I walked over to the stereo and sat down cross-legged next to the table. Loading the playlist I compiled earlier, I heard a commotion of hoarse voices mixed with the kind of high pitched giggling that only comes out of the teenage girl species. I peeked over my shoulder at the door and grinned at three girls solely focused on one of the boys.
“Oh c’mon, Gabby. You’ll like it.” The boy told the tallest of the girls who tittered shamelessly.
“You said the same thing last time.” The girl’s voice teased him. They had to be talking about video games, or a new slushy flavor.
“And you seemed happy when you left.” He teased back.
“I guess you’ll just have to prove that to me won’t you, Jordan.” The teenage girl swiped my grin with her suggestive words. They were not talking about slushies. I pushed up from the floor to go stop them before she offered anything more, but their banter already dissipated.
The trio shuffled in whispering and laughing with each other in tightly wound bunch. Perhaps if one broke away from the herd their survival rate dwindled. When the taller one stopped the other two stumbled to a halt behind her stared at me.
“You the new teacher?” the tall girl said as the others peered around her from each side.
“Yeah, I‘m your new dance instructor. You can call me Kensie.” I straightened my posture and lifted my chin up to give me the appearance of some sort of authority figure. I’d known being young would be a disadvantage to me, but I’d hoped to earn their respect by showing them how much I respected them in turn.
“I’m Gabby.” The tall one responded. “These are my besties, Jasmine and Mia.” She pointed to each of the girls next to her. Besties? More like minions. Jasmine was a petite girl with frizzy brown hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. Mia was the curvier one of the three and had beautiful long chestnut hair that highlighted her green eyes.
“Nice to meet you ladies. I’m excited to be working with you.” I hoped they'd look forward to coming here and learn to trust me as someone to confide in.
Gabby and her minions strolled passed eyeing me up and down and placing their bags along the back wall. “Well, the last lady who was here made us dance to show tunes.” The horror. No show tunes. No flips of the wrist, no grapevines, no sashays, none.
I smiled thanking God I brought my show torture free iPod. “Bruno Mars and Jason Derulo, okay?” I asked. The girls grinned and looked between each other nodding. “Okay then, spread out and let’s do our warm up.”
The majority of the class went better than I could have expected. The girls laughed and went full out with every eight count. I even caught Gabby making pouty lips at herself in the mirror during a hip isolation move.
Although, heading into the last eight count that all changed. Gabby began grumbling and mumbling to her minions who nodded at her and watched me warily at the same time. Readjusting my dampened ponytail I looked at her through the mirror, “Gabby, do you have something you need to get off your chest?”
“Yeah Ms. Kensie, some of the steps are legit, but this dance ain't really my thang.” She complained with her hands on her hips.
“And what would be your thing?” Although in my head I said thang with a swivel of my head. My choice of song and choreography fit their age group. Nothing too risqué, but I still incorporated a lot of moves they’d be familiar with. In fact, I hadn't even had the steps solidified when the bundle of them shuffled in today. I choreographed on the fly, with the feel of the moment and the beat. At the moment what I had given them matched their adolescent attitudes, emphasis on adolescent and attitude.
“I don’t know. Somethin’…somethin’…More sexy you know?” Oh dear.
“No, I’m not sure what you mean Gabby.” Deep breath, I could handle this.
“Sexy like, you know, more twerkin'.” Hell to the no. Tossing ones ass around like a hot water bag did not define sexy to me, nor was it happening in my class. Teenagers can be so misguided. I certainly was at that age.
“I think you and I have a different idea of sexy, Gabby. No offense, but I think your idea of sexy might be borderline slutty.” The girls gasped and I mentally chastised myself for my choice of words. “Let me explain myself. See, when I think of sexy, I think of a woman who realizes her potential. I think of someone who is independent and in control of the choices she makes. She doesn’t act to gratify others, but behaves in a way that gives her the most dignity and self-respect possible.” The girls all stared at me.
