by Laura Ann
“The Librarian and Her Beast”
CHAPTER 1
“Teacher orientation is the most boring day of the year.”
Those had been Piper’s exact words the previous year when she had sat through yet another session of Principal Grimm introducing any the new faculty and then going over the school rules before dismissing the teachers to mingle and prepare their classrooms.
This year, however, everything was different. Just as Piper shifted her weight in the metal chair she was sitting in, in an effort to keep her backside from going numb, her world suddenly stood still.
She found herself unconsciously holding her breath. Squirming, shuffling, and a droning voice existed in her periphery, but her world was stuck.
Principal Grimm had just announced the new high school math teacher, who would also double as the football coach. The new hire looked to be well over six feet. His shoulders showed he actually played the sport he had come to coach. His dark hair was longer on top, but short on the sides and it looked like he hadn’t shaved in about three days. Piper found she had the strangest desire to rub her fingertips over the stubble.
“Let’s welcome Nash Wilde!” Principal Grimm said with a smile.
Nash Wilde. Oh wow, even his name is attractive. Ouch! Piper’s gawking was broken when her best friend elbowed her in the ribs.
“Stop staring and wipe that drool off your chin,” Lucy teased. “People are gonna start to notice if you don’t get ahold of yourself.”
“Sorry,” Piper mumbled as heat crept up her neck. Shaking her head, she tried to bring her attention back to what Principal Grimm was saying, but her eyes kept wandering back to where Nash had retaken his seat.
“I can’t say that I blame you,” Lucy whispered. “He is one nice specimen of the male species. A bit gruff looking for my tastes.” She pursed her lips and tilted her head from side to side. “But still... looking never hurt anybody. Better be careful though.” Lucy tilted her head to a seat across the room. “Miranda Long Legs seems to have her eye on him as well.”
“What?” Piper snapped to full attention and honed in on the beautiful redhead. She grimaced when she saw Miranda eyeing the coach like a panther sizing up its prey.
Shoot. If Miranda is after him, I don’t stand a chance.
Miranda was five-foot-ten of runway model elegance. Her flaming red hair was always perfectly coiffed and her large, pouty lips perfectly glossed. Men didn’t resist her. They were simply lucky if they survived her.
Folding her arms across her far less impressive chest, Piper tried to avoid the temptation to pout like a little child. Her petite frame was no match for the voluptuous woman’s impressive curves.
The biggest thing about Piper was her head of long, coffee-colored hair. It was thick and luxurious and she couldn’t bring herself to cut it, despite the fact that it added way too much time to her morning routine. More than once she had been told it was her best feature.
Despite her best intention, Piper found her eyes continually darting back to Nash and Miranda and back.
Pretty hair isn’t going to be enough to catch his attention. She sighed, sinking down a little in her seat. Ugh. Miss Hoity Toity is gonna be all over him like a homeless man on a bologna sandwich. She sighed, giving up before the fight had even begun and forced her head back to the principal, who continued to wax poetic about school policies.
NASH FOUND HIS MIND wandering as the Principal continued to drone on about school policies. His eyes shifted around the room before stopping on a petite, dark-headed woman who looked as bored as he felt. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought she was one of the students. She wasn’t the kind of beauty that stopped traffic, but her fairy like features definitely deserved a second look.
Wonder what she teaches. He thought before he caught himself. With a scowl, he brought his gaze back up front. I’m not here to make friends. No woman wants to be friends with someone like me. Especially not the cute, friendly ones.
It only took moments before his eyes wandered toward the woman again. She pushed her glasses up her nose with a small delicate finger and Nash found himself wondering what color her eyes were behind the lenses.
Focus, Wilde! He forced his eyes to keep moving around the room and suddenly they clashed with vivid blue eyes. The woman was obviously tall if her legs were any indication and her bright red hair was artfully placed around her face.
Instead of looking away, the woman raised an eyebrow and slightly pursed her lips in an obviously flirtatious gesture.
Oh, heck no. I know a snake when I see one. Nash kept his face stoic, refusing to respond to her invitation, and brought his eyes back around to the principal. Hopefully, she got the message.
