Page 60 of Make it Real
He’d reached me now, staring down at me while we flirted and teased. “Those are the best sort.”
“I think so, too.” My hands went to his waist of their own accord, little magnets drawn to the steel of his abs.
He dipped his head toward me. “Only trouble is, you’ve got to ask real nice.”
“I’ll ask him real nice,” I said slowly, my fingers sliding across his T-shirt.
“How will you ask him?” His deep voice positively melted my insides.
“I’ll say, ‘Clint Evans, could you pretty please—’”
Jed scooped me into a big bear hug, growling out his pretend frustration into my neck while I cackled, my feet dangling in the air. His breath on my collarbone sent shivers rippling down my back, and I held his shoulders tighter.
“You fight dirty, Callie Lou.”
So did he. Holding me this way, my face hovered over his. Kind of seriously loved the way he grinned up at me, like I was the best thing he’d ever seen. Wouldn’t take anything at all to close that distance and kiss him to pieces.
He must have had the same thought. His gaze dropped to my mouth, and I licked my lips on autopilot, wondering if he’d share captain duties and kiss me, or if I was still the leader when it came to all that.
The moment dragged on, but he didn’t make a move. Didn’t put me down, either, but he didn’t lean up for the kiss. Fine, I could take control of the situation. I’d done it once before, right? Tilting my head to go for it, I’d almost reached his mouth when my classroom door burst open.
“We heard something and—oh.”
Jed and I turned to see two of my fellow teachers standing in the doorway, mouths open and eyes wide as they stared at us. He set me back on my feet, and I took half a second to reset my foggy brain, my pounding heart rebelling at the interruption.
“Jed, this is Amy and Lisa, they’re the other kindergarten teachers here. This is my boyfriend, Jed Evans.”
Funny how the words came so naturally, they didn’t feel like a lie at all.
Twenty and thirty years older than I was respectively, Amy and Lisa had offered endless hints and tips to help me get through my first couple of years of teaching. I had nothing but gratitude for them…just would have been more grateful if they’d stayed in their rooms today.
He crossed over to them and shook their hands. Meanwhile, they goggled at him like their favorite country music singer had just stepped off stage to greet his adoring fans. I got it—the man was head-to-toe gorgeous. Plus, I’d never mentioned having a significant other or even a date. A little bit of gawking was probably warranted.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Amy said, slipping a pink container of pepper spray into her purse. “We were talking in the next room and thought we heard screaming, but I guess it was laughter.”
“Didn’t mean to startle you,” Jed said.
“We might have been a little too cautious in rushing right over here.”
“No such thing.”
“Don’t you just love the changes?” Lisa looked around the classroom, a mirror image of hers next door. “We’ve been angling for new carpet for ten years.”
“And that old paint,” Amy chimed in. “Booger gray is what my husband called it. Much prefer the new shade.”
“I’m a little bit in love with my new room,” I said.
“Yes, well, there’s a lot to love in here.” Lisa raked her eyes over Jed before casting a significant look at me. You could have fried an egg on my cheeks, they’d grown so hot. “We won’t keep you, just wanted to check on the noise.”
“We’ll know better next time. Good to meet you, Jed.”
They slipped out into the hall, and the door closed behind them.
“Sorry about that.” They hadn’t been as bad as Gran and her friends, but I wasn’t sure anyone could be.
“Don’t be, I’m glad they’re looking after you. She was a quick draw on that pepper spray.”
Of course he’d noticed.
