by Wendi Zwaduk
“Time whizzes by when you’re having fun.” Tessa leaned on the doorframe. “How goes it? I see you haven’t been eaten alive.”
He tossed the sponge into the bucket and took a long breath, letting it out slowly. She folded her arms. The fabric of her standard, boring, print turtleneck pressed against her breasts and gave him the best view of her assets. The apron hindered his view of her lower half, but he didn’t care. Would she dance for him the same way his fantasy girl danced? Any teacher-like thoughts left his mind. Everything shifted to what she’d look like out of those dowdy clothes. She never went for glamour, just businesslike blandness. But underneath he bet she drove men wild. She drove him crazy in so many ways.
Tessa tipped her head. “What? Wishing you had a SMART Board? There’s something to be said for the traditional chalkboard. Archaic technology doesn’t break down like computers do.”
If she only knew what was going through his head. She’d probably belt him. Each time she licked her lips, tipped her head or gave him a smart remark, he fought the urge to gather her in an embrace. He longed to feel the silk of her pussy encasing him as he thrust into her body. Would she cry out during sex? Did she like it a little dirty? Holy shit. His mind had ventured so far into the sexual harassment arena he could barely believe it.
“Earth to Case.” She waved her hand. “We have a meeting in two minutes. Are you in there? Or have you been getting into my art supplies?”
Sounded like a great plan. He shook his head. “Sorry. Was thinking about a lesson plan.” What a liar. “I’m ready when you are.”
She crinkled her nose. “Dork. Come on. It’s a movie about safety protocol if there’s a bomb threat. Real thrilling stuff, but important.”
Although he thought about dropping back a step to watch the sway of her ass, Graig kept in time with her. Talking with Tessa was so easy. She got him, made him laugh and then there was her body. Despite the boxy pants, the sack-like skirts and the need to cover every inch of herself, he yearned to touch her. He stuffed his hands into his pockets. He loved women with healthier, curvier figures and she fit his bill. Just enough cushion for the pushin’ and perfect to gather in his arms for a cuddle afterward. He followed her into the library, relishing the gentle wiggle as she walked. Heat flooded his system and zaps bounced around his brain. Paying attention during the movie was just not going to happen.
“Let’s sit in the back,” Tessa mumbled. “I hate these depressing movies.” She plopped down at one of the mahogany tables. Dennis gave a speech about bomb threat safety and popped the DVD into the machine.
Graig gave paying attention his best shot. He did. Except every other thought revolved around the woman on his left. The school put no prohibitions on dating other staff members. But would she actually take him up on the offer to go out? The film ended and the lights filled the room. Instruction sheets made the rounds of the room, followed by another lecture from Dennis, then the meeting disbanded.
Tessa elbowed Graig. “My seventh period cannot get enough of you.”
“Really?” And what about you? Damn. Better not say that. Yet. He escorted her back down the hallway to their corridor. “Like what?”
“I don’t even have to leave my room to know what you’re wearing, what direction you’ve combed your hair or if you were in the hallway greeting them. Apparently you love the color blue, have a penchant for holding your pen while you talk, and walk around the room a lot. You really have a following in the freshman class too.”
“Penchant? I didn’t think they knew that word.” Heat crept up his neck. The tips of his ears burned and for a moment he forgot where he was. “Hush. We’re supposed to be watching a movie.”
“The movie ended about five minutes ago. We’re in our hallway. School’s out and we’re all alone.” Tessa snorted. She leaned on the wall and her voice dropped to a whisper. “But I forgot. You do love to watch.”
He stared at his classroom door. “I should nab you for sexual harassment, but I was thinking the same thing. I do like to watch.” He paused a moment to turn her words over in his mind. “Wait, how do you know?” The synapses in his brain misfired. Did she know he watched someone? And holy hell, there was no way the chick across the courtyard was her. Couldn’t be. Could she? Or did he really want her to be? Part of him didn’t. Most of him did. “Tessa, what aren’t you telling me?”
Tessa shrugged and unlocked her classroom door. “How’s Lila?”
