Fake Marriage Box Set

“I could help you dress it up a little in here. Make it a little more inviting,” she offered.

“That would be great. I would appreciate any help you can give this place. It is in desperate need of a makeover, and a woman’s touch,” I told her, hoping it didn’t sound too creepy.

She nodded, and looked around the room as if planning her attack on my tiny office before looking at me. “I wanted to talk to you about next week,” she said. “I won’t be back until Wednesday, but the syllabus shows it’s the first week of outdoor lessons.” She paused, looking at me, waiting for something.

I nodded. “And?”

She looked at her hands, “Are you going to be okay without me there? I mean, I can try and come back early, maybe come in on a late flight Monday, and then I could be here for both classes on Tuesday.”

I couldn’t fight back the chuckle. “Tessa?”

“Hmm?” she said, meeting my eyes.

“I’ve been a teacher before. I think I can manage a few classes without you here to hold my hand,” I told her gently. “I appreciate you thinking of me, but this is something I’ve done before.”

She shrugged. “I know you can, but, sometimes you seem to, uh, I don’t know, get a little lost.”

I wasn’t going to take her observation personally. It was true. She grounded me. All I had to do was look at her for a few seconds and I found the energy to keep talking, especially on days when the students were zoning out on me.

“Tessa, I promise, I won’t lead them astray. If it looks like I’m completely boring them, or if they’re not paying attention, I’ll throw a quiz at them,” I joked.

“Don’t do that,” she said, looking horrified.

“Why?”

Her head cocked to the side and she scrunched up her perfect little nose. “Because then I have to grade them all.”

I started laughing. She did have a point. More work for the students made more work for her. It was definitely not a fair situation.

“If it comes to that, I’ll grade my own quizzes. You know, I can if it is too much for you. I never really expected you to take on so much of the work,” I told her.

“I like it, really I do. Some days are a little tougher to find the time, but it’s not that bad,” she replied.

I walked around to my side of the desk and sat down. I gestured for her to have a seat.

“No thanks. I should probably get going, I only wanted to make sure you knew about next week and well, you know.”

“Thank you, Tessa, I really do appreciate all you do to help me in class. I’m sure you go above and beyond what any other assistant does.”

She smiled, took one last look at the bookcase, and turned to leave.

I reached for my briefcase, pulling out a couple of the books I wanted to store in my office. The small notebook I kept to jot down thoughts about points I wanted to cover in my lecture slid out and fell to the ground.

I leaned down to grab it, but Tessa was already there. Our hands touched the book at the same time, mine landing on top of hers. That same sizzle of electricity coursed through my veins with the touch.

“I got it,” she said, in a voice barely above a whisper.

I didn’t move. I couldn’t. She seemed to be suffering from the same affliction. Her hand twitched under mine, snapping me out of the trance I’d slipped into. She stood up at the same time I did, her face merely inches from mine. I could feel her breasts barely touching my chest, and I involuntarily leaned in, pushing closer, wanting to feel her against the entire length of my body. It was a foreign feeling, but familiar. A woman’s soft body isn’t something one can ever forget.

I looked up to find her staring at me with wide eyes. I gazed into those blue eyes, and a million thoughts rushed to my head, telling me to walk away. Not to do what my body was demanding. There was an endless list of reasons why I shouldn’t. I wanted to listen to the part of me that knew best, but I couldn’t. I was powerless against the desire consuming every breath I took. The loudest voice was the one I latched onto. It was the one telling me to go for it.

She parted her lips as if she might say something. I didn’t give her the chance. Before I could talk myself out of it, I went in for a kiss. My lips touched hers, softly at first and then with more pressure. She didn’t pull away. I could feel her mouth opening, inviting me in to take more. I did. I took and took and relished the sweetness of her mouth.

My body started to respond to the contact in ways I hadn’t felt since Miriam died. It terrified me. I kept the kiss soft, enjoying the feel of her lips against my own. When she pressed her body into me, I sighed in contentment. It was like the first time all over again. It was a feeling I wanted to hold onto forever. If I only get one last memory, this is the one I want.

My head started to swim with thoughts I knew were completely inappropriate. Slowly, realization dawned. I was kissing a student in my office. Shit.

Chapter Fourteen