“I’ve heard some things about you.”
He looks down as if he’s ashamed of himself. “Yeah.”
“Miss Stansfield tells me that you’re smart and clever and fun to be around.”
His head whips back up, and he stares at me with wide eyes. Then he looks over at Aubrey. “She said that?”
“Sure. She also said that sometimes you get mad.”
“I guess I do.” He shrugs a little shoulder. “Sometimes.”
“It’s okay to get mad.” I pat that shoulder. “But it’s not okay to be mean. Nobody likes a mean guy, right?”
“Yeah, I suppose.”
“I know you’ll do better. You’re a good kid, Timmy.” I stand and smile at everyone. “Now, I didn’t want to just bring Miss Stansfield a gift and leave the rest of you out, so I have some things to share.”
I turn and signal for Mack to come in with the boxes.
For the next hour, I sit with each child, offer them all kinds of merchandise, pose for photos that Aubrey takes and promises to send to their parents.
“I love you,” a little girl named Chloe says with the most sincere face I’ve ever seen. She wraps her small arms around my neck and gives me a squeeze.
“Aww, I love you, too, Chloe.”
“You’d better go before school is out,” Aubrey whispers to me. I nod, understanding that the school is about to be full of parents and other students, and I’d rather not be the center of attention for that.
I’m just thrilled that we were able to pull this off.
I look over the room of grinning faces. Some pulled shirts or sweatshirts over their clothes. Others hold dolls and backpacks. All of the merch was a big hit.
“I have to go, guys. You be good, okay?”
“Okay!”
“We will!”
“Thank you!”
They all yell in excitement and wave as I leave the room, hurrying out to my car. I slip away without seeing even one parent or member of the media.
I pulled it off.
Chapter Seven
~Aubrey~
He surprised my kids.
He came to my classroom with gifts and spent a good chunk of his afternoon with them. He was patient and sweet. He made each of them feel respected and important. And watching their eyes light up, well…it was the best day of my teaching career.
Maybe the best day of my life.
The kids were so excited when their parents came to collect them after school, though if it weren’t for the official merchandise and the photos I sent to each of them, I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have believed it.
Of course, there’s always that one person who tries to ruin everything, which just so happened to be Timmy’s mom in this case. She scowled and asked me why I didn’t get permission from the parents for a stranger to come see their kids, and I just smiled at her and said, “Bless your heart.”
And I’m not even Southern.
I was not willing to let her ruin the wonderful thing that Zane did for those kids.
I climb the steps to our condo. When I open the door, I find Zane in the kitchen.
I don’t even bother saying anything. I just rush over to him and launch myself into his arms.
“Does this mean that it was okay that I just showed up at your job today?”
I laugh and kiss his cheek, his neck, and then his lips. I lock my legs around his hips, bury my hands in his hair, and kiss him like there’s no tomorrow.
He starts walking through the kitchen to the living room, where he sits on the couch with me straddling his lap. Then, his hands start to roam.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I say when I come up for air. “It was a lot.”
“They called you a liar.” It’s a simple statement. As if it’s a no-brainer that he would do whatever needed to be done to defend me.
And it only makes me hotter.
“Thank you.” I kiss him, lighter this time. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome.” His hands glide up and down the globes of my ass. Just a few days ago, I would have felt self-conscious with him, but he’s seen me naked so much over the past four days, there is no reason to be shy. Not at all. He’s seen it all, and he likes it.
I cross my arms over my lower stomach and pull my shirt up over my head, tossing it onto the floor.
Zane’s pupils dilate as he takes in my breasts, covered by a soft pink bra today.
“I don’t want to go slow,” I inform him, and his eyes find mine. “I just want you, Zane.”
He growls and stands, hurrying to the bedroom. We make quick work of stripping each other out of our clothes. My hands can’t push his off fast enough. Finally, he reaches for the condom and plunges inside of me.
We moan in delight, and he starts to move, but it’s not fast enough.