CHAPTER 2
Okay, Piper, you can do this. He’s just a man. A really, really, really handsome man, but still. Just. A. Man.
As the school librarian, Piper had the opportunity to meet all the teachers personally in the small, private academy she taught at when she delivered their textbooks for the year. Middleton Prep taught Kindergarten through high school, which gave her a large variety of colleagues and students.
Normally, helping people on their literary adventures was fulfilling and exciting. Today, however, her body shook with nerves.
Taking a deep breath, she thrust her shoulders back and chin high. With one hand on her library cart, she knocked on the classroom door and pushed it open. Peeking her head in, she glanced around.
“Hello? Mr. Wilde?”
Leaning her head back out to see the door number she double checked that she had the right room, then looked back inside.
A deep, rumbling grunt sounded from behind the door.
Confused, Piper shifted around so she could see where the noise came from. Nash was standing just a few feet away, scowling at her.
Putting on a nervous smile, she said, “Hi! I’m Piper, the librarian. I’m just delivering your textbooks for the semester.” Ooh. He’s even better up close! A girl could get lost in those eyes.
He cleared his throat and Piper realized she was staring. Blinking rapidly, she pulled herself together and worked on maneuvering the cart into the room. Her tiny frame made is an awkward job, and it wasn’t uncommon for her to have a bit of trouble.
When one of the wheels got stuck on the threshold, her cheeks burned with humiliation. She tried to adjust the cart while holding the door open with her foot, but she struggled to have the leverage necessary to pull the wheel up and over.
She registered a loud, exasperated sigh behind her moments before a heated presence appeared at her back. She jumped and bit back a squeal when large arms came around her and shifted the cart before retreating.
“Small.”
Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped at his comment. “Excuse me?” Oh no, he didn’t! I don’t put up with jerks, no matter how handsome they are. “I’m plenty big enough for my job, thank you very much.” Piper put her hands on her hips and stuck her chin in the air.
He huffed and walked away. Stopping at a side table, he swept his arm over it, an obvious indication of where she should put the books.
Angrily shoving her glasses back up her nose, she tugged on the cart and pulled it across the room. Taking a couple books at a time, she started to pile them neatly on the table.
Another grunt sounded from the tall man, this one sounded impatient.
Seriously? How many ways can you communicate in grunt?
When he moved toward the cart, Piper stuck out her arm. “No!” She shouted. Taking a deep breath, she brought down her volume and plastered on a fake smile. “I’m sure you have more important things to do. I’ll just get these stacked according to grade level and be on my way.”
Rolling his eyes, he ignored her command. Reaching down, he gathered half the books in one load, dumped them on the table and then proceeded to pick up the other half. After dropping them down, he stalked across the room and held open the door, staring Piper down.
“Humph
.” Great. His grunting is rubbing off on me. She pushed the cart in front of her and worked her way to the doorway. As she walked out, her arm brushed against him, sending an electrical current down to her fingertips and up to her shoulder.
What the-? What the heck was that? Angry that her body responded to someone so rude, she didn’t bother to say goodbye as she stomped down the hallway. He’s like some caveman, beast thing! He and Miranda deserve each other.
NASH WATCHED THE LIBRARIAN as she stomped down the hall, the squeaky wheels of her cart adding to the noise. Her hair swayed with every step and he found his eyes traveling down to her lightly curved hips. So, she’s the librarian.
He shook his head. Guess that settles that. With a huff, he stepped back into his classroom, letting the door slam behind him.
He walked back over to where he had been organizing his desk and flopped into his seat. Seeing the stack of textbooks to the side, he let a small smile escape. It had taken great effort to not laugh when she got stuck in the doorway. And then to see her stacking the books only three at a time had seemed so ridiculous, he hadn’t been able to stop himself from going over and finishing it.
She had been even more attractive up close than she had been across the room at orientation. When she had brushed against him in the doorway, the touch had a left a strange, tingly warmth on his arm. Not to mention she smelled like candy canes.
He sighed and scrubbed his hands down the side of his face. If your first impression wasn’t enough to keep her away, getting to know you will do it for certain. Nash thought to himself. How can a man with no words get the attention of a woman who lives her life by them?
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