Page 15 of Dagger

Goodness gracious.

Maybe it was the way he stood in the middle of the front office with his hands shoved into his pockets as he examined the children’s artwork, or maybe it was the sight of him in those dark gray jeans that hugged his thighs and his ass that had my mouth going bone dry. I wasn’t sure, but the sight of him took my breath away. He was tall and imposing.

And beautiful.

“Mr. Kane,” I began, but he turned and hit me with a smile that stole my voice.

“Dagger. Remember?”

“Right. How can I help you?” My gaze slid over to where Helen sat in her chair, watching the exchange like the final games of a tennis match.

He realized a moment later that we had an audience. “Can we, uh, talk somewhere private?”

“Yeah, sure.” I nodded towards the door and the heat of his body followed me through the door. “Is everything okay with Dani?”

“Yes, she’s doing well. We, ah… we went out to dinner for pizza the other night. It was strained but it got better as the meal went on.” His cheeks turned pink as if that admission cost him.

“That’s great. She seems more upbeat lately.”

He nodded. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Kind of.”

Disappointment swelled in my chest at that moment, and I realized I was hoping that he came to see me, which was obviously foolish. If my romantic history taught me anything it was that guys like Dagger didn’t go for schoolteachers. Still, I sat with my disappointment while I waited for answers. “I’m listening.”

He raked a hand through his thick, dark hair. “Can we talk over coffee or dinner? On me,” he tacked on with a grin.

I wanted to say yes. Hell yes, but I tempered my expectations. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I wanted to have dinner with him, which should be a surefire sign that it was a really bad idea.

“Because you’re Dani’s teacher?” he asked. I appreciated his straightforward nature. You always knew where you stood with a man like Dagger.

I shrugged. “That’s some of it,” I offered.

He grinned and, dammit, I wish he hadn’t done that. His gruff scowl was beautiful enough, but that full-on smile? It wasa lethal weapon that had my panties so soaked I was afraid to move because then he’d hear how turned on I was. “I know I didn’t make the best first impression,” he said. “But I promise I’m not a total asshole all of the time.”

My brows arched at his honesty. “Not all of the time or sometimes just a partial asshole?”

His smile never wavered as he shrugged. “Nobody’s perfect.” His smile dimmed just a little. “Please. I’ve been thinking about what you said about me and Dani and I… need some help.”

Why was it so hot when a man could admit he wasn’t perfect and needed help?

Because the universe was a cruel, cruel bitch, that’s why.

I couldn’t possibly deny helping him, especially when it meant helping Dani. “Yes. Okay.” I said the words before I changed my mind or maybe came to my senses. “But I’ll drive myself.”

“Of course.” His lips twitched with amusement.

“I need to gather my things. I’ll meet you in the parking lot?”

“Sounds good.”

I rushed back to my classroom to gather my purse and to calm my racing heart. Why was I nervous? Sure, it wasn’t every day that I spent time with a gorgeous bad boy, but he wanted to talk about his daughter, so there was nothing to be nervous about. That’s what I kept telling myself, as I pulled on my cardigan and left the building.

I stopped short at the sight of Dagger leaning against his bike with his legs crossed at the ankle. My mouth watered and my nipples hardened. His bike was parked right beside my car. Did he know it was mine?

I looked around the parking lot the way I always did, and there it was again, that sensation that I was being watched. I couldn’t see anyone, but that was the mark of a good observer, wasn’t it?

Stalker, don’t you mean?

“Hey, you okay?”

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