Copyright © 2019 by Tracy Lorraine
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Contents
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A Note
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Acknowledgments
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Sneak Peek
THORN - Chapter One
THORN - Chapter Two
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A Note
Avoiding Temptation is written in British English and contains British spelling and grammar. This may appear incorrect to some readers when compared to US English books.
Chapter One
“You all set?” Eddie asks, glancing at the first slide of my presentation projecting on the wall and to my neatly stacked folders and worksheets.
Tonight is my first class at my new job. I’ve been an English teacher since I graduated from university eight years ago, although I’m more used to teenagers than adults, but I didn’t have the time or money to be fussy when I moved to London. I almost snapped Eddie’s hand off when he offered me this position.
He’s the only person I know in this city. I knew it was a risk going to him, but he was my only option. Thankfully, he was still at the same address he gave me years ago, and when he unlocked his front door he welcomed me in like it was only yesterday we’d last seen each other.
“Yeah, I think so.” I shake my arms at my sides, willing my nerves to disappear before my students arrive. I don’t need them figuring out my weakness the moment they walk in the room. The thought of teaching adults terrifies me, even if they’ve made the decision to better themselves. Put me in an entire hall full of teenagers and I wouldn’t bat an eyelid, but adults are a whole other story.
“You’re going to be fine. This’ll be a walk in the park after the spoilt rich kids you’re used to.”
“If you say so.”
The classroom door opens and both Eddie and I look over. It takes a couple of seconds for someone to enter but, when they do, my chin drops a little. I didn’t have any expectations of who my students might be. Eddie explained to me that the classes are usually a total mixed bag of people, but I can say with absolute certainty that I was not expecting someone like him.
His eyes find mine briefly before he looks away to take in the room. With his head down, he walks to the back and takes a seat in the last row. It gives me time to assess him. His eyes are hiding behind thick-rimmed glasses, but it’s his outfit that really catches my attention. His white dress shirt is perfectly pressed, stretched across his wide shoulders and rolled up to the elbows exposing muscular forearms covered in tattoos. The black braces that sit over his shoulders make the corner of my mouth twitch up. Although his demeanor right now doesn’t show it, I’ve no doubt that on a normal day this man is full of confidence.
“Told you, all walks of life in this place.” Eddie’s obvious distaste for the man at the back of the room drips from him, reminding me that although he’s here helping me, he’s still firmly from my old life. “Probably part of his rehabilitation or something.”
Feeling eyes on me, I turn back to look at the guy, who’s now staring right at us. His previous hesitant look seems to have vanished as his eyes drop from mine in favour of my body.
My skin tingles with his attention. I can’t lie, it’s a good feeling after being practically invisible for so long, but this is neither the time nor the place.
After lingering on my leather skirt for a few seconds too long, his eyes find mine once again. The brightness of his blue irises makes my breath catch. Surely they’re not real?
A commotion at the door forces us to break our connection as others enter.
“Time to get to work, Miss Smith.” Eddie winks before lifting his knuckles to my cheek. “No need to look so worried. I couldn’t think of anyone better for the job.”
His eyes bore down into mine and my stomach twists. I assumed Eddie would have a girlfriend by now. He’s a great guy, but it was immediately obvious that he was still living life as a bachelor after he invited me to his flat when I turned up on his doorstep. He’s been an amazing friend, more so than I think he knows, but that’s all there’s ever going to be between us. I’m just not attracted to him like I think he wants me to be. Although he didn’t really fit in my past life, hence why he moved on a few years ago, he still reminds me of everything I hated about it. He still wears the flashy suit with the pretentious pocket square and tie pin. I’ve had enough of all of that shit for a lifetime. If there’s ever going to be another man in my life, I want him to be as different from what I’ve known previously as possible.
“Thank you. You’d better go before you’re late for class.”
He nods before mouthing good luck and stepping away from me, and I feel like I can breathe again. He’s been the perfect gentleman and friend since I arrived, but I fear he might be expecting too much. I’d hate to hurt him after everything he’s done for me.
Just before he walks out of my classroom, he looks back over his shoulder, and my stomach drops at the twinkle in his eye. I’m sure it works on other women—unfortunately for him, I’m not them.
When I look back towards the desks facing me, I see that they’re almost all full. Doing a quick head count, I realise we’re still missing a couple. “We’ll give it another two minutes, and then we’ll get started.”
