The sky was dark again, I note peering outside. I wondered what the weather was going to throw at us today.
However, no matter how much I try to distract myself, I could still remember the feel of Steven’s lips on my mouth, and the way they had trailed over my jaw, one wet kiss after another.
Stopping at the red traffic light, I rest my head against my hands on the steering wheel.
What did he want from me, I think, my blood still heated.
“I’m not done with you yet, Abby.”
His words circle in my head.
By the time I reach home, my mind is a jumble of confusing thoughts and I cannot wait to meet Travis and get rid of this burning need inside my body.
The minute I step into the apartment, Scarlett darts out, holding a scrap of red cloth in her hands, all excited, “Well, what do you think?”
“I am not wearing that!” I scowl at her. “I might as well go naked.”
Scarlett, however, isn’t paying attention, her eyes fixed on my neck, “What the hell is that?”
Defensively, my hand creeps up to my neck and I whirl around to see what she is staring at, in the foyer mirror.
My eyes widen in horror, dawning realization at what that smug look in Steven’s eyes had been.
“That’s a hickey!” My best friend declares, “Let me see!”
I dodge her as she leaps toward me, but she is quicker, and a brief struggle ensues till she wins.
“Where’d you get a hickey from?” She demands from on top of me where she was sitting.
I look guilty, and her eyes widen, “No!”
I wince.
She grabs my face, forcing me to look at her, “Steven Tanner gave you a hickey?! You made out with Steven Tanner?”
I push her off me, glaring, “Don’t make it sound like some kind of honour.”
Scarlett’s eyes narrows, and her voice chilled, “Tell me he didn’t force himself on-“
“No!” I blush. “He – It was – I kissed him back.”
The last part was a mumble, but Scarlett heard me.
However, she leans back against the couch, studying me, her arms crossed over her chest, “Then I don’t get it.”
“Get what?” I try to calm myself down to get my colour back to normal.
“A hot guy comes on to you, he kisses you, but you’re angry? On the other hand, you’re willing to sleep with Travis, who I know you are not interested in. Why would you choose Travis over this guy?”
I fidget, a little uneasy, “I don’t know.”
“Abby.”
I sigh, pulling my knees up to wrap my arms around, “All the boys I’ve ever gone out with have – they felt safe. I liked their kisses, I liked laughing with them. But Steven is so intense. Every time he looks at me, it feels like he can’t wait to sink his teeth into me.”
“How is that a bad thing?” My friend questions, her gaze unwavering from my form.
I glance at her, “It’s not. I’m not saying it is. I just don’t know how to handle it.”
“What’s wrong with enjoying it?” Scarlett demands. “Have a wild affair. You’ve earned it.”
“I’ve earned it?” I echo, blankly.
Scarlett nudges me with her foot, “You can’t play it safe your whole life, honey. You’ll end up with someone boring and be unhappy.”
When I scrunch my nose at her, she stabs me with her toe again, her voice firm, “I’m serious, Abby. There’s no harm in trying to see where this goes.”
“What if he’s just passing his time with me?” I ask.
Scarlett raises a brow, “So you pass your time with him. That’s it. Don’t look for anything deeper in this, if your instincts are telling you this won’t lead anywhere. Just have some fun.”
I frown and ponder over that thought.
Twisting and turning in bed, I fall into a troubled sleep that night. Dreaming of a pair of gray eyes that could look into my soul.
Chapter 9
A few days pass in this cat and mouse dance that Steven puts me through. He would show up and flirt, I would hiss back. But even I could see that I had started to cave.
* * *
As I drove to work that morning, I felt Gertha sputter again.
* * *
Worried, I open the hood when I get to school and let out a sigh when I realize she might need to go to the shop again.
* * *
Christmas was around the corner and if I handed in Gertha for a tuning, there was no way I would get it before Christmas.
* * *
I slam the hood shut and grab my things out of the back seat before making my way to the class.
* * *
“Miss Johnson, a word.”
* * *
Running into Collin first thing in the morning was not how I wanted my day to start off.
* * *
Wondering how much trouble I was in for snapping at a parent, and a rich one at that, I follow him into his office.
* * *
He doesn’t sit down, his hands fidgeting.
* * *
I wonder what’s wrong with him.
