by E. L. Todd
When she answered the door, she didn’t look the least bit happy. “Stop hammering on my door. My neighbors will hear you.”
“If they don’t like it, they can move.”
She blocked the doorway so I wouldn’t be able to slip inside. “I told you I need space. Just back off, okay?”
“Need space because…?” I snapped. “I didn’t even do anything wrong, but I’m getting the cold shoulder for it.”
“No, you didn’t do anything wrong.” She held up her finger so I knew things were about to get serious. “But you embarrassed me more than I’ve ever been embarrassed in my life. You knew how your father felt about me, but you still didn’t tell me.”
“I thought it would help you in the long run.”
“I just feel so stupid. The whole time you were helping me, your dad was complaining about me. You knew exactly what I needed to work on that whole time.”
“You’re making it sound worse than it really was.”
“It’s still humiliating. You had to defend me so I could keep my job.”
“I didn’t defend you, okay? I just told him to give you more time.”
She grabbed the door and prepared to shut it. “Volt, just leave me alone.”
“No.” I pressed my hand against the door so she couldn’t shut me out. “I’m not leaving until we settle this. I get you’re upset about this, but I didn’t do anything malicious to you. All I did was try to help you. So don’t push me away. I had to endure the past week without you, and I can’t go on like that for another one. So just accept my apology.”
Her eyes narrowed at those last words. “You’re telling me what to do now? Telling me how I should feel?”
Now I was losing her. “No. I’m just telling you I’m sorry, and this fight is stupid.”
Now she was really pissed. “Good night, Volt.” She tried to shut the door in my face.
I was too strong for her. “I’m sleeping here tonight. I’m not going back to my apartment to toss and turn. I did that last week, and I’m not doing it this week.”
“Then get a body pillow.” She put all her weight behind the door.
“I’m serious.” My strength outweighed hers, and the door flew open and slammed into the wall. “I don’t want to fight.”
“I don’t either. But I want some space. Why can’t you just back off?”
“Because I hate being apart. Don’t you?” She was just as obsessed with me as I was with her. How could she stand the distance?
“I do…but right now, I need space.”
I wasn’t getting my way, and I hated every second of it. I wanted to rip her door off and go on a rampage. I just wanted to have her, to sleep beside her and hold her until the sun came up. “It’s not my fault you weren’t doing your job. It’s not my fault that you needed help. Don’t blame all your problems on me. All I’ve been doing lately is fixing your mistakes.”
The look she gave me was unlike any other I’d ever seen. Instead of just being angry, she was livid. It was the quiet kind of anger, the kind of sinister threat that filled the air with deadly silence.
I regretted those words the moment I said them.
“Fuck you, Volt.” She shut the door in my face.
Chapter Eleven
Taylor
I was livid with Volt.
All I asked for was some space, and instead, he decided to smother me with his bullshit. When he told his dad to keep me on the payroll, he didn’t do anything wrong. He was just trying to help, and I get that.
But I just wanted a few days to myself.
My pride had been wounded, and I was embarrassed Volt had been helping me even more than I realized. I just needed time to sit alone in my apartment and get over it before I mustered up an apology.
But then Volt had to go out of his way and piss me the hell off.
I understood he was frustrated and just wanted to spend time with me.
But everyone needs to be alone once in a while.
And now I was really pissed with him.
I was a zombie in the classroom all day. The kids worked on their new lab for the afternoon, and I sat at my desk and watched them from afar. Only part of my brain was paying attention to them because the other half was preoccupied with my disappointment in Volt. He lost his temper and said some things he didn’t mean.
But he hurt my feelings anyway.
At lunchtime, I sat in my classroom alone and picked at my sandwich. I hadn’t had an appetite all day because I was nauseated. My eyes kept moving to the clock, hoping it was three instead of twelve.
But that stupid clock never moved fast enough.
My classroom door opened, and Mr. Davidson walked inside. “Hey. Got a minute?”
“Sure.” I put down my sandwich because I wasn’t eating it anyway.
He eyed the desks and the lab equipment set up for the following period. “Wow, the frog dissection.”
“Yep. One of the finest and smelliest lab exercises.”
“And you can eat in the same room?” he asked with a chuckle.
I just wanted to avoid the staff room—mainly Natalie. She would ask me a million questions about Volt. “I’m used to the smell. I hardly notice it anymore.”
He chuckled. “I know what you mean.” He put his hands in the pockets of his slacks and came closer to the desk. He wore a collared shirt with a gray tie. Normally, he wore jeans and a t-shirt to school. I wasn’t sure why he was so fancy now.
“How’s your classroom going?”
“Good. The kids are getting anxious for Christmas break.”
“My kids are anxious for Christmas break the first day of school.”
He laughed deeply, the sound coming from deep in his throat. “And I’m ready for summer break.”
“I know, right?” I said with a chuckle.
He eyed my pathetic lunch, a turkey sandwich, a yogurt, and a banana. “That’s a pretty healthy lunch.”
“The word you’re looking for is boring.”