Hell. She wanted to talk about his ex. Great. “Beats me.” He hadn’t gotten past the whole watching business. He nudged her into the art room where they had a bit more privacy. “How do you know I like to watch?”
“Lila beats you? I’ve got to figure out what brand of concealer you use. I’ve never seen the welts.” Tessa’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open. She’d totally ignored his question. “I never figured her for a Domme.”
“Smart-ass. I have no idea how she is because she left me back in August. She caught me watching my own private show and took offense. She keeps trying to come back, but I can’t handle her kind of crazy. She made a key to my apartment. Every time I put distance between us, she comes back. It’s nuts.” He cornered her between two enormous stacks of drawing paper, caging her between his arms. “But you knew about Lila. Why do I think you know more about me than you’re letting on?”
“No reason.” Tessa ducked under his arm and escaped his confinement. “Just a guess.” The shyness returned. She fluttered her hands and didn’t look in his direction. “Forget I said anything.”
Like hell. A thick lock of her hair slipped free of the pencil holding it in a bun. For fuck’s sake. If she wasn’t his dancer… “She caught me watching the woman across the courtyard.” Come on, Tessa. Tell me the truth. He sat down on the nearest tabletop. “Do you know who she is?” Say it. Be honest with me.
“Me.”
The kernel of information made so many things easier and harder at the same time. No wonder he recognized her. He wasn’t overlaying her image on his fantasy girl. She was his fantasy girl. “We shouldn’t be talking about this.” He’d given her an out, but he didn’t want to walk away. Not yet. “Not here anyway.”
“Why? I’m the one you watch. I told you the truth. We’ve gotten that little nugget of info out into the open. Case closed.”
Although shy, she acted so calm. So cool. Graig processed her statement over and over. “She’s really you?” And thank you, God.
Tessa nodded. “Gee, that’s a rousing endorsement. I’m going to go hide for a while so my ego can mend.”
“No shit.” He chuckled and stretched his legs. The woman he’d spent too many nights watching and lusting after happened to be his best girl friend. She knew all about his proclivity and like a dope he hadn’t put two and two together before that moment. Well, no. Deep down he knew all along but worried about what would happen if she stopped dancing for him. He’d seen everything from the dark curls above her pussy to the pink of her nipples. So she let him watch and liked it. Graig nodded. Good to know.
She stood behind her desk. “I’ll be back. I’m…going to the bathroom.” Before he could say anything, she bolted from her safety zone and rushed out of the room.
So many things were so much easier—the attraction, the desire… Now to get her to go on a date with him.
For the remainder of the day, Tessa avoided Graig. She’d blurted out the one thing she wanted to keep quiet. His reaction stung the most. She wasn’t sure what she saw in his eyes, but disgust and dismay sounded about right.
She drove home and headed straight for the shower. The hot spray would clear her mind or at least get it off her embarrassment. She tossed her bag on the floor and stopped to scratch Mr. Black behind the ears. The ebony-colored cat stared at her with shiny green eyes.
“You still love me.”
He pushed the top of his head against her hand.
She scooped him into her arms and carried him to the bedroom. Across the courtyard, a light burned
in Graig’s apartment. She peeked through her partially closed blinds. Graig sat at his desk, fingers thrust into his hair.
Tears burned behind her eyes. She liked him. A lot. More than she probably should’ve. Even across the courtyard she saw every detail of him. Maybe he liked to watch her, but he loved the act. Not her. She sat down on the bed and rubbed Mr. Black’s belly. “And I blew it with honesty.”
Graig sat back in his chair and stared in her direction. At her? She could only hope. Instead of the smile he normally wore, a frown marred his features.
Tessa’s shoulders slumped. Had she screwed up that much? Damned nonexistent self-esteem.
Lila stepped into frame and eased up behind Graig. His scowl faded a bit. He didn’t reach for her, but didn’t pull away either.
“I thought she dumped him.” Tessa stood and yanked the curtains shut. “Well, I’ve managed to embarrass myself and made lewd comments to a man involved with someone else. Don’t I have the best timing?”
She flicked the light switch and drowned the room in shadows. Who needed love anyway?
Chapter Three
“Why are you here?” Graig covered his papers with his arms. “I thought you hated me.”