* * *
“Am I in trouble, Mr. Collin?” I ask, hesitantly. “If this is about Mr. Tanner, I- “
* * *
“What?” He asks, in a distracted manner. “Ah, no. It’s great that you’re looking after his son after school. It’s good PR.”
* * *
I rock back on the balls of my feet, “Then?”
* * *
He blushes.
* * *
He actually blushed.
* * *
“I just wanted – I mean, I was wondering –“
* * *
I tuck my tongue in my cheeks and ask in a blunt manner, “Is this about Scarlett?”
* * *
When his face turns even redder, I let out an even breath, “She’s single, if you’re wondering.”
* * *
Collin shifts on his feet, “Ah, do you think she’d be interested in – If I were to ask her out, would she be receptive?”
* * *
I wonder at that.
* * *
Collin and Scarlett were worlds apart.
* * *
“I think she would. I’ll have to ask her.”
* * *
He looks so relieved that I feel a little awkward, “Is that all? Because I need to get to my class.”
* * *
“Yeah, yeah. That was it. Uh, thank you.”
* * *
I massage my temples as I exit his office.
* * *
I hoped Scarlett knew what she was doing.
* * *
I was conducting a pop-quiz today, but since it wasn’t a written quiz, my class was pretty excited. Watching group after group come and recite their lines and act out characters from Macbeth, I had to stop a few of those who got a little too enthusiastic.
* * *
One of the boys decided to sing out his portion of the lines and that was the note on which the class ended today.
* * *
Aaron shows up, and not so soon after, his father follows.
* * *
But Scarlett’s words roam in my head as I stare at Steven.
* * *
She was wrong.
* * *
It wasn’t that Steven was intense that made me wary. It was the fact that this man had the potential of breaking my heart.
* * *
I stare at the adorable looking wicker basket he places in front of me.
* * *
“What’s this?”
* * *
“It’s for you.” He tells me.
* * *
“Why?” The word slips from my lips.
* * *
A part of me was baffled. I had never been wooed like this. Men didn’t go around buying me things.
* * *
As I lift the beautiful pattered cloth that covered the contents of the bask
et, I see a mixture of muffins.
* * *
My heart melts.
* * *
“Because you like muffins,” He says, simply.
* * *
I stare up at him, not knowing how to react to that.
* * *
“T-thank you.”
* * *
When his lips curve, I find myself fighting a blush. When he cocks his hip against my desk, “So, Abby. How has your day been?”
* * *
I shrug, “Okay.”
* * *
This was new.
* * *
My hair was open, out of it’s bun, and he takes a strand and starts curling it around his finger, making me stiff.
* * *
But I couldn’t stop him.
* * *
I didn’t want to.
* * *
“What happened?” He asks playing with my brown strands, his eyes watching the bounce with a fascination all men had with long hair.
* * *
I rack my brains, trying to recall the details of my day, but I keep getting distracted with how he is twirling my hair around those thick fingers that would feel so much better if they were being inserted into my –
* * *
“Abby?”
* * *
When I look up, startled out of my thoughts, there is a smirk on his lips which tell me that he has seen the flash of desire on my face.
* * *
I blush so hard, “Sorry, I was distracted.”
* * *
Before Steven could say anything, Aaron chimes in, “Miss Abby, how will you carry all this to your car?”
* * *
He was gesturing toward the posters that the students had handed in. I wanted to spend the weekend grading them.
* * *
I blink, “Uh, I guess I’ll carry them.”
* * *
“We can help, can’t we, Dad?”
* * *
Steven walks over and picks up a bunch of the rolled chart papers, “Let’s go then.”
* * *
I fidget awkwardly, “Thank you.”
* * *
The walk to the car was short, but when I see the way Steven eyes my car, I feel a twinge of annoyance, “Can you not do that?”
* * *
“Do what?” He asks, innocently.
* * *
I put my hands on my hips, using a mild tone for Aaron’s benefit, “Look at my car as if it’s a piece of junk.”
* * *
“I can’t help it if it is.” He shrugs.
* * *
I wanted to say something, but the last thing I wanted was for Aaron to witness an argument.
* * *
“Is that smoke?” The child in question, asks.
