by Claire Adams
I laughed. “I am. I mean, I’m not down, so I guess that makes me happy.”
She nodded, but still seemed to be sizing me up. “Did something happen? You get a raise? Or did you win the lottery?” she joked.
I shook my head. “Nope, just an ordinary day.”
I couldn’t very well tell her that she was the one making me happy. That would freak her out, and it was way beyond the line of appropriate behavior between student and teacher. I want to tell her because I want her to know how glad I am to have her in my life, but I can’t. I know I should completely back away from her and end the friendship we have, but I can’t. I don’t think I could get through this part of my life without her. I’ll figure out a way to keep it professional and not cross any lines. Well, any more lines.
Students trickled in, but they didn’t share my excitement for the day. Today we were staying in. We needed to review all that we’d learned in the field, and I couldn’t afford to have them distracted by the water. Everyone took their seats.
Tessa walked over and handed me the stack of papers that she had neatly stapled together. “Here you go. I’ll let you hand those out. They don’t look happy,” she whispered and winked before walking away.
Ugh, she left me wanting more with a simple wink. Her closeness had given me a quick dose of her fruity perfume. I wanted to grab her and bury my face in her neck, inhaling nothing but her scent. The image nearly made me groan aloud.
I cleared my throat and began distributing the study guide to each student, hearing the grumbles and complaints as I moved throughout the room.
“You could use it and pass the test tomorrow with flying colors, or you can sit here complaining and fail. It’s up to you,” I said from my spot at the front of the room.
“Suck it up, guys. Did you actually think there wouldn’t be a test?” Tessa chimed in from the corner.
Her words were blunt, and they seemed to have hit home. Finally, they all sat up and prepared to be taught. This was why I needed her in my classroom and couldn’t afford to lose her to some silly infatuation. I definitely had to cool it.
As the students filed out, I walked over to Tessa. “Thanks. Sometimes they seem to shut down the minute I open my mouth. You always manage to know exactly what to say.”
She laughed. “Oh, I don’t know about that. I really wanted to tell them to quit being a bunch of babies and suck it up. I don’t understand why they think tests aren’t going to happen. Do they realize they are in school?”
I smiled as she ranted. She tended to get pretty fired up very fast. “You’re right, but trust me, these aren’t the first or last students to bitch about tests. I think we are born with the natural instinct to reject the things.”
That got a giggle out of her. “You’re right. I have a test tomorrow I’m not looking forward to, in fact. I probably got the same look on my face when my professor announced it was coming.”
Nodding, I stepped back when she stood. I don’t want to risk being too close. Honestly, I don’t know if I can control myself.
“I’ve got to go,” she said, smiling and racing out the door. I watched her leave on the run, reminded that she is a college student after all. I have to remind myself of that. She still has this school year until graduation, then the hardship of finding a job that uses the degree she worked so hard to get. All that stuff was in my distant past, and it was then that I realized the reality of the age difference. She has so much life to live and a lot of exploring to do. I’d already done all of that and was in the part of my life where I settled down. Why am I attracted to her? She isn’t anywhere near the same place as I am. It would never work. It is simply not worth the risk to explore a relationship with her when it would never go anywhere.
Jake. I need to talk to Jake. He’ll take me out and introduce me to ladies more suited to my current place in life. I’m dreading it, but I know it has to happen. I have to get Tessa out of my head, and there is only one way to do it.
I shot him a text. Call me.
The phone rang within seconds of me hitting the send button.
I answered. “Don’t you ever work?” I asked, by way of greeting.
“Yes, but I’m in my office so I can talk when I want. What’s up?”
“Feel like doing something this weekend? Maybe not a barbecue though, and you definitely can’t set me up with another one of your paralegals. I want to get out, though,” I told him.
“Hell yeah! How about we go get a few drinks after work tonight? It’s been a hell of a week, and I for one could use a drink,” he said.
I thought about it and remembered that it was a school night. I rolled my eyes at myself; I wasn’t not twelve after all. I could go out on a school night if I liked. One of the perks of being a grownup and all.
“Yeah, that sounds good. Not Chico’s, though,” I quickly added. I don’t want to risk running into Tessa. I’m going out with the sole intention of exorcising her from my head.
“That’s fine; I know a few other places. How about I pick you up at seven? I’ll bring an Uber so we can both drink,” he joked.
“Sounds good. I’ll be ready,” I told him, feeling better now that I had a plan in place. Hopefully, I will find a charming woman who I will fall madly, deeply in love with, and forget all about the sexy little assistant who has taken up residence in my head.
With the last class of the day done, I headed home and got ready for another night out. I was hoping this one ended a little better than the barbecue. Jake and his driver showed up about fifteen minutes early and before I knew it, we were being whisked away to another spot Jake claimed was clean, quiet and a hot spot for more mature ladies.
“I’m glad you called,” Jake said, sitting down at a table on the covered patio. “There is hope for you yet.”
I hoped so, but wasn’t quite so sure. I didn’t think Jake would think so either if he knew I had been lusting after my young assistant, who happened to be a student at the school I worked for. I’m sure there was a law he would quote.