I spend most of the first lesson outlining what they can expect from the course, the kind of assignments they’re going to have to complete, and which books we’re going to be studying. It’s weird, because although everyone here is much older than I’m used to, I still see the same stereotypical students. At the front are two women who look overly keen to learn—it makes me wonder why they need to re-do this qualification if they’re so enthusiastic. Behind them are a few rows of what I’d class as average students who follow all instructions to a tee, followed by a couple of guys in suits who, although they do what I tell them to, look like they want to be anywhere but here. Then of course, there’s him at the back. The man who, every time I look up, I find staring right at me.
With only ten minutes left, I set them all a quick task to write a poem like the one they’ve been analysing that will help me get to know them.
Everyone puts their heads down and gets to work, aside from him. His eyes follow me as I walk to my desk and pick up the stack of folders. A shiver runs down my spine as his attention holds. He’s the kind of guy I dreamt of running away with when I was a teenager, if I ever had the chance. I wanted the bad boy to rescue me from my life of china tea cups and pearls. It never happened, and, as was inevitable, I’d ended up becoming one of them. If only I’d had the strength to get out sooner.
I drop a folder on everyone’s desk and ask each student if they have any questions or concerns about what we
’ve done so far. I can only imagine their heads must be spinning, especially if they haven’t been in education for a while.
Swallowing my trepidation, I step up to his desk and drop a folder.
“How are you doing?” I glance at his still blank page. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
He drops his pen on top of his paper haphazardly, and my fingers twitch to straighten it as he sits back. His eyes crawl up my body until they find mine. The blue is even more striking up close.
“I’m sure there’s plenty you could help me with, Miss Smith.” His eyes flit around my face, and there’s no way he misses the brightening of my cheeks. My temperature begins to increase the longer he stares at me, and I know that I need to walk away—only, my legs don’t seem to want to cooperate.
“So, tell me...will you be our teacher every Thursday night?”
“I would think so, yes. Problem?”
“Oh no. That is most definitely not a problem.”
“Brilliant. Any concerns about the course or the work...Joe?” I ask, glancing at the name he’s written on one of the forms I’d given him.
He shakes his head, and finally my legs allow me to get the hell away from him.
The second I dismiss the class, everyone starts moving, some faster and keener to get away than others.
“How’d it go?” Eddie asks, slipping inside the room when there’s a break in students leaving.
“It was good. I’m not sure I’m ever going to be able to thank you enough for this."
“No need. When our new appointment decided against the position after his first day, we were pretty stuck. We should be thanking you for turning up when you did.”
A chair scratching across the wooden floor makes both Eddie and I wince. Turning, we both watch as Joe collects up his stuff.
“Great class, Miss Smith. Very...inspirational.” He winks, and I want the ground to swallow me up.
“Please, call me Quinn. This isn’t school.”
“Sure thing, Quinn.” The way my name sounds rolling off his tongue has tingles erupting in my belly. “Already looking forward to next week.” With a nod of his head, he drops his books into his bag and heads for the door.
“Looks like you’ve already got yourself a pet.” The way Eddie’s lips curl up in disgust as he watches Joe leave ignites a fire in my belly. I thought I’d left all the judgemental arseholes behind. “Lift home?”
I want to say no after that last comment, but the thought of navigating through London on a cold and dark winter night fills me with dread. I’m sure it’ll feel like second nature soon, but right now, I don’t feel like I belong, let alone know where I’m going. I begrudgingly agree and start to gather up my things.
“Still think you made the right decision?” Eddie asks once we’re on the road. His eyes flick over to me every few minutes, and I wish he’d just focus on the road ahead.
“Most definitely. I just can’t wait for this place to feel like home.”
“It won’t take long. You fancy going for a drink?”
“Um...can I call a rain check tonight? I’d really like to be prepared for tomorrow, if that’s okay?” I hate saying no after everything he’s done for me recently, but I can’t help feeling like agreeing would be giving him the wrong idea.
“No, that’s fine. I totally get it. I know I’ve thrown you in at the deep end. I’m not taking no for an answer tomorrow night, though. I’m on the VIP list for one of the best clubs around, and I want to show you what London really has to offer.”
“I...uh…” The thought of being thrust into London’s thriving nightlife kind of terrifies me. Well, it terrifies the old me. I need to remember that she’s long gone. The girl sitting here right now is ready to start experiencing life, start living it to the fullest and taking some risks. Suddenly, a little excitement I remember when I first got here tingles in my belly. “Yes. I’d love to.”
“Get out your best dress, Quinn. I’m going to show you how it’s really done.”
Dress. Shit.
I school my features before thanking him for the ride and jumping from the car.
I make quick work of getting inside my building and up the stairs to the studio flat Eddie helped me find.