“So like, girl power?” Mia piped up from next to her leader.
“Kind of, Mia. What I’m saying is…don’t let music, or TV, or the guys you like determine what makes you sexy. You own sexy. It’s how much you love and respect yourself.” I tried to clarify for them.
“So, to be sexy to Jordan I need to like myself?” Gabby asked.
“Yes Gabby, and if Jordan doesn't find your confidence se...er... attractive then he's not worth your time.” I repeated the words I needed to hear at her age, but I couldn't be sure they would have changed much for me. Sometimes I think a person needs more than words to guide them. Sometimes they need some kind of salvation.
All at once, the trio beamed from hooped ear to hooped ear. Pride welled up within me over how fast they caught on to my wise advice. I sat up a bit straighter, but startled when a throat cleared from the door.
I whipped my head to glance over my shoulder, throwing myself into a dizzy spell when I saw him. August stood in the doorway with his arms above his head pushed into the corners. His white shirt was soaked in sweat. Typically I'd be revolted. Today, my eyes clung to the image of his abs outlined under the damp cotton. Today, I rejoiced for sweat. Hallelujah, sweat.
I pried my vision from his stomach and redirected it to his eyes, but not before I stumbled over his parted lips panting in exertion. I caught the tips of those lips pulling up into a smile before I connected with his scintillating stare.
Then I beamed from studded ear to studded ear. Damn.
“Hey, Mr. Hunter! “ The girls chimed together.
“Mr. Hunter?” I questioned as I took a calculated aloof sip of water. My tongue was reduced to sand paper in the last five seconds.
“Hello, ladies. Looks like you had a good class today. Kensie.” August's grin faltered a fraction when his eyes zeroed in on the dribble of water that missed my mouth completely. The water traitorously made a road map straight to my chest the pointed at August as if to say, ‘you, we pick you.’
“I’m pleased to find you're the new dance instructor.” August pulled his eyes from their happy place and locked back on to mine.
“And I am equally, if not more surprised to see that you are the what here?” I set my water down on the floor next to me and crossed my arms over my chest, down girls. Gabby and the minions whispered to one another behind me as I moved in closer to August by the door in an effort to keep our exchange private.
“I’m the sports coordinator.” He pulled his arms down from the doorframe and crossed them over his chest mimicking my stance. Though his sweaty nipples could pick me all day. I’d not be offended.
“Heads up, Mr. Hunter!” A voice shouted from behind him. August turned and caught a basketball before it nailed him in the back.
“Easy, Jordan. You trying to take me out in front of the ladies?” August joked with the boy Gabby had been talking with earlier.
“No sir, just missed my shot.” Jordan huffed in exhaustion and wiped sweat of his forehead. “But while I’m here I’d love to say hello to my woman. Hi, Gabby.” He lowered his voice a full octave from around August and waved at her. Gabby fluttered her fingers at him. I rolled my eyes at the exchange; these two were trouble. August caught my concern and tossed the ball back to Jordan.
“Get back over to the court. I’ll be there in a minute.” His interaction with Jordan seemed effortless, and something about that was so very sexy to me. “Kensie, I’ll let you get back to the girls? Catch up with you later?” He arched an eyebrow at me.
No. “Yes.” I replied. Dangit, I have no restraint when it comes to him. He grinned and turned to jog back over to the center of the gym with the group of boys. With my restraint already on hiatus, I peeked around the doorframe to watch him, but was caught when he turned and looked over his shoulder at me one last time. The damn smile he gave me stole my breath.
“You feeling sexy Ms. Kensie?” Jasmine asked from behind me. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Alright you three. Great job today. Clean up and head over to the study room. I’ll see you on Wednesday.” With only a few minutes left in class I let them out early. I needed to recover and regroup on my own.
I couldn't recall Capri ever mentioning where her brother worked, but there had never been a reason for her too. How was I going to keep this platonic when I had to see him at work now? I wasn’t in denial about being attracted to him. I didn’t want anything to come of it. I couldn’t let anything come of it.