He smiled. “Maybe we can get lunch together sometime.”
“Yeah, sure.” Sometimes the teachers got together and had lunch a block over. There were an endless number of restaurants and food carts nearby. I didn’t eat out very often because I was on a tight budget, and that food had a lot of extra carbs and fat I couldn’t afford.
“Cool.” His eyes lightened in excitement. “Maybe if you aren’t—”
Principal Rosenthal opened the door and poked his head inside. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”
“No, of course not. Come in.” He was the last person I wanted to see, but there was no way to avoid it. He was my boss, after all.
My boyfriend’s father was my boss.
Kill me now.
Principal Rosenthal walked into the classroom and eyed Mr. Davidson. “How are things going?”
“Good,” Mr. Davidson answered. “Ms. Thomas and I were just talking about getting lunch together sometime.”
“I recommend the Thai place around the corner,” Principal Rosenthal said. “Absolutely delicious.”
“Maybe we’ll go there.” Mr. Davidson turned back to me, a smile in his eyes.
“Uh, can Ms. Thomas and I have a word alone?” Principal Rosenthal asked.
Oh no. Now what?
“Sure.” Mr. Davidson gave me a gentle wave before he walked out. Once the door was shut, I was uneasy. I was stuck in a room with a man I wasn’t too fond of at the moment.
“How can I help you, Principal Rosenthal?” Did he want to see how my lab was doing today? Did he want to go through my most recent exam and make sure it was easy enough?
Now that he stood in front of me, the similarities between him and Volt were undeniable. They had the same crystal-blue eyes, the same dark hair, and the same facial structure. Principal Rosenthal was still a good-looking man, but he was in his late fifties, so I didn’t notice his appeal. But I could see all the evidence now that I knew the truth. “I was hoping you and I could have a li
ttle chat.”
“Sure.” About what? My hour lunch break was being wasted in the company of others. I just wanted to sit alone and listen to the hum of my AC unit in the corner.
“So…Volt and I had a long talk.”
My natural reaction was to flinch in aversion. Volt didn’t give me any warning that he was going to drop the bomb on his father, and now I felt stupid for acting like everything was perfectly normal.
“I know the two of us have butted heads in the past, and I can understand why the situation isn’t ideal for you, but I really hope that doesn’t affect your relationship with my son. Ms. Thomas, I think you’re a great teacher because you love your students. Honestly, that’s all that really matters to me, and it’s a quality you definitely possess. I have nothing but respect and admiration for you.”
Did Volt tell him to say all of this? “Well, thank you. I’m glad there are no hard feelings.”
“None at all. Besides, my wife rambles on and on that you’re the best thing that ever happened to our son. She loves you dearly. And I trust my wife’s opinion above everything else. So please don’t feel uncomfortable around us. We’re so grateful our son has chosen such a lovely woman.”
Where was this sweetness months ago? He was a different person in this conversation. I couldn’t help but wonder if he meant any of it. Did Volt just ask him to say all of this? I would never know because Volt wouldn’t tell me that information—ever. “I’m glad we could work this out.”
Principal Rosenthal must have known something wasn’t right. Before he was a principal, he was a teacher, so he was intuitive and observant. He probably figured out my discomfort by watching the way I shifted my weight in the chair and avoided eye contact. “Taylor, I know you’re the woman my son wants to spend the rest of his life with.”
His words made me flinch, and this time, I couldn’t stop my body from jerking. The reaction was natural and uncontrollable. Volt and I never spoke of forever or a future together. It was still early in our relationship. But I knew how I felt because it was clear as day. I never wondered if he felt the same way.
“He came to the house and told me who you were. Then he said the four of us had to make this work. Failure wasn’t an option. I’m not the sensitive kind of guy. I’m definitely not romantic either. When my son asked me to talk to you, I understood how serious his feelings are. So, I hope you and I can start over and put our strained feelings aside. I want you to stay in Volt’s life, and I’m willing to do anything to make that happen.” He searched my eyes, looking for the reaction I was trying to hide. “So, can we start over?” He extended his hand to me.
I eyed it before I took it. “Absolutely.”
He gave a firm handshake before he dropped his hand to his side. “Thank you. My wife will be so happy.”
I finally smiled. “I’m sure Volt will be too.”
“The four of us should have dinner together. I hope you’re free on Friday night.”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Great. I look forward to getting to know you, Taylor.” He gave me a wink before he walked out of the classroom.
When I was surrounded by the hum of my AC again, I let my thoughts run freely. That was a conversation I dreaded, but now that it happened, it wasn’t bad at all. And the fact Volt was trying so hard to make this work…was touching. Instead of pushing him away, I needed to hold on to him.
And never let go.
***
He opened the door, his eyes dark and untrusting. He wore a gray t-shirt and sweat pants, having no motivation to leave the house once he was home from work. His walls were up—sky-high. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
He didn’t invite me inside. He kept his hand on the handle just in case he needed to close it. “Is there something you need?” The resentment was in his voice—along with the pain.
