“I trust you know how best to warm a man’s heart, Amy. You’ve never had any issue winning my admiration or appreciation, after all,” he stated, reaching a hand out to place upon her slender shoulder and squeeze it gently.
Those words warmed her heart, then swam into her loins as her breath caught for just a moment. How long had she had a crush on him? She was only just a girl, so awkward and shy. But he’d had no small hand in bringing out the woman in her, and she nearly soared at his compliments.
“And then we’d work together? Every day?”
“Every day,” he repeated cheerfully, letting his hand slide down her arm to grasp her hand with his. Those long fingers of his wrapped about her dainty digits as he squeezed. “I’d very much like that, wouldn’t you?” he asked, brow raised. “No longer have to be teacher and student, it’tll be a real, adult kind of working relationship. We could even go to lunch or dinner together.”
Her knees trembled and her head was bobbing up and down stupidly before she even realized it.
“I’d love that,” she stressed, her breath so warm as she looked up on him affectionately. “I mean, I’d do anything,” she continued, her smile growing with every passing moment as excitement filled her. There was no way she’d let either of them turn her down.
She needed that job more than life itself.
His own smile showed he was almost as excited himself. A big toothy grin upon his face, bigger than she’d ever seen it. And her Mr. Muran was not shy of smiling! He gave her hand another squeeze.
“Good. So Father Mackay wishes to meet with you this very morning, and hear exactly why it is you feel you’re up for the task of being assistant teacher. Then once he gives you the approval… it’s down to the mayor.”
He gave her such a warm, confident smile.
“I know you can do this, Amy,” he said softly.
There was no part of her that wouldn’t make it happen, and she gave him a firm, resolute nod, her face serious.
“Would it be too early to go now, Mr. Muran?”
He smiled so handsomely down at her and shook his head.
“No, Father Mackay is an early bird sort of guy. Up before anyone in this town, I’m sure he’d appreciate punctuality. That’s why I asked you to meet me so early today.” He leaned in and spoke to her in a conspiratorial sort of tone, “We gotta get these fellas in their weak spots and get ‘em hard.” He winked at her, that act alone so... adult so… strange.
He then inspected her outfit, ran his hands along her arms and tried to adjust it just a little, though the tightness of that undersized outfit gave little wiggle room.
But the feel of his warm hands on her, it elicited a very obvious reaction; her nipples tightened between the thin fabric of the top and the sheer material of her barely-there bra. Her cheeks flushed bright as she looked at his face, praying he hadn’t noticed.
“I’ll go right now, then,” she half asked, half stated.
“It’s best you do,” he said to her with a nod. “Go on then,” he remarked, and did a very special thing altogether. He leaned in and kissed her forehead softly. “I know you won’t disappoint. You never have,” he said, just before he turned and walked back behind his desk. Leaving her to stand there, overwhelmed.
Her blood burned hot as she turned and picked up her backpack, her heart stuck in her throat.
She couldn’t disappoint him. Not after that tender kiss.
Outside the cool air nipped at Amy again, but it was a relief with how hot and flushed she felt. She made her way on over towards the parish church, which stood almost as big as the school house. It was a little ways away from the center of town, but it was nowhere near the distance of her walk from home, so she hardly felt it was a big deal at all.
She pushed in through the big front doors of the church and looked into its great, cavernous hall. No sight of the Father about as she walked on down the carpeted aisle.
Her father and her hadn’t attended since her mother passed on, and she’d assumed it was simply too painful for her dad.
Before then, though, they’d gone together as a family, once a week like clockwork, and she made her way towards where she remembered the office to be. She let down her satchel outside, heart pounding as she sucked in a deep breath, petting over her outfit.
She knocked on the door, hoping it was loud enough, but her nerves and shyness turned it into soft little pulses against the wood.
“Come in!” came a voice from inside, and she opened the door and moved on in. Instantly a wave of heat blasted her, the Father having a cozy fireplace lit high to keep the cold at bay.
He sat by the fire with a book in his lap, but upon seeing her his eyes widened and he shut it closed.
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“Young Amy,” he said with much surprise. He was an older man, with ruddy hair that had silver streaks through it. He was undoubtedly handsome, though he had the build of a farmer himself. A strong looking man, he filled his frock rather well.