by Julie Morgan
She stared at me for a long moment, and her mouth hung open. When she didn’t say or do anything, my son touched my arm.
“Is she okay?” he whispered.
I kept my eyes focused on hers when I nodded. “Yes, she’s fine. Right, Miss Murphy?”
She shook her head and closed her mouth. With a smile equally as forced as my own, she finally spoke. “Yes, Marshall, thank you. I’m okay. I thought I recognized your dad, but I’m obviously mistaken.”
“Obviously,” I returned.
She nodded and reached for Marshall’s hand. “Can I show you where your desk will be?”
“Yes!”
“Okay,” she said and met my gaze once more, then turned away with my son.
With a deep sigh, I rested my hands on my hips. How in the hell did this happen? My latest fling, the woman who held my interest, even if for a short period of time, was my son’s kindergarten teacher?
Oh, someone sure has a good sense of humor to pull this one off. I feel like I’m being punked.
“Okay, boys and girls,” Cara Murphy announced, bringing me from my thoughts. “Let’s gather on the carpet and play Duck Duck Goose! Marshall, why don’t you start?”
My son jumped to his feet and began tapping the heads of the other students.
Duck.
Duck.
Duck.
Fool. That would be me, the fucking fool. Who needs a goose when I can dress in a jester outfit and prance around like the idiot I am?
This would be my life. I meet a woman who may just be a fuck buddy right now, but damn if I didn’t want more. But now that she’s my son’s teacher? She’s completely off-limits.
Which made me want her that much more.
I managed to get a space in the room where other parents were not standing. Cara made her way over toward me.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
I raised my brows. Really? “Well, it’s the first day of school, and it looks like you’re Marshall’s teacher.”
“Can I ask where his mother is?”
“Yeah, you can ask, but she won’t be here.”
Now she raised her brows. “Ever?”
I shook my head.
“Okay, well, all of this…it caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting to see you here, of all places.”
“Yeah,” I said and rubbed the back of my neck. “That makes two of us.”
She lowered her gaze again and crossed her arms over her chest. She leaned in and whispered, “Last night shouldn’t have happened. We need to be professional for the kids and for my career here at the school. You don’t know me, and I don’t know you. Agreed?”
My chest ached. I barely knew the woman, but I’d enjoyed my time with her. I wanted more, needed more of her. I wasn’t ready for this to be over. But she was right. This had to end, for the sake of her career and for my son’s education. But what if we continued to see each other anyway? Well, time would definitely tell.
“Agreed,” I mumbled and lifted my brow. “Under conditions.”
She tilted her head. “There are no conditions, Noah.”
I felt a smirk pull on my lips. “There are always conditions.”
“Miss Murphy?” one of the parents called.
She shook her head at me and turned toward the other parent. I took this moment to make my way over to Marshall. I bent down and rustled his hair.
“I’m going to head out now. You ready to take on kindergarten, sports fan?”
“Yeah!” He stood and had a smile that reached ear to ear. He hugged me and then sat back down to continue playing. He was excited about school. I was ready for him to get started. But was I ready to face Cara Murphy as his schoolteacher when I’d licked, sucked, and kissed every part of her body?
Maybe I could convince her to one day wear a naughty teacher outfit for me while Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher” played in the background.
Challenge accepted. Get ready, Miss Murphy. Get ready.
Chapter Five
Cara
I once read that when you stare the devil in the eye, you shouldn’t blink. If you do, he wins. However, if you persist and don’t move, don’t blink, you’ll make him believe he’s staring at his own reflection.
When I experienced my first night with Noah, I knew I would want him again and again and again. I’m greedy. I can’t help myself. But today, when Marshall’s father stood with his back to me, fear clamped on my chest when I thought it was Noah. From the back, it looked like him, but there was no possible way it could be. Until he turned around. I looked up into the eyes of the man who I gave myself to last night. It was like looking into the eyes of Lucifer. And damn was that man sexy.
Of all the schools, of all the places, of all the teachers Marshall could have possibly had, he had me. And his father was Noah Hughes.
I thought of Noah’s lips on mine, on my body, between my legs. The way he owned me, controlled my body, and how he brought me to a whole new high I never knew I could reach.
And I’m his son’s teacher.
With a groan, I sagged in my chair in my classroom. The students had already been released, and my teacher’s aides had already cleaned up the classroom and called it a day. I could only think about Noah. He agreed we shouldn’t see each other again, but the smirk on his lips and the spark in his eyes told another story.
He smelled of cologne, soot, and musky woods. And I relished in it. I still had his shirt from our first night together. I’d wanted to give it back to him last night, but I’d forgotten. What did I do with it now? Hold on to it? Throw it away? I’d made a point to him that we couldn’t continue, that it had to end. I had to be careful. This was my career, and it was my year to finally earn tenure. No one—not even Noah—would get in the way of that goal.
However, outside of school, in my own home, would anyone have to know? I could invite him over for dinner and drinks…and sex. Oh my God, the sex.
Get ahold of yourself, Murphy. You barely know him.
