Indecent Desires

Chapter 2

“We have a reading group for students who are struggling—”
“My son knows how to read, Ms. Page.” He was starting to sound
annoyed again—almost as much as she still was.
“I’m not suggesting he doesn’t, but reading comprehension
doesn’t
simply revolve around reading as much as it does remembering
and
understanding what one reads. This group specifically addresses
those concerns and I would recommend you consider putting him in
this study
group.”
His jaw was working and his nostrils flared for a moment as he
appeared to stew in irritation. He wasn’t the first parent to hear
bad
news during conferences and she supposed their rocky start
hadn’t helped matters. She let the words sink in as she
unconsciously pushed on
her head between her eyebrows, trying to stifle the throbbing pain
in her
head.
“Are you all right?” His voice was suddenly far gentler than it had
been and the crease between his brows looked of concern, though
she couldn’t imagine it after how she’d treated him. She had been
rude. More
than rude and that wasn’t Katrina’s habit.
“I’m fine. I just have a headache.” He studied her for a moment
longer with his arms crossed on his chest as he appraised the
situation.
“Very well. What do I need to do to sign him up for the group?”
“Nothing at all. I’ll take care of it. The group meets in my
classroom
during morning study hall, so it won’t conflict with any of his
current courses.”
“Fine. I’m sorry I was a bit late.” His words were clipped and he
didn’t sound at all sorry. He still sounded annoyed and what right did he
have? She was annoyed and as he turned to leave, it was with a
frustrated shake of his head that ratcheted up her own irritation just a
hair further.
“Yes well, I’m sorry I was a bit rude earlier.” Her words sounded
no
more apologetic than his but it was more a taunt than real regret
she was
imparting and her voice sounded of sarcasm. He’d only barely
managed
an apology and a pathetic one at that, so he’d get nothing better
from her.
He paused. He took a moment to turn toward her again and when
he
did she watched his very chiseled, handsome jaw work on his
rather beautiful face as his very delicious-looking mouth pursed. “You
weren’t
a bit rude. You were exceptionally rude.” His hands were on hips
as he squared off with her but Katrina was used to rude parents and
she wasn’t going to be intimidated by this one.
She stood putting her own hands on her hips. “Yes? Well you
weren’t
a little late. You were exceptionally late!” His eyebrows shot up as
he watched her for a moment before turning once more and
sauntering his
handsome ass away from her.
“Have a good evening, Ms. Page.” He didn’t even bother looking
back at her.
“What’s left of it.” She muttered under her breath to the empty
room.
He was long gone.
She packed up, thinking her brain might fall out through her nose
as
she bent over. She slung her laptop bag and book bag over her
shoulder
and flipped the light switch as she left the room. The building was
silent as she headed toward the exit and the only sound that could be
heard was the clicking of her heels along the old concrete floors.
Even the custodians were finished for the day. She was alone.
She hated this place when it was empty. It scared the crap out of
her,
really. The usually bustling, loud and busy halls were terrifyingly
still and ghostly. It was the perfect setup for a horror movie and she
happened to be walking through this most unsettling scene by
herself in
near darkness.
She pulled her pepper spray from the side of her book bag as
she neared the exit door and as she bumped it open with her hip she
nearly
careened into Mr. Adler. She was sure he must have a first name
but she’d be damned if she’d gotten it or paid attention to whether it
was on
her schedule or not. It was only after she realized she was aiming
the pepper spray at him and his hands were up that she realized just
how hard her heart was pounding.
“Maybe point that elsewhere. I’m thrilled to see you’re carrying it
but
it’s not warranted with me, I assure you.” His voice was still
intense and
harsh but she couldn’t deny she was relieved to see him.
“I’m not so sure of that. What are you still doing here?” It didn’t
mean
she was suddenly going to start being a sweetheart.
He looked around a bit with his lips pursed for a moment. It was
almost a sheepish expression, if this man was capable of such a
thing.
