Page 28 of Advanced Chemistry

“We have a guy who does it. But South Rock was our first client. I like to give their vending machines extra TLC. And it’s always fun coming back.”

It was odd to hear a former student say he enjoyed returning to high school. Most kids were itching to get out of this place and never come back.

“The real question is what are you doing here so late?” Anton cocked his head at me, the spotlight of his gaze sending a jolt of heat up my spine.

“It’s only six.”

“You’re the first person I’ve seen in these halls in a while.” Our voices echoed in the emptiness.

“I was preparing for finals,” I said.

“Shouldn’t your students be the ones doing that?” Anton bent down to stock the packs of chewing gum. Perhaps I was reading into things, but I thought he was pushing his butt out more than he had to.

Not that there was anything wrong with that.

Anton rested his arm on the open glass case, showing off his long torso. It was a similar position he took in his apartment, and I wondered if he had the same intentions here. “You’re looking good, Mr. M. I like this shirt.” His fingers danced down the edge of my collar.

“Thank you.” Heat raced up my neck. It was merely an uncontrollable response to stimuli, right?

“Of course, I’d like it much better if you weren’t wearing it.”

I choked out a laugh, amazed that Anton could say statements like that and still remain charming. He had social acumen I could only dream about. Although currently, I was dreaming of something else, a scenario in which our shirts were both not being worn.

“Saturday was a one-time thing,” I said, clearing my throat.

“It’s a shame. Because there are so many things I wanted to do to you, Mr. M.” He sauntered up to me, disregarding any respect for personal space.

“What kind of things?” I asked, only to make sure we were on the same page when it came to things that we shouldn’t do.

“Only one way to find out.” He shrugged, refusing to go into further, dirtier detail. It was for the best. There had to be something in the teacher handbook about avoiding erections on school property.

Anton carefully placed bags of chips into the machine, straightening their corners. “Come grab a drink with me and Sebastian this week.”

“It wouldn’t be a good idea.”

“Why?” Anton’s directness was unnerving, as was his unblinking stare with his lips pouted just so.

“Saturday was a fluke, Anton, in every sense. Usually I spend my Saturdays writing lesson plans or doing laundry. Going to SpringFest was already an anomaly for me. Our actions were extremely out of the ordinary and shouldn’t be interpreted as normal, repeatable behavior from me.”

Was there a problem with the thermostat in South Rock? Surely there was no scientific proof that Anton’s smoldering gaze could raise the temperature. It had to be in my head, but getting out of my head was a perpetual challenge.

“See, that’s where you’re wrong.” His hand drifted down my chest. “I don’t think our actions were as out of the ordinary for you as you think.”

“I think I have a better handle on my life than you do.”

“I think you have a wild side, Chase. Correction. I know you have a wild side. It’s dying to get out of you. And I’m not just talking about what you did on my futon.”

His last sentence caught me off guard, partially snapping me out of my horny brain fog. Anton seemed to sense my confusion.

“You present yourself as this buttoned-up nerd, but I can tell you’re so much more.”

“Buttoned-up nerd is a pretty accurate description of me. My life is built around structure and routine by design.” Unless I had a secret Dr. Hyde alter-ego that only came out at night, which would mean going through a rigorous psychological evaluation to determine if I had schizophrenia, then there was no wild side to speak of.

“Respectfully disagree. You’re wild and exciting. Underneath, there is a Chase that is bursting to be free.”

Anton spoke with as much confidence about my inner life as he did about my physical self. He wasn’t Wikipedia, though. He didn’t know everything.

“I see a Chase who is impulsive and creative and bold. I see a Chase who laughs so hard he can barely catch his breath. I see a Chase who throws his head back in a convertible and lets the wind whip through his hair.” Anton’s gaze changed, the glimmer in his eye shifting from lust to something sweeter, which seemed to surprise him as much as it did me. “You are endlessly fascinating, Chase.”

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