Curvy Valentine Match

“Nah, those girls are cute. Not hot.”

“Or stunning,” another kid, just passing by added with an appreciative onceover.

“Yeah, that’s a good word. Stunning. She looks totally stunning.” Skip Baylor from the prominent family nodded slowly, unable to tear his gaze from Joss. Not that I could blame him, but I was the adult here. The role model.

Skip’s best friend, Roger turned to me with his trademark smirk. “You gonna jump on that, Mr. Rutherford?”

“Boys! Ms. Callahan is a woman, not an object to jump on.”

Both boys dipped their heads in embarrassment. “Sorry, Ms. Callahan.”

“Apology accepted boys, and the compliments. But don’t think that kind words will get you out of a detention for tardiness.” She tapped her wrist where there was no watch before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as a blush stained her face. “You have thirty seconds before the bell rings.”

A look of alarm flashed on both their faces, and both boys scrambled to grab textbooks and notepads before running off. “Catch ya later, Ms. Callahan.”

Joss, for her part, let out a soft and utterly feminine giggle and shook her head at their backs. “Boys,” she said softly and turned towards the teacher’s lounge.

“If they’re making you uncomfortable…” Joss shook her head, distracting me with shiny blond hair that bounced alluringly, before I could finish that statement.

“It’s fine,” she said easily, her expression genuine. “Besides, it’s nice to be noticed as a woman even if it is by hormonal teenagers. Enjoy your day, Principal Rutherford.” She flashed another smile, and again I couldn’t help but notice it wasn’t quite as bright as her smiles had been for the past year. “Later.”

I watched Joss go, unable to not notice the way those leather pants formed to the thick muscles of her thighs and shapely calves. The plaid shirt dress hid what I knew to be an incredible ass, and I was grateful for the covering, because the last thing I needed was to pursue anything with one of my teachers, technically my subordinates.

There was no point staring at, longing for, a woman I couldn’t have, so I shook off the lust and went back to my office, leaving the door open just in case any of the teachers needed to talk. It was unlikely they would, but the open door was just so they knew they could rely on me. Always.

My phone vibrated on my desk beside the calendar that my secretary, Martha, insisted on, even though I used a digital one to keep track of all appointments and meetings. It was a text from my mother, a photo of Chris and Tara on the Time for Love homepage, and of course she just took a photo of the computer screen because my mother refused to learn how to use the new technology she loved so much.

“Look at the compatibility score, Ben! That could be you.”

I didn’t bother to respond to my mom, because the only answer she would accept was that I’d used the gift certificate and found a perfect little wife who would slide seamlessly into the Rutherford family. Of course, that brought Joss to mind, which it shouldn’t, because she was off limits.

Completely.

By lunch, thoughts of those big blue eyes looking at me like I hung the moon wouldn’t go away, and I knew what I had to do. “Hey Kendra, it’s Ben Rutherford.”

“Principal Ben Rutherford?”

“Yeah,” I said in a low voice to hide my amusement at her surprise. “One and the same. My mother bought a gift certificate for your services, and I’d, uh, like to set up a consultation or however you do it.”