“What?” Karen asked, trying to hide her smile. He reached out, gently pulled her into his arms and covered her mouth in a scorching kiss. She moaned and slumped against him. Where in the world did a man learn to kiss like this? His kisses stole her reasoning and made her forget her name.
“I don’t think one kiss is going to do it for me, baby,” he murmured, trailing kisses over the curve of her jaw and neck before claiming her mouth again.
“Damian,” she whispered against his lips, “we have to stop.”
“I know.” He kissed her once more, then dropped his arms. Taking her hand, he opened the car door and closed it after she climbed in. “Buckle up and text me when you get home. I’ll call you later.”
His voice was strained, and she could see desire burning in his eyes, not to mention the huge bulge at his midsection. “Okay.” She started the car and drove out of the lot, peeking in her rearview mirror to see him standing in the same spot.
* * *
Damian watched until Karen’s car disappeared around the corner...and until his erection went down before going back inside. The weekend couldn’t come fast enough. Two more days. He could do that. Luckily, his plans were coming together nicely. All he needed now was for Karen to go along with them.
“I don’t think kissing falls under your scope of duties,” a voice behind him said.
Damian’s hand froze on the office doorknob, and he whirled around to see the same teacher who’d tried to make a pass at him the first day step out from the side of the office building. “Excuse me?”
“Don’t try to play games, Mr. Bradshaw,” she sneered. “I know what I just saw.” She folded her arms, and a malicious gleam filled her eyes. “I did some research on your company—pretty impressive credentials and not one complaint. It would be a shame for that trend to change.” Nikki angled her head thoughtfully. “I wonder what the superintendent would say if he found out the company he hired is doing more than overhauling safety.”
“Ms. Fleming, my personal life is none of your concern.”
“Is that so? I’m sure Karen’s told you about applying for the principal position here. It would be a shame for her to be disqualified for unprofessional behavior.”
He clenched his teeth. “I don’t do well with threats,” he said in a deceptively soft tone. “You might want to remember that.” Damian left her standing there and entered the office without another word.
After packing up and walking Melissa out, he and Kyle headed back to the hotel. They parted at their rooms and made plans to meet up in an hour for dinner in the hotel’s restaurant. Inside his room, he paced angrily. The audacity of that woman! He stopped pacing, remembering what Karen had said about being upset with Nikki and wondering if the woman had made the same threat to Karen. Damian started pacing again, torn over whether he should tell Karen or not.
He had to tell her. He didn’t want her to be blindsided by whatever Nikki was planning.
He sat at the desk and checked his email, clicking on one from Troy. Troy had sent the information Damian needed for the surprise weekend getaway he was planning for Karen. He sent back a thank-you message, logged off and left to meet Kyle. Over dinner, they discussed their upcoming schedule and the progress they’d made this week.
“I see your woman wasn’t shooting daggers at you today. Did you guys straighten things out?” Kyle asked as they finished their meal.
“Yes.” Damian hesitated before adding, “I told her about Joyce.”
Kyle froze with his glass at his lips. He slowly lowered it to the table. “Everything?”
Damian nodded.
“Including what happened on Sunday?”
Damian nodded.
“What did she say?”
“She asked me to tell her about Joyce.” Damian related their conversation. “Then she told me she’d be there for me,” he finished. His heart squeezed with the memory of that moment.
“I’m really happy for you, Damian. Karen’s a great woman. Are you prepared for a long-distance relationship?”
“I am. Troy is letting me use his time-share in Vegas this weekend. It’s killing me being so close to her and acting like we’re just friends.”
Kyle laughed. “Then you’d better stop looking at her like she’s your favorite dessert, because everybody’s going to know.”
“That bad?”
“Yeah, bro. You got it bad.” Kyle leaned back in the chair. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were in love with Karen.”