“Thanks for being so patient with me, but I swear to God, if you try and set me up again, I will definitely kill you.”
He smiled, feigned innocence, then put his hand over his heart and said, “I would never do such a thing.”
I eyed him, suddenly suspicious. “Don’t tell me one of your paralegals is going to accidentally run into us while we’re here.”
He chuckled. “No. Just relax. I had to try, and Megan is a beautiful woman. You have to admit that, at least.”
“Yeah, she is, but not my type,” I said.
“You don’t have a type,” he shot back.
I had to bite my tongue. It seemed I did have a type, but not one he needed to know about.
“I’m exploring my options,” I said, holding back a laugh.
“Works for me. Geez, I need to eat something. Want to split an appetizer with me?” he asked.
“Sure. Something salty and greasy preferably.”
He rolled his eyes. “We’re in a bar. Is there anything but?”
I sometimes forgot Jake was only twenty-seven. . Grownups occasionally eat real food while they drink. Not that I would know, but I remembered Miriam always trying to pressure me into being more dignified. She loathed the idea of hot wings or cheese sticks.
“Jalapeno poppers,” I blurted out, suddenly remembering they had been my favorite snack to go with my beer back before Miriam nearly dragged me to the altar.
“That’s what I’m talking about.” My brother grinned, waving the waitress over.
We ended up ordering far more food than I could imagine the two of us eating, but I was excited to try it all. It had been a long time since I sat in a bar, drinking and stuffing my face with food that would probably make me sick. I was looking forward to every bite.
I noticed Jake jerking his head, motioning to the empty table beside us, but he wasn’t looking at me.
“What are you doing?” I said, turning to see what or who he was looking
at.
My heart skipped a beat when my eyes landed on Tessa and her friend. I looked back at Jake who was grinning like a fool.
“What the hell?” I muttered. Did Jake know about Tessa? How? How could he possibly know? When the two women looked towards the bar, I breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t gesturing to them. I couldn’t help but stare at her. I had come here to escape her, yet here she was. It was seriously beginning to feel as if fate was truly trying to put us together. How else could anyone explain why we managed to end up in the same places? I watched her move, weaving between tables. She was smiling as she chatted with her friend. There was no doubt in my mind that she was the most stunning woman I had ever met in my life. Beauty, brains, and wit all in one perfect package.
Chapter 20
Tessa
My body started to tingle, a weird vibe that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I could feel my senses kick up a notch and that stranger-danger feeling washed over me. Someone was looking at me; I could feel it. I looked up and scanned the dimly-lit bar, trying to figure out what my senses were trying to tell me.
I already know, but refuse to believe it until I can verify it with my own eyes. And then it happened. I saw him. He was sitting at a table with his brother. Ian was here, and he had seen me. No, seen isn’t the word. His eyes were on me as if I were his prey. It sent a delicious shiver over my body as I watched him greedily stare at me.
I grabbed Maria’s arm. “He’s here,” I hissed.
She only smiled. It was a devilish smile.
“You knew?” I asked in horror. “Maria, you can’t do that. Wait, how did you know he would be here?”
She refused to answer but gave me a quick wink and a smile before she grabbed my hand and led me through the bar and towards Ian. This couldn’t be happening.
Ian was still staring, but occasionally looking away to stare at his brother.
Maria kept pulling my hand until we reached an empty table that happened to be next to Ian’s. I looked at Maria, my mouth dropping open in shock. Did Maria set this up?
She cleared her throat, looked at me expectantly and I suddenly remembered my manners.
“Oh, uh, Maria, this is Ian, I mean Professor Dunlap. Professor, Maria,” I said, feeling like a complete idiot. Why was I introducing them? We could have sat down and ignored them. Well, I could have tried, but there was no way I could ignore the man. He was all-consuming.
Maria was beaming. “I know, and this is Jake. Jake, this is my roommate, Tessa,” she said, before leaning in and kissing the man.
Ian and I both stared at the two, our mouths agape.
When she looked back at me, I knew I had been bamboozled.
“This is who you’ve been seeing?” I asked in a high-pitched voice.
Maria laughed. “Yep.”
Ian was staring at Jake. “I didn’t know. You didn’t tell me you were seeing anybody,” he said, with a hint of irritation in his voice. “If you had a date tonight, you could have told me.”
Jake shrugged his shoulders. “We thought it would be fun if each of us met the most important people in our lives. It’s part of dating, you know. I meet her friends; she meets mine,” he explained as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
I looked at Maria, questioning her with my eyes. Had she told Jake about the kiss? I would have to mind my tongue from now on. She had been compromised. I knew how people in relationships were. They told each other everything.
I looked over at Ian, and he looked like he wanted to run out of the bar. I offered a smile. “Sorry,” I mouthed.
“Have a seat, ladies,” Jake said. “We ordered appetizers. What will you have to drink?”
I didn’t think I could drink, let alone eat. The tension between the group was palpable. Or at least I know I could feel it like a heavy blanket around me anyway. Maria and Jake didn’t seem to mind a bit. Jake grabbed the table I was at and pulled it over and butted it up against the one he and Ian were sharing. It left me sitting there in the middle of the patio. My only option was to scoot over, which would put me directly beside Ian.