The small space is nothing like I’m used to, but, for the first time in my life, it’s my space. It might be tiny, but it’s mine to do with as I wish. Well...as long as the landlord agrees. I’ve wanted my own life for as long as I can remember, and I’m finally here.
I drop my bags onto the small coffee table that sits in front of my sofa bed and head towards the kitchen for a glass of water. I down it before popping a couple of slices of bread into the grill for dinner. I might have my own life now, but, at least until I get paid, it’s not exactly what my dreams were made of.
Once I’ve stripped out of my jumper and skirt, I pull on an old pair of pyjamas and stare at the number of items I’ve got hanging in my wardrobe.
I left my previous life with only a handful of essentials. I hated the majority of my clothes; they represented a life I hated. The first thing I did when I arrived here was head to a shop and purchase a couple of items I’d always wanted to own. The knee-high boots and short leather skirt I’ve just taken off were two of those items. Looks like I’m going to have to hit the shops again if I need something for a night out tomorrow.
I spend the night working on lesson plans and, sometime after midnight, flip my sofa to a bed and curl up under the blanket.
My flat might be cold, and I might not have much in the way of possessions, but I still fall asleep with a smile on my face because this life right now is everything I’ve ever wanted.
Chapter Two
“Whoa this place looks...fancy,” I say as I walk beside Eddie towards the club he’s spent almost all day telling me about. Suddenly, the little black Primark dress I thought looked pretty hot when I was in the fitting room first thing this morning doesn’t seem good enough.
Looking down, I run my palm over the figure-hugging fabric and let out a sigh.
“You look stunning,” Eddie whispers, assuming correctly where my thoughts are at. “That look suits you much better than the twinsets I’d become used to.”
“Thanks,” I mutter, but when I glance up, I see a little fire in his eyes as he drops them down my body. I stand up a little straighter. I don’t want him looking at me that way, but if he is, then it must mean I don’t stand out like an outsider trying to force my way into a new life.
Eddie walks straight up to the bouncer and gives him his name. Glancing over my shoulder, I take in the long line of people waiting to get in. This place, The Avenue, is clearly popular, and I can’t help yearning to be part of that crowd. It might sound crazy because almost anyone would love to be in my position now, being waved through to go to the VIP section, but all I want is a normal life. I want to blend in with the crowd and disappear.
“Come on,” Eddie says, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards him when he realises that I’m not following. “What’s wrong? You want to join the peasants?”
His words have anger burning in my stomach. Does he really think he’s so special? Pulling my hand from his, I follow him up the stairs to the second floor before we walk around the edge of the vast room to another set of stairs that are guarded by security and sectioned off with a red rope. The music is so loud, it vibrates through my bones, but I can’t deny that it doesn’t make me want to dance.
Eddie speaks to the bouncer as if he’s a regular—which he probably is—giving me a chance to look around.
I’ve always wondered if clubs are like they’re portrayed on the TV, and standing here right now I can confidently say yes. Everything about this place is exactly what I was expecting. Its floors are polished black with silver flecks, and all the fittings are chrome with huge glass chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings. The bar is packed, the queue of people at least five deep as they wait a little impatiently for their next drink. But the majority of the room i
s given over to a dance floor where hundreds of bodies move and gyrate to the beat.
I’m totally lost watching their movement when Eddie slips his arm around my waist and moves me towards the stairs.
“We can dance later if you like. I need a few drinks first to loosen up a little.”
A shudder runs down my spine. I’m not sure I want him loosened up. He’s free enough with his hands as it is.
Gritting my teeth and fighting my need to step away from his touch, I allow him to guide me up to the bar.
The difference in the clientele up here is stark, and it only increases my desire to go back down and mix with the masses. I look around at the designer suits and fancy dresses, and it’s just like being in the middle of my old life where everyone’s biggest concern was how they looked and how much money they had.
Eddie leans over when the barman comes over. At no point does he look back to ask what I want, which irritates the hell out of me. I know he’s been my confidant over the past few years, but he couldn’t possibly know what I want to drink right now.
It’s only a few seconds later when I realise why he didn’t bother asking, because the barman reappears with a bottle of champagne and two glasses. Eddie hands over his credit card before grabbing his purchase and leading me over to the balcony. He places the glasses down on one of the high tables and pulls over two stools for us to sit on. Glad to have some space, I pull the stool a little closer to the glass balcony that allows us to look down over the dancefloor below.
It’s like I blink and there’s a glass of champagne shoved under my nose. I guess now wouldn’t be the best time to tell him that I don’t really like the stuff.
Avoiding Temptation: Forbidden Series #6 Page 1