I finished cleaning up the room and headed to the storage close to pack up my bags when I heard my door squeak open. “You girls forget something?” I shouted.
“Yeah.” I jumped when his deep voice spoke from behind me. I turned around and came face to face with August. He stalked towards me in the small closet, determination firm in his eyes. He came to stand in front of me so close that I could taste the scent of his sweat on my tongue. Is there a church of sweat? I need to go.
My eyes remained trained on his, which softened when he started to speak. “I was an ass yesterday. ” He whispered so close that his breath brushed down my face, "I shouldn't have ended our conversation so abruptly."
“It’s okay,” I whispered back dropping my gaze to his chest. He placed his finger under my chin and lifted it up forcing my eyes to meet his again. “I realize how my rushed goodbye must have seemed. I was anything but ready to end our conversation. In fact, I thought about it, about you all night.” He dropped his hand from my chin and reached behind him. I smelled it before I saw it. He smiled and brought up a Mr. Lincoln with leaves and thorns still attached. A giggle bubbled up from inside of me.
“Did you pick this from the bushes out front?” I asked taking the rose from him and placing it in front of my nose to breathe in the soft scent.
“Yes.” He replied.
“So you bring me my favorite flower freshly picked and I’m supposed to forget about yesterday?” I ask teasingly.
“No.” he said, “I don’t expect that at all, but I would love to spend more time with you. I had a really great time talking with you at the game, and I’m hoping this sad excuse for a rose just gave another chance at getting to know you more.” He grinned hopefully at me. Little did he know, he had that chance the second he entered my classroom, and the perfect rose sealed it.
“Well, I was going to head over to grab a cup of coffee if you’d like to join me?” I asked him mentally slapping myself on the wrist.
His smile grew causing his eyes to crinkle at the corners. “Done.”
“Okay then,” I exhaled all the tension I had coiled up inside. “I’ll meet you up front in ten minutes?”
“Ten minutes.” He said about to turn around, but then stopped himself. He turned around and closed in on me again. I startled at his change in direction, but instead of moving away I instinctively moved forward. The damp heat from his clothing warmed my skin. With my head tilted up, he brought his nose closer to brush against mine. I sucked in a sharp breath and held the air dancing in my stomach. His eyes glanced down towards my mouth causing his eyelashes to tickle my forehead. My eyes fluttered closed involuntarily when he leaned in the fraction of a space left between us. He placed the sweetest and most torturous of kisses on just the corner of my mouth with his soft lips tickling mine. My insides spiraled with such force my stomach clenched in a spasm.
“Ten minutes, Kensie.” He backed away taking all his warmth with him. I was left standing in a storage room closet with my eyes still closed, pulse pounding, and a platoon of butterflies wreaking havoc in my gut. I was not going to survive him, and I was going to relish every moment of my downfall. Rejection be damned.
Chapter 5
The car ride to the coffee shop was torture, and I’m not worried about being dramatic. I literally could not get the thought of kissing August again off my mind. His smile when I approached him at his truck made me want to smash my lips to his. The flex in his forearm as he opened my car door had me imagining what they would feel like gripped in my hands while he ravaged me. Cuz he would, in my mind he would be so consumed by wanting me, he would ravage me. His delicious scent blew at me when he turned his heater on and I pictured burying my nose into his neck. Even his awful singing to the words on the radio made me want to devour him. Okay, maybe just to shut him up.
“Kensie, can you open the glove box and pull out that bag of gummy bears for me.” He asked casually.
“Sure.” I answered as casually and opened the glove box trying to still my shaky hand. I handed him the bag, and our hands touched briefly before I quickly brought mine back to my lap. I watched out of the corner of my eye as August tilted his head back and poured a few into his mouth. His muscles in his neck rippled when his lips formed the perfect pout to chew. His tongue darted out of his pucker, nipping at the tip of his lips before retreating back into his mouth. I sucked in a sharp breath, and drew my gaze away to stare out the window.