I could see the horror on his face and realized this was as bad for him as it was for me.
“Come on, scooch in,” Maria said, grinning ear to ear. “I don’t think the professor bites. Does he?”
I wanted to die. Right then and there. She had to have told Jake, based on his reaction to what she said. For his part, Ian was shooting death glares at his brother. I looked from one brother to the other, and my money was on Ian. He was older, bigger and royally pissed.
“It’s okay,” he said, in a low voice, looking at me.
I nodded and carefully moved my chair next to his. We sat next to each other all the time. This is no big deal, I reminded myself.
The waitress appeared, dropping off a variety of appetizers and taking our drink order with the promise to return in a jiffy. Maria and Jake had their heads together, talking and kissing on occasion. They were in their own world.
“Nothing like a blind date to make your day complete, huh?” I joked, knowing how much he had hated the one on Sunday at the barbecue.
Like that, the tension flowed away. Ian’s shoulders went back a little, and he smiled before taking a long drink of his beer.
I watched as his lips touched the bottle and he began to drink. Heat washed over my body as I remembered those lips on mine. I longed to feel them again, to taste him. He put down his beer, his gaze never leaving mine. I know he could see my passion rising to the surface by the way his normally light green eyes darkened. I had seen that happen once before, right before he kissed me.
“Your drink’s here,” he mumbled.
I looked up and watched the waitress place my cocktail on the napkin in front of me. “Thank you,” I said, my voice low and husky.
I felt him jerk next to me. He too was experiencing the same affliction as I—forbidden passion was a bitch. I wanted him so badly, but I couldn’t have him. It didn’t seem fair. I watched Maria and Jake lean into each other. They were happy. Their relationship was completely normal and didn’t break any rules.
“I guess you weren’t expecting this,” he said in a quiet voice. “I know I wasn’t.”
I shook my head. “No. Not exactly. She said she wanted to go out. Blow off some steam and all that crap.”
I debated the merits of telling him she knew about the kiss but was too embarrassed. It made me sound like a silly girl running to tell my friends about my kiss with a boy. What was the rule—never kiss and tell?
We sat in relative silence, engaging in conversation occasionally when Jake and Maria came up for air. Their attention never lasted long, and they ended up returning to their little love nest, seemingly unconcerned that it was in the middle of a crowded bar.
“Need another drink?” he asked.
I vigorously nodded my head. “Yes!”
He chuckled before waving the waitress over. It was a new one. She looked at me, held out her hand and demanded to see my ID.
“Little late for that now, isn’t it?” I grumbled but did as she asked.
I handed her the ID; she declared I was legal and took our order. Before I could get my license back in my wallet, Ian snatched it out of my hand.
He was reading it when I snatched it back. “Yes, I’m legal,” I laughed, knowing he was curious.
His gaze heated up about a hundred degrees before he leaned in close to my ear and breathed, “Lethal is more like it.”
I couldn’t move. His hot breath washed over my bare skin, nearly causing me to climax without even touching me. My mind jumped back to the way his lips had felt against my own, and I was craving to know what they would feel like against my neck.
My heart was doing a series of flips and twirls that made it difficult for me to breath. I finally brought both my breathing and my racing libido under control and looked at him. He was taking another drink from his fresh beer as if he hadn’t just made me wet. I had a feeling he knew exactly what
he did and was feeling very proud of himself.
I was half tempted to reach under the table and give him a taste of his own medicine but decided against it. When the waitress delivered my drink, I took a long sip of the icy liquid. It helped cool the fire that had been started under my skin.
With the fire extinguished, I was able to turn my focus back to the conversation between Jake and Ian. Finally, Maria and Jake had disengaged themselves, and we were able to have a real conversation. It was fun. The earlier episode was forgotten, and I was able to relax with Ian by my side. It all felt very natural.
When Jake checked his watch, it was a signal our night was over.
“This was fun!” Maria exclaimed. Jake had his arm around her as they made their way to the door.
I had to agree. “It was.”
Ian walked behind me. “I had a good time. I wasn’t expecting it to be so fun.”
We stood outside, waiting for our Ubers to arrive. Maria and Jake walked away, leaving Ian and me alone on the sidewalk. Once again, the tension spiked between us. We had made it through our double date. It had been far better than I could have imagined when I first realized what Maria had done, but now we were back to the awkward part.
“I guess I’ll see you in class tomorrow,” I said, hoping to clear away the tension.
He nodded. “Yep. I’ll be the guy teaching,” he said, with a grin.
I felt like an idiot.
He stepped in front of me. “I’m joking. I know this is a little weird. Don’t let our fantastic evening be ruined by this part. I’m not going to kiss you goodnight. We went out, had fun with our friends, and now we’re going home.”
I smiled. “We did, huh? It was nice to get away from the school stuff. You’re a fun guy, Ian. I’m glad I got the chance to see this side of you.”
He smiled. “Me too. I mean, I’m glad I could be myself around you.”
A car pulled up to the curb; I checked my phone. “That’s ours. I’ll see you tomorrow. Maria! Car’s here!”
She emerged from the shadows and climbed in the car.