Page 61 of Before We Fell

“I know. But I think that’s one of the things that makes you so great. You worry so much you’re screwing it up, it’s bound to make you great. I always figure it’s the parents who don’t worry about their kids at all that are the screw-ups.”

“That’s a weird way of looking at it,” he said and grabbed a glass, filled it with water. “But I think I see your point. Thank you.”

“I should get going.”

His eyes widened and he turned, draining the glass in one large gulp before walking toward me until I was against the new island. “Do you have to?”

Innuendo laced his words and his tone. I fought a shiver and lost.

“I’m not sure tonight is the best.”

“I know.” He kissed me slowly, sliding his tongue into my mouth temptingly, until I arched into him and gripped his shirt. “I know. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

It was Oliver’s birthday party and the entire class had been invited.

“Of course. And after maybe I can cook you and Riley some dinner.”

“I’ll take that.” He grinned and kissed the tip of my nose before guiding me toward the back door. Before he stepped out though, he glanced back at the hallway toward Riley. He’d taken to walking me home to my yard, but tonight I understood his hesitation.

“I’ll be fine.” I picked my purse up off the floor and hitched it over my shoulder. “See you at Oliver’s.”

He smirked. “I’ll try not to make out with you in front of all your friends and students.”

I rolled to my toes and kissed him before stepping onto his patio. “Bummer,” I teased.

“Areyou going to spill it, or are we going to keep pretending you’re not totally drooling over Noah Wilkes?”

I was halfway through refilling a glass of punch when Brooke sidled up next to me.

“What?”

She popped a cracker into her mouth and nodded her head in Noah’s direction. “Him. The hottie. You been eyeballing him all day. What gives?”

“Nothing gives.” I poured the lime sherbet and 7-Up punch into my plastic glass and sipped. Damn. My hand was trembling.

Thirty kids were running around, screaming their heads off. The adults were mostly chilling in the backyard, occasionally ducking and retreating from a stray Nerf Gun dart.

The back yard had been turned into complete chaos hours ago. I loved the kids in my class. I loved them. I truly, truly did. But on a Saturday? Their sonic blasting shrieking voices were just about doing me in.

She poked me in my side, and I jumped. “Hey.”

“Come on. I see the way he looks at you. Everyone is seeing the way he looks at you. What gives?”

A heat I could lie and blame on the fall afternoon sun blasting down on me rose on my cheeks. Against my better judgment, my eyes searched for Noah and found him almost instantly.

He was standing near the grill, aka man-zone, with Jordan, Ryan, and Andrew. I hadn’t known until a few nights ago Noah had taken to golfing at the club, so he not only knew Jordan, but he’d golfed with Ryan as well. Fortunately for me and any lingering awkwardness, Shawn wasn’t at the party.

She grabbed my arm and pulled. “Just tell me one thing?”

“What?”

“How far above the scale of one to ten does he reach? Twenty? Two-hundred thousand? A man that hot, he’s gotta be good.”

“Jesus, Brooke,” I laughed and pulled my arm back. “You’re married.”

I shook my head. The woman was two-hundred thousand level crazy half the time. The other half? Fifty. Minimum. I was used to it but suddenly, it felt like all eyes from everyone were on me.

It was mostly Brooke’s friends who were there, which explained why she’d been able to notice Noah and me. Granted, interacting with him and acting like a teacher only hadn’t just been difficult, but painful.

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