“You okay? You’ve been quiet over there.” He turned and asked me as he parked his truck. The mischievous grin on his face told me he knew exactly where my thoughts were the whole way here. Damn him and his kiss.
“I’m good. Just thinking about how I can suggest voice lessons without sounding too rude.” I joked with him as I climbed down from my side. He chuckled as he rounded the front of his truck to get me.
“Singing may not be one of my talents, but I’ve got plenty of other skills to make up for it.” He winked and headed to open the café door for me.
“Oh, do you now?” I asked looking at him up and down as I passed by into the shop. “And what might some of the talents be?” I turned toward him. I don’t know what had gotten into me lately, but August was bringing out playfulness in me. It felt good to flirt again, and not just for the attention, but because I was enjoying myself.
“Well, for starters I can turn any song into a Vegas lounge version, which you’ve been lucky enough to see first-hand. You’re welcome.” He grinned. “I can turn rainbows into Skittles, puppies love me, and I have been known to write poetry while watching the setting sun.”
A loud laugh burst from my lips. “Wow, that’s impressive Mr. Hunter. I’d love to hear some of this poetry sometime.”
We moved toward the line at the front of the shop where August positioned himself behind me. The line was fairly long even with the morning rush over. I made sure to not stand too close to the person ahead of me. I didn’t want to be that bitch that you could feel breathing down your neck in line.
“Roses are red.” He startled me as he spoke closing the gap between us and standing directly behind me. I guess August didn’t mind being that bitch. “Violets are blue.” His voice dropped to a rough whisper as he pressed his front side against my backside. This, I loved when he this. When he moved in closely invading my space like he too couldn’t resist the pull. He wrapped one of his arms possessively around the front of my hip gripping the other hip with his hand. Holy heart tremor. My breath hitched and quickened its pace as his strong fingers sunk into my sensitive skin. He lowered his lips until he grazed my ear sending chills throughout my body. My eyes closed involuntarily and waited for the next line, but it never came. Instead I felt him tense behind me.
“I lied, I suck at poetry, but the truth is you feel really damn good this close to me.” I shuddered. With his admission and I had to agree. I felt really damn good that close to him. He placed a gentle kiss behind my ear and stepped back into his own space. As my eyes fluttered open, I took a deep breath dragging me from the depths of his touch
. “Go ahead and grab us a seat, Kensie. I’ll order the drinks.” He placed his hand on the small of my back and gave me the gentle push I needed to get my legs moving.
The coffee shop I frequented was large, but very cozy. Nooks and crannies made out of bookshelves and potted plants scattered the space. I headed towards one of the tiny tables in the back corner beside one of the bookshelves, and tried to regain my bearings. The touch of his hand and hoarse whisper plucked me from the boisterous shop and landed me into a realm of peace. He had consumed me in that one moment, and I had let him. I felt liberated and wary at the same time. My soul allowed him to possess me without ever asking my permission.
August took his seat across from me at our little table. I cleared my head and smiled at him as if nothing had just happened. “Truth or dare?”
He laughed at my attempt to drum up a new conversation with our familiar game. “So it’s my turn now, huh? My ego is still trying to recover from my karaoke dare the other night, so how about truth?”
He was so cute that night. I was embarrassed for him and his sucky singing, but he was so damn cute. I liked that we already had memories between us too. I hesitated a minute thinking about it, but I wanted to create more memories for us. We already had our jobs at the youth center and our connection through Capri in common. The thought of seeing more of him from now on made me happy, really happy.
“How'd you wind up at S.Y.C.?” I was curious. Working with teens wasn’t something you did unless you really wanted too. Most people couldn’t handle the constant combination of bickering and flirtatious teasing between the kids. Then you have their predatory skills. They sense weakness and will sniff it out before an attack. Only the strong survive.
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