Lila massaged his shoulders. “Call it a mistake in judgment.” She rubbed her breasts on the back of his neck. “I’ve been lonely.”
He grabbed one of the textbooks and shoved the sheath of pages into the cover. “Lonely my ass. I saw you out with three different guys this past weekend. You’ve really made the Dirty Cowboy your hot spot, so spare me your sob story. Or have you gone all over town talking shit?”
She huffed. “I could. You’re a real perv, staring at people across the courtyard.”
“Don’t go there. That’s a dead subject.”
“I can go wherever I want and talk to whomever I feel like talking to.” Lila yanked his curtains closed. “I see she finally closed her blinds.” She plopped down on the desk and crossed her legs. Her skirt slipped up her thigh, giving him a healthy view of her legs and her lack of undergarments. “You really like her? The teacher, right? The prim, little art teacher who strips in front of her window like a common whore. Bet that would go over well at the school.”
“It’s none of their business—or yours.” Fuck, fuck, fuck. “How’d you get into my apartment? This is the second time you’ve broken in. What else have you gotten into without me knowing?”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t play coy. Does she know about you wanting to switch school districts? No? And I suppose you don’t want her to. You kind of like having a piece of ass right there at the school for quickies.”
“Enough.” He stood and grasped her hand.
“That’s more like it,” she purred. “I want you. Right now. Make love to me. Make me forget all those reasons I should call the school.”
“Don’t pull this shit. Do not. We broke up. Why you won’t get the hint is beyond me.” He walked her through the apartment and opened the door. “Get out.”
She frowned. “Why? You’re not afraid of me? I can ruin your career.”
“But you won’t because that’s not like you.”
“You have no idea.”
“Lila, I’ve got a grant to write, papers to grade and I’m not in the mood to listen to you bitch.” The headache throbbing behind his eyes increased. “I’m through and I don’t believe you.” She wouldn’t stoop to blackmail, would she? She wasn’t desperate enough to actually make the calls. Couldn’t be.
“We belong together. You and me. I love you and I’ll go to any lengths to show you.”
“You’re immature. I’m tired of it. Tired of you.” He closed the door and engaged both the deadbolt and the chain. “Mental note: call the super for new locks. Third time’s a charm.” He tapped the reminder into his cell phone and headed back to his bedroom. Lila never seemed like the devious stalker type—not when they were dating. After they split all her quirks and insecurities came to the surface. He pitied her. Sometimes letting go was hard, but man, she took breaking up badly to new heights.
Each year at the end of August his troubles doubled—school and Tessa. Out of habit, he glanced across the courtyard to his mystery woman’s window. She wasn’t much of a mystery any longer.
Tessa.
His Tessa.
When she was a nameless, faceless woman, the sinfulness of the act turned him on. Hell, he got a free show every night. Knowing her name and the face to go along with the sensual moves… He wasn’t going to get much sleep until he sorted things out with her. He palmed his groin and unbuttoned his pajama pants. His cock sprang free from the soft cotton. His thoughts wandered and he imagined her swaying in front of the window. She smiled and cupped her breasts. Her ass shifted in time with a song he couldn’t hear. He wrapped his fingers around his dick and stroked. Sweet Jesus, yes. Tingles started in his balls and surged through his veins. He groaned and pumped harder on his erection. In his fantasy she opened her mouth and licked her bottom lip. Graig gripped the arm of the chair and groaned. His entire body trembled as he spilled his cum all over his pants. He sat in a daze for what seemed like an eternity. She’d made him come and she hadn’t even been in the same room.
When did life end up complicated? The moment she told him the truth. Now he had to figure out how to proceed. Ask her out or let the moment pass? Time to make the moment count.
* * * * *
“Tessa? Please tell me you’re in your room.” Dennis bounded through the doorway. “Glad you’re still here. I’ve got to talk to you.”
“Not now, Dennis.” Tessa winced. Three days had passed since her confession to Graig. Three days of not sleeping at night and doing her best to avoid him during the day had played havoc on her nerves. Whenever Dennis visited her classroom, he did so in order to get under her skin or reprimand her. “I’ve got one hundred and thirty still-life drawings to grade.”