I groaned and stood from my desk. Heat ignited between my legs as my mind continued to think of Noah and his amazing lips and tantalizing tongue. Oh, the things he could do with his tongue.
Stop it!
I needed to get Noah Hughes out of my head. I had to, damn it, for the safety of my job. Tomorrow I would talk to the principal about moving Marshall to Erin’s class. It would be easier on everyone if that happened. I wouldn’t get to know Marshall, there’d be no parent-teacher conferences with Noah, no visits, no nothing.
But Erin would see and get to know him. Is that what you really want? What if Noah falls for her instead?
I closed my eyes and tried to tell myself to shut the hell up. Who cared if Erin and Noah fell in love? Not that it would happen…if I had anything to do with it.
Gaah!
Sirens wailed outside, and I glanced over to the window. A firetruck sped by. Was Noah on it, on his way to put out a fire?
Hell, I have a fire he can put out.
I rolled my eyes at myself and grabbed my messenger bag with my laptop inside it. Lifting it over my shoulder, I fished my keys out just as a knock sounded on my classroom door. Looking up, I saw Erin.
“Hey,” I said. “How was your first day?”
Erin came in wearing a light-blue button-down blouse and tan khaki capris. “Typical. Meet the parents, hope that the kids will behave through the year, parents reminding them to be nice and use their ‘indoor voices.’”
“Oh, yeah. Same.” I paused for a moment. Erin had started at this school a year before I did. We had been through a lot together, and I considered her one of my closest friends. I needed to talk to her about Noah to get her opinion on the situation. Hopefully, she’d give me some advice, or at least just listen. “I need to tell you something, and you have to promise to keep it to yourself.”
“Sure. You can trust me.” Erin crossed her arms over her chest. “What is it?”
“Seriously, this could be my job. I need to
know my trust in you won’t be violated.”
She frowned. “What is it? What happened?”
I sighed and adjusted my bag on my shoulder. Looking to the ground, I felt my heart speed up. I shifted from one foot to the other. I squared my shoulders and looked Erin in the eyes. “One of my students. His dad is the firefighter from last week at the club.”
Her eyes widened and mouth opened forming a silent oh, and then there was a long, painful silence.
“Say something,” I said.
“What can I say? You know you need to request a transfer. If not for your own sake, for the kid’s.”
I nodded. “That’s what I was thinking.”
“But you don’t want to, do you?”
I shrugged. “I’ve always been honest with you. I really like Noah. He’s nice and just…damn. You know?”
“Is sex worth the job, though? You need to think of your position here with the school district. Once your tenure is under your belt, you can go anywhere, do anything you want. Are you willing to throw that away over a man you barely know?”
I lowered my eyes to the floor. She was absolutely right in everything she said. “No, I’m not willing to throw it away. I am, however, an adult. I can do this without letting him interfere with my head.”
She shook her head. “You’re making a mistake, but it’s yours to make. You know I care about you, but Cara, if this firefighter breaks your heart, I won’t be there to pick up the pieces. Consider yourself warned.”
“Wow. Thanks, Erin. Love you too.”
She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. Of course I’ll be there, but when I say I told you so, I mean it. Get out while you can and make the change. Or don’t. It’s your choice.”
I nodded. “Thanks for always being honest with me.”
She winked. “You’re welcome. I’m going to head home and soak my cares away in a bottle of wine and some bubbles. See you tomorrow.”
“You got it. And wine sounds amazing.”
As Erin turned to leave, my phone rang in my bag. I reached in and grabbed it and then glanced up to see that Erin had left my room. With a sigh, I looked back to my phone.
Noah Hughes
Do I answer it? I told him this needed to end between us, yet here he was calling me. A part of me wanted to shove the phone into my bag, but another wanted to demand an answer about why he was calling me.
The former part was stuffed back into my bag when the latter part answered the phone.
“Hello?”
“It’s Noah. We need to talk.”
His voice was like silk. It soothed an ache I had in my body—an ache only he could relieve. I closed my eyes and pressed my lips together.
“Cara?”
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“Where are you? I’ll come to you.”
I squeezed my eyes tight and shook my head. “I’m still at the school.”
“Are you alone?”
“Hell, Noah, I don’t know. I’m about to leave. Did you need to talk about Marshall?” I was short and curt, but maybe it would help him to not call me. Who the hell knew.
“Not exactly, but I want to come up and see you. Don’t leave. I’m a few blocks away.”
Noah hung up before I could tell him no.
Shit. What do I do now?
I dropped my messenger bag on my desk and took a seat in my chair. I stared at my phone and contemplated what to do.
Do I leave and force him away, or go wait for him at the school entrance? The doors were locked, and he’d need me to let him in.
Shit, shit, shit.
I stood and made my way out of the classroom and down the hallway to the front doors. The walk wasn’t long. Kindergarten took up the first classrooms. When everything was so new, it was easier on the students to be closest to the doors coming and going each day.
Leaning against the doorjamb, I waited for a moment. What would he need to talk about that couldn’t wait until tomorrow? Or for a parent-teacher conference? Hell, even an email? Our contact information was sent home with each student. All parents had our phone number and email. This meeting wasn’t necessary, yet here I was.
