshine, my life, the only person I ever want to wake up next to and kiss good morning. I want a lifetime with you, Noelle Marie Hastings—a life full of laughter, kisses, a whole lot of love, and endless books read. For the final clue, you will find… if you turn around, I’m right behind. Matthew

“Noelle,” he began, holding my shaking hands in one of his. “This last year and a half together have been the best times of my life, and I don’t ever want them to end, baby. You’re… you’re all I’ve ever dreamed of. All I could have ever hoped for. The love I feel for you… It’s the most wonderful thing in the world. I’m so glad to share this life with you, and I want to walk the rest of it side by side, holding your hand. And I’m never letting you go, Noelle, because I wanna give you my last name and every bit of my heart that you don’t already have.”

“Noelle Marie Hastings, will you do me the honor of being my wife? Will you marry me?” I nodded, letting out a sob as I stared down at the man that I loved. The man who I had already known I wanted to spend forever with, and there was only one answer that I knew would come from my lips. “Yes,” I cried, tears flowing down my cheeks as I smiled the biggest grin I had ever felt in my life. I was so happy—so blissfully happy. “Yes, I will marry you, Matthew James Harper. Because I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you, every single day.”

They were all there. My friends, Charlotte, Angelina, Gabbi, Daniel, and his friends, Bryan, Elizabeth, Cole, Tanner, their girlfriends. His sister Tessa, and Snowball, of course. Angelina’s husband and Gabbi’s boyfriend had come too, and I couldn’t have felt more loved at this moment if I had tried.

“We’re so excited for you,” Angelina grinned. I knew she meant it—she had found her great love, and her old ideas about not having enough time for love in her life were long gone. “I can’t wait to make your dress!” Charlotte giggled, so excited she looked like she could bounce off of the walls. “Oh, yes please,” I cried, holding hands with her as we both bounced up and down. Gabrielle gave me a mischievous grin. “I still remember when she told us she was never going to fall in love again… just feels like yesterday.”

“Thank you,” I smiled. “For what?” “This. All of this. My friends being here. For choosing me to be your wife.” “I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way, Noelle, sweetheart. I love you.” “I love you too,” I sighed, happier than ever. Forever, we’d have this. Each other.

I didn’t think there would be anything or anyone that I loved as much as I loved Noelle Hastings. She had taken my heart and filled it with her fiery passion, her endless dedication, and her relentless pursuit of what she wanted. And yeah, I loved calling her mine.

The fact that we were the third couple of her friends to get married didn’t seem to bother her, and I knew how excited she was to have Charlotte, Gabbi, and Angelina by her side. Plus, Tessa and Noelle had grown even closer since my little sister had moved back to the West Coast—living in Portland when she wasn’t filming in Los Angeles—and Noelle couldn’t have been happier to ask her to be one of her bridesmaids.

Last year, Cole and Tanner—always having to do things together since they were little—married Kelly and Kaitlin in a joint ceremony. It was so very them, and Bryan and I had been happy to be their joint-best men since two was better than one.

And there she was. My sweet girl. My little fox. My sunshine. My Noelle.

I was so in love with her, that the knowledge that I was about to marry her—that she would be Noelle Marie Harper—was enough to make a man fall on his knees.

She was ethereal. The most beautiful woman I had ever seen, and the only one I would ever have eyes for.

handing her bouquet to her best friend, Charlotte, who was eight months pregnant and crying over seeing her best friend tie the knot

“Noelle—you are the sunshine on a cloudy, grey Portland day. You are the best part of every day, and the only person I want to come home to at night. I know you love words, but there aren’t enough of them in the dictionary, or in all of the romance novels you read, for me to tell you how much I love you. Words can’t possibly express how I feel when I see you smile at the sun, or bite into a freshly baked brownie, or when you lick the spoon of a bowl of frosting.” I smiled. “They can’t explain how I think that my whole life—every choice I ever made—led me to you. If it wasn’t fate that brought us together, Noelle, I don’t know what else to call it, but I know I’m the luckiest man alive to have you in my life.