“It’s not a school issue. It’s a brother-in-law thing.” His footsteps slapped on the linoleum floor as he hurried to keep up with her as she made her way around the room and picked up papers before sitting in her chair. “Stop hiding behind the desk. I have something for you.”
“And my sister Peri is okay with this brother-in-law thing?” She snorted to herself then tapped the drawing papers on the desk. “Ignore that. It’s not been my week.”
Dennis flattened his palms on the tabletops. “Yes she is, even if you’re being a brat. I don’t get you. So professional when you’re here, but then you change. Like all the little things that get to you finally break you. You don’t let anyone in.” He shook his head. “Don’t do that. Burying your problems and pushing people away won’t help.”
Tessa fought the urge to flinch. Dennis had her to a T. Compared to Peri’s larger-than-life persona, Tessa felt so small. But dammit, she refused to let Dennis see her cave. The moment he tossed her aside for her sister was the moment he gave up the right to tell her what to do.
“And you’re back to being icy. Nice.” He tossed a piece of paper onto her desk. “I won four tickets to see Crush tonight at the civic center. Your sister isn’t much into the band, but I know you are.”
“Wow.” Okay, the Crush tickets had her attention. His smart remarks could pass. She touched the shiny face of the ticket. “You won them?”
“K88 out of Cleveland. Turns out my knowledge of obscure American history came in handy. Washington was supposed to be the king of the United States and I knew it. Anyway, the tickets came via courier at lunch.” Dennis slid the ticket out of her grasp. “Want to go?”
“Absolutely.” She’d play head games later. “Am I riding with you two or on my own?”
“Ask Graig if he wants to take the fourth ticket.”
“Can’t.” Easy answer. Besides, Graig had better things to do than tag along with her to a concert. He had a girlfriend to think about. Again.
“Why?” Dennis’ brows knotted. “You’ll have fun.”
“He’s seeing someone.” Her stomach so
ured. Sure, she’d seen Lila over at Graig’s place, but admitting the truth out loud sounded so awful.
“What?” Dennis leaned on her desk with both palms flat. “Start from the beginning and no, I’m not leaving until you talk.”
Well, shit. “Remember how things got between you and me before you met Peri?” Tessa rubbed a smudge of charcoal off the top of her hand. Time to settle things with Dennis too. “We had a good thing but I wasn’t who you needed and you weren’t right for me either. We didn’t really mesh. It’s the same idea with Graig, I guess. I mean, I thought it was good, but in my cockeyed, not-quite-brave-enough-to-tell-him-how-I-feel way, it wasn’t what I thought. He wants someone else.” Her heart sank. The trend in her life seemed destined to continue—always the runner-up.
“How are you okay with this? One of these days you’re going to have to step out of this box you live in. Be the Tessa you want to be. Not this scared, starched facade. The kids need you to be the tough art teacher who doesn’t let their behavior slide, but somewhere under there is a woman who needs to be herself.”
Dammit. He’d nailed her again. She shrugged to hide her frustration. “I’m not hiding, but I’m also not going to screw up things by getting bitchy or clingy. It’s not worth it when Graig and I didn’t have anything to begin with. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with being alone. My cat loves it. No one to share me with.”
“The moment you let your guard down, you’re going to have the time of your life. I hope the poor fool who gets you to do that is worth it. I’m sorry I wasn’t him.”
“That’s probably why Peri’s got you and I’ve got a cat.”
He tucked the ticket into her hand. “Don’t lose this.”
“I won’t.” She frowned at his receding form. “What are you planning?”
“Come along tonight and you’ll see.”
Graig stared at the timeline on the chalkboard. Everything looked in order. What the hell did he know? Three days before, things were fine between them. The sky was blue, birds sang in the trees and Tessa was just his best girl friend. Then she dropped the World Series of bombshells on him. How could he have missed her grin as the one across the damn courtyard? He wasn’t looking at her face? Wanted her to stay anonymous despite his gut feeling about her identity? Didn’t want to think of her that way? Fuck if he knew anything other than he wanted to hold her and explore every inch of her body.