“The parking lot was empty—the building was too. I didn’t want to
leave
you here by yourself.” He was muttering. He was definitely still
irritated
—about as irritated as she felt—but it didn’t stop her cheeks from
burning hot. Fortunately, the only light was coming from the parking
lot lights. It was otherwise dark as pitch.
It was a chilly Seattle night midway through the spring semester
and
she shivered as she pulled her jacket tighter around her.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” he said.
Well she wasn’t going to argue with that—not when her heart was
still thudding away.
“Maybe you could put the pepper spray away now?”
“Yeah. Um…thanks for sticking around. I appreciate it. I can’t
stand
this place when there’s no one here.”
“Well, it is my fault you’re here so late. It’s the least I could do.”
They
walked in silence to her lovely, sensible and used Subaru
Outback. He watched her climb in and raised his hand in a casual
gesture as he turned
from her toward his not-so-sensible but far-more-rugged
Chevrolet
Tahoe.
He was really something else to look at. Asshole of a personality,
but
hot damn he had the butt of an Adonis. He was wearing slim-cut
charcoal-gray wool slacks that hugged his body beautifully and a
light-
gray dress shirt. It was dressy but not over the top. She got lost
at the sight of that ass and it was only when she peered up quickly to
his face
and realized he was standing at his car door staring at her that
she snapped back to this world. Fuck!
He stared at her without an inkling of expression until she
fumbled with her key that was already in the ignition, realizing too
late that her
car had already started. It made a god-awful noise as she turned
over the
engine again and he continued to eye her impassively.
She threw her car into drive, nearly screeching out of her parking
space as she took off. She snatched up her cell phone, dialing quickly.
“So you know how I’m literally the world’s biggest dumbass?”
“Of course I do. I mean, anyone who knows you knows you take
the
cake on idiocy.” It was Imogen, her best friend with whom she’d
felt the
need to call and share her humiliation. Imogen was a feisty brat
from the
U.K. who Katrina had met during their first year of college. They
hadn’t
been apart since, including working for the same school system.
Imogen
had obviously gotten home from parent-teacher conferences long
before
Katrina had.
“Right, well, add another log to the idiot pile. What the f-bomb is
wrong with me?”
“You’re not in school, love. You can say fuck. No detention, I
swear.”
“Fuck fuck fuckity fuck! Why? Why? I mean really? Why am I
such a moron?” Katrina was whizzing through streets, speeding far
more than
she should but the streets were fairly deserted and she was done
done done being responsible for the day.
“Uh oh, Trink. What happened?”
“You know I hate it when you call me Trink. Why can’t you call me
something cool like Kat?”
“Kat’s taken by the chick in The Hunger Games. I’m afraid you’re
just stuck with Trink. I don’t make the rules, dear. What about
Trinkster?”
Katrina was already starting to smile again. Bless Imogen’s heart
for
bringing a laugh to her life when she needed it most. “Anyway…”
“Yes, anyway. What did you do this time?”
“Oh you know…I was rude to a parent who consequently
deserved my rudeness and then he caught me staring at his butt. The
usual.”
“Ah. So the parent had a nice butt, I take it? Or is this your new
way
of sizing up the parents at parent-teacher conferences? So
whose parent
are we talking about?”
“Seth Adler.”
“Ah… Yes. I don’t know the man but I’ve heard mention of his
hotness factor and I’ve seen him from afar. Nice ass is right!”
Katrina groaned as she remembered his expressionless face
watching
her while her eyes were glued like tractor beams to his backside.
“It was
awful. And I might have left my transmission in the parking lot
too. Who
knows?” She threw her hand up as her less-than-perfect
alignment
pulled her toward the center lane. Grabbing the wheel again, she
righted
her path.
“You need a drink.”
“I hear that, sista! But sadly I still have five more essays to grade
tonight before I can call it a day. Grading and drinking do not mix.
Listen, I gotta go, but I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”