* * *
“What?!” I dump the posters on the spot and race around the car to see the engine emitting small amounts of smoke.
* * *
“Stay back, Aaron,” I warn as I pop open the hood.
* * *
“You stay back as well,” Steven frowns. “That looks dangerous.”
* * *
I give him a scornful look, “I’ve been taking care of Gertha since I bought her. I know what I’m doing.”
* * *
I look for the source of the smoke, ignoring the annoyance on his face. Things seem a little out of tune, but nothing that a little visit to the mechanic wouldn’t fix.
* * *
However, when my eyes land on the essential gray part of the car engine, my heart sinks.
* * *
I groan, “The capacitor is fried.”
* * *
When Steven makes a small noise, I turn my head, glaring at him, “I’m sorry. Do you have something to say?”
* * *
He coughs, delicately, “Not at all. Why don’t we give you a ride back?”
* * *
I open my mouth to say I’d call a cab when I realize I have forgotten my wallet at home.
* * *
Sighing, I close the hood with an audible snap, “I would appreciate that.”
* * *
Steven’s car was a beautiful black jaguar, and I blink, “I thought your car was in the shop.”
* * *
His hand slip around my elbow as he steers me toward the passenger seat, “That was the other one.”
* * *
I let Aaron clamber into the backseat, all the while gaping at his father, “How many cars do you own?”
* * *
“Dad has a lot of cars!” Aaron pipes up. “Our garage is this big!”
* * *
I smile weakly at the way the boy tries to widen his arms to show me.
* * *
I hand over the muffin basket to him, to keep it next to him in the backseat. As I lean back to adjust the seat, my back brushes with Steven’s front and I couldn’t contain my shiver.
* * *
He must have felt it, too, because I saw the pleased smile on his lips when he closes the door after me.
* * *
He slides smoothly into the driver’s seat and I fastened my seatbelt.
* * *
“Aaron. Seatbelt.”
* * *
The boy grumbles, but when I eye him in the rear-view mirror, he quickly snaps it shut around himself.
* * *
“That’s impressive,” Steven tells me, and I realize how compact this car was, as his shoulder brush against mine. “I didn’t even have to threaten him.”
* * *
I didn’t get a chance to respond to that because Aaron chimes, “Dad, can we have something to eat first? I’m starving!”
* * *
I eye the crumbs around his mouth, and the half-eaten muffin in his pocket, and wonder what he was up to.
* * *
Steven glances at me, a question in his eyes, and I shrug, “I could eat.”
* * *
As the car roars away, I meet Aaron’s eyes in the rear-view mirror and see a calculating look in them.
* * *
Just what was this child planning?
Chapter 10
The restaurant was a fancy place, one I would never have dreamed about setting a foot in.
Glancing down at my clothes, I feel a little underdressed.
I had a pair of jeans on, and a white blouse which was covered by my long black jacket.
When I stare at the entrance, hesitating, Steven glances at me, “Is something wrong?”
My voice comes out smaller than I had intended, “I thought we were going to some fast food place. Isn’t this a little –?”
When I feel a small hand curling around mine, I look down at Aaron who is beaming at me, missing tooth and all, “I like their chicken nuggets. I’ll share mine with you.”
I felt a tug at my heart strings and when Steven slips my other hand around his elbow, I feel surrounded by all sides and I give up.
The Maître d’ was a middle-aged man in a black suit and his hair slicked back.
“Mr. Tanner, welcome back! Hello, Master Aaron. May I take your coats?”
As Steven and Aaron shrug off their coats, I notice how warm the interior of the restaurant was. I also notice that he didn’t offer to take my jacket.
“Would you like your help to sit at a separate table?”
The low words reach my ears and I feel a flush of shame creep up on my face. I find myself staring at the floor, trying to get my feelings under control.
When Aaron tugs at my hand and looks up at me in a worried manner, I force my lips to curve.
“Miss Abby is my teacher!” Aaron scowls at the man, his tiny hand squeezing mine. Then he looks at his father, “Dad, I don’t want to eat here!”
The tantrum was artfully thrown by a child who was so well-grounded, that I found myself blinking. It seems that Steven’s son had picked up quite a few things from his father, including that arrogant air.
Wintertime Heat: A Christmas Single Dad Romance Page 5