“I need you.”
Instantly, his eyes softened. Realizing what he did, he quickly changed his expression, trying to mask the feelings he usually let unfold.
“Your dad talked to me today.”
“Yeah?” he whispered.
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“I’m sorry I snapped at you. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I said that to you.”
He moved his gaze to mine, hanging on to my every word.
“I got upset and pushed you away. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“No, you shouldn’t have.”
My body prickled in anger, but I let it pass. Getting upset wouldn’t put out this fire. The flames were dwindling to a smolder and adding more fuel would just make things worse.
“And I shouldn’t have been an ass. I let my anger get to me and…I didn’t know what to do with it. I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.”
He dropped his hand from the door. “So…you wanna come in?”
I nodded before I crossed the threshold.
He shut the door behind me before he turned to me, his hands resting by his sides. He didn’t touch me like he usually did. He was still restrained despite the fact our fight had come to an end. “I was worried you’d be mad that I told my dad everything.”
“I was—at first. But then he told me everything you said, that you needed to make this work because you couldn’t lose me. That I’m the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with…” He never said that last part, and I was taking a risk that might result in disaster. Despite everything at stake, I said the words anyway. In my heart, I knew they were true.
Volt stared at me without blinking, not giving away any kind of reaction. Nearly a minute passed, hanging in the air like a silent clock. His hands weren’t on me yet. “I understand why my behavior has been so strange. I understand why I got so frustrated and said things I didn’t mean. I understand why I asked my father to patch things up with you even though it’s not his forte.” He swallowed the lump in his throat before he took a deep breath. “Because I’m in love with you.”
My heart ached from a mixture of pain and joy, and tears I didn’t know I had sprung to my eyes. They coated the surface but didn’t fall. But they burned as they grew, matching the emotional mayhem rampaging through my body.
“I think I was in love with you the day we met. I think I was in love with you before I knew you. I think I’ve always been in love with you…somehow.” He stared at my tear-filled eyes without touching me. “And I do want to spend the rest of my life with you. I never thought I would feel this way. I didn’t think it was possible. But…you bring out the best in me.”
Unable to stand the distance between us, I closed the gap and rested my hands against his chest. I felt his frantically beating heart, like a bird trying to get free of a cage. I felt his body tense in fear, unsure what I might say. Every feeling and thought he hid from the world was no longer hidden from me. “I love you. I’ve always loved you.”
He cupped my face and tilted my chin up, revealing all of my features so he could easily see me. He stared at the teardrops in my eyes and placed a kiss against the corners, absorbing the tears onto his lips.
My entire body burned at his touch, high from the electricity that coursed between us. I could feel my body ache and burn. I could feel our bodies bend and coil around each other. I could feel the connection between us, the surge of power.
His hands traveled to my waist where he gripped me tightly, pulling me harder against him so our chests were touching. He didn’t kiss me, but the look he gave me was even better. It was a new expression I’d never seen. It told me exactly how he felt without the use of words, that what we had would last forever.
Something was different between us. There was a hum in the air when our bodies were this close together. Our heavy breathing filled the room and blocked out the silence. The two of us held each other as passion coursed through us. Neither one of us acted on it because we didn’t know where to begin. Just holding each other, feeling our hearts beat as one, was enough.
I knew what would come next. We�
��d been holding off until the right moment, and without exchanging a single word, we knew that moment had arrived. There was no going back after everything we’d been through together. What we had was special, something that would last a lifetime, and there was no reason to wait.
I certainly didn’t want to.
My physical attraction to him was powerful the moment we met. I’d fantasized about the sexy things we would do together. Every time we fooled around, it felt amazing. Without sleeping with him, I knew he would be the best sex I’d ever had.
But I didn’t care about that anymore.
I just wanted to be with him, to feel our bodies connect in the most profound way possible. I wanted to give myself to him, and to feel him hand himself over to me. Volt was a closed-off man beforehand, but he slowly let me in. And now he was dropping all of his walls, letting me have all of him for the very first time.
Volt must have been thinking the exact same thoughts because he directed me backward to his hallway. His eyes were locked to mine and desperation was thudding deep inside. With every step closer, his hands tightened on me. He pushed the bedroom door open and backed me into the room until my knees hit the mattress.
I’d been waiting for this moment. I’d been ready for this moment for a long time. The anticipation was almost too much for my heart to handle. My breaths were uneven, and I couldn’t keep my excitement in check. Without checking my panties, I knew I was soaked and ready for him.
Volt leaned his face close and rubbed his nose against mine. The action was delicate but playful, getting our feet wet without jumping in right away. Then he fisted my hair aggressively and took hold of me so I couldn’t slip out of his grasp again. He held me in place before he pressed his mouth against mine, giving me a kiss so soft it directly contradicted the way he was holding me.
His mouth moved against mine slowly, treasuring the feel of our lips moving as one. When he pressed into me, I gave way. And when I wanted his bottom lip, he let me have it. I’d kissed him before, more times than I could count at that point, and every embrace was amazing.