Chapter Six
Clutching a pileof books in her arms, Olivia glanced at the clock above the principal’s office and cursed under her breath. The locker-lined hallway, usually teeming with students rushing off to their classes, was quiet and still. Even though she’d given herself an extra thirty minutes earlier that morning, Olivia was still late. The shower-head had inexplicably fallen off while she was washing her hair, so she had to finish the job in the small sink in her bathroom.
Olivia rushed down the hall, her heels tapping on the waxed floor and bouncing off the white walls. One of the Junie B. Jones books she used for her remedial reading students slid loose and fell to the floor with a resoundingthud.
“Oh shit,” she mumbled.
She stopped and bent over to scoop up the fallen book. With it now secured in her free hand, Olivia dashed forward, her attention focused on the reading materials in her arms.
Bam!She plowed into something hard and immovable.
“Oh, crap!” Her shriek echoed all the way down the hall as she hit the floor, books and folders sprawled out around her. “What the hell?” Olivia looked up and met the dark eyes of her sexy next-door neighbor.
“Sorry.” The tall, dark, and deliciously handsome man held out his hand to her.
Olivia took it and as he helped her up, she tried to ignore the zing of energy and spark of something sensual that his touch had caused. She withdrew her hand quickly, then brushed off her black pencil skirt. He bent down and picked up the folders in one hand and a couple of books in the other.
“Thanks,” she mumbled when he handed them to her, and then he scooped up the rest of the books off the floor.
“No problem,” he replied while handing her the last of the hardbacks.
Olivia scraped her fingers through her hair and willed the crazed butterflies fluttering in her stomach to stop.
“I guess I’m always thanking you for something.”
“Seems that way,” he replied in a low, deep voice.
The corners of his mouth turned up and he cocked his head to the side; slowly and thoroughly, his dark gaze traveled up and down her body, seeping into her pores like melting chocolate, until it landed on her breasts.
Heat rushed through Olivia’s body and her mouth went dry as cotton as she attempted to think of something to say.
“Uh … do you need something?” she sputtered.
He looked up, his eyes moving to her mouth. “What’re you suggesting?”
Olivia knew her face was neon red just from the way it felt, and she turned away from his searing gaze and smashed the pile of books against her chest, shielding it from him.
“You’re wandering in the hallway, so I was just wondering if you’re looking for someone.” When she glanced back up, his stare remained.
“I’m good.”
Not able to contain her curiosity, Olivia shifted in place. “Why are you here—at the school?”
“I dropped off Lucy. Why’re you here?” He glanced at her books, then back at her. “You a teacher?”
“Lucy goes here?”
“I just said that.”
A nervous giggle slipped past her lips. “Right. I’m actually a teacher’s assistant. I work with students who have reading problems and help to bring them up to speed for their grade level.”
“Lucy’s got some problems, but her fuckin’ teacher doesn’t agree with me.”
“Who’s her teacher?”
“The older lady—reddish hair. I don’t remember her name, but it’s some color.”
“Mrs. White?”