Headlights broke through the darkness, and my stomach flipped with nervous butterflies. An SUV parked, and a tall male stepped out. His silhouette told me it was Noah. A fantasy scenario ran through my head as I watched him. It was raining, and we were caught out in it together. Laughing and running while our wet clothes clung to our bodies. He would lift me in his arms, twirl me around, kiss me, then make love to me on the ground while the water poured over our naked bodies.
Noah approached the school entrance, and I pushed the door open for him. He stepped through, wearing a red polo shirt with the NYFD logo embroidered on the left side above his pec. His jeans hugged his thighs. I wanted him to turn so I could see how they clung to his ass.
Instead, I smiled and motioned for him to follow me. “What brings you out?”
“Small talk?” he asked and matched my stride.
I didn’t say anything until we reached my classroom. I closed the door behind him, then offered him the chair next to my desk. Taking a seat in my chair, I turned my attention to the sexy firefighter in front of me. He smelled delicious—a scent I was growing accustomed to, one I wanted around me more often.
“Is it a good idea, you being Marshall’s teacher?”
I lifted my brows. “Excuse me?” Offense flooded me, and I felt heat rise through my body as my temper flared.
“I want to make sure you won’t be a bad influence on my son.”
If my hair could turn into flames like a phoenix, I would engulf this man for insinuating such nonsense.
“I am not a bad influence. Your son is in capable hands with me as his teacher. If anyone is a bad influence, I would suggest looking in the mirror, Mr. Hughes.”
He raised his brows at the formal use of his name. Good. I wanted a reaction from him because he certainly brought one out in me.
“If I am the worst influence here”—I pointed back and forth between the two of us—“then obviously you cannot handle your own vices.”
He sat back in his chair and crossed his thick arms over his chest. “My concern is about Marshall and Marshall alone. I want to know that if he remains in your class, he won’t be held accountable for anything that happens between us.”
“Happens? Don’t you mean happened? We are finished, Mr. Hughes.” I shook my head and stood. “I will not jeopardize my career. It’s time for you to leave.”
“No.” He stood and walked around behind my desk. “I’m not ready to leave. And I’m not done with you, Miss Murphy.”
My heart sped so quickly, I felt it lodge in my throat. I opened my mouth to say something, but only a squeak came out.
“And the way I see it,” he said with a lowered voice, “you’re not done with me either.” Noah brought his hands up to my cheeks and cupped my face. His hands were warm and calloused. I longed to have them on my naked flesh, curling and pinching my nipples, his fingers inside my pussy while his tongue lashed at my clit.
A fire ignited between my legs, and I wanted Noah to extinguish it.
“No,” I whispered. The word left my lips, and I immediately wanted to draw it back in. “No, we can’t do this, Noah. Please.”
He leaned in and pressed his forehead to mine. His scent of soot and cologne invaded my head and worked on me like a spell. My pussy was damp and my clit throbbed. All I had to do was look up. Our lips would meet, and he could take me right here on my desk.
Was that what I wanted?
With a nervous breath, I reached up and wrapped my hands around Noah’s wrists. “We need to stop.”
His gaze met mine. His eyes were dilated, and his lips parted. His blond hair was smoothed back, and I wanted to run my fingers through it. He stood over me, so tall above my small frame. It almost felt safe in his embrace. But he wasn’t mine, and I wasn’t his.
“Do you want me to go?”
&nb
sp; I lowered my gaze to his chest, then to his waist. His erection pressed against his pants, and I had to swallow the saliva in my mouth.
“Do you think I’ll be a good teacher for Marshall?”
“Yes,” he whispered. “But I need to know he’ll not be held accountable if anything happens between us.”
I met his gaze. “I can’t promise something won’t happen between us, but I can tell you that Marshall will never pay the price for anything you may or may not do.”
With a growl, Noah reached for me and grabbed the back of my neck. He pulled me toward him, and our bodies collided with an epic explosion of sexual desire.
Noah claimed my lips, and it was then I realized I was starving for him. I needed him, more of him, in my life. Noah Hughes was a tall man, strong and beautiful. He was temptation hidden behind a secret door. And I was the key who opened that door and allowed him out to play.
This might be the best mistake I’ve ever made.
Chapter Six
Noah
I’ve heard it said that the best will come to those who wait. I feel as if I’ve been waiting for Cara to come into my life for a long time. I just didn’t realize it until we met. She fit me like a fucking glove. Everything about her. Her personality, intelligence, amazing body, focus on her career, and willingness to venture into this friendship with me.
Her lips were soft and smooth, warm and welcoming. I imagined her lips surrounding my dick while I fucked her mouth. Fuck, it was a turn-on, and I needed to be inside her. However, looking around her classroom only reminded me of my son.
Turn-on went from high octane to absolute zero. If I ever needed to lose my fucking wood, this was how to do it. I pulled away from Cara long enough to look into her caramel irises. Her lids were lined with a black liner and set with long, beautiful lashes. She looked at my lips, then back to my eyes.
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
“It’s…well, it’s this room. I can’t do this with you in here while looking at where my boy will sit.”