Page 14 of Fractured Fear

“What? Okay. That has now been added to your classes. Music education.”

He smiles as if he just won something. I’m not sure what he won, but I’d give him a gold medal for that smile alone.

A man with a nice smile will forever be my type.

“Follow me. I’ll show you where you can put your stuff and where your pieces will be stored. Everyone has their own shelf space,” I explain as I walk towards the back. “Your shelf is here. You’re going to want to put your keys, wallet, and all that here while you’re working with clay. It gets messy very quickly. On that note, next time, wear clothes you’re okay with getting dirty. Some clay can stain, so be ready for that.”

Rio looks down at himself and inventories his outfit. “Clothes I’m willing to get dirty. Got it.” Then he winks. Fucking winks. My face heats at his implication, but I think I do a good job brushing off his comment.

“Um. Uh. Right. Yeah. Clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.”

Real smooth.

“And who is this handsome man?”

I internally groan and turn to Alma. “This is Rio. He’s taking some pottery lessons,” gesturing between Rio and everyone else, I make introductions. “Rio, this is Alma and Paul. They’re both artists who come here often. And that’s Hayes over there, he’s my studio assistant.”

“What’s up, man? Nice to meet you.” I turn to Hayes and he gives me a smug look. A look that saysI know you think he’s hot. I shoot him a glare in return.

“You too,” Rio replies politely.

Paul just gives Rio a chin lift, but Alma gives him a huge megawatt smile.

“Well, hello there, handsome.” She bats her lashes and practically makes googly eyes at him.

“!Hola, chica!” Rio turns his winking power on Alma and the woman fucking swoons. Dampening Rio’s effect on me would be a lot easier if everyone else didn’t feel it as well.

Continuing with the tour, I show Rio the kiln room, damp room, and storage closet with clay and tools. Once he has his own set of tools, I begin the demo. I explain how men naturally build upper body strength easier because their center of gravity is in their chest. So centering the clay and shaping his pot on the wheel will look different from how I do it. A woman’s center of gravity is in her hips, therefore I utilize the strength there to work clay on the wheel.

During the demo his eyes never leave me, making the fire he lit inside me burn hotter. I don’t think he actually watched my hands at all. Well, maybe when I showed him what coning was. That always gets an adult male student’s attention.

After I’m done with the demonstration I ask, “Do you have any questions?”

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

“What?” My mouth hangs wide open in shock.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Rio repeats the question slowly, enunciating each syllable as if I didn’t hear him the first time.

“Um. I meant, do you have any questions about the demonstration?”

“Yeah. That’s my question. Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Well. No. But I don’t see how it’s related.”

He smirks at me and says, “I’ll explain it one day, Mama.”

Why does it feel like there’s a joke here I’m not getting?

I narrow my gaze and attempt to say threateningly, “If you say so, Rio.”

He chuckles and I can’t help but smile back. After a moment, I’m laughing myself. His laugh is infectious. A deep, rumbling laugh that makes me smile just to hear it; it’s pure joy.

“Any other questions that actually pertain to pottery and not my relationship status?”

“Not right now.” He winks. Again.

He really needs to cut that shit out or I’m going to end up in the hospital with an irregular heartbeat.

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